It turned out that because the Ling family was showing signs of decline, Ling Duo was also sent back by her husband's family.
Madam Ling's heart ached most for this daughter. Upon learning that she had been mistreated in her husband's family, she couldn't eat or sleep for several days.
He vented all his unhappiness on Zhou Caiying.
This became the last straw that broke Zhou Caiying's back. She thought that since everyone was bullying her, why should she let them have an easy time?
After figuring things out, she returned to her parents' home and spoke with the prefect's wife.
Master Ling agreed that if the prefect was willing to speak to the county magistrate and ask his second son to stop making things difficult for the Ling family.
He then agreed to marry Lingduo to Zhou Chengyi, the prefect's mentally challenged son.
Upon hearing this, the prefect's wife, though somewhat disdainful that Ling Duo was a widow, couldn't resist her undeniable beauty.
Thinking that if he could have a legitimate grandson, it would surely be better than the ones born to those concubines.
So she went to see the prefect, but not to ask him to speak with the county magistrate.
Instead, he was instructed to ensure that Ling Bin did not pass the imperial examination, no matter what.
Otherwise, given his son's sadistic nature, he might seek revenge once the Ling family regains power.
The prefect was naturally aware of this, and immediately nodded in agreement.
Having received approval, Zhou Caiying didn't stay long; she had lunch and then returned to the Ling family home.
When Master Ling learned that Ling Duo would be sacrificed, he merely frowned slightly.
Madam Ling refused to accept this and threw a tantrum, determined to cancel the marriage.
Master Ling, however, said that either he would marry Ling Duo off, or he would lock her up and then marry her off.
Knowing she couldn't persuade him, Madam Ling had no choice but to seek help from the clan elders.
Yet, not a single person in the entire clan was willing to offend Master Ling for her sake.
They also said that Ling Duo was a widow, and that the prefect's son was incredibly lucky to have taken a liking to her.
Tell Madam Ling to stop making trouble, otherwise if the marriage falls through, Ling Duo might not survive.
Upon hearing this, Madam Ling dared not say anything more, only thinking of quietly sending her daughter away later.
Unexpectedly, they were caught red-handed by Master Ling and his men.
The day before Ling Duo's wedding, she made a special trip to see Zhou Caiying.
When asked why she treated her this way, Zhou Caiying simply smiled and told her to ask Madam Ling.
Upon hearing this, Ling Duo immediately guessed the reason behind it.
She had previously advised her mother to treat Zhou Caiying better, since she was innocent.
Madam Ling not only ignored him, but also intensified her actions.
As a child, she couldn't very well refute her birth mother repeatedly, so she could only pretend she knew nothing.
I never imagined that my initial indifference would turn into sharp blades piercing my body.
For the sake of her family's interests, she married a sickly man who looked like a skeleton, and barely managed to outlive him to death.
Now, for the sake of business, she's forced to marry a cruel, mentally challenged man.
Ling Duo laughed at this thought, a laugh that was extremely desolate and terrifying.
The following day, as the bridal sedan chair was carried from the Ling residence to the Zhou residence, Ling Duo also vanished from this world completely.
When Madam Ling learned that her daughter had committed suicide by poison, she did not shed a single tear.
After inquiring about the type of poison, he remained silent until Ling Duo's burial.
He then said to her grave, "That's about enough."
Early the next morning
The Ling residence was eerily quiet until Ling Bin woke up, at which point a series of screams could be heard.
Apart from Ling Bin, not a single member of the entire Ling family survived.
Even the relatives who came to help with the funeral, as well as the maids and servants who had mocked Ling Duo behind her back, all perished.
The most tragic case was that of Master Ling, whose heart was ripped out and placed on his eyes.
Strangely, the constables and coroners who came to investigate the scene did not find the bodies of Zhou Caiying and Madam Ling.
So, Ling Bin was asked to think carefully about what happened last night.
Ling Bin thought and thought, but all he could recall was what happened before he finished drinking the pear soup that Madam Ling had brought him.
Then a doctor was called in, and it was determined that he had been drugged the night before.
After a series of investigations by the constables, the bodies of Madam Ling and Zhou Caiying were finally found at Ling Duo's grave.
According to the constables, the scene was extremely terrifying.
Zhou Caiying's tongue was cut out, and her body was fixed to a wooden board, forcing her to kneel stiffly before Ling Duo's grave.
Madam Ling then slit her own throat, spraying her blood all over Ling Duo's tombstone.
Beneath the tombstone were several sealed envelopes, letters, and account books weighed down by stones, the words in which were filled with anguish.
They angrily cursed Old Master Ling for being heartless, disregarding the lives of his children for the sake of the Ling family, and for being cold-blooded and only interested in profit among his relatives.
And the prefect's corruption, bribery, and abuse of power, but the one who was criticized the most was Ling Yu.
He was the root of all evil, the instigator who destroyed the Ling family.
Meanwhile, Pidan, completely unaware of this, was happily wandering the world.
He discovered that the outside world was wonderful, with many people and things he had never seen before.
Free from the constraints of family and the ties of marriage, life is absolutely carefree.
His spirit was happy during the trial, and his face in reality was also full of smiles.
Qin Luo, Wu Hua, and the Hou Jiang all scratched their heads, puzzled, as they looked at his dark face with a beaming smile.
"Lord of the Domain, what's wrong with Pidan? The trial isn't even over yet, how come he's so happy?"
After Qin Luo finished asking, Wu Hua immediately followed.
"Yes, it's been half a month already. How much longer until he wakes up?"
The Hou Jiang was completely bewildered by the question. Having never experienced anything like this before, how would he know?
"I don't know, but seeing how smug he looks, things must be going very well, and he might wake up soon."
His words, a mixture of speculation and possibility, only made the two of them more uncertain.
"Really? Then why doesn't he show any signs of waking up?"
"Yes, I feel like he really enjoys life in the trials."
This chapter is not finished yet. Please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
