Remarrying Chun Yuan

Before Wei Gongming could speak, he was already pinned to the ground and brutally beaten by Li Chengyue.

On New Year's Eve, the streets were bustling with people, all gathering to watch.

In the blink of an eye, Wei Gongming was beaten to the ground and couldn't get up. His servants rushed forward to stop him, and the gifts on the cart were scattered all over the ground.

Some curious children went over to pick them up, but most just watched the spectacle.

Before they could even fight, a group of people rushed over from a distance, with Li Shu leading the way.

Sobbing, she rushed through the crowd and stood in front of Wei Gongming, saying, "Brother, you've misunderstood. This has nothing to do with him. He doesn't know anything about it."

She had a falling out with Liu Yuechu yesterday and came home sulking. She had no appetite and refused to eat today. Seeing that she was preoccupied, Madam Li pulled her daughter aside for a private chat. After hesitating for a moment, Li Shu told her about the kite.

She felt that Liu Yuechu's actions were inappropriate, and even told her mother about her admiration for Wei Gongming.

What was supposed to be a private conversation in the boudoir was overheard by Li Chengyue, who happened to walk in.

Li Chengyue already had a bad impression of Wei Gongming because the Marquis's mansion had sheltered thieves. Later, when Li Shu introduced them, Wei Gongming mentioned the "nameless shop," and coupled with the recent slave-selling incident at the Zhenning Marquis's mansion, Li Chengyue subconsciously felt that Wei Gongming had used underhanded tactics on Li Shu, and that they might have already slept together!

He raised his hand, but hesitated to strike his sister. "You good-for-nothing! Get out of my way! How did the Li family end up with someone like you!"

He ordered his servants to take her away quickly, but Li Shu only looked at Wei Gongming and kept saying "I'm sorry".

Wei Gongming was stunned by the beating and staggered several times before he could stand up. His clothes were torn, his face was bruised and swollen, and blood was flowing from a wound on his forehead. The glaring blood dripped down his cheeks to the center of his collar, staining his snow-white clothes red.

On New Year's Eve, he was beaten up in the street.

Wei Gongming was so angry that he laughed, a laugh that was both chilling and arrogant. He looked at the gifts scattered all over the ground, the money he had obtained by selling the gold-rimmed fragments of the ancestral hall.

Just like his future, was it ruined because of a ridiculous woman?

He slowly straightened his clothes, blocking Li Shu's way home. He stood up straight and looked at her. "Do we know each other?" His tone was icy, colder than the snow in the dead of winter.

Li Shu stammered two words through her sobs: "Not...not familiar."

How many times have I met you?

"three times."

"Only three times, and you're already willing to starve yourself to marry me?" Wei Gongming's intimidating aura made Li Shu's tears flow even more fiercely.

"No, no, it's all a misunderstanding..." Li Shu panicked and spoke incoherently. She didn't understand why her older brother would rush out and hit someone when she had only told her mother that she liked him!

Li Chengyue stepped between the two, blocking Wei Gongming's view, and said, "Take her back immediately, tie her up and take her back!"

Wei Gongming, however, refused to comply with his wishes. "The eldest son of the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites and the county magistrate of the capital city have committed violence and assault without cause. Do they think they can just walk away after that? My Zhenning Marquis's mansion may be in decline, but we must still act with dignity and integrity."

He looked over Li Chengyue's shoulder at Li Shu and said, "If you still have a conscience, explain the whole story so I can understand why I was beaten."

Li Shu was so frightened by his cold rebuke that her heart trembled.

Wei Gongming persisted, "What are you afraid to say? I was beaten openly and honestly, yet you still want to cover it up? Madam Li, I've always thought of you as a kind woman, don't disappoint me..."

Li Shu panicked, sobbing as she explained, "It's my fault, I'll talk. I just told my mother my feelings, and my older brother overheard and misunderstood. Actually, this has nothing to do with Young Master Wei, it's all my fault..." It was all wishful thinking on her part, her unrequited love. Her eyes were full of guilt as she looked at Wei Gongming, leaving the onlookers speechless.

