Chapter 26 – Smash It for Me

Chapter 26 - Smash It for Me

Today was overcast with strong winds and roiling dark clouds.

Wen Ruan's robe fluttered in the wind, hugging his slender waist, long and straight like a resilient bamboo, unafraid of the wind or rain. Regardless of the world's circumstances, he would grow strong and never admit defeat.

Liu Dahai looked at his young master in awe.

How impressive, my young master!

He had challenged Anquzi, frightened others into inaction, and extracted the information he wanted. Although Liu Dahai didn't fully understand the information, his young master had managed to leave unscathed! Not only that, but he hadn't even needed their help. They didn't have to fight or even make an appearance; it seemed they were brought along merely to broaden their horizons!

This was the capital city! Those who conducted such business here weren't easy to deal with.

Good heavens, where did this divine young master come from? He decided that he, Liu Dahai, would live and die as his young master's loyal servant!

Just as his determination burned bright, he accidentally bumped into someone while walking.

"Damn—hmm?"

"What happened?" Wen Ruan asked, turning around upon hearing the commotion.

Liu Dahai handed him a slip of paper in confusion. "Someone just shoved this into my hand…"

When he tried to find the person who had bumped into him, it was already too late to identify them.

Wen Ruan took the paper, unfolded it, and recognized Nanxing's handwriting.

They had spent years together, their actions in sync. Many times, they didn't need words to understand each other's intentions. For instance, Wen Ruan's high-profile actions prompted Nanxing to remain hidden and take advantage of the scene he had created, quietly accomplishing their goals. If there was something important to say that required avoiding others' eyes, they would use this method to communicate.

The information he had obtained during the first half of the night at Yixi Inn about the 'sheep'—a term used to refer to people sold through illicit channels instead of the more formal human trafficking routes—had already reached Nanxing. The girl, Li Yue'e, had been unlucky enough to be captured and sold. Since they now had a lead, Nanxing would pursue her rescue. As a result, she wouldn't be able to serve him directly for the time being. To avoid alerting others and facilitate Nanxing's actions, he would have to continue making a spectacle of himself, drawing attention away from her and making others believe he was simply looking for trouble under the guise of an excuse…

Additionally, Nanxing warned him that the Duke's Mansion might be planning something, urging him to be cautious.

He was waiting for them to make a move; their absence would be less than ideal.

Wen Ruan's lips curved slightly, his crescent-shaped eyes smiling, making him appear endearingly charming, so much so that one's heart softened at the sight.

Liu Dahai swallowed hard and subconsciously took a step back. He was now…a little afraid of his young master's smile. In his earlier ignorance, he had thought his young master's smile indicated satisfaction. After being harshly disciplined twice, he now understood that whenever his young master smiled like this, someone was about to suffer. The more innocent and endearing the smile, the harder the blow.

He cautiously asked, "Young Master, where should we go next?"

Wen Ruan tore the note into pieces and discarded it. "Le Feng Restaurant."

"A-are you sure? But it's still early in the morning…"

Liu Dahai swallowed again. Why was his young master always getting involved in dangerous situations? Who in the capital didn't know what Le Feng Restaurant was really about…surely his young master couldn't think it was just a place to eat?

Wen Ruan smiled at him. "Why, don't they serve breakfast?"

Liu Dahai was sweating from the palms due to that smile. "Well, they haven't explicitly said they don't…"

But no one would ever go there for breakfast!

He feared his young master might barge in and kick down the door, which was entirely different from Yixi Inn outside the city walls. Le Feng Restaurant wasn't so easily offended…

Fortunately, his young master remained polite, or perhaps because the restaurant's doors were already half-open, there was no need to kick them down. However, the restaurant had just opened and hadn't started serving customers yet. His young master insisted on sitting there and ordering steamed buns, sesame cakes, and small wontons…which they simply didn't have!

The waiter politely explained that they didn't have those items, but his young master merely raised an eyebrow. "Not available? Then I'll buy them elsewhere."

When the waiter hesitated, his young master calmly stated, "Please call your manager over."

