Chapter 140: Beat the Woman Too?

"Disgusting. You truly make me sick."

Seeing that these words no longer worked on Lu Ruxin, Feng Yinshi immediately put on a vicious face.

"Lu Ruxin, don't think I can't study without you, or that no one will support me if you leave. Let me tell you, I'm a Provincial Graduate now. I'm not worried about women throwing themselves at me. What do you think you are?"

The moment the word "what" left his mouth, he was sent flying by a slap. The one who slapped him was Qiao Mai. After slapping him, she wiped her hand with a handkerchief and tossed it on the ground.

Lu Ruxin's eyes brimmed with hot tears as she looked at her master. She knew that slap still carried some affection within it, but right now she couldn't say anything.

Qiao Mai said, "First, give these two dog things a beating."

"Beat the woman too?"

"She knew about this all along and was mixed up in it the whole time. It was her idea to persuade Feng Yinshi to go through with the marriage fraud. She couldn't afford to keep her gigolo, so she had Ruxin support him. You tell me, shouldn't she be beaten?"

Town Head Qian gritted his teeth. Lu Sanniang's two children had grown up under his watch; they were no different from his own daughters.

Looking at this Madam Feng, Shopkeeper Lu wished she could slap herself twice. Back then, she had praised Madam Feng for knowing how to raise a son. Was this what she called good raising? Hah?

"Otherwise? They're having a good time in bed, but my daughter is heartbroken. This dog thing never even touched my daughter after they married, yet his family said my daughter couldn't conceive. You tell me, what should be done about this?"

"Isn't he the Feng Family's Second Young Master?"

The commotion in the main house woke the servant girl in the side room. Seeing so many people outside, she was so frightened she hugged the child and hid in the room, too scared to move or even collapse.

Feng Yinshi said nothing, which was already an admission. Madam Feng said hatefully.

"Your Honor, what is the punishment for the crime of marriage fraud?"

Damn it. With a man it was easy enough—you could hit anywhere. But with a woman... sorry, you could only slap her face. After all, she was the one who had no shame.

The County Magistrate curled his lip and continued watching their performance.

Lu Sanniang gritted her teeth and glared hatefully at the scene. Yuan Jiaqi felt too embarrassed to look; he tugged at Qiao Mai's clothes.

The County Magistrate averted his gaze. Aiyo, mother, what an eyesore! Done for, done for, I'm going to get a stye.

Hearing this, the two servant girls walked out trembling, the one-year-old child in their arms fast asleep.

"Yo, Master Qian, why have you come in person?"

This was the County Magistrate's Office. The County Magistrate found the two of them far too indecent, so he had someone find two cloth sheets and drape them over the pair.

That woman had been curled up the whole time, not daring to say a word. Caught in the act, nothing she said would help.

"Yo, just got your Provincial Graduate title and you're already sneaking off to a widow's place? Look, the Second Young Master's Wife (Feng) is here too. Oh, I get it—they came to catch them in the act."

"That man is naked. Don't look. Let's go outside?"

"Aiya, what are you doing, what are you doing? Let go of me! It hurts to death!"

"God... goddaughter?"

"Whoever's inside, come out holding the child. If we go in, we'll have to tie you up."

By now, the neighbors had also been roused. They all came running over to watch.

He waved his hand, and four guards charged forward. Three of them beat the man, and one beat the woman.

Feng Yinshi was a filial son, after all. Ignoring his own nakedness, he tried to come help. Qiao Mai kicked him aside with one foot, and he lay there unable to move.

But just now, hearing this man put all the blame on himself, she inexplicably felt a chill in her heart.

"I had no choice but to come. My goddaughter was deceived. How could I not come?"

Madam Feng crouched down, grabbed her son by the shoulder, and asked, "Is this true?"

After tying them up and preparing to take them away, Town Head Qian looked at the east and west side rooms.

Blind! Blind!

The more Shopkeeper Lu listened to her talk, the angrier she got. With her explosive temper, she rushed up, grabbed Madam Feng by the hair, and started pulling.

"Eh, why does this man look so familiar?"

When the Feng Family heard this, they were all stunned. No one had expected such a severe punishment.

