Chapter 347: Borrowing a Carriage

Chapter 347: Borrowing a Carriage

Xingxing was also in the carriage, peering curiously out the window at the winding procession that stretched for dozens of yards, letting out a "Wow."

Hearing Grandfather Liu mention that it was the procession of the Xin Guo Duke's family, she asked curiously, "The Xin Guo Duke's family? Are they very powerful?"

Grandfather Liu nodded and explained to Xingxing: "The capital is teeming with powerful families, intermarried with great clans for years, their connections deeply intertwined. Among them, there is a saying of 'Three Dukes and Five Marquises,' referring to the most prominent noble families in the capital. The Three Dukes are Xin Guo Duke, Ying Guo Duke, and Wei Guo Duke; as for the Five Marquises, they are Wei Bei Marquis, Zhen Wu Marquis, Tai He Marquis, An Yuan Marquis, and Lin Yang Marquis—there are countless dukes in the capital, but listing them separately highlights their prominence."

Xingxing heard a familiar name: "Lin Yang Marquis is also one?"

Grandfather Liu chuckled, "Are you scared?"

Xingxing widened her eyes slightly, "Not scared. They're not justified."

Grandfather Liu looked at Xingxing affectionately, "That's right, they're not justified."

Grandfather Liu was already prepared—of course, this was also one of his purposes for coming to the capital. If the Lin Yang Marquis's estate still stubbornly sought to trouble the Yujia family, then he wouldn't be polite.

Of course, counting the days, the petition he wrote to His Majesty should have already arrived. Given His Majesty's temperament, the Lin Yang Marquis's estate has likely already been punished.

Grandfather Liu pondered, planning to investigate once they reached the capital.

As they spoke, a loud noise erupted outside, followed by a clamor of startled voices.

Xingxing leaned out the window again to look and saw that somehow, two out of the three luxurious carriages in the middle of the Xin Guo Duke's family's procession had their axles jolted out of place when passing over a bump on the official road.

It wasn't unusual for carriages to break down, but it was rare for two carriages to break down simultaneously.

The nobles in the Xin Guo Duke's family's carriages were alarmed.

The Yujia family also found it quite strange.

The curtain of a luxurious carriage, embroidered with gold threads depicting mountains and rivers, was lifted, and a beautiful girl stormed out angrily, scolding the coachman, "How are you driving?! You startled my aunt—can you take the responsibility?"

Xingxing overheard and figured out that this girl, adorned with pearls and dressed in silk, was not the daughter of the Xin Guo Duke's family, but the niece of the Third Madam of the Xin Guo Duke's family on her mother's side.

This trip was the Third Madam of the Xin Guo Duke's family returning to her mother's home for a visit, but they encountered this accident on the way.

There were three carriages for the masters. Apart from the one carrying the Third Madam and the two young masters from the third branch, which was intact, the two broken carriages behind carried the Third Madam's maternal relatives.

Xingxing watched the commotion for a bit before losing interest.

The top noble families in the capital, their relatives are quite loud too.

The Third Madam of the Xin Guo Duke's family probably also found it noisy. A maid from her carriage lifted the curtain and spoke softly, "What are you all arguing about? The two young masters just fell asleep and you've woken them up again."

The beautiful girl who had been speaking earlier still seemed aggrieved, "Sister Hongling, we weren't arguing, the carriage broke down, I was just worried that my aunt and cousin were startled..."

The maid Hongling had an oval face, a dignified and pretty lady, still speaking in a soft voice, but her words of advice were clear, "Miss Cousin, you are a young lady of high status, how can you expose yourself like this? The Third Madam is fine, please return to the carriage and wait. We will send servants back to the estate to notify and have someone come to pick us up."

The beautiful girl reluctantly climbed back into the carriage.

For Xingxing, it was just a spectacle, but—these people whose carriages broke down had to stay and wait for rescue, which was no big deal, but Xingxing and her group still had to continue their journey.

Huai Ge'er and Bai Ge'er rode forward to negotiate, asking the Xin Guo Duke's family's procession guarding both sides of the carriages to make way and let them pass first.

However, the people from the Xin Guo Duke's family politely refused Huai Ge'er and his companions, "...Our Xin Guo Duke's family has never had the custom of yielding the way. Please wait a moment."

The tone was polite, but the words were truly unpleasant to hear.

Even before arriving in the capital, Xingxing had already formed a negative first impression of the city’s elite through her interactions with the Lin Yang Marquis's estate and the Xin Guo Duke's family.

They’re seriously so full of themselves.

After years of fighting on the battlefield, Huai Geer isn’t exactly known for his patience with outsiders. He cracked his long whip and sneered, "My bad for even bothering to talk to you. I should’ve just kept going. This road isn’t owned by your Xin Guo Duke's family."

The Xin Guo Duke's family’s steward was shocked by how bold the other side was!

For years, no one had the guts to talk to the Xin Guo Duke's family like this!

But Huai Geer not only dared, he also waved his hand dismissively, showing zero respect for the Xin Guo Duke's family, and ordered the Yujia convoy to move on.

Even if the Xin Guo Duke's family didn’t yield, the Yujia convoy would simply bypass them through the grass on the side, not bothering with the Xin Guo Duke's family's convoy.

The steward of the Xin Guo Duke's family looked totally humiliated!

Just then, the sky darkened, and the wind kicked up, signaling that rain was on its way.

It was autumn, and the weather had turned chilly. If the rain got into the carriage, it’d be pretty miserable.

A message came from Third Madam’s carriage to the steward.

The steward froze for a moment but quickly rode up, stopping Huai Geer’s horse in the gusting wind.

Huai Geer, young and hot-headed, snapped, "What’s the deal?"

The steward, holding back his anger, clasped his fists and said, "The weather’s turning bad. Mind telling us which family you’re from? Could we borrow two carriages? We’ll make it worth your while."

Huai Geer smirked, "Didn’t you just say your Xin Guo Duke's family doesn’t give way? So now you’ve got a reason to borrow carriages?"

The steward’s face turned red, then green, like he’d just swallowed something sour!

Still, Huai Geer wasn’t about to make trouble for the women. The Yujia family had plenty of carriages, so Bai Ge'er managed to spare two.

But the steward still wasn’t happy: "...These carriages are a bit cramped. How about we borrow that one instead?"

He spoke politely, as if negotiating, but his hand pointed to the largest and most comfortable carriage that Wei Pozi and the others were riding in!

Not to mention Huai Geer, even Bai Ge'er, who had developed a good temper in the business world, was somewhat angered. He sneered, "Since you look down on our small carriages, please go back."

If it weren’t for Hongling, the maid from the Xin Guo Duke's family, stepping in to smooth things over, Huai Geer and the others would’ve just taken off!