After Sheng Jiangli finished speaking, he left behind Suobude, who was looking half - comprehending.
He rubbed his wrist with his slender fingers, a sly smile playing on his sexy thin lips as he walked on the road.
Ge Qingqing!
That little brat!
If he caught her, she'd be in big trouble!
However, on his way, he was attracted by the commotion over there.
Caiyu was held down by a group of servants, her hands pinned behind her back. In the crowd, that scrawny bully was clutching his blood - gushing arm, his expression ferocious.
He tightly grasped the Yaojiu dagger in his hand, his face contorted as he roared:
"Little bitch! Playing hard - to - get, huh?"
"Do you know who my father is?"
"My father is the current grand preceptor! I'm taking a fancy to you and want to have some fun with you. How dare you hurt me!"
Qu Shizi grinned and waved his hand, signaling, "Refusing a toast only to drink a forfeit. Come on, hold her down and strip her! I'll have my way with you right here on the street!"
The grand preceptor!
Wasn't he the one because of whose lost birthday tribute the entire escort agency where the real Lan Caiyu's father worked had been wiped out?
Caiyu struggled.
Song Yinghuai had said that there were plenty of people parading through the capital and molesting commoners, but she hadn't taken it seriously.
Who would have thought she'd run into such a thing in broad daylight!
The servant who was holding her arm ripped a corner of Caiyu's shoulder with a "shua" sound!
Her fair and slippery shoulder flashed before Qu Shizi's blood - red eyes. He showed a lewd and blatant smile.
"I originally wanted to take you back to my mansion and enjoy you properly, but since you're so ungrateful, I'll just do it right here on the street!"
"Under the feet of the emperor, in broad daylight, you're molesting an innocent woman! Is there no law?" Caiyu gritted her teeth, tears of humiliation welling up in her eyes. She shouted to the on - looking crowd in the distance who were pointing and whispering, "I'm a member of the Prince Yan's mansion. Who will come to save me? Prince Yan will surely reward handsomely!"
It was a pity that the on - lookers were all ordinary people. Who would dare to get involved in the business between these two noble families?
Apart from pointing and whispering, everyone took a few steps back in unison.
A sense of despair welled up in Caiyu's heart.
Qu Shizi was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter, "Prince Yan? Song Yinghuai? Are you his maid? Hahaha... That's even better. I just like this kind of challenging one. It's exciting!"
His face darkened, "Continue stripping!"
The servants' eyes also showed a look of excitement and madness. Just as they were about to move, something like a whip lashed out at several servants!
"Ah!"
The two servants holding Caiyu shouted in unison and involuntarily let go of her, looking at the man holding the willow branch in horror.
Caiyu staggered and almost fell. After swaying a few times, she finally saw clearly the man standing in front of them.
Sheng Jiangli had none of his usual carefree look.
His face was cold, thick gloom churning in his eyes. A willow branch then lashed out at Qu Shizi mercilessly!
One whip after another, as if he wanted to beat him to death!
Although it was just a willow branch, Sheng Jiangli had internal strength, and that willow branch in his hand was like a torture whip.
Qu Shizi rolled all over the ground, not knowing what was going on at all.
Every time the servants around him got close, they were whipped away!
He kept whipping until everyone was lying on the ground, barely breathing. Qu Shizi was covered in blood and howling in pain on the ground.
Sheng Jiangli threw the broken willow branch to one side and strode towards Caiyu, who was propping herself up against the stone unicorn.
Facing Caiyu, the bloodthirsty look on his face faded, and clarity and ardor appeared in his eyes. He asked:
"I saved you. What reward will the Prince Yan's mansion give?"
Caiyu hissed. Meeting his serious eyes, she couldn't help but want to punch him, "Stop laughing! You've caused a big problem. You've beaten the son of the grand preceptor..."
Sheng Jiangli gave a soft laugh, then turned around and kicked Qu Shizi, who was trying to get up and recognize them, into unconsciousness. "Since that's the case, before he knows who I am, it's better to knock him out first."
Caiyu: "… Good idea."
But they knew she was from the Prince Yan's mansion. Sooner or later, they would still come to the mansion and force her to reveal Sheng Jiangli's identity.
