After Breaking the Marriage Contract, I Became the Strongest State-Stabilizing Duke! - Chapter 8:

Chapter 8: The Imperial Decree Arrives, Slapping the Lu Family

Mu Zian calmly walked into the Lu family residence. Behind him, Zhao Dahu wore an amused expression, like watching a show. Mu Zian glanced around; everyone who should be here, and those who shouldn’t, were present—no one was missing.

Lu Yunxue, seeing Mu Zian, said coldly, “Mu Zian, I gave you a chance to back down before, and you didn’t take it. Now you come begging? It’s too late! Unless you kneel right now and apologize to my brother, I will never forgive you.”

The Lu family’s Matron immediately straightened her back. Pretend all you want, but in the end, aren’t you still crawling back to apologize?

“Hmph! Just kneeling isn’t enough. He almost ruined our Lu family’s future. I say he needs to kowtow ten times; otherwise, I won’t be appeased.”

“Mu Zian, how did I not realize you were such a petty man? Is it jealousy? You tried to ruin my brother’s future.”

“I must have been blind to ever like you! According to my grandmother’s words, kneel and kowtow ten times to my brother now. If you do, maybe I will forgive you. If not, I will never see you again.”

Hearing this, Lu Ming was overjoyed; even his crippled leg felt a bit better.

“Kowtowing ten times isn’t enough! He broke my leg; he must have a leg broken too!”

Mu Zian frowned. Were these people all kicked in the head by a donkey?

“I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”

Lu Yunxue slammed the table and stood up. “Mu Zian, what’s this attitude? Is this how you apologize? I’m giving you one last chance; don’t make me repeat myself.”

Mu Zian sneered, “There’s no word for apology in my dictionary, especially not to you. You think you’re worthy?”

Every word struck like a dagger.

Zhao Dahu folded his arms across his chest and said coldly, “Pah! What a bunch of trash!”

Lu Yunxue’s face turned green and white; she was clearly enraged.

“If you’re not here to apologize, then you’re not welcome here!”

Mu Zian remained calm. “You think I want to come here? Today, I’m only here to retrieve my father’s Heaven-Quaking Bow.”

Lu Ming barked furiously, “Our Lu family has nothing of yours! Get lost!”

Mu Zian narrowed his eyes, and Lu Ming shrank behind Lu Yunxue in fear.

“Retrieve the bow?”

Lu Yunxue’s face was complicated. She thought Mu Zian came to apologize, but now it seemed he had decided to cut ties completely. For a moment, Lu Yunxue even felt a twinge of panic. Though Mu Zian was now without status, the State-Stabilizing Duke’s influence in the military still lingered. The current Prime Minister, the mighty Generals, all owed the State-Stabilizing Duke favors.

As Lu Yunxue hesitated, the Lu family’s Matron stepped forward, hands on her waist.

“What do you mean your family’s? Once it enters my Lu family residence, it’s our Lu family’s! If you want that Heaven-Quaking Bow, you must meet three conditions.”

“First, pay 500,000 taels of silver as a storage fee. Second, have Li Jiuxuan personally come to accept my grandson back into his Sect. Third, pay another 300,000 taels to continue building the Heroine Marquis’ residence for Xue’er.”

“Considering the past relationship between you and Xue’er, don’t say I’m not giving you a chance.”

Mu Zian couldn’t help but laugh. He had seen shameless people, but this Lu family set a new standard. Over the years, he had given them not hundreds but millions of taels of silver. Did they really think he was a walking ATM?

Mu Zian’s face grew colder.

“Utter shamelessness.”

Hearing this, the tiny shred of guilt Lu Yunxue had left vanished.

“Mu Zian, what do you mean? Do you really think our Lu family cares about your money? We’re just asking for an attitude. I’m disappointed in you for being so petty.”

“I’ll ask you once: will you return the bow or not?”

Mu Zian’s patience was wearing thin.

Lu Ming sneered, “This is the Lu family residence, and my sister is the Heroine Marquis, personally appointed by the Emperor. If you dare cause trouble, the Emperor will not forgive you!”

