Chapter 143 Li Nian'er, repay the money for the damage.
The bailiffs responded with a loud shout and dragged up the ashen-faced Tu Shi and the utterly ashamed Gu Yun.
As Tu was dragged along by the bailiffs, her mind went blank. She never expected that Lu Zhaoruo would be so ruthless, showing no mercy whatsoever and shattering her last shred of dignity!
She regretted it...
She hated it too...
They're not the offspring of my own flesh and blood; they're ungrateful wretches that I can't raise!
She has no regard for family ties whatsoever, just like her dead father, born with a cold heart and a heartless nature!
Just then, out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Lu Bohong in the crowd, and struggled to cry out, "Bohong! Bohong, save your mother! Please beg your younger sister for me..."
Lu Bohong clenched his fists, his voice heavy with grief: "Mother! When you forced and humiliated my younger sister, did you ever think of this day? Did you ever consider even a shred of mother-daughter affection?"
"Since you've gone this far, don't blame me for feeling heartbroken!"
"Now... you shall accept this punishment!"
After saying that, he abruptly turned his head away and refused to look at her again.
Lu Bohong had only heard from his father that his mother had brought his aunt's nephew to the embroidery shop to arrange a marriage for his younger sister, which made him so angry that he rushed over immediately.
As a result, I saw my mother disregard the bond between mother and daughter and humiliate my younger sister.
How much pain must my little sister be in?
On the other side of the crowd.
A slender figure wearing a veiled hat was clenching his fists tightly, staring at Lu Zhaoruo at the entrance of the embroidered tower.
It was Li Nian'er, who had long since lost power and become a commoner.
She witnessed firsthand how Lu Zhaoruo went from being a humiliated "merchant's wife" to a meritorious official who was commended by the prefect and knelt in gratitude by the general. Her heart was filled with jealousy and hatred, and she almost gritted her teeth to pieces.
As Lu Zhaoruo watched Tu Shi and Gu Yun being dragged away, her gaze shifted and she happened to spot a figure in the crowd.
When Li Nian'er realized that Lu Zhaoruo had seen her, she turned around and tried to leave.
Lu Zhaoruo's voice was clear and bright as she called out, "Madam Li, please wait."
All eyes instantly focused on the woman wearing the veil.
Those with sharp eyes immediately recognized her and shouted mockingly:
"Hey everyone, look here! Isn't this the same Miss Li, the daughter of the former magistrate, who came to smash up Lu's Embroidery Shop with her officials a few days ago and acted all high and mighty?"
The others immediately joined in the jeering, their laughter filled with mockery:
"Lady Li! Things are different now! Look at this scene..."
"Can you still smash up this Lu Family Embroidery Building today?"
Li Nian'er froze, her feet rooted to the spot, unsure whether to go forward or backward.
Lu Zhaoruo stepped forward, faced the prefect and Xiao Yeming, and gave a slight bow: "My lord, general, I do have something to ask for justice in broad daylight and with all the elders and fellow villagers here today."
“Li Nian’er, the daughter of the former magistrate of Jizhou County, used to bully others by taking advantage of her power. She led a group to smash and destroy my embroidery building, damaging property and injuring people, causing the embroidery building to close down to this day, resulting in heavy losses.”
"This humble woman asks for nothing but compensation. She begs Lady Li to compensate for all the items destroyed that day, to make up for the loss caused by the embroidery tower being shut down."
"Please, Your Excellency and General, do justice for this woman!"
The prefect stroked his beard and nodded, his face solemn: "Is this true? Madam Li, is what Master Lu said true?"
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Li Nian'er's body trembled violently even through the thin veil of her hat.
Her father has fallen, her aunt in the capital is disappointed, she has lost all her support, and now she has completely offended Lu Zhaoruo, who is about to meet the emperor, and Xiao Yeming, who is at the height of his power...
Xiao Yeming's icy gaze pierced her like a physical object, chilling her to the bone.
Li Nian'er's lips trembled, and she dared not utter a single word.
Dong Rou, Yun Niang, Yang Niangzi, Sun Jing, and the other women from the embroidery building stepped forward to point out Li Nian'er's misdeeds that day.
The surrounding people were also outraged and echoed their sentiments, all saying they had seen it with their own eyes.
Upon seeing this, the prefect's face darkened, and he solemnly pronounced his sentence:
"Since the facts have been confirmed, you have three days to compensate Mr. Lu for all his losses!"
"If there is any delay, do not blame me for pursuing the matter according to the law!"
