The Lin Family

Though Yinshan County was prosperous.

In the end, it was only a small place tucked away in one corner.

There were quite a few foreigners and foreign merchants.

But throughout the entire county seat,

those who could speak even a few words of a foreign language were already as rare as phoenix feathers and qilin horns.

What was more, the visitor was not speaking the common English of Europe.

Rather, it was the even more obscure French of this era.

Not to mention Yinshan County.

Even in the entire province,

those who could understand French

could likely be counted on one hand.

For a moment, everyone before Lin Mansion stared at one another as though listening to a heavenly scripture.

But Lu Jing'an understood.

She was cursing him, and the words were filthy.

Before coming here, he had studied languages.

Later, he had gone into cross-border e-commerce.

He knew a little English, French, and German.

He was no expert, but for everyday conversation,

he had more than enough skill to see through a few filthy insults.

His eyes darkened.

He followed that crisp yet cutting voice with his gaze.

Inside Lin Mansion's vermilion-lacquered gates,

another woman came gliding out.

She wore clothing influenced by the current Western fashion.

A light lavender wide-sleeved jacket and skirt.

Over it, she wore a dark indigo long vest.

On her feet was a pair of gleaming Western leather shoes.

Her entire outfit stood utterly at odds with those around her.

She looked every inch the modern sort who had returned from studying abroad.

Lu Jing'an recognized her.

This was Lin Family's eldest daughter, Lin Qingyi, whom they had insisted on forcing upon him.

However, she now preferred for others to call her by her foreign name.

Pearl.

Lu Jing'an had initially intended to retort in French at once.

But his thoughts spun like lightning.

The words at his lips were swallowed back down.

He abruptly turned his head, fury on his face.

Looking at Lin Shouxin, who stood beside him with a fawning smile, he demanded harshly:

"Was she cursing me?"

Lin Shouxin's heart tightened.

He hurriedly bent at the waist to explain, cold sweat nearly beading on his brow:

"Young Master Lu, please do not misunderstand!

Th-this is how foreigners greet people and show goodwill!

Qingyi is greeting you!"

The anger on Lu Jing'an's face eased somewhat.

As though he had truly believed that utter nonsense.

Instead, he put on an eager, studious expression.

Following the gourd to draw the dipper, he repeated the words Lin Qingyi had just used to curse him.

Word for word, in a strange accent.

He "friendly" repeated them to Lin Shouxin three times.

"..."

The smile on Lin Shouxin's face instantly froze.

His face turned green, then white.

He looked as though he had swallowed a fly alive.

Yet he could only nod again and again through gritted teeth, not daring to say a single word of denial.

His entire fortune and life were held in the Lu Family's grasp. At this moment, he could only lower his head and make himself small.

After Lu Jing'an had toyed with him enough,

Lin Shouxin wiped away his sweat and turned to bark at his daughter, "Qingyi!

Why are you not coming over to greet Young Master Lu?

What kind of behavior is this?!"

Lin Qingyi merely swept Lu Jing'an a disdainful glance, then continued speaking French as though no one else existed:

"Father, why should we fear this country bumpkin?"

"I have already spoken on the telephone with Peter, my friend from my days abroad, of the Xiaoshan Li Family."

"He promised to arrange for us to leave Yinshan County as soon as possible."

Upon hearing this, an irrepressible gleam flashed through Lin Shouxin's eyes.

Lu Jing'an took every bit of it in.

Yet his face immediately filled with the indignation of someone kept in the dark.

His voice rose an octave:

"What is she muttering about now?"

"Is she bullying me because she thinks I cannot understand this bird language?!"

Though his daughter had brought him hope,

the plague god before him still needed to be handled carefully.

Lin Shouxin hurriedly piled on a smile and placated him:

"Young Master Lu, that is absolutely not what she means!

Absolutely not!

It is all my fault for spoiling her too much in the past and failing to teach her manners."

As he spoke, he desperately signaled to Lin Qingyi with his eyes.

But Lin Qingyi ignored him completely. Her tone became still more contemptuous as she spoke rapidly in French:

"I will never apologize to this hillbilly!"

"Can he understand me?

Even if I curse him to his face, what can he do?"

"In a few days, the sky will be high and the birds will fly free. Why should we keep watching the Lu Family's expressions?"

Seeing Lu Jing'an's face grow darker and darker, Lin Shouxin hastily cupped his hands in apology, nearly dropping to his knees.

"Let's go!"

Lu Jing'an appeared to be furious beyond measure as he flicked his sleeve and turned away.

Before leaving, he angrily ordered his attendants:

"Immediately! Find me a teacher who understands this bird language!

I want to hear exactly what kind of shit she has been spouting!"

Watching Lu Jing'an leave in fury, Lin Qingyi's lips curled in a sneer.

