In front of the Lin Family mansion.
A gentle breeze blew.
Butler Fu arrived as promised.
Lin Jiang trembled all over.
He didn't even dare to look Butler Fu directly in the eye.
For several days in a row, Butler Fu had arrived punctually.
Each grand gift had caused chaos in the Lin Family.
Each day was more ruthless than the last!
The Lin Family had already become a laughingstock in Chang'an!
Butler Fu calmly raised his hand.
"Patriarch Lin."
"What exactly do you want to do?"
"Just sending gifts to the Lin Family."
Butler Fu clapped his hands.
Maids on either side carried wooden trays forward.
On them was a large red gift list.
"This... what is this again?"
"A gift list."
"What?"
Lin Xianhong tremblingly reached out to take it.
When she saw the words written on it, she froze.
"The Imperial Son said that some things need to be settled clearly."
"In the past, the Lin Family suffered a great change."
"The family had no money to prepare a dowry."
"The Imperial Son pitied Miss Lin and contributed the funds on her behalf."
"With a dowry stretching for ten li, many people followed suit and added to it."
"Miss Lin had best have everything prepared, the Imperial Son will soon take it all back."
As Butler Fu's words fell.
The onlookers and passersby were all in an uproar.
"What?"
"The Imperial Son wants to take back the dowry?"
"Hiss..."
"According to the law, the dowry belongs to the woman. Unless she commits one of the seven grounds for divorce and is divorced as a discarded wife by her husband's family, then both the betrothal gifts and the dowry belong to the husband's family!"
"The Imperial Son intends to divorce his wife!"
"Whether it's a divorce or an amicable separation, the dowry should belong to Imperial Son Ning. You also don't think, given the Lin Family's situation at that time, how could they have had money for a dowry? It was all paid for by the Prince's Estate!"
"That's right!"
At this moment, Lin Mother rushed out.
Logically speaking, she certainly shouldn't have appeared.
But hearing this, she completely couldn't hold back.
Now the Lin Family was not like before.
Lin Grandfather needed medicine daily to prolong his life.
Stockpiling grain had resulted in a loss of twenty-five thousand taels of silver.
Lin Jiang still owed forty-five thousand taels at Heaven on Earth.
The Empress Dowager had taken back all the rewards given over the years.
And they still needed to prepare a dowry for Lin Qinghuan!
Now they were relying on Lin Xianhong's dowry to live.
Originally, the Prince's Estate had given the Lin Family many betrothal gifts and a dowry.
There were also many properties and shops.
If they were taken away, the Lin Family truly wouldn't be able to survive.
"Impossible!"
"If you want an amicable separation, we can discuss it."
"If you want a divorce, it's absolutely impossible!"
"My Lin Family will absolutely not agree!"
Lin Mother's attitude was quite decisive, she said coldly, "These were all voluntarily given by the Imperial Son, so they are the Lin Family's possessions. Don't even think about taking them back!"
"Miss Lin also means this?"
"Of course!"
Lin Xianhong echoed and nodded from the side.
She actually didn't like these calculations.
However, she had no choice.
A woman being divorced meant she was completely ruined.
She would become the laughingstock of all Chang'an!
"It doesn't matter."
Butler Fu smiled faintly.
He had known this would happen all along.
The Lin Family were a bunch of greedy leeches!
They only knew how to take, but not how to be grateful.
They took their kindness for granted.
Lin Xianhong seemed aloof.
She said she didn't like money.
But which of her actions could be done without money?!
Pah!
"This gift list, Miss Lin had best keep it for now."
"Additionally, there's another gift."
"Another?!"
"Hehe."
Butler Fu raised his hand and chuckled, saying calmly, "These past few days, the Imperial Son has been in Jingyang providing disaster relief. However, the eldest son of the Lin Family brought people to cause trouble, even attempting to set fire to the granary, and has now been sent to Dali Temple. Alright, I'll take my leave!"
Lin Jiang's face suddenly changed.
At this moment, he felt as if struck by lightning.
What?!
He had been wondering why he hadn't seen Lin Chao.
So he went to Jingyang to cause trouble?
This pig!
