Chapter 468: On the Way

Chapter 468: Chapter 468: On the Way

The first carriage carried only female family members, as did the ones following it. It was inappropriate for the masters to show their faces at a time like this. The sole male in the group was currently at a loss for words, leaving the situation in an awkward stalemate.

It wouldn’t have been a problem if things had ended there, but the men blocking their path refused to let it go. They began hurling insults, and one of them even lunged forward, attempting to grab the Lin Family’s carriage and drag it to the side. However, the road was flanked by cultivated fields. If the carriage was pushed off the path, pulling it back out would be incredibly difficult.

They had pressing matters to attend to on this trip. Left with no choice, Mrs. Hu lifted the curtain and looked outside. "Gentlemen, it is truly inconvenient for us to make way, and we have urgent business to handle. If you’d be willing to accommodate us, we would gladly reward you handsomely!"

"Who cares about your reward?" the man retorted, stubbornly refusing to listen. The group standing behind him began to stir restlessly.

To them, it was just a bunch of weak women and a wet-behind-the-ears brat; they figured they could easily push them around. They were just about to step forward and drive the carriage into the fields when the household guards rushing up from the rear intercepted them.

Only then did the men realize that besides the women, there were dozens of brawny guards following behind. The initial weak appearance of the first carriage had given them a false impression, and now, a sliver of hesitation crept into their minds. However, recalling the promise they had been given, they steeled their resolve. They were just commoners anyway—what could these people possibly do to them?

"We’ll give you one last chance to clear the way," the leader threatened. "Otherwise, don’t blame us for getting rough."

"You lot are being entirely unreasonable," Lin Wei interjected. "Unless I’m mistaken, if you back up just a bit to that wider section of the road, there’s enough room for us to pass each other." Having handled countless matters alongside his master, Lin Wei could already tell something fishy was going on. He hadn’t wanted to meddle, but these men were blocking his Madam’s path.

"Who are you? This is between me and them. It has nothing to do with you, so stay out of it!" The man had never expected so many carriages to be traveling this road today. But remembering the large estates further ahead, he assumed this group must belong to the masters of those properties.

"But by standing here, you’re blocking our path as well," Lin Wei said, taking a step forward. The other guards, realizing their own masters’ carriages were also stuck in the rear, stepped forward in unison. With their superior numbers, they certainly weren’t afraid of a few thugs.

"We already told you, this is between us and them! It’s none of your business. Once we sort it out, we’ll naturally get out of your way!" the leading man said, emboldening himself. He desperately wanted to isolate the conflict to just him and the Lin Family’s carriage. If he dragged all these other people into the mess, things would get far too complicated, and his small group wouldn’t be able to hold them off.

"There’s only one problem right now: you are indeed blocking our way." Lin Wei walked over to stand beside Mr. Lin. "And can’t you tell? We’re all traveling together. Are you seriously still going to cause trouble for them?"

The men’s pupils contracted in shock. Hadn’t the messenger who galloped over early this morning said only the Hu Family was coming?

Mr. Lin was no fool. He immediately looked at the men with a complicated expression. He wondered, "If my father sent them, then where does that leave my mother and me? But if that widow sent them, then her ambitions are just as massive as Mother claimed." He pressed his lips together, sorely tempted to interrogate the men, but he held back. Feigning ignorance, he said, "There’s no real feud between us. As long as you clear the path and let us pass, we’ll consider this matter settled."

"Hey, watch your tone, brat! It’s not like you own this road. Why should we be the ones to make way?

"If you know what’s good for you, back off immediately. You’re not allowed down this path."

Knowing the true nature of the situation, Mr. Lin felt utterly humiliated hearing those words. This was the road to his own home—how could he be forbidden from walking it?

"Hah! I wonder which Prince Mansion you gentlemen serve? Has Lingnan suddenly become a Prince’s fiefdom?"

Lin Wei’s words were ruthlessly piercing, frightening the men so much that they broke into a cold sweat. They were mere commoners; how could they dare associate themselves with royalty?

"What do you mean by that?"

"Didn’t you just say that we aren’t allowed down this path? Unless this land has been claimed and granted by His Majesty as a fiefdom to some royal relative, rendering it private property, we are all citizens of the Rong Dynasty. What place is forbidden to us, and which road can we not travel?"

This barrage of questioning left the men trembling at the knees. If the local authorities heard such talk, they wouldn’t escape a severe caning.

"You might have misheard us, brother. We were just talking about ’first come, first served.’ We only wanted you to make way for us."

"First come, first served?" Lin Wei scoffed, stroking the hilt of the sword at his waist. "On the same stretch of road, how exactly do you determine who came first?"

On a narrow path, the brave prevail. Lin Wei decided that if they continued to be so unreasonably stubborn, he wouldn’t mind teaching them a lesson in manners.

The thugs were left speechless. Just as they were trying to come up with another excuse, Lin Wei’s patience ran out. He drew his sword and pointed the tip straight at the leader’s nose. "I don’t care who sent you or what you’re trying to do, but blocking our path is unacceptable.

"Are you going to clear the way yourselves, or do we have to do it for you?"

The guards in the back felt their blood boil with excitement. Although they were mere servants, long-term suppression had them rubbing their palms together, eager for a good brawl to vent their frustrations. Besides, the opposing side only had a few men. They held the absolute advantage, and only a fool would back down now. As a result, they all stepped forward in unison, forming a protective barrier in front of the Lin Family’s carriage.

Mrs. Lin was deeply moved by the sight. Her own husband was unreliable, proving to be of even less help than these madams with whom she only shared a passing acquaintance. She understood that these people had followed her not just to watch the drama unfold, but to support her through their actions. Now that they were standing up for her, she wholeheartedly accepted their kindness.

"Y-y-you... are you going to assault us..."

Lin Wei tilted his head back slightly. "Assaulting you isn’t off the table. Even if I take your lives, my master can afford the compensation."

His words made it sound as if every human life could be appraised with Silver, leaving one to wonder just how much the men standing before them were worth.

A chill ran down the thugs’ spines. They had come to earn some Silver, not to gamble with their lives. Their attitudes instantly softened. "We truly didn’t mean to block your path. It’s just this brat right here—they were too unappreciative, and we formed a grudge. Tell you what, I’ll drive their carriage into the fields right now and then clear the way for the rest of you to pass."

Lin Wei took another step forward, pressing the edge of his blade right against the man’s jaw. "Can’t you understand plain human speech? We are together. Are you seriously still thinking about how to make things difficult for Mrs. Lin?

"Speak up. Who exactly sent you?"

At that moment, Mrs. Lin lifted the carriage curtain and stared at the unfamiliar man. "Did that widow send you?"