Chapter 261: Oh, So Many People

Chapter 261: Wow, So Many People

Including the Yongning Marquis and his wife.

Including Grandee Feng, a physician with years of experience.

The Marchioness of Yongning immediately dismissed all the servants from Bihua Courtyard (a residence in the estate).

An embroidered shoe, folded in half, was crammed into Qiu Shi’s mouth.

Qiu Shi’s mouth was very, very small, while the folded shoe was thick and large. It had torn the corners of her lips, leaving a long, thin crack from which blood continuously dripped, drenching the embroidered shoe in blood and obscuring its original color.

Her cheeks were grotesquely swollen, like two abrupt mountain peaks, bruised with countless slap marks.

Looking at her face, no one could recall that Qiu Shi had once been a pretty, gentle girl.

Where her clothes were torn, the exposed skin revealed a web of needle pricks, some still oozing blood.

During a fleeting moment of consciousness, Qiu Shi mustered all her strength to turn over, revealing the words carved into her back.

The fire in Lanxi Courtyard had erupted suddenly, and Lu Minghui had only managed to embroider the words "Lu Mingchao" before, seemingly dissatisfied, she hacked at them with scissors and started anew.

On her thin, pale back, the flesh was mangled and swollen, with not a single patch of clean, unbroken skin left.

The Marchioness of Yongning went pale and gagged repeatedly.

The Yongning Marquis wasn’t doing much better.

Was this his own daughter’s doing?

The daughter he had kept after driving Mingchao away?

His fingers trembling, the Yongning Marquis could bear it no longer and slapped Lu Minghui across the face.

"You vile woman!"

"You monster!"

This slap carried the Marquis’ full strength, sending Lu Minghui reeling. With a thud, she staggered and fell to the ground.

At that moment, Lu Minghui felt only confusion, her vision blurred with stars, her ears ringing as if swarmed by countless buzzing insects.

"Please, Enfeoffed Female Physician, do everything you can to save her. I will spare no expense to procure whatever medicines are needed."

"Your service is appreciated."

Suppressing his rage, the Yongning Marquis spoke in a low voice.

The Enfeoffed Female Physician replied indifferently, "A doctor’s duty is to save lives."

"Marquis, rest assured, this humble physician will do her best."

Her best.

Just doing her part and leaving the rest to heaven.

"Miss Qiu Shi is covered in wounds. No one else should stay while this humble physician removes all her clothing for treatment."

The Enfeoffed Female Physician asked them to leave.

The Yongning Marquis spoke again, "Thank you for your help, Enfeoffed Female Physician."

Most noblewomen from wealthy households sought the Enfeoffed Female Physician for treatment and medicine. Over time, she had gained extensive connections.

Knowing the scandal of the marquis's household, neither threats nor bribes would work on her.

The only option was to make her position clear.

This matter began in Lanxi Courtyard, so it should end there.

No matter the truth, he knew nothing, and neither did his wife.

The Yongning Marquis's household remained spotless!

The Enfeoffed Female Physician nodded without a word.

The room was now empty, leaving only the Enfeoffed Female Physician and Qiu Shi.

Slowly, the Enfeoffed Female Physician removed the shoe gagging Qiu Shi. As she stopped the bleeding, applied medicine, and bandaged the wounds, she asked, "Miss Qiu Shi, do you understand your condition?"

Qiu Shi closed her eyes, her voice was hoarse and weak, barely audible. "I won’t live much longer, right?"

The Enfeoffed Female Physician paused, her heart sank like a stone.

She had always known that behind their glittering appearances lay rot and filth.

But she never imagined that the seemingly delicate Miss Lu could be so vicious, cruel, and completely unhinged.

She had seen scholars paint on people's backs with brushes, seen human skin flayed to make drums—but never someone who used needles just to torture someone.

The silver needles buried in her body were even more horrifying.

If not for this strange fire, if not for the marquis's heir summoning her, Qiu Shi might have died without justice.