Lin Jiang felt dizzy and lightheaded.
Clutching his chest, his expression was pained.
Lin Chao was his eldest son, and his only son.
He was already a Chiliarch in the army.
Later, he could follow Gu Yuan to earn some military merits.
In the future, he would definitely be able to become a Participator in the army!
But this time, he actually did such an absurd thing.
Isn't this clearly slapping Emperor Feng's face?
Emperor Feng had personally issued an edict for this disaster relief effort.
No one was allowed to interfere or cause trouble.
They were to relieve the suffering of the disaster victims in Jingyang at all costs!
As a result, Lin Chao ran over to cause trouble.
And even wanted to set fire to the granary!
It's over... it's completely over!
"Father!"
"Quick, help me back."
Lin Xianhong quickly helped Lin Jiang.
She was about to take his pulse when she was fiercely slapped again.
"You jinx!"
"Look, what have you done to your elder brother?"
"If your elder brother has an accident, none of us will survive!"
"Mother..."
Lin Xianhong covered her stinging right cheek.
She had already lost count of how many times she had been slapped.
"This is all your fault!"
"Can't you sacrifice something for the Lin Family?"
"Go apologize to Imperial Son Ning right now!"
"Make him release your brother!"
"Otherwise, don't say you're my daughter!"
Lin Mother had always been a very realistic person.
She always considered her own glory and wealth in everything.
As for her children?
They were merely tools for her to climb higher.
If they benefited her, she would pamper and spoil them.
If they lost their value, don't expect a good attitude from her.
This time, even Lin Jiang gave in.
"Xianhong, your father doesn't want to force you to do anything."
"But now, we truly have no other way."
"Your brother has been locked up in Dali Temple."
"It wasn't easy for him to reach his current position."
"If anything happens to him, the Lin Family will be completely finished."
"Xianhong, just go humble yourself..."
"I..."
Lin Xianhong clenched her fists.
So, she had to give in now?
"Father, Mother, what are you afraid of?"
"Why do you want to beg that good-for-nothing Ning Que now?"
Lin Qinghuan walked out, clutching her backside, and said indignantly, "No matter how powerful Ning Que is, he only has the title of Imperial Son but no real power. Whereas General Gu is a First Rank General, and his father, Prefect of the Capital. My brother is also General Gu's subordinate, getting my brother out is just a matter of a single word."
"Right!"
Lin Xianhong seemed to have grasped a life-saving straw.
She still had Gu Yuan!
She still had the Gu Family!
She had saved Gu Yuan!
Gu Yuan also said that his biggest regret in this life was her.
He had thought of her for years on the border.
When the Lin Family had trouble, he was urgently transferred to the Western Border.
If he had still been there, he would never have allowed her to marry Ning Que.
She actually didn't want to trouble Gu Yuan.
She didn't want the Gu Family to look down on her.
Thinking that she was only trying to cling to their Gu Family.
But now, she had no other choice.
Rather than begging Ning Que, she would rather find Gu Yuan!
She didn't want to have any more dealings with Ning Que.
Even more, she didn't want to owe him!
From the moment she had the abortion, she only wanted to be herself again.
She couldn't let these things hinder her anymore!
"Yes, yes, yes, there's also the Gu Family!"
Lin Jiang nodded repeatedly.
"Xianhong, you should still go talk to the Gu Family."
"Your brother cannot have an accident."
"He earned military merits and was promoted to Chiliarch."
"Didn't General Gu also say? In this great victory, your brother played an indispensable role, and he even regards your brother as his right-hand man."
"I understand." Lin Xianhong nodded gently, and whispered, "Tomorrow happens to be the Gu Family's banquet, I will speak with General Gu."
"That's good."
Lin Mother finally showed a pleasant face, she patted Lin Xianhong's shoulder and whispered, "Xianhong, Mother was just anxious for a moment."
"Tomorrow is the Gu Family's most glorious moment."
"Xianhong, you must seize the opportunity."
"If you can make a fait accompli, then the Gu Family will have no choice."
"Mother, what nonsense are you talking about?!"
Lin Xianhong's pretty face flushed red.
However, there was a faint hint of expectation in her eyes...