CHAPTER 274: CHAPTER 274: STEWARD LU PARADED THROUGH THE STREETS BOUND

The matchmaker, Madam Ma, left Skinny Monkey’s home in a daze, staggering back to her own house.

Bai Su slipped in through the wall without a sound and entered Madam Ma’s room.

Seeing someone, Madam Ma’s legs went weak with fright, "Please spare my life, auntie. I swear, I won’t do bad things anymore."

This woman knows where her house is—must be those bugs told her, right?

"What have you done before?" Bai Su asked, "Skinny Monkey is going to return the silver he swindled before. And you? You’re just going to do nothing?"

After a bout of intimidation from Bai Su, Madam Ma, trembling, confessed all her vile deeds.

Bai Su listened as her eyebrows knitted together.

How many good girls have been ruined by this matchmaker! While Skinny Monkey is indeed abhorrent, Madam Ma is even more detestable.

Bai Su pinched open Madam Ma’s mouth and stuffed a pea-sized pellet into it. "Go confess to every family, seek their forgiveness, and compensate them."

Madam Ma didn’t know what Bai Su fed her. Her face full of fear as she clawed at her throat, trying to vomit the swallowed thing.

"Don’t bother. Once swallowed, unless I take it out for you, you won’t be able to cough it out even if you tear your throat apart." Bai Su said coldly, "Once you’ve atoned for your sins, then I will remove the bug. Meanwhile, you’ll enjoy a half-hour of torment every midnight."

"Please, auntie, spare me, spare me," Madam Ma pleaded, snot and tears mixing on her face.

"Don’t worry, it’s not life-threatening." Bai Su said, "When in pain, think about those girls you harmed. They’re hurting more than you do. What you endure is nothing. Don’t even think about reporting to the government—you can’t provide any evidence of my little darlings. Even if you’re dissected, they won’t be found."

Madam Ma sat on the ground, utterly despondent.

"Of course, if you’re brave enough, dying immediately spares you further suffering." Bai Su said.

Is Madam Ma brave?

No, she’s ruthless with harming others, but when it comes to herself, she’s merciful.

——

Lady Lu, the steward’s wife, sent several waves of maids out but they all returned saying there were no rumors about Zhao Xiaohua in town.

Lady Lu furrowed her brow. "What’s wrong with this matchmaker Madam Ma? Can’t even handle simple tasks?"

"Shall I go find her?" suggested an attendant solicitously.

"Go, bring her to me," said Lady Lu.

The maid went out for a long while then rushed back in a panic, "Madam, something happened, something happened—"

"What happened? Why are you shouting? Have you no decorum?" Lady Lu said impatiently.

"Master, master is being paraded through the streets tied up," the maid whimpered.

"What!" Lady Lu shot up, "Speak, what happened?"

The maid immediately spilled all the information she’d gathered.

Lady Lu was dumbfounded.

She slumped into a chair, muttering, "How is this possible, how is this possible?"

The maid dared not speak, but thought to herself, why wouldn’t it be possible? The Lord of Anyang’s mansion made the affair perfectly clear—Master used visits under the guise of giving peace pulses to mingle with the widowed second mistress, and she’s pregnant.

"Quick, fetch the young master, bring him back," Lady Lu said snapping out of it.

The maid hurriedly went to find Lu Tiannan.

Even when Lu Tiannan arrived, he didn’t know how to handle such a situation.

"Go to the Lord’s mansion, let’s settle it privately," Lady Lu proposed, though her heart was filled with hatred, but she still had to bring him back, whatever it cost.

Typically, in such situations, for the sake of face, it would be covered up. Anyang Lord’s mansion making a grand display had Lady Lu deeply unnerved.

Mother and son went discreetly to the Lord’s mansion, meeting the current lord.

"Lord, my husband’s upright and honest, could there be some misunderstanding here?" Lady Lu inquired.

With a mocking smile, Anyang Lord clapped, then servants carried over a stretcher covered in white cloth.

The cloth was lifted revealing a woman with a bloody wound on her head, looking ghastly pale.

"Blocked in the room, and even your steward’s apprentice admitted it. You tell me, any misunderstanding? Misunderstanding, as the devil would have it!" Anyang Lord spat the words with anger.

"Perhaps the apprentice slanders him," Lu Tiannan suggested.

"The apprentice belongs to you, and you say it’s slander? Whether it’s slander, the government will discern—not your claim of slander that declares it so." Anyang Lord scoffed.

"But family shame should not be publicized. How could it escalate to the government? Whatever demands the Lord has, the Lu Family will grant." Lady Lu said, biting her lip.

"Since when did Lu Family become yours to command?" Lu Luoxing’s clear voice interrupted as she walked in, bowing respectfully to Anyang Lord, apologizing sincerely, "Lord, such incidents are due to the Lu Family’s lack of strict governance. Rest assured, the Lu Family won’t cover this up. Any necessary legal actions will be taken, no objections from Lu Family."

Lu Luoxing was joined by other Lu Family stewards, all looking ashamed.

"Lu Luoxing, what do you mean? Now’s not the time for internal conflict. An incident happened, we need to unite against external threats," Lu Tiannan stated defiantly.

"Internal conflict? Where is that happening? Upon learning of the incident, I informed all the uncles and came swiftly to apologize to the Lord. Isn’t that unity against external threats?" Lu Luoxing replied.

"You’re urging the Lord to hand my father over to the authorities." Lu Tiannan hissed.

"It’s you who claimed misunderstanding. How could we know without involving the authorities? Besides, death is involved." Lu Luoxing said sternly, "You don’t believe this falls under private settlement, do you?"

"Ah Xing, the bigger this issue escalates, the more disgrace it brings to the Lu Family." Lady Lu said with a dark expression.

"Does Aunt still think the situation hasn’t escalated? Moreover, any lost face, I will regain. It’s Uncle’s integrity that’s lacking, he doesn’t represent the Lu Family."

"This is the Lord’s mansion. If you wish to handle family matters, do so in your own homes." Anyang Lord said fiercely, "Steward, see the guests out."

The Lu Family was driven out.

As Lu Luoxing left, she insisted on leaving a thousand taels of silver notes with the Lord, apologizing repeatedly before departing.

In contrast, Lady Lu and her son left without any gesture.

"Lu Luoxing, was it you?" Lu Tiannan’s eyes were bloodshot, "Did you collude with Anyang Lord’s mansion to frame my father for your own selfish interests!"

"Lu Tiannan, are you a mad dog? Biting at anyone you see? With that capability, you’d be better off quickly arranging matters, visiting your father, asking what’s truly happened! I, Lu Luoxing, walk righteously on my path; don’t even think about throwing dirt on me!" Lu Luoxing retorted mockingly.