Who knew that Ziteng would shriek again, “You’re still trying to snatch it! Still trying to snatch it! At the feet of the Son of Heaven, do you have no regard for the law…”

Nanny Liu couldn’t care about others’ gazes at this point. She wished her two hands could grow into four, trying to cover Ziteng’s mouth while waving her hands, urgently saying, “Everyone, don’t believe this girl’s words – she’s talking nonsense!”

Though Ziteng was caught by her, she stiffened her neck, showing no sign of weakness, “Nanny, you’re a servant of the Qin residence – what benefits did you receive from Physician Lu that you would speak for him? The hairpin that Old Madam Lu is wearing on her head today was our mistress’s dowry, registered in the official records! It’s a mutton-fat white jade longevity character hairpin – that’s a unique craft from our mistress’s maternal family. Our mistress’s mother gave it to her as dowry, with the style, color, and minute details all written down clearly. No one can falsify it! Nanny Liu, if you still won’t distinguish right from wrong, knowing full well that the Lu family has taken it yet turning black into white, we’ll have no choice but to go to the magistrate’s court to argue it out and let the magistrate judge!”

Ziteng spoke with reason and evidence, and with such righteous indignation that the crowd’s discussion immediately became one-sided.

“Who would have thought the Lu family was this kind of household.”

“Old Madam Lu, don’t you know? Their family originally lived in Jing’an Ward, dirt poor, couldn’t even afford white flour buns. The old lady was especially good at cursing people. If it weren’t for her former daughter-in-law being good at making money, their family would still be living in Jing’an Ward now!”

“Jing’an Ward?”

Upon hearing they had moved from Jing’an Ward, everyone’s interest grew even higher. How could Jing’an Ward compare to Chongde Lane?

Jing’an Ward was inhabited by commoners – all sorts of people from every walk of life.

Chongde Lane, being not too far from the imperial palace, was inhabited entirely by the powerful and wealthy. It was orderly and clean, with main roads wide enough for ten carriages to run simultaneously, and the streets were maintained in grand fashion.

The Lu residence was already the lowest-ranking existence in this lane.

Mentioning Physician Lu’s former wife, everyone discussed even more animatedly: “Old Madam Lu looked down on her former daughter-in-law in every way. Later, that daughter-in-law was allegedly caught in bed with the steward on the old lady’s birthday.”

“With the steward? Bah! This old lady and Physician Lu won’t even spare an in-law – who knows if that daughter-in-law was framed? With the house full of guests that day, would she really have a tryst with the steward? Had that daughter-in-law lost her mind? If she were that stupid, how could she have supported the Lu family? The old lady should have been drinking the northwest wind long ago!”

“That’s exactly right. That daughter-in-law was quite capable – she managed to move the Lu family from Jing’an Ward to Chongde Lane. How could she be so foolish? She must have been set up!”

“Exactly, exactly! The former daughter-in-law even bore a son, already six years old, bright and lively. When he fell ill, his mother was imprisoned, and Physician Lu wouldn’t even let him be treated – the child died of illness just like that!”

“What? There was such a thing?”

“Indeed! Physician Lu was truly heartless – that was his own son!”

“To be so ruthless even to his own son – what a vicious character!”

“That’s right. Speaking of this Physician Lu, he’s been promoted all these years – who knows how many people he stepped on to climb up. He could ignore even his own son – such a person is truly terrifying!”

“Exactly, exactly.”

…

Nanny Liu’s ears were buzzing – what was happening, what was happening?

The chaotic scene was something the four old women had never witnessed before. They released Qin Shuying in confusion.

Ziteng helped Qin Shuying up. Qin Shuying was disheveled, weak and helpless, arousing pity. Two lines of tears hung on her cheeks, yet she forced a smile, saying, “Thank you all! Thank you all! If not for everyone’s sense of justice, this young lady’s jewelry would surely have been lost.”

Liang Yanjun’s lips curved into a strange smile as he looked at Qin Shuying. Was this the young lady the young master had instructed him to inquire about? How very interesting indeed.

“You, you all mustn’t believe them!”

Nanny Liu loudly reminded them, but everyone was discussing animatedly – no one was listening to what she said.

“Fellow neighbors, I am Lu Changxuan. May I ask what has happened here?”

With such a commotion at the gate, naturally someone had gone inside to report the situation. Lu Changxuan didn’t wait for that person to finish speaking – he hurriedly offered a few words of comfort to the male guests and rushed out immediately.

Even though he was quick, Ziteng’s earlier speech had been even faster. So in just this short time, time waited for no one – Ziteng had already finished saying everything she wanted to say. Any attempt to salvage the situation had already lost the initiative.

Ziteng continued crying, “Physician Lu, relying on being an official, bullies people like this – not only stealing our mistress’s relics but also trying to steal our young miss’s jewelry. Physician Lu, with such character as yours, who exactly was blind enough to promote you all the way up? Could it be they received countless benefits from you? Though this servant is merely a servant, I still know about propriety, righteousness, integrity, and shame. Physician Lu, as a court official, you’ve abandoned even propriety, righteousness, integrity, and shame! You dare to be so arrogant even at the feet of the Son of Heaven – if you were made a local magistrate, wouldn’t you be like a local emperor, doing whatever you please with no one able to stop you!”

Lu Changxuan’s eyes darkened. He had been planning for a full year, and now he was hoping to be transferred to Hangzhou as prefect, a fourth-rank position.

Hangzhou was prosperous – the best place to achieve political accomplishments. In just a few years, with some more planning, advancing to a proper fourth rank wouldn’t be difficult. This was the result of his long-term scheming, yet this little maid had stumbled upon it and blurted it out…

“Impudent! Without evidence or proof, you dare speak so presumptuously before an official’s residence! Someone, take my calling card to the capital prefecture. What crime should a servant commit for slandering a court official!”

Lu Changxuan’s tone was calm, but the authority within it brooked no doubt. Immediately, a servant boy responded and returned to the Lu residence to fetch the calling card.

According to the Great Zhou’s laws, if servants dared to accuse officials, they would first receive twenty heavy strokes before their testimony would be heard.

But Ziteng showed no fear, only crying out, “This servant is not afraid. As long as I can retrieve our mistress’s relics, even death would be worthwhile! Physician Lu, you’re clearly acting with a guilty conscience, wanting to have this servant arrested, imprisoned, and beaten to death so no one would ever dare expose the Lu family’s scandals again! Heaven’s justice is clear – people act, but Heaven watches! Even if this servant dies, I must let people see the true face of you Lu family members! In broad daylight, forcibly robbing Miss’s possessions!”

Lu Changxuan’s gaze grew increasingly dark, but he paid no attention to Ziteng. Instead, he bowed to the onlookers, speaking in a gentle, pleasant manner, “Fellow neighbors, I’m truly sorry to have provided such a spectacle for everyone. That is my wife’s cousin – grieving for her deceased parents, she was already in poor health. My mother-in-law, pitying her as an orphaned girl, brought her to our humble residence to visit and lift her spirits. Unexpectedly, she had an episode and caused a great disturbance at our residence, disturbing my superiors and colleagues’ wives so much that they left in haste. I’m sorry, I’m sorry – it’s truly because I’ve been too busy with official duties and neglected to care properly for my cousin-in-law, causing everyone to witness this embarrassing scene!”