Wen Tao was lounging with his feet up in his Huai'an residence, waiting for the new bride to arrive. The front hall was filled with a crowd of similar-aged, good-for-nothing friends all waiting to congratulate him. Yan Hong, the Fourth Concubine who had accompanied him from Suzhou, was practically craning her neck to get a glimpse of the new woman's beauty.
As the young master of the Salt Gang, Wen Tao was fawned over by a pack of young men wherever he went. The only exception was Bai Shiqi from the Grain Transport Gang; the two had been at each other's throats since childhood, much to the helplessness of their respective fathers, Bai Zhenting and Wen Bao.
A young man who had once heard Fourth Miss Song perform storytelling took the opportunity to flatter him: "Brother Wen, your luck with women is truly enviable. That Fourth Miss Song is not only full of stories but also literate and exceptionally beautiful. Today, we brothers must properly celebrate Brother Wen's acquisition of such a beauty!"
Wen Tao laughed triumphantly and raised his cup first: "Come, come, your young master here is a bridegroom every other day. What's so special about taking a concubine? Let's down a cup first!"
Just as everyone raised their cups in agreement, a man rushed in from outside, a red silk ribbon still tied around his waist—the very attire of the gang members sent to the Song family to fetch the bride that day. His face was a mask of panic as he shouted upon entering: "Young Master, it's terrible! Someone has snatched the bride!"
Furious, Wen Tao threw his cup to the ground and sprang to his feet. He was about as tall as Zhao Wujiu, his lean frame wrapped in thin clothes revealing sturdy, well-defined muscles and honey-colored skin. His thick, bold eyebrows bristled with anger as he interrogated the messenger: "Which bastard dares to ruin my good fortune?"
The messenger, stealing glances at his expression, hesitated to speak, and Wen Tao immediately caught on.
"Bai Shiqi is back?"
The man nodded frantically, his ability to speak instantly restored: "Not only is he back, but he... he also beat up Brother Hu Xian. He's blocking the road, not letting the wedding procession pass, and demands that you, Young Master, go personally to collect the man..."
Wen Tao sneered: "Saddle my horse at once."
The other young men who had come to offer congratulations all knew Bai Shiqi. Hearing that this troublemaker was back, they chimed in: "Brother Wen, we'll go with you to bolster your presence."
"Exactly, Bai Shiqi is too reckless. The Song family accepted a hefty sum for her freedom; that money can't just go to waste..."
Some were there for the spectacle, but even more were fanning the flames, adding fuel to the fire, wishing for nothing more than chaos and eager to see these two clash.
His subordinates brought over a horse. Wen Tao, his expression stern, mounted in one fluid motion, dug his heels into the horse's sides, and charged off. Those left behind chuckled and commented: "Brother Wen seems truly furious this time."
Someone in the know shook his head: "I'm afraid the one who's truly furious is Bai Shiqi, not Brother Wen. I hear Bai Shiqi has a particular fondness for Fourth Miss Song. Every time he comes to Huai'an, he inevitably runs to the Song family. If not for Boss Bai's thunderous methods keeping him in check, she might have long been carried into the Bai residence in Suzhou as a concubine. He just returned from the capital. Hearing his beloved woman is getting married, it'd be strange if he didn't go mad!"
Wen Tao saw Bai Shiqi from afar, sitting on a strange contraption. Yu Si stood bent at the waist beside him, practically folding himself into a shrimp, pleading bitterly: "Young Master, we're not in the right here. Shouldn't we just go back?"
Bai Shiqi acted as if he hadn't heard. Wen Tao rode closer and nearly exploded with rage at the sight.
Hu Xian knelt on all fours, his face bruised and swollen. A blanket was draped over his back, and Bai Shiqi was sitting on it, toying with a small knife, occasionally tracing it near the kneeling Hu Xian's neck: "Hu Xian, you can only blame yourself for following an unreliable master. Of all people to provoke, you had to come snatch this young master's woman. You know, right? One slice across this spot, blood spurting ten yards, and your little life is finished!"
Hu Xian felt the cold blade against his neck and couldn't help but shudder.
The Salt Gang members of the wedding party stood at a distance, not daring to make a move—who could have imagined Young Master Bai would be this much of a scoundrel? He had pulled Hu Xian off his horse without a word and given him a thorough beating. By the time they reacted to rescue him, he already had a dagger pressed to Hu Xian's throat, forcing everyone to retreat.
Wen Tao's eyes were red with anger: "Bai Shiqi, you go too far!"
Bai Shiqi played with his personal small knife carelessly: "Likewise, likewise. Isn't this exactly the day you were waiting for?"
Wen Tao had indeed intended to cause trouble from the start; otherwise, with so many talented and beautiful courtesans in all of Huai'an, why would he fixate on Fourth Miss Song? Exposed by Bai Shiqi, he pretended not to hear and fumed: "If you truly fancied Fourth Miss, you didn't have to fight me for her. Just say the word, and this brother would have handed her over with both hands. Beating my attendant in the street—does that really make you look good?"
"You mean that?" Bai Shiqi put away the knife, patted Hu Xian's face, got a handful of greasy sweat, and disdainfully wiped it on his clothes a few times. He stood up and kicked him twice: "Your master's here. Scram!"
Hu Xian, as if granted amnesty, scrambled and crawled over to Wen Tao.
Wen Tao looked down from his horse at Bai Shiqi, a malicious smile spreading across his face: "Anyway, the person has already been redeemed from the Song family. There's absolutely no reason to send her back. Besides, Fourth Miss is no longer young; she ought to find a good match. Today, either you marry her, or I do!"
Bai Shiqi: "..."
