The onlookers exchanged glances, many not having grasped the situation.
Suddenly, someone exclaimed, "Old Liu, doesn't your second uncle's family live on Wujia Lane? Is this really true?"
The man called Old Liu then embellished the story of what had happened in Wujia Lane a few days prior.
"Wu Laosan's wife went to the Marquis's mansion to cry. Everyone had already been eaten; crying wouldn't bring anyone back..."
"My heavens, did they really eat children?"
"Who is this man-eater? Could it be one of us?"
"That can't be. Didn't Old Liu say it was the Marquis's mansion? We don't know which Marquis's mansion it was."
"Old Chai's eldest grandson went out to play the year before last and was never found. Could he have been eaten by this man-eater?"
An elder sighed, "Everyone, keep a close eye on your children. Don't let them wander too far, and always find a few friends when you go out to play."
Someone with red eyes pushed forward, "Who? What is the name of this man-eating demon? My daughter went missing half a year ago, and we couldn't find her anywhere. She must have been eaten by the man-eater."
As soon as she finished speaking, she squatted down, covering her face and weeping uncontrollably.
The young man looked at the words on the flyer. "This says it's Lu Baofang, the heir of the Nanxiong Marquis's Mansion."
Old Liu shouted in agreement, "Yes, yes, it's this Nanxiong Marquis's Mansion."
"Originally, no one knew about this. They had done it a thousand or eight hundred times before, experienced hands, very skilled."
Old Liu, with the air of someone who had relatives who witnessed it firsthand and knew everything, puffed up his chest. "I guess Heaven couldn't stand it anymore, so they ran into the kind and beautiful Young Master Xie. Young Master Xie doesn't care about any Marquis's mansion or not; he insists that Lu Baofang pay for the lives of those children..."
"In front of the steward of the Marquis's mansion, Young Master Xie declared that he would report them to the yamen and seek justice for the poor children..."
While Old Liu was recounting the events to everyone here, in other places, Old Wang, Old Zhang, Old Li, and Old Zhao, who had witnessed the scene at the Nanxiong Marquis's Mansion that day, were enthusiastically answering questions for their neighbors.
A beautiful day had just begun, and Lu Baofang had already become a top figure capable of scaring children into stopping their nighttime crying.
The little brats playing at the intersection were kicked back home by their parents, one by one.
Young girls who were about to go out shopping were also grabbed by the ear and confined indoors by their parents.
Even adults, when walking outside, unconsciously quickened their pace, fearing that a ghost might suddenly appear from some corner, and in its indiscriminate hunger, wouldn't spare their old, wrinkled flesh.
The various yamen in the capital were also bombarded with flyers that rained down like snow.
"I had heard rumors about this matter concerning the Heir Lu long ago. I didn't expect it to be even more rampant than the rumors. If they are so reckless under the Emperor's gaze, is there no law or justice left..."
This was from a young official who had just entered the bureaucracy.
"This Young Master Xie is truly fearless, like a newborn calf. Everyone has heard about this matter concerning Heir Lu. Look, after all these years, he's still doing as he pleases."
This was from a seasoned veteran who understood the importance of self-preservation.
"The reputation of the Nanxiong Marquis's Mansion is now thoroughly ruined and beyond repair. From now on, not only Lu Baofang, but wherever any member of the Lu family goes, people will likely detour around them."
This was from a bystander who was indifferent to the matter.
"Good and evil will eventually be rewarded. It's not that it hasn't been repaid; it's just that the time has not yet come. Lu Baofang has run into a tough opponent this time; he'll have to shed a layer of skin if he doesn't die."
This was from a hater who had disliked Lu Baofang for a long time.
"This Young Master Xie has quite the flair. The wind is high and the waves are rough. I wonder how he plans to wrap this up?"
These were the lords of the Duke of Wei's mansion, who were relieved to have already distanced themselves from Xie Jiang.
Duke of Dingguo's Mansion.
Li Chi read the flyer aloud, word for word.
