Chapter 134: Procession Through the Streets

The door slammed open with a bang, startling Hou Tianlu and Lin Shuimei, who were still entangled inside the room.

Lin Shuimei screamed sharply and hastily pulled the quilt over her body, while Hou Tianlu angrily cursed, “Who is it? Are you out of your mind, barging in at a time like this?”

But when he saw the household servants and maids flooding in, his expression instantly changed.

When Murong Xiu entered last, he trembled all over, his face turning pale, even forgetting to put on his clothes.

This scene deeply pierced Murong Xiu’s heart.

This was the man she had loved for so many years!

Murong Xiu, you were truly blind! To sever ties with your parents for such a man!

“Beat him!” Murong Xiu commanded.

At her order, the servants and maids rushed forward. The servants surrounded Hou Tianlu, delivering a fierce beating, while the maids mercilessly dragged out the terrified and disoriented Lin Shuimei from under the quilt, slapping her one after another without mercy.

Lin Shuimei was dazed from the blows, shouting, “Who are you? Let me go!”

She was still unclothed!

So many men had barged in... she had been completely exposed!

These servants and maids had been brought from Murong Xiu’s family back then; they were fiercely loyal to her.

Now, seeing Hou Tianlu brazenly cheating, they were furious and struck hard.

Hou Tianlu screamed, “Wife! I know, please spare me! I beg you! It was all that little wretch who seduced me; I just lost control for a moment. Please, stop hitting me!”

Hearing this, Lin Shuimei was both terrified and furious.

The intruder was none other than Hou Tianlu’s wife!

Moreover, this irresponsible man had blamed everything on her! It was utterly outrageous!

“Stop for now,” Murong Xiu said.

As soon as she spoke, the servants and maids immediately ceased their attack.

Hou Tianlu felt pain all over, barely able to move.

These people showed no mercy at all.

Lin Shuimei’s face was swollen like a pig’s, and much of her hair had been pulled out. She trembled as she looked at Murong Xiu, forgetting that she was still naked.

Murong Xiu stepped forward and stood before Hou Tianlu.

He looked up and forced a flattering smile. “Wife…”

“Slap!” Murong Xiu struck him hard across the face without mercy.

“Hou Tianlu, how did you promise me back then?” Murong Xiu asked fiercely. “You said that for this life and the next, I alone would be enough; you wouldn’t have any entanglements with other women. What, have you forgotten now?”

---

“Wife, I—I didn’t! It was only this once; she seduced me. I won’t do it again. I love you—please believe me!” Hou Tianlu sobbed.

In truth, he had also been promiscuous with other women at the academy before.

But Murong Xiu had never found out.

She never came to the academy—why did she suddenly show up today?

But it didn’t matter—he knew Murong Xiu well. She loved him to the bone, having given up everything to come with him to this remote place.

So as long as he said this, she would surely forgive him.

Who would have thought Murong Xiu suddenly kicked him hard again?

Hou Tianlu screamed in pain, collapsing to the ground and coughing up a mouthful of blood.

Murong Xiu was no ordinary woman; she had once followed her father to the battlefield!

So that kick was no ordinary blow.

“Do you think at this point I still believe you?” Murong Xiu’s face was full of rage. “Hou Tianlu, I really misjudged you! I…”

Her voice choked up, but she wiped her face and continued, “I told you, if you dare betray me, I will never forgive you.”

She was a woman blinded by love, but not entirely.

She could give up everything for the one she loved, but only if that person was worthy.

She had once believed Hou Tianlu loved her too.

But now, she saw this man clearly.

She would never let him go!

And as for the woman who had been with Hou Tianlu, she would never let her off either!

Murong Xiu looked coldly at Lin Shuimei.

Lin Shuimei’s legs gave out and she collapsed to the ground.

“Who gave you the audacity to seduce my husband?”

“I—I didn’t know he—”

“You didn’t know? Everyone at the academy knows Hou Tianlu is married, and now you tell me you didn’t know?”

“Madam, please spare me!” Lin Shuimei cried. “I never intended to compete with you. I was even willing to be a concubine!”

“A concubine? Fine, even if I agreed to Hou Tianlu taking a concubine, you would have to come before me first, let me see you, then complete the proper documents, serve me tea, enter the house properly, only then could you rightfully share his bed. What you’re doing now is illicit!”

Fire almost erupted in Murong Xiu’s eyes. “I will make sure you two wretched lovers meet a miserable end!”

---

The fried chicken was already sold out for the day. Lin Sanqian and her two older brothers were tidying up to close the shop when suddenly a commotion erupted outside, with men shouting excitedly and women hurling curses.

“What’s going on?” Lin Sanqian asked, puzzled.

“I’ll go check,” Lin Beitao, who enjoyed excitement, said and immediately stepped outside.

Not long after, he rushed back, his face flushed red, almost tripping over the doorstep. Fortunately, Lin Wenyen quickly caught him.

“Third brother, what happened?”

“Third brother, what did you see? Your face is so red,” Lin Sanqian laughed.

“You all should go see for yourselves!” Lin Beitao blushed and said, “Lin Shuimei and Hou Tianlu are being paraded through the streets! The key is—they’re both naked!”

Still young and inexperienced, Beitao was disgusted but flustered at seeing Lin Shuimei exposed like that.

“What?” Lin Wenyen frowned. “I’m not looking. Too filthy for my eyes.”

Lin Sanqian was somewhat surprised.

She hadn’t expected Murong Xiu to act so swiftly.

And it was clear she hadn’t forgiven Hou Tianlu.

She was still quite clear-headed.

Hou Tianlu and Lin Shuimei had brought this on themselves.

However, Murong Xiu was very bold to have them paraded naked through the streets. Was she not afraid the authorities would intervene?

---

On the main street, Lin Shuimei and Hou Tianlu’s hands were tied as they were dragged along with blank expressions.

Lin Shuimei knew she was ruined!

She could feel the disgusting gazes of the men upon her!

From now on, she would never marry a wealthy man!

Her whole life was over!

Passing by the entrance of Mai Ken Chicken, she saw Lin Sanqian stepping out of the shop. Her mind went blank.

She was being dragged naked through the streets, while Lin Sanqian stood there composed and dignified in front of her own store…

“Have you heard? That’s the scholar from the Ru Literature Academy! He was caught fooling around with this woman by his own wife!”

“How shameless!”

“It makes my teeth itch with hatred!”

Someone threw an egg, hitting Lin Shuimei and Hou Tianlu’s heads. The crowd erupted, showering them with vegetable leaves and all sorts of filth.