Chapter 655: Chapter 591: Solving the Issue with Bad Taohua (1) Chapter 655: Chapter 591: Solving the Issue with Bad Taohua (1) The young ladies continued to chat and laugh, changing clothes seemed like an offhand question from Guo Xueming, causing no ripples at all.

Seeing Guo Xueming and Chen Jiarou sitting together, Daohua spoke up, “Their relationship seems quite good.”

Su Shiyu smiled faintly, “Although the Chen family doesn’t hold high office, the old Madam Chen is the Emperor’s wet nurse. In Beijing, their family still attracts attention.”

Dong Yuanyao took over the conversation, “There’s a beauty ranking in Beijing, and both Guo Xueming and Chen Jiarou have a place on it. They must have private connections.”

Su Shiyu looked at Daohua and Dong Yuanyao, “Earlier, when other young ladies were changing, Miss Guo didn’t ask a single question, but she singled out the two of you. Did you offend her?”

Daohua and Dong Yuanyao shook their heads simultaneously.

Dong Yuanyao, “Who has the time to bother with her.”

Su Shiyu glanced at Guo Xueming, “Someone as versatile and well-connected as her wouldn’t easily embarrass others. It seemed to me that her questioning you two was more of a probing nature.”

Daohua’s eyes flickered.

Standing by, Hong Yu whispered, “Previously, this servant saw Miss Guo’s maid inquiring about the Little Prince’s whereabouts.”

Upon hearing this, Dong Yuanyao and Su Shiyu both looked toward Daohua.

Seeing the two staring at her, Daohua was somewhat speechless, “Why look at me?”

Dong Yuanyao patted her hand, “You have to be careful from now on. This Guo Xueming ranks much higher than Jiang Wanying. Look at what she did just now, if not for Miss Zhu stepping in, we would have suffered in silence. Even after the situation calmed down, nobody thought it was her causing trouble.”

“Daughters raised by these noble families are the best at digging pits for others unintentionally. One careless move and you might fall right into the trap they’ve set up with their words, leaving you in a damned if you do, damned if you don’t situation.”

Daohua turned her head to glance at Guo Xueming, then quickly averted her gaze, saying nothing.

Suddenly, loud noises erupted from downstairs.

While the women had not yet sensed anything amiss, the men had already started shouting.

“Quick, someone, protect all the officials!”

No sooner had the voice fallen, “whoosh whoosh whoosh,” a number of arrows flew towards the upper floor.

An official failed to dodge; an arrow struck him directly in the thigh, and blood streamed out instantly.

Seeing bloodstains on the ground, the women began to scream.

Daohua quickly pulled Dong Yuanyao and Su Shiyu, running towards Madam Li and the others.

To facilitate the view of the scene below, the Guankou Building had only a few railings apart from the left and right walls, providing nowhere to hide from the arrows.

“Hide behind the tables and chairs!”

“Get down!”

Seeing the women running around in panic, someone from the men’s side yelled out.

Daohua led Dong Yuanyao and Su Shiyu to Madam Li’s group and hurriedly pulled them behind the tables and chairs.

“Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!”

Arrow after arrow hit the tables and chairs, and the Guankou Building plunged into chaos.

As the young ladies trembled in fear, the men’s side had some people come over, led by Yan Wentao and Yan Wenkai.

They came over and blocked all the incoming arrows.

Soon, soldiers under Governor Guo hurriedly arrived, and a fierce battle ensued from downstairs.

Yan Wentao and Yan Wenkai, protecting Madam Li and the others, stood upstairs without moving, not intending to go down and help.

After about a quarter of an hour, the sounds of fighting gradually died down until they disappeared.

Only then did the women recover from their fright.

“What happened here?”

“How come there are assassins?”

“Almost lost my life watching the dragon boat race, I’ll never come out again.”

While the women were discussing noisily, Governor Guo approached, “Please, everyone, remain calm. There was a small incident here, but it has been resolved now. However, this isn’t a good place to stay any longer, so I ask everyone to leave as soon as possible.”

Having said that, she glanced at Madam Guo and hurriedly left.

Madam Guo was also quite frightened by the sudden turn of events, but since they had invited everyone here, she couldn’t show weakness. She forced a smile and said, “Ladies, there’s no need to be scared, everything is fine now. Let’s leave this place quickly.”

As she spoke, she took the lead in walking Guo Xueming down the stairs.

With her setting the precedent, the other people hastily followed.

Daohua and the others were walking at the very end with Yan Wentao, Yan Wenkai, Dong Yuanxuan, and Su Hongxin protecting them, so they weren’t too worried or scared.

