Chapter 562
Chapter 562
Only after receiving Lu Jinchang’s signal did Feng Du release Lu Ning’er.
“Miss, don’t cause trouble. Hurry and pay your respects to the honored guests,” Feng Du whispered into Lu Ning’er’s ear.
“What are you, to presume to instruct me? Do I need you to teach me how to conduct myself?” Lu Ning’er had always relied on Lu Jinchang’s favor and held her head high. She had never paid Feng Du any heed.
In Lu Ning’er’s eyes, her father was the most powerful official in Lu City. There was nothing he could not handle. Besides, Lu Jinchang doted on her and usually granted her every request.
What Lu Ning’er did not know was that the things she usually got away with were all insignificant matters. Today was different. The people who had arrived were far beyond Lu Jinchang’s ability to offend.
If Lu Ning’er provoked them, Lu Jinchang would not be able to shield her as he had before.
At her words, Feng Du’s expression darkened. Since she was determined to seek her own death, he could hardly be blamed.
Feng Du simply stood to one side with his head lowered, waiting to watch Lu Ning’er’s misfortune unfold.
Lu Ning’er seemed not to notice the warning looks Lu Jinchang was giving her. She walked up to him and, as usual, affectionately linked her arm through his.
“Father, I don’t want to move back to the old residence. I only want to stay by your side.”
Lu Ning’er had no intention of returning to the old residence. She wanted to continue living in the rear courtyard of the county office.
But the principal wife had ordered everyone to move back, so Lu Ning’er had come to pressure her father into overruling her.
“Nonsense! Hurry back home. This matter will be decided by your stepmother!” Lu Jinchang was regretting everything now. He hurriedly scolded her.
“Father, no! I want to stay here!” Lu Ning’er whined, heedless of the circumstances.
“Cuihua, what are you waiting for?” Li Zhiwei’s gaze turned cold. She was even more displeased by a concubine-born daughter who acted arrogantly because she was favored.
“Smack! Smack! Smack!”
Cuihua walked up to Lu Ning’er and slapped her several times without the slightest hesitation.
“Ah!” Lu Ning’er cried out in surprise. She had never imagined that anyone would dare attack her inside the county office.
“You lowly wretch! How dare you hit me!” Without thinking, Lu Ning’er lunged forward to strike Cuihua.
But Cuihua had originally been a hidden guard. Lu Ning’er was no match for her at all.
“Lord Lu, is this the upbringing of the Lu family? If you do not wish to let us stay in the county office, you could simply say so. There is no need to have a concubine-born daughter insult Prince An and his consort!” Xu Mu helped Li Zhiwei sit down before turning toward Lu Jinchang with an expression of displeasure.
“Please forgive me, Prince An! I failed to raise my child properly!” Terrified, Lu Jinchang hurriedly fell to his knees. Then, feeling that this was still not enough, he grabbed Lu Ning’er and forced her down beside him before barking, “You wretched girl, hurry and pay your respects to the Prince and Princess Consort!”
Lu Jinchang was inwardly lamenting.
He had truly spoiled Lu Ning’er until she had lost all sense of propriety.
How could this be the time for her to act willfully?
When the slap landed on Lu Ning’er’s face, Lu Jinchang’s heart trembled as well. He did not even dare imagine whether the next slap might land on his own face.
“It seems your wife’s way of managing the household leaves much to be desired, Lord Lu. A mere concubine-born daughter dares to act recklessly over her head. Or perhaps Lord Lu favors his concubines over his wife and allows his illegitimate children to behave this way?” Li Zhiwei looked down at the two kneeling before her.
“Please forgive us, Your Highness! Please forgive us!” Lu Jinchang hurriedly pressed himself to the ground and begged for mercy.
“Father, why are you begging her?” Lu Ning’er asked unhappily.
After all, in Lu City, the only officials she had ever encountered were her own parents. Everyone in the city bowed their heads when they saw her father.
Yet now, her father was bowing and scraping before a woman.
She was deeply unwilling to accept it.
This was not how she had imagined things.
Moreover, it seemed that her father had vacated the county office’s courtyard specifically for these people.
“Shut up!” Lu Jinchang angrily slapped Lu Ning’er across the face. Was this wretched girl trying to get him killed?
“Father!” Lu Ning’er’s eyes reddened as she stared at Lu Jinchang in disbelief. Her father had never struck her from the time she was born.
Yet now, he had hit her for the sake of an outsider.
Lu Ning’er felt deeply wronged.
But when she saw the fury on Lu Jinchang’s face, she ultimately did not dare say anything more.
She merely cursed Li Zhiwei inwardly. It was all this woman’s fault!
At that moment, Lu Ning’er also noticed Xu Mu, who was dressed in elegant clothing nearby.
Xu Mu was wearing a human-skin mask modeled after Xu Heming’s face.
For a moment, Lu Ning’er was dazzled by his appearance.
“Lower your head!” When Lu Jinchang saw his daughter looking up at Prince An with a dreamy expression, he was nearly scared to death.
Prince An was not a man who was easy to deal with. The reason he had not spoken just now was probably because he felt that, since it was a woman’s quarrel, the Princess Consort’s intervention was sufficient. But if Lu Ning’er continued to remain ignorant of her place and offended Prince An, she might well lose her head.
At his words, Lu Ning’er lowered her head shyly. But her thoughts were occupied by how extraordinarily handsome the man was.
How wonderful it would be if she could marry him!
A man so imposing and distinguished was the only sort worthy of her, Lu Ning’er.
“Greetings, honored guest!”
With that thought in mind, Lu Ning’er quickly adopted a delicate, coquettish tone and bowed to Xu Mu.
Xu Mu frowned and did not even spare Lu Ning’er half a glance.
Li Zhiwei, however, gave a mocking laugh.
She thought sarcastically that the county magistrate’s daughter was certainly an amusing one. She actually dared to covet her man?
Although Xu Mu was merely a hidden guard, Qing Mu was currently wearing Xu Heming’s face.
“My lord, Madam Yu requests an audience,” a guard whispered from outside the door.
Madam Yu had not wanted to come and disturb the honored guests at a time like this.
But when she heard that Lu Ning’er had arrived, she was so frightened that her heart nearly leaped out of her chest.
Lu Ning’er was a concubine-born daughter of the household. If she came here and said something she should not, Madam Yu would still be the one held responsible.
No matter what, she had to come and explain the situation to the honored guests. They absolutely must not blame Lord Lu for it.
“What is she here to stir up now?” Lu Jinchang asked with a frown. He was thinking that Lu Ning’er was ignorant and unruly, but how could Madam Yu also be so lacking in judgment as to dare disturb the honored guests at the county office?
“Let her in.” Li Zhiwei actually wanted to meet the county magistrate’s wife.
After all, a principal wife who allowed a concubine-born daughter to behave so arrogantly was either deeply calculating or completely lacking in the ability to manage people. Li Zhiwei wanted to see which kind Madam Yu was.
“Go and invite Madam Yu in.” Lu Jinchang gave Feng Du, who was standing nearby, a meaningful look, hoping he would remind his wife to be careful.
Feng Du lowered his head and walked outside.
“Master Feng, is Miss Lu… inside?” As soon as she saw Feng Du come out, Madam Yu anxiously asked him.
“Madam, the honored guests have asked you to come in. Miss Lu just offended them and was slapped. Please be careful,” Feng Du reminded her in a low voice.
At his words, Madam Yu’s heart sank. She had known that the little wretch Lu Ning’er would cause trouble by coming to the county office.
She simply had not expected the honored guest to slap her outright. Madam Yu felt both secretly pleased and worried that the honored guests might implicate Lord Lu and the Lu family.