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

"Son-in-law, let's go back quickly," Zhou Yecheng pleaded again.

He really didn't want to continue to embarrass himself, even if it meant losing the house.

Did Lin Ping not know he would be proven wrong this time? He came for two reasons: first, to gauge Duan Xiu's attitude, lest he mistakenly attack an innocent person; second, to find out roughly what price the Zhou family mansion could fetch.

Having achieved both objectives, Lin Ping did not consider it a great disgrace.

"Go back? But where are we going?" Lin Ping asked, puzzled.

The implication was: Are we going back to that cramped old house? They really think of me, Lin Ping, as a son-in-law who's moved in with his wife's family.

Zhou Yecheng also felt a strange sense of loss; the world was so vast, yet there was nowhere for him to belong.

If he had been used to a life of poverty, it would have been fine, but he had enjoyed a life of luxury for many years, and thus developed a longing for it.

People strive for higher positions, just as water flows downhill; one can't live a life that gets worse and worse.

"Don't you want to take back everything you've lost?" Lin Ping encouraged. "A person lives for their pride, a tree lives for its bark. If you spend your whole life huddled in your old house, what's the difference between you and a salted fish? Would you be content with that?"

These words carried great weight, immediately igniting Zhou Yecheng's fighting spirit. He gritted his teeth and stamped his foot, declaring, "Let's go! We'll go to the Salt Transport Commissioner's Office and demand money!"

“That’s right, go to the Salt Transport Office!” the two said in unison.

The Salt Transport Commissioner owed him a full 50,000 taels of silver. Even if he couldn't buy back the Zhou family mansion, he could still make a comeback.

The two men handed over their visiting cards outside the door, requesting an audience with Qi Kaizhang, the second-in-command.

Lin Ping had some connection with him, so at least he wouldn't be turned away, and it would be great to ask about the situation.

Unfortunately, the guards simply held the visiting cards in their hands and ignored them completely.

"Sir, we request to see Lord Qi. Please inform him of the situation." Zhou Yecheng said, bowing.

This wasn't the first time he'd encountered this situation; the fat was already in the tiger's mouth, and trying to pry it out was harder than climbing to heaven.

"Get lost! You two poor beggars think you can see Lord Dou?" the guard said disdainfully.

He had met Zhou Yecheng and guessed Lin Ping's identity, so he deliberately used words to provoke him.

Clearly, they had received orders from someone long ago.

Lin Ping remained silent, patiently waiting at the door. Zhou Yecheng, however, had second thoughts and said softly, "Son-in-law, why don't we go back?"

This is the Salt Transport Commissioner's Office, an important department of the imperial court, heavily guarded. How could an ordinary citizen possibly withstand it?

The guard's roars had already made his legs tremble; if he were to see real swords and spears, he would surely be so frightened that he would kneel down and beg for mercy.

Since ancient times, the common people have never been able to fight against the officials. He could only accept his bad luck, as the 50,000 taels of silver had gone down the drain.

Who told him to be so blinded by greed that he handed over the money without even a written agreement?

"I'm not going back!" Lin Ping said firmly. Since he had come all this way, how could he go back without being humiliated?

Just then, a luxurious two-horse carriage slowly approached from a distance.

A man, supported by a servant, landed on the ground; it was none other than Fu Peiran, the Salt Commissioner.

“Lord Fu, we will not buy salt. Please return the 50,000 taels of silver.” Zhou Yecheng mustered his courage and stood in front of the other party.

Fu Peiran's eyes narrowed, and he said coldly, "Not buying it anymore?"

The servant led the way, forcefully pulling Zhou Yecheng aside.

Zhou Yecheng took several steps back, almost falling to the ground, but mustered his courage and replied, "That's right, I won't buy it. I'll use this money to go to Jiangcheng Prefecture to buy it myself."

He stated without reservation that this was a legitimate reason.

"Go to Jiangcheng to buy it yourself?" Fu Peiran suddenly laughed loudly, his powerful aura enveloping Zhou Yecheng's chest, making it hard for him to breathe.

"Do you know that the salt mines of Jiangcheng Prefecture will soon be mine?" Fu Peiran said, his eyes wide with arrogance and disdain.

All the salt mines under heaven belong to the Salt Transport Commissioner's Office; you can't buy salt without going through my hands.

A mere merchant dares to challenge the government? He'd better just wait to die!

Zhou Yecheng was sweating profusely; he hadn't expected the other party to have swallowed the entire salt mine.

If things had been like this from the beginning, we shouldn't have gotten ourselves into this mess.

What he has lost now is not only the 50,000 taels of silver, but also his chance to make a comeback.

Without a source of goods, he's like a mudfish without water.

"Huh? Hasn't this guy received the latest news yet? Are they using oxcarts to transmit information?" Lin Ping asked, somewhat puzzled.

Thinking about it carefully, it makes sense. Negotiations between the two sides would take some time, the Salt Transport Commissioner's takeover of the salt mines would take some time, and transporting the salt back would take quite a while.

Even though Ruan Dan hadn't been in touch for days, he wasn't surprised.

"Give us the money, or we'll report you to the authorities," Lin Ping said, extending his hand as if he hadn't heard what Fu Peiran had just said.

"Who do we have here? It's Doctor Lin, who lost his clinic." Fu Peiran said sarcastically. Lin Ping was right next to him, how could he not have noticed?

On the day he married Zhou Xiyin, Fu Peiran was all smiles and bowing as he presented a grand gift. The fact that he was completely different just a few days later was enough to show that he had the secret support of certain people.

“I’m still a miracle doctor even without a clinic, but you’re just someone else’s dog. Without your master, you can only wait to die!” Lin Ping said mercilessly.

"You!" Fu Peiran gritted her teeth in anger. She wanted to teach Lin Ping a lesson, but she was afraid that Xia Yeran would find a way to use it against her. Hitting someone in public was no joke.

A small act of impatience can ruin a great plan. He was waiting for the day Xia Yeran would fall from power, and for the day Lin Ping would be tortured to death by him.

"Go ahead and report it to the authorities. Let's see what evidence you have," Fu Peiran laughed loudly. "I love that look in your eyes that wants to kill me, but can't."

Lin Ping laughed too, his voice even colder, "Kill you? I'd be afraid of getting my hands dirty! Look who's here!"

Would Lin Ping be angry about something like this? In other words, he had expected the other party to say that.

This action was merely to test Fu Peiran's words and see if he was innocent. Now that it was confirmed, they could put an X on his name without any scruples.

"My lord, something terrible has happened!" The scout jumped off his horse before it had even come to a complete stop, rolling several times on the ground. Ignoring the pain, he scrambled to Fu Peiran's side, his face contorted in a grotesque expression.

"You bastard, who gave you the audacity to panic?" Fu Peiran kicked the scout in the shoulder, and the scout rolled twice on the ground.

He had just boasted in front of Lin Ping, but now the scouts were so flustered. Wasn't this a blatant slap in the face?

"What exactly happened?" Fu Peiran asked calmly.

He knew this man had brought news from the salt mine. There was no need to be so excited about something so certain; he had probably bought the salt at the lowest price or even taken over the salt mine altogether.

"All the people that Young Master Ruan brought... all of them..." the scout stammered.

"Are they all back?" Fu Peiran asked, his eyes narrowed.

"They were all killed!" The scout mustered his courage and finally blurted it out.