Chapter 70 Lu Bohong angrily berates Shen Rongzhi
The words "outer chamber" fall lightly, yet weigh more than a thousand pounds.
Xiao Yeming, who had been keeping his eyes down and silent, twitched his fingertips almost imperceptibly.
Looking at Lin Yingyu again, the color and smugness on her face vanished instantly, leaving only a stiff, ashen white.
Shen Rongzhi's gentle face still held a smile, but the smile did not reach his eyes, and his fingers under his sleeves unconsciously tightened.
Shen Qingshu's eyes twitched. Although he was annoyed by Gu Xian's sharp words, he had to admit that every sentence hit the nail on the head regarding etiquette and law, leaving no room for rebuttal.
Gu Xian seemed completely oblivious, and continued unhurriedly, "In the three years that Brother Shen has been at sea, Madam Lu has been living alone, attending to her parents morning and evening without fail. Not only that, she has also managed to keep her two shops under her name in perfect order, supporting most of the Shen family..."
He paused slightly, his tone a mix of regret and sarcasm: "It's a pity that those two thriving shops, which used to bring in a fortune every day, were turned around and given away to creditors to cover the hole left by your sister-in-law. And what about Madam Lu? She didn't show the slightest resentment, but continued to work silently and accept her fate. In my opinion, such 'virtue' is worthy of being included in the 'Biographies of Exemplary Women'."
Shen Qingshu quickly interjected, trying to smooth things over: "It's all thanks to Master Gu's usual support that my virtuous daughter-in-law was able to..."
Before he could finish speaking, Gu Xian stopped him with a gentle wave of his fan.
His tone was calm, yet firm: "I am ashamed to accept your words, Mr. Shen. To be honest, when I was down on my luck, if it weren't for Madam Lu's kindness and help, I would be dead by now. The two shops I later helped were merely my way of repaying your kindness and doing my bit. What merit do I have? It was all thanks to Madam Lu's own resilience and wisdom."
Upon hearing this, Shen Rongzhi's face became even more embarrassed, and he bowed deeply, saying, "Brother Gu's kindness is beyond compare..."
Before he could even utter the word "make," Gu Xian suddenly stood up, slammed her folding fan shut, and gently pressed it against his shoulder, stopping him from moving.
His voice wasn't loud, but every word struck Shen Rongzhi's heart clearly: "I've also heard that when you were newly married, you were about to leave on your wedding night. You knelt down and kowtowed, begging Madam Lu to take your place in marriage and protect the family business. Your vows then still ring in my ears. And now you've returned unharmed..."
He paused slightly, a mocking smile playing on his lips: "But this way of repaying a debt of gratitude is truly... quite unique."
Shen Rongzhi's face turned pale and then ashen, as if his shame and indignation had been exposed in public.
However, his loss of composure lasted only a moment. He took a deep breath, slowly suppressing his embarrassment, and a gentle smile returned to his lips. Just as he was about to speak…
Gu Xian raised his fan slightly, stopping him from speaking.
"but……"
Gu Xian changed the subject, "Since Madam Lin saved your life, it's reasonable to move her from the outer room to a side room and settle her in the side courtyard, but..."
His gaze swept over Lin Yingyu. "When a concubine is taken, the principal wife must sign a contract before she can enter the house. She is also forbidden from occupying the main hall. May I ask why Madam Lin is sitting here so comfortably?"
He raised an eyebrow, his tone sarcastic, "Could it be that Madam Lu has already given her consent? Even if she has, there is no reason for a concubine to enter the hall to entertain guests."
Lin Yingyu gritted her teeth inwardly. Every word Gu uttered was like a knife, aimed directly at her sore spots! What wife or concubine? She had always disdained such empty titles, but being insulted by the constant use of "outer wife" and "must not overstep one's bounds" made her anger surge.
An outsider, how dare he point fingers at the Shen family? He's just like that Lu family!
The Shen father and son looked at each other, their faces pale, cold sweat pouring down their backs, and they were speechless for a moment.
Entering the house without a contract already violates the law of "disorderly conduct between wives and concubines," let alone being witnessed by a distinguished guest.
