Chapter 135 The Scholar Who Favored His Concubine Over His Wife (Twenty-Seven) Pursuing Pure Love...

The sound of shattering dishes erupted from Lin Xiyue's skirt. She hurriedly squatted down to pick up the shards, but was restrained by Yuehuan and Yingri.

"Madam! Be careful with your hands!" Yuehuan helped Lin Xiyue up, while Yingri took out his purse and negotiated compensation with the stall owner.

Just then, the old woman limped forward, leaning on her wooden cane. She squinted, sizing Lin Xiyue up and down, her gaze as venomous as a viper eyeing its prey, and said with ill intent, "Little brat, you've really made something of yourself!"

Lin Xiyue's throat tightened, and she opened her mouth and moved her lips but could not utter a word.

Seeing this, Aunt Lin smiled smugly, grabbed her wrist with her withered hand, and grinned, "Look at your clothes and appearance, did you marry into a city lord's family and become a concubine? Tsk tsk, I always said that with your foxy face, you would be fought over and carried back to the city for a high price sooner or later!"

Upon hearing this, Yuehuan immediately stepped in front of Lin Xiyue and scolded, "Where did this crazy woman come from? My lady is not someone you can insult and accuse at will!"

"Clinging to the past?" Aunt Lin Er let out a grating laugh, shouting, "That wretched girl's life was given to her by me! If it weren't for this old woman, she would have starved to death in the fields long ago! How could she have such a wealthy life now!"

Lin Xiyue felt a chill run through her body. She wanted to yell at the woman to leave, but her body's instincts held her rooted to the spot. She stared at Aunt Lin's distorted face, her nails digging deep into her palms to stifle a scream.

Those heavy, terrifying memories, which she dared not recall a second time, now surged towards her like a tidal wave.

As the crowd grew larger, Aunt Lin suddenly squinted, let go of her hand, and plopped down on the ground. Her hands, as bare as tree bark, pounded the bluestone slab beneath her as she cried out, "Everyone, come and see! Our niece, whom we raised with such care, now that she's the young mistress of the master's family, she doesn't recognize us anymore!" Her face was covered in snot and tears, making her look quite pitiful.

The onlookers whispered amongst themselves, some shaking their heads and sighing, others pointing and gossiping at Lin Xiyue. Yuehuan, exasperated, stamped her foot and shouted, "You madwoman, spouting nonsense! My lady doesn't know you at all!"

"Don't you recognize her?" Aunt Lin wiped her eyes hard and said in a shrill voice, "Does your lady have that burn scar on her forearm? She was burned by hot soup in the kitchen when she was eight years old! With so many people here, how can I, an old woman, lie?" As she spoke, Aunt Lin tried to step forward and pull open Lin Xiyue's sleeve, but Yuehuan stopped her in a flash.

Aunt Lin, however, refused to listen and grabbed Yuehuan's clothes, shouting, "Help! Someone's being hit! This lowly maid of the noble lady's family is hitting someone!" Yingri was a clever maid. Seeing that Lin Xiyue was being stopped and attacked by Aunt Lin, she took advantage of the crowd and quickly ran back to the mansion to report the matter to Song Ce.

Upon hearing this, Song Ce abruptly stood up and said to his subordinate beside him, "I will deal with this matter when I return." Before he finished speaking, he had already strode out of the study.

Lin Xitang was practicing archery at the martial arts academy when she heard the commotion in the front hall and rushed over, just in time to see Song Ce walking towards the door.

"But what happened?" Lin Xitang glanced at the pale face of Song Ce following closely behind, and her heart sank.

Yingri had always held this young master Lin in high esteem. Seeing him look over, she quickly repeated the story. After listening, Lin Xitang's brows furrowed even more. He immediately gritted his teeth and flicked his sleeve, saying, "Let's go! Lead the way!"

When Song Ce and his group rushed over, they heard Lin Xiyue's choked voice: "You're talking nonsense! When I was ten years old, you hung me in the woodshed overnight, and sold me to a slave trader the next morning! You got two strings of cash for it! Isn't that right?"

Aunt Lin's expression changed drastically. She suddenly lunged forward, her withered hand almost grabbing Lin Xiyue's face.

"You little slut with no parents! If it weren't for your second uncle and me being kind back then, you would have been carried off and eaten by the wolves in the mountains long ago! Now that you've climbed up the social ladder, you think you can disown us? Heavens above! Open your eyes and look! Is there no law in this world anymore!" Aunt Lin collapsed to the ground, wailing.

Just then, a patrol of city guards spotted Song Ce and his group and quickly stepped forward to salute, saying, "Greetings, Mr. Song, Young Master Lin." Song Ce nodded and gestured for the patrol to push through the crowd. The onlookers, seeing the guards wielding weapons and looking menacing, were startled and shoved each other back.

Song Ce walked quickly to Lin Xiyue's side and shielded her behind him. Lin Xiyue's tense nerves relaxed slightly when she saw her husband and brother coming together.

"My lady, are you alright? Are you injured?" Song Ce asked.

Looking at Song Ce's anxious and concerned face, Lin Xiyue finally found her voice. She said in a hoarse voice, "Husband, I'm alright. This person...this person..."