She thought she was having a secret rendezvous with her lover, but it turns out she was just a young lady indulging in wishful thinking.

Wei Gongming curled his lip and looked at Li Chengyue, "Did you hear me clearly?"

Li Chengyue glared at his sister fiercely, "You dare say you never took advantage of her?"

"When and where? Tell me." Wei Gongming knew that Li Chengyue wouldn't dare to say.

It's one thing for a young lady to talk privately at home, but if he dares to expose that Li Shu met with him in private now, his position as Vice Minister of Rites will be in danger, and his sister will never be able to get married again.

Li Chengyue clenched his fists so tightly that the veins on his cheeks bulged out.

The situation has reached a stalemate, and the awkwardness is difficult to resolve.

Although Wei Gongming faced numerous difficulties after his rebirth, it was largely due to the dire state of his household. However, having lived two lives and served as the new emperor's right-hand man, his ability to manipulate people's hearts far surpassed that of Li Cheng.

“You can’t explain it because you committed the crime recklessly, and I not only suffered physical pain but also almost got my reputation tarnished.” Wei Gongming concluded, then looked at Li Shu and said directly in front of everyone, “I am grateful to have been loved by Lady Li, but I already have a good man in my heart, and I will marry no one but her. I’m sorry.”

He looked toward Liu Yuechu's carriage, only to find that the seat was already empty.

He was somewhat saddened, yet also felt good; at least she hadn't seen his wretched state. He hoped that in her eyes, he was a great and imposing figure.

Li Shu ran to the carriage crying, hating herself for speaking her mind.

If he hadn't said anything, her older brother wouldn't have heard, much less hit her; and if he hadn't known, he wouldn't have spoken so cruelly and coldly, and she wouldn't have been so heartbroken…

A sixth-rank official was beaten, and the one who did the beating was the county magistrate.

The magistrate of Jing County, who had been looking forward to a joyful New Year, had no choice but to personally handle the matter upon hearing this news.

After dispersing the onlookers, he intended to have a drink with the two men, talk things out, and at worst, pay them some money to make the matter smaller.

Wei Gongming smiled calmly, wiping the blood from his cheek. "So many people watched me get beaten, do you think a drink will be enough to settle this?"

Without saying a word, he turned and headed straight for the palace...

Liu Yuechu had already returned to the Liu family.

When she saw Wei Gongming being beaten and Li Shu appear, she immediately told the driver to drive the car away from the scene and hide in a corner to watch.

When she saw Li Shu being forced to tell the truth by Wei Gongming, she knew that Li Chengyue was probably doomed.

Wei Gongming was just looking for an opportunity to make a difference, so how could he possibly let this good chance pass him by?

Liu Mufang also watched the spectacle and, after returning home, chattered incessantly about the gossip.

Liu Chen and Liu Shang found the conversation uninteresting; they were more interested in discussing the business with Liu Yuechu.

Liu Musheng gloated; he loved hearing others suffer misfortune. He laughed so hard he almost fell over. He glanced at Liu Yuechu, who was deep in thought, and said, "What are you thinking about? You're so silly."

Liu Yuechu responded lightly, "I'm thinking about the accounts you kept at Jingchunlou and Fuyao Teahouse. I've already had the accountant add them to your share of the profits. You'd better spend less, or you won't get a single copper coin when it's time to distribute the profits, and you'll even have to pay out of pocket."

"!!!"

Liu Musheng felt a chill run down his neck. How could she have calculated things so clearly?

"I was just eating and drinking tea, how could I have spent all my money? Don't try to cheat me by lying about the accounts, I've got it all recorded here."

“I will keep all the slips of paper. When we split the profits, the princess will be there, and not a single tael of silver will be missing.” Liu Yuechu first targeted Liu Musheng, also to shut up the two uncles.

Liu Chen's face stiffened. "You're busy with those little shops all day long, what about the business of the merchant guild? You're always traveling between different mansions, stop nagging about hair ornaments, rouge and perfumes all day long. If your father's painting can be sold, it's worth ten thousand taels of gold!"