This time, Xu Qingming and Gu were furious, frightened, and even cried. They felt wronged. This was all caused by the old man, and it had nothing to do with them.

Xu Qingming cried and said, "How can you say that to me, second brother? I never instigated Dad..."

Old man Xu lay on the bed and sighed.

Old Lady Xu cried and cursed, "That's good, you're satisfied. We haven't just offended the royal family and the prefect, we've also earned the hatred of the second son's family. I just don't understand. The second son gave us so much money because the maid helped us open the shop, and the second son's wife is gentle and filial, but you just don't like her. If the second son's wife really divorces the second son, we won't be able to be relatives of the royal family or the prefect anymore, and the second son will have to become a monk... What will happen to this family?"

The old lady burst into tears and was very angry when she finished speaking.

Old Man Xu said, "My second son's wife didn't explain it clearly herself, but everyone in the village said so, so I thought it was true."

Old Mrs. Xu was so angry that she started cursing again.

Xu Dashitou was in great pain and said, "Grandpa, Grandma, please stop arguing. It's useless. I've thought about it for a long time and decided that we should go back to the countryside. I already have a criminal record with Lord Qin. What if he regrets giving me such a light sentence and throws me in jail again? What's more, the officialdom is turbulent. If Lord Qin wants to control my second uncle and he doesn't listen to him, will he target me again?"

His words immediately frightened Old Man Xu, who was lying down, so much that he sat up and his body began to tremble again.

Old Mrs. Xu stopped crying and said, "Then let's go back to the countryside. The eldest and his wife should come with us. The Dashi family should stay. There is business here. You should also be liked by the second son's wife and Yin girl. They won't dislike you."

Old Man Xu still didn't want to go back. He shook his head like a wave drum and said, "You can go back if you want. I want to stay here and enjoy my life. They say officials protect each other. When the second son comes back, treat the prefect to some Taiwanese wine, and the prefect won't mind."

Old Lady Xu spat, "You are the only one who should go back. We are all here to accompany you. Do you think that the prefect is you and you will ignore everything after drinking a mouthful of yellow soup?"

Xu Qingming was frightened by the twenty lashes, fearing his father would be re-arrested and he would be the one to be beaten. Furthermore, Xu Qingyan was clearly taking his anger out on the eldest wife, so it was better to stay away. He also advised, "Dad, let's just go back. In the countryside, the sky is high and the emperor is far away, so there's more freedom, isn't it?"

Xu Dashi said, "Master, go back. Our grain and pastry shops have made a lot of money. Let's expand our country house and build a garden and pond like the rich families. We can also hire a few servants. I can live comfortably there as an old master. The villagers will all fawn over you. You have more respect than the old patriarch and Xu Lizheng... They say that the government office is permanent, but officials are transient. When Lord Qin is transferred to another post and my uncle and aunt have calmed down, you can move back..."

When Old Man Xu heard this, he thought it made sense. Instead of living in fear here every day, it would be better to go back to the countryside and be a respected old man, and then come back after Master Qin left. Gu didn't want to go back, but now she had no right to speak.

It was of course Xu Qingyan's idea to let the old couple and Xu Qingming and his wife return to the countryside. He was reluctant to bring it up, so he came up with these reasons and asked Xu Dashi to explain them.

Privately, Xu Dashi also reminded Xu Qingming to keep a close eye on the old man. If the old man got into trouble, his uncle wouldn't be able to say anything to him, and Xu Qingming would be the one who would suffer.

Xu Qingming nodded repeatedly. He had previously had a plan in mind: the gap between the first and second wives was widening, and if the old man started a fight, any benefits he gained would go to the first wife. He hadn't expected this incident to become so serious, and instead of getting any benefits, he received twenty lashes. And everyone else had guessed his thoughts.

The next day, Xu Dashi went to the second house in the north of the city again.

Since he came alone, Xu Lanyin still welcomed him.

He was invited to the west wing instead of the main room, and he was not allowed to see Qin. Because Xu Dashi went to the capital to find Xu Qingyan and asked someone to tell Xu Lanyin, Qin didn't want to hear anyone mention Xu Qingyan the most.

He talked about his trip to the capital and told Xu Lanyin the truth without hiding anything.

Xu Qingyan really drove Old Man Xu to the countryside, and this result still satisfied Xu Lanyin.

Qin Che and Xu Lanyin also came up with an idea. When Old Man Xu's health improved, the detectives who knew the inside story would go and talk to the old man without telling the prefect in order to make some money secretly, until they scared the old man away.

What Old Man Xu said is a "time bomb" that can be used at any time.

Xu Dashi also said that the four members of the Xu family would return to their hometown in three days, leaving only their family here.

Xu Lanyin didn't bring any gifts and said, "My mother is not in good health. Lan Yue and I have to take care of her. Lan Ting has to go to school, so we won't go to see her off."

When Qin heard that Old Man Xu and his companions were finally leaving Ningzhou Prefecture, she didn't show any extra emotion. She simply said, "Whether they stay or leave is no longer my concern."

In the days that followed, no one came to bother her, and Xu Lanyin's days were busy and comfortable. She and Qin were busy preparing the dowry and making the wedding dress. The Qin family sent an embroiderer to help with the wedding dress, and there were servants to help, but she still had to make the inner clothes herself.

Zhao Wu and Li Luo were busy renovating their house and preparing betrothal gifts, and Zhao Wu's clothes were also made by several people from the Xu family.

Meanwhile, Xu Lanyin and Zhao Wu used every available moment to chat and hold hands. Once, Zhao Wu even kissed her, leaving him awake all night.

On the 98th day of the twelfth lunar month, Ding Gu finally bought a house, which was very close to the Qin Mansion, just across the street, which made Qin very happy.

The next day, Qin took Xu Lanyin and her sisters and Min Jia to see the new house.

The house wasn't large, having cost three thousand taels of silver. Inside, the house was decorated with carved railings and painted buildings, and it looked very new. Although there were no flowers in the garden and a thin layer of ice on the pond, the house's exquisiteness and splendor could still be seen.

Mrs. Qin, Qin Hongyu, and Grandma Qin all came to see the house.

At noon, he invited several people from the Xu family to have dinner at the Qin Mansion.

Ever since Qin became the adopted daughter of Princess Nanyang, she wasn't so afraid anymore. She would occasionally visit the rouge shop and had also been to the Qin residence twice.

In the evening, Xu Lanting, who had just finished school, and Zhao Wu and Min Hu, who had just finished their work at the government office, all came to the Qin residence. They all happily had dinner in the main courtyard.

After dinner, everyone went home. Tomorrow was a day off, so Min Jia followed Min Hu back to his own home.

As soon as Xu Lanyin and the others arrived at the door of their house, Mrs. Lu, who had been waiting at the door, ran to the car and whispered, "Madam, Miss, the master is back."

Several people were stunned.

Qin said, "Yin'er, take your brothers and sisters home. Mother won't go back."

As soon as she finished speaking, Xu Qingyan came out and whispered, "Sister Yan, there has been progress on Wang Yi's matter."

Xu Qingyan said to Zhao Wu again, "Come over to our side, Master Li is here too."