“Don’t hit... don’t hit, I’m fainting, I really fainted...” Charles Clark finally managed to break free from the burly man’s hand covering his mouth and shouted loudly.

“Nonsense.” Miss frowned, gritting her teeth as she said, “If you’ve fainted, how can you still shout so energetically?”

“Heavens, earth, please just let this student faint...” Charles Clark was bleeding inside.

At that moment, the wooden stick came down again, landing squarely on the back of Charles Clark’s head. Charles Clark rolled his eyes and finally passed out.

Chapter 002: Bridegroom Snatching

Charles Clark seemed to catch a strong scent of agarwood at the tip of his nose as he slowly regained consciousness. He only felt a splitting pain at the back of his head. He opened his eyes slowly and found himself in an elegant side hall, slumped crookedly on a pearwood chair. It seemed to be noon, with golden sunlight falling outside the paper window, streaming through the lattice into the room.

Only then did Charles Clark remember that he had been kidnapped, and by a little girl at that. Thinking of the way that little girl had viciously swung a wooden stick at his head, Charles Clark couldn’t help but shiver.

What kind of world is this, even a poor scholar gets kidnapped. Charles Clark cursed inwardly.

Before Charles Clark could start thinking of a way to escape, the door was suddenly pushed open. The person who entered was someone Charles Clark would recognize even if she turned to ashes—who else could it be but the very Miss who knocked him out?

Charles Clark immediately flew into a rage, slammed the table, pointed at her and shouted, “Thief girl...”

Today, Miss was wearing a pink tight-fitting puff-sleeve top and a skirt of emerald green gauze with scattered flower patterns. Her skin was as fair as snow, and her hair, as black as clouds, was tied behind her head. She was staring wide-eyed, grinning mischievously at Charles Clark, as if the angrier Charles Clark got, the happier she became.

This time, she put on a well-behaved look, bowed to Charles Clark and said, “Please don’t blame me, Young Master Clark. We only became acquainted through a fight. You are magnanimous, surely you won’t really hold a grudge, right?”

What annoyed Charles Clark wasn’t that this little girl had hit him, but that her technique was so poor—she’d smashed him dozens of times and still hadn’t finished him off quickly.

Charles Clark snorted coldly, meaning to say, I really do hold a grudge.

Seeing how angry he was, Miss widened her eyes and said, “They say a real man lets bygones be bygones with a smile. How can you be so petty? Come on, Young Master Clark, don’t be angry. Actually, I brought you here because I have something good for you.”

Charles Clark thought to himself, I’ve seen shameless people, but never anyone this shameless. She tied me up and brought me here, and now she wants to give me a benefit? Does she really think Scholar Clark is Clark?

Charles Clark shouted, “I don’t want any benefits, I want to go back to my stall.”

A trace of embarrassment flashed across Miss’s face. She forced a dry smile for a moment, then her eyes rolled and her expression turned cold as frost. She raised her fists, making her knuckles crack, her willow brows standing on end, and said, “Don’t refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit. For a bookworm like you, I have plenty of ways to deal with you. If my father hadn’t taught me to win people over with virtue, I’d have skinned you and fed you to the dogs by now.”

So fierce! Charles Clark had been a doctor in his previous life, and in this one he was just a poor scholar. He didn’t have the aura of a tough guy, though he did know a move or two. But seeing how formidable Miss looked, and with several burly figures looming behind the door, if it really came to a fight, he’d probably suffer again.

Charles Clark had no choice but to shout, “With such lawless behavior, do you even remember there’s such a thing as the law in this world?”

But Miss just crossed her arms, pursed her lips, and looked Charles Clark up and down very seriously, saying unhurriedly, “My family is the law.”

Charles Clark looked her over carefully and really did feel that the words ‘I am the law’ were practically written on Miss’s face.

Speechless, Charles Clark could only say, “Fine, tell me what benefit you’re offering, and let me think about it.”

Miss instantly switched from anger to joy, her scowl vanishing as she put on a delighted look and sat down obediently. “Our Wen family is here to recruit you as a son-in-law. If you become our Wen family’s son-in-law, you’ll have all the good food and drink you want, and all sorts of other benefits.”

When Charles Clark heard the words ‘recruit a son-in-law,’ his eyes nearly popped out. He couldn’t help glancing at Miss, thinking: No wonder this little girl is so anxious, she’s desperate for a husband! No way, no way, marrying such a fierce woman—how could I survive? Getting clubbed a few times every day, I’d rather be killed.

Miss seemed to see through Charles Clark’s thoughts and spat, “As if I’d want you! It’s my elder sister who fancies you. Just nod your head and you’ll be married right away.”

So it’s the elder sister...

Charles Clark understood now—this was a bridegroom snatching, and a blatant one at that. He’d heard of such customs before, but never expected to encounter it here in the Ming Dynasty, right under the emperor’s nose in the capital. But... do Han people even have this custom? Adam Sullivan remembered only a few minority groups did.

Thinking it over, Charles Clark immediately came up with a reason: this Miss’s elder sister must be Miss. Miss must be unable to get married, otherwise, with so many talented men in the capital, more numerous than dogs, even if their ancestors burned incense for good luck, it would never be his turn.