AUBTN -Chapter 65 Covering Up

“Ladies, it’s my fault for being lax with my subordinates, allowing these blind and insolent servants to offend you! I will immediately—”

“‘A misunderstanding’?”

Yu Qing rubbed her wrist, which had been chafed red, and sneered, her gaze sharp as a blade.

“Chairman Jiang, you call this a ‘misunderstanding’? That’s a pretty casual way to put it.”

She stepped forward.

“We were just drinking tea and listening to a storyteller in a teahouse, and your vile servants barged in, overturned the storyteller’s stall, tried to seize people, and, without a word, started tying them up! You even said every blade of grass and tree in Su City belongs to the Jiang family! And that you’d break our legs and throw us to the fish!”

Yu Qing glared at the trembling servants.

“Chairman Jiang, is this how your Jiang family treats guests? Or is this your Jiang family’s law in Su City?”

“No, no, no! You’re exaggerating, young lady! It really is… a misunderstanding…” Jiang Huai was drenched in cold sweat, frantically wiping his forehead.

Su Hewan, who had been quietly standing to the side, spoke slowly now.

“Chairman Jiang.”

She adjusted her slightly disheveled sleeves, her gaze piercing, locking onto Jiang Huai’s evasive eyes.

“That storyteller in the teahouse was only telling a story about Huamei, yet your servants dragged him away, claiming he was spreading false rumors to mislead the public.”

“Has it come to this in Su City? Do the people no longer have the right to listen to stories? Or was there some unspeakable truth in that tale that hit a sore spot for you, Chairman Jiang?”

“Oppressing the innocent, monopolizing the salt trade, keeping vicious servants, setting up unauthorized courts… Chairman Jiang, it seems Su City is truly under your family’s thumb. Even the laws of the imperial court are less powerful than your word, isn’t that so?”

Each of these accusations carried the weight of crimes that could bring ruin to a household and even annihilate a clan.

Jiang Huai’s face had turned ashen, his whole body trembling.

He had never imagined that these two seemingly delicate girls could speak with such sharpness, hitting him right where it hurt with every word!

“Injustice! Great lords! I’m wronged!”

Jiang Huai suddenly collapsed to his knees before Lu Yan and Shen Jue, tears streaming down his face.

“It was all my servants, ignorant and unruly! I, the humble citizen, had no knowledge of this! I have always been loyal to the imperial court—heaven and earth bear witness!”

The air seemed to freeze.

Lu Yan strode forward and grabbed Yu Qing’s wrist.

Her once pale, jade-like wrist was now covered in red, swollen marks from the ropes.

In that instant, the chill in Lu Yan’s eyes turned into killing intent.

That must’ve hurt like hell! And the rope is coarse hemp!

His heart clenched sharply.

Though he wanted to laugh at the girl’s mental commentary, it was far outweighed by anger.

An anger he had never felt before.

“‘Unaware’?”

Lu Yan turned, towering over the kneeling Jiang Huai.

“Jiang Huai, you’d better pray her hand is unharmed.”

“If these wounds leave scars, I will cut off the hands and feet of everyone in this courtyard to make amends for her.”

Jiang Huai shuddered violently, his head pounding on the ground with loud thuds: “Lord Lu, spare me! Lord Lu, spare me!”

On the other side, Shen Jue had already walked over to Su Hewan.

He carefully examined her.

Once he confirmed she was unharmed, he slowly turned back.

“Chairman Jiang.”

Shen Jue’s voice was soft, almost as if speaking to an old friend.

He even bent slightly, courteously brushing the dust off Jiang Huai’s shoulders.

“There are two things I hate most in this life.”

“First, being deceived.”

“Second, having someone touch my things.”

“Miss Su may be just a court historian, but she’s part of my Eastern Bureau.”

“As the saying goes, if you hit a dog, you must see who its master is. Your actions—are you trying to slap me in the face?”

Su Hewan twitched at the corner of her mouth.

【Who’s your dog! This damn eunuch—protecting your own is one thing, but could you at least pick a nicer metaphor? Like “my lady,” no… wait, that’s not what I mean!】

Hearing her inner thoughts, Shen Jue’s dark gaze miraculously softened a little.

Heh, this girl dares to think.

“Master! This lowly one truly knows his mistake! I’ll have the best healing ointment brought immediately! Apologies! Truly, apologies!” Jiang Huai was now completely terrified, desperate just to get these two calamities out of his sight.

“No need.”

Lu Yan interrupted coldly, pulling Yu Qing behind him.

“We don’t dare use medicine from the Jiang family. It might be poisoned.”

Shen Jue straightened up as well, pulling a handkerchief from his sleeve. He slowly wiped the hand that had just touched Jiang Huai, as if it had come into contact with filth.

Then he casually tossed the handkerchief onto Jiang Huai’s face.

“This meal today was thoroughly enjoyable.”

“And I’ve had the honor of learning the rules of Su City from Chairman Jiang.”

“Since the Jiang family’s temple is so grand that it cannot accommodate us unruly people, we shall take our leave.”

Having said this, Shen Jue didn’t even glance at Jiang Huai and turned to walk away.

“Su Hewan, aren’t you coming? Waiting to stay behind and feed the fish?”

Su Hewan hurried to follow, and as she passed Jiang Huai, she delivered one final blow.

“Chairman Jiang, those who act unrighteously will meet their own end.”

Lu Yan snorted coldly as well, striding forward with Yu Qing.

Jiang Huai collapsed to the ground, watching the four figures depart, his eyes full of hatred and fear.

Outside the Jiang residence, the torrential rain finally began to pour.

The imperial guards and eunuchs had long prepared umbrellas, escorting the four into the carriage.

Inside, the atmosphere did not ease despite their escape.

“Does it hurt?”

Lu Yan took a small porcelain jar from his coat, pouring some cooling ointment and clumsily but gently applying it to Yu Qing’s wrist.

Yu Qing had wanted to put on a brave little-white-flower act, but the ointment immediately dulled the piercing pain, and tears involuntarily welled in her eyes.

“It hurts! It hurts so much! That fatso, one day I’ll make sure he rots in prison!”

She sniffled, leaning against Lu Yan’s shoulder and nuzzling him.

Although this straight-laced guy is usually so cold, he really comes through when it counts. Full marks for boyfriend skills!

Lu Yan’s hand stiffened slightly as he applied the ointment, a faint blush rising at his ears—but he didn’t push her away.

In another carriage, Su Hewan sat upright, applying medicine to her own wrist.

Shen Jue reclined on the cushions, eyes closed, still holding the string of prayer beads in his hand.

“You deliberately provoked Jiang Huai just now, didn’t you?” Shen Jue asked suddenly.

Su Hewan paused in her movements, then calmly continued applying the ointment.

“People like Jiang Huai are used to smooth sailing. They can’t handle being rattled. Only by making him flustered and off-balance will he reveal a weakness.”

“And after today’s commotion, the Jiang family and our faces are completely torn apart. He’ll certainly make a big move—either destroy evidence, transfer assets, or even…”

“…even silence witnesses,” Shen Jue finished, opening his eyes, which now gleamed with sharp intent.

“Smart.”

He gave Su Hewan a look of genuine approval.

“Since we know, let’s watch the show.”

Shen Jue lifted the carriage curtain, observing the rain-drenched, barely visible Su City, and gave cold orders to his men outside.

“Issue the command.”

“All undercover agents of the Eastern Depot—begin watching the Jiang residence closely for twelve hours.”

“And also, investigate the captured storyteller. Rescue them before Jiang Huai has the chance to silence them.”

Upon hearing this, Su Hewan instinctively looked toward Shen Jue.