Chapter 31: In Broad Daylight, Kidnapping a Civilian Woman

Chapter 31: Bright Sky and Day, Robbing the Maiden

As dusk approached, the air grew slightly cool.

Under an ancient willow tree outside Luoyi Alley, Chen Yi shuffled his squatting legs, smiling.

"Not bad luck after all—no one had come to propose to Xiao Liang yet. Her earlier words were just to spare Li Huigu's feelings."

Xiao Di nodded. "Indeed, my lord, I also heard some gossip about her and the champion. They've known each other since childhood, but her parents passed away, leaving her family in poverty."

Chen Yi looked up at Xiao Yi. "Brother-in-law, what are you going to do?"

After gazing at the distant Luoyi Alley—its tiled roofs and white walls, the thriving trees and flocks of birds—Chen Yi paused, then stretched lazily, wiggled his fingers and toes, and flashed a bold, arrogant smile.

"It's been a while since I've been a bad fellow. It's so quiet today—let's make some noise."

"Huh?"

Xiao Yi's face creased with confusion. A bad fellow?

Xiao Di and Wang Li exchanged bewildered glances, unsure what plot the lord had hatched.

But soon, after hearing Chen Yi's plan, they all shook their heads and waved dismissively.

Wang Li frowned. "Second Prince, we can't possibly—we absolutely can't."

Chen Yi glared at him. "No need for a 'bad fellow.' You just stay here and protect Xiao Yi. Fourth Brother, what do you think?"

Liu Si Er wasn't troubled—he'd already started muttering curses in his heart.

Had this little bird gone mad? Running around in broad daylight to kidnap a maiden? He wasn't afraid of being reported... but even if it's a lie, it still won't do.

If the Xiao family found out, their reputation would be ruined, and he'd have no position left in the Xiao family.

Chen Yi noticed his silence, smiled faintly. "Fourth Brother, you're not going to back down now? You agreed just now."

Liu Si Er clenched his teeth. "The lord commanded me—I must obey, but..."

Chen Yi cut him off. "No need for a 'yes.' We'll handle it ourselves, and you, Xiao Di, can take care of the rest. After all, men and women are different. Besides, Guo San Bro, you're in charge of causing a commotion at Li Huigu's place. The bigger the commotion, the better."

Guo San Bro glanced at Wang Li, saw he wasn't speaking, and nodded in agreement.

Xiao Yi hesitated. "Brother-in-law, what if Li Huigu doesn't come out?"

Chen Yi shrugged. "If he doesn't come out, it's already his decision. We'll just leave."

Xiao Di, fists clenched, asked, "My lord, are you certain this plan will work?"

"Of course it will. But your reputation..."

"Reputation?"

Chen Yi smoothed his sleeves, swung lazily toward Luoyi Alley, and grinned. "Reputation is worth only a few coins. I care not for reputation."

Seeing this, Liu Si Er's eyelids fluttered, and he followed.

Xiao Di, recalling the princess's earlier encounter with Li Huigu and the details she'd uncovered, quickened her pace beside Chen Yi, fists still clenched for courage.

Her task was the heaviest—she would be the one to strike.

As the three departed, Guo San Bro hesitated. "Brother, should I go too?"

Wang Li scratched his head, seeing Xiao Yi hadn't objected, and snapped, "Go, go! Hurry up and finish this, then return to the mansion."

He'd already resolved to go apologize to the Second Prince, taking full blame for everything.

If Chen Yi and Xiao Yi were unharmed, their servants and guards would face no consequences.

Guo San Bro bowed, coughed, and sprinted toward Li Huigu's residence.

In a flash, Xiao Yi turned his head to Wang Li. "Uncle, what kind of person is this brother-in-law?"

Wang Li paused, a bitter smile on his face. "The lord isn't evil..."

But his heart knew the truth—he was a reckless, unprincipled man who flouted all rules.

No ordinary person could possibly devise such a wicked scheme.

Xiao Yi pursed his lips, thinking deeply. He too believed his brother-in-law wasn't truly evil.

Soon after, the peaceful Luoyi Alley erupted with Liang's desperate cries.

"Help! Someone help! Why are you doing this to me?"

Then came Chen Yi's sly voice: "Of course I've taken a liking to you. You have to submit to me."

"Disgraceful wretch! How could Li Guang ever know you?"

"Help! Someone..."

As the cries echoed, Xiao Yi saw Chen Yi and his companions approaching, dragging Liang.

Xiao Di looked even more helpless than the princess herself.

If Xiao Yi hadn't known Chen Yi's gentle nature from their time in Qinghe Garden, he'd have thought him a villain—worse than the scum in Shu City.

Meanwhile, Guo San Bro, hearing the shouts, screamed outside Li Huigu's door:

"People! A bright day robbing a maiden! Liang, the lady has been taken!"

His words drew neighbors, who rushed out to investigate. Upon hearing Liang had been abducted, they angrily grabbed their implements to intervene.

