A few soldiers nodded in compliance with their lord's command, and with lecherous smiles on their faces, they began to advance towards Rose.
Yuan and his wives exchanged frowns at the soldiers' behavior. The soldiers' lecherous intentions towards Rose did not sit well with them; she was now an integral part of their lives and family.
Madam Layla's expression twisted into a mix of anger and frustration as she shouted at Lord Harrison, "Lord Harrison, how dare you order your men to approach my daughter in such a manner in front of me?! Have you forgotten that my daughter holds the leadership of this village? You have no right to bring armed soldiers to our residence; you are breaking the law!"
The soldiers halted in their tracks, their disappointment evident, as they faced the stern reproach of Madam Layla.
Lord Harrison laughed in response, an arrogant demeanor encompassing him. "Hahaha! Why wouldn't I dare? After all, you're merely a defenseless woman, and Lord Monroe lies on his deathbed. Surrender yourselves to me now, and perhaps I might consider being merciful. Otherwise, do not blame me for the harshness that may follow."
"Surrender?" The shock that rippled through Madam Layla and her children was palpable. How could a mere merchant have the audacity to demand their surrender? Were they witnessing madness?
Yuan and his wives shared in the disbelief. Lord Harrison's arrogance was astounding. How could he, a merchant, demand such a surrender?
"As my lord has suggested, Lady Layla, you would do well to heed his words. Surrender yourselves, and he might lessen the severity of your punishment," Butler Geoffrey interjected, his lips curved into a malicious smile.
Madam Layla's fists clenched in frustration, her anger evident in her eyes. The realization struck hard—she was indeed a vulnerable woman in the face of Lord Harrison's power. His status as a peak fifth-circle mage overshadowed her own peak of the Fourth-Circle mage by a significant margin.
'The audacity of the Turner family! How dare they demand our surrender? Thank the heavens that Yuan and his wives are with us,' Ava's thoughts seethed with resentment as she glared at Lord Harrison.
'I'm itching to land a punch on his pig-faced arrogance. How dare he act like the village's ruler?' Julie's internal monologue was colored with irritation.
'This man truly believes he can order us to surrender? He overestimates his standing,' Rose's frustration radiated through her thoughts.
Unable to contain her anger any longer, Rose snapped at Lord Harrison, "Uncle Harrison, cease this absurdity at once and return to your residence. I assure you, I will forget this incident."
Lord Harrison paid her no heed, instead focusing on his awaiting soldiers, his eyes filled with expectation.
"What are you waiting for? Seize that woman!" Lord Harrison's roar echoed in the air as he commanded his soldiers.
"Understood, my lord!" The soldiers nodded eagerly, their lecherous intentions towards Rose evident in their gazes.
'I can't believe my luck! To lay hands on the most beautiful woman in the village—I must be favored by fortune!' The soldiers' internal thoughts resonated with lascivious anticipation.
Their faces marred by lecherous expressions, the soldiers moved towards Rose, their inappropriate glances roving over her body.
"Lord Harrison! If your men dare to touch my daughter, the consequences will be dire. Mark my words!" Madam Layla's voice rang out, her face contorted with fury.
"The moment your men touch her, you'll all be dead... For my husband's sake, I've warned you and now it's up to you how to handle it." Madam Layla's warning resounded within her thoughts, her determination evident.
"Won't end well for me? Hmph! As if I'll buy your bluffing... Soldiers, drag that bitch to my feet!" Lord Harrison's disdain for Madam Layla's words was palpable.
'Hmph! Your threats are empty words to me. Do you think I'm a fool to believe you?' Lord Harrison's thoughts oozed with arrogance as he dismissed Madam Layla's warning.
"It's my lord's order, so don't blame me for being ruthless... Hahahha!" A soldier's lecherous words reached Rose's ears as he advanced towards her with a sinister smile.
"Hahaha~" The other soldiers chimed in, their laughs tainted with malice, as they moved closer to Rose, their intentions clear in their gazes.
"You dare...." A frigid, emotionless voice shattered the tension from beside Rose, arresting the soldiers in their tracks and capturing the attention of all present.
The voice was so cold that it sent shivers down the spines of the soldiers, freezing their movements instantly, as if their bodies had been immobilized by an unseen force.
