After two days and one night of spreading the word, the Lin family's actions had become widely known, and Lin Mingfu could no longer stay at Nanshan Academy.
Moreover, after learning the truth, the Zhao family gave up their idea of marrying into the Lin family, and Zhao Xudong also distanced himself from Lin Mingfu.
Lin Mingfu returned to the village with a dark expression.
"Mingfu, what's wrong? Who upset you?" Seeing her son's unhappy face, Madam Lin immediately stepped forward to ask, "I heard from Chunmei that the Zhao family girl likes you very much. Should I find a matchmaker to go to the Zhao family to propose marriage and settle this matter first?"
"No need."
“That Miss Zhao is quite beautiful and comes from a good family, so why not?” Madam Lin had seen Zhao Xiyun once from afar and was very satisfied with her, mainly because of her family background.
“What you did to Seventh Sister-in-law… to Yang Shi, now the whole of Wan’an County knows. Who would dare to marry their daughter here? Starting tomorrow, I’m not going to school anymore, to avoid making a fool of myself.”
Lin Mingfu simply didn't have the courage to go to the academy to face his classmates and the rumors. He wished so much that these things were all false!
"What...what did you say?" Lin Niu was taken aback.
"I'm tired, I'm going back to my room."
"Don't go! Explain yourself!" Lin Niu grabbed her son. "What exactly happened?"
Lin Mingfu was in a bad mood and his tone towards Lin Niu was also unfriendly: "It's because Lin Shikang abandoned his wife and children, you forced Yang Cui to jump into the river, and you were so jealous of other people's wealth that you came to their door to smash and rob them, forcing them to leave the village and still not letting them go! The whole of Wan'an County is talking about this. Do you understand what I'm saying, Mother?"
The clan chief Lin came in and overheard this, and almost fainted.
"How could that be? Wasn't that play already cancelled?"
Lin Mingfu scoffed, "Just because the play is stopped, does that mean people can't go out and talk about it? Doesn't the fact that the play is stopped just show that we're guilty? Nowadays, not only do poor scholars who pass the imperial examinations have to abandon their wives and children, but they also have to become live-in sons-in-law of high-ranking officials in the capital in order to rise in rank. What an attractive topic that is!"
"Yang Cui! It must be that bitch Yang Cui who framed us!" Madam Lin Niu was both anxious and angry. "Has it affected you? Has it affected you?"
Lin Mingfu remained silent.
Lin Niu cried in distress. She was hoping that her son would become a top scholar in the imperial examinations and bring her glory, but now her son's education and marriage had become problems.
"Yang Cui, how dare she? How dare she?" Chief Lin kept repeating this phrase.
They always thought that although Yang Cui was tough, she wouldn't dare to offend them to the death. After all, Yang Cui was weak and alone, while the Lin family had the whole clan. If things got out of hand, it wouldn't do Yang Cui any good. This was why the Lin clan dared to bully Yang Cui all the time. But they forgot that even a rabbit will bite when cornered, let alone this Yang Cui who was no longer the same Yang Cui.
"Why wouldn't she dare? You treat her like this, and you expect her to be grateful?" Lin Mingfu angrily rebuked. "I advised you before, to persuade Brother Kang not to divorce Yang. She's a good woman, she's done so much for the Lin family, and she's finally made it big, but you've turned your backs on her. Not only did you not listen, but you also kicked Er Ya and San Ya out, and you've been treating her like this all along..."
Lin Mingfu deeply regretted that he shouldn't have stayed at the academy for a while and should have come back every day. That way, he could have stopped his family from doing these things to Yang Cui, and this situation wouldn't have happened today.
"That wicked woman! Why didn't she drown when she jumped into the water? This scourge only finds joy in bringing misfortune upon our Lin family!" Madam Lin was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, constantly cursing Yang Cui.
Lin Mingfu couldn't listen anymore, so he went back to his room and slammed the door shut.
"Father, what do we do now?" Lin Niu asked the clan chief, tears streaming down her face.
Lin, the clan leader, was so angry that his veins bulged: "Call someone, we're going to Anjia Village!"
Lin Niu was furious with Yang Cui at this moment, and immediately gathered the Lin clan members. A large group of people went to Anjia Village in a menacing manner.
Upon learning of this, Village Chief Zhou immediately led more than a dozen strong men from his family to Anjia Village.
In Village Chief Zhou's opinion, Yang Cui might not necessarily lose this showdown between Lin and Yang!
If Yang Cui hadn't had someone to rely on, how could a woman like her dare to go against the Lin family? Judging from everything Yang Cui has done recently, she is not reckless. Her counterattack now must be premeditated!
The Zhou and Lin families already had a grudge against each other. Village Chief Zhou had already received news that his position as village chief would soon be changed. As a result, he was even more determined to support Yang Cui and bring down the Lin family!
Only in this way can we keep our position as village chief!
Wang Xicai saw from afar that the Lin clan chief, Lin Niu, Fan, and nearly twenty others were approaching menacingly. Yang Cui's feud with her neighbors was no secret in Anjia Village, and Wang Xicai immediately realized that these people were there to cause trouble for Yang Cui. He dropped what he was doing and hurriedly ran to inform them.
"Sister Cui, there are so many of them, they're definitely here to cause you trouble, you'd better hide!"
Yang Cui hadn't expected the Lin family to arrive so quickly. She had anticipated this day would come long ago, when she had bribed a dozen beggars and several gossipy old women to spread the word in the county town.
Yang Cui naturally had her own backup plan, but she just hoped they would arrive soon...
Yang Cui knew today would be a tough battle, so she asked Chen Sumei to take her three children away. Er Ya and San Ya cried uncontrollably and insisted on staying with Yang Cui.
Needless to say, Yuan Qiu had already taken out a pair of scissors from the kitchen and held them tightly in her hand, her face showing a ruthlessness that was beyond her years: "Godmother, don't worry, with me here, I won't let anyone bully you!"
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