Forcibly Seizing a Woman in Broad Daylight

Near dusk, the weather was slightly cool.

Beneath an old willow tree outside Luoyi Lane, Chen Yi stamped his legs and feet numb from squatting, then said with a smile:

"Not bad luck. No one went to Miss Yunxiang's home to propose marriage. What she said earlier was only because she did not want to make Li Huaigu's position difficult."

Xiao Die nodded. "Yes, son-in-law. I also found out some things about her and the Third Place Scholar. They say they had known each other since childhood, but Yunxiang's parents both passed away, and her family was poor."

After hearing this, Xiao Wuge looked up at Chen Yi. "Brother-in-law, what are you going to do?"

Chen Yi gazed toward Luoyi Lane in the distance. Blue tiles and white walls, lush trees, flocks of birds wheeling everywhere—it could roughly be considered a quiet place.

He thought for a moment.

Then he stretched lazily and loosened his limbs before revealing an arrogant, overbearing smile.

"This son-in-law has not played the bad guy in a long time. Since it is so quiet today, why not make things lively?"

"Hm?"

A question appeared on Xiao Wuge's little face. A bad guy?

Xiao Die, Wang Lixing, and the others all looked baffled as well, unable to understand what scheme their son-in-law had come up with this time.

But soon, after hearing Chen Yi's plan, some shook their heads while others waved their hands.

Wang Lixing looked troubled. "Second son-in-law, you cannot. Absolutely cannot."

Chen Yi shot him a sidelong glance. "You do not need to play the bad guy. Just take your men and protect Wuge. Fourth Brother, what do you say?"

Liu Si'er was not troubled; he was already cursing up a storm inside.

Had this fledgling gone mad?

Going to a young woman's home in broad daylight to forcibly seize a woman?

Was he not afraid they would report him to the authorities? Well... this was fake.

But even if it was fake, it would not do.

If the Xiao Family learned of it, with him ruining the Marquis's mansion's reputation like this, how could he possibly retain any place in the Xiao Family afterward?

Seeing him remain silent, Chen Yi asked with a smile that was not quite a smile, "Fourth Brother, do not tell me you are getting cold feet? You agreed readily just now."

Liu Si'er gritted his teeth. "Since son-in-law has given the order, I shall naturally obey, but..."

Without giving him a chance to refuse, Chen Yi said directly, "No buts. You and I will take the lead later, while Xiao Die acts from the side. After all, men and women should keep their distance."

"Also, Brother Ge, you are responsible for making a scene at Li Huaigu's doorstep. The bigger the commotion, the better."

Ge Laosan glanced at Wang Lixing. Seeing that he said nothing, he agreed.

Seeing this, Xiao Wuge hesitated. "Brother-in-law, what if Li Huaigu does not come out?"

Chen Yi said indifferently, "If he does not come out, that already shows his resolve. We will simply turn around and return home."

Xiao Die hesitated before asking, "Son-in-law, are you sure this will work?"

"Even if it does, your reputation..."

"Reputation?"

Chen Yi straightened his robes and, as he sauntered toward Luoyi Lane, said with a smile:

"How much is reputation worth? The thing your son-in-law cares least about is reputation."

Seeing this, Liu Si'er rolled his eyes and followed him.

Thinking of the way Yunxiang and Li Huaigu had parted earlier, as well as the past between them that she had learned of afterward, Xiao Die trotted to Chen Yi's side as well, clenching her little fists to bolster her courage.

Apart from Chen Yi and Liu Si'er, who would be acting as villains, her task was the heaviest—she was responsible for making the move.

Watching the three leave, Ge Laosan hesitantly said, "Brother Xing, then I will head over too?"

Wang Lixing scratched his scalp. Seeing that Xiao Wuge did not object, he impatiently waved a hand. "Get lost. The sooner this is over, the sooner we return to the residence."

He had already made up his mind. Once they returned this time, he had to go to Second Master and plead guilty, taking all the blame upon himself.

