Chapter 97 Taking Deputy Inspector Sun as a Bodyguard
The next day.
Lu Zhaoruo was inspecting the embroiderers' work one by one.
Sudden.
Sun Fu'er stumbled forward and fell to her knees with a thud: "Please, Master Lu, save my brother!"
She kowtowed heavily, sobbing uncontrollably, "This servant kowtows to you..."
Lu Zhaoruo's heart sank. She quickly helped her up and asked her what had happened. She learned that Sun Jing had killed the bandit last night and had been dismissed from his post and thrown into the county jail.
She immediately set off for the county government office.
After all, it was he who had asked him to escort the bandits to the county government.
After some investigation, it was discovered that a night watchman had reported the incident to the authorities, and that the watchman had witnessed Sun Jing committing murder.
The cell was damp and musty.
Through the wooden fence, Lu Zhaoruo saw Sun Jing sitting silently in the shadows of the corner.
She asked softly, "What exactly happened last night?"
Although she herself wished she could kill the villain with her own hands, she was ultimately just an ordinary citizen, and the law was as firm as a mountain, not to be overstepped.
Sun Jing looked up at the sound, his gaze meeting hers briefly before quickly looking down. After a moment of silence, he said in a low voice, "He... his words are foul, slandering your innocence."
His voice was a little hoarse. He paused, then added vaguely, "I was so angry that I... took action."
Lu Zhaoruo stood there, stunned, as if her heart had been struck hard.
Despite her reputation being trampled upon and shattered, there are still people willing to risk their future and lives to protect it.
Without saying another word, she turned and went to see the county magistrate.
She handed over a petition written by hand, every word of which was earnest; she also secretly arranged for two hundred taels of silver and several bolts of lustrous silk to be quietly sent into the inner office.
She used every method at her disposal—petitioning, making connections, trying to find a way out—and worked tirelessly for five days straight.
The final verdict was: "Sun Jing committed murder without authorization, which is unforgivable. However, considering that he saved people first, there were extenuating circumstances, and the victim was sincere and earnest, he is hereby dismissed from his post and given eighty strokes of the cane as a warning to others. He is free to be placed under the supervision and care of the victim, Mr. Lu."
The eighty strokes of the cane landed heavily on his back, and he was already barely breathing after the beating.
Lu Bohong stepped forward and helped him up, solemnly saying, "Brother Sun, the Lu family will always remember your kindness in saving my sister."
Lu Zhaoruo also stepped forward and bowed respectfully to him, whose face was pale.
"You have lost your future for me and are suffering so much."
She gazed at him intently, her words clear and earnest: "You are a sincere person, and your martial arts skills are excellent. Would you be willing to stay by my side, be my close attendant, and protect me?"
If he hadn't intervened that night, she would have been doomed long ago.
Moreover, she will soon be going to the capital, and she needs a trustworthy person to accompany her.
Keeping the brother and sister by our side would both fulfill our obligation to repay them and give them a sense of security.
Upon hearing this, Sun Jing abruptly raised his head, his eyes filled with disbelief and shock.
Actually, he killed the burly man not entirely because he insulted Madam Lu, but also because he wanted to expose his own identity...
"My wife..."
His voice was dry and hoarse, aggravating the injury on his back, causing him to furrow his brow in pain, but he still struggled to speak, "I am a criminal... a lowly warrior, how dare I... how dare I protect my wife? I'm afraid... I would tarnish your reputation."
Lu Zhaoruo's gaze was clear and firm: "My reputation was completely destroyed three years ago. The little bit of fame I have now is something you fought for for me by sacrificing your future and your own flesh and blood. If there is any disgrace, it is I who should be afraid of disgracing your sincere heart."
She softened her tone: "I need someone as loyal and courageous as you by my side. If you don't mind, stay."
Sun Jing stared at her blankly, seeing no pretense or politeness in her eyes, only openness and determination.
The eighty strokes of the cane hadn't brought him to tears, but now a surge of hot heat welled up in his chest, making his eyes burn.
"If Lady Meng does not abandon me... Sun Jing is willing to serve her like a dog or a horse."
His voice was deep, yet every word was clear: "In this life, I will protect my wife."
He knew perfectly well that he was not worthy of being called a "loyal and brave person" by Madam Lu.
His actions were less a display of pure sincerity and more a manifestation of ulterior motives.
To find a safe and peaceful place for myself and my younger sister to live out our lives.
