Chapter 388 Scoundrel Blocking the Way
After wiping away her tears, Baishao came close to Lin Mengya and whispered into her ears.
Lin Mengya’s face lit up and she raised both her hands in agreement.
“If you really agree to this, I will carry it out once I go back. What do you think?”
Baishao, who could not wait to act, was obviously itching to have a go and show off her big plan.
However, Lin Mengya put her hand on Baishao and patiently advised her, saying, “Don’t rush it. Do you know why I’ve picked you and you alone to accompany me to the Nation of Lintian?”
Baishao was stunned for a moment when she saw her smiling master. She then had a sudden realization thereafter as if she had enlightened by a guru.
“That’s right, my intention is for you to open your eyes to the world around. This way, you’ll be very effective in whatever you do in the future. We shouldn’t be rushing in anything. We’ll take a step at a time because it’s important to lay a good foundation.”
Under Lin Mengya’s sound advice and guidance, Baishao’s impatience and impetuous feelings slowly calmed.
Lin Mengya finally breathed a sigh of relief seeing that Baishao seemed to understand her now.
As a doctor, she naturally knew that after a girl had been violated, it was easy for her to develop reactions to the trauma.
Thankfully, Baishao was a girl with an open heart. Lin Mengya was able to divert her attention with her words.
Lin Mengya was certain that Yuan San had told Baishao the truth about how she avenged her.
Although it appeared that Lin Mengya had the upper hand, something unexpected happened just before they left. She was fully aware of how this had dampened their spirit. This trip was not as simple as she thought.
The horse carriage rocked and shook as it went along the streets of the Capital City and Lin Mengya could see the streets through its window.
The vast and mighty group of businessmen were quietly waiting in a queue for their turn to be examined and questioned by the guards at the city gates before they leave the city.
Despite Yunzhu and Yuan San having made all the necessary arrangements, Lin Mengya remained restless and anxious.
Regardless of all factors, she was a well-known character in the Capital City. Although not all the people recognized her, if she were to b.u.mp into someone who knew her, it would not be so easy for her to exit the city.
There was a long line of horse carriage so by the time it was Lin Mengya’s turn, there was an impatient look on the guard’s face.
All the businessmen in the queue were traveling with their merchandise. The guard had to climb up and down their carts to do their checks. By the time he came to Lin Mengya, he was panting from all the exertion.
Seeing the guard’s situation, Yuan San immediately alighted from the horse carriage and handed the necessary doc.u.ments to the guard respectfully. With a straightforward smile, he stuffed some loose silver into the guard’s hand.
“It must have been hard on you, officer. Sitting in the horse carriage is my master and his misses. Look, here’s the official doc.u.ment.”
In reality, the guard did not intentionally ask for bribes. However, the status of these businessmen was rather humble. This was especially true for those businessmen who travel between the north-south trade route, so their pa.s.sage was made more difficult.
However, Master Guo was relatively well-known and a number of guards were familiar with him, which made the pa.s.sage of this group of business much easier as they were given special treatment.
Otherwise, they would have to prepare a presentable gift in order to leave through the city gates.
The guard’s face broke into a wide grin, thinking that this little sidekick was a sensible one.
He nodded and lifted the curtain of the horse carriage with his knife to have a look. Thereafter, he simply waved at them, allowing them to pa.s.s.
“Wait.”
Just when Yuan San was about to move the carriage, a cold voice sounded unexpectedly.
In the next moment, a group of burly men surrounded their small horse carriage.
The leader of the group was a stout man who appeared to be very hard to please. His face was covered with fierce muscles and he was clad in dark green silk clothing, which looked funny on him.
It gave people the illusion that he was a meatball wrapped in a piece of green silk.
Lin Mengya lifted the curtain and glanced at the man and her brows knitted immediately. It seemed that revenge had arrived sooner than she expected.
“Brothers, we are only commoners who travel around to find a livelihood. I’m perplexed as to how we have offended you.”
Yuan San’s eyes sparkled with surprise, but he maintained his smile which was meant to please. He looked totally like a slave who did not want any trouble.
Seeing that Yuan San took a step back, the men became even more aggressive.
The man next to him immediately gave him a punch with his meaty fist.
Although Yuan San was a muscular man, he was unable to take the blow before this group of bullies.
Yuan San staggered, then fell to the ground, looking down as if he was intimidated.
“Haha, what a useless thing.”
The burly men burst out laughing, thinking that he had stolen the limelight, had overlooked the feeling of numbness and p.r.i.c.kling pain on his palm.
He ought to have louse on his body, given that he was just a poor, pathetic slave.
Then, he spat at Yuan San, who was sitting crippled on the ground.
“Everyone, this brother has been traveling with the rest of us and is one of us. If he had offended you in any, I will apologize on his behalf. Please have mercy on him and I’ll be very grateful to you.”
