Chapter 193

Chapter 193

In the distance, Guan Sanlang listened to the entire conversation. After jumping down from the tree, he even made a point of brushing the snow off his clothes.

He told Guan Dalang, who promptly informed Wang Yingniang.

Wang Yingniang double-checked, "Did they really go over? Did they really not meet?"

"No, my younger brother saw it clearly," Guan Dalang said, looking at Wang Yingniang with some concern. She had been handling all the household matters these past few days.

Wang Yingniang quickly steadied herself, "It's not a big deal. As you said, Second Uncle and Third Uncle didn't go to see that person."

Guan Dalang nodded and quickly changed the subject, sniffing the aroma wafting from the courtyard, "What are you all preparing for the New Year?"

Wang Yingniang, eager to return, casually replied, "Deep-fried meatballs. Have you made any at your place?"

Guan Dalang shook his head sheepishly, "No."

His eyes lit up as he looked at Wang Yingniang, a hint of a pleading smile on his lips. Seeing him like this, Wang Yingniang's heart softened, "Then I'll send some over to your place later."

Guan Dalang immediately brightened up, his smile widening significantly, and he shyly replied, "If we make anything delicious, I'll bring some over for you too."

Wang Yingniang didn't dare to look back, but the whispers and laughter from the courtyard still reached her ears.

She braced herself and walked back. Lin Fengdie was already draped over Lin Cuixiang, laughing, and deliberately said, "Sister Yingniang, what did Brother Guan come to see you for? More firewood deliveries?"

Wang Yingniang pretended not to hear, but Zhao Linglan didn't let her off, "I noticed Brother Guan had something on his mind. You two were whispering for a good while. I remember you used to ignore him. When did you start talking so much?"

Zhao Linglan didn't wait for Wang Yingniang to explain and deliberately added, "It must be because I've been busy making tofu up on the mountain all day, so I don't know much about what's going on."

Her tone was tinged with regret.

She had been busy on the mountain recently, and the people she interacted with the most were Lan Jier and the others who were also on the mountain. She really didn't know when this had happened.

Wang Yingniang's face eventually turned red. She stumbled over her words, unsure how to respond, and stood up, saying she needed to check if the meatballs were done, hastily retreated to the kitchen.

Before she left, she shot a glance at Li Shi.

Wang Yingniang had already heard from Auntie Lin about Second Uncle Lin's thoughts this morning, but she hadn't expected Third Uncle Lin to be the same.

Li Shi noticed the glance but didn't stand up right away. Instead, she joined in the general laughter and teased Zhao Linglan, "Has your mom been matchmaking for you too?"

Zhao Linglan's face turned red instantly, and she nodded shyly, "It's from my grandmother's side. We're actually family."

Everyone immediately perked up at the topic. Lin Fengdie, now sitting up straight, asked Zhao Linglan, "When will the wedding be?"

"No rush. Even if we get married, we'll still be living around here."

This was also why Goudan's mom agreed. Nothing should interfere with Zhao Linglan and the others' work.

Wang Yingniang cooled her flushed cheeks and saw that the meatballs were already golden brown. She quickly ladled them all out.

The freshly fried meatballs gave off a mouthwatering aroma, each one round and plump, looking downright delicious.

She took one and put it in her mouth. The outer layer was crispy, while the filling inside was soft and tender, very fragrant.

Lin Taohong, still in the cart, was thinking about the meatballs, "I could've waited to have some before leaving."

Her little face puffed out, clearly still pouting.

Zhang Xiaomei burst out laughing, "Then why’d you come out? You could’ve just stayed home."

Lin Taohong retorted, "How could I miss something like this? I even chopped off that girl’s hair."

She straightened up, puffing out her chest, "Yesterday, I thought she was useless, fainting several times just from having her hair cut. Who knew she’d have the guts to go to the county office?"

She felt more and more deceived, "Of course, I had to go see for myself and teach her a lesson."

Mashi, standing by, warned Lin Taohong and Lin Chunyan, "When it’s time, you two stay back. Let us handle it. This is between our families."

Old Uncle Zhang chimed in from outside, "She’s right, you kids just watch. Your aunts will take care of them."

In stuff like this, the Zhang family’s got the upper hand, and no one can argue against it.

Even after getting beaten, Lin Laodie didn’t dare say a word, only lying on the ground begging for mercy repeatedly.

