Chapter 180: Furious Outburst

The signboard fell to the ground, and the surrounding clamor and cries of alarm dissipated with it, leaving the scene in utter silence.

Seventh Chen looked at the intact signboard on the ground and swallowed hard.

The signboard was really well-made.

He thought to himself.

It was truly terrifying; the Jinyiwei had come to smash their signboard without any warning.

This was an attack on their business.

The Jiuling Hall was neither official nor nobility, without embezzlement or crime—why had the Jinyiwei come knocking?

And it was none other than Thousand-Man Commander Lu, who rarely showed his face.

Could this be considered an honor?

Was it because of the issue last time when the Jinyiwei demanded they provide treatment?

That was even less likely.

Seventh Chen couldn't hide his unease, while Fang Jinxiu looked on with complex eyes.

But as the signboard hit the ground, Miss Jun's heart seemed to settle as well.

"Lord Lu," she said, looking at Lu Yunqi. "What is the meaning of this?"

Lu Yunqi's condescending gaze swept towards her.

"You know," he said.

She knows? Knows what?

When had she ever interacted with Lu Yunqi?

What was it between them that she knew, he knew, but they didn't know?

Seventh Chen watched Miss Jun, her eyes almost sparkling.

Miss Jun regained her composed expression.

"I am very sorry about the matter Lord Lu mentioned last time," she said. "Please forgive me, I cannot comply."

Lu Yunqi looked at her again.

The girl indeed had guts, but that was nothing extraordinary or surprising to him.

Daring to open a pharmacy in the capital and speaking such bold words, and able to win over these doctors, of course she was no ordinary person.

"If you could not comply, why did you not say so at the time?" he asked coolly.

"At that time, I dared not," said Miss Jun.

Had she said so at that time, she probably wouldn't have made it out of Lu Mansion—that was common sense and quite reasonable.

"You took the money," Lu Yunqi stated.

"At the time, I dared not refuse it," said Miss Jun, after a thought she added, "Later, I dared not return it."

Admirable.

Hearing this, Seventh Chen looked at Miss Jun and silently gave her a thumbs-up in his mind.

How admirable to make an unreasonable case seem so reasonable.

Although Lu Yunqi's words were infuriatingly simple, through this back-and-forth, those around began to grasp the gist of the situation.

It seemed that Thousand-Man Commander Lu wanted Miss Jun to do something and had given her money, but Miss Jun took the money without completing the task.

The crowd looked at Miss Jun with admiration.

Daring to deal with Thousand-Man Commander Lu was impressive enough, let alone taking his money without doing the task, and furthermore, reasoning such a decision so convincingly.

Lu Yunqi watched her for a moment before dismounting.

"You dare not this or that, yet you dare to not keep your promise, to take the money without doing the work," he said slowly, approaching her with measured steps. "You're quite bold."

When he had seen her before, he had approached her as quickly as possible, he never had such a slow pace, seemingly reluctant to get near yet full of disdain, like a predator toying with its prey.

His waist bore a sword and even though it was sheathed, the crowd felt as if they could smell the blood in the air.

Watching him step by step made them all the more fearful.

It seemed as if any moment now, Thousand-Man Commander Lu might burst forth with violent rage.

It wouldn't be without precedence; Lord Lu was not one for words, preferring to resolve matters that could be settled with action by taking action.

Just like the time in front of the imperial palace when he swung a club and injured those protesting officials, or when he set fire to a manor obstructing his official duties, or when he drew his sword against scholars who blocked his path with images of saints.

Thousand-Man Commander Lu stopped in front of Miss Jun; his lean and tall frame blocked the sunlight, casting a shadow that enveloped her.

"Then how do you wish to proceed?" he asked.

His words came in the form of a question, but they sounded more like a statement, devoid of emotion, showing total indifference to the other's response.

It was a stark contrast to the way he had faced her in the past.

To change one's skin, to change one's identity—to see the one who has changed skins was not only herself.

Miss Jun lowered her eyes.

"Jiuling Hall is the inherited business of my Jun Family. My grandfather and father are no longer with us, and I am the only one left in the family. Inheriting the wishes of my grandfather and father, I must pass on Jiuling Hall," she said, kneeling before Lu Yunqi. "I ask for your understanding, Lord, and beg your forgiveness that I cannot forsake the name of Jiuling Hall."

So it was Lu Yunqi who wanted Jiuling Hall to change its name?

