Chapter 44

Chapter 44

Wen Zhi clearly did not welcome them, her face cold as she asked, "Why are you here?"

Wen Xiaowen, however, paid no mind. The moment he saw Mu Mu, he broke free from Zhou Li's grip and ran over excitedly, calling out cheerfully, "Mu Mu, Xiao Xiao, Sen Sen! I finally get to see you again!"

Yet Mu Mu stood frozen in place, staring wide-eyed at Lu Xun. Panic flickered in his eyes as he quickly dodged behind Wen Zhi, his small voice trembling, "Mom... Father... Father..."

*Why was His Majesty here?*

*Had he come to kill him?*

Wen Zhi set down the cake knife and patted his head, turning to Lin Jiyao. "Ji Yao, could you look after Mu Mu for a bit?"

Lin Jiyao, flattered, quickly stepped forward and pulled Mu Mu to his side.

Lu Xun’s gaze swept over Mu Mu before locking onto Lin Jiyao with deadly intensity: *This pale-faced upstart actually dared to spread rumors about my beloved consort.*

And that Yun Songzhang next to her, acting all cozy and clingy with her.

*Splendid. Just what I'd expect from Noble Consort Wen.* How many affairs had she collected in such a short time in the modern world?

Sooner or later, he would eliminate these two and properly reeducate his consort.

The little fatty, seeing no one paying him any attention, stood there fidgeting, unsure what to do. Sensing the tense atmosphere, he also inched closer to Lin Jiyao.

The garden fell into abrupt silence as all the guests' eyes shifted between Wen Zhi and the Wen family’s second branch.

Wen Jinyuan, hands in his pockets, took two steps forward and said mockingly to Wen Zhi across the massive cake, "Your uncle wasn’t exactly eager to come either, but after inviting you and President Yun to the company’s shareholders' meeting multiple times with no response, I had no choice but to come to the family estate."

*A ripple of whispers went through the crowd,* while those in the know silently sipped their drinks.

Yun Songzhang stepped forward and reached out to pull Wen Jinyuan aside. "Vice President Wen, today is Xiao Zhi’s birthday. Whatever business matters there are, let’s discuss them at the company tomorrow, alright?"

Wen Jinyuan shoved him away hard, glaring sideways. "This is a Wen family matter—who the hell are you? Calling her so affectionately—are you bewitched, trying to be a stepfather?"

Whispers erupted around them.

Yun Songzhang’s expression darkened. "Vice President Wen, watch your words!"

The Wen family, a century-old dynasty, how could it produce such a disgrace like Wen Jinyuan?

No wonder the Old Master wrote him off—despite being his son, he was only given a mere 10% of Wen Corporation’s shares as a dismissal.

Wen Zhi snapped. "Why waste words? Security, throw them out!"

At her command, two bodyguards rushed forward. Wen Jinyuan, startled, retreated behind Lu Xun. Prepared this time, Lu Xun swiftly disabled the two burly guards with one hand.

Last time, he had been caught off guard by Wen Zhi’s taser—otherwise, a few bodyguards would never have been a match for him.

The crowd gasped as their attention finally fixed on Lu Xun’s commanding presence.

"Miss Wen," Lu Xun began, "we’re here to inform you that Wen Corporation’s CEO will be removed—not to fight. If you refuse to listen, we’ll have no choice but to proceed through legal channels to appoint a new CEO." According to regulations, if shareholders were dissatisfied with the CEO, they could petition for removal. With a majority vote at the shareholders' meeting, they could directly replace the CEO. If Wen Zhi and Yun Songzhang refused to engage, they would simply send lawyers to enforce the change.

Wen Zhi gave him a withering look. "What nonsense are you spouting? Wen Jinyuan and Wen Bingchun’s shares combined only make up 15%. Replace the CEO just like that? Do you take me for a decoration?"

Lu Xun's eyes flashed with open triumph as he took a stack of documents from Wen Bingchun and handed them to Wen Zhi.

"I regret to inform you, but the other shareholders of Wen Corporation have sold their shares to me. I now hold 40%, and with your uncle and Bingchun’s 15%, that makes 55%. By the rules, we have the authority to remove the CEO." As he spoke, he flashed the signed transfer documents for all to see.