Master Guo hurried back from the front of the queue. One glance and he knew what had happened.
It had to be those sc.u.ms who were not satisfied with what happened in the inn and had sent these men to make a scene.
He was thankful that he was a rather reputable man in the Capital City. He supposed these men would show him due respect.
The ‘meatball’ leader of the group immediately backed down from his arrogant att.i.tude when he saw Master Guo.
He cupped his hands together as he greeted Master Guo. With an awkward smile, he began to speak.
“By right, I should show you due respect in response to your request. However, you’ve seen how my little brother was injured. We’re all traveling around to earn a livelihood if I just let this go and not ask for compensation, how am I going to continue living in the Capital City?”
Lin Mengya could immediately read his mind. He simply wanted to blackmail her so he could get some money out of them.
If money could buy them a smooth pa.s.sage and not delay them further, she would not be sorry to give away a bit of money.
However, how much should she give? It would be Master Guo’s call.
“That should be the way. How about I be your mediator. We meet each other so frequently after all. How much would you like for compensation, brother?”
Since Master Guo had personally come forward to make peace, he had obviously given the ‘meatball’ sufficient respect.
If he were more sensible, he would have been contented with the respect and money offered.
However, the ‘meatball’ obviously did not know when to stop.
He glanced at the little carriage greedily and demanded an unreasonable sum.
“Three thousand taels of silver in exchange for my brother’s two hands would be enough!”
Three thousand taels of silver? A coldness crept up in Master Guo’s smile.
Considering what these businessmen were dealing with on the surface, they were not able to come out with the sum.
Moreover, it was that good-for-nothing sc.u.m who was being rude. Childe Yuan merely taught him a lesson lest he should continue to make trouble.
Taking liberties with a married woman was a shameful thing to do for a gentleman. How dare he asked for three thousand taels of silver as compensation.
Master Guo was fully aware that this man was out to make things difficult for Childe Yuan and the rest of them. Just when they were about to content with the sc.u.m, Childe Yuan exited from his carriage.
He was frowning in disagreement, but he knew this matter did not really concern him. He could only be a mediator.
“Are you thinking of asking us to pay for your brother’s two pig trotters with three thousand taels of silver? You must be dreaming!”
Lin Mengya who was sitting in the horse carriage, almost applauded the ‘meatball’ for his shameless performance.
She had intended not to give him a single cent, but to save trouble for the entire procession of businessmen, she got ready some paper money worth a few tens of taels of silver to give to him.
Little did she expect this man to be so shameless. It looked like she could not move on from here today and her mood had reached its lowest at this point.
The cold expression on Lin Mengya’s face even gave Baishao the chills.
Those beady eyes of ‘meatball’ suddenly turned to look at Childe Yuan, who was alighting from the horse carriage, and his eyes sparkled. It was no wonder that while his little brother screamed in pain, he still called out to meatball to get back at this young man for him.
The young man before his eyes had a smooth, fair complexion that made the ‘meatball’s heart skipped a beat. How nice would it feel if he could put his arms around Childe Yuan’s slender waist?
‘Meatball’ licked his lips at the thought that not only could he have fun with beauty, he also would be getting the taels of silver. Good luck had obviously fallen on his head.
“Alright, I’ll do away with the monetary compensation if this you come along with me to apologize my brother. I won’t make things difficult for you on account Master Guo.”
Lin Mengya gazed at this repulsive man before her. She would have cast poison on the eyes of this group of men if not for fear that she would expose her ident.i.ty and implicate Master Guo and his company.
She sneered and mentally prepared herself to find a deserted place to get rid of this scoundrel.
“Alright, I’ll go with you, but this group of businessmen should not be further held up. Let me speak to Master Guo first and I’ll come with you.”
‘Meatball’ and his men were elated at the young man’s reply.
This was not the first time they had such encounters. They knew very well how the young masters of wealthy families behaved.
Even if he knew there was risk involved, for the sake of his pride, he would have to go with whatever he could get quietly even if it meant he was disadvantaged.
Moreover, this young man could become their source of fortune. He definitely preferred women, but this young master with delicate skin and fair complexion was not too far from a woman.
The burly men exchanged boorish looks and said a few words to each other. Lin Mengya would definitely find their mannerism repulsive.
They were all thinking of how they could extort money from this young master.
“This way please, Master Guo.”
Lin Mengya ignored them, turned around and led Master Guo to a secluded corner.
By then, the guards guarding the city gates were smart enough to move on to check other places.
One could tell from the guards’ expressions that they think this was a private business and they would be more than glad to stay out and leave them on their own.
In addition, there was no one looking on even with ‘meatball’s stance. This had to be something of a norm.
In this case, there was no reason for her to delay the group businessmen any further.
“Master Guo, please escort my servants and my wife as you proceed on your way. I will catch up with you along the designated route.”
As Lin Mengya whispered as she made a hand gesture of getting rid of those scoundrels.