After being forced to leave the marriage, I became the wife of a top scholar.

Chapter 265 He's Here (Part 3)
Bai Wanqing slightly curled the corners of her lips, her eyes filled with happiness, "Of course I want to! Because I am a member of the Lin family."

Meng Zhan's pupils contracted slightly, and his previously outstretched hands clenched into fists.

"The Lin family? Heh! What a Lin family!" Meng Zhan chuckled wistfully.

"What if I were the one in danger? Would you feel the same way?" Meng Zhan's expression was conflicted, as if he wanted to know the answer, yet was also afraid to know it.

Bai Wanqing simply looked at Meng Zhan quietly, clearly not intending to answer.

Meng Zhan suddenly lowered his head and gave a bitter smile. Now it was Meng Zhan who seemed a bit pretentious.

Meng Zhan snapped out of his daze, didn't look at Bai Wanqing again, and strode away from the Lin residence.

Seeing that the people had left, Fengniang quickly went forward and closed the Lin family's gate again.

Lin Feiyun and Cui stepped forward, their expressions grave. "Wanqing, do you think they believe it just like that?"

Bai Wanqing shook her head slightly and said, "If it were just Meng Zhan, we could pass today."

"But if it's not just Meng Zhan, it might not be so easy."

Lin Feiyun and Cui Shi exchanged a glance, both agreeing with what Bai Wanqing had said.

Outside, Meng Zhan led his entourage back to the government office, where Prince Huai was directing his servants to prepare his lodgings.

"I didn't expect that Beifeng City and Huaizhou City are so close, yet the living conditions are so different." The Prince of Huai looked around at the surrounding environment with some disdain.

“Your Highness, this place is naturally incomparable to Beifeng City. After all, Beifeng City is the result of Your Highness’s hard work, while this place is a desolate wasteland and not worth mentioning.” The servant beside Prince Huai bowed and replied. His words made Prince Huai feel very relieved and pleased.

"Good, good, good! Mu Wu, you really know how to talk!"

"Unlike that stubborn old man Zhuang Qi, who only knows how to lecture me."

"reward!"

The Prince of Huai waved his hand and rewarded Mu Wu with fifty taels of silver. Just then, Zhuang Qi came in from outside and sighed when he saw the reward in Mu Wu's hand.

"Your Highness, Meng Zhan requests an audience."

Prince Huai didn't want Zhuang Qi to nag him, so he quickly waved for Mu Wu to leave and then looked up to ask.

"Meng Zhan? Which Meng Zhan?"

Suppressing his anger, Zhuang Qi calmly said, "Your Highness, have you forgotten? When we first arrived in Huaizhou City yesterday, wasn't it Lord Meng who was the first to surrender to you?"

"Meng Zhan, the Assistant Magistrate of Huaizhou!"

The Prince of Huai drank too much last night and has no recollection of who he met or what he said.

"Oh, oh, oh! What's he doing here?"

Zhuang Qi gritted his teeth and said, "Yesterday, the Prince sent Lord Meng with soldiers to the Lin family to look for people. I suppose there should be a conclusion by now."

"Your Highness, we are now at a critical juncture, facing life or death."

"Alright, alright, Mr. Zhuang! I understand!"

"Isn't this my arrival?"

"It's just a small Lin family. Back then, I could make the Lin family become traitors, and I can do the same now."

"Don't worry unnecessarily."

Zhuang Qi knew the Prince of Huai's temper; he was clearly getting impatient, so he dared not continue.

"Alright! Let Meng Zhan in!" the Prince of Huai said irritably.

Soon, Meng Zhan was brought in by the people from the Prince of Huai's residence.

“Your Highness, I took men to the Lin family yesterday. Lin Yunche is indeed ill, and it seems that he is seriously ill. I am afraid that he will not live much longer. The Lin family is no longer a threat.”

As he spoke, Meng Zhan presented a written account of what he had seen and heard at the Lin family's house the previous day.

The Prince of Huai looked at the papers brought to him by his servants, but did not reach for them. Instead, he smiled wickedly, then suddenly drew his sword from the couch, the tip of the sword pointing directly at Meng Zhan's throat.

Meng Zhan was so frightened that the Prince of Huai actually wanted to kill him that his legs went weak and he knelt down on the ground.

"Your Highness, why is this?" Meng Zhan's mind was clearly blank, and he could only look to Zhuang Qi for help.

Zhuang Qi felt a pang of regret and stepped forward, saying, "Your Highness, Lord Meng is simply unaware of the inside story and is likely being deceived by the Lin family."

"His crime doesn't warrant death; we can give Lord Meng another chance!"

The Prince of Huai smiled slightly, and the tip of his sword pierced Meng Zhan's skin. Just an inch away from killing Meng Zhan.

"Your Highness! Your Highness, spare my life!" Meng Zhan was so scared that he wet his pants.

Looking at the yellow water covering the ground, the Prince of Huai suddenly burst into laughter. He sheathed his sword and returned to his bed.

"Lord Meng! You said you found Lin Yunche at the Lin family?"

Meng Zhan looked at Zhuang Qi in horror, only to see that Zhuang Qi had closed her eyes slightly. Meng Zhan then realized that he had probably been fooled by the Lin family.

Bai Wanqing, for the sake of the Lin family, you're prepared to take his life!

"Your Highness, it was my oversight!"

"Please give me another chance, Your Highness. I will definitely find out the truth." Meng Zhan said, bowing his body to the ground.

The Prince of Huai slowly closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, they were bloodshot.

"The truth? This is not the truth I want!"

"Lord Meng, would you like to accompany me to the Lin family again?"

"This humble official is willing, this humble official is willing to go through fire and water for Your Highness, without hesitation."

