My older sister is a villainous rich girl

Out of curiosity, the passersby stopped going in and out of the city gate and just stood there pointing and whispering about the figures that were hanging up.

Chapter 276 No right to defend oneself if one is not present

Chris sat high in the carriage.

From behind the curtain that Tasia had lifted slightly, only a figure could be vaguely seen gently waving a folding fan in their hand.

Originally, Wayne suggested making a scene out of nothing, but Chris seized the initiative without hesitation.

“My reputation is already bad enough, it doesn’t matter if it gets any worse,” she said.

"Besides... I'm the kind of person who's capable of doing this kind of thing~"

So, the haughty Miss Chris ordered that the six people who had offended her be hung at the city gate as a warning to others.

The demand for the city lord to personally explain and apologize was also made in the name of Chris as a form of apology.

She sat quietly in the carriage, waiting for the city lord to come out.

As expected, Wayne heard the murmurs he had anticipated among the onlookers.

"That young lady is just as willful as the rumors say!"

"Yes, yes... These guys seem to be from the city guard. They're really unlucky! Of all people to offend, they had to go and offend that capricious Miss Chris. She's someone they can't afford to mess with!"

"……Hello!"

Their companions hurriedly stopped the conversation from veering off course.

"Why are you shouting so loudly! Are you afraid people won't hear you? Are you out of your minds?!"

Wayne was speechless.

What kind of image should Chris have in the minds of these passersby?

He withdrew his gaze, looked at the men hanging upside down, and asked loudly, "What? Haven't you informed your city lord yet? Or are these men acting on your city lord's orders?!"

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the onlookers changed.

From the direction of the city gate, another higher-ranking guard leader explained with a bitter face, "Sir, we have already sent someone to inform them. Please wait a little longer."

At the same time, he was inwardly groaning.

He was just a gatekeeper, and he had only recently handed over his shift to the previous guard when this happened.

He figured he usually just kept an eye on some foreign merchant caravans to skim some profits, so how could he know if the city lord was really behind something shady?

This is truly a case of "when a big shot stomps his foot, a small person is shaken to their core."

I don't understand why these two young masters and princesses, who are perfectly content living a carefree life in the capital, would bother to come all this way here so casually.

Fortunately, this extremely embarrassing situation did not continue.

No sooner had he finished speaking than the city lord appeared in a hurry.

Count Alec, his belly swaying as if he were seven or eight months pregnant, greeted the crowd outside the city with a broad smile.

"Gentlemen! You distinguished guests have come from afar. Why didn't you inform me beforehand? I would have arranged for someone to welcome you and prepare a warm welcome for you—"

There was no trace of embarrassment on his face.

It's as if all the unpleasant things happening right in front of you don't exist.

Wayne scoffed.

"Lord City Lord...aren't these hunting dogs the men you arranged?" he asked coldly.

"What do you mean by that?!"

Count Alec blushed and quickly denied it.

"In my opinion, there must be some misunderstanding among you gentlemen. Why don't you come to my residence for a discussion, and allow me to explain the situation in detail?"

He wanted to quell the immediate conflict and move the location to a private setting.

As long as sufficient compensation is made, the matter can mostly be resolved; he knows the nobles in the capital all too well.

Upon hearing this, Wayne asked suspiciously, "Could it be that Earl Alec intends to detain us in his manor?"

“How could that be! So many onlookers witnessed my invitation. Do you think I could arrest everyone who entered or left the city gate during this time?” Count Alec said with a wry smile.

Of course, he would do it if it were to be of any use.

Unfortunately, it was all in vain...

Wayne nodded, indicating that he should lead the way.

Originally, the three of them only wanted to use this matter to put pressure on the city lord and make him cooperate with their group's purpose.

If I could also get some compensation along the way, that would be even better.

Before this, they had sent the driver away through other means to send news of themselves and Chris back home.

This is the first line of defense.

If they haven't returned to the capital by tomorrow, Duke Elliott will know what to do.

However, if things get urgent, Aikos might suddenly appear and start a killing spree.

This is the second layer of insurance.

Hopefully, Count Alec will know what's good for him.

Thinking this, Wayne turned and climbed into the front seat of the carriage.

"Lock them up."

He said this to the guard leader who was standing at the city gate wearing a long sword.

"I will then send someone to transfer them to the prison in the capital. If they die at your hands, then I will have to trouble you to take their place."

After making a casual threat, Wayne acted as a coachman, cracked his whip, and rode off with Chris and Tasia.

The guards at the city gate looked at each other for a moment, then quickly stepped forward and lowered the guards who were hanging down.

Guided by Alec, Wayne drove the carriage into the city lord's mansion.

