Ding Jinzhi came to the Shangshu Mansion of the Ministry of Punishment and handed over Lu Wenzheng's eloped daughters, Lu Qiuyue and Jiang Chun, to Lu Wenzheng. He humiliated him in a strange manner, and then led them away with a proud smile.
In the living room, only Lu Wenzheng, Xu Zhi and others were left sitting or standing like wooden chickens; their faces were dark and they were silent for a long time.
Xu Zhi stepped back, looked at Lu Wenzheng cautiously and said, "Sir, you..."
Lu Wenzheng felt that his heart was trembling. Something was swelling in his blood vessels, gradually boiling and spreading around his body.
It was the power of anger and shame that had been suppressed for a long time. Unstoppable, powerful and swift, it instantly washed away the pain deep in his emotions, washed away the bitterness deep in his memory, and instantly swallowed him whole from head to toe.
Finally, Lu Wenzheng stood up slowly and walked up to Jiang Chun and Lu Qiuyue step by step; his eyes were scarlet and he stared at them, stretched out his hand and pointed at them angrily, as if he wanted to say something, but his lips twitched After a few moments, nothing could be said.
Jiang Chun had cold sweat on his face, clenched his fists tightly, and lowered his head in fear, not daring to face Mr. Lu's sharp eyes like knives.
Lu Qiuyue felt as if she was overwhelmed by a deep sense of shame. Her eyes were filled with tears, and she twisted her clothes with both hands and said in a trembling voice: "Dad!..."
Lu Wenzheng's entire face had turned purple, and his facial features were huddled together ferociously, like an embarrassed beast, waiting for an opportunity to bite back.
He raised his hand tremblingly and slapped Lu Qiuyue on the face!
Lu Qiuyue staggered a few steps and fell to the ground.
With this slap, Lu Wenzheng seemed to have exhausted all her strength. The huge force made her entire cheek almost numb with pain. A trace of bright red blood slowly oozed from the corner of her mouth, and her ears were roaring.
She was speechless at this time, she could only hold her burning, red and swollen cheeks, tears streaming down her face, and she was choked with sobs.
Jiang Chun staggered forward and supported her tremblingly.
He raised his face, looked at Lu Wenzheng with misty eyes, and said in a hoarse voice: "Master Lu, all the mistakes you made are my fault. I just ask you not to blame Miss!"
Lu Wenzheng's pupils suddenly shrank, and his dazzling eyes stared at him, filled with overwhelming anger and resentment.
"Jiang Chun," he spoke very slowly, word by word, but each word touched the depths of his heart. "Ask yourself, have I ever done anything wrong to you over the years? Why should I repay kindness with hatred? Such an unkind and unjust thing happened?..."
Jiang Chun was ashamed and ashamed; his throat felt tight, as if he was being strangled by something, and he couldn't say a word.
Lu Wenzheng snorted coldly, his eyes shot out with cold light like sharp swords, and ordered sternly: "Come here, take him down first!"
With an order, several wolf-like guards rushed in outside the door, took Jiang Chun and pushed him out.
Lu Qiuyue rushed forward desperately, grabbed Jiang Chun's arm, and cried hoarsely: "No! Dad, please, don't separate us! - Jiang Chun, even if it means death, we We must die together!..."
The guards refused to argue, pushed Lu Qiuyue away, and dragged Jiang Chun away.
Lu Qiuyue was lying on the ground, her hair disheveled, her eyes full of scarlet red, crying heartbreakingly, bitter and desperate, "Dad, please, don't separate us, no!..."
The anger in Lu Wenzheng's heart was rolling in his chest like a fireball; his face was ashen, his whole body was shaking, and he said in a trembling voice: "Don't call me dad, I, Lu Wenzheng, don't have an unfaithful and unfilial daughter like you!..."
As he spoke, he let out a long sigh and staggered away, hiding his face...
The next day, Feng Lin, the eunuch in the palace, came to the Shangshu Mansion of the Ministry of Punishment and summoned Lu Wenzheng to the palace to face the saint. Lu Wenzheng felt a thump in his heart, and a bad premonition suddenly came over him.
He followed Feng Lin anxiously to the emperor's study room.
As soon as he entered the door, he saw Ding Jinzhi standing beside him, his deep eyes full of dark emotions; he couldn't help but feel his heart sink, and he lowered his head dejectedly.
Lu Wenzheng stepped forward bravely and after saluting the emperor, Fang cautiously said: "Your Majesty summoned the ministers to come here. What are your orders?"
The emperor raised his eyebrows slightly and smiled: "Lu Aiqing, I just heard from Ding Aiqing that Miss Lu has been found, and the thief who kidnapped Miss Lu has been captured, right?"
Lu Wenzheng could only say: "Yes."
"What are your plans for this, my dear?"
Lu Wenzheng was ashamed and said with a wry smile: "Such an unfortunate thing happened. It was all caused by the lax discipline and improper teaching of the ministers. The ministers just feel ashamed. What else can they do? All they have to do is listen to the Holy One's orders. .”
