The bustling and peaceful street suddenly plunged into chaos. The common people not far away scattered like they had seen a plague.
Jun Wuyuan and Ling Shan frowned. Before they could get closer, a secret guard dressed as a commoner came to report what had happened.
Ling Shan's eyebrows knitted even tighter. She turned to look at Jun Wuyuan. The two exchanged a glance and, with great understanding, communicated their thoughts silently.
"Master Jiang, please have mercy and spare my daughter and me. I will surely find a way to pay back the money I owe you as soon as possible... Ah—"
"Mother—"
Jiang Tingsong, with a fairly handsome face contorted with cruelty, kicked aside Mrs. Song, who kept pleading for mercy.
Song Qiyu, the youngest daughter of the Song family, let out a timid wail and threw herself at Mrs. Song, who had rolled on the ground after being kicked.
Mrs. Song felt as if a huge boulder had crushed her chest. She spat out a mouthful of blood, which terrified the twelve - year - old Song Qiyu.
She cried out in despair, "Mother?! Mother, how are you? Mother, don't scare me..."
"Take her away!"
Jiang Tingsong had no time to watch the mother - daughter sentiment. After kicking out, his eyes fixed directly on Song Qiyu's young but beautiful face.
Hearing their master's order, the lackeys around him surrounded them. They showed lecherous smiles and were about to pounce.
Song Qiyu's tear - streaked face turned deathly pale with fear again. The tears in her eyes flowed like a broken dam.
Seeing this, Mrs. Song, who was originally too weak from the pain, seemed to have taken some magic pill. She suddenly burst out with endless strength.
"Get out of here!"
"You beasts, get out! Don't touch my daughter!"
"Get out—"
"Mrs. Song, our master taking a fancy to your daughter is a blessing your Song family has accumulated for generations. Don't be so ungrateful!"
"Exactly! You even dared to deceive our master with a fake. Our master was kind enough not to report you to the authorities and just asked you to pay the money back. How could you be so rude as to tell us to get out?"
"Either pay back the money and we'll all be fine, or our master will kindly take your daughter back to the mansion to pay off the debt. It's only natural to pay back debts..."
Mrs. Song's face was deathly pale, but her lips had a strange redness. She spat out without hesitation.
"You heartless and inhuman beasts! I'd rather report you to the authorities than give my daughter to you as collateral!"
Mrs. Song hugged Song Qiyu tightly and waved a wooden stick she had somehow found.
"My hairpin is fine. You framed me on purpose, you beasts!"
"Report to the authorities?!"
A cold sneer came from Jiang Tingsong's mouth, full of disdain.
"This is a huge joke. In this Liangzhou City, this is the first time I've heard such nonsense. Do you think you're worthy?"
As he spoke, his eyes fixed directly on Song Qiyu. His lecherous look was undisguised as it fell on her face, which was so charming even when she was crying.
"Take her away. Don't waste time talking to her!"
He had set his heart on this little girl!
"No—"
"Mother—"
There were so many lackeys that they quickly snatched the wooden stick from Mrs. Song's hand. Some of them grabbed Mrs. Song, while the others rushed straight towards Song Qiyu.
Whoosh!
A sharp arrow flew from afar and barely missed the hands of the men holding Song Qiyu.
Screams of pain rang out one after another. The men instinctively let go. They saw that on the back of the last man's hand, there was actually a laurel leaf!
This sudden change made everyone panic. They quickly gathered around Jiang Tingsong, afraid that the next arrow would be a real one and hit the young master of the Jiang family.
"Who?! Show yourself!"
The pride and the cat - and - mouse teasing on Jiang Tingsong's face disappeared instantly. His eyes were fixed darkly on the direction from which the "cold arrow" had come.
"What a lively scene—"
A well - matched man and woman walked out of the darkness where the people had already dispersed.
When Mrs. Song saw them, her eyes lit up for a moment, but then quickly dimmed as if she had thought of something. Her tearful eyes were full of shock and joy as she shook her head at Ling Shan and Jun Wuyuan, her eyes filled with strong persuasion. Obviously, she didn't want Ling Shan and the others to get involved in this mess.
"You pretty boy, how dare you! You're trying to harm the legitimate son of the prefectural magistrate. Do you want to die?!"
Ling Shan: "..."
She quietly glanced at the "pretty boy" himself. This was probably the first time His Majesty had been scolded like this to his face. It was actually quite fitting. If someone didn't know, just looking at Jun Wuyuan's handsome and fair face, wouldn't they call him a pretty boy?
Jun Wuyuan's eyes turned cold. In the unnoticed darkness, he quietly squeezed Ling Shan's palm.
"Why is the legitimate son of the prefectural magistrate bullying the unarmed common people, especially the weak women, in Liangzhou City? I've heard that Magistrate Jiang is an upright, honest, and people - loving official. How dare you act recklessly here in his name..."
Jun Wuyuan walked closer step by step. Ling Shan and Banchun helped Mrs. Song and her daughter up.
"Don't be afraid. It's okay. Justice will prevail, and the law is still here. Even the son of the prefectural magistrate can't override the law..."
"Madam, you'd better leave quickly. This man is really the young master of Magistrate Jiang's family. He's always been domineering and ruthless. If he bears a grudge against you, you'll..."
Mrs. Song's eyes were full of tears, shining with fear and panic.
"Presumptuous!"
Jiang Tingsong shifted his jealous gaze from Jun Wuyuan to Ling Shan's charming and beautiful face. His eyes lit up, and his mind instantly shifted from Song Qiyu to this bright and charming flower. He winked at his lackeys and walked straight towards Ling Shan without even looking at Jun Wuyuan.
When did such a beautiful young woman appear in Liangzhou City? How come he didn't know about it? If he had known earlier, why would he have wasted so much time on this little girl tonight?
Jiang Tingsong's look and actions were so blatant that everyone present could see what he was up to.
Jun Wuyuan's eyes grew colder and colder. A chilling aura flashed across his face.
"Pretty lady..."
The lackeys were used to their master's woman - chasing behavior. They silently surrounded Jun Wuyuan very sensibly. However, before the charming beauty could fall into their master's hands, they were all sent flying.
Before they landed, they watched helplessly as their master's hand was stopped in mid - air.
Crack!
Ow—
A scream like a pig being slaughtered resounded through the sky.
"Young master?! Young master's hand is broken? Someone—come quickly and catch this audacious pretty boy!"