Infinite Professions from a Pearl Collector
Chapter 14 - 12: Ruined and Disgraced

Chapter 14: Chapter 12: Ruined and Disgraced

Lu Ying promptly summoned a trusted steward. "Go investigate Fayuan Temple. Find out if the Third Miss Lin went to offer incense before the year’s end, who she met, and what she did. I want the results before dawn."

"Yes, my lord!"

The steward acknowledged the order and vanished into the night.

In truth, Lu Ying was already seventy to eighty percent convinced.

All the abnormalities during the Lin Family’s marriage proposal now had a logical explanation. Their overly humble attitude, the rushed wedding date—so this was the real reason.

’What a fine century-old Noble Family. Such fine methods!’

But as an official of many years, he had long cultivated the habit of demanding evidence for everything. The letter’s arrival was suspicious; the person behind it and their motive remained unclear. What if it was a ploy by a political enemy, meant to stir conflict between the Lu and Lin families? If he acted rashly, wouldn’t he be falling right into their trap?

An investigation was a must.

The investigation proved to be even simpler than he had imagined.

Barely an hour later, the old steward hurried back, his expression grave.

"My lord, I’ve confirmed everything. A Little Novice Monk at Fayuan Temple remembers it clearly. Before the new year, on that day, the Third Miss Lin did indeed go to offer incense, and she spent a long time alone in a rear hall."

Every piece of information perfectly corroborated the contents of the anonymous letter.

Lu Ying didn’t say another word, simply giving a quiet command.

"At dawn, load everything the Lin Family sent onto the carriages. Send it all back, without leaving a single item behind."

"Then tell them... the Lu Family is calling off this wedding."

"Yes, my lord!"

The steward withdrew.

Lu Ying glanced at his son, whose face was filled with grief and indignation. He sighed faintly. "Go back to sleep. I will be sure to get you justice for this."

"Yes, Father!" At this point, Lu Jingcheng was at a loss for words. He could only suppress his frustration, bow his head, and take his leave.

After his son left, Lu Ying raised his teacup and took a slow sip, his eyes filled with a chilling frost.

The next morning, a shocking piece of news swept through the upper echelons of the Capital City.

The family of Vice Minister Lu from the Ministry of Personnel had called off the wedding!

And they had done so in the most merciless and humiliating way possible, returning every single item the Lin Family had sent—including the bright red wedding contract—completely untouched!

This was more than just calling off a wedding; this was a direct, public insult to the Lin Family!

In an instant, the entire Capital City was abuzz with gossip. Countless eyes turned toward the Lin and Lu Families, waiting to see how this grand drama would unfold.

Meanwhile, at the Lin Family estate, the atmosphere was so tense you could cut it with a knife.

Patriarch Lin Hong sat in the main hall, staring at the returned betrothal gifts. His face was purple with rage, and his entire body trembled.

’The Lin Family has stood in the Capital City for a century! When have we ever suffered such humiliation?’

"Lu Ying! You’ve gone too far!"

Lin Hong slammed his hand on the table and shot to his feet. "Prepare the carriage! I’m going to personally ask him just what on earth he, Lu Ying, thinks he’s doing! If he doesn’t give me an explanation today, the Lin Family won’t let this go!"

At this moment, Lin Hong was still completely unaware of his daughter’s scandal. His primary wife had hidden the matter flawlessly, only thinking of marrying their daughter off quickly and passing this ticking time bomb to someone else.

And so, Lin Hong was currently filled with nothing but rage and confusion.

Soon enough, the Lin Family’s carriage arrived aggressively before the gates of the Lu Mansion.

To his surprise, the main gates to the Lu Mansion were wide open. Lu Ying himself stood there, dressed in casual robes with his hands clasped behind his back, as if he had been expecting him all along.

"Vice Minister Lu! What is the meaning of this!" Lin Hong stormed out of his carriage and demanded, "The union between the Lin Family and the Lu Family is a joyous occasion! Why would you humiliate the Lin Family in such a manner?"

Faced with Lin Hong’s accusation, Lu Ying merely smiled, a smile that carried a bone-chilling cold.

"Patriarch Lin, please, calm yourself. As for why the Lu Family called off the wedding... you probably shouldn’t be asking me about it."

He paused before adding meaningfully, "You’d be better off going home and asking your precious daughter just what sort of ’good deeds’ she’s been up to."

Lin Hong froze, not yet grasping the profound implication of his words.

Just then, a clear voice, though filled with suppressed rage, called out from within the Lu Mansion.

"Father, there’s no point in talking to this kind of person!"

Lu Jingcheng strode out. His eyes were bloodshot as he glared at Lin Hong, completely disregarding his status as an elder or the reputation of their two families. He unleashed the full force of the fury he had suppressed all night!

"Patriarch Lin! You have the nerve to come here and question us? What does your Lin Family take me, Lu Jingcheng, for? The biggest cuckold in the Capital City?!"

"At Fayuan Temple, before the new year, your dear Third Miss Lin had a secret tryst with her lover, defiling the sacred grounds of the Buddhist Sect! Now that she’s pregnant, you’re in a rush to make the Lu Family play the cuckold and raise some bastard child for you!"

"I, Lu Jingcheng, may not be a great scholar, but I’ve studied the classics for over a decade! I know the meaning of honor and shame! For the Lin Family to commit such a filthy act and still have the audacity to come here and question us?!"

"Keep that bright green hat for yourselves! I, Lu Jingcheng, can’t bear to wear it!"

His words struck the crowd like a series of thunderclaps.

Lin Hong stood as if struck by lightning, frozen to the spot with his mind completely blank. He had spent half his life on the battlefield and was known for his decisiveness in the political arena. Never before had he been so publicly berated, with a finger pointed in his face in front of an entire street of onlookers.

He wanted to retort, to furiously accuse the young man of baseless slander. But Lu Jingcheng’s bloodshot eyes and his rage, pushed to its absolute limit, were clearly genuine.

What’s more, his daughter’s recent strange behavior, his wife’s evasiveness, and this incredibly rushed wedding... In an instant, all the pieces fell into place.

A chill shot up from the soles of his feet to the top of his skull. Lin Hong felt the world spin as darkness crept into his vision.

"Patriarch Lin," the hitherto silent Lu Ying finally spoke. His voice was quiet, yet it carried an indisputable chill. "The Lu Family’s temple is too small to house a great Buddha from the Lin Family. Please go back. From this day forward, let there be no more mention of marriage between our families."

Without another glance at Lin Hong, he turned, flicked his sleeves, and walked back into the mansion.

SLAM!

The great doors of the Lu Mansion slammed shut in Lin Hong’s face, a resounding slap that struck not only him, but the entire Lin Family as well.

Crestfallen, Lin Hong scrambled into his carriage and fled the scene in utter disgrace.

That same afternoon, the shocking scandal spread through the streets and alleys of the Capital City with incredible speed. From the highest Nobility down to the common street vendors, nearly everyone was discussing the Lin Family’s "wonderful" affair.

The city’s storytellers seized upon it like a priceless treasure, immediately weaving it into new tales. Stories like "The Fair Maiden’s Secret, the Scholar’s Fury" and "The Fayuan Temple Affair" were recited in every teahouse and tavern, earning thunderous applause.

What followed was the complete and utter destruction of Third Miss Lin, Lin Yan’s, reputation.

And the man who had orchestrated it all, Chen Ye, was currently sitting under the eaves in a large, messy courtyard, leisurely eating a bowl of plain noodles.

After finishing his meal, he wiped his mouth and opened his system panel.