My Aloof Lord Ex-Husband Begs for Remarriage
Chapter 394: Extorting Money

Chapter 394: Chapter 394: Extorting Money

Such a small child, she didn’t even know if she could keep her alive.

The person who abandoned the child was even more wicked and evil.

"Nanli, what if we keep the child?"

Lin Xuanxuan looked at the child and truly felt more pity the more she looked.

Such a tiny infant, if they didn’t take her in, having to stay outside for another night, her little life might not have been spared.

Why would there be such heartless parents in the world?

"How about this, I’ll cover all the expenses for this child, and not involve the Prime Minister Residence’s accounts, that way no one can criticize us."

Chu Nanli, however, shook her head, "No rush."

She naturally wouldn’t abandon this child, but she also wouldn’t accept her directly.

After all, if she kept the child now, to outsiders, it would appear that they were all kind-hearted people here.

Sometimes, being too kind only led to being exploited limitlessly by others.

"Have you ever thought, this infant’s parents, since they left her at the doorstep, must have already investigated our place well, and in secret, there might still be shameless people watching."

"If we take in this child, then such people will only become more numerous."

Those people would not only fail to see their kindness, but might even mock them in secret for being naïve.

The words of Chu Nanli made Lin Xuanxuan’s expression start to become solemn.

She hadn’t thought about all this before.

She was only concerned about the child and hadn’t considered this aspect.

With her capabilities, she could indeed support one or two children, but what about ten or twenty?

So many mouths, they might just bankrupt the Prime Minister Residence.

"Moreover, have you thought about when those children grow up, their biological parents might come back claiming we used our authority to take them away forcefully? Then, should we let them go or not?"

Lin Xuanxuan might have been naïve, but she wasn’t entirely ignorant of these worldly wisdoms.

She knew very well, by then, no matter whether they let them go or not, it would be difficult for their side.

"So, what you mean is, we should not just abandon her, but rather look for a perfect solution, right?"

Chu Nanli expressed ideas Xuanxuan had never thought of before.

Now that they were pointed out to her, she felt as though a light had dawned on her.

But soon, she began to feel troubled again, "Then what should we do? Surely, we can’t simply send the child back, can we?"

"No," Chu Nanli gently shook her head, "First, let’s release some news stating that we have already sent the child to Jingzhaoyin, letting the Official Residence look for the child’s parents."

"But since those two were heartless enough to abandon the child, even if we release such news, what good would it do?"

Lin Xuanxuan didn’t believe that just spreading this news would make those people take the child back.

"No, they will come,"

The news Chu Nanli wanted to release wasn’t just that.

She remembered there was a law that stated, if parents abandoned a child without just cause, they had to be fined in silver.

She would make sure the Official Residence promoted this law well.

The Official Residence would offer a bounty, anyone who could provide information about this child would receive a reward of scattered silver.

Sure enough, only half a day after the news spread, a couple came knocking on the door.

The materials the couple wore were not luxurious but were also free from many patches.

Compared to them, the little girl they brought with them was dressed in tattered clothes, worse off than a street beggar.

"Esteemed sirs, this girl is indeed our daughter. We are poor and let the older girl help watch the children at home. Who would have imagined, she lost sight of her, and actually threw away her own sister!"

The woman in her twenties squeezed out a couple of tears, looking at Chu Nanli and Lin Xuanxuan who were young, she did not even bother to hide the greed in her eyes.

"You two may not know, we have been restless for days looking for this child, all because of this costly nuisance!"

The couple’s vigorous performance failed to move Chu Nanli, and even Lin Xuanxuan was not deceived.

Lin Xuanxuan frowned and could not hold back any longer, wanting to speak out.

However, without a sign from Chu Nanli, she did not dare to speak recklessly.

"You claim this child is yours, just because you say so?"

Chu Nanli’s face was cold, giving an impression that even resembled Ye Jiuxiao somewhat.

"As far as I know, someone abandoned this child at our doorstep before dawn. How could such a thin little girl carry a child so far?"

She looked over with a smirk, and surely, panic was evident on the couple’s faces.

They probably thought that she and Lin Xuanxuan were just delicate ladies raised by a noble family, who could be easily fooled with a few words.

Now, they did not know what to do.

"No, I can prove this child is indeed ours. She has a small blue birthmark on her lower back. If you esteemed ones do not believe it, you can take a look," the woman said, unable to resist slapping the little girl hard.

"It’s all this troublesome child’s fault, always freeloading at home, can’t even watch over a child properly!"

"Enough, this child seems to be only four or five years old, how could you expect her to look after another child without problems?"

Lin Xuanxuan had little respect for those who vented their anger on children.

She glared at the woman until she guiltily withdrew her hand, and then she stopped.

Had she not been unclear about Chu Nanli’s intentions, her nature would have driven her to expel these rogues immediately.

"You shouldn’t say that, esteemed lady. How would someone of your standing understand the hardships of us farmers? In our village, children her age are already helping with work. Yet this girl is so clumsy, it has been quite a waste keeping her!" the woman said shamelessly, infuriating Lin Xuanxuan to the point of almost taking action.

Before she completely lost her composure, Chu Nanli still managed to hold her back.

If Lin Xuanxuan truly spoke out to send them away, they would only be smeared by the couple.

What Chu Nanli intended to do now was not only to keep the child but also to make this couple pay a price.

She slowly began, "If this child indeed has the birthmark you mentioned, then you may take the child back with you."

"However, since the child suddenly appeared here yesterday, we were unprepared and could not neglect her."

"The doctor’s visit cost us five silvers, plus the purchase of sheep’s milk and clothes for the child. All these expenses added up; you owe us twenty silvers to take the child back."

Chu Nanli calculated the costs unhurriedly, adding more expenses, and with each addition, the couple’s faces grew uglier.

They truly did not expect that Chu Nanli, appearing dainty and pampered, had a knack for accounting that might even surpass that of professional accountants.