Reborn in Liangshan: I built the strongest lineup

Let's turn our attention back to Daming Prefecture.

Lu Junyi and his entourage, all bound in iron chains, were led into the yamen and made to kneel on the ground.

Liang Zhongshu personally ascended the hall and looked at Lu Junyi and others below.

"Lord Liang! I am innocent! I did not join the thieves!"

The moment Lu Junyi saw Liang Zhongshu, he immediately struggled to his feet, his chains rattling loudly.

"How dare you! You dare to roar in court! Make him kneel down! Kneel down!"

Liang Zhongshu was a man of bold ambition but cowardly courage. He had many wicked thoughts, but he was actually very timid. How could Liang Zhongshu not be afraid of Lu Junyi, who was renowned as the best in the world?

Even though Lu Junyi was covered in chains, he was still a coward!

Therefore, he could only put on a brave front but was actually weak inside, and had the constables on both sides hold Lu Junyi down.

"Lu Junyi, your steward Li Gu accused you of joining the Liangshan bandits a few days ago, and the evidence is conclusive. Your guards Ji Han and others have also signed and fingerprinted the confession and are now in prison. It can be said that the evidence is complete. You not only did not run away, but you also dared to swagger back to Daming Prefecture. Do you think I am blind?!"

Seeing Lu Junyi forced to kneel down again, Liang Zhongshu finally mustered the courage to speak.

"My lord! This is all slander!"

Although Lu Junyi was being held down, he still managed to lift his head and look at Liang Zhongshu, saying:

"My ancestors for five generations have been from Daming Prefecture. Our family has an impeccable record. Everyone in Daming Prefecture knows that everyone in my Lu family is clean and honest!"

"Lord Liang! You also know Lu! How can you accuse Lu of a crime without even asking questions!"

"Lu Junyi, how dare you! You actually dare to slander me!"

When Liang Zhongshu heard Lu Junyi say that he knew him, he immediately flew into a rage!

"I was deceived by you before! That's why I got to know you! If I had known you were this kind of person, I would never have gotten to know you!"

"My lord! As the saying goes, you need to catch a thief red-handed! Now that my master has returned, shouldn't we call Li Gu over and confront him face to face?"

Yan Qing also struggled to shout at Liang Zhongshu.

"My lord, Master Lu's request is indeed reasonable."

In court, some of the clerks did feel that Lu Junyi was somewhat wronged, so they suggested giving Lu Junyi a chance.

Finally, the clerk leaned close to Liang Zhongshu and whispered:

"Moreover, this will also improve the adults' reputation."

Upon hearing his advisor's words, Liang Zhongshu considered it for a moment and thought, "Hmm, indeed. After all, I am going to take one-third of Lu Junyi's family's property. If I don't manage my image well, the people will think that I am greedy and that's why I'm framing him."

"Alright, then call Li Gu and Jia Shi over for a confrontation!"

The efficiency of Daming Prefecture was quite fast. Li Gu and Jia Shi arrived in the time it takes for two incense sticks to burn. Lu Junyi looked up and saw Jia Shi holding Li Gu's hand as the two of them walked gracefully towards him.

"Madam! You..."

Lu Junyi felt as if the blood in his body had frozen. How could this be? How could this happen?

"Lu Junyi, who is your wife? Don't talk nonsense!"

Even though she was mentally prepared, Jia was still a little nervous when she saw Lu Junyi.

"Why aren't you my wife? When I married you, everyone in Daming Prefecture knew about it, and the banquet lasted for three days and three nights!"

"After you married into the family, I'll buy you whatever you want. How have I ever wronged you?"

Lu Junyi looked at Jia Shi, truly wondering why this was happening!

"My lord, don't listen to this man's nonsense. Lu Junyi has long harbored the intention to become a thief. I have been deceived by him all along. It was only after the steward Li Gu exposed his conspiracy that I was rescued from this predicament!"

Jia first bowed to Liang Zhongshu, then said to Lu Junyi:

"Lu Junyi, it's fine if you want to be a thief, but have you considered me? I'm a respectable woman from a respectable family. If you become a thief, it will implicate me! What will happen to me then? I'll be sent to the brothel!"