Guo San Bro instinctively ducked, then stepped forward to block the others. "Liang's been taken! She's been taken!"

Li Huigu's voice boomed from within: "Mother, please forgive me—I must do this."

The door creaked open, and Li Huigu rushed out, eyes wide with urgency. "Liang, where is she? Where is she?"

Guo San Bro exhaled in relief, then led him toward the alley.

The neighbors behind him naturally followed, wielding either a hoe or a broom, while a few old soldiers had their armor on.

Seeing this, Ge Lao San genuinely sweated for his nephew.

But the situation had reached that point—he could only grimace and pull Li Huacheng forward.

Not long after.

A crowd surged forward, and they saw the distant figure of Yun Xi, who was calling for help.

Li Huacheng, too preoccupied to think of anything else, charged ahead like a seasoned soldier, shouting, "Who dares do such a thing in broad daylight, daring to abduct a woman?"

Yun Xi heard his voice and turned, her face a mixture of panic, fear, and reluctant sorrow, her eyes full of tears.

"My lord, save me."

"Save?"

Chen Yizhao glanced behind him. The ostentatious smile he had been wearing froze instantly. Without hesitation, he waved at Xiao Duo and Liu Si Er:

"Get rid of her, quickly!"

Xiao Duo blinked, then quickly released Yun Xi, whispering, "My lady, forgive me."

After that, she handed Yun Xi a piece of paper and pulled her skirt to follow Chen Yizhao.

Liu Si Er looked utterly helpless, but seeing the fervor of the crowd behind them, he swallowed his irritation and muttered under his breath.

Whether he was cursing his own madness or Chen Yizhao’s broken mind, he could not say.

When Li Huacheng and his group arrived, there was no sign of Chen Yizhao—only Yun Xi remained.

"Youniang, are you hurt?"

Before she could answer, Li Huacheng pulled her into his arms, apologizing repeatedly.

Having heard that Yun Xi had been taken, he felt as if the heavens had collapsed, already regretting his earlier hesitation.

Only now, holding her in his arms, did he feel a sliver of peace.

Yun Xi’s face was streaked with tears. "My lord, I—I’m fine."

Li Huacheng set her down, examining her thoroughly. "Youniang, who dared do this to you? I, Li Huacheng, will surely punish him!"

The neighbors around them also erupted in anger: "Yes, whoever dared do this in Luo Yi Xiang [Lane of Flowers]!"

Yun Xi looked at them, hesitated, then leaned in to whisper something to Li Huacheng.

"Tell them about Qingzuo Brother? Impossible! It must be a mistake!"

Li Huacheng nearly bit his tongue—he couldn’t believe Chen Yizhao would do such a thing.

"He—he broke into the place with his maid and attendants, grabbed me, and insisted on taking me to the mansion as a concubine."

Concubine?

Li Huacheng’s face twisted with disbelief. "Are you certain?"

Chen Yizhao taking a concubine?

He, the son-in-law of a marquis’s household, dared to take as a concubine the military officer Xiao Wenghong’s wife? He must be mad.

"Yes, it’s true."

Not believing him, Yun Xi’s face grew urgent and handed him the note Xiao Duo had given her.

Li Huacheng took it, read it, and immediately found himself at a loss for words.

Yun Xi didn’t understand, leaning in to read the note herself. Though she couldn’t read much, she could make out the characters:

"Flowers that can be plucked should be plucked; do not wait until there are none left to pick. Brother Qingzuo, some things done may cause regret in the future, but things not done will cause regret forever."

Yun Xi stared at it, her mouth opening slightly.

Li Huacheng shook his head, sighing bitterly: "Qingzuo Brother, Qingzuo Brother…"

In that moment, his heart was torn between gratitude and worry, fearing this would bring Chen Yizhao the wrath of the Xiao family.

Thinking this, he set Yun Xi down and bowed to the neighbors: "Everyone, the woman has been rescued—please return home. Brother Huacheng will give you an explanation later."

Before the neighbors could respond, Li Huacheng smiled at Yun Xi: "By the way, Brother Huacheng and Youniang will be married soon—we humbly ask you to bless us."

Meanwhile, on the other side.

Chen Yizhao had already reunited with Xiao Wugou and others. After Ge Lao San arrived, he drove the carriage back to the Xiao mansion.

Xiao Duo lowered her head, her heart pounding wildly, still trembling from the thrill of being a "bad person" for the first time.

Xiao Wugou glanced around and asked, "Brother, do you think they’ll end up together after this?"

Chen Yizhao shook his head. "I don’t know."

"Then… then what about the princess’s mother? Won’t she block the way?"

"This isn’t something we should concern ourselves with."

After saying this, Chen Yizhao looked out the window.

He wanted Li Huacheng to understand his heart—he had no intention of sending Buddha all the way to the West.

(Chapter End)