Chapter 371 – The Sweet Princess Was Here – I Told You Not to Get Close (16)
With Wu Chenyi secretly pulling strings, the smuggling of rice went surprisingly smoothly. He brought great profits to Li Xiuming and the others. After tasting success several times, they grew even more convinced of Wu Chenyi’s methods and abilities, and gradually lowered their guard around him.
That day happened to be the day Zhu Lanxiao came to make clothes again.
Always wanting to do something for Wu Chenyi, Bai Tang—without notifying his husband—took Su Wen and headed to the Governor’s Residence.
It wasn’t his first visit, and the gate servant recognized Bai Tang. Not only did he not stop them, he received them with extra respect and led them inside.
The servants brought Bai Tang and Su Wen to wait in a pavilion in the courtyard.
“There is an important guest in the front hall. It’s inconvenient for Young Master Bai to go over for now. Please wait a little longer.”
Bai Tang waved his hand, his soft, sweet voice filled with friendliness.
“It’s fine. Go handle your work. I can enjoy the scenery on my own.”
Because Li Xiuming trusted Wu Chenyi, the servants in the Governor’s Residence did not suspect the people on Wu Chenyi’s side. After all, they were all on the same boat as their master.
After the servant withdrew, Su Wen said, “Young Master, it’s only a piece of clothing. You could have simply sent a servant to deliver it. Why bother making the trip yourself? That Madam Li might start thinking she’s so high and mighty again, acting all arrogant.”
After the last incident, Su Wen’s opinion of Zhu Lanxiao could not be any lower. She looked gentle and pleasant on the surface, but in reality she was petty, poisonous, and vicious.
Bai Tang shook his head.
“If we don’t come, Fang Xianglian might end up dying in the Governor’s Residence.”
Su Wen froze. The words she’d been about to say were swallowed back, and she changed her tone.
“Young Master… what do you mean by that? Fang Xianglian is Li Xiuming’s wife. Technically, Zhu Lanxiao is still just a concubine. With Li Xiuming watching over things, she shouldn’t have a terrible life, right?”
Just as the words left her mouth, they saw a maidservant in the distance dragging a burlap sack across the ground.
Bai Tang lifted his chin slightly, signaling for Su Wen to look behind her.
Su Wen turned her head and saw Fang Xianglian drenched in sweat, dragging a huge burlap sack. Her clothes had been washed so many times they’d faded to white, and she was noticeably thinner than before. It was obvious she had not been living well in the Prefect’s Residence.
Su Wen’s jaw dropped in shock.
“Is that… Xianglian? How could this be…”
Before she finished speaking, Su Wen lightly tapped her toes against the ground and leaped forward, landing in front of Fang Xianglian.
The fallen Fang Xianglian looked up along the hem of Su Wen’s dress to see Su Wen’s face full of concern.
“Xianglian, why are you doing this kind of work? Where are the servants of the residence?”
Fang Xianglian’s expression twisted with sorrow. She didn’t know where the strength came from, but she shoved Su Wen aside and ran off.
Su Wen staggered back several steps before steadying herself. By the time she regained her balance, Fang Xianglian had nearly reached the end of the corridor.
“Xianglian, don’t run—!” Su Wen used her lightfoot skill to chase after her.
Back in the pavilion, Bai Tang took a sip of tea and sighed at the impermanence of life.
“I thought Li Xiuming was just a scumbag, but I didn’t expect that even after reuniting, he’d treat his original wife like this. Calling him a scumbag would be an insult to the word.”
Qiu’er was furious.
“Exactly! Even scumbags need qualifications—tall, handsome, rich, gentle, willing to give! But Li Xiuming? He made his fortune off Fang Xianglian, climbed up the social ladder, and now that his original wife came looking for him, he doesn’t repent at all. He treats her like a servant. He’s plain trash.”
Xiao A quietly listened without joining Bai Tang and Qiu’er’s complaints. If he joined in, the more he scolded, the more heated he’d get. If something happened later, none of them would be left clear-headed.
On the other side, Su Wen—thanks to her agile lightness skill—caught up to Fang Xianglian easily and blocked her path.
Before entering the Prefect’s Residence, Su Wen had warned her not to stay. Fang Xianglian refused to listen and ended up suffering at Zhu Lanxiao’s hands. Li Xiuming didn’t interfere—or rather, she couldn’t even see him. The servants also bullied her. During this period, she had endured great hardship.
