Dusk enveloped the scene, not yet the time for lighting lamps, but the line of sight was already blurred. In Registrar Lin's living room stood many people, making the atmosphere feel even more oppressive.
Madam Lin sighed as she looked at Fang Jinxiu.
"Miss Fang, my husband truly isn't at home," she said. "Miss Jun hasn't been here either."
"I saw them talking and walking together with my own eyes," Fang Jinxiu said. "Is Madam Lin suggesting that I am lying?"
Madam Lin's expression mixed helplessness with a touch of anger.
"I wouldn't dare accuse you of lying, Miss Fang," she said. "I just don't understand what Miss Jun would have to discuss with my husband."
No matter what, Lin Jin'er was Registrar Lin's own daughter, even if she had harmed others first, her end was quite tragic. As the saying goes, even a tiger does not eat its cubs, Registrar Lin not only refrained from defending her out of vengeance but was also forced to send his daughter to the family temple.
Even with excuses and cover-ups, the matter of Lin Jin'er could not be kept hidden, bringing shame to the Lin Family.
For the Lin Family, they were forced into this situation by Miss Jun, even if they could suppress their hatred, they definitely did not want any further association.
In response to the veiled criticism from Madam Lin, Fang Jinxiu remained unembarrassed.
"I also feel they had nothing to discuss, but since they did, there must have been something imperative," she said. "I will be frank with Madam Lin, I do not know what that matter is. I believe Madam Lin doesn't know either, so please call Lord Lin out. I am not here to ask him what the matter is, but simply to find out where Miss Jun has gone, considering it's getting late, and she hasn't returned home."
Madam Lin's face changed momentarily.
"I really don't know," she said. "You also know about the recent incidents in the county. County Magistrate Li was arrested, and other officials from the county government have been held for questioning. My husband hasn't left the house for several days. It was only today after Prefect Ma announced the lifting of restrictions that my husband went out."
She paused here, showing some hesitation.
"Why did he go out?" Fang Jinxiu pressed immediately upon sensing her reluctance.
Madam Lin sighed internally, faced with the aggressive questioning of this young woman, which was something she never expected to deal with, especially from a merchant.
To be honest, although she followed through with Registrar Lin's decision regarding Lin Jin'er, she was very displeased with it.
But now, she bore no resentment.
Just as Miss Fang had just announced at the doorway, the Fang Family was the one that mobilized troops from Shanxi and Henan provinces, shuffled officials from two prefectures, smashed the county government's gate, captured the County Magistrate, and had just allowed the people of Yangcheng to witness an execution where the axe did not fall twice.
The Fang Family was truly not to be trifled with.
Madam Lin sighed.
"Miss Fang, I truly do not know," she said, pausing again, "My husband only mentioned he had matters to attend to, but he did not share with me what they were, and I did not presume to ask."
Matters.
Certainly, there were matters, indeed there were.
Fang Jinxiu took a deep breath.
"Then where has he gone?" she asked.
Madam Lin shook her head.
"My husband didn't say," she replied.
Fang Jinxiu looked at her and Madam Lin met her gaze squarely.
"Did he mention if he'll return today?" Seventh Chen interjected.
Madam Lin's expression faltered slightly.
"He said, he wouldn't be returning," she said then quickly shook her head vehemently, "but I really do not know where he went."
Seventh Chen chuckled.
"Madam Lin, your role as a wife seems lacking if you don't even know where your husband is," he laughed.
Madam Lin's face flushed with anger as she glared at Seventh Chen.
Were it not for the two words "Fang Family," this poor bloke would not be able to stand before her, let alone speak such impudent words.
"Madam Lin, please trouble yourself to suggest where Registrar Lin might have gone," Fang Jinxiu said.
Madam Lin clenched her hands together tightly.
What does this mean? Are they coming to search the house or to arrest someone? Who do they think they are?
But she didn't dare voice this aloud.
Because the Fang Family indeed dared to do such things, and they had done them.
The county government had been smashed, and she certainly did not presume the Lin Family's gates were stronger.
"He, I really don't know, perhaps he's at the office," Madam Lin said through clenched teeth.
Before she could finish speaking, a maidservant hurried in and whispered a few words into Madam Lin's ear.
Fang Jinxiu watched as Madam Lin's expression changed drastically, and the look she gave Fang Jinxiu sharpened as if a lamp had suddenly been lit in the room.
"Miss Fang," she elevated her voice, the previous fear replaced by frost and disdain, "I forgot to ask, are you looking for my husband, or is the Fang Family looking for him?"
Fang Jinxiu's heart skipped a beat as she understood.
Her expulsion from the Fang Family had been exposed.
"What difference does it make," Seventh Chen chuckled dryly, moving closer to Fang Jinxiu and gripping his bamboo pole tighter, "If Miss Fang is asking, it's the Fang Family asking."
