Lu Lingxiao achieved great merit at the border and is currently favored by the Emperor. Who wouldn't want to curry favor with his wife?
A few of the ladies immediately surrounded her with bright smiles.
Among them were those who had been to the Governor Mansion's banquet but hadn't the chance to speak with Lin Wan'er, and those who missed the ribbon-cutting banquet and had been seeking an opportunity to grow closer to the wife of Lu Lingxiao.
Lu Luo, noticing this, hastily said to Madam Wang, "Madam Wang, my lady remembers you. Ever since she parted ways with you at the Governor Mansion, my lady often speaks of you fondly!"
Madam Wang was absolutely delighted!
Even though her husband held a high-ranking official position and was an elder statesman, how could he compare to the well-regarded General Lu?
"Madam Lu, you honor me. I've long wanted to visit the Lu Family and pay my respects!"
Ban Xia was absolutely fuming.
Her family's young lady was the legitimate General's wife, yet here was a crowd addressing a fox spirit as Madam Lu—was there no justice?
The matter of Lu Lingxiao taking Lin Wan'er to attend the banquet had been kept tightly under wraps. In Haitang Courtyard, only Meng Qianqian and Nanny Li knew about it, while even Ban Xia remained unaware.
"Miss!"
Ban Xia looked at Meng Qianqian with utter shock.
Meng Qianqian calmly responded with a soft "Mm."
Now emboldened, Ban Xia grasped her young mistress's arm and loudly proclaimed, "Ladies, you've mistaken the person! The true General's wife is right here!"
Everyone instinctively turned their gaze in this direction.
Lin Wan'er and Lu Luo's expressions both shifted dramatically.
The ladies had never seen Meng Qianqian before; they had only glimpsed Lin Wan'er and her maid at a banquet.
Madam Wang glanced at Lu Luo and then at Lin Wan'er, whose hand she was holding, and said, "No mistake—she's the General's maid Lu Luo. The General's wife has an arrow wound on the fleshy part of her left thumb, incurred while saving General Lu from a stray arrow. As for you… whose General's wife might you be?"
Ban Xia responded righteously, "My young lady is undoubtedly the Northern Front General, Lu Lingxiao's wife!"
Two "Madam Lus"?
The assembly exchanged puzzled looks and began examining Meng Qianqian and Lin Wan'er back and forth.
Both wore veils over their faces.
Meng Qianqian was dressed in a delicate pink fur coat, her features as exquisite as a painting. She possessed the youthful vitality of early spring sunshine, yet also exuded serenity and composure, with an air of quiet elegance.
Lin Wan'er, on the other hand, wore a plain outfit, her figure slender and frail, carrying a refined, chrysanthemum-like simplicity.
Originally, Lin Wan'er was quite beautiful as well, but for some reason, after looking at Meng Qianqian, her beauty now seemed a touch mundane.
Madam Wang addressed Meng Qianqian, "You claim to be Madam Lu, but the one General Lu took to the Governor Mansion's banquet last time was clearly her."
Unhurried, Meng Qianqian stepped forward to Lin Wan'er and said calmly, "Miss Lin, do you dare to openly claim here, in front of everyone, that you are my husband's wife, formally married through Three Letters and Six Rites, a union affirmed by a matchmaker and approved by family?"
Lin Wan'er's hand holding her handkerchief tightened suddenly.
Meng Qianqian continued, commanding an authority without anger, "If you admit it, I'll give you this position."
Madam Wang wrinkled her brow curiously and mused, "Last time… at the Governor Mansion, didn't I hear someone call her Miss Lin? Though afterward, that person said they misspoke…"
The ladies exchanged glances.
A general inexplicably having two wives? Now this was going to be entertaining.
Someone eyed Lin Wan'er and murmured, "Why aren't you speaking? Have you gone mute?"
Lu Luo immediately interjected, "My lady… injured her throat and has not been able to speak for a long while!"
Ban Xia scoffed with arms crossed, "Can't speak? Then how did she converse about Madam Wang back at the mansion? Did she mutter with her feet?"
Lu Luo's face flushed crimson.
"Furthermore, my young lady hasn't even had her concubine's tea served to her, let alone been formally acknowledged as Aunt. And yet she boldly dares to proclaim herself a Madam! Today, I shall teach you the proper manners!"
