Chapter 8: Robbed Clean

Seeing Granny Zhang’s malicious gaze, Chai Ya immediately panicked. “Miss, I don’t want to stay here.”

Lin Zhiyi’s eyes sharpened. “Go ask Qin Lang if I can take Chai Ya with me. If he dares to stop me, I will report him to the authorities for unlawfully divorcing his wife.”

Granny Zhang hesitated, then glared at Lin Zhiyi before rushing off.

Perhaps because the Qin family was preoccupied with the upcoming wedding and didn’t want to cause trouble, or perhaps because they were too pleased with themselves for seizing Lin Zhiyi’s dowry, they actually agreed to let Lin Zhiyi take Chai Ya.

By the time Lin Zhiyi left the Qin family’s gates, the Qin family had still not realized what had happened. The land deeds, property, and the servant contracts were all still in Lin Zhiyi’s hands.

Qin Lang couldn’t believe Lin Zhiyi had actually left. He asked Granny Zhang, “Are you saying she left without taking anything?”

“Reporting to the lord, madam… I mean, Lin Zhiyi, she left with empty hands.”

The Qin family members immediately burst into laughter.

So, Lin Zhiyi’s dowry now belonged to the Qin family.

Qin Yuelian, sitting next to Qin’s mother, pouted and said sweetly, “Mother, tomorrow is the day Second Brother marries Second Sister-in-law. I’ve heard that there are many fine clothes and jewelry in Lin Zhiyi’s dowry. Could you let me take a few pieces to use?”

For the wedding feast tomorrow, she was determined to dress up, wear the most expensive jewelry, and the latest fashions in the capital, finally shedding the title of “country bumpkin.”

Maybe even a rich young man would take notice of her.

Qin’s mother glanced at her. “Didn’t I already give you several pieces a few days ago?”

When Wang Mama had taken the key to Lin Zhiyi’s private treasury, Qin’s mother had opened it and checked out the dowry.

The wealth had nearly overwhelmed her.

She had been married into the Qin family for more than twenty years, wearing coarse hemp cloth and eating wild vegetables, with barely enough to fill her stomach.

The only thing she was proud of was sending Qin Lang to study.

To her surprise, her second son had done well. Not only had he passed the imperial exams, but he had also become an official in the capital.

Having lived in poverty for so long, Qin’s mother was elated when her son made a name for himself. She now had the authority to show her harsh side.

When she learned that the original Lin Zhiyi had cried and begged to marry her son, she felt deep down that her son was truly capable, and that Lin Zhiyi, if not born into the Lin family, wouldn’t have deserved to marry him.

When Lin Zhiyi had just entered the Qin family, Qin’s mother had never even looked at her properly, despite everything that Lin Zhiyi had brought.

Once she had the key, she immediately took many clothes, fabrics, jewelry, and ornaments, all for Qin Lang’s wedding to make the Qin family look respectable.

As for the other items, Qin’s mother had not yet planned to distribute them to anyone.

She felt secure now that the items were in her hands.

“Fine, the few clothes and jewelry I gave you are already quite precious. After tomorrow, I’ll give you a few more.”

Qin’s mother hoped that her children would wear all the gold, jade, and expensive jewelry, anything they could find, so the He family wouldn’t look down on them.

He Jiaojiao wasn’t as easy to handle as Lin Zhiyi.

Qin Yuelian only used this excuse to ask for more things. Seeing that Qin’s mother had said so, she stopped pestering her.

She understood—although her mother doted on her, pushing too much would have the opposite effect.

Qin’s eldest daughter-in-law opened her mouth to say something, but seeing her younger sister-in-law couldn’t even get what she wanted, she also closed her mouth.

At the same time, Lin Zhiyi was at the inn, where Fang Mama reported to her, “Miss, everything has been taken care of.”

Fang Mama had already sold off the shops and estates at slightly below market prices a few days ago.

These properties had originally been part of Lin Zhiyi’s dowry, but they had always been managed by the Lin family’s servants. The Qin family had never thought about it, and then Lin Zhiyi’s family suddenly fell.

