Shen Jia seemed startled, hastily rising from Zheng Yu's embrace. Whether intentional or not, she stumbled several times within Zheng Yu's arms but couldn't get up.
"If you are alright, Young Master, I shall take my leave. Being seen by others in such a public place would harm your reputation." Zheng Yu helped Shen Jia up from her embrace, stepped back a few paces, bowed, and turned to leave.
Shen Jia, of course, couldn't let the meeting she had meticulously planned end like this. She squatted on the ground and began to weep.
"Miss, my ankle is sprained, I can't walk, it hurts so much... *sob sob sob*..."
"Your ankle is sprained?" Zheng Yu was puzzled. Why was he looking for her if his ankle was sprained? She wasn't a doctor, nor could she relieve pain. "Young Master, my friend is a doctor at the clinic. If your ankle is sprained, you should go to Ren Kang Tang to have her treat you."
"..."
"I have matters to attend to. I bid you farewell." Seeing that Shen Jia remained silent, Zheng Yu nodded and turned to leave.
"Miss!" Shen Jia, seeing her about to leave again, shouted in distress, "Miss, my foot hurts, I can't walk!"
Zheng Yu stopped, stood still again, and looked at him with a hint of helplessness.
"Young Master, please wait a moment."
As Zheng Yu spoke, she quickly departed. In a short while, two soldiers approached from the direction Zheng Yu had gone.
"Young Master, you must be the young master with the sprained ankle. Our town mayor said for us to escort you to Ren Kang Tang for treatment."
"..."
As the man spoke, he gestured to the person beside him. The two stepped forward, flanking Shen Jia, and helped him up. They then began to escort him towards Ren Kang Tang.
Shen Jia said he was fine and didn't need to trouble them, wanting to sneak away. If he were to be publicly carried through the streets like this, his reputation would truly be ruined.
However, the two soldiers disagreed, determined to carry out their orders and take him to the clinic.
"Young Master, how can this be considered trouble? Don't worry, we will definitely take you to the clinic. We must complete the task assigned to us by the town mayor."
"Yes, Young Master, you needn't be embarrassed. This is our duty," the other soldier chimed in.
Shen Jia was caught in the middle, unable to walk away or persuade them. He was going mad, forced to watch himself being carried away step by step.
"Town Mayor, your stratagem is truly devious."
Zheng Yu sat in a chair, leisurely sipping tea. Hearing her subordinate's words, she shot him a glare. "Wuji, I think you're itching for a beating. How dare you criticize the Town Mayor's words?"
Her cold voice reached Wuji, sending a shiver down his spine. He quickly stammered, "I dare not, I dare not. Your subordinate meant that you, Town Mayor, are truly brilliant."
"Still want to contend with me? Hmph." Zheng Yu shook her head.
She had seen through such tricks long ago. As for why she sent him to Ren Kang Tang, it was merely a casual remark, to teach him a lesson and make him remember, so he wouldn't dare to do such a thing again.
As for how Lu Yu would react upon seeing him, she believed Lu Yu would handle it. That man would likely be scared away as soon as he reached the clinic.
"Let's go. Accompany me to the prison to see Sun Chengliang and her daughter."
The prison was dark and damp, shrouded in pitch blackness. Rats and cockroaches scurried through every corner of the cells.
Zheng Yu stopped before the innermost cell and surveyed its surroundings. "Open it."
With a *clatter*, the iron chains fell to the ground.
Sun Fan, inside the cell, heard the sound and immediately looked up. Seeing Zheng Yu standing at the cell door, her gaze narrowed, and she stared intently at her, her eyes seeming to spew sparks, her face contorted into a ferocious expression.
Sun Chengliang, sitting in the corner, heard the sound, her ears twitched, and then she relaxed, showing no reaction.
"Take her out." Zheng Yu raised her fair hand and gestured twice, signaling her subordinates to escort Sun Fan out of the cell.
"Let me go! I'm not going out!" Sun Fan struggled fiercely, her face contorted, her bloodshot eyes as crimson as a ghost's, fixed on Zheng Yu.
"Not going out?" Zheng Yu repeated the words in a low voice, speaking playfully, "If you don't want to go out, that's fine. Then listen carefully right here. Consider it an early lesson on how to behave."
"Fan'er, go out!" Sun Fan was still struggling when a voice filled with vigor came from Sun Chengliang.
"Since the former Town Mayor has spoken, why aren't you quickly taking her out?" Zheng Yu's voice was as calm as ever, betraying no hint of the heavy atmosphere of the prison.
Sun Fan was led away, and the cell immediately returned to silence. Zheng Yu sat on a chair, scrutinizing Sun Chengliang from head to toe.
"I've heard of your reputation, former Town Mayor Sun. They say you governed Qi Mu Town with perfect order. It is indeed so."
"Heh, and so what? Didn't I end up in this situation?" Sun Chengliang sneered, also sizing up Zheng Yu.
"Zheng Yu? The new Tan Hua scholar this year. You didn't want to stay in the capital but came to this poor place to serve as an official."
"It's the same wherever one serves as an official, as long as one can do work for the people."
"Truly young and promising!" Sun Chengliang laughed heartily upon hearing Zheng Yu's words, as if she had heard a joke. After laughing, she sighed.
"When I was young, I had the same thoughts as you. You haven't experienced the hardships of society. When you reach my age, you'll understand."
"Then I won't be like you, embezzling the people's wealth."
"Excessive love leads to great expenditure, abundant hoarding leads to inevitable ruin." Gu Yitong took a deep breath. "You and I are, after all, different."
"You were lax in your management, indulged your daughter's wickedness, and fostered corruption. Your various crimes cannot escape punishment. You will be transported to the imperial city to await the Emperor's judgment."
"As for your daughter, I spared her once before, but I didn't expect it to lead to today's disaster. She will be punished according to the law."
After speaking, Zheng Yu ordered her subordinates to escort Sun Fan out and administer fifty strokes of the military rod, followed by further punishment.
When Shen Jia was taken to Ren Kang Tang, Lu Yu and the others had just returned from outside. Seeing the two men place Shen Jia down and turn to leave, she called out to them, inquiring carefully about the reason.
The more she asked, the more astonished she became.
"I never expected Young Master Shen Jia to stoop to such disgraceful behavior. Didn't he mock our Young Master back then? How laughable, acting improperly himself yet only thinking of framing others."
Before Lu Yu could speak, Afu couldn't wait to retort sarcastically.
Over the years, how much vexation and injustice had their Young Master endured? Now, they could finally mock him properly.
"You lowly wretch, when did it become your place to lecture me!"
Shen Jia's eyes widened, looking as if he wanted to devour someone. He strode forward.
"Slap!"