Lu Ping led the Bai family’s guard army, their sabers drawn without courtesy as they charged into Huaman Lou.
The thugs at Huaman Lou originally wanted to block them, but seeing Lu Ping and his men approaching with hostile intent, each displaying extraordinary bearing like those from military backgrounds, aggressive and all wearing sabers, they were too frightened to step forward.
The madam of Huaman Lou was hastily awakened by the procurer, shuffling in her shoes, wrapping herself in an outer robe while running outside. Though panicked beyond measure, she still affected a coquettish manner, drawing out her tone in an extremely obsequious way as she sidled up to Lu Ping.
“Oh my! My lord! I don’t know what business my lord has here. Just giving me, Madam Hua, a word would have been enough. Why such a grand display? Don’t frighten those delicate young ladies in the building! Don’t you think so?”
Lu Ping’s sharp gaze swept toward Madam Hua, his face stern as he asked: “Where is Li Mingtang, son of the Left Chancellor?”
Madam Hua’s heart pounded frantically. Her eyes glanced toward the third floor as she hurriedly said: “Oh my, I say, my lord… Please don’t make things difficult for me. Everyone who can come to my Huaman Lou is an honored guest. If I tell you… Would I still want this old life of mine? Would I still do business?”
Lu Ping sneered coldly, using the sheath of his saber to push away Madam Hua, who was sidling up to him, ordering: “Go to the third floor! Search every private room for me! When you find Li Mingtang, no need for words—beat him to death!”
Upon hearing these words, Madam Hua immediately sensed something was wrong. This Li Mingtang was the legitimate youngest son of the current Left Chancellor. What was the background of this group of people that they dared to beat the Left Chancellor’s son to death?!
Being of lowly status, if the Left Chancellor’s son died in her Huaman Lou, forget about doing business—whether she could even survive was questionable!
Madam Hua trembled all over, not caring about her life as she rushed to block the guard army heading to the third floor. Seeing she couldn’t stop them, she hurriedly knelt before Lu Ping: “My lord! Great lord! Please spare me! I’m just a small brothel madam. If the Left Chancellor’s son has an accident here, I won’t survive either!”
Lu Ping remained unmoved. Madam Hua reached out to grab Lu Ping, but upon meeting his disgusted gaze, she quickly cowered back, kneeling there crying: “Great lord! Official lord! I beg you… Please be merciful and spare me and the lives of dozens of girls in this entire building!”
On the third floor, the Bai family guard army had already kicked open the first private room. From inside came the shrill screams of a girl and the angry curses of a patron.
Madam Hua looked back at the upstairs with terrified eyes, but regardless of her fear, she crawled forward on her knees two steps, grasping Lu Ping’s saber tightly with both hands, crying and shouting…
“My lord, I know we people are very lowly in the eyes of you great lords! But people must find ways to survive, isn’t that right? I don’t know about the grievances between you and the Left Chancellor’s son; we lowly people don’t understand, but if the Left Chancellor’s son dies in my Huaman Lou, dozens of girls in this building will all have to be buried with him. Nuanchun Lou is an example! Please just give them a way to live, be merciful!”
The screaming and cursing from the third floor continued.
Lu Ping looked at Madam Hua, whose face no longer showed flattery but was filled with panic and desperate pleading. He gritted his teeth and shouted upstairs: “When you find Li Mingtang, drag him down and break his legs in the street!”
Upon hearing these words, Madam Hua seemed to come back to life, couldn’t help but cry out once, then immediately kowtowed to Lu Ping: “Thank you, my lord! Thank you, my lord! I will remember my lord’s kindness for the rest of my life! I’ll set up a longevity tablet for my lord! Set up a longevity tablet for my lord!”
“What are you doing?!” Li Mingtang heard the sound of his door being kicked open. Sitting up with his undergarments open, protecting the beauty behind him, he glared and cursed: “Are you mad?! You dare barge into the room where I, Li Mingtang, am!”
“Found Li Mingtang!” the guard who charged in shouted.
Li Mingtang was startled to hear they were looking for him.
Seeing those saber-wielding men approaching him aggressively, his eyes widened immediately. Noticing these people wore uniform attire but weren’t government officials, Li Mingtang guessed they must be guards from some noble family in the capital.
The Bai family guard army rushed in, grabbed Li Mingtang’s arms without a word, and dragged him outside.
Li Mingtang was greatly alarmed. These people knew who he was and still dared to touch him?!
“Which family’s guards are you? I am Li Mingtang, son of the Left Chancellor! You dare arrest me! Don’t you believe my father will slaughter you all! Is it that bastard Lu Yuanpeng who sent you?!”
Lu Ping heard that Li Mingtang had been caught and looked up toward the building.
Li Mingtang, wearing only his undergarments and struggling violently, was dragged out of the private room by the Bai family guard army.
He struggled violently: “Lu Yuanpeng, you bastard! You dare to have guards arrest me! Aren’t you afraid my father will tell your grandfather?!”
Li Mingtang, who indulged daily in pleasures, couldn’t compare to the physical strength of the guard army. Two guards carrying Li Mingtang downstairs was like child’s play.
Madam Hua had just finished crying. Now seeing Li Mingtang being dragged down, she was so frightened she hid behind a red lacquered pillar, not daring to make a sound, trembling like a sieve.
“Drag him out and beat him to death. Without my order, no one is allowed to stop,” Lu Ping commanded expressionlessly.
Li Mingtang’s eyes widened as he realized these weren’t the Lu family’s guards: “Whose family are you from?! Whose?! Are you Lu Yuanpeng’s people?! My father is the current Left Chancellor. Anyone who dares touch me will die horribly!”
Upstairs and downstairs were crowded with girls and patrons watching the excitement, discussing amongst themselves.
Even Madam Hua, hiding behind the red lacquered pillar, couldn’t help but speculate whose family guards this murderous Lu Ping belonged to, to be so arrogant as to not even regard the Left Chancellor.
At the entrance of Huaman Lou, Li Mingtang was beaten while holding his head, unable to even make sounds of pain.
Lu Ping gripped the hilt of his saber at his waist, calculating that the time was about right before speaking: “Break both his legs and drag him… let’s go!”
Shortly after, Li Mingtang’s screams echoed throughout the capital.
Lu Ping’s expression was grim as he ordered people to brazenly drag Li Mingtang, whose legs had been broken, through the streets in broad daylight, making a spectacle according to Bai Qingyan’s instructions to make the matter public.
Sima Ping, who had stayed overnight at Fanque Lou after drinking, heard the news and threw on an outer coat, running barefoot hastily to the window. Pushing open the window frame, he saw Li Mingtang being dragged by guards from some unknown family, parading through the streets covered in blood, screaming incessantly.
Sima Ping’s eyes widened in shock, and he laughed with surprise. He raised his hand to stroke his chin with a face full of schadenfreude: “Oh my, if Yuanpeng knew about such great news, wouldn’t he be so happy he’d invite me to celebrate together for three days!”
After speaking, Sima Ping immediately turned back to get dressed, preparing to follow and watch the excitement, figure out what was happening, then go find Lu Yuanpeng, who had been dragged back by his elder brother by the ear last night, to tell him this joyful news.
Bai Qingyan’s carriage was already waiting on the path Li Mao must take after court.
Shen Qingzhu saw Li Mao’s carriage coming slowly after court and said quietly to Bai Qingyan inside the carriage: “First Miss, Left Chancellor Li Mao’s carriage is coming.”