Chapter 14: Deceived by Them

At their current location, it was clear that the Liu family was indeed inside the stone cave.

For a moment, everyone stared at Yu Jinzhen in astonishment.

So young, yet so cunning?

The four who had gone to steal the night before exchanged glances upon seeing the third branch of the Mu family emerge from the cave.

When did they return?

Could it be that to prevent the golden bracelet from being stolen, they deliberately left at night and returned during the day to create the illusion they had always lived inside the cave?

The four murmured in low voices, all convinced this was the case.

They truly hadn’t expected the third branch of the Mu family to be so devious!

Yu Jinzhen remained unfazed by their expressions, calmly saying, “Just because they say it’s not true, does that mean it isn’t? Isn’t it possible that you’ve been deceived by them?”

Mrs. He was taken aback. “What? I’ve been deceived?”

Yu Jinzhen nodded seriously. “Yes. If I’m not mistaken, when they were about to leave the village, you said you’d guide them, but in reality, they came to capture my godmother.”

Mrs. He’s face paled. “You... you even know about this?”

Yu Jinzhen replied matter-of-factly, “I’m smarter than you, of course I know.”

Mrs. He clenched her teeth in anger.

That stubborn girl, so infuriating!

Yu Jinzhen continued, “They just had other tasks. Capturing someone is a minor matter; it doesn’t require five people. This afternoon, my godmother will willingly return to face punishment.”

Mu Dehong shouted, “You’re still lying!”

Yu Jinzhen suddenly put her hands on her hips. “Even if I am lying, what can you do to me?”

After all, Liu was leaving today. Even if the elder Mu family members were bold, they wouldn’t dare to go to the General’s Mansion to verify.

And even if they did verify, what then?

Page (1/3)

They would only become angrier once they realized they had been deceived again.

“You…”

“Enough,” Xu Lizheng said loudly. “Mrs. He, I gathered everyone here today not to listen to your quarrels. Don’t waste our time.”

Mrs. He pleaded, “Lizheng, our family was deceived. Can we please not split the family?”

Xu Lizheng frowned. “That’s not possible. The documents for splitting the family have been filed with the authorities. You can’t just cancel them on a whim.”

Mrs. He said, “But we were deceived! The documents signed under deception should be invalid, right?”

Xu Lizheng snorted. “Deceived? Invalid? It’s written in black and white, sealed with your fingerprints. A split is a split, once filed, it stands. The authorities don’t care why you split.”

“Moreover, even if you were deceived, it’s your own fault. As parents, you didn’t help your younger generation in their time of need and instead sought to distance yourselves. If you truly cared for your children, how could you be deceived? This is your just punishment.”

Mrs. He was speechless. Seeing Xu Lizheng was unreasonable, she turned to the third branch members with a fierce look. “I’m telling you, even if the authorities have filed the split, Mu Guhuai, you’re still my son. From today on, if you have good food, you still must bring some to me, and send me two taels of silver every month.”

“Also, Jinzhen, I’ve already spoken to Master Lin. You must be sent over today, or he will personally send someone to find you.”

Mrs. Liu trembled.

Could she not keep her foster daughter after all?

Yu Jinzhen clicked her tongue twice. “Do you really think I was raised scared? I’m not related to you by blood. You have no right to sell me. If the Lin family comes to seize me, that’s kidnapping a civilian woman. Reporting them to the authorities would put them in the wrong.”

“And if you casually buy and sell other people’s children, and succeed, according to the law, you should be subjected to lingchi—the brutal punishment of being cut apart, with flesh severed from bone, limbs amputated, and throat cut.”

Mrs. He’s expression changed.

Mu Guhuai and Mrs. Liu exchanged glances, both relieved.

Such a law actually existed?

Only Xu Lizheng had read the most books in the village. Mu Gushan asked him, “Lizheng, does such a law really exist?”

Xu Lizheng nodded. “It does. If she hadn’t mentioned it, I might not have remembered.”

Mu Gushui grew anxious and looked at Mrs. He. “Mother, what should we do? We already agreed over there. We can’t bear the wrath of those wealthy people.”

Page (2/3)

Mrs. He thought it would be too disgraceful to leave like this, so she changed the subject. “Let’s set aside Master Lin’s matter for now. As for you deceiving me, I won’t let it go. You must pay!”

Mu Guhuai was about to say something when Yu Jinzhen picked up a wooden bucket and splashed the water inside directly onto Mrs. He.

Everyone was stunned.

Mrs. He hastily wiped her face, her cheeks flushed with anger. “You brat! How dare you splash water on me? Don’t you know how precious water is now?”

Yu Jinzhen smiled sweetly. “Of course I know. This water was used yesterday in your household—first for rinsing rice, then washing vegetables, and later boiled for foot washing. It’s been fully utilized.”

Mrs. He’s pupils shrank in disbelief. “You... you actually threw foot-washing water on me? I am your grandmother!”

“That phrase again. I don’t even know where my grandmother is. I have no blood relation to you,” said Yu Jinzhen. Suddenly recalling something, she added, “Oh, and last night, San Yue wanted to relieve himself but didn’t want to go outside. I think he did it in this bucket.”

Mrs. He gasped heavily, now noticing a faint urine smell on herself.

At once, the Mu family members who had stepped forward to show concern involuntarily covered their noses and stepped back, their eyes full of disgust.

Mu Guhuai and Mrs. Liu exchanged a worried glance.

In their hearts, Yu Jinzhen was still a child. Doing something like this today would surely invite retaliation from the elder Mu family in the future.

But the three children had no such concerns, their eyes shining with amusement.

Especially Mu Yiyue. After years of being bullied, today his sister Jinzhen had finally avenged their family’s grievances.

Mu Dehong couldn’t believe Yu Jinzhen’s outrageous behavior. He threw his head back and shouted, “Mu Guhuai, Mrs. Liu, is this how you educate your daughter? Look what you’ve made of her!”

Yu Jinzhen replied, “I’ve only been with the Mu family for two years, most of the time I was sick and asleep. They hardly taught me anything. My character was shaped by my biological parents. If you’re dissatisfied, go find them and scold them for not raising their daughter properly in front of me.”

Mu Dehong was speechless.

Yu Jinzhen coldly glanced at Mrs. He. “So from now on, don’t call yourself my grandmother. You don’t deserve to be the grandmother of this young lady! If she finds out, she’ll immediately send someone to kill your entire family.”

Mrs. He was stunned. Thinking of the great humiliation she had suffered today and seeing the mocking looks from others, she could not bear her situation and fainted, her eyes rolling back.

Page (3/3)