The astonished expressions of the onlookers and the murmurs of discussion could be heard.

Just as Miss Jun knelt, Fang Jinxiu stepped forward, raising a silver banknote and bowing her head to present it.

So she knew about it. After all, they were real sisters, and only she, an outsider, was kept in the dark.

Seventh Chen thought, feeling somewhat aggrieved.

Fang Jinxiu stood by Miss Jun's side with her head bowed, holding the silver banknote with both hands. Lu Yunqi didn't even glance at it.

"No," he said briskly.

Before Miss Jun could speak, Fang Jinxiu raised her head first.

"Lord Lu, the Jiuling Hall is the heritage of the Jun Family, and Lord Jun has already passed away after serving his country loyally, leaving behind his daughter to carry on the family legacy. Please be generous," she said.

The identity and origins of Miss Jun, along with her ups and downs and fame for good and ill, were well-known by the residents of the capital. Runan's Jiuling Hall from the Jun Family, the Jun Family's patriarch, the Funing County Magistrate, had served his country with loyalty—a descendant from a family that strived to heal the world and save the people.

Even more so now, Miss Jun was practicing benevolence in the capital.

The crowd around started to stir.

"Why won't they let her keep it open?"

"Why do they need to change the name?"

The quiet murmurs of discussion arose from all around.

This was a rare occurrence in front of the Jinyiwei. After experiencing so many horrifying lessons, no one dared to speak out in front of the Jinyiwei anymore.

Was this public sentiment?

Had Jiuling Hall already won over such public sentiment?

In just a few short months, had the people forgotten fear and apprehension, daring to question the Jinyiwei?

Seventh Chen clenched his hands, struggling to control his excitement.

Public sentiment, public sentiment—it was up to the people now.

Lu Yunqi, his expression impassive, turned his head to glance at the crowd nearby.

With just one look, the murmurs and questioning voices faded.

Before Lu Yunqi could look to the other side, the discussions there also ceased at once.

Silence fell once more.

Seventh Chen chuckled bitterly to himself.

The public sentiment of the capital's residents was indeed fickle.

"Lord Lu, Lord Lu," Manager Liu's voice rang out from outside, and he pushed through the crowd, bowing repeatedly to Lu Yunqi, "My lord, my lord, Miss Jun is still young, if there has been any offense, please be forgiving. Speak with me on this matter."

The Jinyiwei had surrounded Jiuling Hall, and the two shop assistants had no chance to walk out. That Manager Liu had arrived so promptly showed that they had people keeping watch here routinely.

Seventh Chen sighed with relief again. With De Sheng Chang intervening, there should be no issue.

After all, De Sheng Chang held an imperial decree.

Lu Yunqi might not care about public sentiment or the power of high officials, but he surely had to care about imperial authority.

Watching Manager Liu, Lu Yunqi stepped back a few paces.

"There's nothing to discuss," he said. After this remark, he stepped forward again, and in the blink of an eye, he was standing in front of the hanging sign on the ground.

He lifted his foot and kicked heavily at the signboard.

Everything happened so suddenly that no one had time to react, let alone gasp, at the sight.

But someone rushed forward at the same time.

"How dare you!"

Accompanied by a girl's pitched shout, a figure collided directly with Lu Yunqi.

Lu Yunqi raised his hand, while Miss Jun's hands pressed on his arm. Her push didn't go through, but it stopped Lu Yunqi from landing his kick.

Lu Yunqi stepped back once, and the foot he had lifted landed on the ground, kicking up dust.

Those standing close felt the ground tremble beneath them.

It was evident how much force was behind that foot; one could imagine if the signboard had been kicked into the wall, it would certainly have broken in two.

The signboard having been knocked down had already frightened the people, breaking it would not shock them further. Right now, what horrified them was the fact that a girl dared to attack Lu Yunqi.

It wasn't that no one dared to strike Lu Yunqi; there had been those who wanted to hit him, but those people had met very miserable fates.

This girl was likely to be beaten to death on the spot.

A heavy stillness enveloped everything.

But Lu Yunqi also seemed to freeze; he looked at the hands that held his arm, echoing in his ears was that "How dare you."

How dare you!

The voice wasn't familiar, but why, when she shouted at that instant, did he feel almost as though his soul had left his body, as if someone, some spirit, had fiercely lunged at him, crashing into him?

That spirit he would never see again.

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It's a festival, so here's an extra update, thank you for your understanding.