The two sisters lamented their fate but couldn't think of a better way out.

Lu Yanling just waited.

She felt that her sister-in-law wouldn't lie to her and would definitely find a way to save her.

Chen was furious that Lu Yanling hadn't come, and she gave A Xiang a good scolding.

“Useless thing, why don’t you find someone to drag her over?”

"Yes, I was wrong." Ah Xiang immediately knelt down.

"Fine, go kneel outside."

Chen did not send anyone to call Lu Yanling again.

"She can't do anything about it. Now that the betrothal gifts have been accepted, she has no choice but to marry him, whether she likes it or not."

If word gets out, it won't do her good reputation as the legal mother.

Tell her to stay in the yard and not come out.

"Come here!" Chen pointed at Ah Xiang.

Ah Xiang was overjoyed.

If the lady asked her to do something, she wouldn't have to be punished by kneeling.

Chen Yulan whispered in Ah Xiang's ear.

Ah Xiang nodded vigorously.

He turned around and chased after them.

Butcher Zhang hasn't gone far yet.

Sure enough, they caught up with the dejected butcher Zhang less than a mile from the Marquis's residence.

He sent over three thousand taels of silver today, but he didn't even get to see his future wife.

She dared to give him a hard time; just wait and see how he torments her after he marries her.

Ah Xiang called out to Butcher Zhang, "Come with me."

Butcher Zhang recognized her as the maidservant who served Madam Lu.

He followed Ah Xiang into the alley: "What are your orders, Madam?"

Ah Xiang looked around to make sure no one could hear what the two of them were saying.

She leaned closer to Butcher Zhang and said many things.

Butcher Zhang exclaimed in surprise: "Tonight?"

"That's what Madam said, just do as she says."

Zhang the butcher's gloom vanished instantly.

Such a good thing!

He nodded repeatedly: "I will certainly do as you say, madam."

Ah Xiang didn't linger and went back to report.

Butcher Zhang went home and took a nice bath.

Don't let the fishy smell on you bother the young lady of the Marquis's mansion.

Thinking that he would be a groom tonight, Butcher Zhang happily sang a little tune.

He was calculating the time.

As soon as the appointed hour of Hai (9-11 PM) arrived, he couldn't wait to go to the back door.

Ah Xiang was waiting there right on time.

The gatekeeper had already given instructions, so they let the people in directly.

Not only was Butcher Zhang wrapped up tightly, but Ah Xiang also kept her head down, not wanting others to know who she was.

Ah Xiang led Butcher Zhang toward Lingyuan.

The journey was smooth and unobstructed.

Butcher Zhang's heart was pounding.

He never expected such a good thing to happen. Before they were even married, his mother-in-law had already helped him into the bridal chamber.

Lingyuan was pitch black.

"It seems the Third Miss is already asleep. Be careful, I'll leave you here."

Ah Xiang carefully described the location of Lu Yanling's bedroom and quickly disappeared into the night.

Butcher Zhang peeked out cautiously; the courtyard gate was locked.

He walked around outside for a while.

I want to climb the wall.

However, because he was too obese, he failed several times.

Butcher Zhang was in a panic.

He was determined to sleep with his wife today.

His three thousand taels were not wasted.

Looking down, I saw a dog hole.

Butcher Zhang was overjoyed.

He immediately crouched down and tested the size of the dog hole.

It should be possible to crawl in.

He immediately lay down and first stuck his head inside.

Then they used both hands to pull themselves in.

But halfway inside, he got stuck.

Butcher Zhang hurriedly retreated.

Suddenly the candlelight blazed brightly.

"Thief! Thief!" Shouts of catching the thief filled the Hou mansion.

The servants guarding the Lingyuan Garden dragged the man out of the dog hole, put a sack over his head, and gave him a brutal beating.

"Stop hitting me! Stop hitting me! Have mercy!" Butcher Zhang writhed inside the sack.

The masters of each courtyard heard it.

They all rushed over.

Butcher Zhang was tied to a tree.

Lu Yanling was trembling with fear. She wanted to run out and see what was going on.

Xia Qi had already rushed in: "Do you even care about your reputation? Stay in the house quietly."

Lu Yanling recognized Xia Qi as the maidservant of the Crown Prince's wife, and tears streamed down her face.

She knew her sister-in-law wouldn't abandon her.

Xia Qi was most afraid of seeing a woman's tears: "Don't cry. Remember, you've been sleeping in the room the whole time. You didn't hear a single sound outside, did you hear me!"

"I heard you." Lu Yanling nodded hurriedly.

When Chen arrived, she saw Zhang the butcher covered in blood.

What a useless person, can't even handle such a small matter.

Jiang Chuwei arrived after Chen arrived.

The servants she had arranged had all withdrawn.

The rest were guards from the Marquis's residence.

They tied Butcher Zhang to a tree.

This place is already some distance from Lingyuan.

Jiang Chuwei angrily rebuked, "Are the gatekeepers of the Marquis's mansion dead? They actually let a thief in and didn't even notice!"

In one sentence, Zhang the butcher's identity was defined.

Butcher Zhang retorted, "I'm not a thief!"

Seeing that he was about to confess, Chen Yulan shouted, "Gag him and beat him hard!"

Jiang Chuwei said, "Wait a minute. Since it's a thief, just hand it over to the Prefect of the Capital. I believe the Prefect will handle the case impartially."

"We can't hand it over to the government!" Chen Yulan immediately objected.

"Why? If the Marquis's mansion catches a thief, shouldn't they be dealt with according to the law? Or does Mother-in-law want to resort to private torture?"

Chen Yulan suffered a heart attack.

Jiang did it on purpose.

She must know who Butcher Zhang is; perhaps she deliberately sabotaged things today.

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