Otherwise, Chen Yi and Xiao Wuge might be fine, but it was hard to say what would happen to servants and personal guards like them.

Ge Laosan bowed, cleared his throat, and ran toward Li Huaigu's home.

Seeing this, Xiao Wuge turned his head toward Wang Lixing and asked with the air of a little grown-up, "Uncle Wang, what kind of person do you think brother-in-law is?"

Wang Lixing paused, a bitter smile appearing on his face. "Son-in-law is not a bad person..."

But damn it, he was definitely someone who ran wild without restraint and obeyed no rules.

Any normal person would surely be bound by propriety and law. No one could possibly come up with such a rotten idea.

Xiao Wuge pursed his lips and looked thoughtfully toward the alley entrance. He also believed that his brother-in-law was not a bad person.

Before long.

Yunxiang's cries for help shattered the peace of Luoyi Lane. Even from the alley entrance, one could hear her panic and helplessness.

"Someone, help! Save me! Why... why are you doing this?"

Then came Chen Yi's sly, shameless voice. "Naturally because this lord has taken a fancy to you. Just submit to me."

"You shameless wretch! How could Li Lang possibly know the likes of you?"

"Help! Someone..."

As the cries for help rang out without end, Xiao Wuge saw from afar Chen Yi and the other two leading Yunxiang this way.

Xiao Die looked on the verge of tears, seeming even more helpless than Yunxiang.

Only Chen Yi swaggered along at the front.

Had Xiao Wuge not known how gentle and courteous his brother-in-law had been at Qinghe Garden earlier, he would have thought him a villain.

He was simply more tyrannical than some of the bullies in Shuzhou City.

Meanwhile, after hearing those cries, Ge Laosan raised his voice outside Li Huaigu's door and shouted:

"Someone, come quick! In broad daylight, they've forcibly seized a woman! Miss Yunxiang—Yunniang has been taken away!"

No sooner had he spoken than he heard a commotion inside the residence, like porcelain vases or bowls being smashed.

Then came Li Huaigu's flustered voice. "Mother, it's Yunxiang, Yunxiang... Please let your son go."

"You—are not allowed to go!"

"Mother, your son..."

Hearing this, Ge Laosan knew what to do. He shouted several more times and made some other noises besides.

The nearby neighbors all came out to see what was happening. When they heard that Yunxiang had been taken, righteous indignation filled them, and they went back to grab whatever they could before rushing out.

Ge Laosan instinctively shrank back, but when he thought of the Young Marquis and the others at the mouth of the lane, he stepped forward to stop them.

Using his body to block them, he shouted anxiously, "Yunxiang has been taken away!!"

Before his words had even faded, Li Huaigu's resolute voice rang out from within the courtyard. "Mother, forgive your unfilial son!"

The door creaked open, and Li Huaigu rushed out with an anxious expression. "Yunxiang—where is Yunxiang?"

Ge Laosan heaved a sigh of relief and hurriedly led him toward the mouth of the lane.

The neighbors behind them naturally followed, carrying everything from rakes to brooms. Several old soldiers had even donned their armor.

At the sight, Ge Laosan truly broke out in a cold sweat for the Son-in-law.

But things had come this far, so he could only grit his teeth and pull Li Huaigu outside.

In a Moment.

A crowd surged over and saw Yunxiang in the distance, still crying for help.

Li Huaigu could not spare a thought for anything else. He charged ahead at the front. "Who is so bold as to forcibly seize a woman in broad daylight?!"

Hearing his voice, Yunxiang turned to look at him. Beyond the panic and terror on her face, there was also a trace of reluctance; her eyes brimmed with tears.

"Li Lang, save me."

"Save you?"

Chen Yi glanced behind him, and the arrogant grin he had been putting on instantly froze. He hurriedly waved at Xiao Die and Liu Si'er.

"Why are you still holding her? Run!"