Song Ze sat at his desk like a proud green pine in the snow, his long, jade-like fingers tracing each word.
As if he could touch the proud soul of that person through these strokes.
"I knew it, she's back," Song Ze smiled, lowering his head. "She's finally going to make a move. No, she already made her move long ago."
"Then, isn't the Second Miss in danger? Should we..."
Li Chi still found it somewhat unbelievable, but he trusted the Heir's every judgment. If the Heir said it was the Second Miss, then it definitely was.
"We don't need to do anything. She doesn't want us to get involved. We just need to watch."
"Does the Heir know what the Second Miss is going to do?"
"Li Chi, you grew up in the Duke of Dingguo's Mansion. You personally experienced the turmoil there. When you see the outcome of the Nanxiong Marquis's Mansion, perhaps you will understand everything."
Outcome?
This word...
Is the Nanxiong Marquis's Mansion about to reach its finale?
Li Chi suddenly felt a surge of excitement.
...
At the same time, the same flyer was also placed before Yi Yanguan.
However, Yi Yanguan's focus was neither on the content of the flyer nor on the reaction of the Nanxiong Marquis's Mansion.
What good end could they have? Running into her, did they expect to remain whole?
Moreover, His Majesty was already aware of the actions of the Lu clan in Nanping. Piles of blood-stained documents had already been presented to His Majesty a few days ago.
The fate of the Lu clan was sealed.
What made Yi Yanguan want to pound the table in anger was, "You're saying she stayed overnight at Chunse Manyuan?"
Judging by Wen Feng's expressive reaction, he knew what kind of place that was!
"After we parted yesterday, has she been at Chunse Manyuan the entire time?"
Yesterday, he had pleaded and cajoled, said all sorts of good things, and in the end, he even went so far as to... he had tacitly agreed, allowing her to...
She still insisted on not letting go and staying at his mansion.
All this was so she could go to Chunse Manyuan for a romantic spree, embracing left and right! Weren't she afraid of being blinded by those mediocre beauties!
She had been thinking about it for a long time and finally found an opportunity, so she rushed over impatiently, abandoning him without hesitation, right?
All those sweet words she had spoken to him before, about not being able to sleep without him, were all lies!
He dared to bet that last night at Chunse Manyuan, she hadn't even thought for a moment that someone like him existed!
Wen Feng hesitantly said, "His Highness the Fifth Prince feared being discovered and reported to His Majesty, so his actions at Chunse Manyuan were also to cover his tracks."
His Highness the Fifth Prince's caution was not wrong. Although Lu Baofang was arrogant and didn't take Miss Xie seriously, Old Master Lu was more thoughtful.
Even their master and the Duke of Wei's mansion were suspicious, let alone the Fifth Prince and Young Master Xu San, who had been closest to Miss Xie since she entered the capital.
"Does one need to go to such a place to cover their tracks!" Yi Yanguan couldn't sit still. Who knew what she was doing inside!
Wen Feng tried to remind his furious master, "Chunse Manyuan is full of women..."
His master was too pure and self-disciplined. As his subordinate, he was also not familiar with such places.
After saying that, he suddenly realized that men could also be part of the "chunse" (spring scenery/beauty), right?
Wen Feng instantly shut his mouth.
Yi Yanguan sneered.
Even if Chunse Manyuan was full of women, did she differentiate between men and women in her eyes?
Thinking of her nature of attracting cats and dogs, he could no longer remain calm.
Watching his master, who was not attending to proper business and was storming out angrily, Wen Feng was extremely troubled.
Going to Chunse Manyuan in broad daylight was just like a wife in a household going to a brothel to catch her husband flirting.
His master's persona of being pure and abstinent was about to collapse.
Why the rush? Miss Xie was an old hand; she wouldn't suffer any loss.
Fortunately, as soon as he went out, Prime Minister Xun stopped him to discuss matters. It seemed that no conclusion would be reached anytime soon.
Prime Minister Xun, the great savior, had preserved his master's reputation.