After some chatter, they reached the county town. Lin Chunyan wasn’t too worried; Sun Anyuan said yesterday he’d talk to Sun the Constable, making it tough for Shi Niang to get into the yamen.

Sure enough, when they got to the yamen, Shi Niang was still hanging around the gate, and the bailiffs were fed up, telling her to back off.

They’d been warned, but Sun the Constable didn’t expect Lin Laodie to be this sharp, returning yesterday and going to the county office today.

This was a fight to the bitter end.

Shi Niang, clueless about what was going on, thought it was because of the New Year. Broke as she was, she couldn’t afford to bribe anyone and was crying pitifully, making onlookers think something terrible had happened. A kind old lady, feeling sorry for her, came over to console her.

Hu Shi and Mashi had just stepped out of the carriage when Mrs. Zhang noticed the weeping Shi Niang, surrounded by a crowd of onlookers.

The two rolled up their sleeves, ready to dive into the crowd.

This girl didn’t seem like a good egg, and with Lin Guangzong, who resembled Lin Laodie, nearby, their impression worsened.

Old Uncle Zhang and Zhang Xiaojiu were steaming mad, eager to give Shi Niang the same beating they gave Lin Laodie.

"We are truly unfortunate, encountering unscrupulous boatmen on our way here..." Shi Niang continued to cry, half genuine, half feigned, looking increasingly pitiful.

Mashi charged forward, grabbing Shi Niang’s headscarf and pulling it off, revealing her unevenly cut hair.

The onlookers murmured, and even the bailiffs glanced over.

The old woman beside Shi Niang stood up, pointing at Mashi and asking, "This is at the yamen gate, how can you be so rude!"

Mashi looked at the old woman puzzledly and asked Mrs. Zhang, "Who is this?"

Mrs. Zhang also didn’t know, "Her family, I suppose! She doesn’t seem to know what’s good for her."

The old woman was so angry she nearly fell backward, "What family! I’m just feeling sorry for this young lady! You people are truly bullying her!"

These were clearly the people Shi Niang had mentioned who attacked their house, looking fierce and menacing.

Lin Chunyan and the others followed closely, also getting off the carriage. Zhang Xiaomei and Lin Taohong rushed forward to attack Shi Niang.

Shi Niang looked at Mrs. Zhang in terror, instinctively covering her face.

Lin Laodie had been beaten so badly yesterday, his face might never recover.

The key was that he had lost several teeth, making his speech somewhat slurred.

"Why are you covering your face?" Mrs. Zhang couldn’t stand such behavior, finding it infuriating, "You weren’t like this when you were seducing men."

Her words were so harsh that even the old woman beside her couldn't bear it anymore. "What nonsense about seducing men, how can you say such things!"

Shi Niang, being quick-witted, immediately covered her head and kept pleading for mercy, which only distressed the old woman beside her more. The old woman loudly berated them.

Seeing this, Lin Guangzong also started wailing and rushed to Shi Niang's side to protect her.

Zhang Xiaomei stepped forward to pull Lin Guangzong aside. She didn't mean to harm the child, but she found him to be in the way.

But Shi Niang didn't realize this. Upon seeing this, she shouted loudly about hitting a child while trying to shield Lin Guangzong.

This drew more and more people to gather around. Some, unaware of the situation, immediately started accusing Mashi and Zhang Xiaomei.

"How can you hit people? Is there no law anymore?"

They then turned to the bailiffs. After all, this was happening right at the entrance of the yamen, yet the bailiffs acted as if nothing was wrong.

Hearing that some people were siding with her, Shi Niang cried even louder, insisting that the child was innocent and shouldn't be harmed.

It seemed as though they were the unreasonable bullies.

"How can we not act when a young lady is so brazen?" Mrs. Zhang was also furious, pointing at Shi Niang's pitiful appearance and began to scold.

"What young lady? She just claimed she was a properly married wife!" The old woman continued to defend Shi Niang.

In the scuffle, Shi Niang broke a bracelet on Mashi's hand, which deeply upset her.

The bracelet was a gift from Zhang Xiaojiu, brought back from the outside. Over the years, it was the only decent piece of jewelry she had ever received, and she treasured it dearly. Now it was destroyed by Shi Niang.

Her anger flared even more, and she began hitting Shi Niang relentlessly, ignoring Lin Guangzong who tried to shield her.

