Chapter 238: You All Are Really Great!

Once she becomes a concubine of the Chen Family, everything is lost for her; not only does she become a member of the Chen Family, her reputation disappears, and all her money becomes the Chen Family's.

In fact, she and Chen Kai had an illicit liaison without a matchmaker, and according to rural customs, they should be drowned.

She is neither a secondary wife nor a concubine; between them it is merely an affair.

But now it's different: Mayor Qian appears, and Wang Zongsheng recognizes Lu Ruxin, knowing she is Qiao Niang's expelled disciple, so he spares both Mayor Qian and Qiao Niang a bit of face.

Otherwise, Lu Ruxin would be in a terrible situation.

Prefect Wang seized the items from Chen Kai without witnesses and ruled the Chen Family lost the case.

Chen Jiashi was taken away by officials; Chen Kai's complexion was very bad, and when he walked up to Lu Ruxin, he even pretended to be so affectionate.

"Xin'er, do you really have to be like this?"

Lu Sanniang, aiming at his face, slapped him hard again.

"If we arrive a step earlier today, or a bit later, you become a concubine of the Chen Family; do you even know what a concubine is?"

"Enough, San Niang, that's enough!"

The two exchanged a mutual bow, and Mayor Qian looked at Lu Ruxin.

"Yes,"

Mayor Qian coldly stared at him, "You're quite something, daring to use a handsome‑man scheme, tarnishing my daughter's reputation, and still trying to seize her belongings. Your Chen Family really is wonderful!"

Lu Sanniang kept a composed face, biting her teeth, trembling as she pointed at her.

"Hmm, since you call me 'father', I must think for you. With this incident today, you clearly can't stay in Fucheng; otherwise the Chen Family will keep causing trouble, and your reputation is already bad. Go back to Tianshui Town first, okay?"

He heard that, and his face instantly turned ashen, "You, you're from the Qian family; the Capital City Qian Family is you, is that you?"

"Hehe, Dizi isn't that kind of material, but my physique is great, you know."

"That's my elder brother's home!"

"Hmph, holding the formula given by the master, opening so many shops, you think you're skilled, showing off, even dreaming of a golden house to hide a beauty and keep a man. Ask yourself, do you have that ability?"

"Me!"

"Ruxin, have you seen father?"

Chen Kai, frightened, fell to his knees with a thud, "Yes, I'm sorry, I, Chen, failed to recognize the great mountain."

When I got into trouble, mother and step‑father arrived, yet I knew nothing about the grand wedding.

"Mother, why does the Ming Emperor's court have no martial exams?" Yun'er asked in confusion.

"The Ming Emperor's court values literature over martial arts, mainly because there are no wars to fight, but you still must learn martial skills; besides serving the nation, they strengthen the body and protect family."

"Hmph, which scallion are you? Why are you meddling in idle affairs?" Chen Kai sized up Mayor Qian.

"Not enough, she has no idea where her mistake lies."

"Hmm, we will."

Lu Sanniang always speaks by shouting; she's so angry at this big daughter, her mind feels like it's been pinched by a door, kicked by a donkey, and smacked by excrement, making her so furious she just wants to go up and beat her.

"You all are really great!"

"Really wonderful, the daughter I raised never imagined she'd do such a ridiculous thing."

Before he could finish, Mayor Qian rushed over and slapped him hard again; today at the Government Office, he was slapped three times.

"He's just a book‑worm, of course he can't compare; mother never demanded you score high, passing is enough."

Never letting his family's faces be without light, always protecting them, yet look at what you've done; why don't you learn from her, Xin Yuan? Xin Yuan? Heh, are you worthy?"

"Then listening to the gentleman is certainly correct!"

"You're a good child, just that some things have clouded your eyes, making your heart narrow; learn from this mistake, and in future listen more to elders' advice, and never act rashly again."

"Hmm!"

Chuan'er raised a small hand, "Mother, I will too."

"The gentleman said we should take the imperial examination again tomorrow."

That's not all; on the wedding day, she caused such a huge embarrassment, ruining others' celebration, and that sin is indeed not small.

"Mother, daughter truly knows she was wrong!"

