After being jilted, the entire neighboring village was filled with deep regret.

Chapter 212 The Mouse in the Rice Jar
"Fine! Then you can leave! Once you step out this door, you're no longer a member of the Ma family!" Ma Rencai was carried over by two servants.

Sang immediately turned pale with fright, glared at Bai with resentment, and hurriedly admitted her mistake, "Master, that's not what I meant. It's all that bitch's fault. She deliberately set a trap for me. What I said just now was just said in anger, not from the heart."

"Slap!" Ma Rencai slapped Sang Shi hard across the face, staring at her with a ferocious expression. "I can tell whether she's telling the truth or not! Someone, open Madam's bundle, I need to check it!"

Madam Sang panicked. "Master, these are all my clothes! You can't do this!"

Bai asked those around her to go and help.

Soon, the bundle in Sang's hands was snatched away. The old woman deftly opened the bundle, grabbed a box inside, and with Ma Rencai's permission, opened the contents, taking out several silver notes, as well as many land deeds, field deeds, and shop deeds.

Bai's expression changed drastically. "Father! How come Mother has so many things in her hands?"

Ma Rencai stared blankly at the things, his gaze finally settling on Sang Shi, his expression chillingly cold. "Why have things been so unlucky for our family these past few years, with constant financial losses? It turns out there's a rat in the rice jar! How can we keep our rice alive if we don't kill this rat?"

Sang was trembling with fear. "You...you can't kill me! Murder is against the law! Son, son, save me!"

It took Sang shouting and yelling to finally summon Ma Xingfei.

As soon as Ma Xingfei arrived, he disregarded everything and shielded Sang Shi behind him, glaring indignantly at Ma Rencai. "Father, what heinous thing has my mother done this time that you treat her like this? Did someone say something sarcastic to you again?"

He made a pointed remark, but Bai remained calm and unmoved as she watched the show.

Ma Rencai gave his youngest son a deep look, slowly closed his eyes, and opened them again, his eyes full of sharpness, "Did you know that your mother stole the family's property?"

“Theft? Dad! What nonsense are you talking about? How could my mother do such a thing?” Ma Xingfei refused to believe it no matter what he said.

Ma Rencai pointed at the things on the ground and sneered, "These were found in your mother's bundle. If she hadn't been stopped today, my Ma family would have been completely emptied out!"

Ma Xingfei only hesitated for a moment before reacting, and righteously defended Sang Shi, "That was a frame-up! My mother would never do such a thing! Besides, what good would it do her?"

Ma Rencai's expression turned colder. "Isn't the benefit of her doing this for your son obvious?"

"Father!" Ma Xingfei was surprised that Ma Rencai spoke so bluntly. His face flushed red. He was unwilling and somewhat lacked confidence. He was also a bit willful and wouldn't let anyone touch Sang Shi.

Bai was furious and gestured to the old maid beside her to put the box away. "Father, I'll talk to my husband later and have him check the accounts to see if there are any other losses. If there's nothing wrong with the items, I'll have someone send them back to you."

Just as Ma Rencai was about to agree, seeing the confident and fearless look on Sang Shi and Ma Xingfei's faces, he immediately changed his mind, "No need, just leave these things with you for now, so I can sleep soundly."

"Why? The family hasn't even separated yet, why should they take so many things?" Madam Sang was the first to jump up in dissatisfaction.

Ma Xingfei thought the same thing, but with Sang Shi around, he didn't need to step in. Ma Rencai felt a little relieved after seeing their reaction, and said lazily, "It's mine, I can give it to whomever I want. If you dare to talk nonsense with me again, I'll divorce you! Go back to your own courtyard and reflect on your actions. Don't step out without my order, or don't blame me for being ruthless!"

"Father! How could you treat my mother like this? Aren't you afraid of breaking our hearts?" Ma Xingfei said loudly, indignant.

Ma Rencai looked at him coldly, "You're the ones who chilled my heart first! Xingfei, don't think that your father really can't live without you! The Ma family doesn't need good-for-nothing descendants. You can't do anything right now, but you've learned a lot of decadent things from those cronies in Sangjia Village. Don't think I don't know."

"Father, I didn't! I really didn't!" Ma Xingfei desperately protested, but Ma Rencai didn't believe him at all and ordered his men to take him back and lock him up for a few days.

Outside the Ma residence, Ma Xingteng had several carts of grain brought over. He kept explaining Su Tai's previous words to everyone and assuring them that they could survive the winter. Only then did he appease the furious people.

However, as a result, the Ma family lost almost all the money they had earned in the past two years.

Ma Xingteng looked pale and returned to the courtyard exhausted.

Bai immediately told him everything that had happened, “Husband, luckily I was careful. There are 80% of our Ma family’s property in here. If Sang had succeeded, we would have starved.”

Ma Xingteng slammed his fist on the table in anger, gritting his teeth, "How could Father have married such a vicious woman! I really want Father to divorce her!"

Madam Bai sighed, "I wish I could too, but unfortunately she has a son to rely on. I'll have to consider the father's feelings for her, so I'm sorry to have wronged my husband."

As she spoke, Bai looked at the contents of the box, her eyes flashing slightly. "Father has already said that we are to keep these things safe. We should find a way to move them all out so that we won't get them when the family is divided in the future."

"Huh?" Ma Xingteng looked at Bai Shi in shock. "Are you serious? Father will be furious! Our reputation will be ruined if word gets out."

Bai gave him a reproachful look. "I was just saying. If you agree, I'll start planning right now. I'll make sure things are done flawlessly so they don't get any benefit!"

Seeing Ma Xingteng hesitate, Bai continued to persuade him: "Even if you don't think about yourself, you have to think about our son. Ever since you were almost killed by them last time, I haven't had a single good night's sleep. Especially our son, I don't dare let him be away from anyone for even a moment. He's always suspicious. Let's plan ahead, get rid of the things, and then persuade Father to divide the family property. What do you think?"

To be honest, Ma Xingteng was tempted, but he couldn't make up his mind for the time being. "Good madam, please allow me to think about it carefully."

Bai nodded. She was just giving Ma Xingteng a heads-up beforehand and whispering sweet nothings in his ear from time to time. She believed that her husband would listen to her soon enough.

Although the matter involving Ringo caused a stir, it was ultimately suppressed by the Ma family.

The busy autumn harvest ended, and just as everyone was starting to prepare clothes and food for the winter, the government suddenly issued a conscription order.

Each household must provide one male aged thirteen to under fifty who is in good health for military service. If a household has only one male, it may be exempted from military service even if the conditions are met. All those serving must be identified, and anyone found to have impersonated another person will be severely punished.