The Shi family was no longer what it used to be but the massive mansion still showed how grand it was during its heyday.
Wide gates and a huge courtyard.
There were four pillars and three gates in front of the mansion.
It was early in the morning. A few of the Shi family's servants were sweeping in front of the mansion when Lin Jin arrived with the deer and Xiao Huo.
"Young Master, who are you looking for?"
One of the servants asked when he saw Lin Jin.
Lin Jin smiled and said, "I'm looking for Wu Chenwei."
"Oh, so you're looking for our young master. May I know your name so that we can report your arrival?" The Shi family's servant was well-mannered.
After Lin Jin gave his name, the servant went to report his arrival.
Lin Jin said he was looking for Wu Chenwei on purpose. He wanted to let the man know that he was here and see how Wu Chenwei would react.
Moments later, footsteps could be heard. Then, more than ten servants rushed out with batons in their hands. There were also eight black dogs barking at the same time.
Wealthy families would give their servants these black dogs as pet beasts. One reason was that it was cheap and the other was that these dogs were good at guarding the house. If they encountered any thieves, these dogs were more than enough to handle them.
"Release the dogs!"
Someone shouted from inside.
It sounded like Wu Chenwei.
The servants immediately released the dogs but what happened next left them dumbfounded. The eight black dogs scurried away with their tails between their legs. In the blink of an eye, all of them were gone.
The servants had never seen something like this before so they were at a loss for what to do.
Wu Chenwei, who was hiding behind the door, was just as shocked. He came out and glared at Lin Jin. Then, he noticed the deer behind Lin Jin.
The deer was wrapped in bandages and looked miserable. But after Lin Jin's treatment, it could now walk.
A menacing look appeared on Wu Chenwei's handsome face. "This man is here to cause trouble. What are you guys waiting for? Chase him away!"
As soon as the order was given, a dozen or so servants stepped forward.
Lin Jin suddenly said, "I've handed those ruffians over to the authorities. I'm guessing they've sold you out by now. Ordering people to commit arson and murder is a serious crime."
Wu Chenwei's expression changed, but he forced himself to remain calm. "I don't even know what you're talking about. This is the Shi family, not a place where you can behave atrociously. Scram."
Lin Jin couldn't be bothered with this man. He wasn't even afraid of beasts, much less a dozen servants.
Patting the deer, Lin Jin asked, "Do you still recognize this person?"
When the deer saw Wu Chenwei, it let out a whimper. There was a hint of sorrow in its voice.
"I-isn't this the young master's pet beast? How did you get hurt like this? "
"That's not right. Didn't the young master say that the deer died in the mouths of wild beasts? Why is it still alive?"
The servants of the Shi family discussed among themselves.
At this moment, Wu Chenwei's expression was extremely ugly.
At that moment, a man dressed like an old butler came out of the Shi Manor's courtyard. He saluted Lin Jin and said, "Appraiser Lin, my lord would like to invite you in for a chat."
Wu Chenwei turned to look at the old butler with a pale face. The old butler turned to Wu Chenwei and said, "Young master, the young mistress would like to invite you in as well."
Glaring at the old butler, Wu Chenwei flicked his sleeves and turned to leave. However, it was obvious that he was panicking.
Lin Jin patted the deer and had it follow him.
Lin Jin had never intended to pick a fight with Wu Chenwei over the deer incident. Who knew that the guy would actually hire someone to set the place on fire?
If that was the case, Lin Jin would never let this matter rest.
Entering the Shi Manor's courtyard, Lin Jin was impressed by its grandeur. The courtyard was large and there were many rooms. Lin Jin had been to the Zu Manor before and compared them to the others, the Shi family clearly had a deeper history.
At the entrance of the main hall stood a woman.
She was about the same age as Wu Chenwei but she had a dignified demeanor. She was beautiful and could be described as cold and elegant.
Needless to say, this woman was the Shi family's current patriarch, Shi Wenjun.
Wu Chenwei stood at the bottom of the stairs with his head lowered, saying nothing.
In terms of aura, he was already a notch weaker.
As a live-in son-in-law, the woman was stronger while the man was weaker. Perhaps Wu Chenwei had been repressed at home for too long and that was why he was so 'perverted'?
Lin Jin was just making random guesses.
As expected of the patriarch of the family, Shi Wenjun took the initiative to walk down the stairs at the sight of Lin Jin.
"I've long heard that the Beast Appraisal Association is full of talents and that Appraiser Lin is one of the best. I've been looking for a chance to get to know you and today, my wish has finally come true."
Shi Wenjun smiled. Her tone was just right. It didn't sound weak, but it wasn't as resonant and deep as a man's.
Moreover, her words were appropriate and left a good impression.
However, Lin Jin had never been one to play by the rules. Since he was here to pick a fight with Wu Chenwei, he was probably going to antagonize the Shi family. Since that was the case, why should he put on an act?
And so, Lin Jin said, "Patriarch Shi, I'm here to lodge a complaint."
Simple and straightforward.
Shi Wenjun's expression remained unchanged as she waved at the servants. "You may leave."
It was obvious that Shi Wenjun had the final say in the Shi family. At her command, the servants hurried away, leaving only Shi Wenjun, Wu Chenwei, and Lin Jin in the yard.
Wu Chenwei wanted to leave too but Shi Wenjun stopped him. "Darling, this is related to you. You can't just run away."
Wu Chenwei gritted his teeth and stood still.