Xiao Die froze, then immediately understood. She released Yunxiang and quietly said, "Forgive me, miss."

After saying that, she stuffed a slip of paper into Yunxiang's hand, then lifted her skirts and ran after Chen Yi.

Liu Si'er wore a helpless expression, but seeing the furious crowd behind them, he suppressed the anger in his heart and cursed under his breath.

Who knew whether he was cursing himself for going mad, or cursing Chen Yi for having a broken brain.

By the time Li Huaigu and the others arrived, Chen Yi and his group were nowhere to be seen. Only Yunxiang remained.

"Yunniang, you—you aren't hurt, are you?"

Before she could speak, Li Huaigu pulled her into his arms and apologized again and again.

When he had heard that Yunxiang had been taken away, he had felt as though the sky itself had collapsed. He now regretted his earlier hesitation beyond all remedy.

Only now, holding Yunxiang in his arms, did he feel slightly at ease.

Yunxiang's face was streaked with tears. "Li Lang, I-I'm fine."

Li Huaigu released her and looked her over from head to toe. "Yunniang, who dared take you? I, Li Huaigu, will surely bring him to justice!"

The surrounding neighbors were equally enraged. "That's right! Let's see who dares run wild in Luoyi Lane!"

Yunxiang looked at them, then hesitantly leaned close to Li Huaigu and whispered a few words.

"You mean Brother Qingzhou? Impossible! There must be some mistake!"

Li Huaigu nearly bit off his own tongue. No matter what, he could not believe Chen Yi would do such a thing.

"H-he barged in with a maidservant and an attendant, dragged me outside, and said he would take me back to his residence as a concubine."

A concubine?

A strange expression appeared on Li Huaigu's face. "Are you sure?"

Chen Yi taking a concubine?

A live-in son-in-law of the Marquis of Military's mansion, husband to Xiao Jinghong, the Dingyuan Army's female general—and he dared take a concubine?

Had he gone mad?

"Yes, it's true."

Seeing that he did not believe her, Yunxiang anxiously handed him the note Xiao Die had stuffed into her hands.

Li Huaigu accepted it half-believingly, opened it, and immediately found himself torn between laughter and tears.

Yunxiang did not understand. She leaned closer to look at the paper. Though she knew few characters, she could still make out what it said.

Written on it were the words: "If flowers are there to be plucked, then pluck them without delay; do not wait until the flowers are gone and snap empty branches. Brother Huaigu, there are things you may regret doing in the future, but if you do not do them, you will regret them for a lifetime."

Yunxiang froze. "He, he..."

Li Huaigu shook his head and muttered with a bitter smile, "Brother Qingzhou, Brother Qingzhou..."

For a moment, a hundred emotions surged through him.

There was gratitude, but also worry—worry that this matter would bring Chen Yi punishment from the Xiao Family.

With that thought, he released Yunxiang and bowed to the neighbors gathered around them. "Everyone, now that she has been rescued, please return home for the time being. Later, Huaigu will surely give you all an explanation."

Before the neighbors could respond, Li Huaigu glanced at Yunxiang and smiled. "Also, Yunxiang and I will be wed in the coming days. I hope you will all honor us with your presence..."

Elsewhere.

Chen Yi had already met up with Xiao Wuge and the others. Once Ge Laosan arrived, they drove the Carriage back to Xiao Manor.

Xiao Die kept her head lowered, her little heart thumping wildly. She was still caught up in the unease of being a "bad person" for the first time.

Xiao Wuge looked from side to side and asked, "Brother-in-law, do you think they'll end up together?"

Chen Yi shook his head. "I don't know."

"Then... then won't Third Place Scholar's mother still try to stop them?"

"That's not something we need to worry about."

After saying that, Chen Yi turned to look at the scenery beyond the window.

It was enough for Li Huaigu to make his feelings clear. He had no intention of carrying the Buddha all the way to the west.