ebookland Chapter 171 Retribution is Just That
Chapter 171 Retribution is Just That
He only complained in his heart, but dared not say it out loud.
After all, even if Yang Cuihua was blind, she could see that the county magistrate's feelings for Lin Chang'er, that little slut, were not the kind of favors they had previously thought—just a favor done on a whim at someone's request.
It's unpleasant to approach her at this time unless she doesn't want to expose Da Nizi.
Yang Cuihua gritted her teeth, but still had to say nice things to Lin Chang'er.
"Every family has its own problems. Chang'er, you know that in our rural family, what happens at home is ultimately decided by the head of the household."
"I won't lie to you, I've never handled a single penny of your family's wealth; Lin Houde has kept it all."
"How could I, a woman, possibly think of such things?"
Lin Chang'er chuckled inwardly. "Husbands and wives are like birds in the same forest; when disaster strikes, they fly away separately." She'd never believe her.
Lin Chang'er said, "You can't say things like that. Everyone in the village knows that you two never even have a quarrel."
"Although it is said that everyone will be punished by heaven and earth if they do not look out for themselves, didn't Lord Wu exempt you from punishment as usual after you took the initiative to report the Lin family? Now you are pushing all the blame onto Lin Houde. Could it be that you have some new plan?"
"Besides, even if all that money was in Lin Houde's hands, didn't you and your two children spend it on a daily basis?"
Wu Qingfeng also said: "Yesterday, I helped those women get divorced because they had not participated in the divorce and had been deceived and suffered for many years. That's why I made an exception for them."
"But you have neither of these conditions and you have no grievances. If you want a divorce, you can discuss it with your husband yourself, and then take the divorce papers to the government office for registration."
After saying that, he waved his hand, signaling her to leave.
Yang Cuihua was used to being fierce and outspoken, but when she really encountered a tough opponent, she didn't dare to throw a tantrum. Even if she was unwilling, she could only leave first.
After she walked away, Lin Chang'er and Wu Qingfeng exchanged a smile.
Finally, she said, "I'm leaving!"
Wu Qingfeng grunted in response and watched her leave.
The news of Yang Cuihua's divorce raged for some time, and when it reached Linshui Village, everyone just treated it as a joke.
In the end, no one knows how she managed to get a divorce, but she managed to get Lin Zixi to stay with her, thus avoiding the trend.
Lin Chang'er was somewhat surprised to hear the news, but soon Wu Qingfeng had someone send her a transcribed copy of the divorce agreement.
Originally, it was agreed that Yang Cuihua and Lin Zixi would assume all the debts owed to Lin Chang'er, which is why Lin Houde relented.
However, Yang Cuihua was quick-witted. On the day she divorced Lin Houde, she went to the provincial capital with Lin Zixi and Han Yue, attempting to escape.
However, before he even left the city gate, he was detained by the constables.
Wu Qingfeng didn't make things difficult for them. They could leave Ninghai County only after they had paid off their debts.
Han Yue was furious and tried to use public opinion to put pressure on him by spreading rumors that he was obsessed with women, biased, and oppressed the people.
They called on students in Ninghai County to jointly write a letter to boycott him.
Wu Qingfeng didn't even meet him. He went directly to the school administrator and denounced Han Yue's despicable behavior, accusing him of currying favor with the powerful, bullying orphans, seducing widows, and having a corrupt private life.
Finally, this farce ended with Han Yue being expelled from the academy, stripped of his academic honors, and barred from taking the exams again for life.
Han Yue could no longer take the imperial examinations, and instantly lost his value.
He was used to a life of luxury and was truly unable to lift a finger or do anything heavy. Apart from his handsome face, he was of no other use.
Yang Cuihua found him increasingly displeasing, and the mother and daughter now argued with Han Yue almost every three days, and every five days they had a major argument.
The three of them had no way to make money, and soon their savings were depleted. They sold their house in town and returned to the Han family in Linshui Village.
Before they even entered the village, they were stopped by the patrolling men.
Someone immediately notified Lin Chang'er to go and collect the debt.
The three of them reluctantly returned the silver they had just earned from selling their small courtyard in town to Lin Chang'er.
Lin Chang'er was an honest person. In front of them, she wrote down in her notebook that on a certain day of a certain month of a certain year, at the village entrance, she returned 80 taels of silver and then left.
The Lin Houde family was originally going to be driven out of the village, but after Lin Chang'er finished collecting the debts...
The patrolling men told them to leave, but the three refused.
Han Yue said, "What does the Lin family's expulsion have to do with my Han family?"
Lin Zixi said, "I have already married into the Han family and have long severed ties with the Lin family. Aren't there many divorced women from the Lin family in the village?"
Yang Cuihua chimed in, "That's right, why can they stay here but we can't?"
However, the men were unmoved by either soft or hard tactics, repeatedly saying the same thing: "The Lin family's son-in-law is also a member of the Lin family, and the village won't accept him."
When members of the Han family came out to plead for them, the men only gave them a look and said, "Either pretend your Han family never had this person, or your entire Han family will go with them."
The Han family dared not say anything more, and even Han Yue's parents hid behind others like ostriches.
Han Yue and Yang Cuihua and her daughter left reluctantly in the end.
The women who went to watch the spectacle later told Lin Chang'er about all of this.
After Han Yue was banned from taking the exam, all the outrageous things he had done in the village spread like wildfire to everyone's ears.
Although they were from the countryside, they knew about propriety, righteousness, integrity, and a sense of shame, and naturally looked down on this kind of person.
In addition, there was his past grudge with Lin Chang'er, which made people's impression of him even worse.
Now, look at them, slinking out of the village in disgrace.
Everyone felt as if they had vented Lin Chang'er's anger, and were as happy as if it were New Year's Day.
The entire backyard of the Gu family was filled with joyful laughter.
"I'm telling you, it's better to be honest. Look at the Lin family and the Han family, didn't they get their comeuppance?"
"They deserve it. They can't be decent people, they can't be scum. Do you think they can bully our Chang'er like that?"
"That's right, they used to bully Chang'er so happily, now they're reaping the rewards! Our Chang'er has powerful backers too."
"Who can argue with that! This is what they call karma. From now on, the three of them living together will definitely cause some trouble!"
"They're birds of a feather flock together. Take Han Yue, for example. If he hadn't been fickle and married our Chang'er out of gratitude, wouldn't he be living the high life right now?"
"Pah... What is he? Him? A filthy thing, worthy of our Chang'er. A toad pretending to be a frog, ugly and useless."
"Hahaha……"
Lin Chang'er could hear the laughter even in the front yard.
The Han family, who lived in the same village, also directly felt the change in everyone's attitude when they encountered their family.
In the past, greetings were always polite and courteous. Whether it was a future top scholar or a family needing labor, all that was needed was a call, and the neighbors would rush to help.
These days, let alone helping them, people avoid them as if they've seen something dirty, even when they meet them on the street.
The neighbors would close their gates whenever they saw them passing by.
The Han family naturally knew the reason behind this; as relatives of the same surname, they increasingly looked down on Han Yue's parents and brothers.
Even his own family members were secretly isolating Han Yue's family, making their lives increasingly difficult.
Finally, one morning, a patrolling man saw Han Yue's parents and brothers leaving the village in the morning dew, carrying bundles, as if they were going to visit relatives in another place.
Only then did the other members of the Han branch feel they could hold their heads high again...