"Appraiser Lin, if you have anything to say, let's talk inside."
Having said that, Shi Wenjun gestured for him to enter.
In the living room.
Lin Jin pointed at Wu Chenwei and said, "This husband of yours instigated those ruffians to start a fire in the middle of the night. If I hadn't discovered it in time, not only would I have lost my house, my life would have been in danger."
Hearing this, Shi Wenjun's expression also changed. She looked at Wu Chenwei, who seemed to want to explain himself. However, he knew that if those ruffians were caught, they would definitely sell him out. He knew that denying it was useless.
So, he decided to keep quiet.
Moreover, Wu Chenwei looked like he was in a daze.
"Darling, is what Appraiser Lin said true?" Shi Wenjun asked. Flustered, Wu Chenwei could only nod impatiently.
Shi Wenjun's expression darkened. "Darling, a human life is at stake. How could you be so reckless? Fortunately, Appraiser Lin is safe and sound. Otherwise, you would be committing murder. "
Although it was a reprimand, it was obvious that she was biased.
At Shi Wenjun's outburst, Wu Chenwei cowered and kept quiet with a dark expression.
Clearly, Shi Wenjun was in charge of all matters in the family.
Lin Jin also noticed something interesting. Since the beginning, Shi Wenjun had been the one speaking while Wu Chenwei had remained silent.
"Appraiser Lin, this is my husband's fault. I apologize to you on his behalf. I'm willing to pay ten times the damage to the house. This isn't to absolve him of his crime. I'll personally send him to the authorities later to explain the situation. If he should be imprisoned, so be it. If he should be punished, so be it. The Shi family will never be biased. "
Lin Jin couldn't find any fault with Shi Wenjun's words.
This woman was impressive.
It was no wonder she could support the entire Shi family. She was smart and domineering.
Logically speaking, Lin Jin wasn't in a position to say anything in this situation. Apologize, compensate, and admit guilt. What else could he ask for? He had come here aggressively to denounce Shi Wenjun, but it felt like he had punched thin air. His goal was achieved, but it still wasn't enough to vent his anger.
Lin Jin decided to take his leave.
With his goal achieved, there was no need for him to stay any longer.
Lin Jin got up and headed outside. Shi Wenjun came out to send him off. Only then did she notice the deer waiting outside.
She was stunned.
She hadn't noticed it before.
After taking a closer look, Shi Wenjun's expression immediately changed.
"Appraiser Lin, please wait!"
Shi Wenjun's voice was no longer as calm and collected as before.
Lin Jin turned to glance at the stern and capable female lord and saw her hurrying over. Behind him, Wu Chenwei's face was ashen at the sight of this.
Shi Wenjun's eyes were trained on the deer. Once she got closer, she sized it up.
Finally, she called out tentatively, "Duo'er?"
The deer immediately went over and rubbed its head against Shi Wenjun's hand. In an instant, Shi Wenjun's tears began streaming down her face.
"Duo'er, didn't you die from a wild beast attack? You … you didn't die?" As smart as Shi Wenjun was, she immediately figured out what was going on.
She turned to Wu Chenwei but the latter averted her gaze, afraid to meet her eyes.
Lin Jin was close enough to see Shi Wenjun's fingers trembling. The deer and Shi Wenjun must have some sort of relationship or else this woman wouldn't be so agitated. Moreover, Wu Chenwei had tortured the deer to death, thinking it would surely die. Hence, he must have come up with a lie to deceive Shi Wenjun.
Otherwise, why would she react this way?
Caressing the numerous wounds on the deer's body and the spot where its antlers were severed, Shi Wenjun's expression changed several times before she suddenly said, "I thought it was odd. Darling, although you've always been domineering and arrogant, you wouldn't be so bold as to harm someone's life. Now I understand. You sent people to set the fire so you could burn Duo'er to death, am I right?"
Wu Chenwei remained silent, refusing to meet Shi Wenjun's gaze.
Then, Shi Wenjun bowed at Lin Jin. "Appraiser Lin, can you tell me how you saved Duo'er?"
By Duo'er, she meant the deer.
There was nothing to hide so Lin Jin recounted how the deer was discovered two days ago, brought to the Beast Appraisal Association, and how it was treated.
Shi Wenjun took a deep breath and bowed again. "If it weren't for Appraiser Lin's extraordinary medical skills, Duo'er might not have survived this ordeal. I've lost my composure earlier and I hope Appraiser Lin won't laugh at me. It's only because I've raised Duo'er since young that I couldn't control my emotions."
Lin Jin was enlightened.
Having said that, Shi Wenjun added, "Appraiser Lin, please step back. I need to settle some family matters."
Even now, Shi Wenjun remained courteous, unwilling to let outsiders know about the conflict within the Shi family.
As a prominent family, they couldn't afford to lose face. Family matters had to be handled behind closed doors.
Unbeknownst to her, Wu Chenwei's patience had reached its limit. Suddenly, he sneered. "Shi Wenjun, stop putting on an act. Aren't you just trying to send people away so you can question and interrogate me to show off your might? There's no need for that. I'll tell you right now that I've had enough. I was the one who injured this animal. I clearly wanted to kill it but who knew this animal would be so tenacious that it didn't die even after I pierced its innards with a sharp blade. That Lin fella is such a busybody. When I saw him outside the Beast Appraisal Association that day, I made up my mind to kill it. That's why I ordered my men to set the place on fire. "
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
