Chapter 90: The Lin Brothers

Not a fool, at least.

But regarding Chi Huai Qian's thoughts, Chi Nan Yi was not too surprised; after all these years, the Chi Family had indeed suffered too many losses at the hands of the Ruan Family.

If they really just married Lin Lin into the family like this, it would be an endless source of trouble.

Especially now, who in the village didn't know the Chi Family had become prosperous?

If they truly became in-laws with the Lin Family, the Lin Family would certainly come scrounging three times a day.

Thinking it over like this, this matter was indeed rather tricky.

"It's not that there's no way."

"What way?"

Chi Nan Yi smiled and said, "If they dare come make trouble at our house, just beat them out the door."

Chi Huai Qian: "..."

If it were truly that simple, he wouldn't be so troubled.

That evening, Lin Lin returned to the Lin Family. The moment she entered the door, Fang Juan yanked her inside.

"Where's the stuff?"

Lin Lin stood uneasily in the room, her fingers fidgeting constantly: "Mother, I, I..."

"You didn't take it?"

Lin Lin shook her head: "Mother, the Chi Family is our employer. How could I steal things?"

"Bullshit!" Fang Juan slapped her across the face: "What do you mean steal? They have so many pills in their house. Who would notice if you casually pocketed a few? Why are you so thick-headed? If the Chi Family hadn't only wanted you alone, would I have sent you to do this cushy job? Those three younger brothers of yours—which one isn't better than you? Their brains are far sharper. Who knows what that stinky girl of the Chi Family was thinking." She searched Lin Lin for a moment, then pulled out the coin pouch: "You're only good for this much."

Fang Juan looked at Lin Lin, still seething with anger. She raised her hand and was about to strike when she heard Lin Lin say, "The employer said, if I get injured again, they won't let me go work anymore."

Fang Juan's raised hand stopped midair. She glared at Lin Lin and jabbed her finger hard against her forehead: "You little cheap bitch, you've even learned to threaten your own mother."

"T-true, really."

"Hmph, you useless thing. Do you know how much silver one pill can sell for? Fifty wen! If you snuck out a few every day, it wouldn't be long before you'd saved enough silver for your brothers to get married. Let me tell you, if you don't bring pills back tomorrow, don't even think about eating!"

The three useless sons of the Lin Family watched Lin Lin from the courtyard and sneered: "Big Sister, Mother said it—if you don't bring the stuff back again, she'll marry you off to Old Man Liu in the next village for bride price money."

Hearing this, Lin Lin's face went deathly pale, and her body trembled uncontrollably.

A figure departed from behind the Lin Family house.

"Miss, that's what happened." Yun Shan said, speechless: "I truly never expected that there would be people like this in the world."

"About what I guessed." Chi Nan Yi's eyes narrowed slightly: "This Lin Family really is no good."

"Miss, do you want me to go to the Lin Family again now?"

"To do what?" Chi Nan Yi looked at the expression in his eyes: "To kill someone?"

Yun Shan nodded in all seriousness: "Egging on your own daughter to steal from another family is enough to prove rotten character. In the Prince's residence, if anyone's hands and feet aren't clean, they'd certainly have their limbs cut off and be thrown out."

"When your Prince kills someone, it's not against the law. When I kill someone, I have to pay with my life." Chi Nan Yi said with a half-smile: "But... if this crime were placed on your Prince, then there'd be no need to pay with a life."

Chi Nan Yi's brow lifted slightly, a glint of amusement flashing through her eyes as a brilliant idea took shape in her mind.

Yun Shan looked at the expression on her face, and a bad premonition rose in his heart.

This smile of the Miss's was far too similar to the Prince's.

The next day, Lin Lin arrived at the Chi Family early in the morning, just as usual.

Today, she was even more silent and taciturn than before.

Chi Nan Yi's gaze fell covertly on Lin Lin. She too wanted to know whether Lin Lin would actually be threatened by Fang Juan into stealing things.

If she took something today, the Chi Family would not let such a person through their doors.

She knew exactly how many pills Lin Lin's daily herb strips could produce. When the pills were tallied in the evening, not a single one was missing.

Chi Nan Yi watched her and noticed that Lin Lin's expression was extremely grim. She knew in her heart that Lin Lin was thinking about what she would have to face when she got home, and was afraid.

"Lin Lin."

"Employer."

"I remember your mother said you still have three younger brothers."

"Yes."

"I'm still short of a few people to pound medicine. Have them come!"

Hearing this, Lin Lin was first stunned, then immediately looked as though she wanted to say something but hesitated.

"What is it?"

Lin Lin shook her head, then just turned and hurried away.

After Lin Lin returned home, Fang Juan saw that she hadn't brought back any pills again and was even more furious. She was just about to raise her hand when she heard Lin Lin say, "The employer said, let the brothers go too tomorrow."

"Really?" Fang Juan's face was full of joy: "That stinky girl of the Chi Family really said so?"

"Mm."

"Good, good, good." Fang Juan, brimming with joy, turned and left.

Early the next morning, when Lin Lin arrived, three slouching, disreputable-looking men followed behind her.

The moment they saw Chi Nan Yi, their eyes instantly lit up.

This young lady was truly beautiful!

Chi Huai Qian glared at them with disgust: "What are you looking at? You were brought here to work."

The three Lin brothers smiled sheepishly. After Chi Huai Qian turned and left, the three of them huddled together and spat at his retreating back: "So he's got a bit of silver now? Look how arrogant he is."

"Exactly, it's not like he earned that silver himself. It was all earned by that little beauty."

A wicked smirk curled up the corner of Lin Da's mouth: "Tell me, if we married that little beauty into our family, wouldn't we never have to worry about food and drink, and enjoy endless wealth and splendor?"

"Big Brother, that little beauty is older than all of us."

"So what? Does that matter? Silver is what matters most."

"Big Brother, let's steal some pills today. As for the little beauty, we'll talk it over with Mother first."

Lin Da nodded: "Alright."

The three of them did not notice a goose-yellow skirt hem vanish around the corner.

Daring to set their sights on her—these three dog things had truly grown tired of living.

"Yun Shan."

As Chi Nan Yi's words fell, Yun Shan appeared beside her: "Miss."

"I'm going to make some pills today. In a while, deliver them to your master."

"Yes." When had his master started buying pills from the Miss again?

Chi Nan Yi took out chicken-droppings vine and had the three of them rub it.

Chicken-droppings vine was unlike other medicinal herbs—it didn't need to be pounded with a pestle, but rather rubbed by hand. Most importantly, this medicinal material released a chicken-dropping-like stench when rubbed.

Before dealing with them, she had to give them a good grinding first.

"What is this thing! Why is it so stinky?" Lin Da wanted to cover his nose with his hand, but discovered his hands were already stained with medicinal juice, and the smell went straight to the top of his skull.

"Blergh…"

The other two Lin brothers also couldn't stop dry heaving.

"Stinks, it stinks to death… blergh…"