The guests buzzed louder: Is this man really Wen Jinyuan's son-in-law? When did Wen Jinyuan get such a formidable son-in-law, who could seize Wen Corp so quickly?

Wen Zhi’s gaze swept across the crowd. The shareholders of Wen Corporation looked away, ashamed.

Wen Jinyuan and Zhou Li wore smug expressions, while Wen Bingchun stood slightly behind them, her lips twisted in a cold smirk as she stared at them.

Wen Zhi turned back to Lu Xun, her eyelashes fluttering—a nervous tell.

Lu Xun felt a surge of vengeful satisfaction as he glanced at Yun Songzhang. "President Yun, it's time to step down. Go pack up your desk later."

Wen Zhi raised her voice sharply: "Move for whom? For you? You think you can be the president of Wen Corporation?"

*Why not?* Lu Xun said arrogantly. "I was once an emperor—everything in this world should rightfully be mine."

This was just the beginning. After securing Wen Corporation, he would expand his empire further, then break the pride of his imperial consort and clip her wings. He would hold her firmly in his grasp and eradicate every weed around her.

Wherever his consort was, she belonged to him.

"Why not? Do you think you're some kind of God emperor?" Wen Zhi turned to Wen Jinyuan, mocking him. "Uncle, your son-in-law has quite the ambition. Aren’t you afraid he’ll swallow Wen Corporation whole and kick you out too?"

Wen Jinyuan chuckled. "Stop trying to pit us against each other. No one is as ruthless as you."

Watching them go at each other like dogs was somewhat disappointing.

Wen Zhi also smiled, throwing Lu Xun and the Wen couple off.

Lu Xun frowned. "What are you laughing at?"

"You’re *so* full of yourself!" Wen Zhi said with a snort. "Do you think this is ancient times, where you can dominate everything? Modern business warfare is all about backstabbing. How much have you learned in just a few days? Have you even studied corporate law? Do you know what stock fraud is? Where did a nobody like you get the money to buy shares? Did you borrow from loan sharks?"

"Playing with loan sharks isn’t fun. You might end up with broken limbs or stabbed in an alley!"

Lu Xun’s expression darkened. "What do you mean?"

Wen Zhi blinked, flashing a stunning smile. "You should know exactly what I mean. Did you think just because Yun Songzhang and I weren’t at the company, you could do whatever you wanted? Cooking the books with Vice President Wen, conning shareholders into selling their stakes under the pretense of bankruptcy, and resorting to violent threats against those who resisted? You’re already guilty of stock fraud and assault."

Fraud? Assault?

Since arriving in this era, Lu Xun had crammed nonstop, believing he had learned much. But hearing Wen Zhi’s accusations, he couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

Still, he maintained a tough front. "All the shareholders signed willingly. What proof do you have that I used illegal means to coerce them?"

"Proof?" Wen Zhi nodded at Yun Songzhang, who spoke a few words into his earpiece.

Soon, employees from the finance, marketing, and tech departments—all of whom Lu Xun had approached—appeared. Secretary Xia also arrived with a thick stack of photos and documents.

Wen Zhi took the photos and showed them off in front of the guests. "These are photos of you threatening directors who refused to sell their shares." She then pulled out a file. "Here’s the falsified financial report showing company losses, along with evidence of you and Vice President Wen embezzling funds from overseas projects, causing significant damage to the company."

An employee stepped forward. "Manager Lu instructed me to cook the books and steal the company stamp. I knew it was wrong—I could’ve ended up in jail. But President Yun has always treated me well, and my conscience wouldn’t let me stay silent, so I reported it."

A tech employee added, "Manager Lu had me sabotage an overseas project and delay reports to keep the tech team occupied, all to divert President Yun’s attention."

A marketing employee followed up: "Manager Lu also demanded a client list from me and tanked deals on purpose to create the illusion of instability for the shareholders."

Wen Zhi stared at him mockingly. "Want *more* proof?" There isn’t any evidence that isn’t for sale.

Did he think this was his little harem fantasy, where women lived solely for him, eager to die for him? In the modern world, temptations were everywhere—promotions, raises—all way hotter than his sorry ass.

