Hong Xiaoduo, who was a few steps behind, watched as the woman ran to the donkey cart behind the carriage, opened the door, and looked inside.

Then she peered into the carriage through the door, wanting to confirm that there were no men inside, and also to see if it was really as the head镖师 (bodyguard) and the young woman had said—that there was no room for her. "Oh dear, why are there so many children?" There were no adult men in the carriage, and it was indeed quite full.

After helping his wife into the carriage, he turned to Hong Xiaoduo and said, "Young lady, I've been looking at the donkey cart in the back. If we tidy up the things inside, it should be able to seat two people."

My young lady has never suffered before, so I feel at ease having my mother-in-law serve her.

He paused and looked at Hong Xiaoduo.

At this moment, seeing that Hong Xiaoduo's expression had turned sour after she had spoken to the coachman, Tang Xihua and several bodyguards, for reasons unknown, had followed along. As a result, they heard every word the woman had just said.

Not only did Tang Xihua frown, but the other bodyguards who had come with her also changed their expressions.

This woman is going too far. She kindly offered to give her a ride, yet she still complains. The young lady agreed to let this Miss Xun ride in the carriage, but she's still not satisfied.

Two of the bodyguards had already planned that once the woman made that outrageous request, if she was too embarrassed to refuse, they would speak up for her.

But after hearing the woman's words, Hong Xiaoduo asked with a half-smile, "And then?"

"Children are tough, why don't we let the two of them ride in the donkey cart? It's only a two-hour journey, we'll be there soon enough." The woman looked at the young woman's age and attire and felt confident that she could handle her.

Hearing the woman's words, Tang Xihua got angry and was about to speak when she heard Hong Xiaoduo sneer: "Sorry, I can only feel at ease when I have them in my sight. No matter how naughty a child is, he is still a child."

Besides, this car is mine, and I get to decide how to use it.

The woman was surprised that she refused outright, and her words were barbed, especially the last sentence that the car was hers. So, no matter how angry the woman was, she wisely didn't dare to continue. Who told them to be so unlucky? Otherwise, why would they need to lower themselves and say nice things to such a young girl?

"It was my fault, old woman. I'll sit in the donkey cart in the back." The woman thought to herself, "Surely this will do!"

But Hong Xiaoduo continued to sneer, "I already told you, the car is mine, and I decide how to arrange it. I only agreed to give your wife a ride, not you."

Although he didn't explicitly say he wouldn't allow her to ride in the donkey cart, that was essentially the gist of it.

"You?" The woman was a little embarrassed after being rejected repeatedly.

Hong Xiaoduo ignored her completely and got into the carriage. As soon as she entered the carriage, she saw Xun Niangzi, who was already seated. She looked at Kaiyang, who was sitting next to her, with a look of disgust. Kaiyang silently moved to the side.

Seeing that Xiaoduo had gotten into the car, the six children immediately relaxed a bit.

“If you don’t like it, you can get off. We’re actually quite afraid of being crowded, otherwise why would I have a donkey cart and then add this horse-drawn carriage?” Hong Xiaoduo said rather bluntly.

Upon hearing this, Lady Xun looked at her in disbelief: "Do you know whose family I belong to?"

Hong Xiaoduo stepped forward and sat down next to her, saying, "Who you are has nothing to do with me."

"You? If our car hadn't broken down, I wouldn't have ridden in even if you begged me." Xun's wife couldn't hold back any longer and got up to walk out of the car while still annoyed.

She had clearly heard the conversation between Manager Liu and this man outside the carriage, but she was just trying to hold it in.

She thought she could just be patient and get to her uncle's house without any trouble. But she never expected that this man, who looked younger than her, would be so rude to her. She, Xun Niangzi, had never been treated like this before!

Hong Xiaoduo watched her get off the bus and called to the children who had been squeezed to the sides to sit back down: "Tian Shu, let's go."

Tian Shu, who was outside the carriage, responded and drove off first.

The two women, mistress and servant, remained where they were. The woman was fuming, and Xun Niangzi's face was flushed.

The few bodyguards who had come to watch heard and saw clearly, and were secretly pleased as they mounted their horses and rode away.

Tang Xihua, who was on horseback, saw the two women looking to her for help. She originally wanted to ignore them and leave, but when she thought of her junior sister, she was worried that if she really left them on the roadside, something might happen to them, and she couldn't bear to leave them there.

"Now, can my car make do?" Tang Xihua asked.

Looking at the sky, the woman and Lady Xun exchanged a glance: "Thank you very much, young master."

Reluctantly, but with no better choice, they could only get on the horse-drawn carriage that was half-loaded with goods.

The woman helped her wife onto the carriage with great difficulty. She gritted her teeth and sat directly on the uncushioned carriage floor. She glanced at the thick cotton cushion under Shi Cheng's bottom, the driver, but hesitated for a long time before not daring to ask for it.

The main problem is that the driver had a cold face and showed no mercy whatsoever.

The woman thought to herself, "What kind of people are these today? How can they react like this to a beautiful woman like Lady Xun?"

"Don't be angry, my lady. We'll talk about it when we get to Uncle's house. They'll definitely stay overnight in town. Then we'll have Uncle avenge us," the woman whispered in Xun's ear.

Lady Xun didn't respond, but nudged her with her elbow, warning her not to let the driver hear. Otherwise, she might not even get a ride in this cargo cart.

Lady Xun gritted her teeth. She was truly experiencing firsthand the meaning of the saying in the book: "A dragon in shallow water is mocked by shrimp, and a tiger fallen to the plains is bullied by dogs."

In the approaching winter season, the midday sun was still somewhat bearable, but now, with the sun about to set, the chilly autumn wind made the master and servant shiver.

Inside Hong Xiaoduo's carriage, she was playing cat's cradle with the children. Tian Shu, who was driving the carriage, was not cold at all because he was dressed warmly. Occasionally, he would take out a packet of ginger candy from his pocket and throw one into his mouth. It was sweet and slightly spicy, which was delicious.

I would occasionally lift my foot to look at my boots. The outer layer was made of cowhide, and the inner lining was made of wool. They were both lightweight and warm.

These were winter clothes, but Hong Xiaoduo made him wear them first, saying that it would be cold while traveling outside and he didn't want his feet to get frostbite.

Tang Xihua, who was originally in a bad mood, didn't know why, but when she saw the master and servant being kicked off the carriage and recalled what she had said to them, her mood improved and she couldn't help but want to laugh.

What others take for granted may not be so for her; she has her own principles for doing things!

He was a bit unrestrained, a bit wild, and he liked that.

However, if she continues like this, she'll eventually suffer the consequences...