The emperor said: "In this case, I have issued an edict. The sixth day of the next month is an auspicious day. The two beloved ministers will go back immediately to prepare everything. When the time comes, they will hold a big banquet and celebrate the whole city for Mr. Ding and Miss Lu. Get married!"
Lu Wenzheng's face turned pale and he was stunned for a moment, "But Your Majesty——"
The corner of the emperor's mouth curled up slightly, and he turned his deep eyes and said, "Why, does Lu Aiqing still have any doubts? Don't worry, Ding Aiqing reminded me of this. He has been looking forward to this happy event for a long time. , right, Ding Aiqing?"
Ding Jinzhi smiled meaningfully: "Exactly."
At that moment, Lu Wenzheng only felt that his head was buzzing, and everything around him seemed to have lost sound...
Lu Wenzheng was so distraught that he returned to the Shangshu Mansion of the Ministry of Justice in a daze and told Xu Zhi exactly what had happened.
When Xu Zhi heard this, he couldn't help but put his hand on his forehead and was silent.
Lu Wenzheng's eyebrows were almost twisted into a knot, "Mr. Xu, why do you think Ding Jinzhi did this?"
Xu Zhi sighed: "The students thought that Ding Jinzhi had bad intentions and must have some ulterior motives."
Lu Wenzheng pondered.
Xu Zhi added: "My lord killed his eldest son Ding Jiwu in the past. He has always held a grudge in his heart. He is struggling to find a chance to retaliate. This time he probably wanted to use the young lady to blackmail you."
Lu Wenzheng said: "As Mr. said, we probably have no choice but to wait and watch Qiuyue jump into the fire bed."
Xu Zhi said sadly: "But sir, do we really have no other way?"
Lu Wenzheng said miserably: "No. The Holy Spirit has spoken so eloquently, who can change his will? What's more, his will was issued months ago."
Xu Zhi's face was full of sorrow, he shook his head helplessly and just sighed.
Lu Wenzheng looked sad and said in a thick voice: "Qiuyue, daddy really can't save you this time - this is God's will. Don't resent daddy!"
After hearing the news, Lu Qiuyue felt as if her world had suddenly collapsed, and everything around her was like a black mist, enveloping her airtight; no matter how hard she struggled, it was of no avail.
She couldn't help but tremble all over, trying to suppress her pain, her lips trembled a few times, and finally she didn't say a word. She stared blankly ahead, just weeping silently.
Looking at his daughter's almost collapsed state, Lu Wenzheng's heart was as sharp as a knife; he said in a trembling voice: "Qiuyue, dad knows that this is unfair to you, but dad really has no other way!"
"Dad, please stop talking." Lu Qiuyue said numbly: "I can promise you to marry Ding Jiying, but you must also promise your daughter a condition."
"What conditions?"
"Please dad let Jiang Chun go."
Lu Wenzheng was stunned for a moment, "What if I don't agree?"
Lu Qiuyue's cold eyes flashed with determination to die, and she said almost word for word: "Then I will die with him!"
Lu Wenzheng's eyes trembled with emotion, "Qiuyue, are you blackmailing daddy?"
Lu Qiuyue's throat seemed to be choked by something. She didn't say a word. She only felt that her nose was sore and her eyes were filled with tears.
Lu Wen was looking at his daughter's pitiful appearance, his heart ached, and he said dumbly: "Okay, daddy promises you."...
In the back garden, the willows are dark and the flowers are bright, the birds are chirping, and the mood of summer is waning.
Lu Qiuyue wandered alone in the back garden of Lu Mansion, looking at the flying flowers and green water, the past events were vivid in her mind, as if they were yesterday.
She remembered that time when she and Jiang Chun were reciting poems against the scenery in the garden. They were arty and elegant, and compared "near the cold rain, the grass is luxuriant, and the wheat seedlings are covered with wind, grass and cherry banks" and "you must remember the good scenery of the year, the most orange-yellow-orange-green "When" were placed together, I suddenly wanted to laugh, but couldn't laugh at all.
Facing this gorgeous and fragrant beauty, she just wanted to cry.
Turning around the winding corridor, she saw a man dressed in white, sitting on a stone bench leaning on a small railing, silently looking at the long green water under the bridge in trance. She stepped forward step by step.
"Brother Ling," she called.
Ling Yun slowly turned his face; Lu Qiuyue suddenly discovered that Ling Yun was so weak and haggard after not seeing him for many days.
His jade-like black eyes were so transparent that almost no emotion could be seen, as if he had seen through all the vicissitudes of the world, and they were all cold and indifferent; his face was pale, even though the bright summer sunshine brightened his complexion. It's moisturized a lot, but it's still too fair, without any blood.
"Miss Lu?..." When Ling Yun saw her, his originally gloomy eyes suddenly flashed with a look of surprise.
He struggled to stand up and took two steps forward to meet her. Unexpectedly, he pulled the wound on his body again. He only grunted in pain and staggered forward.
Seeing this, Lu Qiuyue hurriedly stepped forward and grabbed Ling Yun's shaky body.
She helped him sit down slowly, with a trace of inquiry and confusion in her eyes, and said slowly: "Brother Ling, how did you come here? Aren't you always in the Junma Mansion..."
