The one called Old Reed was the burly man who had just helped Henry Carter subdue the startled horse. Upon hearing the reminder from the The Foster Family brothers, he immediately strode over to the carriage, cupped his fists respectfully toward the compartment, and said very politely, “I don’t know which lady is sitting inside—have you been hurt? Just now, Mr. Reed was in a hurry to restrain the frightened horse, so my actions were a bit reckless. I beg your pardon, madam!”

“Mm, no, just now—thank you for your help!” A soft gasp was heard from inside the carriage, followed by the languid voice of the lady. Though tinged with lingering fright, her tone was gentle and charming, making Old Reed, who stood closest to the carriage, suddenly feel his scalp tighten, his hands and feet at a loss for where to rest.

“Madam?” Henry Carter was startled again. He widened his eyes for a closer look—heavens, was this really a carriage decorated with white copper? The compartment and the shaft were clearly clad in pure silver. Eight carriages, all drawn by pairs of horses, all with silver coverings. In the entire city of Chang’an, there were probably no more than three people who could parade around with such extravagance and be addressed as “madam.” And if even a single hair of any of these three were harmed, they’d all likely spend the rest of their lives in prison!

At this thought, he dared not be negligent for even a moment. He hurried forward a few steps and personally grabbed the now-deformed carriage door. “Madam, please be careful—the door is broken. Let me open it for you. Please switch to one of the carriages behind; I’m afraid this one can’t be used anymore. Within three days, we will certainly compensate you with a new one!”

“Hmph!” The woman inside the carriage let out a delicate snort, clearly dissatisfied with Henry Carter’s offer.

“Is it the Lady of Guo? The Foster Family brothers, Samuel and David, along with a few friends, were playing around here and didn’t expect to disturb your carriage. It’s already late, and we wouldn’t dare delay you on the road. Another day, we will certainly come to your residence to apologize!” The The Foster Family brothers, being more experienced, cleared their throats and stepped forward to offer their respects in a loud voice.

Even though it was already the Tianbao era, the name of Duke Hu, Ulysses S. Grant, still carried some weight. The woman inside the carriage chuckled softly and replied in a gentle voice, “So it’s Samuel and David. No wonder your voices sounded so familiar. What’s this about coming to apologize? Whose children haven’t gotten into a few street fights? Hmm, what happened to the carriage—did it really get dented? You two strong men outside, could you please use a bit more strength?”

“As you command, madam!” Henry Carter was overjoyed. With a bit more force, he tore off the deformed carriage door. Fearing he might disturb the ladies inside, he quickly stepped back half a pace and turned his face aside.

This display of courtesy made the Lady of Guo giggle. After her laughter subsided, a young girl in green leapt gracefully from the carriage, bent down, and slowly spread a crimson carpet at the carriage entrance. The girl looked to be about thirteen or fourteen, yet her figure was already shapely. As she knelt and bent, two smooth curves arched from front and back. Her movements were slow and extremely elegant; as her fair arms lifted and lowered, her five slender, spring-onion-like fingers contrasted beautifully with the crimson carpet. At the tips of her fingers was a touch of unusual rosy red, which, illuminated by the setting sun, instantly drew countless gazes.

Henry Carter had lost his parents early, and though his stepmother, Aunt Yun, had arranged a chambermaid for him as was customary in wealthy families, the relationship was distant, and she could not oversee his private life as a birth mother would. Thus, though he was a notorious playboy, he was actually more inexperienced with women than his peers. Now, suddenly confronted with a peerlessly beautiful girl in nearly translucent clothing, he felt his lips go dry, his throat tighten, and a wicked fire slowly rise in his belly. Looking at Edward Bennett, there was no trace of fear in his eyes; he stared unblinkingly at the girl’s every move, as if afraid that if he looked away for even a moment, the enchanting maiden would turn into a butterfly and fly away.

“Pa!” A crisp sound rang out in front of the carriage. Everyone was startled, their minds instantly clearing. Looking over, they saw a pair of tiny leather shoes, inlaid with countless pearls and gems, fall onto the crimson carpet at the carriage entrance, followed by another. The curtain stirred, and another equally charming young maiden jumped down, bent over to neatly arrange the shoes at the carriage door, and then said softly, “Madam, the carpet is ready. Please step out!”

“Is the sunlight outside still so harsh?” With the two beautiful maids as her backdrop, the voice from inside the carriage became even more alluring. Though they knew it was improper, Edward Bennett and the other out-of-town guests couldn’t help but sneak glances over. They saw five rosy-red toes slowly emerge from the carriage, igniting the air with their presence. The feet were as white as jade, the ankles smooth and round, the calves straight and sleek. Heavens, she wasn’t even wearing stockings—her sculpted calves were covered only by a layer of sapphire-blue Indian gauze! My god, Edward Bennett’s mind buzzed, and in an instant, everything else in the world lost its color.