The carriage swayed unsteadily. As it was getting closer and closer to the Xu family's mansion, Xu Yutang grew increasingly anxious. The Xu family was insistent on calling her back, and even sent Xiaotao to threaten her. There must be no good in store for her. She had to find a way to escape!
However, her father was sitting opposite her in the carriage, and the coachman outside was a servant of the Xu family. Xu Yutang, a delicate young lady who had long been confined to the attic, would find it extremely difficult to escape from their grasp. Moreover, she didn't know the way. Even if she managed to escape, she would still need to ask for directions. Not to mention the time it would take, it would be a stroke of luck if she could find the Princess Mansion.
After much thought, Xu Yutang realized that she had no way out. Unable to hold back, she burst into tears.
Her father was irritated by her crying and snapped, "Crying all day long. What kind of behavior is this!"
The scolding in her ears stood in stark contrast to the wonderful days she had spent in the Princess Mansion. Xu Yutang was frightened and covered her mouth, trying hard not to make a sound, but the tears kept flowing.
Xu Yutang tightly clutched the handkerchief in her hand. She could tell that her father didn't like her. Her mother, who had once been kind to her, had gradually grown distant from her because of her long - term seclusion in the attic. Now, her mother only had eyes for her younger brother, Xu Yusong. If that was the case, why couldn't the Xu family just let her go?
"Fresh steamed buns, meat buns! Delicious meat buns!"
"This is Zuiyinlou. Brother, be generous and treat you to a meal!"
"Roast chicken, just out of the oven!"
The shouts outside grew louder and louder, and Xu Yutang felt even more miserable. Early this morning, Yan Mingli had taken Baozhu out of the mansion, and she hadn't even had the chance to spend more time with Baozhu...
Wait a minute. Was Zuiyinlou outside?
Xu Yutang remembered that Yan Mingli was on familiar terms with the waiter at Zuiyinlou yesterday. A glimmer of hope welled up in her heart. Although she couldn't escape, she could send a message to Yan Mingli!
Having made up her mind, Xu Yutang didn't care about the delay. Fearing that the carriage would pass Zuiyinlou and she would miss the chance to send the message, she lunged at her father and beat him with all her might.
Her father was caught off guard and leaned to one side. Xu Yutang seized the opportunity and knee - kicked him in the abdomen. Her father let out a cry of pain.
The coachman heard the noise inside and quickly asked, "Young master, what's going on?"
There was no response, but the shouting from inside the carriage attracted the attention of the surrounding people. Some even whispered, suspecting that the Xu family's carriage was that of human traffickers.
Unable to bear the scrutiny of the common people, the coachman first shouted, "Miss Tang, please stop being stubborn with the young master."
Then he lifted a corner of the curtain. He saw that her father was covering his eyes, and Xu Yutang's eyes were tightly closed, her body leaning against the carriage. Both of them were in a bit of a mess, obviously having been in a fight.
The coachman assumed that her father had won. He whispered, "Young master, some common people are saying that we're human traffickers. What should we do..."
Suddenly, a dark figure rushed forward. Xu Yutang raised the gold crown in her hand and smashed it hard on the coachman's head. The coachman was caught off guard and felt his vision go black.
Taking advantage of this moment, Xu Yutang pushed the coachman away and jumped out of the carriage.
In her hurry, Xu Yutang didn't dare to stop. She limped towards Zuiyinlou.
Fortunately, Xu Yutang was quick. Not long after the carriage passed Zuiyinlou, she managed to run into the building after only a short while.
The waiter greeted her warmly, "What would you like to eat, sir... Miss, what's wrong with you?"
At this moment, Xu Yutang's hair was in disarray, and her ruqun was torn in some places. She wasn't in a good state. She grabbed the waiter's arm as if seeing a life - saving straw and said, "Tell Yan Mingli that the Xu family is going to harm me. Ask him to go to the Xu family's mansion to save me. I'm Xu Yutang. Tell him that Xu Yutang is waiting for help..."