Before she could finish speaking, Lin Xitang stepped forward, his voice as cold as ice. His gaze swept over Lin's second aunt, and he said coldly, "Who do we have here? It's just my second aunt!"

"You...you're Tang boy? How are you still alive?" Aunt Lin's face changed drastically, and she exclaimed in disbelief, her expression as if she had seen a ghost.

Lin Xitang looked down at Lin's second aunt and smiled sarcastically: "Second aunt, your memory is not bad, you still remember your nephew. What, you did something wrong, causing my siblings and me to be separated for decades, and now you're afraid to see people?"

Aunt Lin was so choked by these words that her face turned pale and then red. She got up from the ground and moved away from Lin Xitang with a look of fear on her face. She said loudly, "Tang boy, what are you saying? Back then, your parents died one after another, and you were taken away by the army. If it weren't for your second uncle and me taking in Cao Yatou, how could she have such a rich life now?"

"Take her in?" Lin Xitang sneered, her eyes filled with anger. "You really know how to flatter yourself! Do you know how much suffering Yue'er has endured over the years?"

Lin Xiyue, her eyes brimming with tears, leaned against Song Ce, her legs weak and almost unable to stand. Song Ce gently patted her back and said softly, "Don't be afraid, it's all over now."

"Um……"

Hearing Lin Xiyue's soft voice, Song Ce stroked her long hair to comfort her. He coldly watched the farce that his second aunt had stirred up and said in a deep voice, "According to the laws of Qizhou, uncles and aunts are regarded as fathers and mothers. Seizing property and abusing nephews and nieces are serious crimes of discord. The crime is increased by two degrees, fifty strokes of the cane, exile for two thousand miles, and the privilege of commutation of sentence is revoked."

Upon hearing this, the crowd fell silent.

Upon hearing this, Aunt Lin's face flushed red. She took a few steps back and stammered, "So you're this little slut's husband? Do you think you're some emperor? Trying to use the law to oppress an old woman? Bah!"

Before she could finish speaking, someone in the crowd recognized Song Ce: "Mr. Song! Everyone! It's Mr. Song!"

"That heartless old woman is actually Madam Song's aunt?"

"I knew it! I could tell from the start that this old codger was a tough nut to crack, and now I see he really is!"

"Madam Song is beautiful and kind-hearted. She often visits the nursing home to see the widowed elderly people there!"

"That old hag deserves to be beaten and killed!"

Hearing the angry words coming from the crowd, Aunt Lin Er shouted in alarm, "You, you are that traitor Song Ce?"

These words enraged not only the city patrol guards but also the surrounding civilians.

Two patrolling guards stepped forward, muskets in hand, their voices filled with obvious anger. "You wicked woman, stop talking nonsense! Mr. Song has devoted himself to Qizhou City. He has built bridges and roads, established free schools, and ensured that we are well-fed and clothed, with granaries overflowing. How can we allow you to slander him like this!" The crowd erupted in a commotion, and several strong men rolled up their sleeves and tried to squeeze in, but Song Ce raised his hand to stop them.

"Guards, take this man back to the government office for thorough interrogation!"

Upon seeing this, Aunt Lin panicked and immediately struggled, shouting, "Why are you arresting me? I'm innocent!"

Song Ce glanced at Aunt Lin and said indifferently, "Since you have committed illegal acts within the territory of Qizhou, you shall be punished."

As the patrolling guards restrained Aunt Lin, she continued to scream desperately, her withered hands flailing wildly in the air as she cursed, "You little brat! You'll die a horrible death! We should have thrown you into the river to drown back then! It would have been better than..." Before she could finish, Chen Shuang, who had rushed over by lifting her skirt, stepped forward and covered her mouth, angrily saying, "You shameless old hag! How dare you curse your sister-in-law like that? I think you deserve to go to hell! May the King of Hell cut out your tongue!"

The crowd burst into laughter, and several elderly women threw rotten leafy vegetables from their baskets at the old woman's head.

"I've disliked that old woman for a long time!"

"Exactly! What a heartless, rotten old woman!"

"Count me in! Let's smash her to death!"

The angry shouts from the crowd were silenced by Song Ce raising his hand. He looked around and said gently, "Please disperse, everyone. Don't delay their business." The crowd nodded in agreement and gradually dispersed, not forgetting to spit at Aunt Lin a few times before leaving.

Meanwhile, Uncle Lin and Lin Yinzhu, hiding behind the crowd, were deathly pale. He pulled his daughter back a few steps and shrank into the street corner, his eyes fixed on Aunt Lin, who was being gagged and taken away, his Adam's apple bobbing involuntarily.

Lin Yinzhu tugged at her father's sleeve and asked in a trembling voice, "Father, Mother... Mother has been arrested! What are we going to do?" Before she could finish speaking, Lin Xitang's gaze suddenly swept over them, which frightened the father and daughter so much that they turned around and ran into the alley.

Lin Xitang naturally wouldn't let the two of them go. He signaled the patrolling guards to follow him and quickly chased after them into the alley.

