"Sun Yingying, you seem to come from quite a wealthy family." Lu Zhaoling had Qingyin collect the money before taking another sip of her tea.
"My mother is rich!" Sun Yingying added hurriedly. "My eldest brother has money, too. Second Miss Lu, please help me. I will definitely pay whatever is required."
She had finally caught on if she wanted Lu Zhaoling's help with anything else, it would be a separate transaction!
"Very well, I will help you." Lu Zhaoling held up two fingers. "Finding the true cause of Mo Qingqing's death will be one thousand taels. Identifying the killer will be another thousand."
"I will send the two thousand taels to you tomorrow," Sun Yingying said immediately.
Lu Zhaoling nodded. "Your luck is currently at a low ebb. I will gift you a Calming Talisman; keep it on your person and get a good night's sleep tonight."
Lu Zhaoling produced a talisman.
Sun Yingying accepted it with great care and tucked it away into her pouch. Whether it was purely psychological or a genuine effect, the moment the talisman was on her, she felt the heavy, suffocating sensation in her body dissipate significantly.
"Second Miss Lu, these earrings are a memento of my cousin. Can I really not keep them anymore?" Sun Yingying looked at the jewelry sadly.
"It's not that extreme. I only need to purify them for you. However, I might need them to investigate the truth behind Mo Qingqing's death. If you don't mind, leave them with me until the matter is resolved."
"I don't mind at all. Please, keep them for now," Sun Yingying said quickly.
"There is one more thing. Those bracelets on your wrists..."
"These?" Sun Yingying reached out, revealing the pair of green jade bracelets. "My cousin had a pair just like them. They were a gift from our grandmother, carved from the same piece of jade. However, her pair should have been buried with her."
As expected.
Qingyin and Qingbao instinctively lowered their hands. They realized that the bracelets their young mistress had given them must be the very ones belonging to Mo Qingqing.
Should they return them to their original owner? Since their mistress hadn't mentioned it, they remained silent.
"Zhu Minghao is coming. Do you three want to leave first?" Lu Zhaoling's ears twitched as she caught the sound of movement on the stairs.
"Second Miss Lu, we can't leave you here alone!" Sun Yingying cried out.
Lin Yiru's heart was filled with conflicting emotions once more.
Lu Zhaoling let out a soft laugh. "I'm hardly alone. Don't I have two very capable maids with me?"
Hardly had her voice fallen when the door was kicked open with a loud bang.
Zhu Minghao's voice roared through the room. "You bitch! You actually have the nerve to wait here for me!"
"Qingyin, Qingbao, seize him. We're going to the Prefectural Office," Lu Zhaoling commanded.
She had been waiting here specifically for this!
"Yes!"
The moment Zhu Minghao stormed into the room, Qingyin and Qingbao each grabbed one of his arms. With a swift twist, they forced them behind his back, instantly subduing him.
The group following behind Zhu Minghao was dumbfounded. They had expected a massive brawl, not an instant capture.
Sun Yingying and her friends were equally shocked.
"Second Manager, what should we do?" the thugs from Yanbo Tower whispered.
"A noble is protecting this lady. Go, go, go let's act as if we didn't arrive in time to help." The Second Manager's eyes flashed. He made a sharp gesture, and the Yanbo Tower thugs beat a hasty retreat.
Lu Zhaoling hadn't spotted Third Master Liu yet, but today had been productive enough. Dealing with Zhu Minghao first was fine.
She stood up and looked at Sun Yingying. "I'll wait for you at my home tomorrow."
With that, she took the lead and walked out. "Let's go."
"You bit" Zhu Minghao struggled with all his might, but he couldn't break free.
Qingbao reached out and snatched a dirty rag from the shoulder of a passing waiter, stuffing it directly into Zhu Minghao's mouth.
"Shut your filthy mouth!"
Zhu Minghao's eyes bulged like copper bells. A mere maidservant dared to treat him this way!
"Let go of our Heir! Do you want to make an enemy of the Qingfu Marquess Mansion?!" Zhu Minghao's servant rushed forward.
Qingyin raised a foot and kicked him away.
"You can go back and deliver the message," Lu Zhaoling said casually as she walked downstairs. "Tell them I've gone to report Zhu Minghao to the authorities, and I've brought the criminal with me."
"Mmph! Mmph!" Zhu Minghao watched the crowd of onlookers, feeling his dignity being dragged through the mud. The rag in his mouth stifled his curses, and his face turned a deep shade of crimson from pure rage.
"Move!"
Qingyin and Qingbao escorted him out, following Lu Zhaoling.
"Is... is that girl really that fierce? That's the Heir of Qingfu!"
"Isn't she just asking for trouble?"
The bystanders were in shock.
"I'm going back to find my father!" Sun Yingying snapped out of her daze. "I'll have him help her!" She couldn't let Second Miss Lu suffer for this!
"I'm going home to tell my family as well," Lin Yiru said, gritting her teeth with determination. She needed her father or brother to see this for themselves, so she could finally see what kind of man Zhu Minghao truly was.
If he was truly this despicable, she wouldn't dare marry him. Her heart had already leaned toward Lu Zhaoling's side after witnessing her skills. Someone that talented wouldn't stoop to framing Zhu Minghao, would she? Besides, his constant verbal abuse was revolting.
Gu Qing added, "I'll go with you."
The three ladies hurried out of the building.
Only after they had all left Yanbo Tower did the door to the opposite room open. Third Master Liu staggered out, supported by a pretty young girl, reeking of alcohol.
"Who was... making all that noise..." he asked slurringly.
"It seemed to be the Heir of Qingfu," the girl replied.
"That useless brat... must be bullying someone again." Third Master Liu mumbled a comment before pushing the girl away. "Fine, I don't need your help. I'm going to find Xiao Xing..."
Lu Zhaoling marched Zhu Minghao straight to the Prefectural Office.
When the guards saw the scene, they thought their eyes were playing tricks on them.
"Am I seeing things? Is that the Heir?"
"Why is he being held captive by two maids?"
As they drew closer, the guards realized they weren't mistaken, and the area erupted into chaos.
"It really is the Heir!"
My god, who are these girls? They actually caught the Heir?
"I wish to file a complaint against Zhu Minghao for the public kidnapping of an official's daughter," Lu Zhaoling announced loudly. "When the attempt failed, he resorted to malicious tactics. He is cruel in his methods and vicious in his heart."
Many people had followed them from Yanbo Tower. Seeing her actually drag Zhu Minghao into the Yamen, they were utterly stunned. A crowd quickly gathered outside.
Lord Chen rushed out upon receiving the news. When he saw Zhu Minghao with his arms pinned behind him, his face turned pale with horror.
He slammed his gavel down.
"Presumptuous! Where did you unruly women come from?! Release the Heir at once!"
Oh, goodness! Zhu Minghao was the Empress Dowager's favorite. Who among the officials didn't recognize him?
Zhu Minghao finally calmed down. A smug look rose in his eyes.
Did this bitch Lu Zhaoling really think reporting him to the authorities would work? He and Lord Chen were well-acquainted! This was practically his home turf. He would see to it that they were beaten half to death on the spot!
It would be best to have Lu Zhaoling endure thirty strikes of the board! He wanted her skirts stripped and the flogging done in front of the entire crowd at the entrance.
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