“Where did you come from, you lowly commoner, daring to lay hands on me!” Bai Qingxuan hadn’t expected someone with better martial skills than him to arrive, pinning him firmly against the carriage so he couldn’t move. Bai Qingxuan’s eyes were bloodshot as he struggled and cursed, “I am the young master of Duke Zhenguo’s mansion! You lowly commoner dare to lay hands on me—when my grandfather returns, I’ll have him exterminate your nine generations!”

Bai Qingyan’s eyes flashed with murderous intent. To dare speak of exterminating nine generations! If such an inhuman creature, worse than pigs and dogs, were truly left in the Bai family, it would surely bring catastrophic disaster upon the Bai household.

“Release my son!” The woman lifted the carriage curtain and jumped down like a shrew, violently striking and clawing at Chen Qingsheng. “You lowly commoner! My son is the most noble young master of Duke Zhenguo’s mansion! If you dare harm my son, when His Grace returns, he will surely slaughter your entire family!”

After all, this woman belonged to Second Master Bai. Without explicit orders, Chen Qingsheng dared not lay hands on her. He could only endure a scratch to his face and dodge awkwardly.

Bai Qingyan stepped across the threshold, gripping the hand warmer tightly, her heart burning with uncontrollable rage like being roasted by fire. This mother and son pair were both stupid and despicably vicious.

She closed her eyes, suppressing her boiling killing intent, and ordered, “Chen Qingsheng, release him! First, have someone send the coachman and the elderly man to the medical hall across the street!”

“Yes, Eldest Miss!” Chen Qingsheng obeyed, instructing Bai Mansion’s guards to escort them to the medical hall opposite.

The coachman, helped to his feet, hurriedly bowed to thank Bai Qingyan: “Thank you, Eldest Miss! Thank you, Eldest Miss!”

“You wait for me! I’ll drag you before the magistrate!” The woman glared at Chen Qingsheng and quickly supported her son, tearfully asking, “Xuan’er, did that lowly commoner hurt you anywhere?!”

As Bai Qingyan walked to the entrance of Manjiang Tower, the customers and servants who had gathered at the door to watch the commotion quickly made way.

Bai Qingxuan, who had been supporting his neck and preparing to cry out in pain, was stunned when he saw Bai Qingyan… then his eyes filled with amazement, revealing a spine-chillingly sinister gaze like a starving wolf seeing food. He pushed the woman away, narrowed his eyes, and approached Bai Qingyan with a smile: “What a beautiful young lady…”

“How dare you!” Chun Tao was so enraged by this shameless talk that her chest heaved with anger.

Fearing this scoundrel might harm Chun Tao, Chen Qingsheng quickly stepped forward to shield Bai Qingyan and Chun Tao, preventing Bai Qingxuan from getting closer.

Bai Qingxuan’s gaze swept over Chen Qingsheng before fixing intently on Bai Qingyan with her cold, snow-like features. He circled halfway around her like examining merchandise, his eyes full of excitement, eager to move closer and observe Bai Qingyan’s beauty in detail.

Chen Qingsheng’s expression darkened as he prepared to strike down Bai Qingxuan, when he heard Bai Qingyan speak: “Chen Qingsheng, go to the medical hall across the street and check on that elderly lady and the coachman, see if the child was injured.”

Chen Qingsheng gritted his teeth and acknowledged, obediently stepped aside.

“That’s right! This beautiful young lady is sensible. My grandfather Duke Zhenguo… even the Emperor wouldn’t dare provoke him!” Bai Qingxuan thought the stunning beauty before him feared Duke Zhenguo’s reputation and became even more arrogant.

Her pupils contracted slightly. If not for gripping the hand warmer tightly, she feared she couldn’t restrain herself from drawing her sword and cleaving this person in half.

Bai Qingxuan stepped forward, now only three paces away from her. After examining her again in detail, Bai Qingxuan smiled: “Which family’s young lady are you? When my grandfather Duke Zhenguo returns victorious, I’ll have him go to your family and ask for you! I’ve never seen such a beautiful woman—if made into a beauty jar… it would surely be the most unique beauty jar in the world!”

At the mention of “beauty jar,” her blood, which had been boiling with rage, instantly froze to ice, even her gaze becoming cold and sinister as if poisoned.