The entire scheme was completely underestimated by the so-called 'Dog Emperor' and Wen Jinyuan regarding Yun Songzhang's authority in the company.

Onlookers pointed fingers at Lu Xun.

Lu Xun's mind raced: He had been extremely careful when approaching these people—there couldn’t possibly have been any surveillance around. The forged accounts had been destroyed immediately, so where did Wen Zhi get these from?

He stared at her as if she were a stranger: His beloved had always been fragile and naive, someone who needed his protection when framed.

How could she have orchestrated such a meticulous plan to trap him?

It must be Yun Songzhang—it must have been his idea.

Lu Xun remained unfazed: "These are just photos. How can they prove the shareholders weren’t acting voluntarily? These women might’ve come onto me and, failing that, deliberately framed me. Regardless, the share transfer agreements were signed by the shareholders. It’s possible they regretted it afterward and are now falsely accusing me. These shares are already under my name—President Yun should gracefully resign from his position."

Wen Zhi: "If photos aren’t enough, how about audio evidence?"

Lu Xun frowned: "What audio evidence?"

As soon as he spoke, Wen Bingchun, who had been standing behind Wen Jinyuan, stepped forward. She walked past him and took her place beside Wen Zhi, then took out a voice recorder and pressed play.

The recording featured two voices—hers and Lu Xun’s—clearly discussing their plot to take over the Wen family’s company.

Lu Xun’s face darkened instantly, blazing with rage as he glared at Wen Bingchun.

Wen Jinyuan and Zhou Li were so enraged they nearly lunged at their backstabbing daughter, but seeing the situation was hopeless, they quickly tried to distance themselves: "Xiao Zhi, it was all Lu Xun’s doing—he tricked me! I wasn’t involved!" Whether it was the share acquisitions or embezzling company funds, Lu Xun had been the one handling everything. He had long prepared a backup plan—even if someone accused him, without concrete evidence, he could pin it all on Lu Xun.

Wen Bingchun pulled out another recorder from her pocket and sneered, "Don’t worry, Dad. I’ve got yours too."

She pressed play, and the recording revealed a conversation between Wen Jinyuan and Lu Xun.

Wen Jinyuan’s face turned deathly pale as he pointed at her and roared, "You ungrateful wretch! I should’ve smothered you as a baby! How dare you team up with Wen Zhi to ruin me! Have you gone insane?!"

Wen Bingchun clenched her teeth: "I’ve been a fool all these years, begging for your and Mom’s love. I’d rather you had killed me at birth than let me live in such misery. Now, I want you to taste what it’s like to be despised and left with nothing!"

Having died once, she saw everything clearly now.

Zhou Li rushed at her, screaming, "You [expletive]! I’ll kill you today!"

Outside the villa, sirens wailed. Zhou Li froze in terror, and the crowd in the courtyard scattered in panic. A group of officers marched straight into the mansion, shouting, "Who are Wen Jinyuan, Zhou Li, and Lu Xun? We’ve received reports of threats, intimidation, and securities fraud. You’re coming with us to the station."

Zhou Li panicked, clutching Wen Jinyuan and sobbing, "Honey, what now?! Are we going to jail? If the fraud amount is too high, will we never get out?!"

Lu Xun’s face paled as he glared at Wen Zhi, teeth gritted: "You called the police?"

Wen Zhi smiled, her expression shifting from that of a delicate dodder vine to a poisonous carnivorous bloom.

"You really hate me that much?" After all, he had mourned his lost love.

Wen Zhi: "Stop wasting words!" She’d happily rip him to shreds if she could.

As the police restrained Wen Jinyuan and Zhou Li, Lu Xun suddenly snapped. He shoved Wen Bingchun aside and lunged for Wen Zhi’s throat.

Mu Mu, who had been held back by Lin Jiyao, widened his dark eyes and, without hesitation, slammed into Lu Xun’s side. Caught off guard, Lu Xun staggered and crashed into the massive wedding cake. The cake stand wobbled, sliding backward—with no support, Lu Xun fell hard to the ground. The cake teetered for a moment before toppling onto him.

In an instant, he was drenched in cake, unable to even open his eyes.

The police shouted and moved to apprehend him. He wiped his face, lurched up, and brawled with them.

