You expect me to serve your mistress? The mistress is driving this scumbag and his entire family cra

Chapter 43 Forced Apology is Cheaper than Grass

Fang Chengxu stared coldly at Lu Xingzhan, noticing his constant flirting with Liang Jiang. He assumed their conspiracy had been exposed and felt guilty, so he rebuked him:

"Stop tarnishing the city lord's reputation here. I've seen plenty of swindlers like you who go around deceiving people. Do you think you can impersonate the city lord just because her identity is mysterious and no one has ever seen her face? Liang Jiang, you've been fooled!"

Liang Jiang remained silent, simply watching the spectacle as Lu Xingzhan teased Fang Chengxu.

Lu Xingzhan, of course, wanted to drag her into this mess as well. He rubbed his nose and asked, "Liang Jiang, if I really were an imposter city lord, would you still believe me and consider me a friend?"

Liang Jiang said calmly, "No. I hate being lied to."

"So, am I going to face legal trouble and go to jail? You're not going to just stand by and watch me die, are you?"

"Yes. You can give me your last words in advance."

Fang Chengxu became even more confident: "So you're admitting your guilt? Your Excellency, this man is incredibly audacious. He must be severely punished to appease public anger."

Seeing his face turn red with anxiety, Lu Xingzhan stopped teasing him and pointed at Liang Jiang:
"The letter I wrote to you was dictated by me and written down by Liang Jiang, so she will tell you whatever you want to know."

Liang Jiang glared at Lu Xingzhan; this guy really didn't miss any opportunity to drag her down with him.

She could only say, "That letter was indeed written by me. It was an early warning of the disaster, asking you to take precautions against flooding, and it listed several potential hazards in the dikes of Fucheng. If you don't believe me, you can verify the handwriting."

The prefect clapped his hands: "Indeed, without the slightest error. It seems that this young master Lu is undoubtedly the city lord. I was unaware that you and Madam Fang, no, this Miss Liang, have known each other for two years and have such a deep friendship."

Lu Xingzhan sighed, "That's right, most of my businesses in Fucheng were earned by her. I told her back then that the Fang family wasn't good enough for her, that they were blind to her worth, but she wouldn't believe me, sigh..."

The single word "sigh" conveys all the bitterness and the grievances Liang Jiang suffered in the Fang family.

Fang Chengxu looked incredulous. Why did things turn out so differently than he had imagined?

Lu Xingzhan is actually the city lord?
Is Galangal really that rich?

Why did I never know this?
Grandma Fang, standing to the side, slapped her thigh in regret. If she had known Liang Jiang was so wealthy, she would never have chased away this money-maker.

She almost wanted to rush forward, hug Liang Jiang's leg, and beg for forgiveness while crying her eyes out.

The Fang family remained silent, playing the submissive role. Lu Xingzhan pressed his advantage: "What's wrong, Young Master Fang? A man of his word should not have forgotten the boast he made just now, should he?"

Everyone looked at Fang Chengxu with excitement, anticipation, and a touch of schadenfreude.

Even Ah Huang, who guards the house, isn't as good at finding fault as him. Not only did he offend the city lord, but he also went out of his way to get humiliated.

Live it!

Fang Chengxu's face burned, but what's said is said, so he had no choice but to bite the bullet and step forward. He walked up to Lu Xingzhan and was about to kneel down.

Lu Xingzhan, however, flashed forward and pulled Liang Jiang over, abandoning his usual carefree attitude and speaking seriously:
"The person you have wronged the most is Liang Jiang. You have betrayed her sincere heart for your Fang family. You are heartless, ungrateful, and should kowtow to her."

Fang Chengxu clenched and unclenched his fist in his sleeve, then curled it up again. He gritted his teeth and respectfully kowtowed three times before Liang Jiang.

He said in a muffled voice, "Liang Jiang, I was wrong."

Liang Jiang remained indifferent, showing neither pride nor joy, and faced Fang Chengxu as if he were a complete stranger.

"A forced apology is worth less than grass, I don't care."

Then he turned around and went back to his own Tingzhu Garden.

Lu Xingzhan finally vented his anger and turned around to swagger away.

Once the two left, the excitement was over. However, what they had seen and heard today was enough to keep them entertained for a whole night, allowing them to glean some unique insights.

Some people, still not satisfied, stabbed Fang Chengxu in the heart.

“Young Master Fang, you said your ex-wife had an affair with the city lord. Did you witness this with your own eyes, or did you just guess? Does Miss Liang have any plans to remarry? My son is about the same age as her, and they are a perfect match.”

"I heard that your Fang family's house was sold to the city lord for four thousand taels of silver. Could the real owner of the house now be Miss Liang?"

"Whoever marries a good girl will never have to worry about food and clothing in the future."

Tong Zhao'er's face turned ashen with anger: "Hmph, no matter what, he's just a lowly merchant. Why are you praising him like this? A bunch of country bumpkins who've never seen the world."

These words were originally spoken out of resentment and a desire to vent her anger. However, when others overheard them, the conversation spread, further fueling their rage.

This matter was originally trivial, and we're all neighbors. I didn't expect them to become so relentless and aggressive. But the Fang family's actions are truly despicable. If you're so noble, not a country bumpkin, then pay up!
After the crowd of onlookers dispersed, the guests elected a representative to discuss compensation with the Fang family.

In the crowd, Guanqi, holding a riding whip, glanced at the invitation in his hand, thought for a moment, and instead of entering, turned around and went back to the capital.

He had been so busy with miscellaneous matters these past few days that he completely forgot about the task Gu Xizhi had assigned him.

It wasn't until noon, when he heard from others that there seemed to be a happy occasion at the general's mansion, that he suddenly remembered.

He immediately informed Gu Xizhi, took the invitation, and rode swiftly to Fucheng.

When he arrived at the Fang family residence, the guests and their families who had gotten sick from the food were rushing into the mansion. He stood aside and watched the whole thing unfold.

Seeing that it was already dark, he reluctantly turned around, mounted his horse, and galloped away under the stars and moon. Using his waist token, he called for the city gate to open and returned to the palace.

Gu Xizhi's residence in the Pingxi Prince's Mansion in Shangjing was a gift from the late emperor when he was still a prince.

After the late emperor passed away, in accordance with his will, he was granted a fiefdom in Weixi, Chang'an. Without being summoned, he rarely returned to the capital.

The last time I returned to the capital was to escort the coffin of the Duke of Liang back to his hometown.

This time, it was because the Empress Dowager's birthday was just over a month away, and the Emperor summoned him to the capital to offer his congratulations.

He will stay in Beijing for a while.

When Guan Qi returned to the Prince of Pingxi's residence, it was already past midnight. The light in Gu Xizhi's study was still on; he hadn't rested.

Guan Qi gently knocked on the door. Gu Xizhi put down the letter in her hand, frowned, and said in a deep voice, "Come in."

Guan Qi pushed open the door and entered: "Your Highness."

"Is the matter settled?"

Guan Qi shook his head: "No."

Gu Xizhi paused in folding the letter, saying nothing, only raising an eyebrow slightly.

Guan Qi then waved the invitation in his hand: "I think that Miss Liang Jiang has no use for this invitation, so I took the liberty of bringing it back."

Gu Xizhi frowned again.

Guan Qi immediately understood and continued, "Today I witnessed a great show at the Fang family's house. This Miss Liang Jiang doesn't need our support at all. It's already merciful that she didn't try to wipe out the Fang family."

(End of this chapter)