'What's happening to me? Why can't I move? What's going on?!' Panic rippled through the thoughts of the soldiers, their hearts racing.
Lord Harrison's bloodshot eyes bore into Yuan as he shouted, "You bastard! How dare you meddle in my affairs? Are you seeking death?"
"Young man, I advise against impulsive heroics. Death will greet you sooner than you expect," Butler Geoffrey's words were laced with a threat.
A narrowed gaze from Lord Harrison locked onto Yuan as he spoke again, "So you're the one engaged to Rose. You're quite handsome, I'll give you that. But it's a pity that you're also the reason my son died yesterday. You'll die alongside that bitch!"
"Soldiers! Why are you standing there? Capture him along with that bitch!" Lord Harrison's command fell on the frozen ears of the soldiers, his anger palpable.
"How ridiculous! A mere mortal dares to threaten my husband!" Xi Meili's voice, though seemingly childish and innocent, carried a potent force that sent shivers down spines. Her words resonated with power and authority.
'This is it... This fatty has offended not only Yuan but also this formidable girl. He's dead for sure...' James' inner thoughts were fraught with fear as he glimpsed Xi Meili's aura.
All eyes, except those of the Monroe family, turned towards the source of the commanding voice. A group of breathtakingly beautiful women stood at the doorstep, their presence commanding attention.
"Oh my god! Who are these women? How can they be so beautiful?"
"I wish they were my girlfriends. My life would be blessed!"
"Just one of them is enough for me. They're simply too beautiful."
"Did you hear the girl with the strange horn? She said the handsome young man is her husband."
"Sigh! He's too damn lucky. Not only does he have a handsome face, but he's also engaged to Miss Rose. Why him and not me?"
The male onlookers grumbled with envy at Yuan's fortune. His wives' beauty and Rose's engagement were too much for them to bear.
Lord Harrison and Butler Geoffrey were equally struck by the women's beauty, a sight unparalleled even in the empire's capital or kingdom.
'Their beauty is unparalleled. Who are these women? What's their connection to the Monroe family?' Lord Harrison's thoughts raced, his gaze fixed on Yuan's wives.
'Good heavens! Such exquisite women. They must hail from a powerful background!' Butler Geoffrey marveled inwardly at the wives' beauty.
"Darling, look at that perverted fatty leering at me. It's disgusting," Grace's voice carried a playful tone as she addressed Yuan, her soft and mellifluous tone melting the bones of all who heard it.
"Is that so?" Yuan's response carried a cold edge as he directed his gaze at Lord Harrison, a glint of killing intent flickering within his eyes.
"Um, look, he's still gawking at us with that lecherous expression. It's absolutely repulsive!" Grace remarked, pointing toward Lord Harrison, who seemed to be lost in his thoughts. Anna, his mother, Lily, his sister, and his beloveds, Emma and Xi Meili, nodded in agreement.
"This pig is a true lecher, isn't he? Yuan, you shouldn't waste your words on someone so beneath you," Julie chimed in, directing her words to Yuan.
Lord Harrison snapped out of his daze as their insulting words reached his ears. His anger surged, contorting his face in fury. How dare they openly humiliate him in public?
"Shut the hell up, you bitches! How dare you humiliate me in public?! I'll kill you!" Lord Harrison's roar echoed, his face flushing red with rage, as if he were boiling from the inside.
'He's done for now! He actually called my sister and brother-in-law's wives 'bitches' right in front of Yuan. He's truly signing his death warrant...' James muttered inwardly, his eyes fixed on Lord Harrison with a mixture of shock and disbelief.
"A mere fatty dares to call my women 'bitches'? It seems you don't value your life anymore. Well, since you don't, you won't be leaving here alive," Yuan's voice resonated coldly as he fixed a stern gaze on Lord Harrison. No one could disrespect his women without consequences.
"How dare you speak in such a manner to my lord? Do you know who he is? Apologize to him immediately," Butler Geoffrey commanded, his tone stern and demanding.
Yuan regarded the butler for a moment before responding, "Apologize to him? In your dreams."
In an instant, Yuan's arm rose, and a massive sword materialized within his grasp. Fueled by his anger at Lord Harrison's audacity, he held the sword with a fierce grip.
The fatty's attitude had truly ignited Yuan's fury; his audacious demand that Yuan's women kneel at his feet was nothing short of an insult.
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