The scene descended into chaos. Wen Zhi shielded Mu Mu as they retreated, and the guests fled in terror. No one had expected Lu Xun to be so formidable—even a dozen officers couldn’t subdue him. Somehow, he broke through and escaped.

Just as he was about to climb over the estate's wall, the lead cop drew his gun and shouted, "Freeze, or I shoot!"

But Lu Xun acted like he didn’t hear a damn thing, hauling himself over the wall in seconds.

The cop muttered a curse and took a shot at his heel. Lu Xun staggered but jumped down anyway and fled.

The cop grumbled, "Shit, this guy’s crazy—doesn’t even flinch at gunfire?"

In truth, it wasn’t that he didn’t dodge—Lu Xun simply didn’t even register what a gun was.

"Why bolt? Worst-case, it’s just prison for the fraud." This escape only made things worse.

To be fair, Lu Xun’s reaction wasn’t entirely unwarranted—his instincts were still stuck in the past. If someone came for him, he naturally had to flee. His fighter’s pride wouldn’t let him go down without a fight.

With the chaos, the party was over. Guests bid farewell to Wen Zhi and hurriedly left.

Wen Jinyuan and Zhou Li were now truly panicked, pleading with the cops to cut them loose. When the police remained unmoved, they started cursing Wen Bingchun.

Wen Bingchun said coldly, "You’ll just do time, that’s all."

Enraged, Wen Jinyuan and Zhou Li wanted to wring her neck.

Wen Xiaowen, seeing his parents being taken away, panicked and ran over to cling to Wen Jinyuan’s leg, his chubby face streaked with tears. "Officer, please don’t take my mom and dad away! If you take them, I won’t have parents anymore!"

The child’s pitiful sobs moved the officer, who picked him up to comfort him. "Buddy, your parents made a mistake. We’re just taking them in to straighten them out. Once they learn, we’ll let them out."

Wen Xiaowen sniffled. "R-really?"

The officer nodded. "Cops don’t lie, kid."

Wen Xiaowen blinked his teary eyes. "Then… when will you finish teaching them?"

The officer replied, "That depends on how quickly they improve."

Finally calming down, Wen Xiaowen walked up to Wen Jinyuan and gave him a stern, disappointed look. "I told you guys to be better before, but you wouldn’t listen. Now you have to listen to the policemen, okay? Try to come home soon."

Wen Jinyuan thought: What the hell did I raise?!

Both his kids were useless!

As the two were led away, the police captain approached Wen Zhi. "Miss Wen, that Lu Xun escaped. You and your family should be careful. We’ll hunt him down and bring him to trial."

Wen Zhi expressed sincere gratitude. "I’ll compile all the evidence of their crimes and submit it to the court."

The captain nodded before leaving in the police car.

In the garden, Butler Zhong and the servants cleaned up the mess, sighing. "Such a nice birthday party ruined. Thank god the young lady had the sense not to break out the good booze."

Yun Songzhang walked over to Wen Zhi. "Should I throw you a proper birthday do-over?"

Wen Zhi shook her head. "No need. I never wanted a party anyway." She took a deep breath. "Will the embezzled funds and fraud amount to a life sentence?"

Yun Songzhang replied, "Lu Xun is the main culprit, and with assaulting officers and fleeing, he’ll likely get it. Your uncle, as an accomplice, probably won’t, and your aunt’s sentence will be lighter."

As long as that bastard DogEmperor rots.

Wen Zhi smiled apologetically at Liu Yiru and Lin Jiyao. "Sorry for making you come all this way for nothing."

Liu Yiru chuckled. "Not at all. Your family’s theatrics were gold for my craft. Anyway, I’ve got a flight to catch." She ruffled Sen Sen’s head, telling him to be good.

Wen Zhi quickly said, "No need to catch a flight. My family has a private jet. I'll have it fly you and Ji Yao."

After Liu Yiru, Lin Jiyao, and Xiao Xiao left, the estate was nearly empty.

Wen Xiaowen stood in the yard, suddenly unsure of what to do. Now that his parents were gone, he was terrified. He kept glancing at Wen Bingchun, his lips pressed into a thin line as he remained silent.

