I started out with seven husbands, and I worked hard to support my family while crying.

Chapter 331: The Uncouth Nouveau Riche

Looking at Hua Ruyan's arrogant and haughty demeanor, Fang Xiaoxiao thought to herself with disdain: "Hmph, isn't she just a tasteless nouveau riche!"

However, she did not show the slightest dissatisfaction on her face. Instead, she put on a seemingly casual smile and said leisurely, "Miss Hua, what you said does sound quite plausible."

Upon hearing this, Hua Ruyan raised her head even higher, her eyes filled with smugness, as if victory was assured.

Just then, Fang Xiaoxiao crossed her arms, raised her eyebrows, and smiled with undisguised smugness, raising her voice to say, "But you think you can get me to sell Pei Yan to you? That's just wishful thinking! I didn't buy Pei Yan; he came to my door with money, crying and begging me to marry him!"

After saying that, Fang Xiaoxiao deliberately puffed out her chest, looking extremely smug, as if she possessed the most precious treasure in the world.

Hua Ruyan was so shocked by this sudden reversal that her eyes widened. The smugness on her face froze instantly, replaced by disbelief and anger.

Pei Yan stood to the side, her face flushing red and then turning pale upon hearing this, so embarrassed she wished she could disappear into the ground.

The three were talking back and forth, the atmosphere tense and on the verge of conflict, when suddenly, a servant rushed in like a whirlwind. His face was flushed red, large beads of sweat rolled down his cheeks, and his eyes were filled with panic. He shouted anxiously, "Something terrible has happened! Master, Miss! Bandits have entered the city!"

This sudden shout was like a thunderclap in the room, instantly silencing the three who had been making noise. As if they had been frozen in place, they all stared wide-eyed, mouths agape, their faces filled with astonishment and disbelief.

Hua Ruyan was the first to recover from her shock. Her beautiful eyebrows furrowed tightly, her eyes wide with anger, and she scolded in a delicate voice, "Insolence! You servant, don't talk nonsense here! This city has always been heavily fortified. How could bandits have entered the city so easily?"

The servant was so anxious that tears were almost in his eyes. He kept stamping his feet on the ground, and his voice trembled with sobs as he said, "Miss, how could I dare to lie! I really saw it with my own eyes! Those bandits were all fierce and menacing, riding tall horses and brandishing gleaming broadswords. They were rampaging through the streets, robbing everything in sight and beating everyone they saw. They were simply lawless!"

Upon hearing this, Pei Yan frowned deeply, his expression grave, and said firmly, "Don't panic. There's no use in being flustered. Quickly inform the guards in the manor to strengthen their defenses and make sure the bandits don't break into the manor."

Fang Xiaoxiao also looked serious and nodded repeatedly in agreement, saying, "Yes, yes, ensuring the safety of everyone in the manor is the top priority."

Just then, the servant's face was filled with helplessness and despair, and his voice trembled like a leaf in the wind as he cried out, "My lords, this situation is absolutely terrible!"

The prefect, full of pride and high spirits, led a group of men to resist the bandits, but to his surprise, he was captured alive by the bandits as soon as they met.

The city is in complete chaos right now! People are running around like headless flies, and cries of agony fill the air, creating a desolate sea of ​​misery.

Furthermore, the city gate has been firmly occupied by the bandits; we're all like birds trapped in a cage, unable to get out!

The servant's words struck like a heavy hammer, making the hearts of those present sink and their faces turn as black as the bottom of a pot.

However, just as everyone was in a state of panic, Master Hua appeared in front of them hurriedly with a group of servants wielding sticks.

Master Hua frowned, his eyebrows resembling two fighting caterpillars, yet his eyes revealed an unwavering determination. He suddenly flicked his sleeve and shouted in a booming voice, "Don't panic! Our Hua family is not a pushover. As long as we are united and work together, we will surely ensure the safety of everyone in the family!"

Upon hearing Master Hua's instructions, everyone quickly split up and set to work. Pei Yan and Fang Xiaoxiao left the Hua residence without hesitation, determined to investigate the situation outside. Meanwhile, Hua Ruyan, accompanied by a group of servants, hid and searched for a safe place to hide within the Hua residence.

As Fang Xiaoxiao and Pei Yan stepped out of the Hua Mansion, a scene resembling the end of the world suddenly came into their view. The once bustling and prosperous Dounan County had now been transformed into a chaotic and desolate battlefield.

The streets were in complete chaos, with chickens running and dogs barking about. People scattered like headless flies, panicked and running in all directions. Shouts, cries, and curses rose and fell, weaving together a symphony of despair. Stalls were overturned, and fruits and vegetables were scattered all over the ground, trampled to pieces by the frantic footsteps.

Then look at the bandits, they are engaged in a thrilling and desperate battle with the soldiers. The bandits are all fierce-looking, their eyes wide like copper bells, cursing and swearing, brandishing their gleaming, cold-blooded broadswords, and slashing wildly at the soldiers. Every strike is filled with ferocity, as if they want to cleave everything in front of them in two.

Although the officers and soldiers were fighting desperately, they were clearly at a disadvantage. Some of their armor was damaged, and their faces and bodies were covered in blood and dust, but they still gripped their spears and shields tightly, gritted their teeth, and stubbornly fought against the bandits.

The wounded and dead lay scattered on the ground, blood flowing freely and forming gruesome rivers. The air was thick with the stench of blood and gunpowder, making one want to vomit.

Looking at the devastated scene, Fang Xiaoxiao frowned deeply and said with concern, "The battle is so fierce, it's like hell on earth. I wonder when this disaster will end."

Pei Yan's face was so gloomy it could drip water. He clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white, and said through gritted teeth, "We must figure out the situation as soon as possible and find a way to help the soldiers repel these lawless bandits and restore peace to the people!"

Fang Xiaoxiao and Pei Yan were talking anxiously when suddenly, a familiar figure, so familiar it made them grit their teeth, rushed out from the pack of bandits who were like ravenous wolves. This person was none other than the Flower Monk they had encountered in that gloomy, dilapidated temple, and also the bandit leader who had committed heinous crimes and brutally massacred the villagers in Flower Language Village.

The monk was burly, with a face full of scars, looking like a ferocious demon. His large, bell-like eyes were now bloodshot, revealing endless cruelty and violence. He wore a dirty tiger-skin vest over his robust body, and in his hand he gripped a gleaming, incredibly heavy broadsword, the blade still stained with undried blood, which looked particularly glaring in the sunlight.

With a roar, he charged into the ranks of the soldiers like a mad beast. The general guarding the city, seeing the situation was dire, raised his spear to meet him, but how could he possibly withstand the ferocity of this monk?

The monk roared, veins bulging on his arm, and with all his might, swung his terrifying broadsword. With a "whoosh," the general didn't even have time to scream before being cut in half at the waist by the powerful blow.

In an instant, blood gushed out like a fountain, splattering all over the people around.

The general's upper and lower body were instantly separated, and the gruesome scene caused the surrounding soldiers and civilians to scream in terror. The entire street was instantly enveloped in an atmosphere of fear and despair.

Upon seeing this scene, Pei Yan's eyes practically spit fire, his teeth grinding together as he angrily cursed, "This heartless and wicked villain is an outrage against heaven!"

Fang Xiaoxiao was also so angry that her delicate body trembled, her pretty face flushed red, and she gritted her teeth, saying, "Such a vicious and wicked person must not be allowed to continue to do evil!"

However, despite her words, Fang Xiaoxiao is not the kind of person who acts impulsively or recklessly.