Seeing Su Wen again, Fang Xianglian felt too ashamed to face her. She had refused Su Wen’s advice and ended up like this. Who else could she blame?
Under Su Wen’s pressing questions, Fang Xianglian finally explained the kind of life she had been living in the Prefect’s Residence.
Just then, Zhu Lanxiao walked over from the other end of the corridor, gracefully swaying as she approached with a group of maids behind her.
“Fang Xianglian, how dare you slack off?” one of the maids behind Zhu Lanxiao scolded.
Fang Xianglian instinctively released Su Wen’s hand, lowered her head, and stammered, “S-sorry… I’ll get back to work now.”
She moved toward the burlap sack, preparing to drag it into the kitchen.
Even someone with a mild temperament would explode at a scene like this—so Su Wen, who had a fiery streak, completely lost it.
She grabbed Fang Xianglian’s hand, refusing to let her walk away.
“That’s enough. You are Prefect Li’s legal wife, not a servant. Leave housework to the maids. Why should you lower yourself like this?”
After speaking, she shot a sharp look at the maid who had spoken earlier, wordlessly indicating she was the one who should be doing the work.
The maid was furious. She was Zhu Lanxiao’s personal first-class maid, someone who normally only accompanied Zhu Lanxiao and never needed to do any rough work. Now Su Wen had looked down on her and even compared her to Fang Xianglian—how could she not be angry?!
The maid jabbed a finger at Su Wen.
“How dare you! You shameless—”
Smack!
The maid clutched her stinging, numb hand, rage overflowing from her face.
“Young Master Bai, Axia is one of my people. As a guest, aren’t you interfering a little too much?” Zhu Lanxiao finally spoke. She always considered it beneath her to speak to Fang Xianglian directly, letting her maid handle such things. But she didn’t expect to be humiliated on her own turf.
Bai Tang took a handkerchief from his chest and slowly wiped each of his fingers.
“I merely learned from Madam Li. Su Wen is my person. Even if she did something wrong, I should be the one to discipline her. Since when do random cats and dogs dare bark in front of me? Truly ridiculous.”
He lifted his chin slightly. His beautiful features paired with a proud expression didn’t make him look like some spoiled young master—it made him resemble a puffed-up little kitten, all bluster and no real danger. Adorably so, though Bai Tang himself had no idea.
Even so, Zhu Lanxiao was so provoked by Bai Tang’s sharp words that anger surged through her. How dare he criticize her on her own grounds? Outrageous!
From Li Xiuming, she had learned of Wu Chenyi’s “identity and background.” She assumed the so-called noble air he carried was nothing more than an act learned from mingling with imperial merchants in the capital. She believed he had no real power behind him, so she naturally wasn’t afraid of offending Bai Tang.
She ordered her maid to summon the guards and throw them out of the residence.
A bare-armed, towering guard stepped in front of Bai Tang like a solid wall, making Bai Tang appear even smaller and more delicate.
He reached out and lifted Bai Tang as easily as picking up a chick. Zhu Lanxiao and the maids behind her covered their mouths, laughing. They didn’t even bother to see who exactly stood before them—how dare he act insolent before the mistress? He must have grown tired of living.
Su Wen, however, had been sent by Wu Chenyi to protect Bai Tang. Using precise force, she struck several acupuncture points on the guard. The large man staggered back in pain, nearly crashing into Zhu Lanxiao.
“What is wrong with you? You can’t even handle a woman?!” The maid’s sharp voice ignited the guard’s fury. He hated being told he was inferior to a woman. At once, he lunged at Su Wen.
Anyone hired into the Prefect’s Residence wasn’t useless—the guard had some skill of his own.
Su Wen, mindful of Bai Tang and afraid of accidentally hurting him, couldn’t move freely in the narrow corridor. The guard used his brute strength to suppress her for the moment.
Zhu Lanxiao smiled triumphantly.
Fang Xianglian suddenly dropped to her knees before Zhu Lanxiao with a thud.
“Madam, it has nothing to do with Young Master Bai or Miss Su Wen. I—I was the one slacking off. I’ll go back to work right now. Please… please tell the guard to stop.”
Not wanting her benefactors to suffer because of her, Fang Xianglian kowtowed hard. Before long, blood seeped from her smooth forehead and ran down her cheek, forming a frightening sight.
