Although Lu Yan has a baby face, his features are extremely delicate, making him a stunningly handsome man. However, compared to An Ge, his charm seems less dazzling.
With such a gem preceding her, she had no choice but to give up on this one for now.
An Ge raised an eyebrow at Xiao Ruyu's regretful expression and asked the question that both of them were wondering, "Are all the women in your capital so unrestrained?"
Xiao Ruyu smiled brightly, "This young lady only acts this way towards you, sir. After all, if you like someone, you should try to win them over. By the way, I am the second young lady of the Xiao family in the capital. May I ask where you are from, sir?"
An Ge has always admired straightforward women, such as Hu Tong from Tianyao City, but she really can't appreciate Xiao Ruyu, especially her arrogant attitude when introducing herself.
However, if she remembered correctly, the Xiao family in the capital seemed to have some connection with Xiao Chen.
Before Emperor Feng Zhao left the capital, he gave her the information about the investigation. Besides her mission, An Ge also planned to investigate Xiao Chen's background in the capital. Unexpectedly, before she could even take action, Xiao Chen came knocking on her door.
An Ge had initially not wanted to pay attention to the other party, but now she became interested. "I come from Huaixi City, my surname is An, and I am just an ordinary scholar who has never been married. I have come to the capital to visit a friend."
Xiao Ruyu quickly checked the list of families with the surname An in her mind, but couldn't think of any prominent families with the surname An. It seemed that this young master An didn't have much power.
She was secretly pleased. "What does Young Master An think of me?" Knowing that the other party had no power, Xiao Ruyu dropped her pretense.
"Uh, I don't know."
"Why don't we come to my residence and get to know each other better?"
An Ge took a deep breath. "Isn't it a bit too direct, young lady, to arrange a marriage by parents and matchmakers?"
Xiao Ruyu's brows furrowed with a hint of malice. "You are nothing but a mere scholar. It is your honor that I have taken a liking to you. Young Master An is not from the capital and does not know the power of the Xiao family. As long as I, Xiao Ruyu, desire something, I will have it. As long as you submit to me, you will enjoy endless wealth and honor in the future."
An Ge felt she had learned something new. She had encountered a male bully when she was dressed as a woman before, and now that she was dressed as a man, she had encountered a female bully.
What kind of situation is this?
An Ge looked terrified, but mustered her courage to ask, "What if I don't comply? Is there no law in the capital?"
Xiao Ruyu sneered, stood up, and said with some disdain, "In the capital, even the royal family has to give the Xiao family some face. The Xiao family is the law. You've read the classics, so you know what it means to be a wise man when you know when to yield. I'll give you a few days to think it over. I hope you won't disappoint me."
An Ge looked frightened, seemingly pondering Xiao Ruyu's words.
After Xiao Ruyu left, An Ge immediately poured herself a cup of tea. "It's been too long since I've acted, my acting skills have deteriorated."
Lu Yan covered his mouth with his hand and chuckled, but when he saw the dagger in An Ge's eyes, he immediately became serious. He had just had his salary docked and didn't want to be punished again.
"Don't worry, I'll keep my mouth shut. I definitely won't tell Lao Hu that you're about to be taken as a bandit's husband."
An Ge glanced at Lu Yan and said, "That just means I'm more charming than you. You're a man, and I stole your thunder. What are you so happy about?"
Lu Yan was clearly not defeated by An Ge's words. "This Xiao family girl is quite interesting. She even knows how to use politeness first and then force. I'm curious how she'll forcibly abduct a man in a few days?"
"Hehe, if I were robbed, I would definitely take you with me and make you my concubine," An Ge said irritably.
Xiao Ruyu's arrival didn't affect their mood; however, it did concern her about the Xiao family. During his time in the capital, Lu Yan had gathered a lot of information, including about the Xiao family.
When the Xiao family is mentioned, many people feel that when one member of the Xiao family attains enlightenment, even their chickens and dogs rise to prominence.
Back then, the Xiao family was just an ordinary family, but they produced a third-place scholar, Xiao Yiyang.
Princess Feng Changge fell in love with Xiao Yiyang at first sight and married into the Xiao family. After their marriage, the two were very affectionate and soon had a child, living a happy life.
Because of their marriage to the princess, the Xiao family rose to become a powerful and influential family in the capital. In particular, the princess's son, Xiao Chen, became a young general before he even reached adulthood, further elevating the Xiao family's power.
Unfortunately, their good fortune was short-lived. Xiao Chen was killed in battle, and soon after, his husband also died of illness, leaving the Xiao family without two pillars of support. However, the Princess continued to take good care of the Xiao family, so they remained a powerful and influential family in the capital.
What's more, it's said that Emperor Fengzhao, out of gratitude for the Princess's kindness, promised her the power to bestow a title upon her, allowing her to request the bestowal of the title upon the Xiao family at any time if she so desired.
For some reason, more than a decade later, the eldest princess did not bestow a title upon the Xiao family.
Some believe that as a royal princess, even after marrying into the Xiao family, the eldest princess remains a ruler, and it's understandable that she doesn't consider her husband's family's interests. Others, however, think that the eldest princess and her husband have a very deep relationship, and her refusal to grant a title to the second wife is simply out of some resentment.
After all, this title was earned by her son, and there was no reason for it to be given to the second wife for nothing.
Opinions vary, but in any case, the care the eldest princess has shown to the second branch of the Xiao family is undeniable, and no one dares to gossip about it in front of the Xiao family.
The eldest princess has no one to rely on, and she will have to relinquish her title sooner or later; otherwise, it would be a waste to squander the title. Perhaps one day, the eldest princess will petition for a title for the second branch of the family.
Upon hearing the news about Lu Yan, An Ge immediately thought of hunting down Xiao Chen. If eliminating Xiao Chen would benefit anyone, it would be the second branch of the family; she wouldn't consider anyone else.
However, according to Xiao Chen himself, he has his own family, and even a grandfather, so his identity should not be questioned.
This is something An Ge has never been able to understand, and it is precisely because of this that although she suspected Xiao Chen's background at the time, she could not be sure.
Later, after Emperor Feng Zhao sent people to investigate, she learned that Xiao Chen's so-called grandfather was not related to him by blood; they just happened to share the same surname. It was precisely because of this that when Xiao Chen lost his memory and only remembered his surname, the old master Xiao addressed him as father and son.
"If they really are taken to the Xiao residence, that would be good too, as it would allow us to investigate."
"Hey, please stop with that dangerous idea. If Lao Hu finds out, he'll skin me alive."
"What can I do? After all, they've set their sights on me, not you. I have no choice but to take the risk. Why don't you just not tell Hu Jiu about this? Besides, when have you ever listened to Hu Jiu like this?"
"This is what you asked for yourself. I'm just an ordinary employee. I tried my best to stop you, but I couldn't. If Hu Jiu finds out, don't blame me." Lu Yan looked completely innocent.
"Ha! It's kind of you to come and obstruct us again with this formality."
An Ge knew that Lu Yan wouldn't really stop her; in fact, he might be even more eager to see a scene of him forcibly taking a man from the countryside than she was.
This guy always seems to thrive on chaos.
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