"Serves her right."
The room on this side also heard the scream.
Fang Jinxiu spoke, then lifted her teacup for a sip.
"If you hurt others you will hurt yourself."
Jinchuan was somewhat concerned.
"Miss Lin definitely won"t give up," she said quietly, facing Miss Jun. "Young Lady, the Lin Family is here. This is a very major matter, so let me go ask Old Lady to come."
"Indeed, it is a crucial matter, but it"s not related to us," Miss Jun said.
"How is it not related," Jinchuan said. "After all, Miss Lin came here with us, we will definitely be questioned."
Miss Jun smiled.
"Of course they will question us, but they won"t be able to say anything," she said. "There is still justice in this world."
When she said this, she paused.
"Otherwise I wouldn"t have won this much money."
What did this have to do with money?
Did this woman never forget to show off herself?
Fang Jinxiu frowned, but the present matter was more troublesome.
Although she usually prided herself on settling her own matters herself, now the other party"s relatives had appeared. After all, Lin Jin"er"s father was part of the county government.
As a merchant family"s child, she knew how a magistrate could destroy a family with one word.
Moreover, this matter was not as simple as a shouting match between girls or even a fistfight.
"What did Registrar Lin say?"
At the moment, a middle-aged man was drinking liquor in a lavish, opulent room on the highest floor of the Jinyun Hall. He was looking at the pitch-pot director.
"Third Master, Lord Lin said that he was arresting people at the Jinyun Hall," said the pitch-pot director respectfully.
Third Master surnamed Dou was not from Yangcheng. Originally from the Taiyuan prefecture, he was a descendant of the senior official Dou Chou from the Jin state. He was here on behalf of his family to manage the business of the Jinyun Hall.
Taiyuan"s Dou Family was even more ill.u.s.trious than the Chen Family. The original Chen was just a oustanding founding minister of a dynasty, while the Duo"s founding ancestor was closer to a G.o.d.
When Third Master Dou heard this, he laughed.
"Lord Lin is a mighty official," he said, looking at the man. "It truly is frightening."
The man across from him lowered his head and drank his alcohol.
"What is it? What could make that sly man called Lin who never offends anyone so angry?" He did not raise his head to ask. "Could it be that he just lost a lot of money?"
"Master Jin, that"s not it," the pitch-pot director said with a smile. He paused. "Miss Lin had a private encounter with a man."
Master Jin snapped his head up and looked at the director, then looked at Third Master Dou across from him.
"Third Master Dou, how much did you pay him?" he asked. "Did you make him take a cut from the winnings?"
These words didn"t make much sense. Third Master Dou shook his head, but did not say anything.
"Master Jin jokes," the director said with a smile.
"This really is strange. Since you did not get a cut from the winnings, why are you speaking up for that Fang Family young miss who won all the money?" Master Jin smiled. "Directly determining that it was Miss Lin who had private dealings with a man."
"You"re the one who is strange. If our Jinyun Hall did not protect our wealthy patrons, then who would we protect?" said Third Master Dou, drinking the last of his liquor. He waved a hand at the director. "Go, tell Lin that amiability makes you rich. Whoever harms my business, I will not be amiable too."
The director made a sound of confirmation and was about to leave when Master Jin got to his feet.
"I"m on somewhat good terms with Old Lin. I"ll go and see him and be the mediator," he said.
When he heard this, the director"s eyes flashed uneasily. Third Master Dou found it unexpected, but gave him the go ahead.
"But don"t move against my guests in my domain. Otherwise, my Jinyun Hall really won"t have any face," he said.
What his meaning was that no matter what happened he hoped they would leave the Jinyun Hall.
If Master Jin really wanted to meddle, after leaving the Jinyun Hall that Fang Family"s young miss was going to have trouble.
The director sighed internally. Originally, the Jinyun Hall could have smoothed this thing over and kept the young miss safe and sound.
Now, they could only blame that young miss for having bad luck to have Master Jin come today to find Third Master for a drink.
The Jinyun Hall had no choice but to give him face.
As Master Jin stood up, four men sitting on either side of him also stood up. They were in their twenties and of similar heights. Because they were wearing identical black clothing, they seemed to have been all made out of the same mold.
These four people did not drink or talk. One of them was dazed, like an old monk in meditation, one was reclining in a chair seriously tr.i.m.m.i.n.g his nails, and the other two were reading books.
This was a very ordinary action, but for some reason when they did it, it felt strange, sending s.h.i.+vers down the director"s spine.
He personally opened the door for them.
"No no, you first. I"ll just come along to watch," said Master Jin with a smile.
The director did not offer any more politeness and smiled as he stepped out.
"Go request the Fang Family"s young miss," he said to the attendant outside.
"You want to ask us something? What do you want to ask?"
Seeing the attendant outside, Fang Jinxiu"s brows furrowed.
"What do you want to ask us? Didn"t you see that she was playing pitch-pot, I was betting. Whatever she did has nothing to do with us."
The attendant lowered his head again.
"I hope that Young Miss can make these things easy," he said softly, but his att.i.tude was firm.
"Isn"t your Jinyun Hall outstanding? Never scared of bureaucrats," Fang Jinxiu said with a sneer.
Miss Jun smiled and grabbed onto Fang Jinxiu.
"Enough. Asking is what they should do. Don"t cause trouble to them. They just wanted to do business. A merchant should know another merchant"s troubles," she said.
This soothed the attendant. This Fang Family"s person was not only extremely talented but also reasonable.
"Moreover, something huge happened to Miss Lin. A family member of course would want to know what happened. As long as they understand what happened, it will only be good for us, so they can avoid worrying about us in the future," Miss Jun added.
Fang Jinxiu angrily flung off her hand.
"Think what you like," she said coldly. "Anyway, this has nothing to do with me."
"Please, lead the way," Miss Jun told the attendant.
The attendant respectfully thanked them before leading the way. Jinchuan hurriedly followed, biting her lip and grumbling as she went after.
As if hearing footsteps on the other side, Ning Yunzhao jumped to his feet.
Ning Yunyan, startled, subconsciously grabbed onto his sleeve.
"Big Brother?" she asked, fear and surprise in her eyes.
"I"m going out to look," said Ning Yunzhao. "You are girls, you shouldn"t show your faces too much."
Having a big brother was very nice. Tenth n.o.ble Son Ning was very nice.
The girls present looked at Ning Yunzhao with hearts filled with happiness.
"Big Brother, remember that Lin Jin"er was framed," Ning Yunyan reminded.
Ning Yunzhao nodded, but left without saying anything.
This involved a daughter"s reputation, it could be said to be able to destroy a girl"s entire life.
Even if a child wasn"t favored by their parents, the Lin Family would definitely not be able to let the matter go.
She was a weak girl...
Ning Yunzhao paused in his tracks.
A weak girl.
He smiled bitterly, his feelings complicated. He didn"t know what to think.
In front of him came the sound of footsteps. Ning Yunzhao lifted his head to see that girl"s back.