Hearing the commotion behind him, Bai Tang turned around. When he saw Fang Xianglian’s pitiful state, he pulled her up and snapped angrily, “Why are you begging her? What could she possibly do to me?”
Bai Tang pulled Fang Xianglian behind him. Zhu Lanxiao still had several guards at her side. She sneered, “Then why don’t you take a look and see exactly what I can do to you.”
At her command, the guards charged forward all at once.
Bai Tang might look thin and delicate, but this little squirrel was anything but weak.
He pushed Fang Xianglian out of the encirclement and warned the approaching guards, “I’m telling you—don’t come any closer.”
The guards burst out laughing. A scrawny little kid threatening them? Ridiculous.
“A—ahhh!”
“Ow—!”
“Save me, please—!”
No one knew when the boy had pulled out a vine whip, but with each strike, one guard fell. The towering, muscular guards were soon crying like children. The courtyard echoed with wails—every scream belonging to someone Bai Tang had beaten.
Bai Tang brushed nonexistent dust off his shoulder and blew gently on the whip.
“I already told you not to get close to me~”
The last guard was sent flying by a final strike.
The maids, being lightly dressed, dodged in time. But Zhu Lanxiao, who had just finished entertaining guests and was adorned with heavy jewelry, wasn’t so lucky. She tried to run but couldn’t move quickly; she could only watch helplessly as a guard flew straight toward her and crashed down on top of her.
The weight of the guard and the stench of his sweat right in front of her nose made Zhu Lanxiao faint on the spot.
The maids hurriedly tried to lift the guard off her.
“Madam! Madam—!”
But they were too weak, and the guard too heavy. They barely lifted him before their strength gave out, and he fell back down—crushing the newly awakened Zhu Lanxiao and knocking her completely unconscious again.
Li Xiuming and Wu Chenyi returned after discussing business. As soon as they stepped into the courtyard, the chaotic scene gave them a headache.
“Silence! What are you all doing?” Li Xiuming grabbed a passing servant.
“Reporting to Master, the madam was knocked unconscious.” The servant, still anxious to call the doctor, answered quickly and ran off—also to escape. If that Young Master Bai decided to hit him too, he’d be doomed.
Li Xiuming reached the scene. The moment Bai Tang saw Wu Chenyi, his lips trembled, he dropped the whip, and his eyes filled with tears.
“A-Yi~”
The trembling, soft little voice nearly shattered Wu Chenyi’s heart with pain.
Wu Chenyi rushed forward and pulled the boy into his arms, speaking gently, “I’m here. What happened? Did someone bully Tang Tang?”
A terrifying killing intent flashed in Wu Chenyi’s eyes. Before any of the maids could speak, the boy swiftly took the chance to complain first: “They tried to throw me out, they hit Sister Su Wen, and they tried to hit me too…”
If something involved Bai Tang, then nothing about it could be considered a small matter.
Wu Chenyi narrowed his eyes slightly and flicked his fan toward the guards who had just managed to climb back to their feet. The fan spun once in the air and struck them again, sending them crashing to the ground. It hit them squarely on the bridge of the nose—noses collapsed, faces ruined on the spot.
“Prefect Li, I approached you with sincerity to discuss a business partnership. Yet now, your wife treats my partner in such a manner. What if I’m out front making money for you while your wife turns around and kills my people? I’m truly unsettled. If that’s the case, there’s no need to continue this deal.”
With that said, Wu Chenyi scooped Bai Tang into his arms and turned to leave.
Su Wen wanted to take Fang Xianglian with her, but Fang Xianglian shook her head and refused. The abuse she suffered before was because Li Xiuming had not known about it. Now that she had met Li Xiuming, she believed he would not treat her the way Zhu Lanxiao had.
Seeing she couldn’t persuade her, Su Wen stomped her foot and left a final warning—“You’ll regret this”—before hurrying after Wu Chenyi out of the Prefect’s residence.
Author’s Note :
Bai Tang: I told you not to come near me, but you wouldn’t listen. Regretting it now, aren’t you?
Qiu’er: “Tang Tang is the best! Tang Tang is number one~”
Wu Chenyi: So my Tang Tang is actually this powerful… Then from now on, I’ll just rely on Tang Tang to protect me.
Bai Tang: Piece of cake. Leave it to me! pats chest proudly
Today is the Dragon Boat Festival! Happy Dragon Boat Festival, my little cuties! Enjoy your holiday, and remember to wear your masks when you go out. Even if it’s hot, don’t go without one~