Chapter 565: Given Ninety Strokes of the Cane

Chapter 565: Given Ninety Strokes of the Cane

Fang Erya quickly brought out food to feed Lu Shen.

For days, he had been eating stale and dry steamed buns, unable to get enough to eat, leaving him famished.

The few simple dishes that Fang Erya brought seemed like a feast. Lu Shen quickly finished them all.

Fang Erya was deeply moved seeing how miserable he looked.

After finishing the food, Lu Shen asked again, "What about your sister? Has she tried to save me?"

Fang Erya nodded and replied truthfully, "She agreed with the old madam that she would go to Madam Zheng for help only after we are all sold off."

"Ah? So, were you sold off?"

"No, the old madam was compassionate and secretly allowed us to redeem our freedom. You had already given me a release letter earlier, so I’m not included. I have returned to my brother’s home."

Lu Shen had mixed feelings but finally cursed, "Your sister is still unreformed. Just wait, when this young master gets out, I’ll take you back."

In reality, Fang Erya didn’t want to go back anymore. Once the initial passion faded, he treated her no differently than the other women in the household. So, she had come to say goodbye and leave permanently, intending to return to her hometown.

However, seeing how miserable he looked, she couldn’t bring herself to say those words. Instead, she said, "We can discuss it once you’re free. Sir, you must take care of yourself! I have to go now."

"Alright, you should leave now. Wait for my return."

She didn’t know if he would be able to return, but after leaving, she discussed it with Fang Sanbao.

"Sanbao, let’s go back to our hometown."

Fang Sanbao, now a teenager taller than Fang Erya, replied, "Why go back? Isn’t the capital good?"

Fang Erya said, "You think it’s good because you have this house to live in and the monthly allowance that the young master provides. Now that the young master is in prison, without a place to live and no money, will you still think it’s good?"

"This… is brother-in-law not coming out?"

"I don't know, but you need to be prepared for this possibility. If something happens to Master, we'll have to beg on the streets."

Fang Sanbao had become used to a life of luxury in the capital and really didn't want to leave.

He didn't answer her immediately, deciding to wait and see.

...

Madam Zheng had steeled her resolve this time and still hadn't seen Fang Jinxiu.

The absence of her voice and tears had truly hardened her heart.

Lu Shen's case was finally judged. Lu Shen was stripped of his official rank, becoming a commoner, and their family's assets were confiscated, leaving only the empty shell of the Lu family mansion and a few shops and two estates that had been ransacked by Wang Fuzhen.

It wouldn't be easy to turn these into cash. The estates only yielded income once a year, and the shops were doing poorly, with no working capital, facing closure or being sold.

But this was their only source of livelihood; how could they sell it? Selling it would be like killing the goose that lays the golden eggs, wouldn't it?

Moreover, Lu Shen had been beaten, ninety strokes inflicted, and he was barely clinging to his last breath.

Madam Lu had sold her jewelry to hire a doctor to tend to Lu Shen's injuries, but after examining him, the doctor could only shake his head.

Madam Lu's face turned pale. "Doctor, what does this mean? Please don't just shake your head."

"Sigh!" The doctor let out a long sigh. "The injuries are too severe. I have little hope of bringing him back to health."

"Ah? You can't say such things. You need to think of a way. Our Lu family has always treated you well."

"Ah, Old Madam, even if you didn't mention this, with the friendship between me and the late Master, I would do my utmost to save him. But the injuries are too severe, and I cannot do much more."

"Then… are you saying Shen Er is beyond saving?"

"No, no, it's not certain that he will die. We still need to observe. I'll prescribe some old ginseng for you. Boil it into a soup for him to drink; it can keep him alive. You should have someone watch over him tonight to ensure he makes it through. If he survives the night, there might still be hope."

"Yes, yes, I won't sleep tonight; I'll watch over him myself. The ginseng…?"

"Send someone to my house to get it later."

"Thank you, Doctor."

After the doctor left, Madam Lu turned to Fang Jinxiu, saying, "Jinxiu, you and I will keep vigil tonight over Shen Er."

Keep vigil over Lu Shen?

Ha ha!

He has nothing left, why bother keeping vigil over him? He might as well be dead, which would save us some silver.

Fang Jinxiu said, "Mother, you stay up tonight, and I'll watch him during the day tomorrow. If we both stay up, how will we manage during the day? Besides, Ning'er and Huan'er still need someone to take care of them."

"Don't we have servants? Tonight is crucial for Lu Shen."

Fang Jinxiu said, "I've already sold or dismissed all the servants we could afford to lose. I only kept Xia Lian by my side and an old woman who cooks in the kitchen."

"What? What about the servants by my side?"

"I sold all of them."

"What? When did you sell them, and why didn't you tell me?"

Fang Jinxiu calmly replied, "When Lu Shen's verdict came down, I arranged to sell them. Just now, the slave traders took them away."

Madam Lu was fuming, "Such a major decision, and you didn't consult me?"

"You were preoccupied with Lu Shen's situation. I didn't want to disturb you. Besides, what else could we do? Given our financial state, how could we afford to keep so many servants?"

Madam Lu was so angry she nearly fainted, yet she could do nothing.

"Then the silver? Give me the silver so I can send someone to buy the old ginseng."

Fang Jinxiu gripped her purse tightly, "I can't give you the silver; it's needed to raise your two grandsons."

Madam Lu wailed, "Oh, what a sin! The man is about to die, and you won't even spend the money to save him. Instead, you're saving it for the grandchildren."

Fang Jinxiu said, "Didn't you hear the doctor? Lu Shen probably won't make it this time. Even eating ginseng might not save him. Ginseng isn't cheap, and with our situation, we can't afford to waste silver like this."

Madam Lu was almost dying from anger.

"Oh heavens, open your eyes! What kind of people are these? Can silver be more important than a human life?"

No matter what was said, Fang Jinxiu would not take out the silver.

There was hardly any silver left in the household, and she had to hold onto it tightly.

Madam Lu had no choice but to remove the bracelet from her wrist and personally go to the doctor’s house to fetch the ginseng.

She then went to the kitchen and personally supervised the only cook to prepare the ginseng soup, which she then gave to Lu Shen to drink.

"My son, you must pull through. If you don’t, this family will truly be ruined."

Though Lu Shen lay still like a dead pig, his mind was clear, and he clearly heard what Fang Jinxiu had said.

This heartless woman actually refused to spend silver to save his life.

That silver wasn’t hers; it was obtained from selling the Lu family’s servants. On what grounds did she do this?

All this talk about her being blessed and bringing prosperity to the family—it was all lies.

In his eyes, the family’s misfortune was all due to this wretched woman.

With intense hatred and resentment, Lu Shen clung to life.