Chapter 92: A Scapegoat to Share the Blame and Be Half-Beaten to Death

Chapter 92: A Scapegoat to Share the Blame and Be Half-Beaten to Death

Lu Shen swallowed hard, thinking to himself, If my future mother-in-law is this formidable, then dealing with the concubines in my household... Oh no, it's going to be tricky.

"Did your mother guess that it was me?"

"No, but she spent money to have someone investigate. You'd better be careful and make sure nothing is left behind."

Lu Shen nodded hastily. "Don't worry, I'll definitely clean it up. Your mother is too powerful."

"You can't blame me for this. You said you wanted someone to beat him up, but why did you choose to only hit his face?"

"I didn't originally plan on having someone beat him up. I just wanted to scare him. Who knew he would be so handsome? Just looking at his face irritates me. Apart from his looks, how does he compare to me, right?"

Zheng Hongxu: "..."

"Yes, yes, alright. Anyway, make sure you clean this up properly. I need to go back before my mother starts suspecting me."

"Alright, then you'll have to speak kindly of Jinxiu for me. Don't worry, if this works out, you'll be like my own brother. Later, I'll speak well of you to my grandfather and secure a good position for you."

"Ah, leave, who needs your flattery? Could it be that I'm helping Jinxiu for my own advancement? As long as you treat her well, my brothers and I will be more than willing to pave the way for you."

Lu Shen smiled contentedly, "Yes, then I'll thank you in advance."

Fondness for Zheng Jinxiu was one matter, but more significant was the fact that Zheng Jinxiu had a good rapport with her siblings. He had heard from his grandfather on more than one occasion that the Zheng family's sons had boundless prospects.

Marriage, as they say, forges an alliance between two families, sealing a future filled with prosperity and promise.

Why is a legitimate daughter more valuable than a concubine-born one, you ask? Is it because of a higher noble bloodline? Oh, not at all. The worth of a legitimate daughter exceeds that of a concubine's child due to the fact that her mother holds authority in the household, her father favors her more, and her biological brothers can inherit the family's legacy.

Of course, a brother would naturally support his own sister.

Only with such a family as his wife's could he gain assistance.

Indeed, it was also because he genuinely liked Zheng Jinxiu.

...

Today, Lady Zheng had unleashed a tremendous rage at home. She had uncovered who was behind the assault on Cui Yongnian.

"Damn it, that Minister Lu is going too far. Our Zheng and Cui families have no grudges against him, yet his grandson had the audacity to harm Yongnian. It angers me to death. Does he think I, Zheng Cui, am afraid of them? I'll write to my maiden family right away, asking my sister-in-law to sever all business ties with them. Let's see if they won't suffer the consequences."

Old Master Zheng was taken aback. "My lady, could there be a misunderstanding? Why would Minister Lu's grandson hire someone to hurt Yongnian?"

"How would I know? But all the evidence is right here. Could it be wrong?" She slapped the evidence across Old Master Zheng's face and continued her tirade.

"Our Cui family played a part in the success of their Lu descendants in the political arena. No, I must inform our family and expel all Lu family members studying under us. Let's see if that old fox doesn't choke on his anger."

With that, she went to grind ink.

After examining the evidence, Old Master Zheng looked conflicted. "Shall we ask Minister Lu first, just to clear any misunderstandings?"

"Hmph, of course we should ask. I want to see how he will explain himself."

"Yes, yes, let's hear what Minister Lu has to say first. If he handles it well, we won't involve the entire families. Every family has its wayward offspring, after all."

Mrs. Zheng calmed down. "That's true."

Cutting off relations between the two families was just a remark out of anger. She knew she couldn't do it, nor could her sister-in-law.

At most, they could vent their anger by causing some trouble for the Lu family in business matters.

Besides, Minister Lu wasn't afraid of them. He was giving them face out of respect for the Cui and Zheng families behind them, and also because his grandson was indeed in the wrong for attacking someone.

Just as Zheng Jinyu was reveling in the Lu family's misfortune, she learned from Xie Peiyu's secret agents that Lu Shen had actually arranged for one of his illegitimate brothers to take the blame.

It was truly unfortunate for that younger brother; being bullied by him on a regular basis was one thing, but now he had to bear the consequences in a critical moment.

To Minister Lu, an illegitimate grandson held no significance. He immediately allowed punishment according to family law to be carried out in front of the Zheng couple, leaving that young man half-dead and likely unable to move for half a month.

Old Master Zheng and Lady Zheng returned, their anger subsiding. Addressing Cui Yongnian, they said, "We've inquired, and it seems he was indeed jealous of your good looks."

Cui Yongnian was perplexed. "I don't know the Third Young Master of the Lu family."

"You may not know him, but he knows you. When you went to see the opera last time, do you recall a young lady who gave you more than a passing glance?"

Cui Yongnian replied, somewhat embarrassed, "Aunt, to be honest, there have been quite a few young ladies who have given me extra attention. I really didn't take notice of that particular one."

Old Master Zheng slapped his thigh in agreement. "Exactly! That's what the Third Young Master of the Lu family said. The young lady's lingering gaze made him uneasy. You see, she is a potential match that his family has proposed for him."

"Aah?" Cui Yongnian wore a distressed expression. "So I've become an innocent victim?"

Madam Zheng nodded and said with sympathy, "Yes, but don't be too upset. We went to Lord Lu to seek justice, and he had his grandson beaten up right there and then. Both your uncle and I witnessed it; the beating was severe enough that he won't be able to get out of bed for half a month."

Cui Yongnian was deeply frustrated, yet he could only accept his fate.

"It seems I'll have to wear a veil whenever I go out from now on."

A man wearing a veil?

"No need for that. There aren't many such villains in the capital. It's unlikely you'd encounter another one so soon," she reassured him.

After Madam Zheng and Old Master Zheng left, Zheng Jinyu took some ointment and a musical score to visit Cui Yongnian.

As her cousin had been assaulted while visiting their family, all her elder siblings had taken turns to check on him. Chunmei said it wouldn't be proper if she didn't pay him a visit, especially since she was adept at handling social etiquette.

In the meantime... she had something else to attend to.

Cui Yongnian wasn't lacking in ointment, but as part of the social norm, it was necessary to bring some along.

Furthermore, this sheet music truly caters to his interests.

Cui Yongnian carelessly tossed the ointment aside and eagerly held the music score with both hands, unwilling to let go.

"Marvelous, absolutely marvelous. Little Cousin, did Prince Chen give you this score?"

Zheng Jinyu nodded with a smile. "Yes, this is... Cough, cough... This represents the feelings between Prince Chen and me. We hope it will alleviate your boredom during your recovery, Cousin Cui. Do you like it?"

"I do, I really do. Little Cousin, this is the best gift I've ever received."

The bruise on his face was no longer the same as when he had first been beaten. At first, it was a mix of red and purple, but now, it was a sickly greenish-blue. The parts that were hit less severely had already started to turn yellow.

His entire face was a colorful mess, a vibrant array of hues. It was quite a sight to behold.

She almost couldn't suppress her laughter.

"Cousin likes it, that's great. I assume you won't be going out for a while, right?"

Cui Yongnian sighed helplessly, pointing at his face. "With my appearance in this state, I can't possibly step outside."

"Oh, that's quite regrettable."

"Why so?"

"A few prominent families in the capital have jointly organized a poetry appreciation gathering. It's scheduled for three days from now. Virtually all the young ladies and noble gentlemen of the city will be in attendance. Given that you're here in the capital to broaden your studies, it would be a shame if you were unable to participate in such an event."