Expelled from the Duke's mansion, the fake heiress is richer than a country.

"Bring those two villagers here. I have something to ask them!"

Xiao Yao pointed with the tip of her whip, and immediately guards stepped forward to block the siblings' path.

The guards of the Duke's mansion naturally recognized their former master. Although they harbored some disrespect, Yu Wanran was no ordinary young lady. Furthermore, the Duke and Duchess seemed to still have feelings for their adopted daughter, so they dared not act too directly.

However, Yu Wenrong was pulled and stumbled by them, and a lot of firewood spilled from his basket.

Yu Wanran reached out to support her younger brother, walked up to Xiao Yao, and stared straight at Xiao Yao without glancing at Wei Baifeng.

"Princess Xiao, may I ask what law my brother and I have broken that you ordered the guards to arrest us?"

Xiao Yao, having gained power overnight, thought he had ascended to the highest heavens. Little did he know that Duke Xiao was merely a nobleman with a small fiefdom, his title solely due to the protection of his ancestors.

Once you leave Tongcheng, you'll find there are always people more capable than you, and the world is vast beyond your understanding. Even the Duke himself lives a cautious life; I wonder if Xiao Yao's arrogance will bring trouble to the Duke's mansion.

Despite the Tongcheng prefect's obsequious behavior towards the Duke's mansion, even going so far as to arrange a marriage to deepen their relationship, the imperial officials are actually responsible for monitoring the Duke's mansion. If anything major happens, the prefect will likely be the first to betray them.

She was driven out of the Duke's mansion in two lifetimes, and Wei Baifeng broke off the engagement twice.

Between the two, there is only self-interest.

Xiao Yao didn't catch the hint in Yu Wanran's words, and with an arrogant face, she played with the horsewhip in her hand.

"You haven't broken the law. But I, the county magistrate, am unhappy just looking at you. I can arrest you, I can beat you, I can do whatever I want, what can you do about it?"

Yu Wenrong was seething with anger and couldn't help but explode in fury.

"Princess Xiao, you and my third sister were switched at birth sixteen years ago. You were an infant, and so was my third sister! She was just as innocent as you. If you have any grievances, you should seek them out from the Duke's Mansion!"

"Back then, we clearly saved the Duke's family, but your family repaid kindness with enmity, switching the children in the chaos! My mother has been crippled by you; my third sister was falsely accused and driven out of the Duke's mansion; and now you still won't let it go..."

"Why?"

He cried out in utter grief and indignation.

"Just because you have power and influence, do you think you can arbitrarily distort the truth?"

Yu Wanran secretly pulled Yu Wenrong several times, but couldn't stop him from finishing his speech. His reasoning was sound, but who would stand up for justice?

If it weren't for the Duke's mansion's absolute power, the Yu family wouldn't have ended up destroyed in the previous life.

Xiao Yao's face flushed red with anger.

She was clearly in the right, but Yu Wenrong's shout made it seem like she was abusing her power.

She and Yu Wenrong had been at odds since childhood, constantly bickering and arguing. Both of them before her were people she loathed. With a "whoosh," she lashed out with the whip! She yelled, "You're asking for death! How dare you slander our Duke's Mansion?"

That whip was made of cowhide filled with lead pellets; it could cripple or even kill someone. She didn't use it to drive her horse; she used it to show off her power. As a county princess, she could do whatever she wanted in Tongcheng, and no one dared to come to her door to seek justice if she injured someone.

Unexpectedly, she started hitting him so suddenly. Didn't she used to argue with him at home for ages? Yu Wenrong instinctively raised his arm to cover his face, but the expected pain didn't come.

He glanced at her and saw that his third sister had grabbed the end of the whip with one hand. The whip was taut in their hands, and Xiao Yao couldn't pull it back no matter how hard she tried.

Xiao Yao completely lost it, stomping her feet and shouting for help.

"Are you all dead? You're just watching this fake bully me? Get her! Hit her! If you kill her, I'll take responsibility!"

Wei Baifeng and several other spoiled brats who arrived later were stunned.

