The door was opened from the inside after a long while, and Feng Jin emerged gracefully.
She walked to the butler's side, suppressing a smile, "Butler, you've worked hard. Let's go!"
"Not at all, not at all, Madam, please!"
The butler, having endured an hour of mosquito bites, had lost all his previous spirit. He was now as respectful to Feng Jin as he could possibly be, almost to the point of worshipping her.
Feng Jin nodded in satisfaction. If things continued like this, she wouldn't need to endure mosquito bites for so long.
By the time Feng Jin arrived, the elder master Ling was seated at the head, his expression solemn.
Second Master Ling had a somber face, his tightly furrowed brows highlighting his current anger.
"Grandfather, Second Uncle." Feng Jin curtsied slightly in greeting.
"What deep hatred do you have for Yan'er that you would disfigure her!" Second Master Ling angrily pointed at Feng Jin and scolded her, "You are so heartless, you should have been thrown out long ago, otherwise the ancestral spirits will be restless, and the ancestral temple will not be safe!"
"Father, you saw it with your own eyes today. It's not like I'm framing her. Yan'er is your own granddaughter. Her appearance is ruined because of her harm. Yan'er's life is ruined!"
His son was driven to the countryside by Feng Jin, and his daughter's appearance was ruined by her.
If Feng Jin was not divorced and kicked out of the Ling family today, he would not be able to quell his anger.
"Sit down! What kind of order is it to be noisy and demand to fight and kill? The matter has not been investigated clearly, and you cannot make assumptions!"
Elder Master Ling's imposing voice rang out, immediately suppressing Second Master Ling.
"Feng Jin, did you really injure Yan'er's face?"
He had just seen Ling Yan. The doctor said that Yan'er's facial wounds were too deep, and coupled with the medicine that caused the wounds to fester, it would be good if the wounds could heal. Her face was considered ruined.
"It was indeed injured, but it was her own doing. I only regret not scratching her face a few more times."
Those who do too much evil will perish by their own actions. It was all her own consequence. She was neither the farmer who saved the snake nor the saint who repaid evil with kindness.
"You... you poisonous woman! You caused Mu Zhu to be sent to the countryside, and now you want to continue harming my Yan'er."
Second Master Ling trembled with anger, wishing he could draw his sword and kill Feng Jin.
"Father, you heard this with your own ears. She dares to be so presumptuous in front of you. Who knows what else she has done to your grandchildren behind your back? Father, you must drive her out today and rid the Ling family of this scourge!"
"Second Uncle, what a big talk! Are you going to drive me out too!"
Ling Mo Han's deep voice echoed. He grabbed Feng Jin's wrist and pulled her behind him, shielding her.
"Second Uncle, you're putting on quite a show now. When did it become your turn to discipline my wife!"
Feng Jin glanced at the man shielding her, finding Ling Mo Han exceptionally pleasing to her eyes today.
"Han'er, she disfigured your sister, and you are still protecting this poisonous woman."
Second Master Ling had managed the Ling family for many years, but he had always harbored a sense of fear towards this nephew.
Facing Ling Mo Han, his imposing manner involuntarily weakened a few degrees.
"Second Uncle, mind your words. Feng Jin is my wife now, not someone you can insult."
Being rebuked by a junior, Second Master Ling's face was filled with embarrassment. He sat back in his chair, puffing out his beard and glaring.
"Grandfather, Second Uncle, I have investigated this matter. Ling Yan was the one who intended to sprinkle the medicine on Feng Jin. Feng Jin was merely defending herself."
Elder Master Ling's expression suddenly changed. He subconsciously chose to believe Ling Mo Han and cast a scrutinizing gaze at his disappointing son, "Han'er, is what you're saying true?"
Earlier, he had adamantly asserted that Feng Jin had disfigured Yan'er and demanded that I act, but he never mentioned this matter.
"Father, these are all excuses Han'er made up to help Feng Jin escape punishment. Han'er, Yan'er is your sister. How can you be so heartless as to protect the one who harmed her? You truly make Second Uncle's heart cold."
"Second Uncle, you really don't shed tears until you see the coffin. Lu Shi, bring them up!"
Lu Shi brought the maids and servants kneeling before the hall.
"You two, repeat what you just said. If you hide even the slightest bit, you'll all be sold off!" Ling Mo Han said in a low voice.
"My lord, spare me! It was the young miss who wanted to harm the young madam, but she was controlled by the young madam, and thus injured her face!"
"The young miss forced me to do it. If I didn't, the young miss would beat me to death."
The maids and servants cried out continuously.
Second Master Ling's face, however, was extremely unsightly, his complexion ashen, "You wretched slaves! Who gave you the courage to slander your masters!"
"Bang!"
With a loud crash, the valuable blue and white porcelain teacup shattered at Second Master Ling's feet.
"You useless wretches! I'm still alive, and you dare to be so presumptuous? Do you really think I'm dead!"
Elder Master Ling roared, his voice hoarse, and coughed a few times.
"You have managed the Ling family all these years, arrogant and overbearing, freely scolding and beating subordinates, embezzling funds. How much corruption has there been among those under your charge? I haven't spoken of these matters to spare you some face. Do you really think I don't know!"
"Father... I..." Second Master Ling, terrified, quickly knelt on the ground.
"You raised Mu Zhu to be ignorant of right and wrong and to be tyrannical. I know you are angry in your heart, resenting me for sending Mu Zhu to the countryside. You secretly had Mu Zhu brought back and sent a substitute to the countryside. Do you really think you can deceive everyone!"
Second Master Ling's eyes flickered, and his heart suddenly sank. He had done these things very carefully, flawlessly. How did his father know? Could it be... he had an inside informant.
"Father, this was my moment of foolishness. Mu Zhu is my only son, I..."
"Even with this one son, you've raised him like this. If you had more sons, this Ling family would sooner or later be ruined by your hands!"
Disappointing fellow, raising one son to be like this.
Elder Master Ling, unable to contain his anger, continued to reprimand Second Master Ling, "And Yan'er, she's a young lady, how did you teach her? She's ignorant of poetry, unskilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and even the most basic needlework for a maiden is something she knows nothing about. You taught her to be arrogant and overbearing, prone to hitting and scolding maids. How many maids in her room have you crippled or killed, and how many times have you secretly helped her deal with them? Do you think I don't know!"
"If I didn't care about the Ling family's reputation and endured it all, I've warned you publicly and privately how many times, yet you still feigned madness and laughed it all away, taking it lightly. It is your indulgence that has ruined both of them!"
"Father, I truly know I was wrong. I will definitely discipline them strictly. Please, Father, do not be angry!"
Second Master Ling knelt at Elder Master Ling's feet, continuously begging for mercy.
At this moment, he was filled with deep regret. If he had known this would cause so many problems, he would not have seized this opportunity to make a scene. Instead, he had brought so much disaster upon himself.
"From today onwards, you will hand over the position of family head to Han'er, and the matter of the treasury will be handled by Feng Jin!"