Chapter 57: Drag This Evil Woman Out

After He Dong finished speaking, Seeing Jun Jun Zijin nodded in satisfaction and said:

"Linglong Pavilion opens in three days. During these three days, we will carry out rectification and accept returns simultaneously. If anyone comes to return goods, you handle the reception; I will assign an assistant to you. From now on, all our shops will offer a 'after-sales service' item. I will inform you of the specific details. As for the staff in this shop, you decide who stays and who goes. If you lack manpower, report it to me. I do not want anyone associated with Wu De or that Shopkeeper to remain in the shop, nor do I wish to see such incidents happen again. Making money by opening a shop is indeed weighty, but quality and service are the Top priority. I do not want to see our clerks treating people differently based on their status."

He Dong carefully recorded every word of Seeing Jun Jun Zijin. Although it was his first time hearing the term "after-sales service," from Seeing Jun Jun Zijin's words, he could understand its meaning. He nodded heavily and said:

"My lady, rest assured. I have noted this, and I will handle all these matters well."

After finishing all this, it was nearly noon. Seeing Jun Jun Zijin stood up, smoothed the hem of her robe, and said:

"If there is nothing else, I will return first. Someone will come to find you tomorrow." Having spoken, she turned and left.

She still needed to go to the Jingcheng Prefecture Office to see Wu De's condition with her own eyes. He could not be beaten to death, or where would the missing silver come from? As for that Shopkeeper, whether he lived or died did not concern her. The other two shops were not urgent; as long as the Wu siblings were dealt with, things would be easy to handle.

Seeing Jun Jun Zijin arrived at the Jingcheng Prefecture Office and immediately saw Wu De lying on the ground, his skin torn open and flesh exposed, half-dead from the beating.

It must be said that Quan Quan Aoyu and Seeing Jun Jun Zijin truly had a tacit understanding. Quan Quan Aoyu had instructed the Prefect to beat this man severely, the more miserable the better, but one must ensure he kept his life. Regarding this case, Quan Quan Aoyu wanted the Prefect to cooperate closely with Lady Lady Qingping. Since the Crown Prince had personally given the order, how dared the Prefect disobey? He did not know why the Crown Prince cared so much about this case, but he also dared not ask; he simply followed orders. When beating Wu De, he had used a clever technique.

Seeing Jun Jun Zijin glanced over and immediately felt relieved. As long as Wu De was not completely dead, she could bring him back to life. The accounts were not yet settled; there was no way he would get off so cheaply by dying.

Xiang Xiang Junzheng and Lady were also present. Lady was wiping away tears. Although this Wu woman was already the mother of two children, one could not deny her usual careful maintenance. Seeing Jun Jun Zijin, looking at Lady in this state, could not help but recall a poem:

Jade hands cover the face yet cannot hide the sorrow,

Fragrant shoulders tremble slightly, evoking pity.

Drops of tears reflect the autumn water,

Every frown and smile forms a verse.

A wave of disdain rose in Seeing Jun Jun Zijin's heart. This Wu woman was truly something; at any time and in any place, she never forgot to put on a show. One feared that any man would be moved by it.

But Xiang Xiang Junzheng kept glaring at Wu De, who was beaten half-dead and lying on the ground, and did not look at her at all. Xiang Xiang Junzheng hated Wu De to the point of grinding his teeth. Wu De had stolen so much silver from the Jun family; he would have been happy if Wu De had been beaten to death.

When Lady saw Seeing Jun Jun Zijin enter the door, how could she still bother to pretend to be a weeping pear blossom? Even the appearance of a gentle, dignified virtuous wife and kind mother she usually maintained was completely gone.

Lady yanked a hairpin from her head, let out a loud cry, and rushed forward to stab Seeing Jun Jun Zijin.

The Prefect was startled and shouted loudly:

"Stop her quickly!"

How could this be allowed? How could the person the Crown Prince cared about be harmed?

Two Yamen Runners rushed forward quickly. Before the Yamen Runners could get close, Lady felt a numbness in her wrist and knee, followed by a sudden weakness. She slumped sideways to the ground. The hairpin she had been holding slipped from her hand, describing an arc in the air, and the sharp, slender tip of the hairpin, by sheer coincidence, sliced across Lady's face.

