When Xu Xi’s identity was called out, the onlookers heard this was a young master from a marquis household, and the atmosphere instantly became even more heated, like boiling oil into which cold water had been dropped.

Heavens, Miss Luo would even snatch away a young master from a marquis household just like that—this is terrifying!

Heavens, does the Marquis of Changchun’s household even know that their young master has been snatched by Miss Luo?

Some quick-witted people quietly rushed toward the Marquis of Changchun’s estate.

Better hurry and report this to the Marquis of Changchun’s household—maybe they’ll get some reward money.

Since they had initially set out to escort Xu Xi back to his estate, the route Luo Sheng’s group was taking was already heading toward the Marquis of Changchun’s estate. Later, when they said they’d carry Xu Xi back to the Grand Commander’s estate, the route didn’t change.

This meant that Luo Sheng’s group was destined to pass right by the gates of the Marquis of Changchun’s estate.

Shi Yan quickly walked to Luo Sheng’s side and reminded her in a low voice, “Miss Luo, should we take that route instead?”

“That route?” Luo Sheng glanced in the direction Shi Yan’s finger pointed, confused. “Why go that way?”

Shi Yan wiped away some sweat, helplessly saying, “Miss Luo, even if you’re taking someone back with you, there’s no need to pass right by their front gate.”

Won’t there really be a whole group of people there waiting to fight desperately?

Yes, his martial skills were quite good, but two fists couldn’t match four hands—what if the other side had too many people?

Though he wasn’t afraid of death, other guards died protecting their master in loyal service. If someone asked how Shi Yan died—

Uh, Shi Yan? He was beaten to death helping Miss Luo snatch a male concubine—wouldn’t that leave him with no face to meet his ancestors!

Luo Sheng had no consideration for the young guard’s concerns and said indifferently, “We’ve already come this far, why detour? The Marquis of Changchun’s household will find out sooner or later anyway.”

The young man being carried on Hong Dou’s shoulder trembled his eyelashes slightly.

Were they arriving at the Marquis of Changchun’s estate?

Would anyone come to rescue him?

Just as the young man was thinking this, he suddenly felt them stop.

He didn’t dare open his eyes. His heart felt as if it were being squeezed by an invisible large hand, making it hard for him to breathe.

Luo Sheng halted, coldly watching the group of people blocking the entrance to the Marquis of Changchun’s estate, her expression calm.

The person at the front was dressed like a steward. After confirming that the person being carried on a young maid’s shoulder was indeed the eldest young master, he cupped his hands toward Luo Sheng: “May I ask if you are Miss Luo?”

“Yes.” Luo Sheng’s answer was brief and to the point, composed and unhurried.

The dense crowd of onlookers held their breath, no one speaking.

At such an exciting moment, it would be a pity to miss hearing anything.

Tsk tsk, Miss Luo really can keep her composure—snatching someone’s young master and passing by their front gate without even changing her expression.

“Miss Luo, did our eldest young master act improperly and offend you? If so, our marquis will definitely come personally to apologize later. We hope you won’t hold it against our young master and will put him down.”

Luo Sheng glanced at the steward and asked, “Are you the marquis household’s steward?”

“This humble one is indeed.”

“Who am I?” Luo Sheng asked.

“You are Miss Luo.” The steward was somewhat confused.

Hadn’t she already acknowledged this just now?

Luo Sheng’s expression turned slightly cold as she said indifferently, “Since you know I’m Miss Luo, then have your marquis come out to speak.”

The steward’s face immediately flushed with heat.

She was saying he wasn’t qualified to deal with her.

The onlookers let out laughter.

It wasn’t deliberately mocking the steward, but rather they found today’s situation truly spectacular—as spectators, they had to give some reaction to be proper.

Wave after wave of laughter made the steward somewhat unable to bear it. With a cold face, he cupped his hands and said, “I hope Miss Luo will understand—our marquis is not in the estate.”

“Then have your marquis’s wife come out.”

“That would probably not be appropriate—” The steward refused without thinking.

