Lin Ruoshan was publicly flogged twenty times; the bailiffs showed no mercy, and she completely lost consciousness afterward. The other three members of the Lin family endured the contemptuous and disgusted gazes of the crowd, and they all directed their anger at Lin Ruoshan, growing increasingly resentful towards her.
Once the county magistrate released the person, Lin Fu immediately paid compensation and told Lin Yaozu to carry Lin Ruoshan away quickly, as he was too ashamed to face anyone.
The bodyguard's twenty taels of silver notes were confiscated as stolen money, and he was given ten strokes of the cane. He also had to pay Lin Ruonan ten taels of silver in compensation. Where would he get the money if he was a drunkard all day? The county magistrate made him sign an IOU and ordered him to pay it off within half a month, or he would be given another ten strokes of the cane.
The head of the bodyguards was furious at having such a person under his command. He fired him on the spot and stormed off. None of the other bodyguards helped him, fearing that people would misunderstand that all the bodyguards were of such character. In the end, it was the yamen runners who dragged him out and dumped him by the roadside. As for how he would get home, no one cared.
Xu Zifan and Lin Ruonan thanked the county magistrate, said a few flattering words, and left the yamen with the twenty taels of silver that the Lin family had paid as compensation.
People immediately surrounded them, chattering excitedly, all cursing Lin Ruoshan and the bodyguard for their viciousness and saying they had suffered an undeserved misfortune.
Xu Zifan and Lin Ruonan exchanged a smile, bowed to everyone, and then went home hand in hand. They didn't care about the change in the crowd's attitude; most people were like that, especially in this era. The crowd wasn't targeting them, but simply couldn't see the truth. Now that the truth was out, these people's targets were only Lin Ruoshan and the bodyguard; they were no longer a threat.
This incident also served as a chance to establish his authority, and it's likely that no one will dare to cause trouble for him again. After all, not everyone has the courage to take Xu Zifan to court, and no one would dare to mess with such a powerful person.
Xu Zifan had lived in ancient times more than once, so he understood the psychology of ordinary people in that era and the loopholes in the law. He had Shaohua keep an eye on the Lin family's movements and knew Lin Ruoshan's every move. He used exaggerated charges to attract everyone's attention, then revealed Lin Ruoshan's suspicions, and finally successfully convicted her.
Although the punishment was relatively light, in that era, for an unmarried girl to be publicly convicted and flogged was a lifelong disgrace, making her unable to marry and disliked by her own family—a very, very severe punishment. It seems that Lin Ruoshan wouldn't dare do anything else for the foreseeable future.
That's perfect. Give Lin Ruoshan some time to climb up the ladder. Otherwise, how can she understand the despair of falling from a great height? The original owner's wish was to make her wish she were dead, but that's far from enough.
On the way, Xu Zifan encountered his anxious parents. Xu's mother grabbed Lin Ruonan's hand and asked with concern, "Are you alright? Your father and I went to help Uncle Liu with his work. We just heard the news. That Lin Ruoshan is really too much!"
Lin Ruonan shook her head. "It's okay. I didn't do it, and that's that. No one can slander me."
Xu's mother patted her hand tenderly, "Even so, people's words can be terrifying. Zifan's health has been poor these past few years, and I've heard a lot of gossip. Some of the words are like knives stabbing into people's hearts. Just forget what you hear and don't take it to heart. Let's live our lives as a family and not pay attention to what others say."
Lin Ruonan felt a warmth in her heart, affectionately took Xu's mother's arm, and smiled, "Mother, don't worry, I'm fine. I don't care what others say, as long as you believe in me. Zifan stood in front of me all day and trusted me the whole time. I wasn't afraid or upset at all."
Xu's mother then smiled, "Good, that's good. Come on, let's go home, and I'll make you something delicious to calm your nerves."
Mr. Xu laughed and said, "We also need to set up a brazier to get rid of bad luck. From now on, our family will live in harmony and happiness."
Mr. Xu was not only happy that his daughter-in-law had escaped unscathed, but also that his son had grown into a man who could protect his wife from the wind and rain, so they didn't have to worry about anything. Looking back, he realized that if this had happened to him, he wouldn't have had a good solution either. Xu Zifan had so easily brought the truth to light, preventing the Xu family from being tainted in any way. He had truly surpassed his father, and Mr. Xu couldn't be more proud.
Back home, after stepping over the brazier, Lin Ruonan happily prepared a table full of dishes for Xu's mother. Xu's father discussed the future development of the cloth workshop with Xu Zifan. The family chatted and laughed, and no one mentioned Lin Ruoshan again.
Lin Ruonan was filled with gratitude. Even though she had severed ties with the Lin family, being schemed against by her own sister would have been enough to make any woman lose face in her husband's family. But the Xu family hadn't embarrassed her at all; they treated her like one of their own. This made her feel relaxed and happy. She discovered that the Xu family members cherished family and knew how to enjoy life. She was once again grateful for making that decision to marry into the Xu family—it was the best decision she had ever made.
While they were laughing and chatting, the Lin family was filled with curses and cries.
When Lin Yaozu got home, he threw Lin Ruoshan on the ground and yelled, "Lin Ruoshan is a spendthrift! She's wicked and does nothing but harm! Today she dared to harm her own sister, she'll dare to harm our whole family in the future! I don't care, I'm going to kick her out! I don't want to live in the same house as her!"