Liu Dahai felt numb.

His young master was too calm and composed, exuding a powerful aura. Despite their group's poor acting skills, the waiter sensed there might be more to this situation and actually went to fetch breakfast for his young master and find the manager.

One had to admit, his young master was truly remarkable. Liu Dahai used to think he had seen it all at his age, but now he realized he had seen far too little.

As Wen Ruan was enjoying breakfast purchased from outside at Le Feng Restaurant, the side door's curtain was pushed aside by a middle-aged man.

Tall, with thick eyebrows and eyes that held a glint of intelligence.

"You must be Young Master Wen. I am Qin Dao, the head of this establishment, and my wife is surnamed Hua." He walked over and sat across from Wen Ruan.

Wen Ruan put down his chopsticks. "Hua Wu is?"

Qin Dao smiled. "Indeed, he is my younger brother-in-law. I heard he upset you?"

Wen Ruan had finished eating and elegantly wiped his mouth. "I was unaware of this connection, my apologies. Liu Dahai—"

Liu Dahai immediately stood up, his voice loud and clear. "Here!"

Finally, his chance to shine!

Ever since leaving the estate, he had been wondering when his young master would want him to bring out the item he had been carrying. It had been quite heavy, and now he knew it was for this moment!

Under his young master's gaze, he quickly undid the cloth bag and opened the beautiful, exquisite, and rather large sandalwood box—

A rustling sound caught everyone's attention, and their eyes lit up!

Wen Ruan said, "A small token of appreciation. I hope it brings a smile to your wife's face and forgives my oversight."

These were the Twelve Flower Deity Soaps, hardly a small gift. Currently, they couldn't be found anywhere in the capital! One would need connections and resources to gather them, especially if they sought them from the Jiangnan region!

Qin Dao was unaware of Wen Ruan's true capabilities, and even if he had known, it wouldn't have diminished the value of this gift. At this critical juncture, it was a grand and precious offering, not something anyone could easily present, regardless of wealth.

Qin Dao smiled warmly. "Young Master, you're too modest. My younger brother-in-law is irresponsible and timid. He should indeed be scared more often to foster his growth. You didn't even lift a finger, not a single hair was harmed, and I feel embarrassed to accept this."

Despite his embarrassment, he waved for a servant to take the gift without hesitation.

Wen Ruan: "No problem, I was going to wreck this place anyway today."

Qin Dao paused, his smile widening with deeper meaning. "Our Le Feng Restaurant has many people, many incidents, and many tempers. Fights are common here, so we never dare to renovate too solidly. If Young Master is willing to spend the money for fun, we're the least afraid of more chaos and trouble."

"Alright," Wen Ruan finished his breakfast, had the table cleared away, maintained an elegant demeanor, smiled obediently, and was as polite as could be. "Who ordered the destruction of my fields at Lai Feng Mountain the other day, and the uprooting of my seedlings?"

Qin Dao: "That I cannot say; it's industry rules. How would we continue accepting orders if I told you?"

Wen Ruan: "Fair enough. Smash it then."

Liu Dahai was still stunned when he saw the young master smiling and sending him a sharp glance.

How could he still be stunned? He immediately raised his hand, first lifting the stool in front of him to smash it!

If the young master wasn't afraid, how could Qin Dao, sitting there, be afraid? Rather than being timid about doing something, why tremble when the young master said they should smash it?

The dozen or so people behind followed suit. Whatever was nearby, they subconsciously picked up and started smashing.

Such a commotion early in the morning immediately attracted a crowd of onlookers. Soon, whispers and animated expressions filled the air...

"Somebody recognized him. It's the young master that the Duke Wen's Mansion recently found..."

"A family feud?"

"Haven't you heard? The mansion doesn't seem to favor this young master. They didn't even greet him when he returned, saying they would introduce him at a banquet but dismissed the guests without letting them eat..."

"If they truly favored him, they wouldn't have lost him for thirteen years before looking for him. But this young master is bold, causing trouble at the Le Feng Restaurant?"

