Chapter 575: The Maiden Family Won’t Come to Help

Chapter 575: The Maiden Family Won't Come to Help

Thinking of this, Lu Shen's face turned green.

"This is all your fault, you jinx. If you weren't at odds with the Empress, would she have sought revenge on you? She took revenge on you through me. You, jinx, have harmed our entire family."

Fang Jinxiu stared at him in disbelief. "What did you say? You're blaming me?"

"Isn't it the truth? Sanbao has already made it clear; they’re after you."

"You... you're spouting nonsense." Fang Jinxiu, coming from her background, wouldn't normally dare to utter such words, but she was pushed to the edge.

She said, "My third brother didn't leave because of a demotion, okay? Sanbao, don't just listen to a few words and spread nonsense."

Madam Lu, frowning, said, "If it wasn't because of a demotion, then why did he leave?"

"Because it was his choice; he requested to be assigned to Yazhou."

"Ha, that's hilarious. Do you take us for fools, Fang Jinxiu? Everyone knows staying in the capital offers a brighter future. Which capital official would willingly request exile to Yazhou? We're talking about Yazhou here."

Fang Jinxiu gritted her teeth and said, "It's because he married Wang Fuzhen. Staying in the capital, he couldn't live peacefully with Wang Fuzhen without being ridiculed, so he requested a transfer. He wanted to take Wang Fuzhen to the farthest corners of the earth, away from the capital, where no noble families knew them."

Everyone was stunned.

Lu Shen couldn't believe it and said, "Zheng Hongxu gave up his bright future for Wang Fuzhen and went to Yazhou?"

"Yes," Fang Jinxiu said with a bitter smile, "I didn't expect it either. My third brother treated Wang Fuzhen so well."

She was envious.

Then Fang Jinxiu stared at Lu Shen and said, "You're unlucky because you married Wang Fuzhen. It's the hatred of a wife being taken. He works in the Ministry of Punishments; if not you, who else would he target?"

Lu Shen: "..."

"You're the one spouting nonsense. We're in such a miserable state because you opposed the Empress, and she's taking revenge on you."

"No, it's because you married Wang Fuzhen."

The two started arguing, blaming each other for their misfortune.

"Enough," Madam Lu shouted, silencing them. "I don't believe either of you. I’ll find out for myself tomorrow."

Only then did they stop.

Fang Erya and Fang Sanbao didn't leave either; they didn't dare to mention searching Fang Erya's body anymore.

Madam Lu became much more courteous to the siblings, truly fearing they might leave.

They were all accustomed to a life of luxury; none of them knew how to cook. They would be in serious trouble if left to fend for themselves.

The next day, Madam Lu went to the city to investigate.

On a sweltering day, she wrapped herself up tightly, fearful of being recognized by acquaintances.

The information she gathered suggested, after some deduction, that it was indeed possible Zheng Hongxu left due to Wang Fuzhen.

Because Wang Fuzhen had also vanished, and she left on the same day as Zheng Hongxu.

Madam Lu returned with a mix of emotions.

"Mother, how did it go?" Lu Shen asked.

Madam Lu said, "Jinxiou might be right. Wang Fuzhen sold everything she could and has already left the capital, on the same day as Zheng Hongxu."

Lu Shen was puzzled now.

Zheng Hongxu actually went to such lengths for Wang Fuzhen. Could it be that his troubles were indeed caused by offending Wang Fuzhen?

Now, he and Fang Jinxiou no longer argued because neither could determine whose fault it was.

Days passed like this, and their money ran out. Lu Shen couldn't even afford medicine and had to go to the countryside to find barefoot doctors for some topical medicine.

They could no longer afford good food and had to cook porridge with wild vegetables every day.

It was clear that they were all losing weight.

At night, Fang Erya helped Lu Shen wash his body. Seeing his improvement, she knew her departure was imminent.

Lu Shen sensed it too and that night, he held Fang Erya's hand and said, "Can you stay? Among all the women, you have been the best to me."

Fang Erya didn't answer and instead changed the subject, "Tomorrow, I'll go help someone with laundry. We can earn some money to buy more ointment for your wound. The doctor said your injury needs careful nurturing; otherwise, it will hurt during windy and rainy days."

Lu Shen choked up, unable to stop sighing.

"Things will get better. My uncle will definitely come to help us."

They waited anxiously, but after two months, no one came.

Until two months later, Madam Lu received a letter.

She eagerly opened it, but her heart sank when she read the contents.

The letter was from her sister-in-law, stating that her brother-in-law had passed away and they could not help.

Her brother-in-law had passed away, so how could she expect help from her sister-in-law?

With the last hope shattered, Madam Lu collapsed, wailing in grief.

Lu Shen hobbled over with his cane, picked up the letter, and after reading it, had the same expression, on the verge of tears.

"How could this be? How did Uncle die?"

"Waa, my brother passed away three months ago."

Lu Shen was truly panicked now, "Mother, what do we do now?"

"I don't know, I truly don't know."

It was over; everything was ruined.

Fang Sanbao gave Fang Erya a subtle signal, but she pretended not to notice and ignored him.

Fang Jinxiou's mind raced.

Realizing that Lu Shen and his mother were completely unreliable, she didn't want to waste any more time on them.

She needed to leave, taking the two children with her.

If she could take them, great; if not, it was still acceptable.

She suddenly remembered the path her adoptive mother had arranged for her, saying that they would send her to the countryside to recover from her illness and then find a good man to marry there.

At that time, it hadn’t seemed ideal to her.

But now, such an arrangement seemed like a viable option.

The next day, Fang Jinxiu returned to the city, insistent on seeing Madam Zheng.

However, this time Madam Zheng was genuinely ill and unable to meet her.

Lady Ye had her forcibly removed.

Ultimately, she returned, sobbing, with an injured leg.

They guessed that she had been beaten when trying to see Madam Zheng, and everyone remained silent, sighing repeatedly.

Fang Erya brought medicine for her to apply, but she defiantly said, “I’ll go again tomorrow. I don’t believe Lady Ye can get away with everything.”

Lu Shen said sarcastically, “Yeah, right, only you would fall for such a story about her being ‘sick.’ What kind of illness could last so long? I remember when I had my accident, Madam Zheng claimed she was sick and couldn’t see me. She simply doesn’t want you anymore; her illness is just an excuse. It’s likely that Lady Ye beat you on Madam Zheng’s orders.”

Madam Zheng had been her last hope, and now that Madam Zheng didn’t want her anymore, it felt like the final straw that broke her.

Fang Jinxiu refused to accept it, saying, “No, that can’t be true. My mother loves me the most and wouldn’t abandon me like this.”

Everyone else dismissed her words.

Whether it was a genuine illness or just an excuse, deep down, she knew the truth; she was just fooling herself.

The next day, she went again and was once more humiliated by Lady Ye, who threatened to break her legs if she dared to come again.

This time, Madam Zheng was not left in the dark. She asked Lady Luo about Fang Jinxiu and learned about everything that had transpired during the days she had deliberately avoided her.