I only wished to take up my fiefdom, but my elder brother forced me to rebel.

Lu Yuan looked Zhao Mingzhu up and down, and finally couldn't help but laugh.

He was stabbed last night, but he mistakenly entered a woman's boudoir, hid in the bathtub, and was then hit with a stick.

Now that she's awake, she actually has to help her drive away her cousin who came to propose marriage.

What kind of mess is this?

"What are you laughing at?"

"It's nothing."

Lu Yuan took half a step closer to her. "Let me confirm one more time. Is it enough if the other party cancels the engagement?"

"That's right."

"You don't care what methods I use?"

After hearing this, Zhao Mingzhu felt that something was not right.

"What are you going to do?"

I haven't decided yet.

Lu Yuan put on his outer robe, took the belt handed to him by the maid, and slowly tied it on.

"We might reason with him, appeal to his emotions, or he might give up on his own."

Zhao Mingzhu felt that something was wrong, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it, so she simply stopped thinking about it.

"As long as no one dies, the rest is up to you."

"it is good."

Lu Yuan agreed very readily.

This only made Zhao Mingzhu more uneasy.

"You're not trying to set me up on purpose, are you?"

"I have no grudge against you, why would I want to harm you?"

Lu Yuan sat down at the table, held up two fingers, and said, "Besides, I've always been very cautious in my actions."

"Since I promised to help you, I will definitely help you to the end!"

Zhao Mingzhu asked suspiciously, "Are you really sure?"

"Just a good-for-nothing who indulges in drinking, gambling, and whoring."

Lu Yuan poured himself a cup of tea. "I can shake off a dozen assassins, so why can't I handle him?"

A hint of embarrassment flashed across Zhao Mingzhu's face as she recalled what had happened the night before.

If it weren't for her blow, this person would have been gone long ago.

"So when do you plan to go?"

"No rush."

"He'll be here soon, aren't you in a hurry?"

Lu Yuan picked up his empty teacup and gestured to her.

"Even an emperor doesn't lack hungry soldiers."

"From yesterday until now, I've only eaten two pieces of pastry in the carriage. First, I was chased, then you knocked me unconscious, and when I woke up, I was starving all morning."

"You expect me to do your bidding on an empty stomach?"

Zhao Mingzhu turned to her and instructed, "Xiao Tao, have the kitchen send over some food."

The round-faced maid nodded.

Lu Yuan added from the back: "We'd like a roast chicken, a plate of braised beef, and a steamed sea bass. For soup, we'd have lotus root and pork rib soup, and a steamer of meat buns as a side dish."

Xiao Tao stopped and turned to look at him.

Zhao Mingzhu also turned around, her nose almost crooked with anger.

"You even ordered food?"

Zhao Mingzhu pointed at him, "Anyone who didn't know better would think you were a prince!"

Lu Yuan glanced at her but didn't reply.

Xiao Tao, on the other hand, was rather curious. "Young Master, you wouldn't really be a prince, would you?"

Lu Yuan picked up the teapot and filled his cup.

Congratulations, you got it right.

Stop pretending to be a ghost.

Zhao Mingzhu didn't take these words to heart; who would dare to assassinate a prince in the capital?

"Just send him whatever the kitchen has; don't make anything special for him."

Not long after, the maid brought the food into the side hall.

Lu Yuan was indeed starving.

He tore off the chicken leg from the roast chicken and picked up a few slices of braised beef.

While Xiao Tao was serving him soup, he had already eaten two meat buns.

Zhao Mingzhu glanced at it a few times and couldn't help but ask, "Who were those people chasing you last night?"

"I don't know."

"You don't even know your enemies?"

"This young master is liked by some, and hated by others."

Lu Yuan took a bite of the chicken leg. "There aren't many people who want to kill me, but every single one of them is rich and powerful."

Zhao Mingzhu leaned forward.

"Are you perhaps the son of some noble family?"

Lu Yuan put the bones into the dish.

"So now you finally know fear?"

"Who's afraid?"

"Then why are you asking so many questions?"

"I'm just worried you'll bring your enemies to the escort agency."

Zhao Mingzhu crossed her arms. "Those people broke into my yard last night. What will happen to my mother and the servants if they come again?"

Lu Yuan looked up at her.

"They won't make things difficult for the Zhao family after I leave."

What guarantees do you have?

"They want to kill me."

"But what if they knew I saved you?"

Lu Yuan put down his chopsticks. "The assassin last night only saw me climb into the yard, he didn't see me go into your room."

"Your mother didn't say anything about it, so they have no reason to keep an eye on you."

Before Zhao Mingzhu could ask any more questions, a maid rushed into the side hall.

"Miss, something terrible has happened!"

Zhao Mingzhu immediately stood up.

"What's wrong?"

"Young Master has arrived!"

"So fast?"

Zhao Mingzhu walked around the table and headed out, but after taking a couple of steps, she found Lu Yuan still sitting in the same spot.

He held a meat bun in one hand and braised beef in the other, showing no intention of getting up.

"Are you still eating?"

"We've only eaten half of the fish."

"Stop eating!"

Zhao Mingzhu returned and grabbed his sleeve, "If you don't help me resolve this marriage today, I'll go to the Jingzhao Prefecture and report you for indecent assault!"

Lu Yuan's eyes widened, and he immediately pulled his sleeve back.

"If word gets out about what happened last night, do you still care about your reputation?"

"At worst, I'll never get married."

"To ruin yourself for a useless cousin?"

"That's still better than marrying him!"

Zhao Mingzhu took the chopsticks from his hand. "Hurry up and come with me to the front hall."

Xiao Tao moved closer to Zhao Mingzhu and whispered.

"Miss, is this person suitable?"

"Trying anything as a last resort."

Zhao Mingzhu glanced at Lu Yuan, "Besides him, there's no other man to be found for the time being."

"What if he messes it up?"

"Then castrate him!"

Lu Yuan wiped his hands and said speechlessly, "Could you guys please keep this a secret from others?"

Zhao Mingzhu felt no guilt whatsoever.

"If you hear it, then you hear it; if you can't handle it well, then do as I say."

"rest assured."

Lu Yuan stood up and straightened his outer robe. "No matter what I say, just cooperate."

"What are you trying to say?"

"You'll know when you get there."

Tell me first.

"Who just said that anything else would work?"

Zhao Mingzhu was speechless and could only lead him to the front hall.

……

The front hall of the Zhao family.

Madam Zhao sat in the main seat, her face full of smiles.

Her nephew, Wu Yu, was wearing a brand-new brocade robe with a jade pendant hanging from his waist, and two servants stood behind him.

The matchmaker placed two marriage certificates on the table.

"Madam, Young Master Wu and Miss Zhao have known each other since childhood; they truly know each other inside and out!"

"Young Master Wu is currently working in the Ministry of Rites, and his future is bright."

"Once the two of you become husband and wife, Miss Zhao will no longer need to brave the wind and rain with the escort agency; she can simply stay at home and be a good wife and mother!"

Wu Yu chuckled and accepted the reply.

"Don't worry, Aunt, I will treat my cousin well after she marries into the family!"

Madam Zhao nodded in satisfaction.

"Your cousin has a straightforward personality and has practiced martial arts since she was a child, so she naturally lacks some of the gentleness and grace of a woman in her speech and actions."

"After you get married, you should be more accommodating to her."

Wu Yu's smile suddenly faded.

"Aunt, after a woman gets married, she should always restrain her temper."

"It was one thing for her to show her face in the镖局 (bodyguard agency) before, but now that she's a daughter-in-law of the Wu family, she can no longer associate with those镖师 (bodyguards/escorts)."

Madam Zhao hesitated before saying, "Fuyuan Escort Agency is the culmination of her father's efforts."

"Just leave the matters of the escort agency to the manager!"

Wu Yu took the marriage certificate and said, "My cousin is a woman after all. How can she spend every day with a bunch of men who are wielding swords and guns?"

The matchmaker immediately chimed in, "Young Master Wu is doing this for Miss Zhao's own good."

"A woman who marries well is far better off than one who runs a security escort agency!"

After thinking about it, Madam Zhao didn't find anything wrong with what she said.

After all, every woman in every family has gone through this.

"Let's discuss these things after you get married."

A hint of smugness appeared in Wu Yu's eyes. "In that case, the marriage is settled."

"My nephew will soon ask someone to choose an auspicious day and send the betrothal gifts over as well."

Zhao Mingzhu is the eldest daughter of the Zhao family and their sole heir.

As long as we defeat the other party, we can obtain all the wealth of the Zhao family.

Just as he was about to take the marriage certificate, several figures appeared outside.

Zhao Mingzhu quickly arrived at the front hall.

"stop!"

"I do not agree to this marriage."

"I already have a man I like!"