Ziteng suddenly shrieked again, “You’re still trying to steal! Still trying to rob her! Is there no w left under the Son of Heaven’s rule?!”

  Nanny Liu no longer cared about appearances—she wished she had extra hands to shut Ziteng up. She covered her mouth with one hand while frantically waving with the other, exciming, “Don’t believe this girl’s nonsense! She’s spouting complete lies!”

  Though caught, Ziteng straightened her neck and refused to back down. “Nanny, you serve the Qin family, yet you side with the Lu family. Just how much did Lu Langzhong bribe you?! The hairpin Old Madam Lu is wearing today is part of my dy’s mother’s dowry—it’s officially recorded in the government archives! That mutton-fat jade hairpin, carved with the character for longevity, is an exclusive craft from my dy’s maternal family. Her grandmother had it made as a wedding dowry, and every detail—design, color, and even the finest carvings—was meticulously recorded. No one could possibly fake it!

  Nanny Liu, if you refuse to acknowledge the truth, pretending the Lu family is innocent, then we have no choice but to take this to the authorities and have the officials make a judgment!”

  Her words were well-reasoned, and her righteous tone swayed the crowd. The murmuring intensified.

  “I never thought the Lu family would stoop so low.”

  “Old Madam Lu? Don’t you know? They used to live in Jing’an Alley, dirt poor! They couldn’t even afford white steamed buns, and the old dy had a mouth sharper than a knife. If not for their first daughter-in-w being good at managing money, they’d still be rotting in that pce!”

  “Jing’an Alley?”

  Hearing that the Lu family had come from such a pce, the crowd’s interest grew even more. How could Jing’an Alley compare to Chongde Alley?

  Jing’an Alley housed commoners—people from all walks of life, from the respectable to the disreputable.

  Chongde Alley, on the other hand, was close to the imperial pace and exclusively housed aristocrats and high-ranking officials. The streets were broad enough for ten carriages to pass side by side, meticulously maintained and grand in every way.

  Among the families in this neighborhood, the Lu family was considered the lowest-ranked.

  And now, the gossip turned to Lu Langzhong’s former wife.

  “Old Madam Lu always looked down on her first daughter-in-w. They say she was caught in bed with the steward—on the very day of the old dy’s birthday celebration.”

  “With the steward? Hah! This old dy and Lu Langzhong couldn’t even spare their own in-ws! Who knows if the poor woman was framed? She met with guests all day long—does it make sense that she’d suddenly meet with the steward for an affair? If she were that foolish, how could she have managed to lift the Lu family out of poverty? That old hag would still be eating scraps!”

  “That’s right! That first wife was truly capable. She pulled the Lu family out of Jing’an Alley and into Chongde Alley—how could she have been so brainless? She was definitely set up!”

  “Exactly! And she had a son, too. He was only six years old, lively and bright. When he fell ill, his mother was imprisoned, and Lu Langzhong refused to let him be treated. The poor child died from his sickness!”

  “What?! That actually happened?!”

  “It’s true! Lu Langzhong is truly ruthless. That was his own son!”

  “If he could be so cruel to his own flesh and blood, imagine how heartless he must be toward outsiders!”

  “No wonder. Look at his career—he’s risen through the ranks over the years, but who knows how many people he’s trampled on to get there? If he doesn’t even care about his son, what kind of man is he? Terrifying!”

  “Absolutely. A man like that—terrifying indeed.”

  …

  Nanny Liu’s ears buzzed. What was happening? How had things spiraled out of control like this?

  The scene had become completely chaotic. The four old women, having never encountered such a situation, were at a loss and unconsciously loosened their grip on Qin Shuying.

  Ziteng quickly helped Qin Shuying up. The young dy was a mess—her clothes disheveled, her body weak, her delicate face streaked with tears. Yet, she forced a smile and said in a trembling voice, “Thank you, everyone! Thank you! If not for your sense of justice, I fear my jewelry would have been lost forever.”

  In the crowd, Liang Yanjun curled his lips into an amused smile.

  So this was the dy his master had instructed him to investigate?

  Interesting.

  “You—don’t believe her!” Nanny Liu tried to argue loudly, but the gossip was already spreading like wildfire. No one was paying attention to her anymore.

  Just then, a voice rang out from the Lu residence.

  “Dear neighbors, I am Lu Changxuan. May I ask what is happening here?”

  With such a commotion at his doorstep, someone had already gone inside to inform him. Lu Changxuan barely let the messenger finish before hurrying out. He had only just managed to pcate his male guests before rushing to the entrance.

  But while he had moved swiftly, Ziteng’s words had been even faster. In just this short span of time, she had already delivered her accusations, leaving him no room to regain control.

  Ziteng continued to cry, “Lu Langzhong, just because you’re an official, you think you can oppress us? You stole my dy’s mother’s heirlooms and now you’re trying to rob my dy’s jewelry too! What kind of officials are promoting a man like you? Did you bribe them all? I may be just a servant, but I understand honor and decency!

  Yet you, a court official, have neither! If this is how you act under the Emperor’s nose, imagine if you became a local magistrate—would you act like a petty tyrant, doing whatever you pleased with no one to stop you?!”

  Lu Changxuan’s expression darkened.

  He had been pnning for over a year—working toward his transfer to Hangzhou as a prefect, a fourth-rank position.

  Hangzhou was wealthy and a prime location for building a strong political reputation. A few years there, with careful maneuvering, and a promotion to full fourth-rank wouldn’t be out of reach. He had meticulously orchestrated this move.

  Yet, now this little maid had—by pure chance—exposed his ambitions.

  “How dare you speak such baseless accusations at the residence of a government official!” His voice remained calm, but the underlying authority was undeniable. “Guards, take my official token to the prefectural office—let the authorities decide her punishment!

  A mere servant sndering a court official—does she not know the w?!”

  At his command, a houseboy immediately responded and rushed back inside to fetch the official token.

  According to the ws of the Great Zhou, any servant who dared to accuse an official would first receive twenty strokes of the rod before their case was even heard.

  But Ziteng didn’t waver in the slightest. Instead, she sobbed even louder, “I am not afraid! Even if I die, I will get back my dy’s mother’s heirlooms! Lu Langzhong, you’re guilty and afraid of exposure! You want to silence me so no one dares to speak the truth about your despicable family! But heaven is watching!

  Even if I die, everyone will see the true face of the Lu family—robbing a young girl of her te mother’s belongings in broad daylight!”

  Lu Changxuan’s gaze grew even colder.

  He didn’t engage with Ziteng any further. Instead, he turned to the gathered crowd, cupping his hands in a polite bow and speaking with a warm smile.

  “Dear neighbors, I am sorry for causing such a scene.

  That is my wife’s cousin. She has been mourning her parents and is not in good health. My mother took pity on her, inviting her to stay at our home to rest and recover. However, due to her illness, she occasionally has emotional outbursts. She has now disrupted my honored guests and upset my household.

  This is truly my fault for not caring for my cousin properly. Please forgive me for this disturbance.”

  His voice was gentle and measured, as though he were simply expining the tantrum of a sickly young girl.