Making you a son-in-law is not about making you conquer the world.

After Jiang Yunyu left, Lin Ping felt a pang of guilt, always feeling sorry for Xiao Hui.

He had begged Xiao Hui for this pink dress, even after shamelessly begging her.

Xiao Hui was probably unwilling. Even a fool could tell what Lin Ping wanted her clothes for, but she was just a maidservant. If Lin Ping needed something, she would give him anything, even a more intimate garment.

It would have been fine if Lin Ping had kept it for himself, but he actually gave it to Jiang Yunyu. If Xiao Hui knew this, she would definitely cry out in grievance.

After seeing Jiang Yunyu off, Lin Ping also needed to lie in bed to relieve his depression, after all, Wang Xiao'e's voice was too sweet and alluring.

Just then, a pair of cold eyes appeared out of nowhere through the darkness, startling Lin Ping.

Just as Lin Ping was about to startle everyone, he inadvertently caught sight of the other woman's icy, iron-like face, coupled with her fierce, hawk-like eyes, which immediately startled him.

His anger dissipated as a result.

"Misunderstanding...it's all a misunderstanding...Xiao Hui did indeed leave that dress behind."

Lin Ping explained with a grin, genuinely afraid that the other person's cold gaze would freeze into ice and solidify his body.

He said that, but he was very unhappy inside.

He has no relationship with the Iron-Faced Princess, so why would he need to explain to her what he wants to do?

But the reality is that he has to confess, lest he be torn to pieces.

Jiang Yunying took two steps forward with her chest out and head held high. In the candlelight, her figure was highlighted as exquisite and graceful.

Lin Ping couldn't help but swallow hard.

He had to admit that the Iron-Faced Princess had a really good figure.

It seems that practicing martial arts is very helpful for girls.

Lin Ping couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Such a good figure, yet she had a face that she was ashamed to show to others. It was such a waste of her talent.

Jiang Yunying glanced at him, her cold gaze still unwavering: "Lin Ping, I hope you understand that this marriage is a transaction. It's impossible for us to be together. Xiao Hui is your compensation."

Jiang Yunying's eyes were like a deep, cold pool, gleaming with a clear and distant light.

Those eyes, though devoid of any warmth, also showed no trace of fury, as if no matter how noisy the world was, it could not stir even the slightest ripple on her calm lake.

Lin Ping was speechless for a moment.

He didn't intend to do anything.

But Lin Ping also understood something from this sentence.

Jiang Yunying didn't really care about Lin Ping bullying Xiao Hui, since Lin Ping was a grown man with certain needs. Since she couldn't provide them herself, she could only let Xiao Hui take his place.

To be honest, Lin Ping never thought about having anything happen between him and the Iron-Faced Princess. Even if she took the initiative to throw herself into his arms, he would not want to accept it.

The two were husband and wife in name only.

For some reason, he felt slightly sad and disappointed...

Lin Ping quickly shook his head, dismissing the thought that had suddenly popped into his mind.

Suddenly, a strange idea popped into Lin Ping's mind.

Perhaps he could use this as a strategic retreat to force the other party to back down, and also improve his own standing within the city lord's mansion.

"That's right, I'm an uneducated spendthrift son, unworthy of the princess of the city lord's mansion in terms of status and knowledge. The servants despise me, the attendants berate me, and the accountant makes things difficult for me... But so what? It still can't stop my heart from pursuing you!"

Lin Ping spoke with great emotion, as if he were truly a lovesick man.

Jiang Yunying was stunned. Her cold gaze gradually faded. She had never thought about Lin Ping's situation before, but now she felt sorry for this spendthrift son.

"From now on, no one will dare to look down on you anymore. You are my husband, Jiang Yunying's husband, and you represent the face of the City Lord's Mansion. Anyone who looks down on you is disrespecting me, Jiang Yunying!"

Jiang Yunying's tone turned icy again, her eyes gleaming with a cold light.

That's true. If even a servant can look down on Lin Ping, where is the dignity of the City Lord's Mansion? Therefore, Jiang Yunying needs to rectify the atmosphere of the City Lord's Mansion and restore Lin Ping's status.

Objective achieved!

Lin Ping was overjoyed. His earlier tearful complaint was obviously an act. If he didn't even have that much acting skill, how could he have the nerve to say that he was a kept man?

"My wife, you are so good to me!"

Lin Ping took a few steps forward with an exaggerated expression, spreading his arms wide, clearly intending to force the other party back.

However, to Lin Ping's surprise, Jiang Yunying did not back down.

Lin Ping immediately stopped awkwardly, his hands hanging in the air, unsure of what to do.

A pair of chilling eyes forced Lin Ping back; he dared not imagine the consequences of touching the other's body.

Under the candlelight and moonlight, with a lone man and woman alone in a room, Lin Ping felt rather restless. So he mustered his courage and asked, "My lady, if I accidentally hug you, will you kill me?"

Actually, for a brief moment just now, Lin Ping really had the urge to hug Jiang Yunying.

Despite her plain looks, she has a great figure, and given the current situation, Lin Ping is a normal man.

Jiang Yunying naturally knew what Lin Ping was thinking. She shook her head and smiled contemptuously: "Of course not... but... he'll probably cut off both of his hands."

Lin Ping immediately softened; it wasn't worth sacrificing his hands just to get a little fragrance.

"As the son-in-law of the city lord, you have certain rights, but it's best not to interfere in military affairs."

Jiang Yunying's voice was even lower, which was probably the real reason she took the initiative to find him.