In such an embarrassing situation, how could the marquis’s wife show her face in public?

“Not appropriate?” Luo Sheng let out a cold laugh and stopped paying attention to the steward. “Let’s go.”

The servants of the Marquis of Changchun’s household blocked the way ahead, each one looking tense.

Seeing this, Hong Dou quickly threw Xu Xi to the ground like a sack of grain, stepped on him with one foot to prevent him from running, and shouted viciously, “You dare block our miss? Let me tell you, if even one hair on our miss’s head is harmed, not one of you will live!”

The people from the Marquis of Changchun’s household couldn’t help but retreat a step.

This was the beloved pearl in the palm of the Jinlin Guard Commander—if they truly offended her, forget about these servants, even the marquis household would probably have to shed a layer of skin.

If you didn’t believe it, just look at Elder Chen’s family.

That Elder Chen could fall from power so quickly and end up returning to his hometown in disgrace—how could that be without Grand Commander Luo’s handiwork?

And the cause was simply that Elder Chen’s granddaughter had slandered Miss Luo.

Luo Sheng silently glanced at her young nephew being stepped on by Hong Dou, the corner of her mouth twitching slightly.

This child had certainly suffered quite a bit today.

However, a child raised wrongly couldn’t be indulged—when discipline was needed, it had to be given.

Luo Sheng signaled Hong Dou to stop talking, then suddenly smiled at the crowd of onlookers: “Everyone has seen it—the wife of the Marquis of Changchun would rather have their estate’s eldest young master be snatched away by me to become a male concubine than be willing to show her face.”

Hearing Luo Sheng say this, the steward’s expression changed dramatically.

Luo Sheng’s smile became even more unrestrained, not concealing her disdain in the slightest: “I’ve heard that the wife of the Marquis of Changchun is a second wife, not Young Master Xu’s birth mother. Is that true?”

“It’s true.” Quite a few people in the crowd shouted.

Watching the excitement, they weren’t afraid of making things bigger—after all, they couldn’t be caught.

Luo Sheng sighed, “No wonder they say it’s better to be with a mother who begs than a father who’s an official. A stepmother is just a stepmother—for the sake of a bit of face, how could she care whether the first wife’s children live or die? Little did she know that such behavior is truly shameless and morally corrupt!”

“Miss Luo, please watch your words!” The steward couldn’t help but become anxious.

Luo Sheng said indifferently, “If you want me to watch my words, have your marquis’s wife come out to speak. A mere steward like you isn’t qualified to debate with me.”

Perhaps Luo Sheng’s words about birth mothers and stepmothers struck a chord with many people. When these words came out, quite a few people hiding in the crowd began to stir things up.

“Exactly, have your marquis’s wife come out.”

“That’s right, the child is about to be snatched away to become someone’s male concubine, passing right by the front gate, yet she won’t show her face…”

“Miss Luo got one thing right—better to be with a mother who begs than a father who’s an official. A stepmother is just different from a birth mother.”

“I used to think the wife of the Marquis of Changchun was pretty good, speaking so gently and kindly even to servants, but who would have thought—”

Xu Xi lay on the ground with his eyes closed, listening to these discussions, his heart confused and lost.

Was it really like this? If his mother were still alive and heard of his situation, would she come out without hesitation?

Seeing the situation develop this way, the steward didn’t dare delay any longer. He hurriedly cupped his hands toward Luo Sheng: “Miss Luo, please wait a moment. This humble one will go report to the madam immediately.”

If he let Miss Luo continue spouting such nonsense, the madam’s reputation would be completely ruined.

Upon hearing the steward’s report, Yang Shi, the wife of the Marquis of Changchun, nearly broke her carefully maintained fingernails.

When she heard that Xu Xi had been snatched by Miss Luo, she had sent someone to report to the marquis on one hand, while instructing the steward to bring more people to block them on the other, thinking she had covered all bases flawlessly. How could Miss Luo be slandering her reputation with wild talk outside the marquis household’s main gate!

Unable to care about anything else, Yang Shi hurriedly rushed toward the estate’s entrance.