Chapter 137 Siege
As soon as the official from the Ministry of Rites finished speaking, the men he brought rushed towards Jiang Huan.
The two guards standing in front of Jiang Huan instantly moved to block.
They drew their swords and stood in front of Jiang Huan, like two killing gods.
An invisible aura surged instantly, and the Liu family guards who had rushed forward subconsciously took a half step back, their hands sweating profusely.
"This is outrageous!"
The official in charge of the Ministry of Rites was trembling with anger, his finger almost poking the face of the secret guard.
"You two unruly servants, how dare you obstruct the government from arresting people? Are you trying to rebel?"
"Quickly, all of you, get up here!" he shouted hoarsely, spittle flying everywhere.
Upon receiving the order, the guards had no choice but to regroup and advance once more.
A cold glint flashed in the guard's eyes. As his figure flew, several guards were even knocked away. Screams and crashes echoed all around.
The crowd erupted in cheers as they watched their usually arrogant guards suffer a humiliating defeat.
"Wow, that was amazing... It was so satisfying, so cathartic!"
"My God, are these two guards gods descended from heaven?"
"Well done, the Liu family has met their match this time."
...
Liu Quanren hid behind his father, looking at the two murderous figures, and felt his face hurt even more.
The official in charge of the Ministry of Rites was also surprised that the other party was such a tough nut to crack, and his old face turned as red as a pig's liver.
"Useless trash, a bunch of useless trash! Get up here! If you can't take down these people, I'll make you regret it!"
More guards, their eyes red with anger, charged forward again under the reprimands.
Although the guards were strong, they had to protect Jiang Huan, so they were more defensive than offensive and were in a very passive position. For a while, they were unable to help Jiang Huan break through the encirclement.
Just as things were in a state of chaos and stalemate, a somewhat cold voice suddenly rang out.
"stop!"
The voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear amidst the noisy crowd.
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw that Liu Shuyao had stood up on the second floor of the teahouse at some point.
She was wrapped in a thick fox fur coat, her brows furrowed.
“Your son forcibly abducted a woman first, and then disturbed the people. The girl’s guards acted in self-defense. How can you say that they allowed their servants to commit violence?”
"As an official appointed by the imperial court, Lord Liu arrests and punishes people without even asking questions. Isn't this turning black into white and showing contempt for the law?"
Her words were clear and sharp, each sentence piercing the heart, revealing clearly the evil deeds of the Liu family father and son.
Upon hearing this, the onlookers immediately joined in loudly.
“This young lady is right, we all saw it.”
"That's right, it was Liu Quanren who started touching the girl inappropriately."
"Lord Liu is being unreasonable; he's actually turning the tables on us."
The official in charge of the Ministry of Rites listened to the sounds around him, his old face turning pale and then red.
But when he saw that the speaker was none other than Prime Minister Liu's beloved daughter, his heart sank even further.
Normally, when a high-ranking official like Liu Shuyao were to meet him, the Ministry of Rites official would be too busy currying favor with him.
But now, with his son beaten to a pulp and him sweeping the floor, if he doesn't get his revenge, where will he put his face?
“Miss Liu, you are a delicate young lady, and you have been ill for a long time. It would be better for you to stay in the manor and rest. This matter is for me to handle according to the law. It is not for a young lady like you to interfere.”
The official from the Ministry of Rites snorted coldly, looked up at Liu Shuyao, and refused to give an inch.
"Today, out of respect for Prime Minister Liu, I will not hold this against you. I urge you, Miss, to leave immediately and refrain from making irresponsible remarks that could cause trouble."
"You!" The maid beside Liu Shuyao was so angry that her face turned red.
Liu Shuyao's chest heaved as she coughed violently, clearly angered by those words.
The maidservant asked in a panic, "Miss, are you alright?"
The official in charge of the Ministry of Rites didn't care about Liu Shuyao's behavior and angrily rebuked the guards.
"What are you all standing there for? Didn't you hear what I said? Seize that slut!"
Seeing that Miss Liu had been thwarted, the guards' last remaining reservations vanished completely.
The pressure on the guards increased sharply. One of them, in order to block an attack coming from the side for Jiang Huan, took a blow to the shoulder blade, and his movements were obviously slowed down.
Jiang Huan was furious as she watched the scene unfold before her.
Such an arrogant and unreasonable person is actually a secretary in the Ministry of Rites; it's disgusting.
But she's not someone to be trifled with now!
Jiang Huan scoffed coldly and raised her hand to lift the veil.
The afternoon sun poured down without any obstruction, bathing her in a golden glow.
Her eyebrows were naturally dark without makeup, and her lips were naturally red without lipstick. Her features were exquisitely beautiful, and her long, dark blue hair was casually tied up, which made her skin look even whiter than snow.
Time seemed to have been paused at that moment.
The bustling street fell silent instantly, as if even the wind dared not blow.
Everyone looked at her as if they were seeing a goddess.
In this moment of utter silence, Jiang Huan spoke slowly.
"You must be Lord Liu, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites."
Her tone was calm and even, yet it sounded like she was calling roll before reading a verdict in court.
The call startled the official from the Ministry of Rites, bringing him back to his senses from the shock of that stunningly beautiful face.
"you……"
The official from the Ministry of Rites opened his mouth, wanting to reprimand her sternly, but seeing Jiang Huan's inexplicably radiating cold aura, he was momentarily speechless.
Jiang Huan didn't give him time to think. Her cold voice rang out, carrying an indescribable sense of oppression.
"I have lived in Weiyang Palace for a long time, so it is normal that you do not recognize me. But to defy the law and commit violence in broad daylight is far too audacious!"
The words "This Palace" were like water thrown into a hot oil pan, instantly igniting an uproar among the surrounding crowd.
One of the vendors near the front row suddenly collapsed to the ground with a thud.
"Is this a concubine from the palace? No wonder she's so beautiful."
A shrewd merchant lowered his head and pondered: "The lady living in Weiyang Palace, isn't that Consort Zhuang? She is the Emperor's most favored concubine."
The second floor of the teahouse.
The hand warmer in Liu Shuyao's hand slipped from her shock and fell to the ground with a dull thud.
Her eyes widened in shock, her pupils dilated, and she was completely bewildered.
No wonder she had such an air about her, no wonder those two highly skilled guards risked their lives to protect her—it was her.
"Miss," the maid beside her said with some concern.
Liu Shuyao raised her hand and gripped the window frame tightly, her knuckles turning white from the effort, barely managing to support her body and avoid losing her composure.
She had long admired the Emperor and had also heard about Consort Zhuang from her father.
The Emperor doted on Consort Zhuang. When Consort Zhuang broke her leg, the Emperor personally made her a wheelchair and dined with her every day.
The Emperor always protected Consort Zhuang, and even Consort Jia, who had the Empress Dowager's support, could not get the slightest advantage in front of Consort Zhuang.
Liu Shuyao had long wanted to meet Consort Zhuang, to see what kind of woman could stand out from all the concubines in the palace and win the emperor's heart.
She had imagined all sorts of scenarios, but she never expected to meet Consort Zhuang under such circumstances.
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