Chapter 168: Teasing

As Lu Man walked towards the entrance of the restaurant, she came face to face with two well-dressed young gentlemen exuding a strong scent of alcohol.

If they were ordinary men, the guards would have blocked them long ago to prevent any disturbance to the female members of the household. However, these two young noblemen hailed from wealthy backgrounds, known for their playful and arrogant reputations. Despite being familiar with them, the guards dared not intervene.

Lu Man didn’t acknowledge them, keeping her head down as she walked past.

As they brushed past each other, one of the gentlemen paused to speak. He bowed slightly and said, “Oh, Third Sister-in-law, what a pleasant surprise.”

Glancing up, Lu Man recognized one of them as Wang Haobai. He was dressed in a vibrant red embroidered robe with a stunning blue embroidered cloak, resembling a flamboyant peacock, flashing a cheerful smile at Lu Man.

While the man was handsome, his flirtatious eyes were off-putting and somewhat irritating.

Lu Man immediately lowered her gaze and uttered a brief “Oh”, continuing on without stopping.

Wang Haobai took a few steps alongside Lu Man before she was surrounded by her attendants and guards.

In a hushed tone, Wang Haobai said to the young man beside him, “Young Master, this is the pretty young wife of third brother Jiang.”

Seeing the graceful and enchanting young lady by his side, Song Xian couldn’t help but be captivated by her beauty. Although he was intrigued, he refrained from any rash actions, suspecting her noble background given the entourage of attendants and guards surrounding her.

Upon hearing Wang Haobai refer to her as Jiang Zhanwei’s new bride and noting his disrespect, Song Xian’s boldness grew. Turning around, he chuckled loudly, “Then wouldn’t she also be my sister-in-law?” Stepping forward, he greeted her, “Younger Brother Song Xian, nice to meet you, Third Sister-in-law.”

Tao, who had served Jiang Zhanwei in the outer courtyard, had seen these two men before. She quietly informed Lu Man, “One is Prince Zhou’s son, Song Xian, and the other is Wang Haobai, the grandson of old Duke Wang. Let’s leave quickly.”

Fuming with anger, Lu Man restrained herself from causing a scene at that moment. If she did, regardless of right or wrong, it could tarnish her reputation. She hurriedly took a few steps towards the carriage and boarded it.

Wang Haobai was unwilling to let Lu Man leave so easily. He pushed past the guards and approached the carriage. The guards from the Princess Changting’s residence quickly intervened, cautioning, “Prince Wang, please keep your distance.”

Wang Haobai retorted, “What nonsense! Your Eldest Madam is my cousin, so I am related to your Third Young Madam Lu as well. Prince Song Xian is the nephew of Princess Changting, also connected to your Third Young Madam Lu. We are relatives, what’s wrong with exchanging a few words?”

Song Xian also approached with a smile.

Although the guards and maids weren’t afraid of Song Xian, they were wary of Wang Haobai due to his familial ties to the Eldest Madam Hong. Despite the power of Prince Zhou and old Duke Wang, it didn’t concern them directly, but the eldest Madam held different authority. While the guards were not servants of the household, they preferred not to offend the eldest Madam.

Therefore, they didn’t forcefully stop Wang and Song but gradually closed in around the carriage, ensuring Lu Man’s safety.

Accompanied only by the gentle Tao, today’s attendants, apart from Wang Dawang who was loyal to her, were all from the outer courtyard.

Observing the situation, Song Xian grew bolder. He chuckled, “Sister-in-law, I hear you are quite knowledgeable in medicine. I’ve been experiencing some weakness in my body, with occasional headaches or chest pains. Oh, it’s starting to hurt again. Could you check my pulse and maybe acupuncture me?”

As Lu Man prepared to leave in the carriage, Wang Dawang couldn’t bear the harassment any longer. He leaped off the carriage, wielding his whip at Song Xian and Wang Haobai. With a shout, he exclaimed, “You scoundrels! Dogs like you deserve a beating!”

Caught off guard, his whip struck Song Xian’s shoulder, tearing through his cloak, and the whip-end grazed Wang Haobai’s face, leaving a bloody mark.

Both Song Xian and Wang Haobai let out cries of pain.

Enraged, Wang Haobai pointed at Wang Dawang, cursing, “You brat! How dare you strike me! Go, kill him!”

Song Xian added, “Bold ruffian! Daring to strike me, beat him to death!”

The attendants and guards rushed towards Wang Dawang, who fought back with his whip, but he was clearly overpowered.

Lu Man, angered by her guards’ inaction, shouted, “If you dog servants can’t coordinate and let my coachman suffer, I’ll make sure you all pay dearly!”

Princess Changting’s guards rushed to intervene, but they hesitated to use full force. They were caught in a difficult situation, resenting Wang Dawang’s reckless actions for daring to strike the eldest Madam’s cousin and Prince Zhou’s son, risking severe consequences.

In the Princess Changting’s household, everyone knew the hierarchy: Princess Changting held the highest authority, followed by the old Marquis, then the eldest son who’s the current Marquis Jiang, the Third Master, and the eldest Madam as she is the wife of the current Marquis, the Second Master held the lowest position, ranking even below the heir’s wife. Despite the Princess’s favoritism towards the Third Young Madam, her status couldn’t surpass the Second Master’s wife.

However, their primary duty was to protect Third Young Madam, so they couldn’t ignore her instructions. They had to shield Wang Dawang from harsh treatment by the guards from the Marquis Wang’s residence and Prince Zhou’s estate. The guards from the latter two residences were more aggressive, while those from the Princess Chanting’s residence focused on defense, clearly depicting the power dynamics.

Seeing even the Princess Changting’s guards disregarding Lu Man’s orders delighted Wang Haobai. It seemed the rumors about the young lady’s lack of favor within her husband’s family were true, considering even her attendants dared to slight her. He planned to publicly humiliate her to hasten her dismissal from the family. Having a stunning beauty like her as a discarded concubine was no loss at all.

Song Xian couldn’t contain his pleasure and approached the carriage, attempting to draw back the curtain. However, Tao swiftly blocked him, and the other maids stood in front of the carriage window to prevent him from reaching Lu Man.

Song Xian raised his voice, “Sister-in-law, I know Third Brother Jiang treats you poorly, always intending to divorce you, pushing you to suicide. You must have had a hard time in the Princess Changting’s residence. I sympathize with you…”

The maids hurriedly interjected, “Young Master, please refrain from such words!”

Tao, terrified, snapped, “Nonsense! How dare you speak such things!” Her voice was drowned out by the commotion.

As the situation escalated, the Princess Changting’s guards and maids grew anxious and fearful, reluctant to get involved any further. Meanwhile, Wang Dawang was already bloodied from the altercation, drawing an increasing crowd of onlookers.