"I heard that the mansion's businesses and shops have been having problems these past two days. There might be some inside story..."

"With such a ruckus, I wonder if the Duke Wen's Mansion will send someone?"

Zhou Shi and Lady Xiao Lu were already on their way, soon to arrive.

They also had a plan. First, the women would take the lead, keeping things low-key. There was no need to escalate matters. It would appear as if they were simply out for a meal, using the excuse of reserving a table at a restaurant. This couldn't be due to the men's incompetence; even if they were incompetent, it couldn't be acknowledged. This was a matter of face. Second, they weren't coming blindly. In one day, they had gathered plenty of information. For instance, the number of people who went to Lai Feng Mountain Villa to cause trouble and uproot seedlings was incorrect. They only wanted to give a lesson, not to provoke anyone. This time, someone was indeed stirring up trouble.

For such trivial matters, if the Le Feng Restaurant dared to expose them, they could hold on and force the restaurant to reveal others.

If that didn't work, they could always drag an enemy into the line of fire. At the banquet that day, although the guests didn't get to eat, several people intentionally said unpleasant things, disapproving of Duke Wen's Mansion. Some even cursed Wen Ruan. There were many directions worth pursuing.

In any case, they would go over and take a look first. Young people had thin skin and couldn't handle teasing. They could say some soothing words to pacify him...

Upon arrival, they realized it was impossible to pacify him.

A fight had already broken out! More than half of the hall was smashed!

Zhou Shi and Lady Xiao Lu exchanged glances and led the way inside. "Oh, what's all this about? How did it come to such an argument? Manager, calm down," she said with a forced smile, flipping a purse over and skillfully slipping it into Qin Dao's hands. "My child is young and doesn't know better. Please don't take it personally."

Lady Xiao Lu also came over to show concern, walking towards Wen Ruan. "Good boy, what happened? Who are you quarreling with? Is it worth getting angry outside? If you have any grievances, tell us at home. We'll stand up for you."

"It's precisely because of grievances."

Wen Ruan didn't fall for it at all. "I don't know who talked about a shady deal at this Le Feng Restaurant, destroying my fields and uprooting my seedlings. How can I not care? If others see me as easy to bully, what if they come to cause trouble every day from now on? I must find out who this person is."

Qin Dao's expression immediately turned cold. He took Zhou Shi's money but showed no intention of smoothing things over, speaking slowly and deliberately. "I've already said earlier, it's the rules of the house. You can't break them. If you think there's a shady deal happening here, where did you get that idea? Go look where you got your information."

Wen Ruan: "Smash!"

Liu Dahai and the others immediately put in extra effort.

"No—"

"Wait—"

Zhou Shi and Lady Xiao Lu tried together but failed to stop them.

Liu Dahai changed masters and only listened to the young master now.

"Smack—"

Qin Dao forcefully placed his teacup down. A man who licked blood off his blade, as long as he didn't deliberately suppress it, carried a murderous aura even when speaking casually. "The things here aren't cheap."

Zhou Shi: ...

Lady Xiao Lu: ...

They couldn't just say they loved and cared for the child and then contradict themselves now, with a crowd watching at the entrance.

"We'll pay, we'll pay."

As they spoke, their hearts ached. They knew best how much Le Feng Restaurant charged.

Bleeding in their hearts, they still had to grit their teeth and coax Wen Ruan. "Child, don't act rashly. How did you determine this? Who told you? This is under the feet of the Son of Heaven. How could such a thing happen? Could it be that someone is deceiving you?"

"You're young, perhaps you don't understand. In this world, there are those who can't bear to see others well-off. They do evil deeds in secret, not daring to show their faces, and use the name of whoever is prominent. If you believe them and seek revenge, you might instead provoke a new enemy..."

The two hinted at him to look at Qin Dao. "Originally, we were like water and wells, not interfering with each other. Don't fall for someone else's scheme."

"Sigh, if it weren't for us wanting to reserve a shop for a banquet and coincidentally seeing the trouble here, we wouldn't have bumped into you. Come, good boy, follow us home and talk about it slowly."

