Fan stormed up to Yang Cui in a rage: "You shameless woman! How dare you bring your lover to live in my Lin family!"
Yang Cui glared at Fan Shi: "What lover? Fan Yuhua, watch your mouth! I think you can't stand not causing trouble every day. You've only had a few days of peace, and you're already itching for something again, aren't you? Is this your Lin family? This is Zhou'an Village, and this is my house, Yang Cui's house. My name, Yang Cui, is clearly written on the deed. If you're blind or have a bad memory, I'll take you to the yamen and we'll have a good look back."
"You...you..."
When the government office was mentioned, Fan was indeed somewhat timid.
But she was resentful!
This is clearly the Lin family's house, but Yang Cui took it over to support her lover. From then on, they came and went in this house, always around, which was an eyesore.
In Fan's eyes, Cen Xiao was no different from an adulterer.
When the clan elders Lin Qi and Lin Sanjin heard that Fan Shi had come to cause trouble for Yang Cui again, they rushed over.
"Fan, what are you doing here?" Lin Sanjin shouted her name through gritted teeth, showing his anger.
"Elders of the Lin family, you've come at the right time. I was just about to ask if your Lin clan would like to go to the yamen with me to argue your case. If so, I'm ready to accompany you anytime."
"No, no," Lin Qi quickly denied.
Lin Mingcai, Lin Rongguang, and the entire Lin clan have all been imprisoned. Who knows what will happen if they go to the yamen again! The Lin clan can't afford any more trouble.
“I’ll take her away now. Since the house is in your name, it’s yours. You can let whoever you want live there,” Lin Sanjin said.
"You think taking her away is enough? You're not bothered by her causing trouble every few days, but I am!"
Lin Sanjin choked, inwardly filled with resentment towards Fan Shi. He cursed her in his heart as a blind old woman who couldn't see the situation clearly. At this critical juncture, she was still making trouble with Yang Cui, wasn't she afraid of jeopardizing Lin Shikang's future?
Cen Xiao, who had been silent until now, finally spoke up: "Report it to the authorities! That will solve the problem once and for all."
It was at this moment that the group surnamed Lin began to seriously examine Cen Xiao.
He was five feet six inches tall, with a handsome appearance and a robust physique. His imposing presence instilled a sense of awe in others.
Lin Sanjin and Lin Qi had stayed in Lin'an Village for many years, and the wealthiest people they had ever seen were Lin Shikang and Sun Dewen, the son of the advisor. However, Cen Xiao's aura was far stronger than theirs, and he had the air of a superior.
How could an ordinary person have such a powerful aura?
Based on the events that followed Yang Cui's severing ties with the Lin family, Lin Sanjin and Lin Qi believed that Cen Xiao was very likely not an ordinary villager, but perhaps a powerful figure Yang Cui had met in the city, someone they couldn't afford to offend.
"You've only had a few days of peace! What, don't you think your Lin family's reputation isn't bad enough, and you've made enough of a fool of yourself?" Zhou Daqing arrived, accompanied by more than a dozen members of the Zhou clan.
This means we're going to support Yang Cui.
Lin Sanjin and Lin Qi were humiliated and glared angrily at Madam Fan.
When asked to bow down to Yang Cui, they felt that they were too old and too powerful to do so.
Lin Qi's daughter-in-law, Lin Jiangshi, said, "Yang Cui, let's just forget about reporting her to the authorities. You know how sharp her tongue is. We promise she won't cause any more trouble, okay?"
If the matter were to escalate to the authorities, it wouldn't just affect Fan alone, but the entire Lin clan. Therefore, the other women of the Lin clan also pleaded with Yang Cui for leniency.
Yang Cui remained unmoved, so Lin Jiangshi then instigated Lin Daya to plead for her. Lin Daya immediately knelt down in front of Yang Cui and said, "Auntie, please forgive Grandma."
Lin Jiangshi: "Yang Cui, look how pitifully the child is crying. Taking this to the yamen won't be good for Daya either. You are, after all, the child's aunt, and you took care of her for so long. Can you really bear to see her unable to find a good husband in the future because of her reputation?"
Is this an attempt at moral blackmail?
Yang Cui raised her eyes and smiled: "What does it matter to me whether she gets married or not? She and Er Ya and San Ya are sisters, but she still helps others bully her own sister. Do you think she can remember any kindness I've shown her?"
Everyone was taken aback.
Lin Daya was so choked up that she burst into tears, and she hated Yang Cui to the core.
Yang Cui ignored her and continued, "Since I, Yang Cui, was able to send Lin Mingcai in, I am not afraid of any of you. If you bother me again, I will go to the capital and beat the Dengwen Drum to appeal to the emperor."
"No, no, don't worry, we will definitely keep her in check," Lin Jiangshi assured her repeatedly.
After saying that, the Lin family and several other women dragged and pulled Fan away.
Still unconvinced, Madam Fan uttered a harsh threat before leaving: "Wait until my son comes back, he'll make you pay!"
Yang Cui smiled faintly: "I'll be waiting."
Speaking of this, Yang Cui also found it strange. Why hadn't there been any news from Lin Shikang yet? Could it be that the Zan family hadn't received the letter? Or was Lin Shikang's protagonist aura too strong, and the Zan family hadn't been able to deal with him?
That's one of the downsides of ancient times; information was so limited that you couldn't find out anything if you wanted to.
On the Lin family's side.
Lin Zhongqiang and Lin Huaqiang immediately encouraged other members of the Lin clan to seek help from Lin Sanjin and Lin Qi.
“Elders, Yang Cui is a woman of her word. If Madam Fan continues to make trouble, and Yang Cui takes it to the yamen, what will we do? You two are elders, you can’t let Madam Fan do whatever she wants! Her son is a top scholar, don’t let her ruin our reputation and our children’s future before she even gets any benefit for our clan.”
"Yes, look at the Zhou family, they're living a thriving life, while our sons are struggling to find wives. Can't they just stop this?"
"They've already severed ties and are divorced. She can marry whoever she wants; it's none of our business. If you're so upset, why don't you wait until the top scholar comes back before discussing how to get revenge?"
"Exactly, they just want to make everyone suffer together."
...
"Alright! Shut up, all of you!" Lin Sanjin snapped.
Everyone immediately shut up.
Lin Sanjin stared at Fan Shi with his cloudy eyes: "Fan Shi, if you still have any respect for the Lin clan and for me, the clan elder, then behave yourself! Otherwise, we will expel you from the clan!"
"Lin Sanjin, what did you say? You want to exterminate my entire clan?" Madam Fan was shocked. "My son is a third-place scholar in the imperial examination!"
"So what if you're a third-place scholar? Your clansmen didn't enjoy any benefits; instead, you ruined their reputations. Don't you learn your lesson? Would you only be happy if the entire Lin clan were wiped out and imprisoned?"
Lin Qi said, "Third Brother was so angry that he said something like expelling the clan. It's not easy for the clan to produce a third-place scholar. Don't we want to share in the glory? Just like Fang said, if you're really angry and want to teach Yang Cui a lesson, you have to wait until Shi Kang comes back. Who among us can do anything to Yang Cui now? What you need to do now is stay at home obediently, behave yourself, and don't provoke her. The man next to her is obviously not someone to be trifled with. His aura is more terrifying than that of a bandit."
"When you put it that way, it really does sound like it."
"Could they really be bandits?"
"Oh no! What should we do? Bandits have moved into the village, and... and..."
………
The Lin clan members were terrified, trembling with fear. Many of them had experienced bandits raiding and killing in the village before, and they dared not recall those scenes.
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