TFWYH – Chapter 682 Bullying Others by Taking Advantage of Their Power

What?

Everyone around them was stunned.

For a moment, the crowd stared at Ling Yue as if they had seen a ghost, completely unable to believe what they had just heard.

The Minister of Revenue?

Wasn’t that the recently famous new Top Scholar, Ling Yu, whose rise through the ranks had been as fast as a rocket?

And wasn’t his wife the adopted daughter of the Imperial Noble Consort and the County Lady of Wengnai?

Shopkeeper Wu was the first to recover from the shock. Letting out a startled cry, he exclaimed:

“Impossible! What noble family’s young lady runs around outside alone dressed like that?”

That coarse cotton jacket of yours doesn’t look anything like what a noble young lady would wear!

Now that the truth was out, Ling Yue no longer saw any need to hide it.

In fact, when she saw the panic on Shopkeeper Wu’s face, she felt an unexpected sense of satisfaction.

Looking at him coldly, she sneered.

“Who says a noble family’s daughter must be dressed in silk and satin and surrounded by servants? Before my elder brother became an official, we were nothing more than villagers. So was I. We understand better than anyone how difficult ordinary people’s lives can be. My brother and sister-in-law have always taught me to be cautious in my words and actions, to never forget where I came from no matter how high I rise, and never to use power to bully others.”

“Well said!”

The moment she finished speaking, someone in the crowd loudly cheered.

“As expected of the Top Scholar’s sister! What a strict and admirable family upbringing!”

“Exactly! So many people become arrogant the moment they gain power and status. She’s completely different.”

“Just look at it. Other officials’ daughters travel in luxurious carriages surrounded by attendants. But the Top Scholar’s sister still dresses simply. What’s the difference between her and ordinary people like us?”

“Where are all the people who were accusing her earlier? Come on, keep talking now!”

…

The crowd’s attitude completely reversed.

The same people who had doubted her moments ago were now full of praise and admiration.

Under normal circumstances, Ling Yue would already have been embarrassed by all the attention.

But this time, she was genuinely furious.

She was only fourteen years old.

Her sister-in-law had even said she was still just a baby.

And yet someone had shamelessly accused this “baby” of seducing men.

Damn it!

When a tiger doesn’t roar, do you think it’s just a harmless house cat?

The more Ling Yue thought about it, the angrier she became.

The disgust in her eyes as she looked at Shopkeeper Wu deepened.

“So because I dressed simply and didn’t have servants following me around, Shopkeeper Wu assumed I was some loose and improper girl? You thought I could be humiliated at will. You thought I had no backing and couldn’t do anything to you. Is that it?

Who exactly gave you such ridiculous confidence? In broad daylight, under the clear sky, you dare harass a respectable young woman. And when your advances fail, you turn around and accuse the victim instead. Is there any law left in your eyes at all?”

Shopkeeper Wu’s face turned deathly pale.

His legs gave out beneath him, and he collapsed to his knees.

His eyes darted around frantically while cold sweat poured from his forehead as he desperately searched for an explanation.

Seeing this, Yu Ziqing smiled faintly.

“Shopkeeper Wu, surely you’re not still going to insist that my little sister here seduced you, are you? Everyone knows Lord Ling Yu is handsome enough to rival Pan An himself. His sister’s standards…”

He chuckled.

“Well, even if she wanted to seduce someone, it certainly wouldn’t be you.”

“I wouldn’t dare! I wouldn’t dare!”

Shopkeeper Wu nearly cried.

“This… this is all a misunderstanding! Yes, a misunderstanding!”

Yet he couldn’t explain exactly what had been misunderstood.

If the girl didn’t have such powerful backing, he could still have claimed she was greedy for wealth and status.

But she was the Minister’s own younger sister.

She lacked neither money nor influence.

Why would she lower herself to curry favor with a mere shopkeeper?

Just as Shopkeeper Wu was panicking and didn’t know what to do, his eyes suddenly landed on Pan Xingyao among the spectators.

His eyes lit up instantly.

Almost crawling on his hands and knees, he rushed over to her and grabbed the hem of her skirt.

“Second Miss! Please save this servant! Please say a few good words for me! This really was a misunderstanding! I… I didn’t know this young lady was Lord Shangshu’s sister at first! If I’d known, even if I had a hundred times more courage, I never would have dared offend her!”