Chapter 136: Punishment

Jiang Zhanwei slammed his teacup on the table and sneered, “General Lu, are you struggling with the dilemma of a hero facing a beauty? If we consider beauty and selflessness, you should be reluctant to let go of my mother-in-law. How can you bear to see my mother-in-law being divorced by the old lady, yet hesitate to part with a thieving woman of lowly birth? Are you not afraid of losing face in front of your daughter and son-in-law? If that’s the case, when you go out, don’t mention that I’m your son-in-law, as it would only tarnish my reputation.”

Upon hearing Jiang Zhanwei’s words, Lu Man chuckled. This guy was truly cunning.

Lu Fangrong’s face turned crimson with anger. Raising his voice, he said, “According to your perspective, how should we handle this? Even if she has committed wrongs, it doesn’t warrant death. Moreover, I am about to go to the frontier for battle, unsure if I will return. I do not want my sons to lose their father and be without their mother’s care. The hardships that Lu Man endured, caused by Bao Qin and Xiao Chen, I don’t want my sons to experience.”

Heading to the frontier for battle was Lu Fangrong’s trump card to protect Bao Qin and a tool to threaten Jiang Zhanwei. No officer wanted their subordinates distracted, especially from a specialized unit.

Initially, Lu Man wanted Mrs. Xiao Chen to pay with her life and considered having Bao Qin become a nun. But seeing Lu Fangrong willing to protect Bao Qin at the cost of losing face, she felt both angry and helpless.

She expressed, “Mr. Lu, or should I say Father, by doing this, aren’t you afraid of hurting your daughter’s heart? Bao Qin is disloyal as a servant and a thief as a mother. How can she raise children properly? You know the suffering I endured, caused by her and Xiao Chen. Yet, you are willing to sacrifice dignity and disregard your daughter’s feelings to protect her?”

Lu Fangrong calmly responded, “Man, acknowledging and correcting one’s mistakes is the greatest virtue. Bao Qin has realized her mistakes, so let’s forgive her. I implore you. She is the mother of your two brothers. If I don’t return, these two brothers will be your closest family…”

Lu Man shook her head and said, “My closest person is my mother, He Mingzhu, who is still alive. You have forgotten her for a lowly servant, but she has always been in my heart…”

Before Lu Man could finish, Jiang Zhanwei interjected, “Man, let’s go. General Lu is willing to protect this thief despite disregarding dignity, propriety, and your feelings. Let him protect her. At most, we won’t engage in this relationship in the future.” Turning to Lu Fangrong, he added, “General Lu, I once thought you were being unfairly treated, thinking you had real abilities and were being held back due to your connections with physician He. It seems that this is not the case at all. You lack judgment, don’t discern right from wrong, and are too narrow-minded. To harm your own daughter for a thieving wench, who would dare trust someone like you!”

Jiang Zhanwei was not only Lu Fangrong’s son-in-law but also his immediate superior and someone highly esteemed by Duke Xie. With such a critique of Lu Fangrong, his future prospects looked bleak, and there was a possibility of repercussions for Lu Fangming.

Unwilling to see her son’s career jeopardized over a mistress, old lady Lu quickly interjected, “Grandson-in-law, your father-in-law was simply misled by that vile woman. Once he realizes, he will come to his senses.” Turning to Lu Fangrong, she added, “Second Son, I cannot allow that vile woman to hinder your and your elder brother’s future. She must pay with her life.”

The old lady was known to swiftly change her stance when interests were at stake, shifting from staunch protection to harsh condemnation.

Upon hearing this, Bao Qin began crying loudly, pleading for her life to Lu Fangrong.

Hearing the commotion at the courtyard gate, Lu Chang and Lu Feng rushed in, crying and kneeling to plead for mercy.

Lu Fangrong, torn between his career aspirations and his love for his sons, his reluctance to see Bao Qin die, and his guilt towards Lu Man, stood there in turmoil.

Crying, Lu Feng pleaded with the old lady, “Grandmother, please don’t let mother die…”

Meanwhile, Lu Chang tearfully implored Lu Man, “Elder Sister, my mother has made mistakes, it’s her fault. But her crimes don’t deserve death. Please spare her life and let her live out her days at the estate…”

Lu Man responded, “Young Master Lu, you’re asking the wrong person. It’s not up to me to decide Bao Qin’s fate.” Seizing the opportunity to sow discord between the old lady and Lu Fangrong.

Seeing the situation nearing resolution, Jiang Zhanwei didn’t want Lu Fangrong to leave for the frontier with worries or resentment. He suggested, “Here’s my proposal: spare Bao Qin from death, but she must face consequences. Let her live out her days at the estate and receive additional punishment.”

Relieved at the possibility of sparing Bao Qin’s life, Lu Fangrong agreed, “Then give her ten, no, twenty lashes as a warning to others.”

Originally intending to suggest ten lashes, Lu Fangrong knew Jiang Zhanwei wouldn’t settle for that number. Aware of Jiang Zhanwei’s severity, he reluctantly agreed to twenty lashes.

The proposal put forth by Jiang Zhanwei was agreed upon by Lu Man and him. Despite Bao Qin’s treachery, the direct instigator of Lu Man’s suicide was Mrs. Xiao Chen. Unmasking Bao Qin’s deceitful facade, she was publicly humiliated in the Lu household, given a severe beating, and then driven out of the city. This was the only fitting punishment that could be meted out at present.

As it was already late in the evening, Jiang Zhanwei and Lu Man declined the Lu family’s offer of dinner.

They did not witness the punishment, leaving Liu Xin and the two maids to oversee it. Later, Liu Xin would escort Hong Ling back, who was now a servant at the Princess’s estate, to be dealt with accordingly. She was to be drugged and sold off to a remote mountainous region as a punishment for betraying her mistress.

Lu Man’s original plan had been to sell Hong Ling to suffer in the mountains. But Jiang Zhanwei feared she might speak out and tarnish Lu Man’s reputation, so he arranged for her to be rendered mute before being sold.

Manager Li and a steward from the Lu household took the deed for the former Renhe Hall, now the Cloth Store, to the authorities to have it reissued with Mrs. Xiao Chen’s name replaced with Lu Man’s. To avoid drawing attention, they omitted the name Renhe Hall, simply mentioning the cloth store on a specific street in a particular alley.

Old lady Lu suggested giving half of the profits from the Cloth Store to Lu Man, but she declined, finding it distasteful.

The Lu brothers escorted them to the outer courtyard. Since Lu Fangrong’s constant defense of Bao Qin, Lu Man hadn’t spared him a glance.

Before boarding the carriage, Lu Fangrong, with a red face, approached Lu Man and said, “Man, are you still angry with Father? I apologize for the way I treated you. If I return, I will treat you well.”

Lu Man glanced at Lu Fangrong, smirked mockingly, and replied, “Once a daughter is married off, she’s like spilled water. I am no longer a daughter of the Lu family. If you return, just treat your sons and mistress well.”

Tears welled up in Lu Fangrong’s eyes as he tried to explain, “Man, I am sorry to you and your mother. I couldn’t bear to see your mother divorced, but after I leave, your grandmother will… I am ashamed regarding Mingzhu.”

Lu Man interjected, “If you feel sorry for my mother, why not treat her daughter well? Just a few words from Bao Qin resulted in her daughter being abandoned without a care, thousands of miles away. Are you truly remorseful? My mother truly misjudged, entrusting her daughter to a wicked servant, betraying that trust.”

With that, Lu Man boarded the carriage.