There were several bodies of men in black lying downstairs, which frightened many of the women to the point of turning pale.

Turning around the corner of the staircase, Daohua saw Xiao Yeyang standing with the Governor Guo and felt relieved upon seeing him unharmed.

The men were all standing downstairs waiting for the women.

Each Madam, upon seeing her husband, hurriedly pulled her daughter forward.

Just as Jiang Wanying was passing by Xiao Yeyang, whether her legs were weak or she tripped, she suddenly fell towards Xiao Yeyang.

Seeing this, Daohua, who was still standing at the stairwell, couldn’t help but clench the handkerchief in her hand tightly.

Dong Yuanyao beside her was even more agitated than Daohua and suddenly gripped her arm painfully tight.

Madam Guo and Guo Xueming saw this, and their hearts also couldn’t help but tighten.

In full view of everyone, if Jiang Wanying were to fall into Xiao Yeyang’s arms, even if Xiao Yeyang was unwilling, the Empress Dowager would force him to marry Jiang Wanying.

“Shameless!” Madam Guo hissed through clenched teeth.

However, the scene everyone expected didn’t occur.

Seeing Jiang Wanying fall towards him, Xiao Yeyang’s first reaction wasn’t to catch her, but to quickly retreat several steps backward.

As a result, Jiang Wanying directly collapsed onto the ground.

“Wanying!”

Madam Jiang saw this and immediately ran over anxiously. After helping Jiang Wanying up, she turned to Xiao Yeyang with an angry face, “Yeyang, why didn’t you catch Wanying?”

Xiao Yeyang frowned when he saw Madam Jiang’s reaction.

Seeing him not respond, Madam Jiang grew even angrier, “I’m talking to you. After all, I am your elder. Is this how you disrespect your elders?”

This time, Xiao Yeyang didn’t want to give any more consideration to maintaining face for the other party and directly said, “Madam Jiang, I am a man, and it truly isn’t proper for me to catch cousin Wanying.”

“When I was a child, simply because I talked a few more words to cousin Wanying in the Taihou Palace, some ill-intentioned people started spreading rumors about us being ‘childhood sweethearts.’ If I were to catch cousin Wanying today, who knows what kind of rumors will spread tomorrow, which would be bad for her reputation.”

“You…”

Madam Jiang didn’t expect Xiao Yeyang to say such a thing, and was momentarily at a loss for words.

Xiao Yeyang was publicly denying the claim that he and Wanying were childhood sweethearts–how dare he?!

Not far away, Advisor Jiang’s complexion turned quite ugly with anger, and he said sternly while suppressing his fury, “Yeyang, Wanying is the Empress Dowager’s grandniece, your cousin. She fell down, and you didn’t even help her up, isn’t that a bit lacking in the spirit of a man?”

Xiao Yeyang, seeing Advisor Jiang pressure him with the Empress Dowager’s name, grew even more annoyed and replied coldly, “I’ve said, I’m considering cousin Wanying’s reputation. Besides, I’ve always been this way, doesn’t Advisor Jiang know?”

Governor Guo watched the drama unfold for a while and, seeing everyone watching, stood up to mediate, “Yeyang means well. In my view, Advisor Jiang, if anyone is to blame, it should be the maidservant by Miss Jiang’s side. She couldn’t even support her own mistress properly; what use are such servants?”

Hearing this, Advisor Jiang snorted and strode toward his own carriage.

Madam Jiang, seeing this, quickly helped Jiang Wanying follow.

Before leaving, Jiang Wanying cast a tearful glance at Xiao Yeyang, then lowered her head and followed Madam Jiang away.

Watching her like that, many Madams and young ladies subtly exchanged knowing looks.

Madam Guo’s face showed blatant sarcasm as she whispered to Guo Xueming, “The Jiang Family really is too arrogant. If it were any other family faced with such a situation, they’d be too busy getting out of the way, let alone causing a scene like they did.”

Guo Xueming, looking at Xiao Yeyang’s direction, had a glint in her eyes, “Maybe the Jiang Family thinks Brother Yeyang will accommodate them for the sake of the Empress Dowager.”

Madam Guo scoffed, “Too bad, Yeyang didn’t do that.” Saying so, her gaze towards Xiao Yeyang had an added measure of satisfaction.

This nephew of hers truly exceeded her expectations. Unlike other men who grow sympathetic upon seeing a fragile woman and help indiscriminately regardless of the situation, he even took the opportunity to publicly reject the ‘childhood sweethearts’ narrative the Jiang Family tried to impose on him.

Not indulging in excess emotions, he even knew to proactively deal with the trouble of unwanted admirers. Very good, extremely good!