After reading, Xue Zhubu couldn't get up. His body was drenched in cold sweat.
He couldn't understand what signal the Royal Lord was sending by having him witness the execution. Was this meant to take his life or spare it? Xue Zhubu cried in fear.
After the execution was completed, he was brought before the Royal Lord again. The Royal Lord would not personally supervise the latrine. His nose was too delicate to tolerate the stench.
Xue Zhubu lay on the ground like a dead dog, weeping.
His cowardly demeanor disgusted the Royal Lord.
He felt Xue Zhubu was not worthy of speaking to him, so he had Ji Chenghe interrogate him. The main purpose was not to investigate his collusion with the mine and suppression of Hongshu Slope, but to uncover any illicit dealings by Magistrate Guo of Tashu Commandery and whether there was concrete evidence.
Xue Zhubu, of course, confessed everything. On the spot, he "gave his all," spilling all the sordid details he knew about Magistrate Guo. He also stated that the evidence was hidden in his home.
After Xue Zhubu signed and affixed his thumbprint, the Royal Lord dispatched several guards to escort him home to retrieve the evidence.
Finally, Xue Zhubu also received his punishment.
In recognition of his meritorious service in reporting Magistrate Guo, the Royal Lord spared his life. However, he was stripped of his official position, ordered to forfeit all the ill-gotten gains he had extorted from the people, and paraded through the town as a public spectacle.
Well, as long as he was alive, nothing else mattered.
Bai Sheng did not participate in the Royal Lord's handling of the mine personnel. She did not want her little cub to receive bloody prenatal education of beheading and killing.
In the afternoon, Feng Pingyuan gave Bai Sheng the list of households eligible for free well water.
Bai Sheng reviewed it. There were about 15 households. These families had all participated in the fundraising for digging the well or had contributed their labor for free.
Bai Sheng asked Feng Pingyuan to quickly notify other residents of the requirement for free well water usage.
Feng Pingyuan immediately dispatched many eloquent women to spread the word, and Granny Zhong was among them.
Most residents were overjoyed by such a request. In fact, the conditions proposed by the mistress of the manor were already very lenient. All the resources for tree planting were provided by the manor itself; they only needed to contribute labor.
This well was originally the private property of the manor. Allowing everyone to use it for free was already an act of utmost benevolence. Even if it wasn't offered to others, no one had any right to complain.
Moreover, at their most desperate moment, the mistress of the manor had provided them with a livelihood and allowed them to reside in Hongshu Slope, an kindness that could not be repaid in generations. Even if they helped the manor for free for ten days every month, they would be willing.
However, there were still a few discordant voices.
For example, the first and third branches of the Lu family. Although they had separated, their houses were adjacent, and they occasionally ate together.
Madam Xu of the first branch felt that Lu Ye's wife was too unapproachable. It was just using a well, why such harsh conditions?
Madam Yao of the third branch and Lu Laosan also said that Lu Ye's wife's agreement for them to work there was a form of charity, treating them like beggars.
Upon hearing this, three people became extremely angry simultaneously.
Lu Xing, in his rage, flipped the dining table on the spot.
His eyes were bloodshot as he cursed them as ungrateful, white-eyed wolves and stray dogs that could not be kept! If it weren't for his cousin and cousin-in-law, they would all have died of thirst!
From now on, if he ever heard them speaking ill of his cousin and cousin-in-law again, even half a word, he would directly tell his cousin and cousin-in-law, and have them all kicked out of Hongshu Slope!
He now saw clearly that his mother and third uncle and aunt were simply ungrateful people. Even if they were his relatives, he would not indulge them. At most, he would divide the family and sever ties, no longer associating with them. It was a source of extreme shame to have such people as family!
Madam Xu, Yao Huan, and Lu Dahe, seeing the younger generation Lu Xing berating them so disrespectfully, were so furious they almost gritted their teeth to the breaking point, yet they dared not confront him directly. Currently, Lu Xing was the most trusted by Lu Ye and his wife and had joined the guard team.
If Lu Xing were pushed to extreme anger, he might very well carry out the action of driving them out of Hongshu Slope.
Lu Yang was also very angry. After experiencing so many events, he understood that his family had indeed been cold and heartless towards Lu Ye and the others in the past. Now that the relationship between the two families had finally eased slightly, he absolutely would not allow anyone to disrupt it, especially his third uncle and aunt.
Lu Dahai also sternly reprimanded them. Since Lu Xing had enlightened him, he felt that his previous life had been lived in vain, meek and timid, living less than a human.
From now on, he would live with dignity, be a true man. He was still the head of the family. Anyone who dared to disrupt the hard-won good life would face his displeasure.
Now, he even dared to scold his own mother, let alone his wife and his sister-in-law.
He feared no one!
Madam Chen returned to Huangsha Village alone. Although Lu Dahai had always fulfilled his filial duties, sending her some water and food daily, he would not tolerate her causing trouble.
As it approached noon, Lu Ye returned from town with Tong and Tie. They had bought a cartload of bedding.
While Tong and Tie were arranging things, Lu Ye spoke to Bai Sheng in a particularly loud voice, saying that the beds were ordered from town and the merchants would send people to deliver them specially that evening.
The maids serving Bai Sheng found it strange. The mistress was clearly nearby, so why was the master speaking so loudly?
Lu Ye and Bai Sheng: Yes, speaking so loudly, precisely so that everyone could hear. The beds were "bought" from town.
After Lu Ye finished speaking with Bai Sheng, the Royal Lord called him aside.
The two handsome men standing together, discussing something in hushed tones, made for a very pleasing sight.
The Royal Lord looked at Lu Ye and said in a low voice, "Although we have dealt a heavy blow to the Crown Prince this time, the Crown Prince and the Empress will never let you off.
Of course, they wouldn't dare to act openly, but they will surely seek revenge against you in secret. Little Black Face is close to giving birth, so you must pay attention to this matter. These over thirty guards I brought are all the more skilled ones from the Royal Lord's Mansion. You must also arrange your personnel. Ensure Little Black Face's safety."
Lu Ye nodded, "Thank you, Royal Lord, for your concern. This humble subject has already made all arrangements. They dare not act openly, so they can only resort to covert means, which is best for us. Even if we kill all the people they send, they will not dare to make a sound, nor will they dare to report it to the Emperor."
Under Lu Ye's leadership, Hongshu Slope was already on full alert.
All residents were constantly vigilant against any sneak attacks, and the patrols of the guard team were strengthened.
Lu Ye also released the snake-shaped蛊 King within him, commanding a hundred insects.
The mice he had dispatched had already thoroughly investigated all the movements of the Crown Prince and the Empress.