In the thirteen provinces of the Kingdom of Saint Loens, there are more than two hundred cities of this size, but at least half of them are located in the fiefdoms of nobles of various ranks.

Since Earl Alec was appointed lord of a city on all the royal lands, he must have had a letter of appointment drafted by the prime minister and personally signed by His Majesty the King.

In other words, he was not a fallen nobleman with shallow roots.

“I have long admired Duke Elliott. I met him briefly when I went to the capital last time and we had a very pleasant conversation. How could I possibly do something like assassination?” Alec defended himself.

The group sat down in the reception room of the city lord's mansion.

To lighten the mood, Alek also sent people to serve him a lot of fresh fruit.

Back on his home turf, he seemed much more at ease.

Count Alec subconsciously touched the armrest of the chair.

"You all might as well think about this carefully."

He countered their question: "Even if I were to assassinate you, what good would it do me?"

"Excuse my bluntness, but has this... young master Wen Che been misled by someone with ulterior motives?"

When he paused slightly in his speech, Wayne raised an eyebrow with keen insight.

It seems that his fame is far less than Chris's. Even passersby know Chris's name, but this city lord seems to know absolutely nothing about him.

But then he thought about it again and realized that this was quite normal.

Chris is, after all, a woman with a "famous reputation".

“But those guys claimed they were following the city lord’s orders to ‘arrest’ us,” Wayne said.

Actually, I never said that.

However, the six people who were hung up and displayed are not present at the moment and cannot express any objection.

Chapter 277 "Colluding with Rebels" is a framework

The city lord's face darkened.

“It’s utterly ridiculous! The moment those people rushed in, they accused us of colluding with the rebels…” Wayne said coldly, “Every head of the Wincher family has fought countless battles for the kingdom. This is an insult to the honor of the Wincher family!”

His angry demeanor would make him seem difficult to deal with.

“Yes, I will also have a good talk with my father about these matters,” Chris said calmly.

Count Alec's feigned ease was completely gone, replaced by a solemn expression.

This concerns the honor of the family, and it's a very serious accusation.

For some old noble families, in order to uphold the family's honor, they would even risk their own lives to initiate one-on-one duels.

Of course, he didn't think things would come to that.

Although I don't understand why these nobles suddenly appeared in Costa City, as long as I treat them well, it shouldn't be difficult to deal with these kids who are only ten years old.

That's what Alek thought.

Then, he apologized, saying, "I had absolutely no intention of insulting the Wencher family."

"Those people were indeed following my orders, searching for the rebels in heavily fortified areas. But why they mistook you distinguished guests for rebels may require further investigation after they have regained their senses. However... I will definitely give you all a satisfactory answer!"

He clapped his hands.

A servant came in carrying a small box and presented it with his head bowed.

Alec casually took it and opened it on the table.

Inside were three magnificent gems, each the size of a fist, reflecting a dazzling light.

It looks very valuable.

Looking at the jewel, a hint of heartache flashed in Alec's eyes, but he still resolutely said, "This is my humble offering. Please convey my regards to Duke Elliott."

However, he would never have imagined that Wayne was also feeling a bit of financial pain at this moment.

—You've given too much; I can't accept it in front of Chris and Tasia!

But before he could say anything, Chris mocked, "Count Alec, it must have taken you a lot of effort to get this thing, right?"

Whether he failed to grasp the implication of her words or not, Alik revealed a smug expression: "It's alright, it's alright."

In other words, they used some trivial tricks.

He smiled without saying a word, which was almost as if he was saying, "Those who know, know."

"We don't need this kind of thing."

Wayne frowned and said, "Actually, we originally wanted to go see a friend and ask him for some information."

"But when we went to his house, we found it empty. The guards accused us of being spies sent by the rebels and attacked us without saying a word."

Upon hearing these words, Alek's expression changed, becoming rather unpleasant.

He already had a premonition, but still asked one more question out of a sense of hope: "May I ask who your friends are?"

"Baron Horace, does Lord Alec know this person?"

As he said this, Wayne stared intently at his face, not missing a single subtle change.

The moment that name was mentioned, Alec's eye twitched, revealing a few fine wrinkles.

Wayne immediately understood.

He crossed his legs and leaned back in his seat.

“It seems Lord Alek knows his whereabouts? Please have him come to see us,” he said.

How could I not know?

Alek looked bitter.

This person was a commoner who had recently been stripped of his noble title by his own hand.

How could a commoner, as insignificant as a weed, possibly know a high-ranking noble in the capital?

“If you’re referring to Horace, who was stripped of his noble title, then I suppose I should know.” His tone was so normal that it didn’t betray a hint of guilt.