Chapter Fifty-Eight: Extorting Silver

When Lin Miaomiao saw Sun Zong’s injuries, she looked coldly at the woman and said, “It’s lucky I called for a doctor in time. If I’d been any slower, your child’s wounds would’ve healed already.”

Her words were far from pleasant, and the woman with the sharp, mean face turned sullen at once. Seeing that Lin Miaomiao refused to hand over any money, the woman immediately began to make a scene, shouting, “Your child gave mine internal injuries!”

Lin Miaomiao almost wanted to laugh at that—what a blatant attempt at extortion, she thought, biting back a smile born of anger.

She glanced at the woman and said, “No matter the injury, it was wrong of our child to fight. But that doesn’t give you the right to use this as an excuse to blackmail us for money.”

After speaking, she turned to the man in the white robe. “Please, examine him. If there truly are internal injuries, prescribe some medicine—I’ll pay whatever it costs.”

With that, she shot another icy look at the woman and said, “If a child misbehaves, it’s the parents’ fault. Your son has clearly not been taught well—so young and already acting like a bandit, snatching money from others. Even if this matter were brought before the magistrate, you’d be in the wrong.”

“You’d do well to weigh your options. I may be wealthy, but I have no intention of playing the fool and letting myself be cheated out of money.”

Her final words were delivered with a chilling edge, sharp as broken glass. Perhaps she had spent too much time with Li Yanhe, for her stern countenance now greatly resembled his.

Lin Qi and Lin Jiwang stood in front of Lin Miaomiao, wary that the woman might go mad and try to harm her. Ruoyu and the others stood behind, their eyes hostile as they watched the woman.

Suddenly, the sharp-faced woman seemed to lose her senses, and glared at Lin Miaomiao. “You’re just a merchant’s daughter! I’ll have you know, I’m the wife of a scholar! If you don’t pay up today, I’ll take this to the county magistrate, and you’ll regret it!”

Lin Miaomiao listened, then nodded with a smile. “Oh? So you have connections! Your husband is a scholar?”

The woman lifted her chin with pride, looking down her nose at Lin Miaomiao with undisguised contempt.

Lin Miaomiao was usually very busy and rarely had time to interact with her neighbors. However, her factory was large, and her business even larger. This year, the clothing factory had done especially well; she’d purchased more land to expand it further.

Every garment from her factory bore a distinctive mark—embroidered on the back, and even tagged with modern-style labels. Like in the 21st century, she had the factory’s emblem sewn discreetly inside as well.

So, even though she seldom mingled with her neighbors, everyone knew she was a woman of means.

She looked at the woman and said, “It doesn’t matter who I am, or whether I’m a merchant’s daughter. A person must abide by reason.”

She finished with another frosty look. “Even if this ends up in county court, justice will speak for itself.”

“If you’re not satisfied, then bring your husband here. Ask him whether or not I owe you compensation under these circumstances.”

Lin Miaomiao let out a sigh. The weather was bitterly cold, and the two boys had gone out in thin clothing. She glanced back at Lanzhi and said, “Go fetch some warmer clothes for the young masters. Cuiliu, you too—go back and see to the midday meal, so Li Yanhe won’t come home hungry.”

At her instructions, Cuiliu and Lanzhi quickly left. Cuiliu, of course, knew Lin Miaomiao was that master’s child bride. In most wealthy households, such a child bride had little status, but Lin Miaomiao’s situation was unique.

One should never meddle in the master’s affairs, so Cuiliu also addressed Li Yanhe as “Master.” At first, they called him “Sir,” but Lin Miaomiao found it grating and had them switch to Lin Qi’s way—just “Master.”

The sharp-tongued woman began to wail and roll about in the street, making a scene. The man in the white robe stood nearby, looking helpless.

Lin Miaomiao watched the woman’s display and sighed inwardly. For a moment, she was tempted to simply throw money at her to make her stop. But as a principled young woman of the 21st century, she could never stoop to such a thing. She’d grown up in comfort and never encountered such extortion before.