Let them watch if they wanted to. The plan was to ruin the Feng Family's reputation.

Wang Laoyezi Feng tried to step forward to help, but Town Head Qian's four guards blocked him. The County Magistrate just sat up there watching.

The drum sounded. No matter how sleepy he was, the County Magistrate had to hold court. Still grumpy from being woken up, he stormed angrily into the main hall. But when he saw Town Head Qian, he immediately sobered up.

Only after Shopkeeper Lu had beaten her enough did she catch her breath and look up at the main hall.

Wang Laoyezi Feng also came over and symbolically kicked Feng Yinshi twice. The force was like scratching an itch.

Madam Feng staggered back two steps. "How could it be like this?"

"You just tied them up naked and brought them here?"

Just the Town Head Qian in front of him was not someone a mere Provincial Graduate could afford to provoke. Now he was full of regret, trembling all over.

"Forget it. I don't want your gratitude. Do you know why I never got pregnant?"

"Two old beasts raised a little beast. None of them are human-born. They're reincarnated animals. The things you say—are those even human words? What kind of trash are you?"

"Strip his Merit, give him the plank, and exile him."

"I wasn't looking at the man. I was looking at the woman, especially her face. It's swollen up like a pig's. Really something to see."

"Because your precious son kept himself pure for this woman. He never truly touched me."

When Madam Feng saw Shopkeeper Lu, she gave an awkward smile. "Yo, in-laws are here. Xin'er, ah, what man doesn't stray? Your father-in-law has several concubines too. Just let Yinshi off this once. Your father-in-law and I will be eternally grateful, and we'll treat you well from now on."

"Truly a disgrace to the scholarly world. How could we scholars have such a scoundrel among us? Someone, go to the Feng Family and summon Wang Laoyezi Feng and Madam Feng. Let them see what kind of thing they've raised."

"Wh... why?"

"Eh, didn't this young lady say her husband was dead? So how does she have a man now?"

"How did I give birth to such a stupid son? You married her into the family, and you don't take what's free for the taking? Keeping yourself chaste for an outside woman? Do you think you're a woman? What man doesn't have three or five women? Isn't it all just for carrying on the family line? You, you!"

Feng Yinshi, lying on the ground, was beaten before he finally came to his senses. The Lu Family wasn't much to speak of, but the Lu Family's connections were formidable.

The crowd escorted this adulterous couple, along with their child, to the County Magistrate's Office.

He knew that if he didn't let Town Head Qian vent his anger today, this matter would definitely not be easy to resolve.

They've all become shameless; why should anyone be scared to look?

Yuan Jiaqi. Even women aren't allowed to look, it's so bad, but Qiao Mai won't leave, so they have no way. Fine, they imitate Qiao Mai; she looks at women, they look at men.

"You little brat, how could you do something like this, how can you be so impatient? You're an imperial scholar now; what kind of maiden don't you have?"

"Yes, it's the Feng Family's legitimate second son, Feng Yinshi deceived my maiden. Before he was married he swore solemnly that I was the only woman in his life, but two years ago he already had a lover and even bore a son with her. What else can you call this but a marriage fraud?"

Mayor Qian, watching the fight settle, said, "Stop, bind them and escort them to the County Magistrate's Office."

Wang Jiaru's Old Servant rarely comes to the County Town; if he does, even the County Magistrate must go out to receive him. For Lu Sanniang, this time he also went all out.

"If you don't believe it, ask him."

"There really is such a matter?"

In no time, Wang Laoyezi Feng and Wang Laoyezi Feng's Wife hurried over, saw the woman on the ground and her second son, and everything else was evident.

Lu Shopkeeper, while pulling her hair, began to strike her face.

Frightened, Feng Yinshi fell to the ground and kowtowed to the County Magistrate, "I'm sorry, I was wrong, I will never dare again. After years of study I finally became an imperial scholar; sir, please have mercy."

At this moment there was no longer any image of a dashing gentleman; that mother was just a drowned dog.

He had even forgotten that an imperial scholar does not need to kneel in the Government Office.

The County Magistrate tapped the table with his hand, "You must discuss this properly with the Lu Family. As long as the victim can forgive you, I am willing to be lenient, more than willing."

(End of Chapter)