Chapter 346: Chapter 251: The Lin Family of Bianzhou

If it weren’t for Ji Chengfeng personally intervening, but instead handled by the officials below.

With the autumn examinations approaching, several scholars got into trouble, and in the rush to close the case, it was highly likely they would not investigate thoroughly.

Anyway, the evidence was conclusive; the victim, the perpetrator, everything was clear, they just needed to finalize the case.

This scapegoat, Li Wenhao, might indeed have to take the fall.

In the courtyard, the two sat facing each other, a small round table between them, where the hot tea was gurgling.

Xie Wanqing listened quietly and suddenly asked a completely unrelated question.

"The Lin Family that instructed Scholar Xu to drug, is it the Lin Family of Lin’s Trading House in Bianzhou?"

"Do you know them?" Ji Chengfeng was pouring her tea, looked at her upon hearing this, thought for a moment, and said: "Is the matter entrusted by that mother and daughter related to the Lin Family?"

Xie Wanqing: "..."

This person was incredibly perceptive.

But there was nothing to hide, so she slowly nodded, "The husband of that lady is the second son of the Lin Family of Bianzhou."

The Lin clan had been in business for generations, and in the prosperous Bianzhou City, while not considered a wealthy family, they were certainly not obscure.

After arriving in Bianzhou, Xie Wanqing had tentatively inquired about this second young master of the Lin Family.

Unexpectedly, he was also famous, and without much effort, she had gathered almost all the information about him.

This second young master was a legitimate son; although the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate was not so clear in merchant families, his legitimate status still made his marriage more significant.

Mr. Lin and Mrs. Lin had early on arranged a marriage for him with the daughter of a scholar named Liu, which, for a merchant family, was actually a step up.

Since his enlightenment, the second young master Lin had spent almost every day at the Liu family, studying with his future father-in-law while nurturing a relationship with his fiancée.

The two grew up together as childhood sweethearts, and their affection was deep.

If the marriage could proceed smoothly, it would be a perfect match made by heaven; who knew that unforeseen circumstances would occur, and Scholar Liu, on his way to the Capital for exams, met with misfortune, leaving his family behind and never returning.

The life of the widow and the orphan was difficult, but fortunately, there was this marriage with the Lin family; the Lin family was honest in their business, and the marriage had long been settled and was indisputable; hence no one dared to bully them.

But just as the marriage was about to be scheduled, the second young master Lin passed the scholar examination.

Everything changed.

A merchant family dreams of changing their status.

True, a scholar may not be much, but a teenage scholar is quite something.

With resources directed towards him, his future was boundless.

If he could pass the provincial examination and grease some wheels with money, in a talent-scarce Great Khan, securing a position with real power was not difficult.

Previously, the Lin family might not have entertained other thoughts about the marriage with the Liu family, but after the second young master Lin passed the scholar examination, Mr. Lin and Mrs. Lin began to regret the hasty arrangement of the marriage. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

However, even with regrets, the Lin family could not back out of the engagement.

After all, once they backed out, the neighbors’ gossip alone would be enough to drown them.

Not to mention, the second young master Lin was to embark on an official career; he certainly could not have such a stain on his record.

While they were in this dilemma, Miss Liu went to a temple to offer incense, encountered bandits, and lost her chastity.

The years were too long, and the specifics of what happened were varied in accounts, but Miss Liu’s reputation was indeed completely ruined.

The Lin family took the opportunity to annul the engagement.

Who knew the second young master Lin was a deeply affectionate person; even if Miss Liu’s reputation was tarnished, even against his parents’ wishes, he refused to break off the marriage.

Unfortunately, filial piety outweighed everything; in marriage matters, parents had the final say, and even the second young master Lin himself had no right to speak.