My Highness Hears My Thoughts, And Still Plays Along-Chapter 453 - 434:
Hearing about the Bai Family’s situation, Yun Ran’s expression tightened, placing the cup in her hand on the table, and looked at Yu Feiyin with solemnity, "What have you found out? Quickly, tell me."
"Yes!"
Yu Feiyin succinctly relayed the information she had found.
Years ago, the second young master of the Bai Family traveled to Tongzhou for procurement but unfortunately encountered sand bandits on the way. All their silver and goods were looted, and the entire caravan was slaughtered, with the second young master of the Bai Family also tragically perishing.
At that time, everyone believed it to be an accident, a calamity from the heavens.
Because in those days, Tongzhou was frequently plagued by fierce bandits who murdered and looted, raiding passing caravans. They even dared to rob official silver, truly a scourge on the land.
Such incidents were common, and people thought the second young master of the Bai Family was simply unlucky to have encountered this.
But according to the current intelligence, it was not an accident; it was man-made!
It was a conspiracy between the Bai Family’s rivals, the Qin Family, and the Jun Family, colluding with the sand bandits to target the life of the second young master of the Bai Family.
They wanted to bring down the Bai Family, to crush the Bai Family, even to destroy the Bai Family.
For wealth, for profit.
The second young master of the Bai Family was a business prodigy with enterprises spread across Jiangnan and beyond. Not only was he young and promising, but he was also of good character, charitable, and held in high regard among the people.
His untimely death was a severe blow to the elder members of the Bai Family, with Old Madam Bai falling ill as a result.
Only six months passed before the third young master of the Bai Family became embroiled in a civil service examination cheating case. After enduring life-or-death trials, although he survived, he was sentenced to exile three thousand miles away, banished to the miasmic lands of Baiyue, permanently barred from returning to the capital.
And there was a hidden truth within this.
The third young master of the Bai Family was framed, wrongfully imprisoned.
It’s lamentable that such a cultured and talented man endured harsh punishments in prison without yielding, yet ultimately he was doomed to bear infamy, forever barred from serving in public office, separated from his parents, with no return in sight.
For such a refined scholar, that result was worse, crueler than death.
And this matter was also masterminded by the Qin Family behind the scenes.
In just half a year, one son died tragically, another was wrongfully exiled, with no chance of seeing each other again. Old Madam Bai could not withstand such a blow and fell ill, never to rise again.
A year later, the eldest son of the Bai Family was imprisoned for a private salt smuggling case.
During his detention and investigation, he was further accused of corruption, embezzlement, seizing farmlands, illegal mining, and colluding with foreign enemies, with the case implicating many, causing a shock in the court.
The emperor was furious, ordering a joint tribunal, and after verification, the evidence was conclusive, involving a large number of officials.
The emperor’s wrath was like a river of blood. The emperor ordered the involved officials to be punished severely, their families executed, and their three clans annihilated.
The charges were too grave, and the Bai Family was utterly destroyed by this case, leaving only Bai Ruoxi alive.
It is said that Lin Qianqiu, credited with controlling floods and famine relief in Jiangnan, sought no reward and knelt at the palace gate, risking his life to plead for the emperor’s mercy, securing a special pardon for Bai Ruoxi.
At the time, his deep affection for Bai Ruoxi was even celebrated as a tale of romance among the people.
But who could have thought that behind the Bai Family’s downfall were not only the machinations of the Qin Family but also the strong collusion of the Lin Family.
Yun Ran slammed the table in front of her, chilled to the core by her extreme anger.
"The Lin Family! A bunch of deranged, vicious, and ruthless villains!"
She always thought the Lin Family was hypocritical, disgusting, and heartless, but she never expected them to be so venomous, so sinister, utterly inhumane!
