"Tch, you're just talking nonsense without knowing the truth," Lu Chen thought with a cold snort.
"Return the money to its owner. Otherwise, I'll finish you off right here," Lu Chen said flatly, his voice calm yet sharp as ice, causing several people nearby to shudder in horror.
The robber laughed loudly. "Hahaha! Are you threatening me, little woman? Look in the mirror before you speak! With such a small body, are you sure you can fight me?" he sneered contemptuously.
Lu Chen simply stared coldly, his eyes piercing. "I've warned you once. Don't blame me if you can't stand up again after this."
The bystanders began whispering. "Is he crazy? That robber is twice his size!"
However, without warning, Lu Chen shot forward. His first punch struck the robber hard in the cheek, sending him staggering backward. Without giving him time to breathe, Lu Chen punched him repeatedly in the chest, then in the stomach.
The sound of blows echoed through the air, loud and resonant. The robber fell and was easily slammed to the ground.
Everyone watching could only gape. "T-that… how could such a small woman be so strong?!"
Lu Chen stared coldly at the fallen robber. "Heh, you're only good at looking down on people without knowing how strong they really are," he said flatly. He then bent down to pick up the money bag lying beside the man.
But suddenly, the robber, still half-conscious, grabbed Lu Chen's hand and quickly pulled off her veil. "I want to know, who exactly are you!"
The veil fell off, revealing a beautiful face like a celestial carving. Everyone who saw it immediately fell silent.
"Deadly beauty… she's like a goddess descended from heaven," they thought in unison.
The robber, who had been arrogant until now, now glared, his eyes nearly popping out. "Y-You… how can you… be this beautiful?" he stammered.
"Damn it," Lu Chen muttered, his expression turning angry. He punched the robber in the face once more, knocking him unconscious on the spot. He knew everyone was now staring at him unblinkingly, but he didn't care. With calm steps, he walked over to the middle-aged woman who had been robbed.
The woman remained frozen, her hands trembling as she held her skirt.
"Here's your money," Lu Chen said flatly, handing her the bag.
The woman remained silent.
"Madam, don't you want your money anymore?" Lu Chen asked in a cold but polite tone.
"Ah! Uh-uh… yes! Thank you, miss! I truly appreciate your help just now. If it weren't for you, I might have lost everything," the woman replied softly, her face flushed with embarrassment after the pause.
Lu Chen simply replied curtly, "No need for thanks. I was just passing by."
The woman smiled sincerely. "Even so, even the smallest help means a lot to me. You are truly strong and brave, miss."
Lu Chen was about to turn to leave, but the woman's right hand suddenly grabbed his wrist.
"What else is there, madam?" Lu Chen asked flatly, turning his head slightly.
"Um… miss, let me introduce myself. This old lady's name is Wei Meixue. If I may ask, what's the name of the lady who helped me earlier?" the woman asked kindly, then politely let go of Lu Chen's hand.
Lu Chen stared at her for a moment. "My name is Lu Chen," he replied briefly. His voice remained cold, but clear enough for everyone around him to hear.
"Lu Chen…" Wei Meixue repeated the name softly, her lips curling into a smile. "A beautiful, powerful, and dignified name. Thank you again, Miss Lu."
"No problem," Lu Chen replied curtly and walked away. Before leaving the area, he turned to one of the villagers. "You guys, take that man to the village chief. Make sure he gets the punishment he deserves."
Several people immediately nodded obediently. "Yes, miss!"
Meanwhile, Wei Meixue continued to stare at Lu Chen's slowly retreating back. He smiled softly inwardly. "That girl… is not only incredibly beautiful, but also strong and resolute. Truly extraordinary. If only she could be part of my family…" he thought hopefully.
A few moments later, footsteps were heard in the distance. A large entourage approached, consisting of several soldiers and a handsome young man dressed in magnificent dark blue robes.
"Mother! Where have you gone?" the man's voice was firm but anxious. "I was so worried! Why did you leave the inn without our knowledge? You didn't even bring any soldiers!"
The villagers who were still standing immediately moved aside to make way. They whispered to each other in awe.
"Oh my… look at that man's face! He's so handsome, like a god from the heavens!"
"Right! Who are they? Their clothes alone show they're no ordinary people."
Some of the young women even squealed with delight. "Today is truly strange, isn't it! We saw…
A woman as beautiful as a goddess, and now men as handsome as gods. Is this a dream?"
The crowd laughed and nodded in agreement. But the soldiers behind the handsome man simply looked at each other, confused by the crowd's reaction.
Wei Meixue reassured her children with a gentle smile. "Ah, my handsome crown prince and princes, don't worry. Mother is fine. It's just that you wanted to take a short walk around the market; the air outside is so fresh."
The handsome man—who turned out to be Crown Prince Lu—sighed. "Mother, next time at least let us know. If something happens, what will happen?"
"Yes, the crown prince is right," replied one of the other princes. "Don't do something dangerous like this again. Everyone at the inn is looking for you."
Wei Meixue smiled even more warmly. "Yes, yes, my children. Forgive me. I just wanted to tell you something, but seeing these people look so happy, I can't bear to cause a scene."
She turned to the crowd, her eyes gentle but holding something else. "Come on, let's go back to the inn. Mother will tell you something interesting."
The children looked at each other in surprise.
"What's going on? Why does Mother keep smiling like that? Usually, she gets angry when we worry her… but now, that smile seems… to be hiding something," they thought almost in unison.
But none of them dared to ask. They simply accompanied their mother back to the inn, while the villagers were still busy discussing the two extraordinary figures they had just witnessed—the veiled woman now known as Lu Chen, and the graceful noblewoman Wei Meixue, who turned out to be the mother of the imperial princes.
The Chang'an wind blew gently, carrying the whispers of admiration from the residents.
And among the crowd, one thing was certain—that day, the name of Lu Chen, "The Frozen Blade" of the Lu Empire, began to reverberate throughout the Chang'an city markets.