Lian Manman couldn’t help but lean forward slightly to look at the notice. Words like "private dealings in homicide cases," "manipulating criminal justice," and "corruption and oppression" immediately caught her eye.

Although she was mentally prepared, seeing these words made Lian Manman break out in a cold sweat. These were not minor offenses.

After Wu Lang finished reading the notice, he handed it to Lian Manman.

Lian Manman took a deep breath, received the notice, and carefully read it from start to finish. It turned out this notice was a public announcement to the citizens of Taicang County about the crimes of Lian Shouren and Lian Shouyi, among others. Apart from the serious charge of treason, virtually every crime an official could commit was listed.

Lian Shouren had been in actual power in Taicang for less than a year. Achieving such "comprehensive results" in this year wasn’t something an ordinary person could do. In a sense, it could be considered a kind of genius.

"What, what is written on this... what exactly are the charges?" Lian Shouxin, seeing Wu Lang and Lian Manman with unpleasant expressions after reading the notice, hurriedly asked.

This notice only announced the alleged charges and hadn’t arrived at a final conviction. The array of charges, if examined carefully, seemed somewhat exaggerated, with hints of adding insult to injury. According to the wording, the main charges against Lian Shouren and Lian Shouyi were soliciting and accepting bribes, manipulating criminal justice, and private dealings in homicide cases, as well as oppressing merchants.

"The charges are not light." Wu Lang summarized the gist of the notice for Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang.

Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang turned pale.

"This, aren’t these all capital crimes?" Lian Shouxin’s voice trembled a bit.

"Dad, don’t worry. Don’t get yourself all worked up." Lian Manman quickly said, "Dad, you’ve been working day and night this autumn, and your health isn’t great... Dad, now that something has happened in Taicang, our whole family depends on you. Dad, you can’t let anything happen to you."

"Dad, your face doesn’t look good. How about I help you back to the room to rest?" Wu Lang also stood up and said.

Lady Zhang, who was initially somewhat dazed, heard her son and daughter say this and looked at Lian Shouxin, becoming anxious.

"Dear, don’t scare me. Dear, we’ve just started to have better days..." Lady Zhang stepped forward to soothe Lian Shouxin by patting his chest.

"Dad, what’s wrong, Dad." Xiao Qi threw himself into Lian Shouxin’s arms.

Lian Shouxin was just a bit anxious and irritated. In fact, he was quite healthy. His wife and children showed such concern that he only felt they were overreacting and didn’t think anything more of it.

"I’m fine, I’m fine, look how scared you all are." Lian Shouxin said, patting Xiao Qi’s head.

"Dad, don’t take this lightly, our whole family relies on you." Lian Manman said, then called out to Xiao Qi, "Xiao Qi, quickly go to my room. On the cabinet in the outer room, there’s a small black wooden box. Bring the small white porcelain bottle from that box. There’s medicine in there for Dad."

"Okay." Xiao Qi promptly agreed and ran off.

In no time, Xiao Qi came running back, holding out a small porcelain bottle in front of Lian Manman.

Lian Manman poured out two pills from the porcelain bottle and gave them to Lian Shouxin. Lian Zhizhi handed up a cup of water, and Lian Shouxin hesitated for a moment, but seeing the concerned eyes of his family, he tipped his head back and swallowed the pills with the water.

Seeing Lian Shouxin take the medicine, Lian Manman also persuaded Lady Zhang to take two pills, and then carefully put away the small porcelain bottle.

The medicine in this small porcelain bottle was a gift from Shen Jiu to Wu Lang. It was a common remedy prepared by the Shen Family from a prescription originally bestowed by Empress Shen. It had effects of calming, aiding digestion, and soothing the mind. It couldn’t cure any diseases but was remarkably effective for minor gastrointestinal discomfort and heatstroke, used by the Shen Family for regular care.

Ordinary families wouldn’t know this, only thinking that taking medicine meant there must be symptoms.

Seeing the situation, the Lu Brothers and the whole Wu Family naturally kept comforting them from the side.

"Since something has happened over there, getting anxious over here won’t quench a distant thirst. You must still take care of your health so nothing else happens to you. If not for others, at least for the sake of Manman and Xiao Qi."

"This situation is different from ordinary matters; imperial law is paramount."

"I don’t know exactly what’s going on in Taicang, just heard some rough details... I’m just worried about his grandpa and grandma."

After taking the medicine, Lian Shouxin seemed to have calmed down somewhat, "Every family has its rules, and every country has its laws. If those in the Upper Room have truly committed crimes, there’s nothing I can do. You brothers even went through imprisonment once; I have no face to speak for those in the Upper Room. As for the Old Master and Old Madam, what crimes could they possibly have? They’re so old. That’s what I’m worried about."