"Enfeoffed Female Physician, don't bother trying to extend my life," Qiu Shi murmured softly. "If I'm given one more day, I’ll have no regrets."

In the front hall.

"Kneel." The Yongning Marquis's gaze was dark, his voice icy.

Lu Minghui, bruised and swollen, dropped dizzily to her knees, her heart pounding with fear.

"Lu Minghua, you kneel too."

The Yongning Marquis glared at Lu Minghua.

Lu Minghua stood his ground calmly. "Father, I don’t know what wrong I’ve committed."

"In good conscience—I’ve never betrayed the years of studying the sages’ teachings, nor the careful teachings of the Baopu Academy’s headmaster and masters. I’ve never betrayed my own heart."

"Does Father wish for his son to become a shameless, disgusting creature?"

The Yongning Marquis was breathing heavily, his finger trembling as he pointed at Lu Minghua. "Family matters should stay private!"

"Do you not realize that if word of today’s events spreads, the Yongning Marquis’s household will become the talk of the town among both nobles and commoners?"

"Our marquisate’s hundred-year reputation cannot be trampled like this! Once our name is tarnished, Minghui’s future will be ruined too."

"Minghui and Gu Huai’s wedding is just around the corner, yet you stir up such a scandal now. Are you trying to back her into a corner, even ruin her entire life?"

Lu Minghua didn’t bat an eye. "Father, do you know what else Lu Minghui has done?"

"Chun Hua."

"She force-fed Chun Hua animal sterilization drugs."

"Just because of her engagement to Gu Huai, you and Mother have repeatedly turned a blind eye, hoping she’d elevate the Marquisate’s standing."

"But do you truly believe the Duke’s estate would tolerate such a Future Duchess Consort?"

"Even if it’s concealed for a while, and she marries into the Duke’s estate by imperial decree, what then?"

"Gu Huai wants nothing to do with her, and she’s talentless, vicious, and downright cruel. Do you really think the Marquisate alone can secure her position as Duchess Consort?"

"That’s the Duke’s estate and the Wuxing Shen Clan!"

"Father, do you wish to forge an irreconcilable feud with the Duke’s estate, a fight to the death?"

"Father, break the mold to remake it."

The Yongning Marquis fell silent.

His mind was a storm of conflict.

He had to admit—for a split second upon seeing Qiu Shi’s horrific state—he genuinely wished Lu Minghui had died on her way to the capital for recognition.

If Lu Minghui had never been recognized, everything in the Marquisate would have remained intact.

He would still have had a pair of children to be proud of.

Minghua had a point. Marriage should unite, not divide.

Only if the Duke’s estate willingly consented could the Marquisate gain anything.

Rather than forcing it, it was better to go with the flow and reach a consensus with the Duke’s estate.

The truth was, Lu Minghui was simply too far gone.

Seeing the Yongning Marquis waver, Lu Minghua crawled over on hands and knees, clutching at his robes, bowing her head desperately. "Father, your daughter truly knows her wrongs now."

"Father, I’ll do whatever you say from now on."

"Please, give me one more chance, won’t you?"

"From now on, I’ll follow your every word."

All she wanted was to marry Gu Huai and live like Lu Mingchao did!

"Well, isn’t this a party."

A whip cracked sharply as the door was flung open.

"Does no one in Yongning Marquisate sleep, even in the dead of night?"

Princess Lerong stormed into the room, lantern in one hand and whip in the other.

She eyed Lu Minghui’s sorry state, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction.

"How pathetic."

"Look at this little face. What terrible offense has she committed?"

"Spill the tea so I can report back to my grandmother and give her a good chuckle too."

Yongning Marquis: ???

No!

Seriously? Who can tell him why Princess Lerong County is here in the middle of the night!

No one announced her—she strolled in like she owned the place.

Is Yongning Marquis’s residence some dump where anyone can waltz in?

Well, compared to Yongming Grand Princess’s estate, it is indeed pretty much a dump.

If a path is blocked, just lash your way through."