Receiving a prompt from the system, Gu Xingzhao immediately opened the Lu family genealogy and found that Lu Youtiao’s name had been added back, along with details about her current status and health.
At that moment, she felt an inexplicable sense of accomplishment and wondered how best to inform the old man about it later.
But first, it was more pressing to find a proper place for Lu Youtiao to settle down, especially with all these dowry boxes—more than a dozen of them, quite a lot indeed.
Since the Lu family residence was sealed, and the property included in Lu Youtiao’s dowry was outside the city, it was too far to go tonight. Moreover, night had already fallen, making travel unwise.
Qiu Yue and Dong Shuang were both troubled. “Miss, perhaps we should stay at an inn for the night, and tomorrow we can arrange for the new house.”
At that moment, a carriage approached and stopped at the gate of the Yang residence.
He Zhen quickly stepped down from the carriage, and seeing the boxes scattered around, she had already guessed that Miss Lu must have divorced and left the mansion.
Smiling, she walked up to the group and addressed Lu Youtiao, “Miss Lu, if you don’t mind, you could stay at my home for now?”
Lu Youtiao looked at He Zhen, but had no memory of her. She glanced at Qiu Yue and Dong Shuang, and they also didn’t recognize her.
Just then, Gu Xingzhao spoke up from the side. “This is Lady He, the daughter-in-law of former Censor Liu. She is currently working for me. Her husband’s family is in exile with your grandfather. You can go with her to settle for the night.”
Hearing the ancestor’s words, Lu Youtiao felt at ease. With the help of Qiu Yue and Dong Shuang, she rose from her wheelchair and bowed gracefully to He Zhen. “Thank you, Madam.”
He Zhen smiled warmly and moved forward to help Lu Youtiao up. “I’m older than you, so if you don’t mind, you can call me ‘Sister.’”
Feeling grateful, Lu Youtiao quickly addressed her as “Sister.”
Given that the Lu family had fallen and most people avoided them like the plague, anyone who was willing to extend a helping hand at this moment was definitely someone worth building a relationship with.
As He Zhen held onto Lu Youtiao’s thin wrist, she felt a pang of sympathy for the old Lu family head. Such a fine young lady, tormented into this state by that wretched Yang family. They deserved punishment.
The Fang brothers loaded the dowry boxes onto the back of the carriage, and Qiu Yue and Dong Shuang helped their mistress board. The carriage was small and could only accommodate one person inside.
Gu Xingzhao, curious, asked He Zhen why she had come, as she had sent her back earlier.
He Zhen explained, “I noticed the strange phenomenon in the sky and saw complaint papers flying across the city. I figured you must have acted to help Miss Lu. I thought since the Lu family residence was sealed, if she divorced, she would have nowhere to go, so I came with a carriage to see if I could help. And it seems I came at just the right time.”
Sure enough, she arrived just in time to see Lu Youtiao and her group leaving the Yang residence with the dowry. The carriage, which was originally meant for Miss Lu to sit in, now perfectly served as a way to transport the dowry boxes.
Gu Xingzhao chuckled. It wasn’t a coincidence—it was He Zhen’s thoughtful and meticulous planning.
Inside the carriage, now that she had a chance to relax, Lu Youtiao slowly drifted into a deep sleep.
That night, a doctor was called to the Yang residence. Yang Fang lay unconscious on his bed, yet to wake up.
Fu Liang stood by the bedside, holding her belly as she anxiously asked the doctor, “Doctor, how is he?”
The doctor replied, “Master Yang’s external injuries are not severe. With some rest and medication, he will recover. However, he will likely be left with a permanent limp. But beyond that…”
The doctor hesitated, glancing at Fu Liang with some reluctance. Normally, this would be something he should report directly to the official wife, but Miss Lu had just divorced and left the household tonight. Yang Fang’s parents had passed away years ago, and with him still unconscious, only a concubine remained in the household.
Seeing the doctor’s hesitation, Fu Liang guessed that there must be more than just the leg injury. Likely, Yang Fang had suffered some other serious, unspeakable condition. Otherwise, the doctor wouldn’t be so hesitant.
She urged him, “Doctor, please speak frankly.”
The doctor sighed and asked the maidservants to leave. Once they were alone, he whispered, “Master Yang suffered severe damage in a certain area, and I’m afraid he will no longer be able to… perform his marital duties.”
Fu Liang was stunned. She looked at Yang Fang lying unconscious on the bed in disbelief. In less than an hour, he had become a cripple?
Suppressing her emotions, she asked the doctor again, “Doctor, is there any chance of recovery?”
The doctor shook his head. “Unless a miracle happens.”
It was strange. He had treated patients struck by lightning before, and normally the injuries would be uniform across the body. Yang Fang’s injuries, however, were mostly superficial, except for that one area, which was shockingly severe.
In all his years of practice, he had never seen anything like it.
On his way to the Yang residence, he had overheard people discussing the strange phenomenon above the Yang estate, along with countless complaint papers flying across the city. Everyone was saying that the Lu family’s deity had intervened to punish Yang Fang for his mistreatment of Miss Lu.
He had never believed in gods and spirits before, but seeing Yang Fang’s injuries made him a firm believer. Especially considering that Yang Fang’s most serious injury was in that particular area, the doctor couldn’t help but feel uneasy, recalling how Yang Fang had once made his wife drink an abortifacient that he had prescribed.
Had he known what would happen today, he never would have given that prescription. Now, he could only hope that the deity would not come after him.
After the doctor left, the Yang residence felt empty, with only a few people remaining.
Fu Liang, holding her belly, returned to her room and sat by the bed. She took the complaint paper handed to her by a maid and glanced at the unconscious Yang Fang. Seeing no signs of him waking up, she shifted her gaze to the paper. As she read the neatly written characters, her eyes narrowed slightly.
As expected of the granddaughter of the famous Lu elder, Lu Youtiao’s handwriting was truly beautiful.
One of the maids, worried, asked, “Mistress, the lady took all the servants’ contracts when she left, and she moved out all her dowry. The estate is empty, and the master is still unconscious. What are we going to do?”
Another maid chimed in, “She really went too far! Taking all the dowry is one thing, but she dismissed all the servants too! I saw those boxes piled up at the gate. There were so many of them! I wouldn’t be surprised if she took things from the treasury as well!”
Had it not been for her own binding contract, she would have left with the others. Just thinking about it left her feeling bitter.
Fu Liangyi chuckled, gently stroking her belly. “Miss Lu is the granddaughter of a former grand Chancellor. Even if she filled the entire courtyard with her dowry, it would still be normal.”
The maid, still displeased, muttered, “I just feel bad for you and the master, with so many boxes gone.”
That must be a fortune in silver.
Fu Liang, uninterested, placed the complaint paper on the table and glanced at Yang Fang, who was still unconscious. Her voice turned cold as she said, “Only useless men care about their wife’s dowry.”
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