Regent, please maintain your aloof image.

The two walked down the street in silence, feeling somewhat awkward. Su Qianrou couldn't help but wonder why they hadn't arrived yet; she hadn't realized the journey home would be so long.

In that moment of distraction, she was bumped into and involuntarily took a step back.

Gu Mingxuan quickly helped her up and asked with concern, "Are you alright?"

"fine".

"Miss, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to."

Su Qianrou looked at the person who bumped into her. It was a girl of about seventeen or eighteen years old. Her clothes were a little disheveled, and she looked flustered. She was panting heavily as if she had run away from somewhere. "It's alright. Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine, miss, hurry up and leave, or you won't be able to get away," she said, and then turned to run.

Su Qianrou was a little confused and was about to ask when a group of people walked over. The man in the lead grabbed the girl's hair and said, "Run! Why aren't you running anymore? Aren't you supposed to be a fast runner?"

The girl was in some pain from his actions, so she tried to pry his hands off, but the man didn't seem to intend to let her go so easily and held on tightly.

Seeing this, Su Qianrou couldn't help but speak up, "Let her go, didn't you see you hurt her?"

Upon hearing this, the man looked at her, and when he saw her appearance, he revealed a lewd smile, "Oh, she's not bad looking. What, you want to save her?"

"If I say yes."

"Miss, don't worry about me, you should leave quickly," the girl said, refusing to let Su Qianrou save her and instead telling her to leave as soon as possible.

Su Qianrou couldn't help but look at her a few more times. Even though her fate was in someone's hands, she still maintained a kind heart. This made Su Qianrou even more determined to save her. "What will it take for you to let her go?"

The man revealed a malicious smile, "If you want me to release her, it's not impossible. If you take her place and become my concubine, then I will release her. How about it?"

"Luo Peng, I advise you not to go too far," Gu Mingxuan warned.

"What, Gu Mingxuan, could it be that she's your woman?"

"Don't talk nonsense."

"Since that's not the case, then mind your own business."

"You...you don't know who she is."

"I don't care who she is. As long as I, Luo Peng, have my eye on her, even if she's a princess of the current dynasty, she'll have to submit obediently," Luo Peng said arrogantly.

Meanwhile, a large crowd had gathered around, all discussing the matter.

"Luo Peng is out again, forcibly abducting women."

"If I remember correctly, he just took his sixteenth concubine not long ago, and today... he took two more at once."

"Sigh, what a pity for these two girls."

Hearing the words of the people around her, Su Qianrou thought to herself, "No wonder he looks haggard, weak-eyed, and exhausted. It turns out he has been indulging in excessive sexual activity." Then, she whispered a few words to Chunzhu.

Chunzhu replied, "Yes," and then quickly left.

"Miss, please leave quickly, don't worry about me, I... ah," the girl didn't want to implicate Su Qianrou, so she kept urging her to leave, but Luo Peng pushed her to the ground and kicked her, "You bitch, you have no right to speak here, shut up!" After saying that, he kicked her again.

"stop".

Luo Peng stopped kicking her and looked at her with a sly smile. "What, you've thought it through? Don't worry, I'll be gentle with you because of your pretty face." As he spoke, he reached out to touch Su Qianrou's face.

Su Qianrou disdainfully shook her off.

Luo Peng wasn't angry; he just assumed she was shy.

"Hmph, you think you can make me your concubine? You're not worthy."

Seeing that she didn't know what was good for her, Luo Peng's expression changed instantly. "I'm warning you, don't push your luck. Do you know who my uncle is?"

"Who is it? I really don't know."

"My uncle is Li Huaiguang, Lord Li."

Su Qianrou chuckled lightly, "I thought it was Provincial Governor Li, but I didn't expect it to be County Magistrate Li."

"How dare you! You have shown disrespect to my uncle!"

"Does Lord Li know that you have been abusing your power and acting recklessly outside, relying on your status?"

"She's courting death! Guards, seize her and take her back to the manor."

"Yes," the servants behind him responded in unison, and then stepped forward to arrest the man.

Seeing this, Gu Mingxuan shielded Su Qianrou behind him, blocking her in front of him.

"Gu Mingxuan, don't think that just because you've become a scholar, I won't dare to touch you. If you know what's good for you, get out of my way right now, or don't blame me for being impolite."

"She's not someone you can mess with. I advise you to think twice."

"Who do you think you are? Get out of my way, or I'll take care of you too," Luo Peng not only ignored the advice but also threatened.

Gu Mingxuan had no choice but to stand in front of Su Qianrou to protect her.

"Men, beat this arrogant bastard to death!"

The servants were relatively rational and, considering Gu Mingxuan's status, dared not make any rash moves.

Seeing this, Luo Peng was furious and shouted, "Didn't you hear what I said? Why aren't you making a move?"

One of the servants mustered his courage and stammered, "Young master, this... is probably not appropriate."

"What's there to be afraid of? He's just a scholar who passed the imperial examination. If he dies, he dies. What's there to be afraid of?"

The servants were still hesitant and dared not make any rash moves.

"Aren't you going to make a move? Do you want to die?"

Left with no other choice, the servants had to step forward.

"Luo Peng, I advise you not to do anything reckless, or you won't be able to bear the consequences."

"Ha, what consequences could there be? Beat him up."

The servants swarmed forward.

"Stop!" Just as Gu Mingxuan was about to be beaten, Su Haoyu appeared in time. "Let's see who dares to do it."

"Where did this brat come from? He doesn't know his place. I advise you to mind your own business."

Su Haoyu ignored him and looked at Su Qianrou, asking with concern, "Sister, are you alright? Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine, why are you here?"

“It’s almost time for dinner. When Mother saw that you hadn’t returned, she sent me out to look for you… Mingxuan, what a coincidence, you’re here too.”

"Ok".

“You guys are... in trouble,” Su Haoyu said, glancing at Luo Peng.

Luo Peng overheard their conversation and knew their relationship. He said disdainfully, "This is the reinforcement you brought in, a mere kid." After saying that, he couldn't help but laugh.

"What happened?" Su Haoyu asked.

"It's nothing, he just wants me to be his concubine," Su Qianrou said calmly.

"What? A concubine?" Su Haoyu was furious. He looked at Luo Peng and said through gritted teeth, "You want my sister to be your concubine."

"I was giving her too much credit. If she weren't pretty, she wouldn't be worthy of me."

"Pah! You think you can get my sister to be your concubine? You should take a piss and look at yourself in the mirror. Do you even deserve it?"

"How dare you speak to me like that! Who do you think you are?"

"And what are you anyway?"

"Fine, fine, men, beat this damned fool to death with sticks!" Luo Peng said angrily, pointing at Su Haoyu.

Without hesitation, the servant raised the wooden stick in his hand and struck Su Haoyu.

Su Haoyu didn't hold back and used both hands and feet to knock several servants to the ground in no time. "Is this all you've got? You think you can kill me? Don't you even know if you have the ability?"

"You..." Luo Peng was stunned for a moment because he didn't expect him to be so capable. However, he quickly reacted and ordered, "Go, go and call the yamen runners. I'm going to teach them a lesson today."

A servant got up from the ground and ran quickly toward the county government office.

"You just wait, when the constables come, you'll be in for a world of hurt," Luo Peng said arrogantly.