Lin Ruoshan woke up in excruciating pain from the fall, only to be slapped twice across the face by Lin Fu. Lin Fu was furious, "You stupid thing, you've completely disgraced me! How could you be so vicious? Spending fifty taels of silver just to have your sister's innocence ruined! What has your sister ever done to you that you would do this to her?"
Lin Ruoshan was in pain all over her body. Covering her face, she cried out, "What do you know? The whole town is cursing me now, all because of her and Xu Zifan. If they hadn't spread it around, how would anyone have known?"
How would they know about the arranged marriage? They did it on purpose, deliberately trying to ruin me. Is it wrong for me to retaliate? Don't you all dislike her too?
Wang cried, "Even if I dislike her, I wouldn't do this to her! She's already been adopted out and married, why are you still keeping an eye on her? If you hadn't brought this on yourself by going to her repeatedly, who would have brought up the arranged marriage? Isn't it all your own fault?"
Lin Ruoshan spat out the blood in her mouth and said, "Stop pretending! You clearly wish she would suffer, so that her good life wouldn't highlight how you, as her stepmother, mistreat her. Haven't you been grumbling about it enough at home? I just made your wishes come true, what did I do wrong? Now the truth has come out. What if it hadn't? Today, Lin Ruonan would be the one ruined. Do you dare say you wouldn't be happy?"
Wang pointed at her in shock, "You! You've gone mad, you're possessed!"
"Yes, I've gone mad! You've driven me mad!" Lin Ruoshan pounded the ground twice and then lay down on the ground, crying loudly.
All her fear, shame, and resentment were released; her cries were so loud they could be heard several houses away. But no one sympathized with her; she was reaping what she sowed, and deserved it. People felt uneasy living near such a vicious girl, and repeatedly forbade their younger relatives from associating with her. This time, the connections Lin Ruoshan had built using the spiritual spring and her fabricated facade were ruined; she lost everything.
Lin Ruoshan's only consolation was the spiritual spring. She had been beaten so badly that her skin was torn and she was in great pain, but thankfully, drinking a few bowls of the spiritual spring water could heal her. She cried until she was exhausted and was carried back to her room. While no one was in the room, she drank the spiritual spring water. By the time the doctor came to check on her, she only had a few superficial injuries left.
When the Lin family heard that her injuries were minor, their dislike grew even stronger. If she was alright, why was she crying and screaming earlier? It was so noisy and bothering them.
The Lin family was temporarily unwilling to deal with Lin Ruoshan, who hid alone in her room, still trembling with fear as she recalled the scenes from the courtroom. She would involuntarily shudder, and even the slightest noise would startle her. She was truly terrified, utterly terrified. Xu Zifan and Lin Ruonan were her nemesis; nothing good ever came of them.
She dared not do it again. She still wanted to earn more money and marry a good husband, but now all her beautiful prospects were ruined. She was reborn and believed in fate. Perhaps she just couldn't beat Lin Ruonan. Lin Ruonan was definitely tough. In her previous life, she lived so well despite being unloved by her parents. In this life, she married a sickly man and still managed to make Xu Zifan better. Such a person was definitely tough. She couldn't beat her, so she stopped trying.
Lin Ruoshan managed to find some reasons to comfort herself, but the immense fear remained. She lay on the bed again, sobbing uncontrollably, and eventually fell asleep while crying. But soon after, she woke up from a nightmare, covered in cold sweat. This happened several times, and she was too afraid to sleep anymore. She made up her mind that she must cherish this reborn life, live it well, earn lots and lots of money, and live happily.
Thinking this, she waved her hand, conjuring a stream of spiritual water. Seeing the azure dragon circling above it, her heart ached as if pricked by needles. This time, the azure dragon ignored her, not even glancing at her. Whether she cried or summoned, the azure dragon wouldn't spare her a single glance. Did it despise her? A sudden panic gripped her. What if the azure dragon thought she wasn't worthy and abandoned her? Could she truly possess the spiritual water forever?
Lin Ruoshan had just begun to address the issue of the spiritual spring when Lin Fu entered, interrupting her thoughts. Lin Fu was there to kick her while she was down. He said coldly, "Your reputation is ruined. I can't let you ruin your whole family's life. I've had your mother find you a marriage. Go far away and never come back."
Lin Ruoshan was struck dumb. "Married far away? What kind of family did you find for me?"
"What family do you think you can find with a reputation like yours? A scholar who failed his exams and broke his leg, with a sick mother to care for at home—go and serve them well, and maybe they'll treat you well."
Lin Ruoshan immediately got up and grabbed Lin Fu, "No! You can't marry me off. I can brew wine, and I can help you earn a lot of money."
"What's the use? Nobody wants to marry Yaozu. Who am I supposed to pass on all the money I earn? Get the hell out of here, you spendthrift!" Lin Fu shoved her aside and turned to leave.
Lin Ruoshan was terrified; this marriage was worse than anything she had in her previous life. She knelt on the ground, crying, "Father! Father, I know I was wrong. I'll never do it again. Please, please don't make me marry someone else."
Lin Fu stood with his hands behind his back in silence for a long time before saying, "If you want to stay at home, then don't mention money when brewing wine anymore. Just do your job well for the family."