"Here we are, it's this room. She's inside..." Li Chong said flatteringly.
He was about to push the door open when Lucas shot him a sharp glance.
Feeling guilty, Li Chong quickly pulled his hand back and gave an awkward smile. "Please, Young Lord."
Lucas stepped forward and gently pushed the door open.
Inside the room, Vivi heard sounds from outside and immediately started struggling. Her mouth was gagged, so she made muffled noises, "mm-mm-mm," trying to get attention.
The door opened. When she saw the slim figure stepping in first, Vivi's eyes lit up with excitement. The young lord had come to save her.
"Are you alright?" Lucas asked, gesturing for Eric to untie Vivi.
Vivi nodded, then asked, "Young Lord, how did you…"
"I'll explain later when we're back," Lucas said, finally letting go of the tension in his heart after seeing Vivi safe.
"Okay." Vivi nodded.
After Lucas and his people left, Prime Minister Li stood at the door, slightly relieved.
But before he could take a full breath, Lucas's cold voice rang out. "Prime Minister Li, your son publicly abducted a servant of my household today. How do you plan to deal with this?"
"Hehe, Young Lord, you've already heard from my son. He only invited your servant for some tea. How can that be called abduction?" Prime Minister Li chuckled.
"But when I arrived, my servant was tied up in a locked room. Is that what you call having tea?" Lucas's expression remained unreadable.
"This… Young Lord, it's all a misunderstanding…"
"Prime Minister, the laws of Sheng Nation clearly state the consequences of such actions. I'm sure you know them better than I do."
"Young Lord, she's just a lowly servant. Why be so aggressive?" Prime Minister Li looked confused by Lucas's fierce defense of a servant. He tried to ease the tension. "If it's about beauty, I can gift you one or two attractive maids."
"No need," Lucas rejected calmly. "The House of Yonning values integrity. I am not one who indulges in such pleasures."
Upon hearing this, Prime Minister Li's face darkened. He said sternly, "Young Lord, are you trying to go against my household?"
"Prime Minister, I'm not going against anyone. I'm merely protecting my servant according to the laws of Sheng Nation," Lucas said without any emotion.
"Prime Minister, farewell." Seeing that Prime Minister Li's anger had deepened, Lucas lowered his gaze slightly and bowed before leaving.
In the carriage back to the residence, Vivi sat across from Lucas, watching him sip hot tea. His face didn't show any trace of displeasure.
It was as if the confrontation earlier never happened.
"Would you like a cup of hot tea?" Lucas asked, thinking Vivi must be cold since she kept staring at him.
Vivi shook her head. "Young Lord, you've offended the Prime Minister's house because of me. Won't they retaliate?"
Lucas shook his head and explained patiently, "It's not entirely because of you. The Third Prince has long tried to win over the House of Yonning. Since the Prime Minister is his father-in-law, they're naturally aligned."
Vivi blinked. She hadn't expected that.
Lucas continued, "Our house has always remained neutral. A fallout now actually works in our favor. The Third Prince likely won't try to pull us in again. As for retaliation, if they come, we'll deal with it."
Vivi nodded thoughtfully. Then she remembered Lucas mentioning the law during the confrontation and asked, "Young Lord, what punishment does the Sheng Nation's law give for abducting a woman?"
"If real harm is done, the offender's property is fully confiscated to compensate the woman or her family, and he is imprisoned for life. If no harm was done, part of the property is taken, and the person is jailed for three years." Lucas explained with care.
"Will Li Chong really be punished like that?" Vivi asked.
The law was usually used against commoners. Would the authorities even touch someone like Li Chong, who had powerful backing?
"Li Chong's situation is special. The official route won't work." Lucas knew well that with the Prime Minister backing Li Chong, regular officials wouldn't dare act against him.
Lucas saw the "I knew it" look on Vivi's face and continued,
"Li Chong bullies both men and women. He's done countless bad things. The common people are angry but too scared to speak up. If someone like him doesn't get punished, it's unfair to all those he's hurt."
Vivi was a little surprised. So Li Chong had done even more terrible things than she thought.
Lucas's eyes darkened, and he continued in a low voice,
"You have to believe that the power of the people is always strong. To deal with someone like him, all we need is to spread the word about his crimes and guide the public opinion a little. With all the resentment that's been building up, the people will speak out more and more. Eventually, word will reach His Majesty."
"So, you're planning to use public opinion to let the Emperor know about Li Chong's crimes and then have him punished," Vivi understood his plan.
"Only this way can Li Chong get what he truly deserves." Lucas nodded.
Only now did Vivi remember that she hadn't thanked Lucas for saving her.
Thinking of this, she said sincerely, "Lucas, thank you for arriving just in time today with Eric to save me."
"It wasn't just me and Eric," Lucas took a sip of tea and added, "Yinu and the others were also looking for you all over the city."
"When we get back, I'll thank Yinu and the rest too."
"In the future, when you go out, be more careful. Don't get separated from them again."
"I understand," Vivi nodded.
This trip out had left a deep impression on her. In her heart, she secretly promised herself to stop being lazy and start training properly.
After that, the two of them didn't speak anymore. They sat quietly, waiting for the carriage to return to the residence.
Soon, the New Year arrived, and as it came, this unpleasant incident was forgotten by most.
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, the entire residence was filled with decorations and joyful energy.
In the sleeping quarters of Lucas inside Ning'an Residence, Vivi wore new clothes and had a bright, happy smile on her face.
"Lucas, if you go anywhere to visit people for the New Year in the next few days, remember to take me with you." Vivi was grinning while counting her red envelopes.
"You little money-lover, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed," Lucas said with a rare teasing tone as he sat by the window with a book in hand.
"What's wrong? You're not going anywhere after this?" Vivi asked curiously.
"My body is weak. Besides spending New Year's with my own family, I don't really go visit anyone else." Lucas's voice was calm, and his face showed no emotion.
Vivi looked at his calm expression and felt a bit sorry for him. That accident when he was young had completely changed what should've been a bright future. Over the years, he had gotten used to loneliness and being alone.
"Lucas, I don't have much family left either, so I'll keep you company for the rest of the holiday." Vivi spoke softly, a little touched.
Because of the holiday, Yinu and the others had already been sent home by Lucas to reunite with their families. Now, only he and Vivi were left in Ning'an Residence.
"That sounds nice." Lucas's eyes showed a trace of hidden warmth, and his voice became gentle. "I can finally feel what it's like to spend the New Year with someone around."
"Then it's settled. Lucas, I'm going to add more charcoal to the brazier, then I'll sit here and keep you company while you read." Vivi happily said as she stood up to add coal.
Lucas nodded at her words and lowered his head again to continue reading.
After adding charcoal, Vivi came back and sat cross-legged on the carpet.
To sit more comfortably, she had added an extra thick rug under her. Now she was sitting warmly and softly.
Vivi turned slightly to glance at Lucas sitting behind her. His face looked cold and calm as he focused on the scroll in his hands, leaning casually against the window. He looked distant and self-restrained.
Looking at that quiet figure, Vivi suddenly felt a sense of peace and contentment.