Chapter 129 Now that we've been captured, how can we get out of this predicament?
The surrounding embroiderers suppressed their grief and silently began to clean up the mess.
"No need to tidy up."
Lu Zhaoruo's voice rang out clearly, calm and without a trace of emotion.
Everyone looked up in astonishment.
She glanced at everyone and said calmly, "Everyone has worked hard. Take a good rest today. Anyway... they will come again tomorrow."
Everyone was filled with anxiety and unease.
Lu Zhaoruo continued to reassure her: "Don't panic, relax. I have a plan for today's events. Before long, Li Nian'er will never dare to step into my boudoir again. And she will make every single penny of what she smashed and destroyed today back to me!"
Upon hearing this, although everyone was still uneasy, their long-standing trust in Lu Zhaoruo led them to remain silent and obey, and they all put down their tools.
Wan Wanning continued to squat down, picking up the torn and trampled pieces of embroidery from the ground, her voice trembling with sobs, "It's...it's come to this...the embroidery tower is almost gone...how...how can you still spout such nonsense..."
She even complained inwardly: "Since you swore so solemnly that you would definitely repay the debt... why didn't you stop those officials from smashing everything like wolves and tigers? Why didn't you stop them at all? You just stood there coldly... letting them destroy everything... What's the use of saying all this now..."
Sun Jing looked at Lu Zhaoruo, and the moment their eyes met, they understood each other's thoughts.
He knew that forcibly stopping him at this moment would not only cause unnecessary pain, but would also ultimately lead to his own demise.
What is being destroyed is merely the inventory in the warehouse and the furnishings on the shelves, all of which can be replaced with money and time.
The true foundation of the embroidery workshop—the embroiderers themselves—was unharmed, their unique embroidery patterns and secret manuals had been properly preserved, and the important relationships with customers maintained over the years remained unshaken. These priceless intangible treasures were not destroyed.
Lu Zhaoruo's gaze swept over the mess in the room, her expression calm and composed.
Regardless of whether General Xiao returns as scheduled or brings the expected power and support, she is by no means without a way out.
She already had leverage over Magistrate Li, and she could make a big fuss about it, reporting it all the way to the prefectural government and even to the capital.
The next day.
The main gate of the embroidered tower was wide open.
As expected, Li Nian'er once again led her constables, arriving in a menacing manner.
She was slightly taken aback as she stepped into the lobby.
The hall was exactly the same as when they left yesterday, still a mess, with scraps of cloth and silk mixed together, and broken embroidery frames and furniture lying on their original positions, without having been cleaned up in the slightest.
She had prepared to conduct another "search" today, smashing everything that hadn't been destroyed yesterday, but now it felt like she'd punched a cotton ball, and a nameless anger suddenly flared up.
The other party didn't even bother to clean up, clearly showing they didn't take her seriously!
Lu Zhaoruo stood quietly to the side, her face calm and expressionless, and simply instructed, "Everyone, proceed as usual. Do not stop them, do not speak, let Miss Li 'search' you."
Although everyone looked grief-stricken, they all bowed their heads and remained silent as instructed.
Peng, the foreman, leaned closer to Li Nian'er, his face showing difficulty, and whispered, "Young lady, we've already smashed almost everything inside and out, should we continue... the search?"
Li Nian'er frowned, looking at the mess in the room, and hesitated for a moment.
Sudden--
Wan Wanning suddenly burst out from the crowd!
She spread her arms wide, blocking Li Nian'er's path without regard for anything else, and shouted in a trembling voice, "Stop searching! You are not allowed to touch the embroidery building again! This embroidery building... has already been completely destroyed by you!"
Everyone else had stepped forward yesterday, but she alone had been cowardly and retreated. Afterwards, she vaguely heard the embroiderers whispering behind her back, as if they were mocking her.
Upon further reflection, she realized that she was Lu Zhaoruo's adopted sister and the rightful second owner of the embroidery shop.
At this moment, Lu Zhaoruo stood silently and watched coldly. Wasn't this a golden opportunity that he should step forward and take charge of the overall situation?
She wanted everyone to see it for themselves...
She, Wan Wanning, is the one who is truly willing to risk everything for this embroidered pavilion and dares to step forward in times of crisis!
She straightened her back to make herself look more determined and powerful, and continued to shout: "Let's see who dares to continue searching?"
Li Nian'er was just looking for a new excuse when she saw this and instead of getting angry, she laughed.
When her gaze fell on Wan Wanning's face, a sudden thought struck her.
Isn't this fool who doesn't know his own life the very thing?
She thought to herself, "Although I am certain that my brother died at the hands of Lu Zhaoruo, that Wan Miaoniang betrayed him halfway, causing him to fail at the last moment and ultimately lose his life! I have long hated this treacherous and ungrateful servant girl to the bone!"
"And her sister, she's a den of snakes and rats, what good could she possibly be!"
She smiled and said, "It's perfect that you've run into me today!"
She snapped out of her reverie, raised her chin, and shouted, "Outrageous! How dare you openly obstruct official business! Seize her! Take this shrew back to the county office and detain her for strict interrogation!"
The constables immediately stepped forward and twisted Wan Wanning's arm.
Wan Wanning was instantly terrified.
How did you get caught?
Even though she was terrified, she still struggled and insisted, "Let me go! I... I'm not afraid of you! I'm from the Embroidery Pavilion, and of course I have to stop you from destroying it!"
She instinctively looked towards the stone mill in the crowd, pleading for help.
The honest and simple-minded Stone Mill, upon seeing this, roared, "Let her go!"
After saying that, he rushed forward without hesitation!
But how could he possibly be a match for the many constables?
In a few quick movements, his arms were twisted behind his back, and he was forced to kneel on the ground.
Li Nian'er's lips curled into a smug smile: "Good! They even dared to assault a police officer in public! Arrest this accomplice as well and take him back to jail!"
Sun Jing, usually taciturn, frowned upon seeing the stone mill firmly pressed to the ground and rebuked in a deep voice, "Stone mill! How could you be so impatient and impulsive!"
Shi Mozi struggled to lift his head, but his gaze was fixed on Wan Wanning, who was being held by the yamen runners, his eyes filled with pity.
Lu Zhaoruo frowned slightly, her fingertips digging into her palm.
She never expected that Wan Wanning would be so disobedient and rush out to act recklessly.
Now that they've been captured, how can they be rescued?
Dong Rou turned pale with anxiety, and said in a low voice, at a loss for words, "Miss Wan... how could she... how could she be so foolish..."
The other embroiderers and assistants all looked helpless and frightened, their eyes shifting back and forth between Wan Wanning and the stone mill, their hearts filled with worry.
Li Nian'er looked at Lu Zhaoruo, her voice low and slow, tinged with provocation: "That's enough for today. Tomorrow, I'll come back for a 'thorough search'."
"As for today... let's take these two troublemakers back to the yamen and give them a proper 'interrogation'!"
Wan Wanning cried out, "Sister, save me, save me! I don't want to go to the yamen, they'll beat me to death!"
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