Chapter 116: Mother, What Do You Think We Should Do?
“Of course there is.”
Madam Zhou wept with joy. “Clan Leader, as long as I’m not locked in this dark and sunless place, you can make me do anything.”
Lin Feng also felt a glimmer of hope. “Clan Leader, you say.”
“Your Lin Family leaves the Lin Clan, and from now on has no ties with the Lin Clan relatives.”
What, what?
Lin Feng was stunned, but Madam Zhou panicked. “Clan Leader, this absolutely cannot be done. Aren’t you trying to doom Feng’er?”
In the Qin Dynasty, only those who committed grave sins would be expelled from the clan, and within three generations, they could not participate in any imperial examinations, leaving all future prospects of their descendants ruined.
“Clan Leader, isn’t this punishment a bit too harsh?” Jiang Ruanxi said faintly.
Lin Runkun’s mouth twitched fiercely.
If he hadn’t received her letter yesterday, he would have thought Jiang Ruanxi wanted to plead for Madam Zhou.
Jiang Ruanxi pretended not to see it and stepped forward with a sad expression. “Clan Leader, is there really no other way that benefits both sides?”
Madam Zhou and Lin Feng looked at Lin Runkun with anticipation.
Lin Runkun lowered his head slightly, thought for a few seconds, then said faintly, “There is a way.”
“Clan Leader, what method?”
Lin Feng looked excited.
Although he was a profligate son, even if he himself had no great prospects in this lifetime, he did not want his descendants to bear the stigma of being barred from the imperial examinations because of him.
“Very simple: let Madam Zhou atone with her death.”
This was clearly forcing her into a dead end. Madam Zhou immediately refused and angrily cursed at Lin Runkun. “Lin Runkun, I see you’re doing this on purpose. You’ve never intended to let me go from beginning to end. All this talk is just toying with us.”
Lin Runkun said irritably, “Who’s toying with you? When you drugged me, why didn’t you think of this outcome?”
Hearing this, Madam Zhou knew she was in the wrong and hung her head like a defeated rooster, but she still refused to accept it. “You’re not dead yet, so why should I give my life for yours?”
Lin Runkun was angered by her unreasonable fussing. If she weren’t a woman, he would have beaten her to death.
“Where did I say you should give your life? I only said you should atone before the Lin Family ancestors. If I wanted your life, you’d be squatting in prison right now, not here freely arguing with me.”
Lin Runkun’s words made the atmosphere around them instantly quiet down, and no one spoke a word.
Jiang Ruanxi stepped in to smooth things over. “Elder Brother, actually, I think the Clan Leader’s approach is the best choice.”
Madam Zhou was stunned. She hadn’t expected Jiang Ruanxi to say such things at this time and cursed her painfully. “Jiang Ruanxi, I knew you were unfilial. You actually dare agree to me being locked here? You wolf-hearted, dog-lunged thing, I’ll have Kun’er lock you up too.”
“Mother, I’m afraid you’ve got one thing wrong.” Jiang Ruanxi looked at her coldly. “Locking a clan wife in the ancestral hall is because the woman committed a grave mistake. I haven’t made a mistake, so who dares to lock me up?”
“You have a fault: you’re unfilial. You’ve been married into the Lin Family for so many years without bearing a child—that’s your biggest fault.”
“Mother, whether I’m at fault isn’t up to you; it’s up to the Clan Leader.” Jiang Ruanxi wasn’t afraid of her.
“After we married, Master went to take up his post. How could I bear a child? Over those five years, how I was filial to you, how I managed this household—the Lin Family clan members saw it all. How can you erase all my merit with just your mouth? Besides, now that Master has returned home, he’s indulging in the inner residence and doesn’t even enter my room anymore. How could I have a child?”
Speechless from her words, Madam Zhou shouted angrily, “You, shut up, you little bitch.”
“Enough, all of you.”
Before Madam Zhou could finish, Lin Feng directly interrupted her.
He was truly extremely annoyed by the Lin Family’s dirty affairs.
Because of what Lin Ningkun and the Lin Family had done, he had been ridiculed endlessly outside.
Taking a deep breath, Lin Feng softened his tone. “Clan Leader, is there really no other way?”
“It must ensure she won’t make mistakes again and protect the interests of our Lin Clan. This is the best way.”
Lin Feng knew Lin Runkun was right, but Madam Zhou was his mother, and he couldn’t bear to see her spend her life in the ancestral hall.
“Mother, what do you think we should do?” Jiang Ruanxi pretended to look heartbroken.
“How about we leave the Lin Clan and set up our own household? Master has been stripped of his noble title, but there’s still Elder Brother. I believe that even if his official career is cut off, he certainly has the ability to support the Lin Family members well.”
“However, Elder Sister-in-law is about to give birth. If your grandson can’t take the imperial examination path in the future, who knows if he’ll blame you then—I wouldn’t know.”
“With Elder Sister-in-law’s temper, if she learns her son can’t pursue an official career, she’ll surely make a fuss with Elder Brother, and perhaps even divorce him. But none of that matters—as long as Mother doesn’t suffer, let us juniors and descendants bear it.”
Madam Zhou’s face softened at first, then gradually reddened, and then turned pale again.
In short, with every sentence Jiang Ruanxi said, her expression changed, looking extremely wonderful.
“Shut up.” Madam Zhou finally couldn’t take it and scolded directly.
Seeing no way out, she looked at the pillar in front of her, gritted her teeth, got up, and smashed straight into it.
“Mother…”
Lin Feng wanted to rush over to stop her, but Jiang Ruanxi got there first. As she approached, she stuck out her foot.
With a thud, Lin Feng tripped and fell to the ground, missing the chance to stop Madam Zhou.
Madam Zhou’s forehead smashed hard against the pillar, bleeding profusely.
“Elder Brother, I’m sorry…”
Jiang Ruanxi also fell to the ground. Lin Feng didn’t think twice, got up quickly, rushed to Madam Zhou, slid one hand under her neck to lift her head, and used the other to cover her bleeding forehead, shouting loudly, “Mother.”
While bleeding, Madam Zhou said, “Feng’er, it’s Mother’s fault. Mother has harmed you.”
“Mother, don’t say that…” Lin Feng’s throat choked up.
“Mother was selfish before, but Mother can’t ruin your future prospects because of my affairs.”
Madam Zhou cried and sobbed. She didn’t want to spend the rest of her life in this gloomy place and pleaded tearfully, “Feng’er, I’m afraid. Let Mother die.”
Although Madam Zhou’s forehead was bleeding, it was clearly just a superficial scrape and not serious.
It seemed she hadn’t used much force when she smashed into it!
Jiang Ruanxi immediately understood: she was using the stratagem of self-injury.
But how could she let her succeed?
Although Lin Feng was profligate and seemed carefree on the surface, as if he was really willing to defy Madam Zhou for Madam He’s sake.
But deep down, Jiang Ruanxi knew Lin Feng was not like that.
