In front of the Prince's Estate.
Lin Grandfather knelt at the very front.
Though elderly, he was bare-chested. His upper body was tightly bound with hemp rope, and he carried a thorny branch on his back. For someone his age, achieving this was not easy.
Lin Jiang and Lin Chao were similarly attired.
Lin Qinghuan, at the very back, was slightly better off.
She kept her head bowed, not daring to lift it.
Numerous onlookers gathered at the entrance.
They watched the scene with great interest.
One by one, they pointed and whispered from the side.
Feeling their mocking and ridiculing gazes, Lin Qinghuan bowed her head even lower. Her face flushed red, and she dared not meet their eyes. This was the first time she had suffered such humiliation in her life.
But they had no choice...
This was Lin Grandfather's decision!
For the sake of the Gu Family, they had to do this!
The Lin Family was already at its wit's end, unable to withstand any more turmoil. Ning Que was now a true Prince Ning, and many people would want to curry favor with him.
Then, the Lin Family was the best target.
Ning Que didn't need to say anything.
Someone would naturally target the Lin Family.
They were all commoners now.
They had no official positions or titles to rely on.
Lin Chao was even demoted to Minister of Justice and was about to be exiled to the Northern Frontier. He would serve as a death warrior, facing the Liao Kingdom directly. Whether he could return alive would be a question.
Great Feng and Western Liang had already formed an alliance.
The next step was to target the Liao Kingdom!
...
"Oh, what play is the Lin Family putting on now?"
"Weren't they quite arrogant a few days ago?"
"Tsk tsk tsk, Lin Grandfather isn't easy either."
"He must be over sixty this year, right?"
"There's no helping it. Who told him to have such descendants? Besides, you don't really think he's a good person, do you? How could that old man not know about what the Lin Family did back then?"
"The Lin Family is just a fair-weather friend. They lean wherever the wind blows. As soon as they saw Prince Ning inherit the title, they immediately came to admit their mistake. Truly, shamelessness is invincible. How could they have the nerve to come?"
They were all watching the excitement, not minding the trouble.
They had long heard about what the Lin Family had done.
These past years, the Lin Family had been arrogant.
They looked down on this one, and scorned that one.
Many people had suffered greatly because of them.
Now that they had fallen so low, how could they not step on them?
"What do you mean by this?"
Ning Que slowly walked out.
Everyone quickly raised their hands in a bow.
"We greet Your Highness."
"Dispense with the formalities."
Lin Grandfather then raised his head, his face full of regret, saying, "Your Highness, this old man is putting aside his dignity today, hoping to gain Your Highness's forgiveness. My unfilial daughter, Lin Xianhong, made a grave mistake. It was our Lin Family's fault. I humbly request Your Highness to show mercy."
"You are quite interesting."
Ning Que merely sneered.
He stood on the steps, watching coldly.
Speaking of which, the former Lin Grandfather was quite a figure. He heard his father once say that Lin Grandfather had saved the former Emperor's life. Facing an assassination, he dared to stand in front of the former Emperor. It was precisely because of this that he developed a chronic illness.
Now he was terminally ill.
Without the God Preservation Pill, he wouldn't live for more than half a year.
"This prince has stated repeatedly."
"This prince already divorced his wife that night, the Emperor's edict has been issued, and the Imperial Clan Court has even removed Lin Xianhong's name. The Lin Family's fate has nothing to do with this prince anymore. If your Lin Family members cause trouble and are punished, it is your just deserts."
"Get out!"
Lin Grandfather's face flushed red.
But he had no face to refute.
Without thinking, he bowed deeply and kowtowed.
"What are you doing?"
"This old man knows that nothing said now can make up for the grievances Your Highness suffered in the past. Your Highness is right, the Lin Family now has no relation to the Prince's Estate. This old man does not hope for Your Highness's forgiveness, nor does he have the right. This old man came here today only to atone and express his apologies."
"Back then, it was my Lin Family who failed to appreciate your worth and neglected Your Highness. It was also Xianhong who married above her station into the Prince's Estate, but she did not know how to cherish it, and even implicated the imperial bloodline. The current outcome is all well-deserved."
Ning Que was too lazy to even look.
"This prince said, it has nothing to do with me."
"You also don't need to put on an act here."
"Those who know what's good for them should leave early, to avoid embarrassment."
Late affection is cheaper than grass.
This family didn't realize their mistake.
They realized their fear!
If the Gu Family had been determined to help them, they would probably have a different look on their faces.
After so many years of interaction, he had long seen through them.
He had no good feelings for the Lin Family.
They were all insatiably greedy ingrates.
Lin Grandfather's performance seemed alright, but in reality, he was just afraid that the Lin Family would face annihilation. Ning Que still knew the old man's little tricks.
This time, coming to perform in front of the Prince's Estate, was nothing more than an attempt to express their stance. Whether they could gain his forgiveness was not important, as long as others didn't trip them up.
Lin Grandfather steeled his heart.
Without thinking, he began to kowtow with loud thuds.
Because he hit so hard, his forehead started to bleed.
"Grandfather!"
"Father!"
"Ning Que, you're going too far!"
Finally, Lin Xianhong emerged from the crowd. She quickly helped her grandfather up, saying with immense distress, "My grandfather is over sixty years old, and you actually made him kneel and kowtow in front of your estate? Are you even human?!"
"No, are you sick?"
"I made him kneel?"
"Are you blind?!"
Lin Grandfather pushed her away, scolding, "Xianhong, why won't you listen to me? These matters can all be said to have been caused by you!"
"I advised you back then to live well with His Highness. You refused to listen, and even cruelly aborted the child you painstakingly conceived. You come over now and kowtow to His Highness to admit your mistake."
"Enough, you all don't need to act anymore." Ning Que coldly flicked his sleeve, not even wanting to look, "Iron Ox, drive them all away. If they dare to come to the Prince's Estate again, notify the Patrol Inspectorate."
"Understood!"
"Slap—"
A crisp slapping sound rang out.
Lin Xianhong covered her right cheek.
She stared blankly at her grandfather.
Her face was full of disbelief.
Since she could remember, her grandfather had never hit her. Among the Lin Family, her grandfather was considered the kindest to her. Previously, when her mother scolded her, her grandfather would also step in to help.
"Grandfather... you... you hit me?"
"Apologize to His Highness!"
Lin Grandfather clutched his chest, scolding, "Do you want our entire Lin Family to be buried with you? If you make a mistake, you should admit it. His Highness treated you so well, it's you who didn't know how to cherish it. You hurt His Highness, is it so hard to apologize and admit your mistake?"
"I'm not wrong!"
Lin Xianhong covered her face, incredibly resolute.
She turned to look at Ning Que.
Her eyes even held resentment.
"Even if I die, I won't apologize to him."
After shouting, she covered her face and ran away.
Ning Que was too lazy to watch them act anymore.
"Iron Ox, they're yours."
"Close the gate!"
"Your Highness!"
Lin Grandfather was still shouting.
Unfortunately, the large gate closed mercilessly.
Iron Ox smiled sinisterly, "Gentlemen, are you going to leave on your own, or shall we brothers escort you out?"
"Cough cough cough..."
"Understood, brothers, let's go!"
Iron Ox immediately raised his hand and gestured.
More than ten house guards rushed out.
Amidst their screams, they were directly carried up. After being carried a long distance away, they were then violently flung out!
"Ah!!!"