"Shall I take you back?" Sheng Jiangli didn't seem to think it was a big deal that he had offended the grand preceptor at all. He just looked at Caiyu with burning eyes, "Or, I'll take you to change your clothes?"
Caiyu bit her lip, thinking of the argument she'd had with Song Yinghuai before leaving the mansion, and also of the matter of Lan Jinqin.
"Get a room nearby. I have something to ask you."
Sheng Jiangli:!!
Sheng Jiangli knew that Caiyu didn't want to be involved with him in this way. He had just made the suggestion playfully, speaking without restraint.
Who would have thought that Caiyu would actually ask him to get a room.
He was stunned for a few moments. It wasn't until Caiyu impatiently urged, "What are you standing there for? My shoulder has been seen by everyone!"
Sheng Jiangli then came to his senses. A happy look appeared on his face. He took out a piece of broken silver from his bosom and threw it to a person standing around watching the commotion, saying:
"Please do me a favor and run to the Prince Yan's mansion. Tell His Highness Prince Yan that his maid was molested by the son of the grand preceptor on the street and was rescued."
"As for this young master of the Qu family, please ask His Highness Prince Yan to handle the aftermath!"
After saying that, he took off his outer robe, wrapped Caiyu in it, picked her up in his arms, and strode away.
The place they left was a main street in the capital, bustling and prosperous, with shops lined up in an orderly manner.
Sheng Jiangli randomly picked an inn and asked for an upper - class room. He also told the waiter to buy women's clothes.
He carefully placed Caiyu on the bed, then walked to one side, poured a cup of tea for Caiyu.
Caiyu took it. Then he turned around, poured a cup of tea for himself, and gulped it down.
Holding the fragrant and soft Caiyu in his arms, a woman he liked, he could see her but couldn't act recklessly.
Sheng Jiangli felt that this short journey was a kind of torture for him.
It wasn't until the blush on his face gradually faded away as the tea went down his throat.
Sheng Jiangli then turned around, hiding the surging desire in his eyes, and sat down.
"You're angry with him." Sheng Jiangli's words weren't even a question. He said very surely, "It's because of the people of Concubine Lü. Aunt Mei came to visit."
Caiyu raised her eyes, "How do you know? Do you have someone watching near the Prince Yan's mansion?"
"I've been watching you personally." Sheng Jiangli twirled the teacup in his hand and said lightly, "Suer, you really like him!"
Although Sheng Jiangli's tone was calm when he said this, only he knew.
When he said it, his heart felt like it had been cut by a knife.
The girl he had been longing for had really fallen in love with someone else.
She was different from the Caiyu he had met in Yanjing.
It wasn't because her body had been taken by that man.
It was because her heart had been taken by that man.
If it was just her body, he might still have a chance, but if her heart belonged to someone else, how could he snatch it back?
"Suer, you've fallen in love with him. What should I do?" Sheng Jiangli felt a bitter taste in his mouth, but there was also a hint of banter in his tone, "They all said I was your child bridegroom back then."
During the three years he had stayed in the Lan family, he had been whispered about by other children. They said he was the child bridegroom of the third young lady of the Lan family.
Far from feeling ashamed, he had enjoyed it.
Caiyu tightened her grip on the teacup in her hand and lowered her head, "Brother A'li, that was just nonsense from kids who didn't know any better back then..."
Actually, she had once thought that Sheng Jiangli was the child bridegroom her father had brought back for her.
Because Sheng Jiangli had always accompanied her and was inseparable from her.
Although he was smart and liked to outwit her, she could still feel that Sheng Jiangli had always doted on her and let her have her way.
She had almost gotten used to it.
But then he had suddenly left.
This departure had lasted for nine years.
He had barged into her world without saying a word and then left silently.
The year he left, she had cried for a whole month.
After that, she had locked the memory of him in the darkest corner of her heart, telling herself that that young man would never come back.
But then, Sheng Jiangli had forced his way into her world again without warning.
But this time, he couldn't get out of that corner in her heart and see the light.
Because there was another man in her heart.
Sheng Jiangli's Adam's apple rolled as he watched her with the top of her head facing him.
After he left, he had actually inquired about Lan Jinsu.
He knew that Lan Jinsu had cried for a whole month because of him.
So he was certain that he was special in Lan Jinsu's heart, which was why he had dared to leave boldly.
But he hadn't expected...