While the several youths were still in a daze, a figure swift as lightning charged over.

Shi Yan first swept their legs out from under them with a low kick, then immediately followed with a flurry of punches and kicks.

Damn it, making him scrub chamber pots!

Damn it, making him raise geese!

Damn it, saying he was ugly!

The more he thought about it, the angrier he got, and the louder the several youths’ screams became.

The little maidservant on the side stamped her feet anxiously: “Stop hitting them, stop right now!”

The several youths rolling in pain saw a glimmer of hope.

Shi Yan withdrew his hand and said coldly: “You little brats are getting off easy.”

Sure enough, beating people up was the best way to vent. If these boys weren’t so weak, he could have kept pummeling them for another hour.

“Who told you to hit people?” Hong Dou glared at Shi Yan, then punched one of the youths who was trying to get up, knocking him back to the ground. Huffing indignantly, she said: “Is it your turn? You have your own job but you’re stealing someone else’s.”

Hitting people and snatching people were her business—what was a goose-raiser butting in for?

The little maidservant got angrier the more she thought about it, and delivered another round of punches and kicks to the several youths.

The several youths let out feeble cries for help: “Help—”

“You still dare call for help!” Hong Dou’s willow-leaf eyebrows shot up. “Don’t you know any better? How can you call for help and tell on someone during a fight?”

The youth called Xu Xi’s eyes flickered.

These words were too familiar—he’d heard them many times before.

These bastards in front of him had said exactly this to him, and even his two younger brothers under ten years old, when they occasionally got into disputes, would beg him not to tell their parents.

How could children tell on each other during fights? That would be so shameful.

This maidservant said the same thing, which showed that not going to adults to tattle was right…

The youth’s thoughts wandered for a moment.

“Why were they beating you?” A cool, pleasant voice rang out.

Xu Xi realized the young lady was asking him, but he didn’t make a sound, his lips curving into a cold arc.

Luo Sheng felt both angry and heartbroken looking at him. With a cold expression, she turned to the several youths: “Then you tell me why you were beating him.”

“None of your damn business. Are you his little wife or something—” Boys this age were the most reckless, saying whatever came to their mouths.

Unfortunately, before he could finish his filthy words, Hong Dou’s embroidered shoe kicked him in the mouth.

After delivering the kick, Hong Dou said viciously: “Keep spouting nonsense and I’ll kick your mouth to pieces!”

Luo Sheng said flatly: “Don’t stop. Keep hitting.”

The several youths who’d already been beaten pretty thoroughly froze.

This, this was too ruthless and vicious!

But Hong Dou’s eyes lit up, and her fists fell on the several youths like raindrops.

“Help—” One of the youths gathered all his strength and screamed.

A cold gleam flashed before their eyes.

Luo Sheng toyed with her dagger, saying coldly: “Want to draw your servants over?”

The several youths didn’t dare speak carelessly anymore. Their eyes blazed with hatred, clearly waiting for their attendants to rush over and give this devil-like young lady a harsh lesson.

Luo Sheng sneered: “Just now when you cornered him here and beat him up, you weren’t like this. What, now that you’ve suffered a loss, you want to call for people? Where’s such an easy deal?”

Having said this, she waved her dagger and calmly warned: “If you dare draw others over, I’ll use this to poke a hole in each of you. Don’t worry, I absolutely won’t show favoritism.”

“You, you wouldn’t dare!” One youth shouted with false bravado.

Luo Sheng glanced at him and smiled: “Why wouldn’t I dare? You molested me, so I fought back in self-defense. Isn’t that allowed?”

The several youths were dumbstruck.

How could there be such a shameless girl?

One youth had a flash of inspiration and blurted out: “You’re Miss Luo?”

Luo Sheng showed a gratified expression: “Correct, but there’s no reward. If you don’t answer my questions properly, you’ll continue getting beaten.”

Having recognized Luo Sheng’s identity, the several youths were greatly alarmed.

They’d heard that Miss Luo had even snatched Prince Kaiyang…

“All right, now tell me why you were beating him. Remember, if you don’t speak you’ll continue getting beaten. If you never speak, you’ll keep getting beaten—beaten until you either speak or die. Don’t harbor any other fantasies.”

If these words had been said before they knew Luo Sheng’s identity, the several youths might have held out for a while, but now they couldn’t muster that thought.

One youth struggled to his feet and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth: “We’ve never gotten along. Fighting is a common occurrence.”

“You weren’t fighting—it was a one-sided beating.” Luo Sheng pointed this out sharply.

If she really encountered her little nephew in a one-on-one fight with someone, she might just coldly watch the excitement.

How could a boy not know how to fight? Winning or losing wasn’t really important. If he lost this time, he could go home, practice hard, and win it back next time.

But she couldn’t tolerate several people ganging up on her little nephew.

Did they think she, this aunt, was just for show?

The youth quickly glanced at Xu Xi and defended himself: “A few days ago he beat up one of our friends—”

Luo Sheng’s tone grew colder: “Oh, did he call several friends to do it together?”

The youth choked on the question.

“Looks like it was one-on-one then.” Luo Sheng’s expression was half-smiling.

The several youths didn’t speak, essentially acknowledging Luo Sheng’s words.

Clapping sounds rang out, the young lady’s lips curved in a mocking smile.

“How impressive—lost in a one-on-one fight, so a whole group beats him back.”

The several youths’ faces looked even worse. They wanted to refute but had nothing to say, and didn’t dare act tough to cover their embarrassment.

Luo Sheng turned her head to admonish Xu Xi: “Stay away from these people in the future. Don’t even bother fighting with them, lest you be tainted by association and become cowards like this.”

This tone was like an elder educating a junior. Xu Xi didn’t feel entirely pleased listening to it, but seeing his adversaries’ even more displeased expressions, his mood suddenly improved, and he let out a low “Mm.”

Luo Sheng’s gaze swept over the several youths, her chin slightly raised: “It just so happens this young lady is in a good mood, so I won’t hold it against you this time. But if you do evil again in the future, don’t blame me for ridding society of a menace.”

The several youths breathed a sigh of relief.

One youth glanced at Xu Xi and asked unwillingly: “Miss Luo, why are you helping Xu Xi?”

They didn’t recall the Grand Commander’s Office having any relationship with the Marquis of Changchun’s household.

Even if there was a relationship, they weren’t afraid—plenty of families had connections with the Marquis of Changchun’s household. Who told the lady in charge of the Changchun Marquis household not to be Xu Xi’s birth mother?

And Xu Xi was an idiot who didn’t know how to tattle.

Hong Dou was surprised: “You still have the nerve to ask our young lady about such a simple reason?”

“Simple?” The several youths exclaimed in unison, their eyes full of confusion.

Where was it simple?

Hong Dou put her hands on her hips and sneered: “Of course it’s because you’re uglier than Young Master Xu. Should I help you instead of helping Young Master Xu?”

“You—” If they hadn’t just been taught such a harsh lesson, the several youths would have wanted to fight Hong Dou to the death.

This wretched servant was too infuriating.

When you’re under someone’s roof, you have to bow your head. Endure it!

The several youths supported each other as they walked out of the dark alley, tears streaming down their faces as they faced the bright sunshine.

It was so good to be alive.

After a moment of emotion, one youth voiced a soul-piercing question: “Are we really uglier than Xu Xi?”

In the alley, Luo Sheng glanced at Xu Xi and said flatly: “Come with me.”

Xu Xi didn’t move.

Luo Sheng frowned at him.

The youth stepped back, his tone fierce: “I, I’m telling you, a scholar may be killed but not humiliated!”