Lin Ping understood that although Jiang Yunying had taught Qin Diaohui a lesson for the sake of the City Lord's Mansion's prestige, it was very likely to cause dissatisfaction among the private army and reduce Jiang Yunying's prestige.

Having said all that, Lin Ping really didn't need to shamelessly shout, "I'm your husband, I want to help you..."

He could only smile meaningfully, turn around, step over the screen, and crawl into his warm bed, muttering to himself, "Qin Diao Hui is not that simple. We should be more careful."

At the same time, the door was closed and Jiang Yunying left. Lin Ping believed that she had heard his last words, but whether she would believe them was another matter.

After all, Lin Ping only guessed that Qin Diao Hui was not a good person based on his name, without any concrete evidence.

"Fine... fine... I'll just be a good spendthrift son-in-law!"

Lin Ping thought to himself, then pulled the blanket over his head. A moment later, he was drenched in sweat and let out a long sigh.

The next morning, the first person to knock on the door was Jiang Yunyu. He looked exhausted, holding Xiao Hui's dress, and was even unsteady on his feet. Who knows what he had done last night?

"Brother-in-law, here's Xiaohui's corset..."

Lin Ping grinned slyly, winking and making faces. To be honest, if he asked Xiao Hui for the corset, she really wouldn't dare to refuse.

"Corset?"

The listless chubby boy suddenly perked up, his eyes shining. Just as he was about to agree, he suddenly felt a sense of emptiness, pouted, shook his head, and said, "Hehe... I'll rest for a few days first..."

"Look at how hopeless you are."

Lin Ping rolled his eyes at Jiang Yunyu and reminded him, "Eat more leeks when you get back, they're very nutritious..."

Jiang Yunyu slunk away, actually thinking of going to a farmer's house to cut some chives.

Xiao Hui came in shortly after, pouting as she helped Lin Ping get dressed and wash up, clearly unhappy about something.

"Wang Xiao'e's voice isn't even as nice as Xiao Hui's!"

Xiao Hui suddenly blurted out this sentence.

Lin Ping was rinsing his mouth with water when he suddenly heard this, so he swallowed the water and almost choked on it.

He immediately retorted, "That person is really in pain, while you're just faking it, so the sound is naturally different."

"Hmph! Let her serve the young master instead, and give her Xiao Hui her status as a maidservant!"

Xiao Hui said aggrievedly, and ran out wiping away her tears.

Lin Ping, a typical straight man, couldn't understand Xiao Hui's thoughts and muttered to himself, "Are all women in this world poisonous? Why don't they play by the rules?"

The early spring sunshine was warm and gentle, like a young girl caressing every inch of skin. Lin Ping opened his arms and enjoyed it to the fullest.

This life of being waited on hand and foot is simply too wonderful. Lin Ping even wanted to compose a poem, but he was afraid that others would hear it. The things that literary scholars do are not really in line with his status as a spendthrift.

After the pace of life slowed down, Lin Ping felt uneasy and hurriedly summoned Li Mingxuan and the others before swaggering out of the city lord's mansion.

The eight gatekeepers saw them off with smiles, but they dared not become the second Qin Diao Hui.

When Lin Ping tried to leave the city, he was stopped. The city lord had always had a rule that permission was required to leave the city, and even the city gates could not be opened casually.

Whether or not he left the city was irrelevant to Lin Ping, and there was no need for him to go to the city lord for it. So he strolled around the city with his head held high.

Perhaps it was because the main city only had one main road, or perhaps it was the direction he remembered, but it didn't take long for Lin Ping to return to the vicinity of the salt refinery.

Since we're already here, there's no reason not to go in and take a look.

Upon meeting Lin Ping, Master Yan greeted him with a smile.

His attitude towards Lin Ping was not only respectful, but also admiring, and he even had the urge to become Lin Ping's apprentice.

Since yesterday, the salt refinery has been temporarily managed by Master Yan, which means it has initially gotten back on track.

Firewood was added to the bottom of the two sturdy basins, and the seawater inside was constantly boiling. The craftsmen carefully added soapberry, and after a short while, salt began to precipitate out.

Yesterday alone, the salt refinery produced dozens of shi (a unit of dry measure) of salt, which, at a price of twenty taels of silver per shi, could fetch about a thousand or eight hundred taels.

If it weren't for the limited availability of timber, all four fire pits could be lit simultaneously, doubling the output.

"No, no, this firepower is too weak. Let's try adding some silver notes instead."

Lin Ping pursed his lips and shook his head repeatedly, while taking out a thousand taels of silver notes, which he was about to stuff into the stove.

Master Yan was terrified. He shielded the furnace with his body, nearly kneeling on the ground, and said tremblingly, "Young master, please have mercy! Please have mercy! This money can buy a lot of wood and refine more salt."

Lin Ping had no intention of burning the silver notes anyway, so he casually tossed them on the ground and said coldly, "Boring, Little Li, let's go back."

Li Mingxuan was also terrified. Being by Lin Ping's side was like playing with fire; he could see the money go down the drain at any moment.

Master Yan quickly picked up the scattered banknotes on the ground, and his heart, which had been in his throat, finally settled down.

With this thousand taels of silver, we can buy a lot of timber, and thus refine more salt.

In fact, this was Lin Ping's original intention, but he needed to express it in another way.

You can't very well pat Master Yan on the shoulder and say in a serious tone, "Use this thousand taels of silver to buy some timber and refine more salt."

Lin Ping is a spendthrift; how can he waste money on something useful?

In order to survive in the city lord's mansion and to find opportunities to complete his missions, he must constantly solidify his identity as a spendthrift.