C7 Chapter 7

The great families cared deeply about saving face. Humiliating them in public would embarrass them and make them hold a grudge, but once they said, in front of everyone, that they wouldn’t trouble her again, they wouldn’t make another move on her in public.

As for whatever they might do afterward, behind the scenes?

What was there to fear?

She was getting married off to North County tomorrow. Even if the Xiao family wanted revenge, they wouldn’t be able to reach her; and if they somehow did, that would be a problem for later.

On the other hand, if she didn’t act now and let the Xiao family take her away, she probably wouldn’t make it out alive.

In the eyes of those great families, a human life was worth less than dirt. Before she married into the North Duke Mansion, if the Xiao family wanted her dead, it would be as easy as crushing an ant.

That gave her one more reason she absolutely had to marry the North Duke. Otherwise, she might not even know how she died.

“Let go of our young master!” The three men in gray went pale and shouted fiercely.

They were elite fighters trained by the Xiao family specifically to protect Xiao Jing'an. Any one of them could have killed Chu Jiuge with ease, but...

They had been careless.

They hadn’t taken Chu Jiuge, a seemingly fragile young woman, seriously, and because of that, she found an opening and took Xiao Jing'an hostage right under their noses.

If anything happened to Xiao Jing'an, they wouldn’t survive it either.

“Let go!” Even with someone holding him hostage, Xiao Jing'an showed not the slightest trace of panic, making the onlookers inwardly admire him. As expected of a son of a great family—calm in the face of danger, poised and impressive.

“You’ve got a death wish? Let Young Master Xiao go, now.” The gate guards, who had stood by in silence while Chu Jiuge was being bullied, finally stepped in now that she had taken Xiao Jing'an hostage.

“You’ve got some nerve.” Upstairs in the teahouse, Bei Tianjiao, dressed in black, leaned back and let most of his body sink into the shadows. His eyes remained fixed on the city gate, calm and unreadable.

He had assumed his ninth prospective consort would die today at the hands of the Xiao and Yuan families. He hadn’t expected her to be this bold—to actually take a young master of the Xiao family hostage.

Wasn’t she afraid of retaliation from the Xiao family?

Chu Jiuge was bold, no question, but she’d been backed into a corner.

Yuen Yunhua had clearly come looking for trouble, and people in power never bothered reasoning with ordinary people. Even if Chu Jiuge was only defending herself and hadn’t said a word, she would still be the one blamed in the end.

“Let Jing’an go, or I’ll kill you.” As Yuen Yunhua spoke, she took the riding crop handed to her by a servant and pointed it at Chu Jiuge. “The North Duke has already lost eight fiancées. I’m sure he won’t mind losing one more.”

“Want to take another fall, Miss Yuen?” Chu Jiuge didn’t bother being polite.

This crazy woman had lashed at her out of nowhere, then fallen and cut her own face, and somehow that was being pinned on her. The great families really had no shame...

“You...” Yuen Yunhua’s expression darkened, and the wound on her face seemed to throb even more. “Since you know I’m from the Yuen family, you should understand what happens when you cross me. And what happens when you kidnap Jing’an.”

“If I let Xiao Jing’an go, will you really let me off?” Chu Jiuge asked, her gaze full of mockery.

This woman had come after her first, yet by the time it came out of her mouth, it had somehow turned into Chu Jiuge offending both the Xiao and Yuen families.

Were all these aristocratic families this unreasonable?

“In your dreams. Let Xiao Jing’an go, and I’ll make your death quick.” The dignity of the great families could not be trampled. Chu Jiuge had ruined her face and then seized Xiao Jing’an in public, grinding the pride of both the Yuen and Xiao families into the dirt. Not just her, but the families behind them, would never let Chu Jiuge go.

To families like theirs, reputation meant everything.

“If you’re going to come after me no matter what, then why shouldn’t I fight back?” Chu Jiuge swept her eyes over Yuen Yunhua as if looking at an idiot. “Besides, none of you would dare gamble with Xiao Jing’an’s life.”

As she spoke, Chu Jiuge tightened her grip. Xiao Jing’an’s face instantly flushed red, and he struggled for air...