People around began to intervene, and some went to fetch the bailiffs to mediate.

Seeing Mrs. Zhang and Lin Taohong, Lin Guangzong, who had been hit by Lin Taohong with dirt clods the day before, immediately started wailing loudly, pointing at Lin Taohong and calling her a villain.

The crying was so loud that the bailiffs had to come over and warn, "Don't disturb the county magistrate."

Shi Niang aimed to disturb the county magistrate. She didn't believe that Lin Chunyan, a mere shopkeeper, could have any connection with the county magistrate.

As long as she could get to court, she would expose everything Lin Chunyan and the others had done.

Even if she couldn't punish them, she would ensure the world knew about their unfilial and unbrotherly behavior.

Mashi paid no heed and continued hitting Shi Niang while saying, "What properly married wife? She was just a mistress, staying with that beast for money. After giving birth to a son, she had the legitimate wife divorced!"

The onlookers started murmuring even more, unsure who to believe.

At that moment, Mr. Ling, who often came to buy things, happened to pass by on horseback. Hearing the commotion, he looked over and saw Zhang Xiaomei and Lin Chunyan.

He dismounted and approached, listening for a while before saying, "I know them. They run a food shop in White Cloud Town. The county magistrate has even dined there! What they say is true. I've heard that the mistress gave birth to a son and had the legitimate wife divorced."

Mr. Ling was well-known in the county, so his words carried weight. Even the old woman beside Shi Niang began to doubt.

Zhang Xiaomei quickly explained to everyone, "If this young lady were truly innocent, we wouldn't have come here to cause trouble. Life is hard for everyone, and we're not unreasonable people! But she not only knew my aunt was the legitimate wife but also that there were two young ladies in the family and no sons. She was just waiting to give birth to a son and then take all the family's money, sending a casual divorce letter."

Her words were sharp and clear, and the listeners couldn't help but feel angry. "If that's true, then it's truly despicable."

"Who divorces their wife just because she gave birth to two daughters? If you truly want to live well, you can still have a good life even without children."

Shi Niang couldn't lift her head under the accusations. Seeing her like this, everyone realized the truth, and the voices of condemnation grew louder.

Some people also didn't believe it, "This young lady is quite attractive, why would she be so desperate to become someone's mistress? She could have been a proper wife for a farmer."

"Being a farmer's wife doesn't involve managing the household or working in the fields? How could she maintain such a good appearance?"

"Isn't it said that it's better to be a maid in a big house than a wife in a small one? Many families are willing to have maids or concubines."

The objections quickly died down, and the sympathy and goodwill in everyone's eyes towards Shi Niang disappeared.

"I was also blinded by foolishness, who knew he was such a person, he didn't tell me he already had a wife and daughter at home." Shi Niang, afraid that no one would support her, quickly explained.

Such words could only fool uninformed passersby, but in White Cloud Town, this matter would naturally be exposed, as everyone knew that Lin Laodie wrote the divorce letter to Mrs. Zhang only after Shi Niang gave birth to a son.

If the child in her belly had been a girl, Shi Niang might not have achieved her wish.

The old woman who had been helping her was also speechless, looking at Shi Niang with a scrutinizing gaze, and her steps involuntarily retreated a few steps.

Seizing the moment, Hu Shi stepped forward and twisted Shi Niang.

Her tongue wasn't as sharp, so she had been looking for an opportunity to act.

After twisting, Sun the Constable finally arrived, grinning, first looking at the crying Shi Niang on the ground, and then saying to the constable beside him, "Disturbing the yamen without cause, first take her and give her five strokes."

Shi Niang was so frightened she didn't dare to speak anymore, but the old woman who had been enthusiastically speaking for her now urged her, "You should speak up quickly, lady, the official is here to help you seek justice, and arrest those who beat you without reason! Didn't you say what they said was all lies?"

Shi Niang looked up and saw Sun the Constable looking at her with a half-smile, as if waiting for her to speak so he could arrest her and throw her into jail.

She recalled Mr. Ling mentioning that the county magistrate had dined at Lin’s establishment, and her heart skipped a beat.

Sun the Constable was still fanning the flames, "You better think clearly, twisting the truth and lying in front of the county magistrate is not just about getting beaten, but also being exiled."

