All he wanted was the method of growing potted plants so that he could use it to his advantage.
Judging from this situation, it seems she can't fool them this time; she has to prepare for the worst.
Taking advantage of the chaos in the courtyard, Lin Zhaozhao whispered to Lin Yangyang and slipped into the inner courtyard.
As soon as she entered, she received worried looks from Yang Yuan and Old Lady Lin. Lin Zhaozhao reassured them and first went into the strawberry garden, where she put all the potted plants into her space. Then she went to the warehouse, the inner room, and the kitchen.
When Lin Zhaozhao came out again, the house was an empty shell, leaving behind only the original owner's belongings and the junk that Lin Zhaozhao didn't want.
Thinking you can take this opportunity to rob someone? Dream on.
Back in the outer courtyard, Lin Yangyang was arguing with the homeowner, Lin Chun. "We paid six months' rent for the house, and you just say you don't want to rent it anymore? According to the contract, you have to compensate us with three times the rent."
"Pah! I haven't even held you accountable for ruining my family's feng shui, and you still have the nerve to ask for compensation? If you know what's good for you, just admit it honestly, or you'll be in for a world of trouble." With Qin Yi and the constables backing him up, Lin Chun was acting like a bully.
"Are you saying the contract is invalid?"
"Lin Chun kindly rented the house to you out of pity and because you share the same surname, but you actually turned around and blamed him. Tsk tsk, you really took my kindness for granted." Qin Yi said, clapping his hands as he spoke, looking utterly despicable.
"Of course, if Madam Lin changes her mind, the contract might still be useful." Qin Yi's words were a blatant threat.
"Is this contract truly invalid? It's signed and sealed with a fingerprint." Lin Zhaozhao produced the contract, and Qin Yi, knowing her answer, waved his hand. The constables drew their swords, forcing them to leave through force.
"Madam Lin, swords and knives have no eyes. If the elderly or children are hurt, it will be a great loss."
Faced with the constable's blatant threat, Lin Zhaozhao's face turned cold as she gripped Lin Yangyang's hand tightly.
Seeing that the Lin family made no move, the inner courtyard door was opened, and Old Madam Lin and Yang Yuan were forcibly pulled out. The family of five gathered together, and Qin Yi's thin lips curled slightly. "Madam Lin, being stubborn will lead to suffering. Since you have repeatedly refused and ignored us, you can only blame yourselves."
"Go." The constable commanded coldly, his sharp blade gleaming in the darkness. The wind was biting, and the Lin family members were practically driven away.
Seeing this, the onlookers could no longer misunderstand that the ominous person who had caused the resurrection, as mentioned by Master Gaoxuan, was merely a pretext to deal with the Lin family's fruit shop. The real culprit was Qin Yi, or rather, the government's attempt to target Madam Lin.
Everyone knows how many things Qin Yi has done for Lord Ning, both openly and secretly.
Thinking about it carefully, it wasn't entirely without warning. The potted plants from Lin's Fruit Shop were once all the rage in Huichun. Their ability to attract wealth was bound to make people envious, not to mention that Mo Niang had such a beautiful face.
Knowing Miss Ning's temperament, tsk.
"What are you still standing there for?" Qin Yi smiled, and the onlookers who received his gaze immediately scattered.
However, in a short while, only three groups of people remained at the entrance: Master Gao Xuan, Lin Jinxiu, and Lin Chun.
"Thank you for your hard work. I will definitely send you some incense money soon." Satisfied with the promise, Master Gaoxuan left, but paused for a moment as he turned around. One could see with certainty that the direction he was looking in was the same direction the Lin family had left.
Outside, all was quiet. The constables who were in the outer courtyard rushed in, the door was pushed open roughly with a loud bang, accompanied by the clanging of scabbards.
A few minutes later, more than ten people thoroughly searched the house inside and out several times, but still found nothing. Upon hearing this news, Qin Yi's expression changed drastically, and he kicked the person who reported the news hard, "Impossible."
Qin Yi didn't believe it and rushed into the inner room. It seemed normal, but Qin Yi felt a strong sense of unease.
Logically speaking, Lin Zhaozhao had made a lot of money from Lin's Fruit Shop, so it was impossible for her to be so stingy as to not make any moves on her residence. However, the facts were clear: the residence where the Lin family had lived only contained some broken copper and iron and thin cloth, not to mention the potted plants that foreign merchants were vying for.
"That Lin Zhaozhao is something else." She managed to slip away right under his nose.
Stepping out of the inner room, Qin Yi's peripheral vision fell on the wooden shed in the inner courtyard. Upon entering, he found the large shed completely empty, with only a faint fruity fragrance in the air. Stepping inside for a closer look, he noticed signs that it had been moved not long ago.
Suddenly, Lin Zhaozhao remembered that when he arrived, she seemed to have flashed into the inner courtyard. How did she manage to move all the potted plants in such a short time?
This is illogical.
Or is there a secret passage in this mansion that he is unaware of?
Qin Yi felt uneasy, as if he had accomplished nothing.
"Keep searching! Dig three feet into the ground and find what she's hidden."
Two hours later, the house was in a mess, and Lin Chun dared not speak out in anger.
Seeing this, Qin Yi angrily smashed the table and chairs. Due to the force of the impact, his knees and calves suffered, and he bent over in pain, taking a while to recover. "You, Lin Zhaozhao!"
"Pass down the order to immediately seal off the West Market." No matter what extraordinary abilities Lin Zhaozhao possessed, this time he would make her wish she were dead, watching helplessly as her family died of the plague. The feeling was indescribable.
Heading north to the edge of the West Market, the constables finally sheathed their swords. Sensing that the Lin family might have thoughts of resistance, one constable smiled enigmatically, "If I were you, I would definitely go in obediently. Perhaps there are relatives inside."
Lin Zhaozhao's aura suddenly turned cold, her eyes filled with frost. "What have you done?"
"Why don't you go in and see for yourself?" A gloating voice rang out, followed by a push on the back and the sharp sound of a door locking.
The dilapidated wooden door creaked and groaned, and together with the desolate courtyard and the biting cold wind, it made the Lin family's plight all the more desolate.
The commotion attracted the attention of others, and with hurried footsteps, familiar figures appeared.
Lin Zhaozhao couldn't help but curse in her mind: Qin Yi, that old bastard.
"Older sister, Juanniang, Zhaozhao..." In the dim light, the Lin and Li families gathered together. Firewood was burning inside the house, providing a little warmth.
The two families looked at each other, both looking bewildered. Today was New Year's Eve, and they were supposed to visit each other and reunite tomorrow, but it had to be earlier than expected, all because of that absurd reason.
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