Chapter 157: Send Men to Arrest Lin Feihu

"Brother Mu!" Lin Jiaojiao shrieked.

She could not let Brother Mu send for a physician; once a physician arrived, she would be completely finished.

The doctor who had always attended to her had long been bribed by her, to say nothing of the estate's resident physician.

She had merely claimed to suffer from a heart ailment, and though the estate doctor had clearly seen through it, he had not exposed her. Instead, he had gone along with her words.

Thinking of Du Kang, a dark and ominous look crossed Lin Jiaojiao's eyes. She had caught wind of the events that had transpired in the manor over the past few days.

She would absolutely not allow herself to end up like Du Kang.

The crowd cast questioning looks in her direction.

"Why is Miss Lin so nervous? General Chu hasn't even said anything, just that he wants to fetch a few physicians to clear her and the old man of suspicion."

"Heh, old brother, haven't you ever heard the saying 'the guilty conscience doth protest too much'?"

Realizing she had lost her composure, Lin Jiaojiao quickly explained, "Brother Mu, there's no need to send all the way to Herb Street for a physician. Just think of how many people are waiting for medical treatment every day. Jiaojiao is quite well now; we shouldn't take up a physician's time and delay others from seeing a doctor."

Someone immediately spoke up to refute her, "This Miss Lin talks sweeter than she sings. Just listen to her choice of words. It sounds like she's thinking of others and refusing to monopolize the physician, but in reality, she's afraid that once a physician arrives, her deception will be exposed. Faking an illness and taking all those medicines—aren't you afraid of poisoning yourself to death?"

"As if! Didn't you hear what the old man said just now? Miss Lin didn't even drink that medicine. Who knows what she did with all those precious medicinal herbs the Grand General's Manor gave her? She probably sneaked them out and sold them for silver long ago."

Shen Zhao desperately wanted to say to this person: *My friend, you have hit the nail on the head.*

"If that's true, it's truly disgusting—using other people's kindness for personal gain and resorting to such despicable tricks."

"Exactly, exactly. I don't think she looks like a sick person at all. If anyone is truly indisposed, it's the General's Lady. Just look at Madam Chu and then look at Miss Lin. Anyone with eyes can tell who is ailing and who is fine."

Faced with the crowd's mockery and accusations, Lin Jiaojiao reached the absolute limit of her endurance.

Though raging inwardly, she could not vent her fury. Did these people have nothing better to do? With their own food and clothing barely guaranteed, they still had the time to meddle in her affairs!

Looking at the crowd with eyes brimming with tears, she put on the appearance of someone bullied by the masses. "Do you all have to make me out to be so filthy and despicable to be happy? What wrong has Jiaojiao done, and how have I offended any of you, that you should frame me like this? Is someone forcing you to act this way, or have you all been bribed by this scumbag just like the rest of them?"

Lin Jiaojiao pointed at Father Lin, Madam Lin, and the others.

Her pointed insinuation made the expressions of the onlookers turn extremely ugly.

Among them were servants from other official households. If such words were to reach the ears of their masters, would any of them be left alive?

Some had simply come to watch the spectacle, but now they all harbored deep resentment toward Lin Jiaojiao.

Unaware of the crowd's thoughts, Lin Jiaojiao remained solely focused on ensuring that these people did not shake her image and status in Brother Mu's heart.

Little did she know that today's actions would be exaggerated and spread far and wide by these very people, completely destroying her reputation and branding her as an ungrateful ingrate who bit the hand that fed her.

She would never acknowledge the Lin family.

Even if Brother Mu suspected her, he would find no evidence.

The village elder from those years was already dead, and Lin Family Village was backed by a massive mountain. A year ago, the mountain spirit had unleashed its fury, flooding and burying the entire village.

Fewer than ten people had survived out of the entire settlement.

And right now, those ten survivors were nowhere to be found.

Even if Brother Mu wanted to investigate, there was nowhere to begin.

As long as she stubbornly refused to admit it, what could these people from the Lin family possibly do to her?

To make her identity as an orphan more credible, these few people had long since deregistered their households at the magistrate's office.