At this time, the outside world was still chaotic, and exile was no joke.

Shi Niang's body shook even more, and the old woman, who had been testing her, now understood, "You are so guilty, not daring to go forward and plead your case, could it be that what you said before was all lies?"

Lin Taohong gave a short laugh, and the old woman's face felt like it was burning.

Seeing Shi Niang like this, she understood that she had been fooled by Shi Niang.

No wonder no one else stood up for Shi Niang, they had already noticed something was off with Shi Niang, but she hadn't seen it and thought she was being righteous.

The old woman, enraged, spat on the ground, "I believed you just now, seeing you, a young lady with a child, as pitiful, thinking they were bullying the weak, but I never expected you to be such a person!"

After saying this, the old woman bowed and apologized to Mrs. Zhang and Mashi, "It's my old eyes that failed to see clearly, please don't blame me."

Mrs. Zhang and the others didn't say much, but since the old woman had helped Shi Niang, they weren't in the mood to talk to her.

The old woman, feeling ashamed, hid behind the crowd, but she didn't leave in a hurry, she wanted to see what would happen to Shi Niang in the end.

Just as Sun the Constable was about to scatter the crowd, the sound of a cart came from a distance, and Lin Laodie, covered in injuries, finally arrived.

Zhao Laicai had pushed him all the way, drenched in sweat, and had repeatedly told Lin Laodie to repay him well, to which Lin Laodie naturally agreed, painting many big promises for Zhao Laicai.

As soon as the two arrived, Lin Guangzong immediately wriggled out of Shi Niang's arms and ran to Lin Laodie, bawling.

However, he ran over too fiercely, and Lin Laodie, struck by him, felt intense pain from his wounds, seeing stars and groaning.

Lin Guangzong didn't get up, and it took Lin Laodie a while to calm down before he spoke, "My son, who bullied you? Don't be afraid, we're at the yamen gate!"

Someone in the crowd sneered, just like the one aimed at Shi Niang earlier.

Lin Laodie sensed that something was wrong and hurriedly looked at Shi Niang. He saw her headscarf had been torn off, exposing her uneven hair, and her eyes were swollen from crying, looking completely disheveled.

He thought that what Lin Chunyan and the others had done was really too much. No matter what, venting their anger shouldn't be like this.

Lin Laodie's chest rose and fell violently a few times, and his finger shook as he pointed at Mrs. Zhang, "You wicked woman!"

Mrs. Zhang, scolded without cause, immediately flared up and took off her shoe, throwing it at Lin Laodie in public.

Lin Laodie, on the cart, couldn't dodge in time, and the shoe landed right at his mouth, making him feel really grossed out.

Mrs. Zhang, with Mashi's support, walked straight over, first picking up the shoe and slipping it back on, complaining, "I'll toss it later, who can wear it after it's been dirtied!"

Lin Laodie wanted to retort, but seeing Mrs. Zhang and Old Uncle Zhang behind her, he didn't dare to face her directly. He just asked Zhao Laicai to help him down and headed straight for Sun the Constable.

"I want to accuse Lin Chunyan and Lin Taohong of being unfilial!"

The onlookers burst into chatter again, all saying, "Birds of a feather flock together."

"These two Madam Lin are so pitiful!"

"Yes, no wonder the mistress was so haughty just now!"

Everyone was talking at once, and though Lin Laodie kept his head down, he heard every word.

Only then did he notice the anxious look on Shi Niang's face, as she came over to pull at Lin Laodie's hand, trembling, "Let's not sue, let's just go home."

Lin Laodie thought it was very odd, but he thought being pulled home by a woman like this would make him lose face.

Besides, Lin Chunyan had always been very unfilial to him!

Sun the Constable smirked, "Since that's the case, I'll call the county magistrate over in a moment."

He then looked at Mashi, "And your bracelet, since it was broken in public, we'll explain it to the county magistrate too."

Only then did Lin Laodie realize something was up. Seeing Shi Niang's pale face, he quickly asked, "What bracelet?"

Mashi showed him the broken bracelet, "Your mistress deliberately broke it just now."

Lin Laodie didn't get why Shi Niang still looked so upset, but he brushed it off.

It's just a bracelet. Once Lin Chunyan and the others are sentenced, all the money in her hands will be mine.

What's the cost of a mere bracelet?

