Chapter 545: Divorce or a Dismissal Letter?

Chapter 545: Divorce or a Dismissal Letter?

"How can we manage? The old madam is almost driven to death by her. She even dared to withhold the old madam's monthly allowance. When Master Lu went to reason with her, she beat him up and said he was infertile, and that she was going to dismiss him. She has emptied out the family. If she dismisses him, the whole family will be left with nothing but the northwest wind to drink."

Only after hearing these words did Fang Jinxiu start to panic.

If this was true, then by the time she returned to the Lu family, would there be anything left but an empty shell?

She had no dowry, and if the Lu family was emptied out, what would her children eat and drink in the future?

This wouldn't do.

Fang Jinxiu felt a stir of ambition.

After the Lu family's maidservant left, she asked Xia Lian to invite Madam Zheng over.

Madam Zheng came quickly, thinking that Lu Shen and his mother were causing trouble again.

Seeing that Fang Jinxiu was unharmed, she breathed a sigh of relief.

But her face still carried a look of worry.

"Jinxiu, what's the matter?"

Fang Jinxiu said uneasily, "Mother, I heard that Wang Fuzhen is now controlling the Lu family and has almost emptied it out."

Madam Zheng thought for a moment and nodded, saying, "I've heard something about that too. She has taken over the profitable businesses of the Lu family and transferred them to the Wang family."

"Is that really true?"

Fang Jinxiu was both angry and anxious. "How can this be allowed? If she empties out the Lu family, what will Ning'er and Huan'er eat and drink?"

Madam Zheng held her hand and said, "Why are you in such a hurry? Let them fight like dogs."

"Wang Fuzhen has no son, so the things of the Lu family belong to Ning'er and Huan'er. How can I not be anxious? I am their mother. I have to help them hold on to the Lu family's things."

Madam Zheng frowned slightly, thinking that what Wang Fuzhen did was quite disgusting.

But recently, the Wang family had been acting unusually high-profile, and a few days ago, there had been consecutive funerals at Prince Zhong's Mansion, but the Loyal King's Consort hadn't shown up, which wasn't normal.

She had a vague sense that something wasn't right.

She didn't know exactly what was off, but her sharp political instincts told her to stay away from the Wang family's affairs.

"Even if you're in a hurry, it's not our turn to be anxious. Don't worry, with Lu Shen and his mother there."

"What use are they? I heard that Wang Fuzhen even withholds their monthly allowance, and when Lu Shen went to reason with her, she beat him up and threatened to dismiss him."

Madam Zheng: "..."

She looked at Fang Jinxiu with a cold expression.

Fang Jinxiu was completely unaware and continued to babble.

Saying that she had to go back, otherwise the Lu family would be emptied out by Wang Fuzhen, and as a mother, she couldn't just think of herself, she had to fight for her children.

Madam Zheng looked at her coldly, "Jinxiu, have you seen them?"

Fang Jinxiu was startled and looked up at Madam Zheng.

Seeing her bad expression, she quickly shook her head, "No, mother, I haven't seen them. You told me not to see them, so I didn't."

"How do you know these things?"

"This..." Fang Jinxiu said softly, "The maid who came in to feed the baby said so."

Madam Zheng gasped inwardly.

She thought, good for you, Lu Shen, you're quite cunning, actually using the maid to send a message.

"Don't believe them. They just want you to go back so they can use you as a tool."

"I know, whether they use me as a tool or not, it's all for Ning'er and Huan'er."

Madam Zheng frowned and looked at her.

How would she fight Wang Fuzhen when she went back? It would just force her to act.

"Mother, please let me go." Fang Jinxiu shook Madam Zheng's arm, pleading.

Madam Zheng calmly pushed her arm away and said, "I've said before that if you want to go back, you can go back anytime. But if you go back, no matter what happens in the Lu family, I won't interfere with you again."

This time, she pushed her away decisively and said calmly, "I mean it this time. I've done everything I should and shouldn't have for you. I've done my part and have been fair to you. It's up to you now."

After saying that, Madam Zheng didn't say anything more and left.

Fang Jinxiu was left stunned.

She naturally understood that if she went back without the support of her adoptive mother, she would be nothing, even more so than Lu Shen and his mother.

Even more so than how Wang Fuzhen bullied her.

So she couldn't go back without her adoptive mother's approval.

She couldn't afford to lose both the Lu family's and the Zheng family's support.

"Miss, it seems that Madam is very angry. Should we just let it go?"

Fang Jinxiu smiled bitterly, "Let it go? What can that good-for-nothing Lu Shen protect? Wang Fuzhen, that bitch, will empty out the Lu family sooner or later."

"There's nothing we can do about it. If Madam doesn't step in, going back won't help you."

"That's true." Fang Jinxiu sighed deeply.

After a moment of thought, she continued, "Forget it, let's wait and see. Xia Lian, you shouldn't waste your time here with me every day. Go out and gather some information for me."

"Yes."

She thought that if there was really no other way, she would have to go back to the Lu family.

She couldn't just stand by and watch Wang Fuzhen, that despicable woman, strip the Lu family bare. She had to gamble on the affection her adoptive mother had for her.

In a last resort, if she returned to the Lu family, her adoptive mother wouldn't really ignore her.

Fang Jinxiu made up her mind and had the maidservant check on the situation at the Lu family every day.

Xia Lian had spent some time at the Lu family as well, as she was the chief maidservant by her side, and was relatively well-liked.

Moreover, there were still some servants Fang Jinxiu had brought to the Lu family, so it wasn't too difficult for her to gather information about the Lu family.

One day, Xia Lian hurried back with news.

"Miss, something's wrong. Wang Fuzhen is planning to divorce Lu Shen."

Fang Jinxiu's heart skipped a beat. "Has she already stripped the Lu family bare?"

"No, I heard some things are still left."

"How much is left?"

Xia Lian: "..." Isn't the point that Wang Fuzhen and Lu Shen are getting a divorce?

"I... I don't know."

Fang Jinxiu cursed, "Useless thing, can't even handle such a small task properly."

Xia Lian: "..." If you're capable, go find out yourself.

"Has the divorce been finalized?"

Xia Lian shook her head.

Fang Jinxiu continued, "Tell Lu Shen not to agree. He should divorce her instead. Since Wang Fuzhen hasn't given birth in three years, this way she won't be able to take her dowry with her."

Xia Lian, speechless, said, "Wang Fuzhen also plans to divorce Lu Shen."

"What?" Is she just talking, or is this for real?

"How can a woman divorce her husband?"

"It hasn't happened before, but it might now. Because Wang Fuzhen has evidence that Lu Shen is incapable, she plans to divorce him for failing to produce an heir in three years."

Fang Jinxiu: "..."

"This is ridiculous. How could this be possible? Who allowed her to do this?"

"No one agrees."

"Then that's settled, right?"

"But Wang Fuzhen has reported it to the authorities, requesting the officials to investigate who, between the two of them, is incapable of producing an heir."

"Ha, how absurd. Which government office would even accept such a case?"

"The Capital prefecture office has accepted it."

Fang Jinxiu: "..."

"Now the authorities are gathering evidence to determine which one of them is incapable. I heard... I heard..." Xia Lian hesitated.

Fang Jinxiu angrily said, "Speak up."