Wen Bingchun walked over and took his hand. "Come on, you'll live with me from now on."

Wen Xiaowen couldn't hold back his tears, wiping them away as he followed her.

Wen Zhi turned to Chen Yuyao. "Will Lu Xun contact you?"

Chen Yuyao shrugged. "Who knows? It’s not like he can run forever. He borrowed so much from loan sharks—they’ll dig him up." Those people were experts at tracking someone down, even if they were buried underground.

"If you're that worried, go guard his little apartment. The imperial robe is still hidden there. He’d never leave it behind." Back when he was pawning his belongings for cash, she had suggested selling the robe.

Lu Xun had refused outright.

That robe was his last claim to nobility in this modern world.

Selling it would mean abandoning his identity.

So no matter what, he would come back for it.

Wen Zhi gave a curt nod. "What’s the address of his apartment?"

Chen Yuyao replied, "Sent it to your phone. Watch your back these days."

Wen Zhi smirked. "Relax. I’ve added another hundred bodyguards, ten guard dogs, and police protection. If Lu Xun’s dumb enough to show up, he won’t stand a chance."

She wasn’t wrong.

The Wen family power struggle quickly became public knowledge, spreading not just among high society but also to Wen Zhi’s fans.

The police issued a nationwide wanted notice for Lu Xun, offering a reward for his capture.

After fleeing the Wen estate, Lu Xun went into hiding, dodging cops and loan sharks who started hunting him the moment he called Chen Yuyao.

At this point, even he knew he’d been set up by Wen Zhi, Chen Yuyao, and Wen Bingchun.

Cornered by both sides and penniless, Lu Xun had no choice but to take a job hauling bricks.

The former emperor of Great Yong had never done such menial work. Within two days, his hands and feet were covered in blisters. His coworkers mocked him—tall and strong-looking, yet like some pampered rich kid.

Lu Xun’s face darkened.

A coworker slurping noodles beside him grinned and jabbed, "What, did your girl leave you?"

That struck a nerve.

Lu Xun punched the man so hard he spat blood. But construction crews stuck together, and as a newcomer without an ID, he was lucky to even have a job. Picking a fight? Idiot move.

A pack of workers immediately ganged up on him.

Outnumbered, drained, and starving, Lu Xun could only curl up on the ground, shielding his head as the blows rained down.

A sleek black car idled in the distance, its window half-lowered. Dead leaves fluttered down, briefly obscuring the view. Wen Zhi brushed the leaves away from her binoculars, grinning as she watched the show.

Hit him harder—make him spit teeth.

Who’d have thought the once lofty and arrogant emperor of Great Yong would come to such a day.

Police sirens blared across the construction site. The workers scattered in an instant, and Lu Xun, chased like a mangy mutt, didn’t even stop for his paycheck before scrambling to his feet and fleeing in panic.

The emperor of Great Yong absolutely could not end up in prison—that was his last damn bit of pride.

He’d barely dodged the cops when he smacked into loan sharks. Lu Xun cursed inwardly at this wretched era, where it seemed eyes were everywhere, and someone was always out for his hide.

A light rain began to fall, and the cold autumn wind cut to the bone.

He slipped into a tight, grimy alley. A group of men rushed past, yelling, "Where is he? Shit, he’s quick. When we catch him, we’ll break one of his legs!"

He didn’t dare make a sound. The footsteps gradually faded into the distance. He waited for a long time—so long that only the drip-drip of rain remained outside. The emperor of Great Yong shoved open a reeking dumpster, only for icy rainwater to splash abruptly onto his face.

The stench of rot and the rain seeped through his thin clothes. In the dark alley, flickering neon signs cast their glow. A few young men stepping out of an internet café glanced his way, spat, and cursed him as a damn bum.

"Filthy beggar digging straight from the dumpster."

Then they walked off, muttering insults.

He shifted slightly, and the delayed pain caused him to accidentally knock over the dumpster. He spilled onto the slick cobblestones.

The bass thump of some club reached his ears. For the second time, the emperor of Great Yong felt lost and goddamn homeless.

At this moment, he realized with painful clarity: this was no longer his world.

Not his dynasty.

Brawn and brains alone were no longer enough to survive.

