Li San slapped his chest with a grin. "Don't worry, Master Wan! We're not fooling you!"
Wan Qingping waved him off, signaling for him to hurry up and get out of sight. He'd be watching closely, curious to see how the thugs would manage to swindle money from the guy with Zhao Family ties.
The three thugs exchanged knowing glances, and one of them slipped into the crowd, vanishing from sight. Moments later, he emerged with a young woman, carrying a basket, her figure showing promise in terms of looks. The basket, draped in a blue cloth, hid whatever it contained.
The thug pointed discreetly at the "country bumpkin" haggling over prices at a stall. The woman nodded, then swayed her hips purposefully as she walked over to the man, deliberately bumping into him. The basket dropped to the ground, spilling eggs everywhere.
The "country bumpkin" immediately stepped forward to help her, but before he could even react, the woman's high-pitched, blood-curdling scream pierced the air. "Help! My husband, this man's touching me—he's molesting me!"
Before the confused man could defend himself, one of the thugs jumped forward, shouting, "Who the hell is this bastard, touching my wife? Is it you, you son of a—?" He grabbed the man by the collar.
The commotion quickly drew a crowd, especially with something so scandalous. It was a prime opportunity for gossip. Onlookers started making noise, speculating on the details—one claimed the man touched her chest, another said it was her backside. The crowd became more riled up with every accusation.
Meanwhile, Li San pulled back from the fray and hurried over to Wan Qingping, offering an explanation. "Master Wan, these big families care about their reputations. They won't let something as trivial as a few coins ruin their name—especially someone like Zhao Dashi, the big shot from the Zhao family."
Wan Qingping raised an eyebrow. "You've got a point." He was impressed by the audacity and smoothness of the scheme. Swindling could really be an art form...
But there was one thing he was still curious about. "That woman... Is she really Hu Yong's wife?"
Li San chuckled. "Not exactly. There's no way his wife would be involved in something like this. This woman's a... well, she's a prostitute, recently kicked out of a brothel for getting sick. We've helped her out before, and she knows how to be useful, so we pulled her into this little act."
Wan Qingping nodded, impressed. These thugs were crude, but they knew how to survive in this dangerous world.
Meanwhile, the "country bumpkin" continued to stammer, desperately insisting that he wasn't that kind of person. His face was red, and he was trying to explain himself, but his words were cut short when the servant quickly covered his mouth.
Wan Qingping watched, thinking about the six-course meal Li San had promised him, but his attention was caught by a figure moving through the crowd. A woman, looking somewhat flustered, was glancing back at the "country bumpkin." Her gaze seemed more than casual—it looked personal, like they shared some kind of bond.
Realizing the significance of the situation, Wan Qingping quickly made his move. He pushed through the crowd, reaching the troublemakers just as the chaos was escalating. Grabbing the thug Hu Yong by the ear, he slapped him hard across the face, sending him stumbling. Then he kicked the prostitute—still playing her part—half a dozen feet away.
"How dare you slander an innocent man?" Wan Qingping bellowed, channeling his inner hero, his voice booming through the crowd. He sounded just like one of those righteous knights from the stories in the teahouses. "I've had enough of your nonsense!"
Li San froze, wide-eyed. This wasn't part of the plan. But when he saw the look in Wan Qingping's eyes, he realized he was dealing with someone unpredictable. He quickly grabbed the dazed Hu Yong by the arm, while another thug helped the fallen prostitute to her feet. They made a hasty retreat, disappearing into the crowd.
As the ruckus settled, the "country bumpkin" looked at Wan Qingping with overwhelming gratitude. "Thank you... I don't know what I would've done without you..."
Wan Qingping waved him off with a nonchalant smile. "No need for thanks," he said, his tone dripping with the modesty of a hero who didn't need recognition. He turned to leave, making a show of disappearing into the crowd, acting like a true gentleman who didn't want to take credit for his good deeds.
But he wasn't leaving just yet. As he neared the woman, he expertly nudged her with his shoulder, making sure to knock her down in the process. The woman stumbled, her veil slipping off her face as she fell to the ground.
Wan Qingping froze. The woman's face was stunning—beautiful beyond words. He couldn't help but stare, his eyes widening. What... just happened?
The woman blushed, her face turning crimson. Wan Qingping, caught off guard, cleared his throat and quickly looked away, but it was too late. She had already caught him staring, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
"Miss?" the "country bumpkin" called out in surprise. "Is that... you?"
It was then that Wan Qingping realized the full extent of his blunder. The woman was Zhao Dashi's niece, the daughter of the influential Zhao family. He'd just knocked her down in front of everyone.
Flustered, the woman quickly grabbed her veil from her servant, covering her face once more, as the "country bumpkin" began enthusiastically praising Wan Qingping for his bravery and good deed. The praise didn't stop until Wan Qingping was forced to awkwardly apologize to Zhao Dashi's niece. His words were sincere, though his eyes couldn't help but wander back to the veil she was now pulling over her face.
"Thank you, sir," Zhao Dashi's niece said, avoiding his gaze as she bowed. "If it weren't for you, my family's reputation might've been ruined."
Wan Qingping could barely suppress a grin. He hadn't just saved her—he'd been caught in a situation that might just turn in his favor.