Though they still bore the surname Lin, they were distantly unrelated to her and her eldest brother.

As long as they did not bring up her eldest brother, everything would be easy to handle.

Lin Jiaojiao was certain that these scumbags would not dare to expose the fact that Lin Feihu was still alive.

After all, that concerned the fate of everyone in the Lin family.

Thinking of Lin Feihu, who had been bedridden for years, a vicious glint flashed through Lin Jiaojiao's eyes.

Someone who ought to have died long ago had no business remaining alive.

"You little wretch! I am your mother and he is your father! How dare you curse your own parents as scumbags? Aren't you afraid the heavens will open their eyes and strike you down with five lightning bolts!"

Madam Lin was no longer afraid of Lin Jiaojiao.

Since they had already torn off their masks, this little wretch was as cold-blooded as iron and thoroughly malicious.

If they didn't cling to the Grand General's Manor today under the guise of being Lin family members, they would truly be reduced to a life of poverty once again.

It is easy to go from poverty to wealth, but hard to go from luxury to frugality.

After today's uproar, the little wretch would certainly never support them as she used to.

She had no desire to return to a destitute and impoverished life.

Watching Lin Jiaojiao and Madam Lin lock horns in a tit-for-tat confrontation, Shen Zhao instantly formed a plan.

She lowered her voice and instructed Chu Mu, "Send two men to the third house in Maofu Alley on the east side of the city and bring Lin Feihu here."

Chu Mu's body jolted.

Lin Feihu was still alive?!

"Lin Feihu isn't dead?!"

Shen Zhao nodded. Not only was he alive, but Lin Feihu had never been the one who saved Chu Mu in the past.

Leaning close to Chu Mu's ear, Shen Zhao whispered, "Have your men disguise themselves as Lin Jiaojiao's subordinates and inform Lin Feihu that Lin Jiaojiao has already won you over, forgiven him for his past deeds, and once again welcomes him back to the military camp."

Observing the conduct of Madam Lin and the others, Shen Zhao guessed that Lin Feihu's life over the past two years had likely been far from pleasant.

A wolf that once galloped across the battlefield—how could he willingly be taunted and treated as useless deadweight?

Given Madam Lin's temper, she had probably subjected Lin Feihu to endless torment and humiliation.

The two of them were bound to be at odds.

She had delayed unmasking Lin Feihu for two reasons: first, the timing was not right; second, she feared Lin Feihu might turn the tables and completely cling to Chu Mu.

If his deceit was exposed by members of the Lin family—revealing not only that he had stolen the credit for saving Chu Mu's life, but also that he was a battlefield deserter—that would carry a far greater shock than if the revelation came directly from mystified deputy generals.

"Very well, I will dispatch men to handle it immediately."

A surge of excitement stirred within Chu Mu. If Lin Feihu was not dead, then he did not owe Lin Feihu his life.

Following that wave of excitement, Chu Mu grew calm.

If Lin Feihu was not dead, then who was the man covered in blood and mud, slashed beyond recognition, who had shielded him from the encircling enemy forces back then and helped him secure the enemy general's head?

This was not the time to dwell on such matters; he would send trusted agents to thoroughly investigate everything that had happened back then.

The most urgent task at hand was to bring Lin Feihu before everyone.

Chu Mu coughed lightly a few times, and Shen Zhao immediately stepped forward with concern. "Is your old ailment acting up again, My Lord? Would you like to return to our quarters to rest properly?"

Her physique was already frail, and Chu Mu's coughs made the onlookers even more apprehensive.

They feared the General's Lady might literally cough her life away.

"Madam Chu, we all believe you are innocent and that you have never mistreated anyone; rather, some people are simply ungrateful wretches. Do go and rest well, and make sure to take good care of your health so that you and the General may remain deeply in love and never parted, leaving those with malicious intentions to fret in vain."

Chu Mu cast a grateful look at the speaker and coughed a few more times. "Though you are all welcome guests in my manor, my failing health prevents me from hosting you properly. I trust you will all bear with me."

The white-haired elder stepped forward and spoke, "Does the Lady trust this old man? Might I be permitted to feel your pulse?"