Chapter 61: Dismissing the Stepmistress

When Liu Lanzhi and Young Master Li were brought to the county yamen, they were both utterly shocked to see Du Wanchun standing there.

Magistrate Li scowled and bellowed, “Speak! Were you the ones who sent people to kidnap the Zhou family’s daughter-in-law?”

Young Master Li widened his eyes in confusion, staring blankly at his father. “Father, what kidnapping? What Zhou family’s daughter-in-law? I don’t know anything about this.”

Magistrate Li’s face darkened with rage. He slammed the table and shouted, “Then why did these men claim that your wife ordered them to do it?!”

Young Master Li turned his gaze toward Liu Lanzhi, who was trembling beside him.

Liu Lanzhi knelt on the ground, her head hung low, looking every bit like a guilty thief caught red-handed.

At that moment, Magistrate Li pulled out the bracelet and held it up sternly. “Explain to me how the bracelet I gave you two ended up in the hands of these thugs!”

Young Master Li immediately understood what had happened. So this was the ‘brilliant’ plan Liu Lanzhi had spoken of?

How was this any different from him personally kidnapping someone himself?

Did she really think she could just have someone abduct a woman in broad daylight? If it were that easy, why would he need her to come up with a plan in the first place?

Fury surged within him, and without hesitation, he stood up and kicked Liu Lanzhi hard. “You wretched woman! How dare you do something like this behind my back?!”

Liu Lanzhi cried out in pain as she collapsed to the ground, her eyes brimming with tears. She sobbed, “Husband, I did it all for you!”

Hearing this, Young Master Li grew even angrier and kicked her again. “For me? Stop spewing nonsense!”

Magistrate Li had already figured out that his son had no prior knowledge of the plot. However, that didn’t mean he was entirely blameless.

“Liu Lanzhi!” he snapped, turning his sharp gaze on her. “Tell me the truth—what exactly happened?”

Liu Lanzhi trembled violently, fear gripping her entire body. Slowly, she lifted her tear-filled eyes and turned toward Du Wanchun, silently pleading for help.

Du Wanchun showed no sympathy for Liu Lanzhi’s pitiful act.

Especially when she recalled everything Liu Lanzhi had done to her in the past, her heart grew even colder.

“Liu Lanzhi, just tell the truth,” Du Wanchun said coldly, meeting her gaze.

Seeing that pleading was useless, Liu Lanzhi bit her lip and tearfully argued, “Master, I only wanted to invite my elder sister to our residence for a visit! I had no ill intentions!”

Madam Zhou immediately stepped forward and pointed at her. “No ill intentions? If there were no ill intentions, then why were these three men either clenching their fists or wielding large blades? If my sons hadn’t been there today, our Wanchun would have been beaten black and blue!”

She then pointed at the burly, bearded man leading the thugs. “And him! He personally admitted that you ordered them to take Wanchun to Young Master Li’s room! What do you mean by ‘inviting her to the residence’? This was clearly an attempted abduction!”

Liu Lanzhi’s face turned pale at these words. She shot a glare at the bearded man, but he scoffed and retorted, “That’s right! She made it clear—after we kidnapped her, we were to throw her straight into Young Master Li’s room! Magistrate Li, we were just following orders. You can’t blame us for this!”

Magistrate Li’s face twisted in fury. He slammed the table once more and bellowed, “Enough! I understand everything now. Guards! Drag Liu Lanzhi out and give her twenty lashes with the cane!”

For an ordinary person, twenty lashes were an excruciating punishment.

Liu Lanzhi was stunned. “Father! I’m your daughter-in-law! You can’t do this to me! I did all of this for my husband! He has always liked Du Wanchun and wanted to take her as a concubine! That’s why I tried to bring her to our residence!”

“Silence! Don’t think I don’t know the truth! You did this out of jealousy toward your stepsister!” Magistrate Li snapped, immediately signaling the guards to take her away.

Liu Lanzhi tried to say more, but the guards gagged her, muffling her cries.

As she was dragged away, Magistrate Li turned to Du Wanchun and Madam Zhou. “Miss Du, this woman is vicious and deceitful. After her punishment, my son will divorce her!”

Hearing this from outside, Liu Lanzhi trembled violently and struggled desperately, but no one paid her any heed.

Du Wanchun turned to look at Young Master Li. “While Liu Lanzhi orchestrated this, it all started because of you. Both of you must be punished!”

Magistrate Li frowned. “Miss Du, my son was unaware of this scheme. It has nothing to do with him.”

Young Master Li quickly echoed, “Yes, Miss Du! I truly had no idea about this. Liu Lanzhi acted on her own, thinking she could please me!”

Du Wanchun let out a cold laugh. “If you had never mentioned such a desire, would she have come up with this idea to please you? Young Master Li, do you still dare claim you have no involvement?”

Young Master Li’s eyes burned with anger. He stood up abruptly and roared, “Du Wanchun! Stop spouting nonsense! I—”

“Magistrate Li! Are you trying to abuse your power in front of all these people?”

Zhou Ruizhen’s stern voice cut him off sharply.