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Chapter 554 - 554: A Series of Vicious Scheme

Ms. Zhang, known for her indolence, and Wang Nian, lacking substantial wealth, relied on aiding the bandits to secure income. However, the compensation received from the bandits was meager and insufficient to cover Ms. Zhang and Wang Nian’s expenses.

Ms. Zhang’s covetous eyes fixated on Chen Lin’er’s shop. She envisioned the prosperity that would come with possessing both establishments. Even if she refrained from conducting business, the monthly rent alone would generate substantial income. This seemed like a perpetual source of sustenance, a financial legacy for future generations.

Thus, Ms. Zhang and Wang Nian conspired to acquire Chen Lin’er’s shop.

Wang Nian and Chen Lin’er’s husband had shared a close friendship since childhood. However, as Wang Nian married and colluded with the mountain bandits, Chen Lin’er’s husband distanced himself, warning Wang Nian against assisting the bandits, foreseeing the retribution he might face.

Despite these warnings, Wang Nian, enticed by the allure of wealth, strayed further down a morally crooked path.

When Ms. Zhang pressured Wang Nian to devise a plan, he hesitated. The idea of harming Chen Lin’er’s family seemed inhumane, especially considering their past camaraderie. Yet, Wang Nian’s insatiable greed ultimately triumphed over any remaining sense of brotherhood.

Wang Nian collaborated with his wife’s brother to craft a sinister scheme. The first step involved orchestrating an accident, where a seemingly uncontrollable horse pulling a carriage fatally struck down Chen Lin’er’s parents-in-law.

Seizing the opportunity, Wang Nian extended apparent sympathy and volunteered assistance. Under the guise of consoling her bereaved brother, he frequently brought evening side dishes, sharing drinks with Chen Lin’er.

During these interactions, Wang Nian artfully conveyed his desire to sever ties with his wife’s brothers and turn over a new leaf. Chen Lin’er’s husband, grappling with a somber mood, succumbed to Wang Nian’s deceptive charm and did not refuse his company.

Unexpectedly, Wang Nian betrayed this trust by introducing a slow-acting poison into Chen Lin’er’s husband’s food, ensuring that death would not be immediate but an inevitable relapse after a few days, rendering any remedy futile.

Chen Lin’er initially attributed her husband’s sudden demise to illness. However, her ordeal worsened when a group of masked bandits infiltrated their home one night, kidnapping her two children and leaving behind a chilling letter. The letter demanded 1,000 taels of silver within three days, threatening the children’s lives if she dared involve the authorities. The ominous message warned that reporting the incident would result in her child’s death.

Overwhelmed with anxiety, Chen Lin’er realized the masked abductors were the mountain bandits. Fearing the futility of reporting to the authorities and the potential harm it could bring to her child, she found herself trapped in a dire predicament.

Faced with the desperate situation, Chen Linter hurriedly arranged for the announcement of the shop’s sale. Subsequently, she sought out Wang Nian, imploring him to intervene with the mountain bandits. She fervently pleaded for a reduction in the ransom, stressing the immense difficulty of garnering a thousand taels of silver from the sale of her two shops. Chen Lin’er recognized the practical challenges—selling the shops quickly at a high price was an arduous task, often requiring more time unless offered at a distressingly low rate.

Caught in a dilemma, Chen Lin’er contemplated selling the shop at a reduced price to swiftly gather funds for her children’s rescue. However, she was acutely aware that selling at a lower price would complicate the challenge of accumulating the remaining funds needed.

Recognizing the financial limitations of her husband’s impoverished rural relatives, Chen Lin’er found herself at a loss for support. Tearfully, she pleaded with Wang Nian, “If they won’t reduce the price, please implore them to grant me a few additional days. I’ll sell the house, the shop, the gold, and the jewelry.

I’m determined to gather the necessary funds to ransom my children..”