Given the circumstances, Minister Wang had no choice but to swallow his pride.
"But how could Guangzhi, as a grandson of the Lin Family, even if he caused such a ss, deserve to be beaten to death?"
"Our Lin Family is not like your Wang Family, indulging children who are ignorant of their limits. Back when your sister-in-law and Mrs. Wang colluded to take a fortune from the Lin Family, do you not have any sense of how much that was? Not divorcing her back then was already saving face for the Wang Family, and now you have spoiled the child into such misbehavior, it’s utterly despicable."
"I was able to tolerate her once, but not repeatedly. As for such a disgrace to the family na, why keep her? If you’re not afraid of the Wang Family losing face, go ahead and make a scene outside. I dare to see whether it will be my Lin Family or your Wang Family that collapses first!"
Hearing this, Minister Wang was speechless.
Indeed, his daughter had siphoned a substantial amount from the Lin Family in the early years.
Now that Pri Minister Lin had leverage over the Wang Family, they had no grounds to cause trouble.
Yet, he still gritted his teeth and said,
"We’ve been in-laws for decades; even if she did sothing wrong, there’s no need for a divorce, right? Once she’s better, I’ll personally discipline her, and I beg the Pri Minister to show rcy."
"No need. Since you’re here today, take her back with you. Whether to send her to the village or keep her at ho is the Wang Family’s issue. As for the Lin Family, you needn’t worry—we will carve our own path to the future."
Minister Wang didn’t expect Pri Minister Lin to be so heartless and imdiately resorted to threats.
"Aren’t you afraid I’ll expose everything by taking my daughter to Yingtian Prefecture?"
Pri Minister Lin sneered and imdiately produced a letter.
"No need for you to complain; I will file the complaint myself. Such behavior doesn’t make him fit to serve in court, does it?"
Minister Wang took two steps back, utterly shocked.
The Pri Minister Lin, in his fury, would not even spare his own son.
To sever his son’s prospects and force a divorce on his daughter-in-law.
What kind of calamities are these?
In the end, Minister Wang left the Pri Minister Lin’s study in dismay and could only order a carriage to be prepared for his daughter.
As for the dowry Mrs. Wang had in the Pri Minister’s Mansion, it remained untouched for the ti being.
Soon, a declaration ca from the Lin Family.
It claid that Mrs. Wang had contracted a contagious disease and had also infected Lin Guangzhi.
Thus, the mother and son were sent to the countryside to recover.
However, the disease was so vicious that both Mrs. Wang and Lin Guangzhi succumbed to it.
Once dead, for fear that their burial might cause an epidemic,
their bodies were cremated to ashes.
Pri Minister Lin then paid a visit to the Emperor, and after a long conversation, he left.
By the next day, news from the palace confird it.
It was approved for Pri Minister Lin to retire and return ho, and Mr. Lin, to care for his father, voluntarily demoted himself to a county magistrate and went with him.
Though outsiders suspected so hidden motives, no one could discern the true reason.
Ultimately, the chaos of the Lantern Festival overshadowed the entire incident.
Within the Pri Minister’s Mansion, Princess Rongkang, who had been bedridden for a long ti, hadn’t seen Pri Minister Lin.
Yet, today when he entered Ronghe Hall, he held a porcelain jar.
It wasn’t large but was wrapped in black cloth.
Upon seeing it, Princess Rongkang suddenly started to cough violently.
Her health had been robust, but she couldn’t withstand the blow of the Prince Zhan Mansion’s downfall, leading to her illness.
The dicine she took three tis a day showed no improvent.
Her condition worsened instead.
The once-young-and-dignified person was now shrunken to just bones.
Her eyes were sunken, spiritless; her cheeks were gaunt, blood at the corners of her mouth.
"Princess, the Pri Minister has co to see you."
The maid serving her said softly in her ear, waking the slightly resting Princess Rongkang.
"The Pri Minister... is here..."
Her voice was no longer vibrant but rather dry like bark.
Upon hearing her voice, Pri Minister Lin felt a slight twinge of compassion, which quickly vanished.
"Yes, today I’m taking the second family back to our ancestral ho. The journey is long and arduous, and you’re unwell, so stay behind."
Princess Rongkang couldn’t believe it.
She never expected her partner to forsake her as well.
So, she just gave a bitter laugh.
Tears fell, without another word.
Soon after, Pri Minister Lin’s voice was heard again.
"Oh, I brought you sothing you liked, thinking it might comfort you. That boy Guangzhi died of disease, fearing it would spread. I took the liberty of having his body burned. Originally, this ash wasn’t ant to be kept, but I thought you might want to express your condolences, so I brought it."
Hearing this, Princess Rongkang couldn’t suppress the blood in her chest.
She coughed it up at once.
It splattered on Pri Minister Lin’s hem, looking especially poignant.
"He...he was your own grandson!"
"Yes, he was my grandson, but he was worthless. What use is he? Almost brought down the entire Lin Family."
"Oh, I also arranged the divorce with Mrs. Wang and elevated Aunt Guo as the legitimate wife, so Runzhi is our true grandson. Rest assured, once we return ho, I will personally educate him to ensure he brings glory to the Lin Family na!"
He then stepped closer to Princess Rongkang and whispered in her ear.
"This way, you can rest in peace."
Having been his wife for most of her life, Princess Rongkang finally saw through him at this mont.
After pondering, she coughed twice and asked,
"Did you tamper with my dicine?"
"Yes."
Pri Minister Lin admitted frankly, not seeing it as a significant matter.
He calmly added,
"You were going to die anyway, so it doesn’t matter telling you. Prince Zhan’s entire family was exterminated, thanks to evidence I submitted to the Classical Examination Departnt."
"Why?"
Princess Rongkang’s eyes widened.
She couldn’t believe it.
Sadly, Pri Minister Lin had no ti for further words.
He left her with one last remark.
"Don’t think you can manipulate . In this world, I only trust myself."
Then he strode away.
Leaving Princess Rongkang on her sickbed, she could only smile bitterly; as she laughed, she began spitting blood.
Spitting blood, she seed to return to those early days.
Back to the mont she first laid eyes on Pri Minister Lin, when that single glance sealed her fate.
That night, Princess Rongkang, clutching a black jar, passed away.
She appeared peaceful in death.
But only those maids close to her knew how much she had suffered recently.
With the last heavy snowfall in Shengjing City, the old grievances and disputes also faded with winter.
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