In just a short while, her father and the coachman had reacted and chased after her to Zuiyinlou.
Her father was just about to pull Xu Yutang back when the waiter stepped forward and blocked in front of her. "Oh, miss, please don't pull at me. I'm just a waiter."
"Sir, what's going on here? Oh no, don't fight! If you start fighting, how can the other guests dine?"
Her father, who hadn't even touched Xu Yutang yet, was stunned. Under the waiter's hint, Xu Yutang quickly grabbed the waiter and asked him to block her father.
Her father took a deep breath and gave a look to the coachman behind him.
The coachman, who had been doing physical work all year round, was much stronger than the waiter and Xu Yutang. He stepped forward and pulled Xu Yutang's hand away. Ignoring her struggles, he dragged her away.
The waiter was no match for the coachman. Just as he was about to call for help from others in the store, he heard her father say, "This unfilial daughter eloped with that lecher. I've been looking for her for several days and finally found her. Unexpectedly, this evil girl pushed me down when I wasn't paying attention, knocked out the coachman, and ran away."
"I apologize for the trouble I've caused you all."
Her father bowed to the people in the hall. Then he took out all the gold hairpins from Xu Yutang's head and handed them to the waiter. "These are the stolen property of this unfilial daughter. I don't know how much they're worth, but please accept them as compensation."
Zuiyinlou was an extremely expensive place. Those who dined there were all quite influential.
One person recognized the gold hairpins as being made of pure gold and exclaimed, "If I'm not mistaken, these gold hairpins are made of pure gold. What a generous gesture."
Her father's words were malicious. He only said that they were stolen property without saying where they were stolen from. Combined with what he had said about the lecher before, everyone assumed that the gold hairpins were stolen by Xu Yutang from her family.
A family that could own such valuable property must be either rich or noble.
The voices that had been discussing her father's identity disappeared instantly, and instead, people began to condemn Xu Yutang.
Hearing those voices, Xu Yutang didn't feel as desperate as before. She had successfully sent the message. Even if Yan Mingli couldn't save her, he wouldn't let the Xu family get away with it!
The waiter wanted to save Xu Yutang, but since her father was determined to leave, there was nothing he could do.
Just as her father and the coachman were about to drag Xu Yutang away, a teacup hit her father. The force was quite strong. Since it was summer and people wore thin clothes, her father felt a pain in his back. He instinctively turned around.
There, at the counter of Zuiyinlou, suddenly appeared a little girl in a pink dress.
The little girl was wearing a light - pink waist - length ruqun and had cute little buns on her head. Her hair accessory was a green lotus leaf. She looked just like a little lotus flower.
She was still holding another teacup in her hand and shouted at her father, "Let go of Sister Yutang quickly, or Baozhu will hit you again!"
Dragon King: [Rescuing the beauty! No, it's the cute little one rescuing the beauty!]
Her father frowned and looked at Shen Baozhu, wondering where she had come from. "Whose child are you? Why are you so ill - behaved?"
Shen Baozhu was just about to say her mother's name when she suddenly thought that she was saving Sister Yutang and should mention the most powerful people. So she replied, "You're talking nonsense. Uncle Emperor and Grandpa Prime Minister said that Baozhu is the most obedient!"
"Who are you, old man? You're talking nonsense. I'm going to tell Uncle Emperor and Grandpa Prime Minister!"
If a child blatantly claimed that their backers were the emperor and the prime minister, most people probably wouldn't believe it. But Shen Baozhu's euphemistic mention made it much more credible.
Especially since Shen Baozhu had a fair and tender face, and the ruqun she was wearing was embroidered with Su embroidery. Her father might not have noticed, but the onlookers in the hall could see clearly that she had come out from the backyard of Zuiyinlou.
Combined with the rumor that Zuiyinlou had a powerful backer... It was really terrifying to think about!