The carved wooden doors of the main hall of the Lu Mansion creaked open. A cool autumn breeze swept in, carrying the fragrance of osmanthus, but it could not dispel the tense, cut-throat atmosphere inside. Lu Jingyuan stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze sweeping over the score of merchants standing below before finally resting on Boss Wang’s trembling shoulders. The latter had just woken from the lingering effects of Zuixin Powder last night, and right now, he was staring fixedly at the spread-out promissory notes on the table, his throat bobbing frantically.
"You are all prominent and respectable figures in the Capital," Lu Jingyuan began, his voice like a sword tempered in ice. "I have invited you here today to give you a chance to prove your innocence."
Boss Li of the silk shop wiped the sweat from his temples, forcing a calm demeanor. "What does Heir Lu mean by this? This humble one only came to demand justice..."
Chapter 216