By now, neighbors were emerging from their houses, watching the woman’s antics with exasperation. Someone called out, “Miss Lin, why not just give her some money? That woman won’t let up until she gets her way.”

Lin Miaomiao looked at the ruckus—this was disturbing everyone, and on a festive day, no one wanted such ill fortune. She felt rather helpless.

At that moment, Li Yanhe arrived, his face stormy as he dismounted and strode to Lin Miaomiao’s side. “What’s going on?”

Lin Miaomiao looked up, feeling a mix of relief and grievance. “Three boys got into a fight. That chubby kid scraped his head, and his mother is demanding I pay her silver.”

She pouted, looking aggrieved. Li Yanhe turned a cold, piercing gaze on the woman making a scene.

He walked over, produced a silver ingot from his sleeve, and held it out. The woman reached eagerly for it, but just as she did, Li Yanhe’s voice rang out, icy as a winter night: “You can have the silver—but you must give me your life in return.”

The woman froze in terror. Li Yanhe’s voice was quiet, but every word cut like a blade.

She shuddered, glancing at him with trembling fear. Li Yanhe ignored her, his gaze frosty as he continued, “For a scholar to marry such a witless and unreasonable woman and not yet divorce her—what a waste of a scholar’s title.”

His words chilled the air further, and the woman’s bravado crumbled. Her chubby son, catching sight of Li Yanhe, ran indoors to fetch his father.

At last, Lin Miaomiao saw the much-vaunted scholar the woman had spoken of.

When Scholar Sun emerged, he was met by Li Yanhe’s glacial stare. Though Sun was only a scholar, he had seen enough of the world to recognize that this was no ordinary man.

So, at first sight of Li Yanhe, Scholar Sun bowed and said respectfully, “Sir, let us discuss this calmly. My wife was in the wrong; I beg your pardon on her behalf.”

Li Yanhe placed the silver in Scholar Sun’s hand, his tone cold. “Your wife demanded compensation—I have given it.”

He then glanced at Lin Qi and ordered, “Go to the county office and report that someone has stolen official silver. Let them handle it as the law requires.”

Lin Miaomiao’s expression changed at his words. In her heart, she gave Li Yanhe a silent thumbs-up. Who would have thought he’d turn the tables like this? She suddenly realized he was far more cunning than he appeared.

Turning to the two boys, she said, “It’s cold out here—you’d better head home.”

The boys nodded and ran off. Scholar Sun and his wife stood frozen, unable to comprehend how this elegant man had so deftly reversed their fortunes. Lin Miaomiao’s lips curled in a mocking smile.

The surrounding neighbors, seeing this scene, fell silent. In such circumstances, any further persuasion would only make them complicit in wrongdoing. Besides, there was a trace of envy in their hearts—they knew Lin Miaomiao was wealthy, a factory owner with silver to spare, and some had hoped to take advantage.

But Li Yanhe’s move had sent a clear warning, inspiring awe among the onlookers. Soon, Lin Qi returned, trailed by a furious county constable. Li Yanhe glanced at him and said, “A light punishment will suffice,” then left without another word.

Lin Miaomiao and Li Yanhe returned to their courtyard. She felt a strange sense of unease, though she couldn’t quite say why.

It wasn’t until lunchtime, as they sat at the table, that Lin Miaomiao noticed an extra person—the man in white. She looked at him and asked, “Brother, when did you follow us in? You move so silently I didn’t even notice.”

The man lifted his chin with an air of pride. “You’re truly ungrateful. I just helped you out, and you don’t even think to offer me a meal?”

Lin Miaomiao eyed him, suddenly suspecting he was shameless, though she had no proof.

In the end, she said nothing. Li Yanhe cast a cold glance at the man in white, then said to Cuiliu, “Set another place at the table.”

Cuiliu bowed and hurried to the kitchen. Lin Miaomiao looked awkwardly at the man in white, not even knowing his name, but his self-assured manner made her certain he was up to no good.