Kill with a Borrowed Knife

"You'll have to pay more."

Holding his daughter, Lu Rong made new demands to the creditors.

Not only will he not return the original three thousand taels, he will also demand another two thousand taels!

The creditor looked at Lu Rong, very hesitant.

Lu Rong carried his daughter to the creditor, pinched her cheeks, and said, "Take a good look at what my daughter looks like. Your only son was born an idiot. How is it not a good deal to have such a good daughter with your son?"

He grinned and said, "Let me tell you, you've really gotten a great deal!"

Dong Shuangshuang snapped out of her daze and lunged forward to snatch the child, "Give me back my daughter!"

Lu Rong turned around and slapped the man to the ground, then ignored him and continued talking to the creditor, "Two thousand taels, this time I won't write an IOU, I'll write a marriage certificate with you."

The creditor thought for a moment, then looked at the little girl's face. Although her father was unreliable, her son was born mentally challenged, and no respectable family would marry their daughter to him.

... Girls without fathers are easy to manipulate.

I'll give you another two thousand taels.

She immediately wrote a marriage certificate with Lu Rong.

The die is cast, and it's too late for Dong Shuangshuang to do anything.

Lu Rong took the gambling money to the gambling den. After Dong Shuangshuang came out, she carried the child and went straight to Lin Yunwan.

Xiruo hearing this, and brought over hot water to help Dong Shuangshuang wash her face, asking, "Madam Dong, if I may be so bold, will your esteemed Old Madam not care?"

Dong Shuangshuang washed her face and sat down next to Lin Yunwan, her face pale.

She lowered her head and said, "... The Old Madam doesn't like the Little Miss."

She's just a granddaughter; her husband's family thinks she's dispensable.

She failed to give birth to a son, and if it weren't for the fact that Lu Rong's Concubines were also pregnant, she probably wouldn't have been able to stay in her husband's family.

Lin Yunwan remained silent until Dong Shuangshuang looked over.

She paused, then asked softly, "Have you thought it through?"

Dong Shuangshuang was slightly taken aback.

Lin Yunwan sighed, "If you haven't thought it through yet..." She lowered her head and took a sip of tea.

Dong Shuangshuang immediately understood her meaning and lowered her voice, saying, "Yun Wan, I've thought it through, I've thought it through!"

Lin Yunwan closed her eyes briefly, then quickly opened them and asked calmly, "A gambler can't possibly have only one creditor. Are you familiar with all of his creditors?"

"I know most of them. I'm familiar with them."

"He has family friends, former classmates, and... shady characters outside."

Lin Yunwan was asking this question of the dubious person.

"Who are these people?"

Afraid of startling the unmarried girl, Dong Shuangshuang pursed her lips before asking, "Have you ever heard of lending money at exorbitant interest rates?"

Only now do I realize how foolish I've been!

Yun Wan isn't even married yet, how can I help her solve such a huge problem!

Desperate times call for desperate measures, that's why I came here.

Lin Yunwan remained calm and said lightly, "Nine times he went out and thirteen times he returned. Your husband is quite bold."

Dong Shuangshuang's eyes widened.

"Have you heard of it?"

Lin Yunwan nodded, and said casually, "Among these creditors, do you know which ones are ruthless?"

Speaking of this, Dong Shuangshuang felt a chill run down her spine. She clenched her fists and said, "... Once, they blocked our carriage, and the Old Madam had to send them away before they left. The Little Miss was so frightened that she cried for half an hour."

Lin Yunwan said, "Anyone who dares to fight in the street must have someone powerful backing them."

They're not afraid of the Lu family either!

Dong Shuangshuang asked, puzzled, "Yun Wan, why are you asking about this?"

Lin Yunwan smiled faintly and said, "Shuangshuang, have you ever heard of the story of using someone else to do your dirty work?"

This is real murder!

Dong Shuangshuang was startled; her heart felt like it was about to leap out of her chest... But what could be more important than her daughter's future!

"Yun Wan, how do I borrow a knife?"

Lin Yunwan leaned closer and whispered in Dong Shuangshuang's ear.

Xiruo quietly withdrew, not to avoid suspicion, but because she was afraid someone would eavesdrop. She stood outside watching the maids and even went to check on the Little Miss next door.

"Slept so soundly."

When Dong Shuangshuang was about to leave, Lin Yunwan went to see the child. She was so exhausted from crying that she lay on the bed, her breath weak.

She touched the child's face and said, "Your little Little Miss must have been frightened today."

Dong Shuangshuang looked somber.

Not only her daughter, but even she was frightened.

I never imagined my husband could be such a beast.

"Yun Wan, I'm going back."

Lin Yunwan had Xiruo escort Dong Shuangshuang out, and on the way they ran into Nanny Zhao, who gave them another lecture.

Xiruo returned, Lin Yunwan, "... Nanny Zhao doesn't like Madam Dong coming to visit."

Lin Yunwan felt it was understandable; if she were the housekeeper, she would have done the same.

Xiruo walked over and asked in a low voice, "Miss, why are you so concerned about Madam Dong?"

Lin Yunwan and said, "I'm concerned about myself."

Xiruo understand.

Lin Yunwan instructed, "Keep a close eye on the Second Gate." She replied, "If I don't take my own affairs seriously, Madam will have to."

Xiruo understood.

Zheng Shi's family visited the Zheng Shi Lin Residence; this was the first time they had come since Lin Yunwan arrived at the Lin family.

Xiruo inquiring and asked, puzzled, "Miss, they said that Madam's family rarely comes to the Lin Residence."

"It is said that the two families had a falling out over the matter of the Madam marrying the master."

"After the Madam married the master, she rarely kept in touch with her family."

"The person that Eldest Madam Zheng brought along was a distant relative of the Zheng family."

Really!

Zheng Shi could no longer contain herself.

Lin Yunwan, "Madam wants to find me a 'good marriage'."

Xiruo frowned and said, "Master would never agree to Madam doing this."

"Haven't you done Madam things that Master disagreed with?"

Xiruo wasn't worried about that. "Although the master favors the Madam, he has always been able to make decisions on important matters."

Lin Yunwan shook her head. "You still don't understand the master."

Her gaze sharpened. "The master has never been able to make decisions on important matters. He—he can make decisions on things that are in his own best interest."

Xiruo listened attentively.

Lin Yunwan calmly said, "Sending Miss Lin to the countryside wasn't just Zheng Shi's idea."

"If the master doesn't allow it, whether Zheng Shi bleeds or says Miss Lin is a jinx to her parents, Miss Lin won't be kicked out."

In this family, the master has always been the one in charge.

Xiruo understood.

She then worriedly said, "I'm afraid that if you say Madam that pleases you, Master, he will listen to Madam!"

"Um."

Lin Yunwan thought for a moment and asked Xiruo, "How has the Second Miss been lately?"

"She's still staying in the Courtyard and won't come out. She only eats once every two or three days. My Madam often goes to see her."

Lin Yunwan smiled and said, "My Madam still dotes on her."

Although she almost miscarried when she was pregnant with Lin Yunjiao, she was still her only child whom she had raised, and she loved her dearly.

Xiruo asked, "Does the young lady wish to visit the Second Miss?"

Why would Lin Yunwan care about Lin Yunjiao?

A spoiled girl, yet she was Zheng Shi's lifeblood.

I don't want to see her.

"But Madam wife makes me unhappy, I'll make her unhappy too."