The two sang in harmony, quickly settling the matter and apologizing to Qin Dao. "Our child is still young. Lost for so many years, he suffered outside without proper upbringing. Please don't be angry with him..."

Wen Ruan laughed once.

Zhou Shi and Lady Xiao Lu rejoiced inwardly—

Wen Ruan smiled and said, "Smash."

Liu Dahai continued to exert himself.

Madam Zhou: ...

Little Lu: ...

Wen Ruan raised his finger. "Smash that one."

Without even looking, Liu Dahai reached out—

"Huh?"

Rustling sounds filled the air as a pile of paper fell down, like deeds, each page filled with words, fingerprints, and signatures. One of them happened to flutter out and land in plain sight on the ground, the writing clearly visible.

It was an agreement between both parties to cause trouble on Lai Feng Mountain by uprooting seedlings, specifically targeting Wen Ruan. The signatory was a minor steward from the Duke's household responsible for procurement.

Oh no.

Liu Dahai's eyes widened.

Wen Ruan: "What's this about?"

Madam Zhou: ...

Little Lu: ...

That fool! He had been carefully instructed not to use his name, but perhaps he thought the task was too easy and there would be no problems, so he didn't care and acted recklessly!

"This... I'm not sure. It could be someone with the same name?" Madam Zhou quickly pondered her response.

Little Lu, with her gentle demeanor: "I know this steward Zhang. Our family was worried about you and sent someone to investigate at the estate. It seems they sent him, and he sprained his ankle, delaying his return. We received the news late, and only later did we learn that someone was bullying you... Sharing the same bloodline, no two 'Wens' can be written differently. We would never allow anyone to mistreat you like that. If we had known earlier, we could have protected you."

In essence, she was still making excuses for the household's actions, but also hinting that the household wouldn't act so ruthlessly without others meddling behind the scenes.

Wen Ruan looked at Qin Dao—

Qin Dao had just one response: "According to industry rules, Qin is not at liberty to comment."

Madam Zhou and Little Lu exchanged glances. "Mr. Qin, that's not very fair, is it?"

Qin Dao remained expressionless, showing no intention of sparing anyone's feelings. "Unexpected events are beyond Qin's control."

If others accidentally witness your dirty deeds, I can't stop them, but if you ask me, I won't say a word.

Little Lu sighed. "Since that's the case, Sister-in-law, let's not try to save face for others any longer, shall we?"

Madam Zhou glanced at her, unsure whether she didn't know how to respond or for some other reason, remaining silent.

Little Lu continued, "Ah Ruan, dear child, your aunt refrained from saying certain things earlier to save face for others, but now, there's no need to cover for anyone else. That steward Zhang indeed committed a grave mistake, and now he's detained in the Duke's household's woodshed—"

Of course, he wasn't, but he could be immediately.

"He said he couldn't stand you and was bullied by your attendant Nanxing. Under someone else's orders, he committed a wrong. We haven't fully interrogated who ordered him yet, but we do know that among those causing trouble, someone named Mao San was under this person's command. Asking such a small-time thug questions, Mr. Qin wouldn't deny us that, would he?"

Little Lu's voice was soft and gentle, but her gaze was firm. "Our Duke's household does have some relatives and old friends in the capital. We can't simply ignore all pleasantries."

Madam Zhou nodded. "That's true."

Her gaze swept over Wen Ruan, confident and assured of victory.

If you insist on making a scene, it's not that we can't handle it. The Duke's household will teach you who owns this capital. No matter how skilled or cunning you may be, our vast network of relationships means that as long as we're willing to spend money, dealing with a mere child like you should be effortless.

They had already arranged for help before leaving, and the people assisting would arrive soon. At that point, even if Wen Ruan were afraid and wanted to back down, it would be too late.