An emperor who once commanded a harem of three thousand beauties had been brought this low by three women in this unfamiliar era.

Right—he still had the imperial robe.

He had to retrieve it.

Climbing out of the dumpster, he wiped his face roughly and trudged through the darkness toward the small apartment he had once bought.

Late at night, the apartment building was as quiet as ever, the security guard dozing in his booth. Soaked T-shirt clinging to him, Lu Xun dug for his key, pulled open the door, and without turning on the lights, went straight to the bedroom wardrobe to search.

Nothing on the top shelf.

Nothing in the middle. Nothing at the bottom either!

He was certain he had left it here.

For a moment, panic clawed at him—like a man sinking in mud who had just lost his only lifeline. His frustration flashed into fury.

Suddenly, the bedroom lights flicked on. His face lit up with hope, but before he could resume his search, he sensed something wrong. He turned his head to find seven or eight armed police officers standing in the cramped room, guns locked on him.

The moment he moved, a bullet struck the floor beside his foot, piercing clean through the wooden boards.

Then they swarmed him. His face was grinded into the busted floorboards, his eyes filled with despair.

After ten-plus days running, Lu Xun was finally arrested.

In early November, Wen Jinyuan, Zhou Li, and Lu Xun were hit with charges. After the second trial, Wen Jinyuan was sentenced to 14 years in prison and fined 500,000 yuan. Zhou Li, surprisingly, walked clean, with only her property confiscated to compensate for embezzled funds. Lu Xun, as the ringleader—who not only refused to cooperate with the investigation but also fled and assaulted officers—was sentenced to 30 years in prison and fined 600,000 yuan.

The Wen family's acquired shares would be settled internally among their shareholders.

Shackled in the defendant’s seat, Lu Xun remained silent throughout the entire process, only glaring fixedly at Wen Zhi in the plaintiff's seat.

His stare could kill.

Once the judge dismissed the court, Wen Zhi, Yun Songzhang, Wen Bingchun, and others exited as police led Lu Xun and Wen Jinyuan away in the opposite direction.

When they passed each other, Lu Xun leaned close to Wen Zhi’s ear and snarled viciously, "Actually, your lover, Shen Yizhi, came too—I carved his heart out on my way here!"

He waited to see Wen Zhi crumble in grief.

Yet Wen Zhi just shot him a frosty look and said, "At the hospital, you said Shen Yizhi vanished."

Lu Xun froze: How did she know?

Wen Zhi eyed him dismissively. "Let me tell you something else—Mu Mu’s legally registered last name is Wen."

Lu Xun’s pupils dilated.

Wen Zhi scoffed. "Dumbass!"

The moment the courthouse doors opened, reporters mobbed her, while fans yelled at them to back off their queen. Suddenly, still in police custody, Lu Xun went berserk, howling obscenities.

"Wen Zhi, you heartless bitch! I’m Mu Mu’s father! Sending your own son’s dad to prison—how do you think Mu Mu will see you in the future?"

"No heart like a woman’s—let everyone see your true face!"

He turned to the fans. "Look at who you’re idolizing—a husband-killing witch! A man-hopping slut!"

Even if he was going to jail, he’d make sure the world despised her.

But he never saw coming a hail of rotten eggs and garbage, accompanied by a chorus of curses.

"Die, scumbag!"

"Filth! Hands off our Zhi-jie!"

"Fuck, we waited years to meet Mu Mu’s dad, and this is what we get? Total trash!"

"Karma’s coming for you, scum!"

"Running your mouth at the courthouse? Go to hell!"

"..."

If not for the police maintaining order, the fans might have rushed in to beat him to death.

Egg-dripping Lu Xun snarled: *Since when did people side with whores? Shouldn’t they be condemning her promiscuity and betrayal?*

Standing on the high courthouse steps, Wen Zhi drank it all in, smug.

Beside her, Yun Songzhang also glanced over before pushing up his gold frames and tilting his head to ask, "Your lover, Shen Yizhi?"

Wen Zhi’s smile froze, and she slowly turned to meet his gaze.

Yun Songzhang shrugged, as if to say, *Blame my sharp ears.*

He repeated, "Who is Shen Yizhi?"

Wen Zhi: "Uh..."

Author's Note: