Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Four
The person Yao Shuheng found was called Liu Mazi. He wasn't from Li'an County but was a small-time hoodlum from neighboring Liu Yang County.
Yao Shuheng's plan in finding someone wasn't to actually harm Li Zhiwei. He merely wanted to stage a heroic rescue to win his cousin's affection.
However, Yao Shuheng was unaware that Li Zhiwei had hidden guards protecting her.
He only thought she had two insignificant little maids by her side.
At the time, he found an excuse to send the two maids away.
Then, he drugged both Li Zhiwei and Xu Qingshi.
After that, he pretended to have been captured along with them.
Liu Mazi had heard of Li Zhiwei long ago and had always wanted to meet the young mistress of the Li family. But how would a young lady from such a wealthy family pay any attention to a lowly ruffian like him?
Liu Mazi spent his days dreaming that one day, a wealthy young lady from a storybook would fall for him, take him back to her mansion, and they would live a life of luxury and indulgence.
Now, the young mistress from the wealthiest family in the entire region was right before his eyes.
Liu Mazi had long since forgotten the purpose for which Yao Shuheng had sought him out.
At this moment, he was completely immersed in the excitement of soon becoming the Li family's son-in-law.
Li Zhiwei was utterly disgusted by Liu Mazi's lecherous gaze, but she was currently tied up.
Li Zhiwei thought to herself, were the hidden guards Xu Heming had arranged for her really this incompetent?
They couldn't even handle such a minor character?
And what about Qinghua and Qingyue?
Weren't they supposed to protect her without leaving her side?
Had something happened to them as well?
"Don't worry, little lady. Once you're with me, I'll treat you right," Liu Mazi paid no mind to Li Zhiwei's thoughts. He reached out to touch her beautiful face.
Looking at Li Zhiwei's flawless, delicate skin, Liu Mazi thought to himself that young ladies from rich families were truly different.
Just as Liu Mazi's hand was about to touch Li Zhiwei, Xu Qingshi suddenly sprang to his feet and kicked Liu Mazi.
Caught off guard, Liu Mazi fell flat on his back.
"Hey, you little brat!" Liu Mazi hadn't expected a mere child like Xu Qingshi to dare kick him.
He scrambled up, intending to hit Xu Qingshi.
Without a second thought, Li Zhiwei shielded the boy behind her.
In her heart, she prayed that her people would find this place soon.
From the side, Yao Shuheng shot a cold glare.
He couldn't understand why Liu Mazi wasn't following the plan and instead dared to covet his cousin?
Unfortunately, Liu Mazi had never intended to follow his plan from the start.
He had even tied Yao Shuheng's ropes extra tight.
"What are you glaring at?" Liu Mazi felt quite pleased with himself seeing Yao Shuheng's look. "You don't know, do you? It was this pretty boy who hired me to kidnap you," Liu Mazi said, brushing off his pants and pointing at Yao Shuheng.
After all, Xu Qingshi was just a child; he had plenty of ways to deal with him later since they were all in his hands now. He would definitely get revenge for that fall.
But before that, he didn't mind doing his future little lady a favor by revealing this pretty boy's ambitions to her.
Li Zhiwei looked at Yao Shuheng in disbelief.
She couldn't understand why her cousin would do such a thing?
"No! No! No!" Yao Shuheng shook his head frantically, but his mouth was also tightly gagged, making it impossible for him to say anything.
Li Zhiwei frowned. If Yao Shuheng really was the one who hired this man, why was he here too?
"This pretty boy wanted me to kidnap you so he could stage a heroic rescue. He has feelings for you," Liu Mazi stated bluntly without any courtesy.
Li Zhiwei was shocked.
Her cousin had feelings for her?
How was that possible?
"You're lying!" Yao Shuheng struggled fiercely and finally managed to spit out the cloth gagging his mouth.
"Whether I'm lying or not, you know in your heart. The silver you gave me is still right here," Liu Mazi said, pulling a silver ingot from his pocket.
"Hah, how can you prove that silver ingot came from me?" Yao Shuheng looked at Li Zhiwei with a panicked expression, afraid she would misunderstand.
Seeing that Yao Shuheng had already spit out his gag, Liu Mazi simply pulled the cloths from Li Zhiwei's and Xu Qingshi's mouths as well.
He quite enjoyed watching people turn on each other.
"Cousin, don't believe him. This man kidnapped us. His scheme is probably just to extort some silver," Yao Shuheng explained.
"Why did you bring me here?" Li Zhiwei no longer looked at Yao Shuheng. Instead, she turned to Liu Mazi and asked.
"Why? Naturally, to marry you and take you home, little lady!" Liu Mazi finished and let out a lewd chuckle.
"To think that I, Liu Mazi, would have such luck, actually able to marry the daughter of the Li family, the richest man around. From now on, the Li family's wealth will all be mine, haha!" Liu Mazi said triumphantly.
"You're dreaming! My mother belongs to my royal father! If you dare harm my mother, my royal father will not let you off!" Upon hearing this, Xu Qingshi immediately protested.
In his persistent belief, Li Zhiwei was his royal father's princess consort, his mother.
"Well, well, 'Royal Father'? I hear you're a little thing from the capital. Seems you're not of low status. I wonder, how much silver could I, Liu Mazi, get in exchange for you?" Liu Mazi didn't actually know what kind of king 'Royal Father' referred to, but it sounded quite impressive.
But so what? Li'an County was a place where the sky was high and the emperor far away. Those people couldn't do much to him anyway.
Meanwhile, Yao Shuheng, standing to the side, was momentarily stunned upon hearing this. He hadn't expected this little brat to be the child of a prince?
Thinking this, Yao Shuheng's gaze towards Li Zhiwei became even more determined, more possessive.
A woman favored by a prince, yet in the end, she would marry him.
At this thought, the corner of Yao Shuheng's mouth lifted slightly, as if he could already see the look of sorrow on that powerful man's face when Li Zhiwei married him.
"I advise you to be sensible and stay away from my mother. My mother is not someone just anyone can touch. Otherwise, you'll regret it later," Xu Qingshi declared haughtily, chin raised.
"Enough nonsense, little lady. If you agree to submit to me today, I'll let these two nuisances go. How about it?" Liu Mazi ignored Xu Qingshi's bluster and instead looked at Li Zhiwei as he asked.
"You know my father is now an official of the court. If you dare harm me, my father will not let you go," Li Zhiwei said, looking at Liu Mazi.
"Haha, how will he not let me go? It's even better that your father is an official! After all, your father only has you, this one daughter. Once I marry you, won't your father have to support me? Haha, to think I, Liu Mazi, would have a day when I could become an official too!" The more he thought about it, the more excited Liu Mazi became.
"I was wondering why this fellow wanted to play the hero saving the beauty for you. He must also know about your father becoming an official, right?" Liu Mazi added, looking at Yao Shuheng.
Yao Shuheng glared fiercely at Liu Mazi, his heart filled with regret.