Ban Xia wasn't one to hold back. In the past, her mistress had endured their provocations, but now that the façade was torn apart, there was nothing left to tolerate.
Ban Xia raised her hand and slapped Lu Luo across the face!
Seeing this, Lin Wan'er raised her hand and slapped Ban Xia in response.
Meng Qianqian countered with two sharp slaps of her own, stunning Lin Wan'er into utter silence!
A chorus of gasps echoed through the crowd.
Dear heavens, how intense!
Everyone turned their gaze back to Meng Qianqian. Surely she was the real wife.
Covering her face, Lu Luo fumed with anger but said meekly, "You—You dare treat my lady this way. The General won't let you off lightly!"
The crowd's eyes again refocused on Lin Wan'er—could it be that she really was—
Just as everyone was still uncertain, chaos erupted in the streets. The clatter of hooves, shouts of rage, and screams filled the air...
Soon, two masked burly men stormed into the shop, one clutching a crying, struggling child under his arm.
"Close the door! Or I'll kill him! I'll kill all of you!"
The man barked at the shop assistant, brandishing his blade.
The fearful assistant rushed to shut the shop's door.
"Close the back door too!" The masked man holding the child shouted.
The other assistant, trembling, obeyed.
The ladies were frightened into a panic.
The child-snatching brute yelled angrily, "No screaming! Whoever screams, I'll kill them!"
The women clamped their hands over their mouths tightly.
Meng Qianqian's gaze swept over the two men.
Both were injured; the one holding the child had lighter wounds, while the other had a knife wound on his right arm. Judging by the exposed blade mark, it appeared to have been inflicted by a Brocade Spring Saber, likely from a Jinyi Guard.
Based on the man's accent, Meng Qianqian could roughly guess their origin.
"Wu-ah—Wu-ah—"
The child bawled incessantly.
The lightly injured brute grew increasingly irritable. "If you keep crying, I'll cut out your tongue! Believe me?"
Meng Qianqian coolly said, "His arm is dislocated, of course he's crying. If you don't put him down soon, he may cry himself to death from pain."
The brute snarled, "If he dies, I'll just grab another one! Simple as that!"
A lady nearest to Lin Wan'er meekly said, "Aren't you the General's wife? Why don't you think of a solution!"
The lightly injured brute had sharp ears and immediately caught this. "Who's the General's wife?" he roared.
The lady pointed at Lin Wan'er: "Her!"
"My young lady isn't! She is!"
Lu Luo adamantly pointed at Meng Qianqian.
The brute gritted his teeth. "Damn it! Which of you is it?"
"I am."
Meng Qianqian stepped forward unhurriedly, "My husband, Lu Lingxiao, beheaded your Prince Beiliang and slaughtered ten thousand of your soldiers. Taking me back will be far more valuable than anyone else here."
Madam Wang turned pale. "Beiliang?! They're Beiliang men?"
"Brother," the lightly injured brute addressed the other.
The other man's cold gaze swung between Meng Qianqian and Lin Wan'er. "Take both! One of them must be real!"
The lightly injured brute hesitated. "But the child…"
"Kill him!"
"Ah—" The crowd screamed in horror.
At that exact moment, the main door slammed open with a resounding bang.
Lu Lingxiao walked in clad in silver armor, like a deity descending to earth, radiating an overpowering aura.
The two Beiliang spies froze in their tracks.
Lin Wan'er rushed toward Lu Lingxiao.
Meng Qianqian, meanwhile, lunged at the Beiliang spy, snatching the child away and deftly popping his arm back into place.
Having lost his hostage, the spy pressed his blade against Meng Qianqian's throat.
At the same time, Lin Wan'er was ensnared by the Nine-section Whip of the other spy and dragged backward.
Lu Lingxiao could only save one.
His teeth clenched as he swung his saber, cleaving the Nine-section Whip in half!
Lin Wan'er fell into his arms, trembling as he held her tightly, though his gaze remained fixed on his wife, who was being taken away by the Beiliang spies.
Meng Qianqian stayed quiet and motionless, neither screaming for help nor panicking.
Lu Lingxiao's expression froze, his grip tightening around the hilt of his saber.