That night, Lin Qiaoqiao was pushed to the ground and had her clothes torn, leaving her with a significant trauma. Now, when facing the guards, she was filled with fear. Yet Lin Zheng still thought about making her seduce other men! What kind of father was that?
Tears the size of beans flowed down her cheeks, and Lin Qiaoqiao cried heartbreakingly, hugging tightly to Madam Lin.
Lin Zheng’s face darkened with fury as he gritted his teeth and cursed, “You both have gone against me! I am your father! How dare you not listen to me! I will deliver punishment right now!”
Saying this, he raised his hand to strike Lin Qiaoqiao.
Madam Lin, protecting her daughter, pleaded pitifully, “Sir, don’t hit Qiaoqiao! I beg you!”
Zhang Fang was having a pleasant conversation with Mu Qing and the others when he heard the noise and turned to look. He saw Lin Zheng being unruly, hitting his wife and daughter.
His elegant brows furrowed slightly as Zhang Fang said to Mu Qing and the others, “I’ll go check it out.”
Mu Qing and the others had no good feelings towards the Lin family, so they didn’t care when they saw the conflict arising among the Lin family.
The guards of the State of Mo saw Lin Zheng striking his wife and daughter but merely watched coldly, not intervening. The greatest courtesy they could show to the Lin family was to not make things difficult for them.
“What’s going on?” Zhang Fang called out loudly before getting close to Lin Zheng.
Hearing his voice, Lin Zheng immediately stopped, turning around awkwardly to answer, “Young Master Zhang, my daughter is disobedient, and I have embarrassed you.”
The appearance of Zhang Fang gave Lin Qiaoqiao the courage to cry even more, and she didn’t know why, but she found herself crying harder than before.
Madam Lin clutched her daughter, looking at Zhang Fang with an unnatural expression.
Zhang Fang glanced at the mother and daughter, then said to Lin Zheng, “Come with me.”
Lin Zheng hurriedly got up and followed Zhang Fang to the waterside.
Lin Yuerong was there with her younger brother; upon seeing them, she hesitated for a moment but ultimately turned and left with her brother.
“Young Master Zhang…” Lin Zheng’s face wore a false smile, but inside, he was anxious.
Zhang Fang didn’t waste time on pleasantries and directly stated, “Mu Qing and the others are people I value highly; you should discard any ill thoughts about them. Behave yourself on the way! If you stir any trouble and something happens, I won’t intervene.”
Lin Zheng panicked and urgently explained, “Young Master Zhang, did those three say anything to you? You mustn’t believe them! They are very scheming! They think you are young and naïve, easy to deceive; first, they win your trust, and then they take their revenge! Their intentions are extremely vicious! You must be on guard!”
With a light laugh, Zhang Fang looked at Lin Zheng with a bemused expression and slowly said, “You should reflect on your own character before criticizing others. I’ll say this clearly: as long as I’m here, they won’t bully you. But if the Lin family isn’t honest and provokes them, don’t blame me for standing idly by.”
Lin Zheng’s expression froze. Although he felt more secure knowing Zhang Fang’s guarantee, he also sensed Zhang Fang’s distrust and wariness towards the Lin family. Without Zhang Fang’s trust, the Lin family could be abandoned at any moment. This was what Lin Zheng worried about.
“The days ahead are long; you all need to get along well. That’s all I have to say. You should act wisely.” After finishing, Zhang Fang stylishly turned to leave.
Lin Zheng swallowed hard, lowering his head to look at his reflection in the water. His face showed anxiety and fear he couldn’t conceal.
After being warned by Zhang Fang, Lin Zheng didn’t mention again to his two daughters about seducing Mu Qing and the others.
Zhang Fang chatted easily with Mu Qing and his companions, appearing quite friendly, which made Lin Zheng feel envious, especially since the Lin family had nothing remarkable to offer to gain Zhang Fang’s favor.
After several days of travel, they finally reached Jiangzhou. Zhang Fang first wrote a letter to the Prime Minister, ensuring their safety, then went to collect money, instructing Shi Houde to take Mao Ani and the others to procure provisions. The farther north they traveled, the cooler the nights became. Zhang Fang specifically reminded them to buy thicker outer garments, as they would need to share them with the Lin family and Mu Qing’s group. The more people he befriended, the more individuals he needed to take care of, leading to greater expenses.
Fortunately, the Prime Minister had served for many years and earned ample rewards, so his family was wealthy. Otherwise, Zhang Fang really wouldn’t be able to support so many people!
Once they arrived at Jiangzhou’s prison, Zhang Fang was still staying in a single room.
Mu Qing and his companions were locked in the same prison cell as the Lin family’s male members, making for a tense atmosphere. Of course, it was the Lin family who felt anxious. Mu Qing and his group didn’t even spare Lin Zheng a glance; they simply marked their territory and lay down to rest.
Lin Zheng anxiously observed for a long time, believing they must have been suppressed by Zhang Fang and would not aggressively train. His tension gradually eased as he thought since they were all following Zhang Fang, it was best to maintain a facade of friendliness for future encounters! So he displayed a friendly demeanor, trying to initiate conversation with Mu Qing and the others: “The three young brothers have been enjoying a pleasant chat with Young Master Zhang these past few days.”
Yuan Juan closed his eyes to rest, not even lifting his eyelids.
Chang Bao, however, opened his eyes to glance at Lin Zheng but immediately closed them again.
Mu Qing pulled at the corners of his mouth, showing a mocking smile, casting a disdainful look at Lin Zheng. If it weren’t for Zhang Fang’s reputation, he would surely have given Lin Zheng a beating.
Seeing Mu Qing still holding hostility towards him, Lin Zheng found it difficult to continue trying to ingratiate himself and could only awkwardly shut his mouth.
That evening, the jailer brought a wooden bucket into the prison to serve dinner, distributing plenty of rice. This caused dissatisfaction among the dozen or so male criminals in the neighboring cells, who angrily questioned the jailer: “Why do they get to eat rice upon entering?!”
The jailer couldn’t be bothered to respond, finishing the meal distribution to the Lin family and Mu Qing’s group. He then brought in another wooden bucket filled with porridge, thin and watery, with hardly any rice grains. This immediately enraged the criminals in the adjacent cells.
“Damn it! We want to eat rice!” they clamored.
The jailer had been prepared; he stepped back, letting the criminals swipe at empty air, said nothing, and turned to leave.
Mu Qing and his group held onto their bowls of rice, thoughtfully staring at the criminals in the nearby cells.