Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow, "Oh? Yu Zichuan, you must have misheard."
"I didn’t mishear!"
A voice suddenly ca from above. The crowd looked up and discovered a young boy dressed in green sitting on the roof.
Yu Zichuan leapt down and pointed at Lu Linglong, "It was her who drugged them!"
The Assistant Minister of Rites asked curiously, "Miss Lu, why would you drug your own grandmother and mother? Killing one’s kin is a capital cri, punishable by beheading!"
Upon hearing the word ’beheading,’ Lu Linglong’s soul almost flew away in fright. "I didn’t an to drug Grandmother and Mother! I... I was targeting my sister-in-law! I thought it was just a laxative! I only wanted to play a prank on my sister-in-law!"
She spoke as she turned and grabbed onto Granny Wu. "Granny Wu, you must tell them! You said it yourself! You told you were feeling overheated recently, and the bottle held a laxative!"
"Drugging your own sister-in-law with a laxative? Is this the upbringing of the Lu Family!"
Madam Wang and Imperial Censor Wang entered the courtyard. It was Madam Wang who spoke.
Her gaze shifted as she frowned, "Why is the Lu Young Madam not here?"
The crowd, reminded by her question, snapped back to reality. Right, even the servants of the Lu Family had co to greet the Grand Commander, but the master of the household herself was absent?
Yu Zichuan pointed at the Lu Family mbers. "They’re afraid she’ll speak recklessly, so they’ve tied her up."
What?
Tied soone up?
All eyes turned to Lu Xingzhou.
This was too much. It wasn’t even the Young Madam who drugged anyone.
Lu Xingzhou said sternly, "This is a private matter of the Lu Family; it does not concern the rest of you."
Madam Wang retorted coldly, "Whether it concerns us or not is not for you to decide! Cui Liu, follow inside and get the Lu Young Madam out."
She purposefully used the word "rescue."
Lu Xingzhou raised his hand to block her, "Imperial Censor Wang, please restrain your wife and do not ddle in the affairs of the Lu Family household."
Imperial Censor Wang responded openly, "This official fears his wife."
Lu Xingzhou’s mouth twitched, "Do you not fear being impeached by the censors—"
Imperial Censor Wang replied, "I am the censor."
Lu Xingzhou: "..."
Madam Wang entered the room with her maid. When she saw ng Qianqian tied to a chair, she nearly exclaid in fury!
"Shaless Lu Family! To mistreat a daughter-in-law in this way!"
She hastily began removing cloth strips and untying ropes.
The cold weather had left her hands numb and frozen, causing pain with every finger as she worked.
The old madam and the second madam, anwhile, began to clutch their stomachs in renewed pain. The effects of the drug seed intermittent, leaving them on the brink of collapse.
Madam Wang, unable to hold back her frustration, exclaid, "Serves them right!"
Madam Wang helped ng Qianqian out of the room.
By now, Lu Xingzhou’s face had turned increasingly gloomy, and Lu Lingxiao’s expression mirrored his father’s, though his emotions were more conflicted.
Be it the series of sudden events or the transformation in his father’s personality, he couldn’t shake the image of his father’s murderous gaze when he ordered ng Qianqian to be tied up... It felt so unfamiliar, so difficult to accept.
But this man was still his father, and as a son, how could he defy him?
ng Qianqian, supported by Madam Wang, brushed past him without even a glance.
He suddenly felt a pang of discomfort in his heart.
The officials and ladies, observing the pale-faced, haggard ng Qianqian, couldn’t help but sigh with sympathy.
ng Qianqian stepped into the center of the courtyard, knelt down, and bowed to everyone, "I beg the esteed officials and madams to seek justice for !"
Madam Wang said, "Stand up and speak!"
Madam Liu also ca forward to help her up. "Lu Young Madam, quickly rise! If you have grievances, just say them outright. My father is here, and he will ensure justice for you! Don’t be afraid!"
"Hmph."
Lu Yuan snorted coldly.
Marquis Yong’en broke into cold sweat and hurriedly said, "Hold your tongue! The Grand Commander will decide, not us!"
The Grand Commander was known to be unpredictable; he could go from championing the cause of a commoner to treating innocent lives as grass beneath his feet.
The so-called justice lay entirely in his whims.
Madam Wang, who had always despised Lu Yuan, pulled ng Qianqian up. "Forget the Grand Commander! Speak freely—why has the Lu Family tied you up?"
The crowd gasped collectively and looked towards Imperial Censor Wang with pity.
Imperial Censor Wang stood tall and declared, "My wife does not fear power. Are the rest of you jealous?"
Crowd: Such harmony—truly a pair made for each other. You win.
ng Qianqian steadied herself and proclaid solemnly, "The reason the Lu Family tied up is because I wanted to uncover the truth. In fact, the poison was originally intended for !"
Lu Linglong cried, "I already said I thought it was just a laxative! Besides, you didn’t even ingest it! Why are you being so unrelenting?"
ng Qianqian’s gaze hardened, "Why should I relent when I am in the right?"
Lu Linglong was speechless and gasped, "You—"
ng Qianqian turned to face Granny Wu, who looked desperate enough to bury herself alive. "Granny Wu, tell , am I right?"
Granny Wu’s eyes darted nervously, "Young Madam... this has nothing to do with this servant..."
ng Qianqian stared at her relentlessly, "Where did the drug co from? Who was it purchased for?"
"The drug... the drug..."
