The Wu Family.
“Eldest Master, Eldest Madam, it’s awful, it’s awful.” The boy servant guarding the door ran inside frantically while shouting, “The Highest Judiciary has come to arrest Eldest Miss.”
“What?” Master Wu suddenly lost his grip on his teacup, and it crashed to the floor.
He then jumped up from his seat and glowered. “What bullsh*t are you spouting? When did Xiaosu commit a crime, and one that even required the Highest Judiciary’s people to come make an arrest?”
As he spoke, two of the Highest Judiciary’s officers had already stepped through the door, and they cupped their hands towards Master Wu. “This humble official greets Sir Wu.”
Eldest Master Wu was precisely the older full brother of Wu Hongmo, the Vassal King Consort of An’nan, and he had been an ignorant and incompetent character since young. If he hadn’t begged his brother-in-law, Vassal King of An’nan, to secure a seventh-rank sinecure, he would probably still be without office at this time.
The Wu Family had gotten used to passing untroubled days. Even though the master didn’t hold a high official post, there was still the Vassal King of An’nan, this brother-in-law, to back them up, so no one dared to disrespect the Wu Family. Hence, this was the first time they were encountering the Highest Judiciary’s “challenge” at their doorstep.
“Pardon us, Sir Wu. We humble officers are acting under orders to detain Eldest Miss Wu. Would Sir please cooperate.” The two officers said with artificial smiles.
“Insolence!” Eldest Madam Wu assumed a mighty air and berated, “On what basis are you making an arrest? Our family’s Xiaosu is a pure and innocent maiden, how can she go with you to the Highest Judiciary?”
“We have an arrest warrant. Someone has provided evidence to show that your family’s eldest miss has committed attempted swindling. We have both witnesses and physical evidence, so Eldest Miss won’t be able to talk herself out of this. This humble officer has to trouble Madam to not wantonly obstruct the Highest Judiciary from handling this case, or else, it’ll be difficult to answer to the king!”
Eldest Madam Wu was so livid that her knees gave in and she plopped down onto her stool. She glared at the two officers with bloodshot eyes before hastily turning to Eldest Master Wu and crying, “Master.”
Master Wu was also trembling his lips, unable to say anything. Those two officers shook the arrest warrant in their hands and sniggered, “If Eldest Master refuses to hand her over, us humble officers will be unable to answer to our superior, so this would only leave us with the choice of conducting a search ourselves.”
After a short while, the pale-faced Wu Xiaosu was summoned to the main hall, and without another word, one of the officers stepped forward and handcuffed both of her wrists with a “kacha.”
Seeing this, Eldest Madam Wu screeched, “What are you doing, what are you doing? What did my daughter do? Why do you have to handcuff her!”
“Pardon, Eldest Madam Wu. Eldest Miss Wu’s attempted swindling is an entirely confirmed fact! She’ll definitely be imprisoned! If you don’t believe us, you can come along with us to the Highest Judiciary! As evidence, the inside corner of the rice sack was imprinted with your Wu Family’s seal!” The officer impatiently pushed aside Eldest Madam Wu, who had pounced over, and continued speaking. “Eldest Miss is a mystic cultivator, so to guard against the possibility of her running away, sorry, she has to wear these special handcuffs that target mystic cultivators.”
“Bring her away!”
“Mom!! Dad!!” Wu Xiaosu frantically screamed in fright as the two officers brusquely dragged her away.
Eldest Madam Wu nearly fainted, and she quickly clutched onto a maidservant’s hand, sputtering, “R-Ready the carriage, immediately ready the carriage! I’m going to Vassal King of An’nan’s Estate.”
When it was dusk, Vassal King Consort of An’nan, Wu Hongmo, brought Eldest Madam Wu into the palace to meet Her Majesty the Queen. The news that they tearfully complained to Her Majesty, accusing the crown prince consort of abusing her power to bully others, soon circulated wildly in the palace.
When the queen sent for the little lady at the Qiao Estate, the little lady had only been back for around five minutes. After hearing the summons, she didn’t even bat an eyelid and merely instructed Shaoyao, “Call the general manager here.”