Meanwhile, at the Lin residence.

Cui Jingcheng was holding Bai Wanqing's arm tightly and talking nonstop.

"Wanqing, you have no idea how smart I was when those people rushed in just now."

"Look?" Cui Jingcheng said, showing Bai Wanqing his torn sleeve.

Seeing the perfectly good clothes torn to shreds, Ruixin said with some heartache, "Young Master Cui, although these clothes are not yours, they are still our master's." "When Madam made these clothes for Master, she used the finest fabrics."

"You just ruined it like that."

With his head swollen like a pig's, Cui Jingcheng forced a pout and said, "You stinky Ruixin, what do you know? I'm just putting on a show, this is called putting in a lot of effort."

Ruixin had no idea what Cui Jingcheng's good intentions were; she only knew that Cui Jingcheng's angry expression was quite funny.

So she couldn't help but cover her mouth and giggle.

Cui Jingcheng was already very concerned about his pig-headed appearance, and now that Ruixin had smiled at him, he looked even more embarrassed.

"You stinky Ruixin, are you laughing at my appearance?" Cui Jingcheng had already let go of Wanqing's arm and was about to hit Ruixin.

Ruixin laughed and dodged at the same time, making the room quite lively for a while.

The previously serious and tense atmosphere vanished instantly.

When Fengniang, who had come to deliver the food, saw the scene before her, she couldn't help but smile. "Madam, are you just going to let these two little ones make a fuss here?" Fengniang said in a slightly indulgent tone.

Bai Wanqing stared blankly at the two people bickering in front of her, not quite coming to her senses for a moment.

It was only when Fengniang called her again that Bai Wanqing suddenly turned around.

"Fengniang, what did you just say?"

Fengniang was somewhat surprised, as their mistress rarely lost in thought, especially in such a tense situation.

"Madam, are you feeling unwell?"

"How about I help you back inside to rest?"

When Cui Jingcheng and Ruixin heard Fengniang say that Bai Wanqing was not feeling well, they immediately stopped their playful fighting and anxiously gathered around her.

"Miss, what's wrong with you?"

"Wanqing, what's wrong?"

Bai Wanqing noticed that the two of them seemed dazed for a moment, and then she stared blankly at Cui Jingcheng.

Cui Jingcheng's pig-like face turned even redder under Bai Wanqing's burning gaze.

"Wanqing, you don't want to laugh at me for looking like this, do you?"

"I'm fine, fine, laugh all you want! Laugh all you want."

For some reason, Bai Wanqing burst out laughing. She was usually aloof, and she had never seen anyone laugh so heartily before, not only Feng Niang but also Rui Xin, who had grown up with Bai Wanqing since childhood, had only seen it twice.

The last time was when the young master was sick, I think.

Seeing Bai Wanqing laughing so happily, Cui Jingcheng actually felt that even if he were to turn into a pig's head forever, it wouldn't be so bad.

Bai Wanqing laughed for a long time before gradually stopping.

"Young Master Cui, I apologize. I was rude just now!" Bai Wanqing apologized to Cui Jingcheng.

Cui Jingcheng didn't care at all, "It's nothing!"

"If it were me, seeing such a pig's head, I might laugh even louder than you."

Seeing that Cui Jingcheng was truly not angry, Bai Wanqing smiled faintly.

Just as the house was filled with laughter and conversation again, a commotion suddenly broke out in the front yard.

Cui Jingcheng's eyes sharpened, and he stood at the door, listening carefully to the sounds outside.

"Oh no, those soldiers are probably back again!"

Feng Niang frowned and said, "Why are you here again!"

"Didn't we just send them away? Did they figure something out?"

Cui Jingcheng shook his head firmly, "Impossible, I didn't show any flaws just now, there's no way I could have seen anything wrong with it."

Just then, the noise from the front yard grew louder and louder, and it looked like it was about to come towards the current yard.

Bai Wanqing quickly told Cui Jingcheng to lie back down, and prepared to take Ruixin and the others to hold them off.

"Wanqing!" Cui Jingcheng, who had just lain down, suddenly called out to Bai Wanqing.

Bai Wanqing turned around and saw Cui Jingcheng forcing a big smile, saying, "Don't worry, I'm here!"

Bai Wanqing nodded slightly, a smile in her eyes, "I know!"

After saying that, Bai Wanqing left in a hurry.

Lying on the bed, Cui Jingcheng was stunned by Bai Wanqing's last look. For some reason, he felt that Wanqing's attitude towards him had been different from the very beginning.

Has she accepted him? Has she finally seen his good qualities?
Cui Jingcheng couldn't help but grin, but unfortunately, his smile was completely hidden by the fat because his face was too swollen.

Meanwhile, Bai Wanqing had just stepped out of the courtyard when she saw a large group of people arriving with great momentum.

Lin Feiyun and Cui were brought here by them, and Lin Feiyun had obvious injuries on his body.

“Father!” Bai Wanqing called out.

Lin Feiyun shouted, "Wanqing, don't worry about us! Protect Che'er!"

When Lin Feiyun shouted, the soldiers holding him down punched him twice more. Lin Feiyun couldn't hold back and spat out a mouthful of blood.

Seeing this, Cui was startled. "Old man!"

Just as the soldier was about to use force against Cui, a soft cough interrupted his actions. Upon seeing the person who had arrived, the soldier quickly lowered his head and dared not make any further moves.

"Your Highness! This is the residence of Lin Yunche that we just found." Meng Zhan pointed to the house in front of him and introduced it to Prince Huai.

Meanwhile, the Prince of Huai was looking at the woman before him with great interest.

Is this woman the legendary Madam Lin?

The woman who stole two of his bank vaults?
(End of this chapter)