With the matter settled and Li Wenxiang's wife taught a lesson, Lu Yuan considered it done for now.
He hadn't, however, mentioned his connection to Zhao Qiao'Er.
As for why not...
'It was just... unnecessary.'
'After all, he'd only just been accepted as her kin this very afternoon.'
'Was he really going to turn around and start using her name to scare people just a few hours later?'
'Riding on someone else's coattails, borrowing their power... it was all a bit shameless.'
As for what would happen next?
Lu Yuan figured there wouldn't be any further trouble.
After all, Li Wenxiang was part of the Five Doctors Guild, and the Five Doctors Guild belonged to Aunt Zhao.
If Li Wenxiang went back and looked into what happened this afternoon, he would surely find out.
After all, what a huge commotion the afternoon's events had caused!
Those Xingzi had practically blotted out the sky!
News of something that big would spread throughout all of Taiping City in no time.
When that happened, Li Wenxiang would surely find out about his connection to Aunt Zhao.
'Once he understands that, he wouldn't dare cause trouble again, even if he had ten times the nerve!'
With a soft cry of surprise, Lu Yuan swept his wife into his arms.
He stared coldly at the dumbfounded crowd and announced:
"If anyone dares to bully my wife again, I'll dig up your ancestral graves!!"
With that, Lu Yuan turned and left, still carrying Su Liyan, leaving the crowd to stare in stunned silence.
Lin Fusheng bowed respectfully toward the ancestral hall before hurrying to catch up.
Only a silent, grim-faced Li Wenxiang remained.
Along with the utterly bewildered villagers.
Huh??
That kid... how is he so damn fierce?!
Was he really not afraid of Li Wenxiang getting revenge later?!!
...…
When Lu Yuan and his companions returned home, they found the courtyard already filled with people and several fine horses.
Each of these people carried two swords on their back.
An Iron Sword and a Wooden Sword.
Iron Sword to slay men, Wooden Sword to slay ghosts—the standard garb of a Traveler.
As Lu Yuan stared blankly at them, a man stepped out from the crowd. It was the old steward he had met earlier.
The old steward bowed slightly with clasped hands and said:
"Blessings upon you, Young Master Nephew."
Snapping out of his daze, Lu Yuan didn't dare act high and mighty in front of the old steward.
This was Aunt Zhao's most trusted man. Though his title was "steward" and his station seemed to be that of a servant...
'Lu Yuan figured if Aunt Zhao was the boss, this man was her second-in-command.'
He was like Li Lianying to the Old Buddha.
Naturally, Lu Yuan didn't dare put on any airs.
Lu Yuan immediately and gently set his wife down before bowing in return and replying:
"Steward, what brings you here?"
The old steward replied at once:
"The Madam was worried after she returned to the city. She feared the person returning with you today wouldn't be able to resolve the situation, so she sent us to check on things."
"I didn't expect you to have other business, Young Master Nephew. Has it been resolved?"
Hearing this, Lu Yuan understood.
'This group must have heard about what he did at the ancestral hall when they entered the village.'
For a moment, Lu Yuan was speechless.
'After all, he was supposed to be maintaining a certain image for Zhao Qiao'Er.'
'Everything he'd done would surely be reported back to Aunt Zhao by this old steward.'
'And his persona was that of a simple, honest, warm-hearted country boy.'
'But just now, he had brutally smashed that woman's teeth to pieces.'
However, Lu Yuan didn't regret it in the slightest.
'They bullied my wife. They ran their mouths. They deserved it!'
'Even if Zhao Qiao'Er found out and disapproved of him for it, this was how it had to be!'
So Lu Yuan answered frankly:
"It's resolved. I smashed all of his wife's teeth. That let off some steam.
With Lin Fusheng there, they won't dare to touch me.
Steward, let's talk inside."
With that, Lu Yuan led his wife into the house.
The old steward watched him go, a hint of surprise in his eyes. He hadn't expected Lu Yuan to be so forthright.
Of course, more importantly, the old steward cast a long, deep look at Su Liyan, who stood beside Lu Yuan.
...
Back in the house, Su Liyan—now in a fresh set of clothes, her hair and face dried—respectfully offered the old steward a cup of tea with both hands.
The old steward had been speaking with Lu Yuan.
When he saw this, he immediately rose to his feet and accepted the cup with both hands. A rare smile creased his thin, stern face as he hurriedly said:
"I couldn't possibly trouble you, Young Madam..."
Earlier, when Lu Yuan had carried Su Liyan through the gate, she had vigilantly scanned everyone in the courtyard from the safety of his arms.
Recalling the icy glare the woman had given him, the old steward felt a shiver run down his spine for no apparent reason.
That gaze...
The old steward was a worldly man who had traveled far and wide and handled many affairs for the Madam.
But it was rare indeed for anything to unnerve him so completely...
After sitting back down with the tea, the steward finally turned to Lu Yuan and said:
"Young Master Nephew, I have no other purpose in coming here this time.
The man from the Liu Family may have been targeting the Madam, but you mustn't let your guard down. It's always the one-in-a-million chance you have to prepare for.
I've come on the Madam's orders to bring you something for your protection, Young Master Nephew.
The Madam is worried about you."
'Regarding Aunt Zhao... it didn't matter what others thought of her, nor what she might have done in the past.'
'She had treated him incredibly well.'
'Relationships were built on reciprocity, a constant give and take.'
'That was the only way to build a reliable connection.'
'Since she treated him so well, Lu Yuan would naturally have to treat her with sincerity in the future.'
'The only problem was, once the old steward went back and reported today's events to Aunt Zhao...'
'...his image as a simple, honest country boy would likely be shattered.'
'Worse, it could create distance and suspicion between them.'
'Their relationship probably wouldn't be as close anymore.'
'But again, Lu Yuan didn't regret it in the slightest.'
'No matter what, he was a man. And no one was allowed to bully his wife. Period!'
'Besides, his initial approach to Aunt Zhao had been part of a scheme to begin with.'
'If they grew distant because of this, then so be it.'
'It would just mean their fate together ended here.'
'He had already gotten the rewards he was after anyway. Aside from it being a bit of a shame, he had no real complaints.'
...
「Late at night.」
「Taiping City. In a grand residence.」
In a study, a Spiritual Lamp was lit.
Zhao Qiao'Er sat before a desk piled high with letters.
She leisurely skimmed the foam from her tea with its lid, listening to the old steward's report from behind a folding screen.
The events of the evening.
The old steward was, of course, recounting the evening's events to Zhao Qiao'Er in full detail.
"So, my little sweetheart is really that fiery?
He really smashed every last tooth in that woman's mouth?"
Zhao Qiao'Er sounded stunned as she listened to the old steward.
After all, he sounded like a completely different person from the Lu Yuan she'd met that day.
The old steward replied instantly:
"I could hardly believe it myself when I saw it, but it's the absolute truth..."
Upon hearing the steward's definitive answer, Zhao Qiao'Er set her teacup down on the desk with a sharp CLACK.
Her face alight with excitement, she exclaimed:
"Now look at that! That's what I call a real man!!"