Chapter 116: The Atmosphere Is Damn Awkward (Part 4)

Zhuge Jun felt a sense of speechless frustration. Why had it come to this?

Naturally, it was because moments ago, Zhuge Jun had been in his own carriage, contemplating the future of Fang Xu and Shangguan Lian, never imagining that the two of them would be engaging in such activities in the carriage behind his own. It felt as though he had been struck by the wildest of misfortunes, but judging by the ragged breathing, they had likely not yet crossed the point of no return.

It was still possible to stop them, but Old Wu had blocked his path. This left Zhuge Jun feeling indignant, wondering what on earth Old Wu was thinking.

"What do you mean by not moving aside? Do you intend to let them make a mistake they cannot undo?" Zhuge Jun demanded, glaring at Old Wu with suppressed anger. Old Wu merely shook his head with a bitter smile.

Old Wu certainly had his own motives, even if it meant potentially wronging Shangguan Lian. If Fang Xu were to truly "devour" her, it would be tantamount to gaining the support of the formidable Shangguan family behind her. This would undoubtedly make their journey south to reorganize their affairs much easier, even if the method was somewhat dishonorable. In Old Wu’s eyes, this was a matter of mutual consent; one could hardly call it exploitation.

But how could Zhuge Jun be unaware of Old Wu’s reasoning? To Zhuge Jun, Old Wu’s logic was laughably absurd.

"Do you really think the Shangguan family is that easy to deal with? If you don't stop them now, your master will be as good as dead later!" Zhuge Jun urged, looking at Old Wu with anxiety. If he could have, Zhuge Jun would have charged in long ago, but he knew he was no match for Old Wu, leaving him powerless. Hearing this, Old Wu could not help but frown.

"Don't tell me you are naive enough to believe the Shangguan family is the type to suffer in silence? If they were, they wouldn't be the existence that even the Murong family dares not provoke!" Zhuge Jun sneered. He understood Old Wu’s intent, but he also knew that if they left things as they were, once the deed was done, everything would be ruined.

If a lady from another aristocratic family were "devoured" by someone, they might, for the sake of reputation, force her to marry the man. But the Shangguan family was no ordinary clan; even their way of thinking was, in Zhuge Jun’s view, unconventional. If merely possessing Shangguan Lian’s body were enough to secure the support of her family, others would have resorted to such tactics long ago. Yet, why was she still untouched?

There were two reasons. First, the guards surrounding her; without her permission, no one could get near her, which ensured her safety. Second, no one dared to try. While these scions of noble and official families often appeared to be debauched playboys, few were truly reckless. They acted based on the interests of their families. Bullying those without power was one thing, but the Shangguan family was a mountain—a mountain they could never hope to cross. To so much as touch a hair on Shangguan Lian’s head would invite the wrath of that mountain, enough to crush the families of these playboys into dust.

Who would choose to offend the Shangguan family? This was why Murong Fu could be so arrogant toward Zhuge Jun—after all, Zhuge Jun’s family relied mostly on wealth, and their actual power paled in comparison to the Murong clan. Murong Fu might not fear Zhuge Jun, but Shangguan Lian was someone he absolutely dared not offend, without exception. If he offended the Shangguan family, Murong Fu knew for certain that even though he was the designated heir, his own family would abandon him to secure their future. That was an inevitability, and even Murong Fu knew it. Aristocratic families were simple; everything was driven by profit.

Since even Murong Fu dared not offend her, where did Old Wu get the confidence to think he could secure the Shangguan family’s support this way?

After hearing Zhuge Jun’s explanation, Old Wu couldn't help but break into a cold sweat. He had nearly made a grave mistake—nearly set a terrifying enemy upon Fang Xu and Qin Suwen. Realizing his error, he stepped aside. Zhuge Jun nodded in satisfaction and stepped forward, pounding on the carriage door.

Inside, Fang Xu and Shangguan Lian had reached the point where only their final undergarments remained; they were essentially exposed to one another. Just as they were about to cast aside these last remnants of modesty, the violent knocking on the carriage door startled them.

Both were momentarily annoyed, but the interruption served to bring them back to their senses. They were not in an inn, but on the road to Danyang. Looking at their disheveled state, Fang Xu broke into a cold sweat.

"I... this..." Fang Xu didn't know how to explain himself. Shangguan Lian told him to turn around, and having no choice, he obeyed. Once his back was turned, she crouched on the floor, clutching her outer robes to her chest.

Shangguan Lian had regained her composure, but as the memories of what had just transpired flooded back, she wanted nothing more than to find a hole to crawl into. The sound of Zhuge Jun’s concerned inquiries from outside only deepened her mortification. Feeling the kiss marks on her neck, her face burned with such intensity that she felt she could no longer face anyone.

The atmosphere inside the carriage was even more awkward than that between Old Wu and Zhuge Jun outside, and Fang Xu felt as though he could die of embarrassment. Regardless of who had initiated it, he was the one who had failed to resist the temptation, and he could not help but inwardly berate himself.