Wang Linchang, newly arrived, naturally wanted to win over Old Master Wu, but unfortunately the old man wasn't very cooperative.
He hadn't taken the Yang family seriously. Now he glanced at Wang Wenjie, somewhat furious, and asked who had beaten him.
His son, no matter how disappointing, had no reason to be beaten like this by outsiders.
"I don't know." Wang Wenjie said, "But they must be someone important. They had..."
"Had what?"
"Something like soldiers." Wang Wenjie said, "But then again, they didn't seem like it. He said his father is also a prefect."
"Oh?" Wang Linchang knew all the prefects of the surrounding prefectures. "What did that person look like?"
"About four or five years old, with big eyes and a big head." Wang Wenjie hadn't even finished speaking when he felt the atmosphere around him suddenly drop, and Wang Linchang's gaze toward him became especially disappointed.
Wang Wenjie naturally knew that being beaten up by a kid like this was truly humiliating. But the kid was genuinely tough—sitting on him like riding a horse, punching him so hard he began to doubt life itself. If he hadn't crawled all the way back from Fu'an Town, he wouldn't even be standing here right now—and honestly, that alone made him feel pretty impressive.
Wang Linchang's face turned grim: "And what else?"
Wang Wenjie shook his head. All he remembered was that big round head of Guaizai's: "Nothing else."
"Four or five years old?" Wang Linchang thought carefully. The prefects he knew were all older than him—their grandchildren were about the same age as his own son. He'd never heard of any of them having such a young son!
"My son..."
Madam Wang's wailing came drifting over from afar.
The moment she walked in and saw Wang Wenjie covered in bruises, she nearly collapsed.
"Mother."
"Who beat you? Who beat you?" Madam Wang grabbed Wang Wenjie's wrist tightly and looked him up and down: "How did you get beaten? Are you hurt anywhere? Have you seen a physician?"
Wang Wenjie's whole body ached: "Not yet."
Madam Wang immediately sent the maid waiting outside to fetch someone, then asked anxiously: "What happened? Did you get into a fight? Weren't you supposed to be at the academy today... Did you go to Fu'an Town? Was it that little wretch who beat you?"
"Mother, it's not..."
"You're still defending him! I can tell he's no good—a little seductress."
"Mother~"
"Am I wrong?" Madam Wang was furious now. The mere mention of Yang Mingyi put her in a bad mood. She thought he was no good. Ever since her son met him, he'd been completely bewitched and had no heart for his studies. He used to be filial and obedient, but this past year, for the sake of a ger, he'd talked back to her again and again.
Madam Wang had also personally gone to Fu'an Town to see Yang Mingyi. He truly had the face of a seductress—no wonder her son was so smitten.
At that time, Madam Wang had given Yang Mingyi a proper beating in a private room of the Zuixiao Restaurant.
But later, she still couldn't resist Wang Wenjie's persistent pestering and agreed to let him take Yang Mingyi as a concubine.
Madam Wang had thought her son would get bored and that would be the end of it. She hadn't bothered with it afterward. But now he dared to hit someone—did he think the Wang family was easy to bully?
Madam Wang immediately wanted to take her servants to Fu'an Town. But when she turned her head, she saw the maid she'd sent to fetch the physician running back in a panic.
"Is the physician here already?"
That was fast!
Does this physician have four legs or something?"
"No." The maid was pale with fright: "Someone's broken in from outside."
Wang Linchang stood up upon hearing this.
"Who? What audacity."
Just as he spoke, banging sounds came from outside, like things being smashed.
Wang Linchang's heart jolted. He ordered the servant beside him: "Go to the yamen and call for people."
After giving the order, he hurried to the front courtyard with several guards. The moment he reached the outer courtyard, he was stunned.
What's going on?
Why are there so many soldiers?
Guaizai strode in with his hands on his hips, swaggering: "Where's Wang Wenjie? Tell him to roll out here for Master Guai."
Zhang Quan followed behind, rubbing his forehead, feeling that Guaizai had truly been corrupted by Fang Zichen.
Just listen to that tone—anyone could tell he was trouble. Like a little tyrant.
Big-headed kid.
He's the kid who beat up my son.
Wang Linchang's face darkened.
"What nerve."
Guaizai looked up at him: "Who are you?"
"Who am I?" Wang Linchang said coldly: "I am the prefect of Yuanzhou. Ignorant child, you've got real nerve—beating my son and then daring to storm my home."
"Why wouldn't I dare?" He'd brought people, and his Handsome Grandpa had said no one would dare touch him. Guaizai was emboldened: "Guaizai goes wherever he wants. Your door—Guaizai will walk in whenever he feels like it."
Wang Linchang had lived more than half his life and had never seen such arrogance. He laughed out of sheer fury.
Seeing the other side still smashing things everywhere, he scoffed and called for his guards to stop them.
He was no pushover either. He was a prefect, after all—how could he let someone be this insolent?
If word got out, would he still have any face left?
But when he called for his men, not one came out.
Where were his guards?
He looked ahead.
Oh. They were all tied up.
"Steward, steward..."
The steward didn't answer either.
Guaizai giggled: "Go on, yell! Yell! Yell till your throat's raw—no one's coming to save you."
Seeing him so completely unafraid, Wu Linchang felt a chill of unease.
"Who are you?"
Guaizai blinked his big eyes: "Not telling you, not telling you."
He had brought soldiers and ridden hard the whole way here. Once inside the city, afraid of hurting civilians, he didn't dare gallop and had to proceed slowly. Many commoners saw him — they watched him arrive at the Wand residence, get blocked at the gate, then brazenly break the door down and storm in. The Wang guards came out to stop him, but none lasted more than two moves before being captured. The Qin family soldiers charged straight into the residence, taking down anyone in their way.
This was going to cause trouble.
Someone immediately ran to the yamen.
By now, the deputy prefect had arrived with soldiers. The Qin family soldiers surrounded Guaizai and immediately drew their blades, alert.
The two sides faced off, the air thick with the smell of gunpowder.
Seeing the other side's formation—not even afraid of soldiers—the deputy prefect figured they must have powerful backing. He didn't dare act rashly: "Who are you people?"
Guaizai said nothing. He quietly pulled a token from his pocket.
The deputy prefect took one look — his pupils constricted sharply, and with a thud, he dropped to his knees before him.
Wang Linchang's legs went weak too.
Guaizai looked at the deputy prefect, then at the token in his hand, and laughed so hard he shook like a flower in the breeze.
This was Meng Ruqing's token.
Then he pulled out Qin Hengxuan's token as well.
Wang Linchang's breath caught. His mind went completely blank. All strength drained from his body as if sucked away. He collapsed onto his knees, cold sweat pouring down.
Guaizai's little hand started rummaging in the pocket on his chest again. At the sight of it, Wang Linchang completely lost it.
Stop digging!
Keep digging and you'll scare me to death!
Madam Wang and Wang Wenjie came out and saw Wang Linchang like this. Their eyes went wide.
Madam Wang: "You—who are you people?"
"Kneel." Wang Linchang's voice trembled: "Kneel now."
Wang Wenjie was dragged out by the Qin family soldiers the moment he appeared. Madam Wang was about to scream, but Wang Linchang clamped a hand over her mouth.
Still screaming?
If this goes badly today, even I'll be done for.
Guaizai answered: Guaizai answered: "Who am I? Out in the martial world, you've got to have honor. I don't change my name or my surname—I'm called Guaizai. My father is Fang Zichen. Why did you bully my Uncle Yang? Didn't you know Uncle Yang is under Master Guai's protection?"
Zhang Quan: "......"
This kid's tone really is just like the villains Lord Fang always talked about.
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