Qin’s mother, being a village woman, had been too busy with preparing for Qin Lang’s wedding to notice. In the meantime, Lin Zhiyi had already sold the shops and estates.

As for the house and servants in the Qin family’s residence, many of the servants were unwilling to get involved in the trouble, so they refused to take them in.

In the end, Fang Mama turned to the largest servant agency in Chang’an—Chen Ji Servants. It was rumored that the agency’s owner had powerful connections, someone even the Qin family dared not offend, and they agreed to a deal at a price 20% lower than the market value.

Lin Zhiyi nodded slightly, a cold smile tugging at her lips.

Good, the show was about to begin.

At night.

Just after the dog’s bark had passed, the long street fell into an eerie silence, even the stray dogs retreated to the alleys.

Lin Zhiyi once again sneaked into the Qin family, this time entering through the same dog hole as before.

She first went to the big kitchen, finding it filled to the brim with rice, vegetables, grains, oil, meat, and other ingredients—all prepared for the wedding feast the next day. There were also dozens of tables already set, with several hundred steamed buns as the main dish. Lin Zhiyi quickly stored everything in her space.

She opened the kitchen cabinets and found various grains, oils, and spices. She took the entire cabinets and stored them away as well.

Even the five sheep and thirty chickens that hadn’t been slaughtered yet were taken into her space.

It was more than enough to feed Lin Zhiyi’s family during their exile.

A few days earlier, Lin Zhiyi had asked for several meals from a restaurant and stored them in her space. When she checked the next day, the meals were still warm.

Three days later, when she checked again, the food was still warm, proving that her space had a preservation function, so she didn’t need to worry about the food going bad.

After looting the pots, bowls, and other kitchenware, she left the kitchen.

She then went to the new bridal chamber.

The room was indeed well-decorated, and many of the furniture and decorations were part of the original Lin Zhiyi’s dowry. Lin Zhiyi’s eyes flashed with surprise, and she immediately stored everything in her space.

Fortunately, the house she had bought before crossing into the book had five main rooms, three smaller rooms, and a large courtyard.

She had initially planned to plant fruits and vegetables in the courtyard, but now it was filled with items, leaving no room for gardening.

Next, she went to Qin’s mother’s room. She lit some incense to make sure no one would wake up, then entered her bedroom.

Seeing the clothes hanging on the bedframe and the jewelry laid out on the table, clearly meant for the wedding banquet the next day, Lin Zhiyi showed no mercy and took everything into her space. She then ransacked the room.

In Qin’s mother’s room, she found many valuable items—everything from her dowry. Unable to help herself, she slapped Qin’s mother’s face twice.

She continued until her face was swollen, then stopped.

Next, she went to Qin Lang’s room, where she also collected everything. Before leaving, she gave Qin Lang a good beating, focusing on his eyes.

Tomorrow, when he goes to pick up his bride, he will certainly have two black eyes.

Feeling unsatisfied, she thought that such a scoundrel should be castrated to prevent him from ruining the lives of other women.

An idea suddenly came to her.

Lin Zhiyi took a razor from her space and shaved Qin Lang’s head.

In just a few moments, Qin Lang was left with a bald head.

Lin Zhiyi looked at her handiwork and couldn’t help but cover her mouth and laugh.

In ancient times, hair was highly valued. Cutting one’s hair was akin to beheading.

She imagined what his expression would be like when he wakes up and discovers he has no hair, especially on his wedding day.

Lin Zhiyi then went on to ransack Qin Lang’s eldest brother’s courtyard, Qin Yuelian’s room, Qin Lang’s third brother’s room, the Qin family’s warehouse, and the servants’ quarters, systematically collecting all the valuable items.

By the time she was done, there was nothing left in the mansion except some worthless tables and chairs.

It wasn’t that Lin Zhiyi didn’t want to take them, but there was simply no more room in her space.

After completing everything, Lin Zhiyi prepared to leave. She crawled back out through the dog hole.

But just as she emerged, she froze in fear as she saw a pair of male feet standing in front of her.