Li Nian'er's eyes widened suddenly, and her whole body trembled violently as if struck by lightning.
Compensation? And you want to compensate for all losses at cost?
Her father had just been dismissed from his post and his property confiscated. Although he was lucky enough to retain some meager assets, if he had to pay compensation at the original price, wouldn't he be bankrupt?
How will she and her elderly father make a living in the future?
But……
What could she do?
She subconsciously looked at Lu Zhaoruo—
But then she saw the other person's lips curl into a slight smile as they smiled at her.
That smile, when it fell into her eyes, felt like a needle pricking her!
She recalled how, in order to vent her anger, she had instigated her brother to plot revenge, which indirectly led to his death... In her grief and rage, she led a group to vandalize the embroidered pavilion to vent her anger...
Who would have thought that now that her father has fallen from power, she has fallen from being the daughter of a county magistrate to this state, and she even has to pay off all her family's wealth for the evil deeds she committed that day!
Inside the embroidery tower, the embroiderers and shop assistants were filled with indignation, shouting, "Li Nian'er! Pay compensation immediately!"
She trembled with fear, tears welling up in her eyes, her lips shaking as she managed to squeeze out a few words: "I...I'll go back right away...to discuss it with my father..."
Having said that, he dared not linger for another moment, and fled amidst the criticism and ridicule of the audience.
The prefect said to Xiao Yeming solemnly, "General Xiao, all the important matters, such as the triumphant return, the handover of military tallies, and the arrangements for presenting prisoners, still need to be discussed in detail upon our return to the yamen. Please come with me."
Xiao Ye nodded: "That's exactly right."
He turned his gaze to Lu Zhaoruo: "I will come to find you again after I have reported back."
Lu Zhaoruo bowed slightly and said, "Respectfully seeing off the general."
Surrounded by a group of personal guards and ceremonial attendants, the two headed straight for the government office.
Once the official sedan chairs and ceremonial procession had gone far away, the long-suppressed jubilation in front of the embroidered tower instantly erupted!
Dongrou, Yunniang, and a group of embroiderers cheered and rushed forward, surrounding Lu Zhaoruo. Everyone's face was filled with ecstasy.
The relief of surviving a disaster, the exhilaration of triumph, and the boundless hope for the future were all ignited at this moment!
The embroidered tower was filled with joyous celebration, its lights blazing brightly.
After everyone had rested for a while, Lu Zhaoruo summoned Sun Jing and Shi Mozi. Her expression was calm, but her eyes were scrutinizing: "Sun Jing, Shi Mozi, the embroidery building was broken into during the day. As guards, why did you abandon your posts? When I needed you, you were nowhere to be found?"
Sun Jing looked ashamed and stammered, "Reporting to the master... Chen... Chen Xiuniang coughed up blood and fainted. Her condition was critical. In my haste, I rushed out to find a doctor..."
Lu Zhaoruo frowned slightly: "The Embroidery Pavilion has plenty of staff, why would a mere guard like you need to personally fetch a doctor?"
Wan Wanning, standing to the side, clenched her handkerchief tightly with her fingers, her face turning deathly pale.
Shi Mozi knelt down with a thud, his dark face flushed red: "Master! I was foolish! I... I acted impulsively last time and caused trouble. I've been feeling resentful ever since, feeling sorry for you and for Xiulou! So... I secretly went to the dock to carry heavy loads... hoping to earn a few copper coins to supplement the restaurant's rice and grain..."
Lu Zhaoruo's gaze deepened: "No matter how difficult things are for my embroidery workshop, why should a mere guard like you carry heavy loads to earn food?"
"Did you think of informing me before you left?"
Both of them blushed deeply, so ashamed they wanted to disappear, and couldn't utter a single word in response.
Lu Zhaoruo wanted to question them further, because such a thing would never have happened before.
Sudden.
Wan Wanning knelt on the ground, tears streaming down her face. She grabbed Lu Zhaoruo's sleeve and cried out, "Sister! Please don't blame them anymore! Brother Sun Jing worked tirelessly to save Xiu Niang, and Shi Mozi worked hard to make amends. They are all loyal to you, Sister, and devoted themselves to Xiu Lou... Even if they made mistakes, they all acted out of pure sincerity!"
She dared not reveal that she had forced Chen Xiuniang to work through the night and cough up blood, and that she had encouraged Shi Mozi to leave the building to "atone for her sins."
Before Lu Zhaoruo could speak...
She then knelt down heavily, sobbing uncontrollably, "If elder sister still insists on punishing them... I am willing to bear the consequences!"
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