"If you like that kind of brotherhood in the underworld, then do it yourself, don't drag me into it!"

"Furthermore, I have already informed the prefect that I wish to divorce you! The sins you committed have nothing to do with me from now on!"

Jia's words were like knives, etching themselves into Lu Junyi's heart.

This wealthy man, whose romantic history was remarkably simple, couldn't understand why his wife, whom he doted on so much, turned out this way!

"Li Gu! You are shameless! You had an affair with the wife and now you're trying to frame your master! Have you forgotten that it was your master who found you in the snow!"

Ignoring Jia Shi, Yan Qing immediately launched into a tirade against Li Gu!

"Hmph, I am a law-abiding citizen of the Great Song Dynasty, unlike you thieves."

Because Li Gu was standing, he was looking down at Yan Qing.

"You and Lu Junyi are in cahoots. You're both plotting to defect to Liangshan. I didn't report you to the prefect before because I wanted you to lure Lu Junyi out. And you fell for it!"

"My lord, Lu Junyi has always had connections with Liangshan. Every year, he sends a large sum of money to Liangshan to recruit soldiers and horses. If you don't believe me, my lord, you can check the accounts of the Lu family over the past few years. I have brought the account books with me. You can see that there is a sum of money missing from the accounts every year!"

Li Gu took out the account book from his pocket and handed it over.

Upon hearing the mention of the ledger, Lu Junyi snapped out of his reverie:

"Li Gu! Li Gu! I have treated you well! Why have you harmed me?!"

“You are my most trusted steward. You personally handled all the account books. How could money have disappeared? Besides, I didn’t even know Liangshan existed before. How could I have given them money!”

After hearing this, Li Gu smiled contemptuously, moved closer to Lu Junyi, and lowered his voice to say:

“Master, save your breath. There are indeed loopholes in the ledger, but what exactly those loopholes are is up to me, the head steward.”

"You! It's you!"

Lu Junyi wasn't stupid. When he came to his senses, he finally understood some things!

Li Gu, every year he secretly embezzled some of the family's money!

The ledger was a carefully crafted fabrication! He had exploited people's trust to line his own pockets for a long time!

"Lu Junyi, your ledger does indeed have flaws. How do you explain that?"

"My lord! It was Li Gu who embezzled money from the Lu family. Please investigate thoroughly!"

But Lu Junyi was unaware that Liang Zhongshu also coveted his family fortune; he thought it was simply Li Gu who wanted to harm him.

"My lord, Lu Junyi is slandering me! Think about it, I'm just a lowly steward. How could I dare to secretly alter the account books? Besides, Lu Junyi was my former master. If I had tampered with the account books, why didn't he check them before? If he had, he would have seen the discrepancy!"

"My lord, do you think he simply didn't want to investigate, or did he alter the ledgers himself? Please, my lord, discern the truth!"

Li Gu's explanation had been discussed with Liang Zhongshu long ago, and it could be said to be almost flawless!

"That makes a lot of sense, Lu Junyi. How do you explain that?"

Liang Zhongshu pretended to think for a moment, then nodded and asked Lu Junyi.

"I really didn't check the books, but that's because I trusted him so much!"

At this moment, Lu Junyi truly understood what Ren Yuan had told him before. He regretted it; he really shouldn't have entrusted all his family property to someone outside his family!

"My lord, Lu Junyi is not telling the truth. Who would believe what he said? What master would not check the accounts just because he trusts his steward? Your household also has a steward. Would you do that?"

Li Gu said with a smile.

"That's absolutely right, Lu Junyi! We're already in court, and you're still lying? Confess the truth!"

Liang Zhongshu cooperated very well!

"My lord, I... I'm truly innocent!"

Lu Junyi was filled with grief and indignation, and couldn't help but stand up again!

Liang Zhongshu had been waiting for him to stand up!

"How dare you, Lu Junyi, attempt violence in court! Guards, drag him away and beat him severely!"