Even if one day in the future he dies a tragic death at the hands of his enemies...
At the very least, Madam Lu will surely protect Fu'er for the rest of his life.
A few days later, Sun Jing, whose cane injury had not yet healed, insisted on changing into a gray-blue outfit and standing silently beside the embroidered pavilion.
Just then, the owner of Zhou's Embroidery Shop across the street suddenly barged in with several burly employees, pointing at Lu Zhaoruo and shouting, "Madam Lu! Why did you steal the order from the He family in the south of the city? If you don't give me an explanation today, don't blame me for tearing down your embroidery shop!"
The embroiderers were so frightened that they fell silent.
Before Lu Zhaoruo could respond, a figure blocked her way.
Sun Jing didn't even draw his sword, but took a step forward and coldly swept his eyes over the crowd: "Don't point your hand at my wife."
Zhou Dongjia's arrogance was intimidated by that gaze, and he withdrew his hand sheepishly, but still forced a smile and said, "Who do you think you are? You dare to interrupt?"
Sun Jing's tone remained unchanged: "I am Lady Lu's person."
He casually placed his right hand on the hilt of the knife, saying, "If you dare to cause trouble, you'll have to ask this knife of mine first."
Zhou Dongjia's Adam's apple bobbed, cold sweat poured down his face, and none of the men behind him dared to step forward.
After a few breaths of stalemate, he hurriedly led his men away.
The hall fell silent once more.
"Mrs. Lu is indeed a heroine among women. Anyone else would have been panicked by that display just now. This brave man is quite impressive. With him protecting you, let's see who dares to be presumptuous here in the future."
A soft, gentle voice came from the doorway, like a spring breeze caressing the strings of a zither.
Everyone turned their heads and saw Gui'er carefully helping a woman walk slowly in.
The woman was slender and graceful, like a willow swaying in the breeze. Every step she took was like a lotus flower moving, and her eyes exuded a natural charm.
She was none other than Wan Miaoniang, the most beautiful woman in Jizhou City and a musician at Shuyuxuan.
She came today to commission a dress embroidery pattern for her younger sister, who will be turning 18 next month.
Lu Zhaoruo stepped forward, but her gaze fell on the deliberately elongated cuffs of her sleeves, where many bruises were hidden.
She and Wan Miaoniang knew each other in a previous life.
Wan Miaoniang was originally from a respectable family. Her father was a dyer in the western part of the city. Due to poverty, she voluntarily entered Shuyuxuan as a musician, selling her art but not her body.
She was extremely beautiful, but it was precisely this beauty that brought her trouble. Disregarding propriety, he acted violently and forcibly defiled her.
Because they had given her a lot of gold and silver, Wanmiao's parents, siblings, and other relatives knelt down to express their gratitude.
She endured the humiliation and stayed in Li Yanei's villa in Sweet Alley.
At first, she lived a life of luxury, but later Li Yanei grew tired of her and would whip her at the slightest provocation, even forcing her to entertain guests.
Until the diagnosis of venereal disease.
According to the calculations from her past life, she now has contracted a serious venereal disease.
A year later, late at night, she got Li Yanei drunk and stabbed him in the throat with the golden phoenix hairpin he had given her.
In truth, she had long harbored the will to die, but her parents at home pleaded with her day and night...
In the end, he was sentenced to death by hanging.
Lu Zhaoruo clearly remembered that in her previous life, Wan Miaoniang would occasionally come to the shop to buy cloth.
Their relationship was fairly good, however, one time when Lu Zhaoruo was serving tea, she noticed bruises on her wrist.
Wan Miaoniang was deliberately avoiding her, so she didn't feel comfortable asking any more questions.
The last time, she took the finished clothes to Sweet Alley Villa.
She placed the bundle on the table and took out a light purple silk robe: "This is a gift for you. It's getting cold, so wear something warmer."
Wan Miaoniang's fingertips paused on the strings.
The bruises on my wrist are worse than last month...
Perhaps overwhelmed with grief, she confided all her experiences to Lu Zhaoruo.
Lu Zhaoruo felt deeply sympathetic at the time, grabbed her cold hand, and said, "I will go with you to the county government to sue that scoundrel! If the county government protects him, we will go to the prefectural government. If that doesn't work, we will go to the capital to appeal! I will pay for all the expenses, and I will also help take care of your family."
"Enough!"
Wan Miaoniang shoved her away abruptly: "What is a woman's reputation that matters? Besides, I've fallen to this state..."
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