Her words caused an uproar in the room.
"What? The General was with his wife that night?"
"Oh dear, I knew the general didn't look like that kind of person. Turns out this woman was the one lying!"
"Pah! How shameless! How dare they throw such filth at the Great General? Aren't they afraid her dead man will rise from his grave and take her away!"
"If you ask me, people like this should be severely punished..."
When Jiang Qinyu said those words, Tianhu's wife's expression panicked for a moment, but she quickly put on a show of bravado and said loudly, "It is right for Madam to defend the General, and the servants in your household are certainly speaking up for the General as well, but you can't just say whatever comes to mind just to protect the General!"
"Everyone, please be the judge! That night, the general really did something to me... Now that my husband is dead, there's not even anyone to testify for me. How are my unborn child and I supposed to live?"
As she spoke, she cried even more pitifully, leaving the onlookers looking at each other in bewilderment.
Jiang Qinyu suddenly turned cold and raised her voice to interrupt her wailing.
“Tianhu’s wife, I really don’t understand what you did today. If you want to enter the manor, then your actions today are undoubtedly putting my general in an unjust position, making him carry a bad reputation for the rest of his life. Under such circumstances, even if he accepts you into the manor, do you think he will treat you well?”
"If you're just here to cause trouble and annoy people, then I understand even less why you'd risk your reputation to frame someone. What good does that do you?"
She no longer wanted to get entangled with Tianhu's wife. The woman's accusations were so clumsy. As long as she brought in everyone who had seen Lu Yanzheng that night for questioning, the lies would naturally fall apart.
Or perhaps this woman doesn't think they'll be pressured into admitting it outright?
That's an absolute joke!
Even without Lu Yanzheng, she wouldn't have let this matter become a fact.
As expected, after Jiang Qinyu pointed it out so directly, the onlookers started discussing it again.
"Madam is right. Even if this is true, this woman probably won't gain anything from doing this. So why would she do it?"
Unfortunately, Tianhu's wife had stopped talking and just kept crying, crying so pitifully and helplessly.
Jiang Qinyu was truly speechless. If she didn't resolve the matter face-to-face, Lu Yanzheng would carry this kind of infamy forever, and she would never be able to wash it off.
Just as she was wondering whether she should discuss with Uncle Chen how to handle the situation, the sound of horses' hooves broke through the air.
"The Great General is back!"
Someone outside the crowd shouted.
This sound drew everyone's attention back to the street corner.
Jiang Qinyu looked up and saw Lu Yanzheng riding his horse and arriving at the gate of the General's Mansion in the blink of an eye.
He was dressed in a moon-white brocade robe, a stark contrast to his usual dark attire. At this moment, he looked elegant and refined, with star-like eyes, a high nose, tightly pursed lips, and a frosty expression that inspired awe.
Lu Yanzheng dismounted and strode over to Jiang Qinyu.
Despite his usual cold and aloof demeanor, he suddenly became gentle and warm in her presence, his words filled with warmth: "Did she disturb you? It's cold outside, why didn't you put on a cloak before coming out?"
Jiang Qinyu looked at him amusedly, "Which one do you want me to answer first?"
“The first one.” Lu Yanzheng paused only slightly before raising his hand to untie his large cloak and wrap it around Jiang Qinyu.
Jiang Qinyu's hand was held by him, and the cloak still warm from his body wrapped around her. Her previously troubled heart suddenly calmed down, and she said with a hint of helplessness, "She didn't bother me at all, but her commotion is really bad for your reputation..."
"It's nothing. It's too cold in here. You take the children inside first, and I'll come find you soon." Lu Yanzheng said, then escorted her into the mansion.
Jiang Qinyu did not refuse and went to the main courtyard by herself after entering the door.
Lu Yanzheng then turned to Uncle Chen and asked, "What exactly happened?"
He rushed back as soon as he received the news, without having had time to find out the details.
As Chen Bosong breathed a sigh of relief, he quickly recounted everything about Tianhu's wife, and then repeated what Jiang Qinyu had just said.
"General, this old servant has really done his best, but..." Uncle Chen felt that he was being wronged.
Lu Yanzheng raised his hand to interrupt him, "I understand, I will handle this matter immediately."
After saying that, he looked at A Ping and said, "Go to the army and inform everyone who saw Lu Tianhu and me that night to come here."
"Yes, General!" Aping accepted the order and left.
Lu Yanzheng didn't even glance at Tianhu's wife, who was still crying on the ground. He turned to the crowd and said, "Since everyone has already witnessed a farce, please wait a little longer and watch this matter unfold!"
If these people are allowed to leave after watching only half of the show, who knows what kind of reputation they will have in the future.
He wasn't afraid of any blemishes on his reputation; what he feared was that people would say Jiang Qinyu was mean and cold-hearted.
His reputation may be damaged, but Jiang Qinyu's cannot.
Lu Yanzheng lowered his eyes. In fact, he couldn't understand why anyone would disturb Jiang Qinyu's life after she had done so much for the people of Biancheng and even the entire Yukang Prefecture.
If it weren't someone from Biancheng who caused this, he wouldn't be so confused and angry, because people in other places haven't benefited from Jiang Qinyu.
But it was the widow of a border town, or even a border soldier, who orchestrated this whole thing.
No one knew better than Lu Yanzheng how difficult life was for the border troops before the gold mine left by Marshal Qin was developed. They survived the most difficult times thanks to what Jiang Qinyu gave them!
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