She could barely restrain herself from tearing this stupid beast to pieces, but she was now just a废person who had lost all martial arts and could do nothing. She bit her teeth hard, gripping the hand warmer even tighter.

Standing on the second-floor scenic corridor of Yanque Tower, Xiao Rongyan stood with his hands behind his back. Hearing these words, his ink-black eyes became thick as ink.

“Brother Xiao, that’s the legitimate eldest daughter of the Duke’s mansion, isn’t it?!” Lu Yuanpeng anxiously tugged at Xiao Rongyan’s sleeve.

Xiao Rongyan remained composed, picking a peanut from the small dish Lu Yuanpeng was holding…

“Thud—”

Bai Qingxuan’s knees were struck by something unknown, and he knelt straight down before Bai Qingyan.

Lu Ping, who had been hiding in the crowd awaiting Bai Qingyan’s orders, thought Bai Qingxuan was about to attack the Eldest Miss. He immediately moved to shield Bai Qingyan and kicked Bai Qingxuan square in the chest, sending him tumbling down the steps.

“Seize him!”

At Bai Qingyan’s command, Lu Ping and the accompanying guards immediately pressed Bai Qingxuan firmly to his knees, rendering him immobile.

“Release my son! Release my son!” The woman rushed forward, clawing and hitting the Bai family guards while pointing at Bai Qingyan and cursing angrily, “Which family’s little hussy are you to be so ill-mannered, daring to have your servants lay hands on Duke Zhenguo’s young master! Don’t you want your entire family to keep their dog lives!”

Bai Qingyan clenched her teeth. Such vicious-hearted creatures who knew no restraint—if she didn’t crush them to build momentum for the Bai family’s reputation, it would truly waste their coming into this world.

“How dare you!” Chun Tao was so angry that her face turned slate, “The legitimate eldest daughter of Duke Zhenguo’s mansion is someone you can insult with words!”

Hearing that the young lady before her was Duke Zhenguo’s legitimate eldest daughter, the woman was so shocked she staggered back two steps. If not for grabbing the carriage for support, her weak legs might have made her kneel.

Ever since Bai Qingyan’s scene at Marquis Zhongyong’s mansion that day, the name of Duke Zhenguo’s legitimate eldest daughter had spread not just throughout the capital… but even to the Kingdomside. Everyone said this eldest daughter had been raised under Duke Zhenguo and Grand Princess’s care since childhood, was deeply beloved by both Duke Zhenguo and Grand Princess, and truly possessed the Bai family’s proud backbone and extraordinary bearing.

Bai Qingxuan looked up, his surprised gaze falling on Bai Qingyan in her snow-white fox fur, standing in the brilliant lights of Manjiang Tower with a solemn expression. He felt that her tranquil gaze harbored intense disgust and killing intent.

“Years ago, when Second Uncle was traveling for studies, your mother saved him! Grandmother sent people to search everywhere for you mother and son but couldn’t find you. Now, bringing you both into Duke Zhenguo’s mansion is Grandmother’s compassionate charity! Who gave you the audacity to use Duke Zhenguo’s authority to justify your evil deeds?”

Though unwilling in his heart, Bai Qingxuan had no choice but to submit to Bai Qingyan, biting his teeth hard: “It’s just a lowly commoner! I didn’t even kill him! Why must Elder Sister make such a big fuss?!”

Hearing “lowly commoner” again, her brow twitched violently, the fire in her chest burning fiercer. Unable to endure it, she strode forward in two quick steps and kicked Bai Qingxuan to the ground. Duke Zhenguo’s guards quickly moved forward to press him back into a kneeling position.

“Lowly commoners?!” She was filled with rage, unable to hide the disgust in her eyes, her words impassioned with anger, “The commoners you speak of are precisely the reason why the Bai family has willingly gone to battle and died for generations! The people of Great Jin support us with their taxes, and the Bai family fears that we cannot repay them even partially. Though Grandfather is already sixty, he still dons armor and leads all the Bai family men to battle… the youngest not even ten years old! The Bai family regards the people of Great Jin as blood relatives, yet in your arrogant mouth, you scoundrel, they become lowly commoners?!”