Madam Lin let out a bitter laugh.
"Is that so?" she said. "But I heard that Third Miss Fang has been expelled from the Fang Family."
As she spoke, the originally shivering maidservants and servants in the room also straightened their backs, stiffening their postures.
"You must be planning to masquerade under the Fang Family's name to swindle people," Madam Lin sneered and waved her hand, "Seize her for me."
The maidservants instantly surrounded her with a threatening air.
"Nobody move," Seventh Chen shouted, flinging his bamboo pole.
The grass ring on it flew off, striking the approaching maidservants, causing a round of screams and making them retreat.
Seizing the opportunity, Seventh Chen leapt forward, using the bamboo pole to pin Madam Lin by the neck.
Madam Lin let out a piercing scream.
"Nobody move," Seventh Chen yelled, "Back off."
The maidservants, frightened, turned deathly pale, while Madam Lin could only continue to shriek. The more powerful maidservants hastily motioned for everyone to back away.
"Let's talk this through," they said with trembling voices.
Though the bamboo pole was not a knife, Seventh Chen was a man with strength, and it was not impossible to strangle someone to death with a bamboo pole.
Fang Jinxiu watched Seventh Chen with a complex expression, wanting to say something but she held back.
"What are you trying to do? Are you planning to rob us? Do you think you can escape?" Madam Lin screamed shrilly.
"Madam Lin, I mean no harm; I just want to know where Registrar Lin is," Fang Jinxiu said, taking a deep breath, her tone wooden.
"What business of it is yours where my husband is?" Madam Lin shouted.
"I've said I was looking for Miss Jun; the Fang Family is looking for her too," Fang Jinxiu stated.
The Fang Family's people, Madam Lin instead laughed.
Now she was not scared at all, even though someone was pressing a bamboo pole against her throat, she was unafraid.
Fang Jinxiu was also at Jin Yun Hall at that time; her daughter's harm was related to her—unable to harm Miss Jun, should she fear this washed-up dog kicked out of the Fang Family?
"The Fang Family's people, Fang Jinxiu, your birth mother harmed the young master of the Fang Family, nearly ending its lineage. I really don't know what business you have left with the Fang Family," Madam Lin mocked, grabbing the bamboo pole, "Let me tell you, you are no longer one of the Fang Family members. Stop using the Fang Family's name to intimidate people. You say the Fang Family wants to find someone, why don't they come themselves? Why let you, who harmed the Fang Family, come? Do you think I'm stupid?"
Fang Jinxiu clenched her fists and bit her lower lip.
The Fang Family's people, would they come?
Would they believe her words?
Trust her having seen Miss Jun and Registrar Lin?
Or would they suspect her, like Liu'er did, of deliberately causing trouble to provoke conflict between the Lin and Fang families?
"Let me tell you, even if you kill me, you'll never walk out of the Lin Family alive!" Madam Lin screamed hysterically, clinging to the bamboo pole.
The madwoman almost knocked Seventh Chen to the ground.
"If you don't step aside, I'll kill her," he also tightened his grip and roared.
Madam Lin let out a hoarse scream, her eyes rolling back.
The maidservants inside the house scrambled to clear a path.
"Go, go now," Seventh Chen shouted to Fang Jinxiu.
Fang Jinxiu looked at him and stood still.
"Go? Go where?" she asked with a faint smile.
Seventh Chen glared, growing frantic.
"Wherever you want to go," he said.
Fang Jinxiu looked at the maidservants in the house, at the Lin Family's people rushing in upon hearing the noise outside, and smiled again.
Even if she walked out, what would it change?
"Don't worry about me, just kill her!" Madam Lin shrieked.
To avenge Jin'er, to avenge Jin'er.
After all, what Seventh Chen held was only a bamboo pole, not a knife; the Lin Family's male servants rushed in and pounced on him, while the maidservants also took the chance to rush at Fang Jinxiu amidst the chaos. Then, from outside came a rushing noise.
"Madam, Madam, something's wrong, the Fang Family has surrounded our house."
The people in the room halted at once, the commotion was instantly quelled.
The Fang Family's people?
It was only in the silence that followed that they heard the noise outside and saw torches illuminating the sky as if half of it were ablaze.
Bang, bang, bang.
Loud noises came from outside, the sound of doors being battered. The Lin Family's doors were nowhere near as sturdy as those of the county government; after just three hits, there was a loud crash.
It seemed the door had been knocked down.
Madam Lin turned pale, her face drained of color, her eyes filled with terror.
Had the Fang Family's people really come?
The Fang Family's people had indeed come.
Fang Jinxiu lowered her head, her tense body gradually relaxing, a tear dropping onto the back of her hand.
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It's Wednesday!
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