After the crowd had mostly dispersed, Song Ce saw that Lin Xiyue was still trembling slightly. He held her hand tightly and whispered in her ear, "Wife, don't be afraid, let's go home first."

"My husband...I..."

"If you don't want to say, then you don't have to." Song Ce smiled and gestured for Yue Huan and Ying Ri to help Lin Xiyue into the carriage. Chen Shuang, who was standing to the side, also looked distressed. After bowing to Song Ce, she followed him into the carriage.

The coachman of the Song family whipped the horse and galloped along. Lin Xiyue leaned on Chen Shuang's shoulder, her fingers unconsciously clutching the hem of her skirt. Chen Shuang took out a silk handkerchief from her sleeve and carefully wiped away the tears on Lin Xiyue's face, saying with heartache, "Sister-in-law, don't be sad. With the master here, that old hag will surely be punished."

Soon, the carriage stopped in front of the Song residence. Song Ce helped Lin Xiyue walk quickly back to the main courtyard. The bedroom was still warm and cozy, but Lin Xiyue felt cold all over.

"You can all go about your business," Song Ce said gently.

"Yes, sir."

After everyone had left, Song Ce reached out and pulled Lin Xiyue into his arms, resting his chin gently on the top of her head without saying a word. After a long while, Lin Xiyue's hands trembled as she grasped Song Ce's clothes, and then she slowly hugged him back.

On the other side, Lin Xitang led the patrol guards into the alley. Lin Ershu and Lin Yinzhu panicked and stumbled forward in the alley, each losing a shoe in the process.

"Father! Father! Wait for me!" Lin Yinzhu cried out.

Uncle Lin was panting heavily, his eyes filled with fear. He didn't stop because of his daughter's voice, but just kept running forward as fast as he could. The two of them usually didn't even have enough to eat, so how could they outrun the young and strong city patrol guards? In less than a quarter of an hour, the father and daughter were caught up by each other.

Seeing Lin Xitang's fierce expression, like a demon from hell, Uncle Lin knelt down with a thud and kowtowed repeatedly, saying, "Young man Tang, please spare us! Selling Cao Yatou was all your second aunt's idea, it has nothing to do with us!"

Lin Yinzhu also knelt down, sobbing, "Brother Tang, please let us go! We were all... forced!"

Lin Xitang looked coldly at the father and daughter, and said in an icy tone, "Forced? What, did God force you to sell your own niece?"

Uncle Lin touched his forehead to the ground and kowtowed repeatedly, saying, "Young Tang, you don't know! That year... that year the harvest was really bad. If we hadn't sold the grass girl to exchange for some grain, we would have all starved to death! Your second aunt was doing it out of desperation. She did it so that our whole family could survive!"

"To survive?" Lin Xitang laughed angrily. "Have you thought about the suffering Yue'er endured after being sold?"

"We've thought about it! We've thought about it! Your second aunt and I were planning to redeem Cao Yatou once things were a bit better off at home!" Uncle Lin shouted loudly.

Lin Xitang remained expressionless as she looked at Lin Yinzhu, whose eyes were darting around.

Lin Yinzhu felt his gaze, shrank her neck and dared not look up, only sobbing uncontrollably.

"Take them back to the government office and await their fate!" Lin Xitang said coldly to the patrolling guards.

"Yes, Young Master Lin!"

Three days later, Wang Sushou publicly pronounced the verdict in the county government, and the Lin family was sentenced according to law. Lin Ershu and Lin Ershen were accomplices who jointly committed serious crimes such as abusing their nephews and embezzling property. They were each given one hundred strokes of the cane and exiled to a malaria-ridden land thousands of miles away. Lin Yinzhu's crime was slightly less serious, but he could not escape punishment either. He was sentenced to thirty strokes of the cane and five years of corvée labor in the border garrison.

Upon hearing the verdict, the onlookers cheered loudly.

Chen Shuang, standing in the crowd, was overjoyed after hearing the verdict and quickly returned to the Song residence with her maid.

“Sister-in-law! You didn’t see it today, that wicked woman and her whole family were so scared they fainted! The guards had to drag them away by force! Last night, Ashan told me that he was going to lead a group to escort that wicked family out of the city. Should I tell Ashan to teach them a lesson on the way…”

Before Chen Shuang could finish speaking, Lin Xiyue's eyelashes trembled, and she finally smiled with relief: "Never mind, Shuang'er, let them be."

"Sister-in-law, did I say something wrong?" Chen Shuang asked softly, looking at Lin Xiyue's pale but calm face.

“It’s all in the past.” Lin Xiyue stood up, looked at the pear blossom branch in the vase by the window, and said softly, “Shuang’er, look how beautifully the pear blossoms are blooming. Why let the past bother you?”

Chen Shuang followed her gaze to the pear blossoms, then turned back to look at Lin Xiyue, whose eyebrows were relaxed, and genuinely smiled.

"Okay! I'll listen to my sister-in-law!"

Since that day, life has been passing by peacefully, and before we knew it, autumn had arrived.

Song Ce had been busy preparing for the autumn harvest in Qizhou City, leaving early and returning late every day. He had only just put on his outer robe today and hadn't even had time to wash up when there was a rapid knocking on the gate of the Song residence.