They followed the county magistrate on hunting trips and outings, getting close to the Duke's mansion. They also hoped to "encounter" the fake county magistrate, who had been banished to the countryside, for a bit of amusement. Why the sudden murder?

Everyone knows how much the former Duke and Duchess valued their daughter, who was skilled in both literature and martial arts. Even though she no longer holds a prestigious status, she can't just be killed at will, can she?

"Kill me? The current emperor governs the world with benevolence, righteousness, compassion, and filial piety. Although this land is the fiefdom of the Duke of Xiao, it still belongs to the territory of the Great Zhao Dynasty!"

Yu Wanran responded coldly, a hint of murderous intent flashing in her eyes. Now that the facade was broken, there was no turning back; there was no need to feign compliance any longer.

"Princess Xiao, as the daughter of a Duke, should be a person of high moral character, uphold the law, and set an example for the people of Tongcheng. How can she disregard human life based on her own likes and dislikes? Could it be..."

She smiled slightly, a smile laced with utter sarcasm.

"Do you think this fiefdom is your own private property, where you can arbitrarily decide the life and death of others? Where do you place the laws and the king's law then? Princess Xiao, have you thought about how you will explain your reckless behavior to the Duke's Mansion and the imperial court?"

"You...you dare to scare me?"

Xiao Yao was terrified, her face turning red and then white.

She had only been back at the Duke's mansion for three months, and had been busy with her daily antics, neglecting to learn proper etiquette and manners. She felt that whatever she said or did, she had a group of people supporting her, and her parents, the Duke, turned a blind eye.

But if she were to commit murder, would the consequences really be that severe?

However, she could foresee that... the Duchess would definitely be unhappy.

Because she had discovered more than once that the Duchess was secretly depressed and seemed to still miss the wretched man in front of her!

Jealousy had distorted her character. So, when they met today, she harbored malicious intentions. But the other person's sharp words made her back down.

Unconsciously, she turned her pleading gaze to Wei Baifeng beside her. Her eyes seemed to ask him if the consequences were truly that serious.

"Your Highness, please take your whip."

Yu Wanran gently put down the whip, her face extremely polite, but Xiao Yao heard it and every word was mocking.

"The lives of ordinary people may be as worthless as grass in the eyes of nobles, but the Duke's Mansion should pay even more attention to its reputation. The Great Zhao Dynasty values ​​both merit and virtue. I hope that the County Princess will be careful with her words and deeds, and not lose sight of the bigger picture for the sake of small things, thus endangering the foundation of the family."

At this moment, villagers gradually gathered around, watching from a distance as they observed the scene unfold.

She wasn't afraid that Xiao Yao would become enraged and kill her to silence her. There was even the prefect's son, Wei Baifeng, standing right there! Did she really dare to commit such a heinous act in broad daylight, disregarding the law?

With her martial arts skills, she would smash through the heavens to file a complaint with the emperor.

She endured the humiliation to protect the Yu family. If pushed to the brink, she wouldn't hesitate to fight to the death.

Xiao Yao snatched back the whip and, in her fury, lashed the ground with it, sending dirt flying. The guards beside her merely made gestures, not daring to step forward.

Whether or not they can defeat their former master is one thing, but if they do fight, the county magistrate may not be in trouble, but they certainly will!

Wei Baifeng moved closer to Xiao Yao, glancing at Yu Wanran out of the corner of his eye, and whispered, "Princess, we're here for sightseeing, why bother arguing with a country girl? It's getting late, and I'd like to hunt a rabbit myself to present to you."

These were not the words Xiao Yao wanted to hear. She felt he was intentionally protecting his ex-fiancée, and a surge of anger welled up within her. Instinctively, she lashed out with her whip at Wei Baifeng—

"You dare to speak up for her!"

Wei Baifeng was merely a weak and scholarly young master, who valued literature over martial arts. He thought learning some martial arts was for physical fitness, but at such close range, how could he possibly dodge Xiao Yao's sudden whip strike?

With a sharp crack, the whip struck his thigh, leaving a bloody welt on his robe. The pain caused him to immediately clutch himself, screaming as he crouched on the ground.