Sun the Constable exchanged a glance with Lin Chunyan and had already gone back to report to the county magistrate, waiting for the court session to begin.

"At this hour, will the county magistrate still hold court?" Mrs. Zhang whispered to Lin Chunyan, but Lin Laodie overheard.

He was in so much pain that he couldn't stand, only squatting on the ground, comforting the child in his arms.

"I don't know, I hope the county magistrate will come out to hold court."

Lin Laodie's heart suddenly skipped a beat, not understanding what was going on with them, why they were more eager to see the county magistrate than he was.

They shouldn't be like this.

Before Lin Laodie's heart could settle, someone started throwing eggshells at them.

Lin Laodie looked closely and saw that the person throwing the eggshells was none other than an old woman.

He didn’t recognize who this person was, but Shi Niang, however, recognized her. Seeing the old woman lose control and start hurling objects, she too grew frightened.

Indeed, the eggshells quickly found their mark on her. She couldn’t dodge them, and the whispers and pointing around her intensified.

By now, Shi Niang deeply regretted her decision to come here.

Back home, life was tough, but she had managed to save some money.

But within days of returning, her savings had dwindled to almost nothing.

Her heart ached as if it were bleeding.

Shortly after, the county magistrate appeared. He had no intention of causing any disturbance during the New Year festivities, but Sun the Constable informed him that the individuals involved were from Lin’s establishment. Remembering the generous New Year gifts he had received from their shop previously, which had delighted his relatives and friends, and noticing the crowd of onlookers that had gathered, he finally gave his consent after a moment's thought.

Lin Laodie, the plaintiff, was the first to be called forward. The county magistrate cast a casual glance his way and inquired, "Do you possess a formal complaint?"

Upon seeing the county magistrate, Lin Laodie's anxiety intensified. He recalled hearing that Mrs. Zhang had some connection with the county magistrate.

Despite his racing thoughts, he kept his composure and remained silent, responding honestly, "This humble subject lacks a written complaint."

The county magistrate frowned slightly but held his tongue. He then turned to Mrs. Zhang and inquired, "Identify yourself and state your business."

Traditionally, the plaintiff would speak first, but the county magistrate allowed Mrs. Zhang to begin. Mrs. Zhang, bold as ever, recounted everything from the moment Lin Laodie divorced his wife.

The courtroom fell silent, save for Mrs. Zhang’s indignant voice. Even the county magistrate felt Lin Laodie had gone too far when he heard how the mother and her two daughters had nearly starved to death, saved only by Lin Chunyan’s decision to set up a stall in town to survive.

"This mother and her daughters are quite resourceful."

"It’s truly remarkable. Had I been in their shoes, I doubt I would have survived."

Even upon hearing the story again, many in the crowd felt deep sympathy for Mrs. Zhang.

Her plight only made Lin Laodie and Shi Niang appear all the more despicable.

The county magistrate shifted his gaze to Lin Laodie and Shi Niang. "Do you have anything to say?"

Lin Laodie hesitated, glancing at Shi Niang for support.

Shi Niang, too, was at a loss for words. Everything Mrs. Zhang had said was true.

Even the fact that Lin Laodie had taken all the money when he left, leaving only the portion Mrs. Zhang had hidden, was undeniable.

Seeing that Shi Niang couldn’t help, Lin Laodie addressed the county magistrate himself. "Your Honor, as the saying goes, among the three unfilial acts, having no heir is the greatest. My divorce was a last resort, all to ensure that my family line could continue. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to face my ancestors."

The county magistrate didn’t refute him, which emboldened Lin Laodie to continue. "As for the two young ladies, though I wrote the divorce letter, I never intended to abandon them. As soon as I finished handling my affairs, I hurried back to arrange their marriages, and I planned to provide a generous dowry."

To the uninformed, Lin Laodie might have seemed considerate.

But the crowd outside, having already been swayed by Shi Niang’s earlier deceit, was in no mood to believe him.

Zhang Xiaomei, unable to enter the courtroom, couldn’t hold back. "Nonsense! You don’t have a single penny to your name. You only came back to scheme for money!"

The county magistrate glanced at Zhang Xiaomei and rapped his gavel. "Quiet!"

Zhang Xiaomei shrank back, silenced by Hu Shi’s tug on her sleeve, though her defiance was still evident.

The county magistrate then turned to Lin Chunyan. "Since your father has returned and admitted his mistake, why did you fight again?"