"Yes!"

"Mother, daughter truly knows she was wrong; I was arrogant, looked down on everyone, ignored advice, acted on my own, which caused today's situation. Yes, I'm sorry, mother!"

"Mother, I was wrong, I'll never dare again!"

"From now on keep away from my daughter; she lives alone in Fucheng, but she still has a family!"

Chen Kai arrived later; when Mayor Qian greeted Prefect Wang, he wasn't there, so he didn't know their relationship.

"Can we leave?"

"This is the result of caring versus not caring."

"Mother, I know I was wrong! Please, stop scolding me!"

At this moment Chen Kai had no longer any composure or ease; his face was covered with a ferocious grimace.

Mayor Qian thought it was enough, "San Niang, alright, you've scolded enough, your anger has been vented."

"Hmph, today's matter isn't over,"

However, the Chen Family knows exactly which figures within Weicheng's territory must not be provoked, first the Wang Family, then the Qian Family.

She went from not recognizing a single character to being able to read ten lines at a glance; she went from knowing nothing to becoming a martial arts master that three to five men cannot defeat.

Chen Kai covered his face, grinding his teeth, "Hmph, you dare confront the Chen Family."

"Hmph, a son travels a thousand miles, mother worries; have you ever thought of mother?"

"Can't compare with father."

Lu Sanniang shouted at her, and Lu Ruxin finally understood why, on the Government Office stage, Mayor Qian kept saying he was his daughter.

"Got it!"

Town Mayor Qian looked at Wang Zongsheng and said, "I'll take my daughter away first; we can talk later when there's time."

Qiao Mai didn't know this, because the next afternoon the old master returned home with Fengyun brothers.

Three of you, are you worthy? The beaten Lu Ruxin burst into tears.

"Today is the day of the grand wedding between me and your Uncle Qian!"

Qiao Mai twitched her little nose and said, "You, you slack off as soon as you practice martial arts."

Inside the Keting of Xin Yuan, Town Mayor Qian and Lu Sanniang sat at the head, while Lu Ruxin knelt on the ground.

They returned in the middle of the night; the people of Tianshui Town knew nothing of it, and Town Mayor Qian also gave orders—whoever dares to utter a single word, don't say he isn't rude.

Town Mayor Qian looked at Lu Ruxin and said, "You used to call me uncle, now you have to change how you address me."

"Ah, my Feng'er and Yun'er are about to become little apprentices, right?"

"Hehe, that should be about right!"

"I, Qian, am unworthy; I am Lu Ruxin's father, of the Qian Family of Tianshui Town. So, you want to compare our family backgrounds?"

And so, Lu Ruxin obediently followed Town Mayor Qian and his wife back to Tianshui Town.

"Hmph, look at your Zhai; you still copy your master in doing this? Do you have that skill? Do you know how much she has sacrificed for her little family? Are you worthy?"

"Everything follows Dad's arrangement!"

Lu Sanniang helped her up; the three of them left the Government Office, got on a carriage, and headed straight for Xin Yuan.

She knows Double-sided Embroidery, she does business, she distinguishes right from wrong clearly, never engages in deeds like yours; you imitate her—are you worthy?

She devotes herself wholly to her own family; despite such great ability, she rarely shows her face, content to stay in Tianshui Town, and never does anything that harms her household.

"Well, it's okay; I managed to answer all the questions."

"Hmm, don't feel pressured; just do your best!"

The whole family gathered around them, asking long and short questions, "How did the exam go?"

"Pack up the things; take everything you can. Later I'll handle this Zhai for you. I have a larger place, I'll give you a separate Zhaiyuan, settle the shop accounts, have them all come to the Qian Family in Tianshui Town. You don't need to go out; once the uproar dies down, I'll hire official media to present you as a good family, so we can live peacefully, okay?"

"Good, good, good,"

"Indeed, with so much food, how could it be bad?"

"Haha!"

The next day Yuan Jiaqi returned; he had come back specifically at this time, and upon hearing the children did well on the exam, he felt quite pleased.

Tianyi warmed up, and on the wasteland outside Shexian County, tree planting began again.

(End of chapter)