Wen Tao seemed to detect his underlying weakness and mocked him loudly: "Rumors outside say Young Master Bai is a youthful romantic. Turns out he's all show and no substance!" He directed the wedding procession: "Since I've come personally to fetch her, everyone perk up and head back to the residence. The banquet is already set up; we can't keep the guests waiting with empty cups. I'm still to be a bridegroom today."
"On such an auspicious day, you beat Hu Xian. Let's just say he was clumsy and fell on his own. I won't pursue that. Since you've happened upon this, why not send over a generous wedding gift? Then I'll let this matter drop." He urged his horse forward and used his whip to lift the sedan chair curtain. Inside, the bride's veil had long fallen off. Her mouth was stuffed with red silk, her makeup ruined by tears. She was tightly bound with red silk ropes, clearly unwilling about this marriage, having been tied up and stuffed into the wedding sedan.
Bai Shiqi had been too busy fighting to spare a glance inside the sedan. Turning his head and seeing this scene, he nearly fainted with rage: "Wen Tao, you bastard! You'd even resort to abducting a commoner's daughter!"
Wen Tao ran his whip along Fourth Miss Song's cheek, showing not a hint of tenderness toward women: "So, you're about to marry me, but your heart is still thinking of some other rogue?"
The Grain Transport Gang's carriage was parked to the side. From the bride-snatching and beating until now, Zhao Wujiu had remained seated calmly inside the carriage. Zhao Ziheng had wanted to get out and join the excitement several times but was stopped by his cousin's stern gaze. He could only lift the curtain unwillingly to watch the commotion. Seeing Bai Shiqi fight, he wished he could cheer him on. Now, seeing the instigator was such a scoundrel, he could no longer hold back. He lifted the carriage curtain and shouted: "Seventeen! She's just a concubine. Take her if you take her. If you bring her home, you can treat her well. If you let this fellow take her back, who knows, in three to five years she might just fade away and die!"
Bai Shiqi felt as if he had swallowed a bitter pill, his suffering inexpressible.
Wen Tao had not come for a fight. He retracted his whip, wearing a half-smile. "Seventeen, I'm just waiting for your word! This girl is getting married today, one way or another—either you take her, or I do. I have plenty of concubines and maids in my rear courtyard to serve me; this one is just for novelty. But I've heard... you're quite fond of this girl. If I really take her into my household, don't you go regretting it later!"
Bai Shiqi suddenly understood. "So you set a trap for me?"
Wen Tao burst into loud laughter, his dashing eyebrows raised, his eyes filled with indescribable glee. "Seeing you in a dilemma, giving you a little trouble—that's worth every bit of silver I spent!" He looked down from his horse at Bai Shiqi's handsome face. "This isn't some sinister plot. It's just a woman. If you want her, I'll hand her over without a second thought. The wedding feast at my place is all ready. We'll have her serve tea as the fourth concubine, and I'll handle all the rest for you! But if you're unwilling—" his expression turned cold, "then I'm sorry. I'm taking Fourth Miss Song today."
Even Zhao Ziheng, inside the carriage, was anxious for her. "Seventeen, just take her! If that scoundrel marries her and takes her home, she'll really be done for."
Zhao Wujiu coughed, but couldn't stop the boy's reckless talk.
Qiu Yunping kept quiet, hiding in the carriage. Shu Changfeng quietly asked him, "It's just a woman. Why is the Young Gang Leader so hesitant?"
A look of melancholy crossed his face. "The Young Gang Leader has fallen into Wen Tao's trap. If the Gang Leader finds out he took a concubine, he'll really break his legs. It's one thing for him to carouse outside, but bringing an outside woman home is forbidden."
Shu Changfeng: "..."
With Gang Leader Bai managing so strictly, Bai Shiqi could still be this unruly. If he relaxed even a little, one hardly dared imagine her future 'glorious achievements.'
Inside the bridal sedan, Fourth Miss Song gazed at Bai Shiqi with tearful, blurred eyes, silently pleading for rescue. Bai Shiqi gritted her teeth and made her decision. "Then I'll accept Brother Wen's offer this time. I'll gladly take her!"
An inscrutable, shadowed look flashed in Wen Tao's eyes, but it quickly cleared away. He jumped off his horse and gave her shoulder two heavy pats. "Mount up, let's go home and drink the wedding wine!"
Hu Xian stared dumbfounded at the scene, not understanding why the Young Gang Leader had changed his mind so quickly. Wen Tao kicked him. "Idiot! Lead the way!"
Yu Si was miserable and tried to persuade her further. "Young Gang Leader, you must think this over!"
Wen Tao roughly pushed him aside and, with mockery, bent in an exaggerated bow. "This humble one will help the groom mount his horse." It was a humility never seen from him before.
Bai Shiqi knew full well she was stepping into a pit, yet she had no choice but to resign herself to the jump. She avoided his hand and swung onto the horse. "Brother Wen, are you planning to follow me back to Suzhou too, to see with your own eyes how my father breaks my legs?"
Wen Tao's face changed with astonishing speed, making one suspect he never had any real intention of marrying Fourth Miss Song. "What? It's been a long time since I've seen Uncle Bai. I'll escort the newlyweds back and pay my respects to the old gentleman!" He clutched his chest in an exaggerated show of heartache. "I've lost both silver and a beauty. Can't you let me watch a little drama to make up for it?"
Bai Shiqi really wanted to scoff in his face—since they were kids, this guy's favorite show wasn't the plays on stage, but the chaotic scenes between father and son in the Bai household!
The wedding procession set off again, still heading to the Wen residence, but the groom had been swapped for another.
