The concubine, a former cannon fodder, becomes pregnant, and the childless prince spoils her rotten.

Aunt Lin Shangya was truly furious at this moment, knowing that she hadn't treated her cousin's family well lately.

However, they couldn't afford to eat or stay for long periods. Although it was supposed to be so that Lin Shangya could marry into her family, without her help, the whole family would have to sleep on the streets.

They even suffered from hunger and thirst, and were driven away by others.

Even if they don't remember the good things she did, they shouldn't treat her like this.

Now that Lin Zhizhi had exposed him, he felt his blood surging and glared fiercely at Cheng Huilan.

Then he noticed Lin Shangya hesitating to the side, seemingly worried about her feigning fainting.

He stood there, making the woman hesitate, and then asked, "If you still have feelings for her, just take her away. My family can't accept such a vicious daughter-in-law, and she'll be an eyesore to me."

Upon hearing this, Erniu subconsciously looked at Cheng Huilan.

With Erniu around, she could at least have some courage. But now, feeling the questioning gaze, she didn't dare to say a word, afraid that Erniu would really stop caring about them.

What was there to misunderstand about this scene? Erniu felt a little uncomfortable, but Lin Shangya didn't dare to get up to comfort her at this moment, and she felt sorry for Lin Zhizhi's disheveled appearance.

This innocent woman, who was almost sold for money, stood there quietly without making a fuss or uttering a single complaint.

Her dark eyes were filled only with curiosity about this place, as if she had no idea what it meant to be sold here and married to a fool.

Unlike what Cheng Huilan and Lin Shangya had said before, they were not driven out by the master of the capital.

He was deceived, and he even harmed a vulnerable woman like this; now she has difficulty even leaving the house.

Erniu said, "Miss, I'll take you back to the capital. It's not safe for you to stay here by yourself."

Lin Zhizhi thought that there probably wasn't enough time to stall for time. If she went back now and they questioned her carefully, it would be difficult to hide the fact that she had been rescued by the people sent by the Imperial Concubine.

"No!" The woman stepped forward and grabbed Lin Zhizhi. "She's here to be my daughter-in-law, how can she just leave like that?"

"There's a misunderstanding," Erniu tried to explain. "I thought she was a bad person, but she's actually innocent."

"What does this have to do with me?" the woman said, hands on her hips. "All I know right now is that my son's wife died because of you, so I want her to be my daughter-in-law."

Erniu looked troubled, about to say something, when he heard the woman shoo him away, "She's my cousin's relative. This is our family matter. Why are you meddling? Come back when you've really married Lin Shangya."

These words made Erniu blush deeply, and he stammered, unable to utter a complete sentence.

Lin Shangya was still pretending to be dead, and at this moment she was even more afraid that her second aunt would spread rumors all over the capital.

When did she become Erniu's wife?

That useless thing was just sent away like that.

Only when the noise outside subsided did Lin Yue and Lin Ye peek out.

Seeing Lin Shangya lying on the ground, he went over and helped her up.

Lin Ye said, "Why can't we talk things out? Why are you letting your sister lie on the ground?"

He then noticed Lin Zhizhi was there and asked in surprise, "Lin Zhizhi, what brings you here? Are you here to take us back? Tell your second uncle that we're not going back unless you bring the money."

Lin Ye thought that Lin Zhizhi was trying to curry favor with him because she believed he would become the top scholar in the imperial examination.

It's too late to regret kicking them out now. At this moment, he's putting on airs, saying, "Since you know you were wrong, apologize to me, and I'll forgive you."

Lin Zhizhi's eyes were filled with laughter, and she didn't want to pay any attention to him at all.

Lin Ye's words did not prove that everything she had just said was true.

They are indeed relatives, and Cheng Huilan certainly had malicious intentions.

The woman was so angry that her breathing became heavy. Just then, her husband returned. Seeing so many people in the yard, Erniu lingered and refused to leave.

Thinking he was there to propose marriage, the man, holding a large machete, asked in a gruff voice, "You've come to propose marriage?"

He peeked into the yard again, then became even more dissatisfied, "You want to marry someone else's girl without bringing anything?"

"No...no, I'm going back first." Erniu looked disheveled and seemed to be fleeing in panic.

The man then realized something was wrong. He looked at Lin Shangya, who was covered in gray and still dizzy, and then at the unfamiliar Lin Zhizhi.

After listening to his wife explain what had happened, he immediately placed the cleaver upright on the ground.

He glanced at the surrounding neighbors, raising his voice, "Trying to frame me, Li Ke, are you looking down on me? What are you all still watching for?"

Seeing his anger, the onlookers left sheepishly, even with a hint of reluctance.

Outsiders rarely visit the village, and such an interesting farce has been a rare sight for a long time.

The machete gleamed coldly and was covered in dried pig's blood, making it look truly gruesome.

Lin Zhizhi was calculating the time, looking completely lost and bewildered, as if she had been terribly frightened.

Perhaps not wanting to be watched any longer, she was led into the inner room by the woman.

The room was filled with miscellaneous items, and there were also many shriveled beans.

The pork hanging above had slightly spoiled due to the hot weather, and a faint odor could be smelled if you got close.

The hygiene conditions here are not good. Lin Shangya helped clean it before, which made it barely passable. Otherwise, there would be no place to put your feet.

It was precisely because Lin Shangya was quick and efficient that her second aunt wanted to keep her.

At this moment, Lin Ye gritted his teeth and, together with Lin Yue, carried Lin Shangya back, muttering, "I didn't see her eat much, how come she's so heavy?"

Lin Shangya was so angry upon hearing this that she almost "woke up." Lin Ye, this scholar, was really too weak to move her, and even complained that she was heavy.

Lin Zhizhi squinted, and without any hesitation, sat down on the greasy wooden chair, propping her chin up as she looked at them.

The man frowned and said, "This guy doesn't look like someone who can settle down and live a peaceful life with his son. No way."

"Anyway, it doesn't cost us any money, so we're not losing out by having her work. Even though she's a servant of a wealthy family in the capital, as long as we don't make a fuss and say we knew nothing when they come looking for us, what can they do to us?"

"Then we'll have to poison her to make her mute."

isn't it?

The man's words sent chills down Lin Zhizhi's spine. She knew this family was no good, but she never expected them to be so ruthless and vicious.

Cheng Huilan, listening from the side, was in a good mood and chimed in, "I think that's fine too, so she won't go around spreading rumors."

Let Lin Zhizhi keep her sharp tongue, so she'll never be able to say a word again.

The man glared coldly at Cheng Huilan. "You think you can pretend nothing happened just because you didn't harm us? If my wife hadn't said you were useful, would I have supported you for so many days for nothing?"

Then he gave a sinister smile and said to the woman, "Tie them all up."

What's going on now?

The incident happened so suddenly that Lin Zhizhi watched as her uncle's family, along with Lin Shangya who was pretending to be unconscious, were all tied up.