Could we simply say that Lu died of illness last night, and that Rongzhi was thus able to enter into a contract?
If that's the case, Gu Xian's next question will definitely be about where the funeral hall is!
The Lu family was his savior; how could he let it go so easily?
Gu Xian slowly sipped his tea and led them in their answer.
"Master Gu is unaware of this!"
Zhang's voice came from outside the door. She strode in: "My virtuous daughter-in-law passed away suddenly last night! Since there is no legal wife, my son should arrange a marriage for Lin. As for entertaining guests in the main hall, it is because she grew up overseas and does not know etiquette. Considering the hardships of her pregnancy, it is not appropriate to be harsh on her."
Two servants stood on either side of the door.
She thought the man looked unfamiliar, but then assumed he was a newly hired handyman waiting for orders, so she didn't think much of it.
"Died of illness?"
The folding fan in Gu Xian's hand fell to the ground with a "thud".
He swayed violently, staggered to the table for support, covered his face with his sleeve, his shoulders trembling, and choked out, "My benefactor... so suddenly..."
The heart-wrenching cries moved all who heard them.
Xiao Yeming watched coldly, knowing he was putting on an act, but he couldn't help but secretly admire how realistic the guy's performance was.
Shen Rongzhi only knew from the letter that Lu Zhaoruo was seriously ill and had no more than a hundred days left, but she did not know that she had already passed away.
The reason she wasn't there to greet me when I got home was simply because I was too sick to get out of bed...
I'll visit her when I have some free time; she definitely won't mind.
Hearing his mother say this, his fingers trembled, and a hint of sorrow appeared in his eyes...
Lin Yingyu saw his condition and was immediately enraged.
"Chen Rongzhi!"
Lu Bohong rushed into the main hall like a gust of wind, and the gatekeeper chased after him, but he didn't even have time to shout "Wait!"
His eyes were bloodshot, his robes billowed in the wind, and he completely disregarded etiquette, rushing straight to Shen Rongzhi and shouting angrily, "Shen Rongzhi!"
Then, he grabbed Shen Rongzhi's collar tightly, with such force that he almost lifted him off the ground: "Take a moment to ask yourself! How has my Lu family treated you? You started your education at the age of eight, and you lived and ate in my house, sharing meals and studying with me! My father personally taught you to hold a brush and practice calligraphy, and taught you to read the classics! It was your father who personally came to our door and begged for this marriage!"
He shoved Shen Rongzhi back a step, his finger pointing sharply at his chest: "It was you! Back then, dressed in your wedding gown and carried in a grand sedan chair, you swore a solemn oath in front of the Lu family gate, promising that you would never betray her in this life. Only then did we feel at ease entrusting our little sister to you! She managed the household affairs for you, served your parents, and protected your Shen family's assets! And what about you?"
Lu Bohong suddenly turned to Lin Yingyu: "Yet you've been out there doing such shady things! Bringing back such a wicked child! Shen Rongzhi, you've been at sea for three years, have you even thought for a moment about your wife who has been taking care of you and managing the household for you? Have you lost your conscience?"
Despite enduring Lu Bohong's angry scolding, Shen Rongzhi's upright posture slumped slightly, yet she still maintained her elegant demeanor.
Madam Zhang quickly defended her son, saying, "Brother Lu! How can you be so rude!"
Gu Xian said quietly from the side, "Inspector Lu, please accept my condolences. Your sister passed away last night."
Lu Bohong continued to stare intently at Shen Rongzhi, his fists clenched until they turned white. Only when Gu Xian lightly tapped his shoulder with the rib of her fan did he seem to snap out of a daze and loosen his grip: "Little...little sister, she..."
He forced a look of shock and grief onto his handsome face, then demanded sharply, "Where is the coffin? Why is the courtyard full of red silk but no white banners? Where is the mourning hall set up? Why aren't you all dressed in mourning clothes?!"
He glared at Shen Rongzhi, "Now that you've returned home, why aren't you in the mourning hall? Instead, you're here drinking tea and entertaining guests."
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