However, Song Liyun did not go in person.

As a woman, she shouldn't freely enter and leave the garrison's prison.

That's Zhao Tingduo's territory. If anything bad happens there, it will be awkward to talk about it later.

Besides, Lin Qinghua is still using the lives of Xiao Gu and her son to whet his appetite, so let him keep hoping like that!

Abu and Song Dekui were more than happy to relay the message for her, and also to see Lin Qingyuan's disheveled state.

The garrison headquarters was converted from a former military camp and did not have a dedicated prison.

The uniform military camp style is rugged and bold.

A row of small houses stood in the open air, with thick wooden fences forming cages, separating men and women and locking them inside.

Although it lacked the gloom and terror of a prison, and the filthy, polluted air of what one might imagine, the days of bitter cold and scorching heat, exposed to the sun and rain, were still unbearable.

The sun was already beginning to set when the jailer brought the first meal.

A bucket of murky, thin porridge, and a basket of potatoes.

Each person can only receive one egg-sized, dark, mushy potato, plus a spoonful of clear soup.

The Lin family had never suffered like this before, and they all complained bitterly, especially the women in their cages who were crying and sobbing.

Lin Shouzhou, who was originally a wealthy man, sat leaning against the wooden railing, not even glancing at the food.

After a few days, he had become emaciated, his eyes were dull, and his eye sockets were sunken.

He knew something was wrong as soon as he learned that this sudden disaster stemmed from a small matter involving his son.

This isn't the first time something like this has happened, but this time it's the ascension of a new emperor.

Although he was not a court official, he learned some things about the palace from his elder brother's letters.

People come and go as soon as the emperor ascends the throne.

He never imagined that he, a small merchant in a border town, would become one of the unlucky ones.

He slapped Lin Qinghua several times on the spot. If Madam Lin hadn't cried and held him back, he would have wanted to beat that troublemaker to death.

Merchants have a low social status and usually need to be careful. This unfilial son not only did not restrain himself, but actually went to Qili County to provoke Jiang Feng.

Jiang Feng was no ordinary seventh-rank official; he was a high-ranking official from the Dali Temple (Court of Judicial Review) in the capital.

That wasn't all. The day after the Lin residence was sealed off, Lin Shouzhou received the truly devastating news.

The younger brother who worked as a clerk in the government office brought news that not only had he been dismissed from his post, but his elder brother in the capital was also staying at home reflecting on his mistakes.

I need to find out for myself what went wrong that has implicated the whole family!

Knowing he could not escape unscathed, Lin Shouzhou quickly burned the family's account books to eliminate any possible incriminating evidence.

What worried him most was the attitude of his in-law, Qi Dongyuan…

Although someone from the Qi family came, their words implied that they would have to take full responsibility themselves, clearly indicating that they had no intention of offering any help!

Full responsibility!

Lin Shouzhou snorted coldly: "To get rich, one must take dangerous paths; the method of getting rich has always been the first article of the criminal law."

Every year, the Qi family goes to the grasslands to buy and sell goods. How much refined iron is hidden among them? Does no one know if Qi Dongyuan doesn't say?

And... Lin Shouzhou felt a tremor in his heart and suppressed the terrifying images in his mind.

He would have to bear the consequences alone. If that matter were to be discovered, his entire Lin family would be beheaded!

Lin Shouzhou's forehead was sweating. He opened his eyes and glanced at his family.

At this moment, the Lin family members were still shouting about their dissatisfaction with the food.

The eldest son, Lin Qinghua, collapsed to the ground, clutching his head, seemingly lifeless.

The illegitimate son, Lin Qingyuan, sat to the side, fiddling with three potatoes and muttering to himself. Only a few words could be vaguely heard, something like "...barbecue flavored potato chips."

Is this son mentally challenged?

Lin Shouzhou only had these two sons, and his heart was filled with sorrow: there were so many women in the family, but he only had two sons and a daughter, and the concubines in the house had never added any more people.