Lin Chunyan bowed calmly and replied, "Your Honor, after the divorce letter arrived, our family had almost no rice left. If it weren’t for the relatives who gave us a basket of plain buns, we, the mother and her two daughters, likely wouldn’t have survived until now. Thus, we have already repaid the debt of life."

Old Man Lin was anxious and wanted to argue further, but he heard Lin Chunyan continue, "Later, the three of us women set up a female-headed household and completely severed ties with the Lin family. He came back with his son, aiming to take over our shop and squeeze money out of us. Naturally, I refused."

The county magistrate thought it over. He naturally leaned towards Lin Chunyan, but to say so directly would seem too heartless.

During the New Year festivities, maybe both sides could let bygones be bygones, letting the new wife be a concubine, with Mrs. Zhang as the main wife, wouldn't that bring harmony?

Lin Chunyan and the other women, lacking brothers to back them up, were in a tough spot.

Just as he was about to speak, Constable Sun stepped up and whispered something into the county magistrate's ear, causing his eyebrows to rise.

"Since they are here, summon them."

After saying this, Constable Sun hurriedly brought Uncle Lin the Second and Uncle Lin the Third.

They were brought over by Sun Anyuan, who had driven the carriage to pick them up, naturally arriving quickly, almost making the two men vomit.

After gagging for a bit, they bowed to the county magistrate and answered.

"Who are you in the court?"

"Your Honor, I am Lin Jiawang."

"Your Honor, I am Lin Jiaxing."

After introducing themselves, they presented the items they had brought.

Old Man Lin, who had been nursing a grudge since his return, hadn't seen them show up until now.

Uncle Lin the Second and Uncle Lin the Third didn't dare look at Old Man Lin, presenting the items and waiting for a response.

Old Man Lin didn't know what it was, but his anxiety grew.

"Expulsion from the clan?" The county magistrate raised his eyebrows. "Is that so?"

Hearing about the expulsion, Old Man Lin's eyes widened in shock as he looked at Uncle Lin the Second and Uncle Lin the Third. Despite feeling sick and being in the county office, he wanted to challenge them.

The county magistrate didn't let Old Man Lin make a scene, banging the gavel to keep order before asking again.

Uncle Lin the Second quickly nodded, "It's true. After our elder brother left, I took over as clan head. I talked it over with my third brother, and with the Village Headman and a few respected elders as witnesses, we told our ancestors."

Right there in court, Old Man Lin couldn't stop himself from cursing, "You two ungrateful wretches! I'm your big brother! We're from the same mother, and you're so cruel!"

As he spoke, his finger shook as he pointed at Uncle Lin the Second and Uncle Lin the Third.

Neither Uncle Lin the Second nor Uncle Lin the Third looked at him.

This time, the county magistrate was really mad, berating Old Man Lin a few times, thinking that if the clan had already kicked him out, it might not be right to have Lin Chunyan and Old Man Lin make up.

Remembering what Constable Sun had mentioned earlier, Lin Chunyan had really pumped up White Cloud Town's economy.

He still had some time left in the county, so of course, he'd look out for a merchant like Lin Chunyan.

The county magistrate made a decisive ruling, "In that case, from now on, you'll each go your own way, with no more claims or messes."

Lin Chunyan breathed a sigh of relief.

She wasn't afraid of Old Man Lin causing trouble, as he couldn't stir up much, but she feared he might use their name to justify his actions.

But with the county magistrate's ruling, it was as if they had passed through a legal channel.

Old Man Lin had been sitting on the ground since the beginning, still unable to come to his senses.

Excommunicated—they actually kicked him out of the clan.

He no longer cared about the money in Lin Chunyan's hands; what mattered more to him now was the clan's affairs.

Only those who committed grave offenses like murder or rebellion would be excommunicated.

From now on, he would be without roots; what would happen to their family's Guangzong, the family's hope?

Poor Guangzong!

The magistrate was about to close the court session when Mrs. Ma spoke up boldly, "Magistrate, that young lady shattered my bracelet!"

The magistrate, growing impatient, waved his hand dismissively, "Just pay for it."

Hearing this, Madam Shi almost fainted.

They truly shot themselves in the foot! This trip back home, they gained nothing, got humiliated, blew through all their money, and got kicked out of the clan.