The time was too short; they only knew that someone was meddling and disrupting their plans, but they didn't know who. Pressuring Qin Dao to give them face, Qin Dao actually wasn't afraid of the Duke's household. Whether or not he gave them face was irrelevant, but today, he seemed quite idle and eager to earn the money for demolishing the building. He warned them not to regret it and actually sent someone to help investigate—

It was quickly discovered that it was Yu Zhen, the Second Prince's man.

Madam Zhou and Little Lu felt a sudden darkness before their eyes. How did this involve the Second Prince again!

How could they not regret it! They really just wanted to teach the younger generation a lesson, not do anything morally reprehensible. How did it come to this...

Looking at Qin Dao's expression now, they understood even more clearly. This man was wicked, waiting to see this farce unfold, watching how they would extricate themselves! Were they truly determined to offend His Highness the Second Prince?

This... wanting to find a scapegoat, only to discover they had kicked an iron plate?!!

The commotion at the Le Feng Building quickly became a sensation, spreading rapidly. Not only did crowds three layers deep surround the place, blocking all exits, but news spread outside as well.

What was the Second Prince doing amidst all this? Preparing for battle against the Third Prince.

He received information that the Third Prince had somehow obtained the lost seal of Chen Yongan!

What was going on with the Sixth Prince, being so unreliable! Was he upset about not receiving gifts? But in previous years, the Sixth Prince never celebrated his birthday, even avoiding any mention of the last day of the evil month. How could it be that when the Third Prince mentioned it once, he so casually gave away something so crucial?

The situation took a sharp turn for the worse. The Third Prince seized the opportunity to advance his plan, announcing that he would redeem the bills at Fu Long Money House today!

Zhu Bin realized that he couldn't sit idly by and wait for his doom. He had to act swiftly. Even if he couldn't gain any advantage in haste, he couldn't let the Third Prince benefit either!

Just as he was focused on his good-for-nothing brother, someone reported the incident to him. Zhu Bin nearly cursed in front of everyone. "That good-for-nothing waste!"

He wished he could kill Yu Zhen, that useless thing, right then and there!

But he couldn't leave. He wanted Wen Ruan, but the main business here was more important. He couldn't neglect it—

He would have to inconvenience the young master for now and find a way to make amends later.

"You find someone to deal with it over there," Zhu Bin instructed Chen Gen. "Find someone who knows how to talk."

In a teahouse nearby, Lan Tian quietly informed the Sixth Prince about the incident at the Le Feng Building.

Only then did Zhu Yan realize that after emerging from the mountains that day, Wen Ruan hadn't had a chance to rest. He had been dragged into these sordid affairs and might not have closed his eyes properly since then.

"To be bullied like this..."

And his good second brother had a part in it.

Zhu Yan stood up: "Let's go."

Lan Tian: "Your Highness has decided?"

Zhu Yan casually tossed a copper coin and caught it, not even bothering to check if it was heads or tails: "Heaven's will says, help your good third brother."

"Woof!"

The black dog chased after him, getting kicked on the butt by Zhu Yan, whimpering in grievance.

"You find Shi Muyun, he loves a spectacle."

"Woof woof woof!" The dog grumbled as it left.

Lan Tian paused for a moment, the meaning of 'spectacle' was... asking the young master Shi for assistance?

"There's still Little Marquis Fang over there?"

"Wait for him?" Zhu Yan's eyelids flickered, "Watch him be late?"

Lan Tian: ...

It made sense.

"I-I'll go—"

"You don't have to," Zhu Yan coolly glanced at him, "Too stupid."

Lan Tian: ...

In the end, delivering the message slowly had made the master resentful.

Remember, once the main business is done, I must remember to receive punishment.

Also, adjust the priority level of the information about the young master of the Duke's mansion, put it at the first level—

This one must be remembered firmly!

Inside the Le Feng Tower, the Second Prince's people arrived. Chen Gen sent his own disciple, who indeed was very eloquent. He came over and directly engaged in a verbal battle with the Duke's mansion's people, using words that were both insidious and hurtful. Despite being so impolite to the ladies, he managed to avoid making any major mistakes and didn't involve Wen Ruan at all. He conveniently clarified the situation regarding the Second Prince. In short, in all matters, the Second Prince was benevolent and courteous, while the young master Wen Ruan was innocent and pitiful. The worst was the Duke's mansion, where the elders not only failed to protect the younger generation but also let the child suffer bullying and then went to slander others. Throughout the capital, no family would behave in such a disgraceful manner!

