Lu Yuan was speechless.

Heh.

’Why does that make me sound like a coward?’

Of course, now wasn’t the time to dwell on it. He would explain everything to his wife and mother-in-law later.

Right now, he had to hurry over and make sure his mother-in-law was okay.

Without another thought, Lu Yuan got out of the carriage and hurried toward the flickering firelight in the distance.

Su Liyan was also incredibly anxious and couldn’t bear to stay in the carriage.

She got out as well, stumbling along behind her man as they hurried toward the disturbance.

...

A group of torch-wielding Zhao Family Travelers had formed a circle.

Inside it stood a dozen or so people.

These dozen or so people were cursing and clamoring about something.

However, they weren’t speaking the official language, but a local dialect.

It was hard to understand what they were saying.

But you didn’t need to understand the words.

Just one look at their snarling faces and loud shouting was enough to know they weren’t saying anything pleasant.

Of course, the Zhao Family Travelers weren’t about to indulge them.

’Damn, these motherfuckers have already been caught and tied up, and they still have the nerve to act so tough?’

One of the more hot-tempered Travelers went up and started kicking the one who wouldn’t shut up.

He aimed specifically for his mouth.

A few kicks later, the man’s mouth was a bloody mess, his teeth knocked out.

That shut him up. He didn’t dare make another sound.

At the same time, Lu Yuan and Su Liyan arrived.

The surrounding Zhao Family Travelers immediately parted to form a path, allowing Lu Yuan and Su Liyan to walk through and see.

He first looked around and asked:

"Where’s my mother-in-law?"

As soon as Lu Yuan finished speaking, the crowd parted again.

At this moment, Lu Yuan’s mother-in-law squeezed through.

As soon as she entered the circle, she looked at Lu Yuan, completely mortified.

"Yuan’er, this was my fault..."

However, just as she finished speaking, one of the men in the crowd immediately shouted:

"No, this has nothing to do with the Old Madam!"

After he spoke, another man immediately chimed in to support him:

"That’s right!

This has nothing to do with the Old Madam. She was just muttering a bit outside the camp.

Just shooing away these Xingzi, that’s all.

It was supposed to be a simple matter, but then someone in this group had to be so damn arrogant.

They opened their mouths and started calling her a damned mutt and whatnot.

You think we’re just going to stand for that?!"

As he spoke, the other Travelers around them began to clamor in agreement.

They all shouted that they couldn’t possibly stand for it.

’After all, we’re usually the ones acting tough with others. Back in Taiping City, who would dare to act tough with us?’

After hearing everyone’s explanation, Lu Yuan finally understood what had happened.

He breathed a sigh of relief.

’That’s good, then.’

’Good grief. With all that commotion, I thought the Beast Race had charged in.’

’That scared me to death.’

Lu Yuan then turned back to his mother-in-law and asked hurriedly:

"Mom, are you okay?"

Lu Yuan was afraid she might have been injured in the commotion.

His mother-in-law quickly replied:

"I’m fine, I’m fine... I’m alright, it’s just..."

Lu Yuan’s mother-in-law felt incredibly guilty.

’No matter how you look at it, this is all my fault.’

’If only I’d taken a proper look before I started trying to shoo them away, maybe none of this would have happened.’

’And now...’

Lu Yuan could see what his mother-in-law was thinking.

He knew his mother-in-law well.

Because of her past, she was always cautious and careful in everything she did.

’For something like this to happen,’ Lu Yuan thought, ’she must be feeling incredibly guilty.’

He immediately looked at his mother-in-law and said:

"Mom, their mistake is their mistake. Don’t blame yourself.

You didn’t do a single thing wrong, so don’t you feel bad.

Stop worrying. It’s nothing."

After he finished speaking, Lu Yuan looked at the two Travelers not far away.

They were the ones who had spoken up first, and he said loudly to them:

"You two did the right thing. Absolutely nothing wrong with it.

I’ve taken note. When we get back, there will be a handsome reward for both of you!"

After Lu Yuan spoke, the two men cheered excitedly.

This made everyone else nearby quite envious.

’Damn it, why couldn’t we have been the ones to run into the Old Madam?’