No sooner had Lu Jing'an departed than Chen Xuan, who had silently observed all along, coldly gave the order:

"Carry away Nine-Fingered Yama's corpse!

Seal off the scene!

Without my orders, Lin Mansion may admit people but no one may leave!

Anyone who dares defy this order—"

He paused, his sharp gaze sweeping across the Lin Family members.

"Kill without mercy!"

Lin Shouxin immediately panicked. "Military Officer Chen! We are innocent!

This truly has nothing to do with my Lin Family!

Military Officer Chen..."

But Chen Xuan did not listen to his explanation at all. He turned and strode away.

At the corner of the road, a black motorcar sat quietly parked.

The window rolled down, revealing Lu Jing'an's grinning face.

"Master, get in."

Chen Xuan opened the car door and got in. The vehicle slowly pulled away.

"You were acting just now?"

Chen Xuan looked at Lu Jing'an beside him, whose bearing had become completely different, and asked hesitantly.

Lu Jing'an's lips lifted faintly. There was not a trace left of his earlier recklessness and outrage.

"If I had not made it convincing, how would they have exposed all their cards right in front of me?"

"Young Master, you really understood what she said?"

Lu Jing'an nodded. "A little."

He then relayed Lin Qingyi's words to Chen Xuan exactly as they had been spoken.

After hearing them, Chen Xuan's expression turned grave.

"The Xiaoshan Li Family.

This matter is no small one. We must immediately report it to Master and let him decide."

Lu Jing'an gave a soft "Mm" and leaned back against the seat.

He knew full well that compared to his father Lu Huaiqian's seasoned shrewdness,

this single matter involving Nine-Fingered Yama was already enough to reveal a thing or two.

Meanwhile, inside Lin Mansion,

Lin Shouxin paced back and forth through the flower hall in fury.

The soles of his shoes struck the blue bricks with hurried taps.

"You, you!

I told you not to provoke him, but you would not listen!

And now look at this—we cannot even leave through the gates!"

But Lin Qingyi did not care in the least and spoke to herself:

"What is there to fear?

We are leaving anyway."

"Leaving?

You make it sound so easy!

Without the Lu Family's approval,

even with wings, we could not fly out of Yinshan County!"

Lin Shouxin abruptly stopped walking and lowered his voice.

"Besides, even if we reach Xiaoshan,

do you really think the Li Family are good people?

We have neither roots nor backing.

Why would they think highly of us?

I fear we would only leave the tiger's jaws to enter the wolf's den!"

Only then did Lin Qingyi lift her head, brimming with confidence:

"Rest assured, Father. I have already arranged everything.

Peter and I are deeply in love. Once we reach Xiaoshan, we will marry.

The Li Family will fund us in establishing a household anew. We only need to return to our old trade.

Besides..."

She lowered her voice, a trace of smugness in it.

"I have also contacted a classmate who works at Citibank.

Once we liquidate our properties in Yinshan County,

we will deposit every last bit into a foreign bank.

Without your signature, no one can touch that money.

No matter how powerful the Li Family is, would they dare touch a foreigner's treasury?"

Hearing this, Lin Shouxin's eyes flickered. He was clearly tempted.

In these times, foreigners were the greatest protective umbrella.

The money from Yinshan County would be deposited in a reliable foreign bank.

Then they would use the Li Family's capital to build a new foundation.

It was indeed a strategy that served both ends.

"Would the Li Family's eldest son truly be willing to marry you properly, with all the formal rites?" This was Lin Shouxin's final concern.

"Of course. Peter and I pledged ourselves to each other back when we were at Cambridge." Lin Qingyi's tone was resolute.

Lin Shouxin pondered for a moment before finally making up his mind:

"Fine!

Have the Li Family send over a formal letter of betrothal as soon as possible!

Only black ink on white paper counts as proof!"

Lin Qingyi knitted her delicate brows. "Father, ours is a modern marriage. We don't bother with this outdated rubbish..."

"Shut up!"

Lin Shouxin cut her off sharply.

"This is Yinshan County, not your France!

This letter of betrothal is not merely your talisman of protection.

It is also the life-saving charm for the entire Lin Family!

With it, the Lu Family will not dare act rashly.

Only then can we leave in peace!

Go make the call right now!"

Seeing how firm her father was, Lin Qingyi could only rise and make the arrangements, however unwilling she felt.

Lin Shouxin remained alone in the hall, anxiously rubbing his fingers together.

Today, the Lu Family had killed someone before the gates of Lin Mansion to establish their authority.

Their warning could not have been any clearer.

Yinshan County was absolutely no place to remain.

The Xiaoshan Li Family was not the best choice, but it was the only path to survival before them.

Those properties in his hands

had to be sold off as quickly and quietly as possible.

He could not let the Lu Family seize any weakness at all!

And that enormous sum of money had to be deposited at once in that impregnable foreign bank.