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When Lin Yuan rushed to the Lin Family Old House, it was already surrounded by villagers, making it impossible to pass through.

Though referred to as the Lin Family Old House, it had been divided in two after Lin Jiazhong and Lin Jiaxiao went their separate ways.

A half-person-high wall had been erected in the middle of the former grand courtyard, and the original main entrance had been replaced with two humble small doors.

From a distance, there was a sense of desolation.

Looking at the approaching crowd, Lin Jiazhong was both guilt-ridden and uneasy, his hands tightly clenched. Behind him, Lady Ma’s eyes were bloodshot as she stood tensely at the doorway, gripping an iron shovel handle tightly in her hands.

"Hey, old Lin ah," "it’s not that I’ve forgotten our old friendship, it’s just that you..."

The speaker was an elderly gentleman, nearly fifty years of age. Although his hair was graying, it was meticulously combed, and his dark blue slanted-collar long robe was without a single wrinkle.

This elderly gentleman stood in the center of the courtyard, and behind him followed seven or eight young men. The courtyard, small to begin with, felt even more crowded with these figures present.

Lin Jiazhong’s face turned pale, glancing at the young men whom he knew all too well. He sighed, "Butler Qi, I have... I have difficulties, and I intended to rush to make up for the deficit these days, but, but..."

Butler Qi was the butler of the Landlord family where Lin Jiazhong was employed, and after having worked with Lin Jiazhong for over ten years, he had a good impression of him. Only, he hadn’t expected such an incident to occur.

"Jiazhong ah," "I am really helpless in this situation. As Mr. Accountant, you were supposed to safeguard the funds, not embezzle them. Not to mention the boss, no family would let this pass easily."

Butler Qi shook his head helplessly. "It’s not that I want to blame you, but for the sake of a mere fifty-six taels of silver, you dared to tamper with the boss’s newly received accounts.

Jiazhong, if you were in urgent need of silver, you could have told me.

With our friendship over these ten years, wouldn’t I have helped you? "

Lin Jiazhong’s face turned red from Butler Qi’s words, and he hung his head, not sure what to say.

It wasn’t until this moment that Lin Yuan understood what had happened.

It turned out that after Lin Yongcheng was caught stealing that day, the village elder had Lin Jiazhong bring fifty-six taels of silver to release him, silver he had taken on his own from the boss’s accounts—in plainer terms, stolen.

And now, with the cat out of the bag, they had sent people to settle accounts.

Butler Qi spoke again, "Jiazhong, have you not gone to the mansion to work these past few days because you’ve been trying to gather the silver?

Alas, you are indeed to be pitied. The boss noticed your absence and personally checked the accounts, and now.

.. it’s too late for words. If you had made up the missing silver earlier, perhaps I could have spoken a few good words for you. But now, even I can’t help."

Lin Jiazhong bit his lip, his voice rough and trembling, "Butler Qi, what did the boss say? Is he going to... to throw me into the prison?"

The mention of prison made Lin Jiazhong’s voice shake even more, and he envisioned the tragic death of his youngest son.

Lady Ma trembled as well, her lips starting to quiver. She had asked Lin Jiazhong where the silver had come from, but he had refused to say. In her urgency, Lin Jiazhong had claimed he had asked Lin Siyu for it at Li Mansion.

At the time, she thought having a daughter as a Little Concubine to the Master Magistrate was a blessing; they hadn’t enjoyed many days of comfort before people came knocking, claiming the silver was stolen!

"Husband, husband, did you really steal it?" Lady Ma cautiously asked. After seeing Lin Jiazhong’s eyes glaring like copper bells, she shrank back but still mustered the courage to say, "Butler Qi, please don’t throw my husband into prison! We’ll repay the silver, repay the silver!"

"Shut up! Men are talking, what are you, a woman, butting in for!" Lin Jiazhong’s eyes grew even wider, filled with angry red veins, looking terrifying.

Lady Ma swallowed hard and fell silent.

But Butler Qi gently advised, "Jiazhong, your sister-in-law isn’t wrong.

The boss is not unkind. He knows all about your family’s situation, and considering your eldest son’s poor health and your ten-plus years of service, he said that as long as you return the fifty-six taels of silver, he will not send you to the Yamen. "

After a pause, Butler Qi added, "Jiazhong, the boss is showing you great mercy. If it were another household, they would demand both the silver and drag you to Yamen. Not to mention, they haven’t even calculated the interest on those fifty-six taels of silver.

You should understand the boss’s difficulty. "