He knew perfectly well why he had no children; his wife was dissatisfied with his concubines and had been constantly giving him bowls of contraceptive soup.

Especially the gentle and charming Aunt Liu, who drank the infertility-inducing soup right after giving birth to Lin Qingyuan, and could not have children again.

Thinking of Aunt Liu, Lin Shouzhou felt a pang of regret: since the concubine's daughter had returned home but was not staying at home, and suddenly wanted to stay at another courtyard, she would also go and stay there for a couple of days.

As a concubine, she was not allowed to stay out overnight. Lin Qingyuan had to go to the madam to ask for her favor, saying that his sister was unwell and it was inconvenient for her to stay at home, and asked Aunt Liu to take care of her for two days and then return.

Unfortunately, just as the mother and daughter went out, soldiers came to their door, and even if they escaped capture, they would have nowhere to go.

Lin Shouzhou glanced at Lin Qingyuan, who was gnawing on a half-cooked potato, and his heart turned from ice to fire, wishing he could kick him.

Although the eldest son caused trouble for the family, he was also trying to find more ways to make money for the family.

This illegitimate son was neither good at literature nor martial arts, and he couldn't even manage the family business. He spent his days indulging in brothels, bringing shame to the Lin family.

His terrible reputation meant that even girls from modest families were unwilling to marry into his family.

If it weren't for Liu's kindness and gentleness towards him, she would have kicked him out of the house long ago.

Lin Shouzhou was secretly grieving, while the Lin family members, unable to bear the hunger, had already started eating.

Another chaotic scene ensued.

Hungry, the concubines, no longer afraid of the scolding of the principal wife, Madam Lin, refused to eat the potatoes and scrambled for the bowls of thin porridge.

They were pulling hair and tearing clothes, staging a full-blown brawl. They were no longer the beautiful ladies of the Lin family in the past, but had all become demons with sharp teeth and claws.

Without her usual maids and servants by her side, Madam Lin was unable to control these concubines. She could only pound on the wooden railing and shout at Lin Shouzhuo, "Shouzhuo, look at this! These lowly, shameless women are trying to turn the world upside down!"

Lin Shouzhou closed his eyes, ignoring the crying and cursing beside him, and muttered something incoherently: "It's getting dark!"

Amidst the crying and fussing, the spoiled young master Lin Qingyuan remained silent as he ate the half-cooked potato.

But her lowered eyes held a hint of resentment: "Why haven't you brought the food yet? Are you really going to punish me?"

I don't want roast chicken or roast duck, just give me a multigrain pancake!

Grandma Song, please come quickly! Someone's starving to death!

Lin Qingyuan's prayers had an effect, and he was met with a burst of laughter: "Hahaha! Lin Qingyuan, you've finally met your match!"

Upon hearing the familiar voice, Lin Qingyuan didn't even raise his head. With a flick of his wrist, he smashed the potato, whose skin had only been partially gnawed off.

A potato flew out from the gap in the wooden fence, landing right in front of Song Dekui's lewd face.

Song Dekui covered his face and dodged to the side, still teasing him relentlessly: "Silly Lin, where is your sweet beauty? Didn't you say you were going to take Master Kui to Sweetwater Lane to play with the gongs!"

Lin Qingyuan glared at him resentfully: "I'm starving! There's no fun to be had!"

On the other side, Young Master Lin, who had been lying on the ground pretending to be dead, crawled over with a groan, his eyes full of joy: "Brother Song, Brother Song, I'm here."

Compared to Song Liyun, with whom he had already sworn enmity, Song Dekui, who had once helped him, was more trustworthy.

Young Master Lin vaguely remembered that Song Dekui's father was the village head, responsible for managing all the affairs of the village, including those of the villagers.

In this way, the safety of Xiao Gu and her son became useful.

Song Dekui acted as if he didn't recognize him, glancing at him casually before turning his gaze away.

Abu, standing nearby, flashed his token to the guards: "Commander Zhao wants to question him. Bring that man out."