The Lu family’s Matron scoffed.

“You think you’re still the heir of the State-Stabilizing Duke? You’re nothing but a commoner now. As for that Heaven-Quaking Bow, if you don’t agree to these conditions, I’d rather burn it than give it to you!”

In her mind, without the title of State-Stabilizing Duke’s heir, Mu Zian was nothing. Her granddaughter was the Heroine Marquis, a title unique under heaven, and would carry the Lu family’s future. Mu Zian was nothing compared to her.

Mu Zian clenched his fists. Since they didn’t understand words, he would let his fists explain.

Just then, hurried footsteps sounded from outside. A sharp voice rang out.

“Imperial Decree has arrived!”

The entire Lu residence erupted in excitement! The Lu family’s Matron was ecstatic.

“The Emperor’s rewards must have arrived! Xue’er, go and receive the decree!”

“See that? The Emperor’s favor for our Lu family is unmatched. Soon, our Lu family will be the first family of the Great Li Empire. The State-Stabilizing Duke’s residence will be garbage compared to us.”

Lu Yunxue was confused but didn’t think much. After all, her marquisate decree had arrived urgently before, so today’s reward was not surprising.

With the voice, Grand Steward Cao, dressed in a purple-red embroidered python robe, entered, holding the dazzling Imperial Decree. Behind him were hundreds of heavily armored Imperial Guards, a display of unprecedented grandeur.

Among them, Mu Zian even spotted a familiar face—Shen Congwu, the Imperial Guard Commander he had previously knocked flying with a punch.

To be fair, the guy was tough; he could already walk after just a day in bed. Mu Zian thought privately—such a perfect sandbag; he should spar with him more often.

When Shen Congwu felt Mu Zian’s gaze, he shivered and instinctively lowered his head.

Lu Yunxue immediately stepped forward and knelt.

“Subject, Heroine Marquis Lu Yunxue, welcomes the decree!”

The Lu family’s Matron and Lu Ming quickly knelt beside her, unable to hide their excitement. Lu Ming was already dreaming of how to humiliate Mu Zian after receiving the decree.

Just as everyone in the Lu family eagerly awaited, Grand Steward Cao walked right past Lu Yunxue without even sparing her a glance. He went straight to Mu Zian.

“Oh my little ancestor, I’ve finally found you. I turned your little courtyard upside down. If someone hadn’t told me you were here, I wouldn’t have known how to report back.”

Mu Zian’s expression remained calm.

“Thanks for your trouble, Grand Steward Cao.”

Grand Steward Cao quickly said, “How could I dare! In the future, I’ll rely on you to put in good words for me before the Emperor.”

As Mu Zian and Grand Steward Cao chatted, the Lu family’s people grew increasingly uncomfortable. Lu Yunxue’s face turned red; standing up or continuing to kneel were both unbearably awkward.

Grand Steward Cao opened the decree. Mu Zian made to kneel, but Grand Steward Cao swiftly supported him and swept a disdainful glance at the Lu family.

“The Emperor has said that Mu Zian may receive the decree standing.”

An uproar!

Grand Steward Cao cleared his throat and read aloud.

“By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: In governing the country, one must employ the virtuous; in ensuring peace, one must rely on loyal ministers. Now, Mu Zian, son of the State-Stabilizing Duke, is loyal and diligent, ever vigilant and humble, of virtuous character, greatly pleasing to Us.”

“Therefore, We restore him to the authority of the State-Stabilizing Duke, reopen the State-Stabilizing Duke’s residence, and bestow three thousand taels of gold, one hundred thousand taels of silver, and one thousand bolts of fine silk.”

“May you fulfill your duties, uphold loyalty and integrity, and spread the might of the Great Li Empire. Expand our territories and never betray Our trust. Thus decreed!”

As Grand Steward Cao’s voice fell, the room fell deathly silent.

Everyone in the Lu family felt their heads buzzing.

Only one thought remained:

The Lu family… is finished!