AUBTN -Chapter 155 The Princess Returns to the Capital

The day the commerce guild opened was an auspicious one.

Lanterns and banners adorned the entrance, and the sound of gongs and drums filled the air.

Several daring women, some with veils over their faces, others wearing hoods, gathered in small clusters at the doorway, their eyes a mix of curiosity and longing.

Just as Su Hewan was about to unveil the plaque and deliver her speech, a shrill chorus of shouting broke through the festive atmosphere.

“Get out here! Let that Yú woman show herself!”

A young scholar in a long robe appeared, accompanied by a group of ruffians and thugs, storming forward with full force.

This man was none other than Yuan Zhiwen, the scholar who had been recently taken to court by his wife demanding a divorce.

His wife, having worked as an assistant at Hua Xiangrong’s, had earned her own income and could no longer tolerate his domestic abuse, resolutely filing for divorce—a scandal that had spread like wildfire across the capital.

Feeling humiliated, Yuan Zhiwen blamed the women’s guild for everything.

“You corrupt, immoral harlots!” Yuan Zhiwen pointed at Su Hewan and shouted, venom in his voice.

“Luring virtuous women, tearing apart other people’s marriages! Today, I’ll smash this den of vice!”

“Yes! Smash it!” the thugs behind him cheered, picking up stones from the ground to hurl inside.

The women watching screamed in terror and backed away, and the situation quickly spiraled out of control.

Yu Qing, furious, rolled up her sleeves and was about to rush forward. “With my temper, and with Lu Yan not here, I’ll personally teach him a lesson!”

Su Hewan grabbed her.

“Qingqing, don’t act rashly!”

She hadn’t expected anyone to cause trouble today either.

“You don’t know martial arts, so stay calm! Lu Yan and Shen Jue have left people to help us—don’t rush!”

Just as Yuan Zhiwen raised a brick to smash the gilded sign of the guild—

Before Lu Yan’s people could arrive, suddenly—swish!

A stone shot through the air and struck Yuan Zhiwen’s wrist with pinpoint accuracy.

“Ah!” Yuan Zhiwen screamed in pain, the brick falling on his own foot. He clutched it and hopped around in agony.

“Who—who dares to ambush me, a scholar?!”

“Your aunt!”

A heroic figure leapt down from the second-floor railing, landing steadily at the guild’s entrance.

The newcomer appeared to be around thirty, dressed in practical combat attire, her hair tied high, gripping a waist-high staff, her gaze fierce and commanding.

It was none other than Lin Wannian, the widow of the former General Wei Yuan, recently thrown out by her in-laws and taken in by Su Hewan.

Lin Wannian came from a family of military officers and was highly skilled in martial arts. She had fallen on hard times after her husband’s death and the seizure of her family property by relatives. After joining the guild, Su Hewan had not only helped her reclaim her inheritance through legal action but also hired her as the martial arts instructor.

“A bunch of grown men bullying a few weak women—don’t you even have an ounce of decency?”

Lin Wannian sneered, spinning her staff to create a gust of wind.

“If you don’t want broken arms and legs, get out!”

The thugs, seeing a woman in front of them, grew contemptuous. “Oh? Where did this she-devil come from? Brothers, attack together! Let her know the might of real men!”

The crowd surged forward.

Lin Wannian moved like lightning, her staff whirling.

“Bang! Bang! Bang!”

With the sounds of wailing and crashing, the ruffians were sent sprawling, one by one, teeth flying, lying in a chaotic heap.

Yuan Zhiwen, terrified, trembled as he pointed at Lin Wannian. “Y-you… you… disgrace the scholarly order! Only women and villains…”

“Smack!”

Lin Wannian’s palm struck him, spinning him around three times on the spot.

“Refined my foot! Why weren’t you refined when hitting a woman? Why aren’t you refined when living off someone else?”

Lin Wannian looked down at him, her eyes blazing with murderous intent.

Then her gaze swept across everyone present.

“From now on, anyone who dares to cause trouble in the Women’s Guild—this will be the result!”

The entire hall fell silent.

Moments later, it erupted with thunderous applause and cheers.

The women who had been trembling before now looked at Lin Wannian as if witnessing a goddess descending from the heavens.

So, women could be this strong!

So, women didn’t always have to hide behind men!

Yu Qing was so moved she nearly cried. She ran forward and hugged Lin Wannian’s thigh. “Wannian! You’re amazing! You’re literally my idol!”

She turned to the crowd and declared loudly, “I hereby announce that from today, Lin Wannian will serve as the Head of Security for our Women’s Guild! At the same time, we will establish the first all-female security team in the capital! Whether you want to learn self-defense or join the security team, all are welcome!”

“Great!”

The crowd roared with excitement.

In the distance, on the second floor of a teahouse’s private room,

Lu Yan and Shen Jue stood side by side, watching the scene unfold.

“Tsk, looks like we’re somewhat redundant,” Shen Jue said, shaking his jade-bone fan. Though he spoke casually, the pride in his eyes couldn’t be hidden.

Lu Yan watched Yu Qing dancing excitedly in the crowd, and the corners of his mouth involuntarily curved upward. “That girl certainly has her tricks.”

He paused, then suddenly said, “Should we pull back some of the Eastern Depot and Imperial Guards personnel? Judging by the scene, Lin Wannian alone could take on ten men.”

Shen Jue glanced at him sideways and sneered.

“Dream on. Those old stubborn types won’t give up easily. If they could mobilize one person today, tomorrow they could have ten or eight!”

“Besides, I think this is just the appetizer. The obvious trouble has been dealt with, but the hidden…”

A cold glint flickered in Shen Jue’s eyes.

“Naturally, that’ll be our job to clean up.”

Lu Yan nodded, unusually without arguing.

Two men who were usually like fire and water had reached an unprecedented consensus when it came to protecting their women.

No sooner had the Women’s Guild incident calmed down than an even bigger event struck the capital!

In these past few days, even the street vendors selling baked cakes knew that the eldest princess of Huachang County, Li Yunxi, had returned.

During the late emperor’s reign, this eldest princess had been the cherished pearl in the palm of the court.

Though her prince consort had passed away early, her return with the youngest prince was arranged on an even grander scale than her wedding years ago.

Most astonishingly, the young new emperor personally went out of the city to welcome her!

And, as the new emperor’s right-hand men, Shen Jue and Lu Yan naturally accompanied the escort.

The entire capital buzzed with excitement all day!

Meanwhile, in the private teahouse behind Hua Xiangrong’s residence, the atmosphere was freezing.

Yu Qing slammed the sunflower seed shells into the plate with a clatter.

“What do you mean by childhood sweethearts meeting again? What do you mean by past affections being hard to forget? This plot is more melodramatic than I am!”

Su Hewan held her teacup, her face calm as ever.

“Rumors can’t be entirely trusted, but there’s often some truth to every wind that comes from an empty hole.”

Her voice was icy cold.

“According to the information I’ve gathered, before Li Yunxi married, she did indeed maintain a good relationship with the Lu family. Lu Yan had once been a palace companion in his youth, so they were… childhood sweethearts.”

“And there’s Shen Jue as well.”