Granny Wu did not dare et ng Qianqian’s gaze.
ng Qianqian spoke calmly, "You are Grandmother’s confidante. Surely, it wasn’t ant for her? My mother and Second Aunt both have children, so it wasn’t for them either. Earlier, my younger sister mistakenly regarded the poison as candy pills, asking you for them. You lied and called it a laxative, warning her not to eat it. Hence, it wasn’t for her either."
Granny Wu trembled, "I... I..."
ng Qianqian continued indifferently, "My husband’s concubine, brought back recently, is already two months pregnant. That leaves only . Do you know the cri for conspiring to harm the household’s mistress?"
Madam Wang chid in, "I know! Punishnt by beating to death!"
Granny Wu fell to her knees with a thud. "Spare my life, Young Madam! Spare my life! This servant was only following orders... It was the Old Madam who instructed to purchase the drug! The one who wanted to harm you was the Old Madam herself!"
ng Qianqian exclaid coldly, "You lie! Why would Grandmother want to harm ?"
Granny Wu cried out in pleading tones, "Because you refuse to hand over your dowry silver! The Old Madam wanted to use a child to control you and bought the poison, intending to force you to consummate your marriage with the young master and produce an heir."
The crowd stared in disbelief.
Sches to seize a daughter-in-law’s dowry—and through such vicious ans? Truly despicable!
Wait, what did this servant just say? Forcing consummation between ng Qianqian and Lu Lingxiao?
Married for five years, yet they hadn’t completed their marital rites!
ng Qianqian declared, "Do you know the punishnt for falsely accusing your master?"
Granny Wu cried in terror, "Every word I speak is true! I swear on my life! If you don’t believe , investigate—this is not the first—"
"You insolent wench!"
Lu Xingzhou fiercely kicked Granny Wu in the chest, sending her sprawling to the ground, where she coughed up a mouthful of blood and died instantly.
Madam Wang frowned, "Minister Lu! Are you trying to silence the witness?"
Lu Xingzhou remained calm and said, "I long suspected her of wrongdoing and privately confronted her, advising her to retire to her village. My mother also agreed, but she, out of sentint, allowed her to stay with the Lu Family until after the new year. Who would have guessed she held a grudge and resorted to such vile thods to fra the Lu Family? A shaful servant—my apologies that you were witness to such disgrace."
He concluded his remarks with a bow to the gathered crowd.
Then, he turned courteously to Madam Liu and the newly arrived Minister Liu. He bowed further, "Brother Liu, Sister-in-law, this has disrupted the Liu household; I owe you an apology."
Minister Liu glanced at the servant lying lifeless in the snow, his brow tightly furrowed.
"Tch."
Lu Yuan sneered, "Lu Xingzhou, I thought I was shaless enough, but you’ve surpassed in every way."
Lu Lingxiao’s face darkened, and he stepped forward to argue, but Lu Xingzhou tugged him back.
Lu Xingzhou said, "Apologies for this dostic matter disturbing the Grand Commander. I admit my guilt."
Lu Yuan smiled mockingly at ng Qianqian, "What does the Lu Young Madam have to say?"
ng Qianqian took two steps forward, "Since marrying into the Lu Family five years ago, my husband left for war on our wedding night without lifting my veil, presumably dying at the border. I stayed and lived as a widow, serving my husband’s parents and honoring his ancestors. My dowry of more than one hundred thousand taels of silver was entirely devoted to the Lu Family. I have been loyal and filial, yet my husband and father-in-law have treated thus, as everyone here has seen.
As for the drugging incident, it lacks evidence now that the culprit is dead, so let us leave it aside. However, I only ask the Minister of the Ministry of Justice one question: Were my father-in-law’s and sister-in-law’s actions against tonight consistent with the law?"
The Minister of the Ministry of Justice sighed, "According to the laws of this dynasty, no husband may kill or harm his wife, nor may father-in-laws, siblings-in-law, or aunts commit such acts. Otherwise—divorce may be demanded."
ng Qianqian knelt again and addressed the officials, "To the Minister of the Ministry of Justice and all distinguished parties present, I, ng Qianqian, wish to divorce Lu Lingxiao today!"
A military general suddenly shouted, "Good heavens! She’s requesting to divorce her husband!"
For a woman to demand divorce, it was indeed unprecedented!
Lu Lingxiao’s face turned beet red, "ng Qianqian!"
Lu Xingzhou forced himself to remain calm and said to ng Qianqian, "Your sister-in-law’s actions tonight were wrong, but she hasn’t injured you. I will discipline her strictly later. As for , I haven’t laid a finger on you."
Madam Wang interjected, "You tied her up! Didn’t lay a finger on her?"
The old madam clutched her stomach, staggering as she held the doorfra for support, "No tying... No tying! We can testify!"
The second madam nodded weakly, "Yes... We... can... testify..."
The Minister of the Ministry of Justice said hesitantly, "Without evidence, the Ministry might be unable to proceed."
The Minister of the Ministry of Justice added with a sigh, "No—it is not even possible to proceed."
The military general asked curiously, "Why?"
The Minister explained, "Although the dynasty’s laws permit such divorce, no precedent exists. Throughout history, n have always easily dismissed their wives. For won, even amicable separations between equals are challenging; demanding divorce of this nature is almost unheard of."
Lu Lingxiao glowered at ng Qianqian, "What nonsense are you stirring? Isn’t this sha enough? Co back with !"
He reached out to grab ng Qianqian’s wrist, but she coldly shook him off.
Lu Yuan squinted slightly.
Shangguan Ling appeared quietly behind Lu Yuan and whispered, "Grand Commander, the Lu Family is too shaless. At this rate, there’s no hope of ng Qianqian breaking away. Do you think we should—"
Just as he began speaking, a booming voice announced from behind, "An imperial decree has arrived—"
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