’If we had, we would’ve handled it even better than those two.’

As the two Travelers were cheering,

Lu Yuan turned his gaze to the dozen or so people slumped on the ground.

But before Lu Yuan could even ask what was going on,

A clamor of noise arose in the distance.

Everyone turned to look and saw a group of people with torches running toward them from the direction of the county town.

Even from a distance, they could see the Crossing Sabers hanging at their waists in the firelight.

It was clear that these were the Officials from the county town.

Such a loud commotion was bound to draw them out to investigate.

Seeing the Officials was no big deal.

Lu Yuan wasn’t afraid. After all, he himself was the County Magistrate of a Seventh Grade middle county.

Immediately, Lu Yuan prepared to go and meet them.

However, when the dozen or so people slumped on the ground heard and saw the approaching group, they suddenly perked up.

They stared at Lu Yuan with venomous expressions and gnashed their teeth.

"You just wait!!

You!!"

But before they could finish, a nearby Zhao Family Traveler strode over and shut them up with another kick.

They were silenced once more.

Soon, the Officials from the county town arrived.

The moment their leader arrived, Lu Yuan decided against playing coy or feigning weakness to catch them off guard.

’After all, what’s the point of putting on an act for these guys?

Besides, it’s late and I’m tired. I need to get some sleep. We have to be on the road again tomorrow.’

Lu Yuan cupped his hands toward the arriving Officials and announced:

"Gentlemen, I am the County Magistrate of Taiping City, passing through here today and camping for the night.

Some of your local Spirit Binders have exceptionally foul mouths.

So we tied them up for you.

I won’t pursue the matter with you this time, but you should pay more attention in the future!"

Lu Yuan directly revealed his identity.

His words stunned the dozen or so people slumped on the ground for a moment.

The arriving Officials were also stunned for a moment.

They had not expected that the County Magistrate of Taiping City was the man right in front of them.

As for Lu Yuan...

To be honest, whether it was in Luxi, the Provincial City, or the coastal areas of Lu Dong,

Lu Yuan’s name was well-known.

After all, whether it was the tricycle, the bicycle, or the earlier Liu Family case from the newspapers,

Everyone knew of Lu Yuan.

Not to mention that he later became the County Magistrate of Taiping City.

Everyone knew about this.

Lu Yuan could be considered the most famous County Magistrate in all of Qilu.

The lead Official sized Lu Yuan up.

His age seemed to match the rumors.

Plus, with such a large entourage, it didn’t seem like he was lying.

First, he was silent. Then, he ignored Lu Yuan and ran towards the dozen or so people slumped on the ground.

The Officials from the county town proceeded to help the dozen or so people to their feet.

This took Lu Yuan by surprise.

’After all, who am I?

What’s my status?’

Of course, Lu Yuan wasn’t saying he should be smug about his status as a County Magistrate.

It’s just that...

’An Official from some county town hears my title and doesn’t even offer a simple bow?’

’Even if I’m not his direct superior, isn’t my status worth a bow from a minor Official like him?’

While Lu Yuan was still in a daze,

one of the men who had been helped up wiped the blood from his mouth and the dirt from his clothes.

The next second, he pointed at Lu Yuan’s nose and started cursing loudly:

"So what if you’re the County Magistrate of Taiping City!!

So what if you’re the County Magistrate of Taiping City?!! You tell me!!

You damned mutt!!

I’m telling you!! You’re not walking away from this!!"

Lu Yuan’s face was a mask of confusion.

’I didn’t want to stir up trouble. It was just a matter of some arrogant guy mouthing off to my mother-in-law.

But it was really just some trash talk.

We already beat them up and let off some steam.

So why are they acting all high and mighty now?’

He was especially baffled that this guy wasn’t the least bit afraid of his status as a County Magistrate.

’Why?’

’Even if my jurisdiction as a County Magistrate doesn’t extend to him, my relationship with the Governor is common knowledge.’

After all, Lu Yuan’s position as County Magistrate had been granted by the Lord Governor himself.

’He’s not even afraid of that?’

After thinking it over, Lu Yuan suddenly understood.

Ohh~~

’I remember now.’

’This territory...’

’This is King Lu’s fiefdom!!’