Madame Zhou and Lady Xiao Lu only regretted kicking an iron plate. The Second Prince wasn't someone they could easily offend. If they really threw their dignity away and cried, made a scene, and threatened to hang themselves, women could usually gain some benefits. But with the Second Prince, who dared to pull such a stunt? This would purely result in enmity. Did they still want to mix in the noble circles of the capital in the future?

They couldn't deflect any blame, and they would only incur resentment. Face, honor, money... they wouldn't get anything good out of this!

Madame Zhou gritted her teeth, glaring hatefully at Wen Ruan. What kind of blood-related legitimate young master was this? This was a debt collector, so capable of causing trouble!

Wen Ruan hadn't intended to speak, but seeing her glare, he felt compelled to say something, calmly: "I originally thought it was someone outside doing bad things, deliberately picking on newcomers. A few days ago, when I returned home, the elders said they wouldn't allow their children to be bullied outside... These words are quite right. I'm insignificant and unknown, so naturally, I wouldn't be bullied."

Those who would bully him were all family members.

"Oh, what a lively scene."

Shi Muyun swung his jade-bone fan with gold embroidery, lazily walking over with the large black dog. He snapped the fan shut and lightly tapped the handle against his palm, "I love watching arguments, it's fun, I enjoy it, don't stop."

"Woof!"

The black dog barked fiercely, rushing into the Le Feng Tower, circling around Wen Ruan a few times, sticking close to his leg, baring its teeth at those outside.

Everyone knew Shi Muyun, a famous flirtatious talent in the capital, mingling in the Honglu Temple, always fond of challenging difficulties. For example, the Sixth Prince whom everyone disliked, he insisted on getting close to see if he would really die quickly. Perhaps because he looked decent enough, his clavicle was fine, and he had protective parents, he hadn't been killed by the Sixth Prince yet.

As for the black dog, everyone was even more familiar with it. It was the dog raised by the Sixth Prince, intelligent and proud, rarely acknowledging others, never leaving the Sixth Prince's side. Today, it had actually stood beside the young master of the Duke's mansion?

What did this mean? Could it be that the Sixth Prince—

Shi Muyun: "Continue arguing, why did you stop?"

Wen Ruan felt a subtle sensation. He didn't know Shi Muyun, but since he had brought the Sixth Prince's dog, he must be an acquaintance of the Sixth Prince. As for the dog, it was a good dog, treating him very well. This encouragement could only mean—

There was something happening on the Sixth Prince's side, requiring the momentum he had created to buy some time?

He really did open his mouth slowly, dragging out the rhythm: "In any case, today's matter, I must certainly seek a resolution..."

Shi Muyun was taken aback, then broke into a smile.

This young master was a remarkable person.

No wonder His Highness the Sixth Prince liked him.

"Let me see who is troubling the Duke of Wen's mansion!"

"To think they ignored our existence!"

"Youngsters who are disrespectful should be directly dragged to the ancestral hall, spoiling a child is akin to killing them, affection isn't shown this way!"

"In my opinion, kneeling in the ancestral hall is too light, better to report it to the authorities and throw them in jail!"

The people Madame Zhou and Lady Xiao Lu arranged before leaving finally arrived, but... it was too late.

The two exchanged glances. No one wanted to offend the Second Prince, and now adding the Sixth Prince, dragging others along to lose face together... Because of this incident, they would have to bleed financially again.

What was even harder was that it wasn't just that. Before leaving, they had notified many people, and many hadn't arrived yet, presumably on their way...

Crucially, they couldn't send anyone out to notify them now, as everyone was watching.

Unless...

Their eyes flickered slightly, for they had done their best and could only watch to see how those who followed would act.