Lu Ping led the Bai family’s guard, armed with knives, and charged into the brothel without hesitation.
The brothel’s thugs initially wanted to stop them but seeing Lu Ping and his group looking fierce and formidable, clearly of military background, and all wielding knives, they were too scared to approach.
Mrs. Hua of the brothel was hastily awakened by a servant, slipped on her shoes, and while wrapping herself in an outer robe, ran outside. Although incredibly nervous, she still extended her tone, ingratiatingly squeezing towards Lu Ping.
"Oh my! Sir! What brings you here so urgently? If you had just given me a word, Mrs. Hua would have hurried to serve you. Why the grand entrance? You might frighten the delicate girls in the building! Don’t you agree?"
Lu Ping shot a piercing glance at Mrs. Hua, sternly asked, "Where is the Left Prime Minister’s son, Li Mingtang?"
Mrs. Hua’s heart pounded wildly. She glanced at the third floor and hurriedly replied, "Oh, my lord... Please don’t make things difficult for me. All the guests here at the brothel are distinguished; if I tell you... won’t my life be at stake? Can I still run my business?"
Lu Ping sneered, pushing Mrs. Hua away with the scabbard of the knife he held, and ordered, "Go to the third floor! Search every room! If you find Li Mingtang, beat him to death!"
Mrs. Hua immediately sensed that something was wrong. Li Mingtang was the youngest son of the Left Prime Minister. How dare this group threaten to beat him to death?!
She, being of lowly status, knew that if the Left Prime Minister’s son died in her brothel, not only would her business fail, but her very life would be in jeopardy!
Frightened out of her wits, Mrs. Hua rushed to block the guard heading to the third floor. Finding she could not stop them, she hurried to kneel before Lu Ping. "Sir! Great Sir! Please spare me! I am just a small brothel madam. If something happens to the Left Prime Minister’s son here, I will not survive!"
Lu Ping remained unmoved. Mrs. Hua reached out to grab Lu Ping, but upon seeing his disdainful gaze, she recoiled, kneeling there and crying. "Great Sir! Please, I beg of you... Have mercy and spare the lives of me and the dozens of girls here!"
On the third floor, the Bai family’s guard kicked open the first room, prompting screams from a girl and angry shouts from a patron inside.
Mrs. Hua, terrified, glanced upstairs but, unable to help herself, crawled forward two steps on her knees, grasping Lu Ping’s knife tightly, crying out.
"My lord, I know in your eyes we are beneath notice! But people always have to find a way to survive. The grudge between you and the Left Prime Minister’s son is unknown to us. But if the Left Prime Minister’s son dies in my brothel, the dozens of girls here will have to be buried with him, just like at Nuan Chun Lou! Please, have mercy and spare them!"
Screams and angry shouts continued on the third floor.
Lu Ping, seeing the fear and frantic pleading on Mrs. Hua’s face, bit his lip and shouted upstairs, "Once you find Li Mingtang, drag him down and break his legs in the street!"
Upon hearing this, Mrs. Hua felt like coming back to life, crying as she kowtowed to Lu Ping, "Thank you, my lord! Thank you, my lord! I will remember your kindness for life! I will erect a Longevity Tablet for you!"
"What are you doing?!" Li Mingtang shouted angrily upon hearing the door being kicked open. Sitting up with his undergarments open, he shielded the beautiful woman behind him. "Are you mad?! Daring to barge into the room where I, Li Mingtang, reside!"
"We found Li Mingtang!" called out one of the guards who had rushed in.
Li Mingtang was shocked to hear that they were looking for him.
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