In the blink of an eye, no one noticed the shattered silver that rolled into the corner of the wall, and no one noticed that Jun Jun Zijin had made a move.

This sudden scene left everyone present stunned. They widened their eyes and opened their mouths slightly, yet could not utter a single sound.

In an instant, blood flowed down Lady's cheek. At that very moment, time seemed to freeze. Lady sat slumped on the ground. Only after a long while did she suddenly come to her senses, emitting a scream of extreme terror from her throat that echoed to the clouds:

"Ah! Seeing Jun Jun Zijin, I will kill you!"

Lady got up and rushed at Seeing Jun Jun Zijin again. The Yamen Runners, having reacted, grabbed Lady's arms from left and right and restrained her.

Lady struggled, cursing loudly: "You little slut, why didn't you die on the estate? What are you doing back? It's all because of you! I will kill you!"

As soon as Lady's words left her mouth, everyone in the office and the onlookers outside suddenly understood. It turned out that the rumors circulating in Jingcheng recently about the Jun family's Lady mistreating her stepdaughter were true. Immediately, discussions erupted, with everyone offering different opinions.

Lady's hair was disheveled, and she was like a madwoman. A wound on her face stretched from the corner of her eye to her cheek, with flesh turned inside out, and her face was covered in blood, looking exactly like a fierce ghost crawling out of hell. The crowd was so frightened that no one dared to look directly at her.

A chill rose from the soles of Xiang Xiang Junzheng's feet and quickly spread through his entire body. This poisonous woman had been sharing his bed for many years! Xiang Xiang Junzheng involuntarily shivered and shouted with a trembling voice:

"Drag this evil woman out!"

Ignoring Lady's struggles, the Yamen Runners forcibly dragged her outside. As Lady was being dragged away, she cursed Seeing Jun Jun Zijin hoarsely and, like a mad, vicious woman, kicked desperately at the Yamen Runners holding her. She used too much force, and one of her shoes actually flew off. After describing an arc in the air, it landed squarely on Xiang Xiang Junzheng's head.

A dull "Puf" sound was heard, striking Xiang Xiang Junzheng with an "Ao!" cry.

"Puf," someone in the crowd could not hold back and laughed. This laughter seemed contagious, causing more people to cover their mouths and chuckle secretly. Seeing Jun Jun Zijin lowered her head, suppressing her laughter.

Looking again at Xiang Xiang Junzheng, his originally black face was now flushed red, veins bulging on his forehead, filled with both shame and anger:

"What a disgrace! What a disgrace! Drag her out immediately!"

The Yamen Runners quickly sped up and dragged Lady far away. Xiang Xiang Junzheng took several deep breaths, trying to calm his emotions, then turned to look at Seeing Jun Jun Zijin. He saw that Seeing Jun Jun Zijin had an innocent expression, as if she had been terrified and had not yet come to her senses.

After a long while, the Prefect finally came to his senses, thought of the main business of the day, and spoke: "My lord, Lady, after interrogation, it is confirmed that Wu De is indeed the elder brother of your household's Lady. The charge of falsely claiming official kinship does not hold, but the charge of forced buying and selling is a fact. I have already tortured him. According to the law, he should be imprisoned for three years. However, since he offended the current Lady, he shall be imprisoned for five years. He must return the shop and return all illegally obtained property. Is this sentencing appropriate for both of you?"

Truly, nothing could be more appropriate! Seeing Jun Jun Zijin seemed to have just recovered from a terrifying shock; her body trembled slightly, and a few drops of crystal sweat even hung on her forehead. She took a deep breath, looked at the Prefect with a gaze containing a hint of admiration, and said:

"My lord, your fairness in judging cases truly wins one's heart and commands respect!"

Xiang Xiang Junzheng nodded slightly to indicate agreement. Seeing this, the Prefect breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly ordered his subordinates to handle the relevant matters.

Seeing Jun Jun Zijin's gaze was calm as water. She walked toward Xiang Xiang Junzheng at a leisurely pace, bowed, and performed a salute.

"Thank you, Father, for coming today to uphold justice."

Xiang Xiang Junzheng looked at this daughter, who was once neglected but is now strong and wise, and he himself could not understand why a complex mixture of guilt and relief surged in his heart.

"Enough. Today's events can serve as a warning to the household," Xiang Xiang Junzheng said.