The Ballad of Wuzhou, Originating from the People of Longshang

Chapter 128 The Ballad of Wuzhou, Originating from the People of Longshang

The night in Wuzhou, Jiangnan, was filled with the misty air, and the hustle and bustle of Zuijianglou was like a pot of boiling tea, completely overshadowing the lively atmosphere on the main street.

In the most luxurious private room on the third floor, six engraved silver candlesticks were burning brightly, their flickering flames reflecting off the delicacies on the table, even making the gilded patterns on the porcelain plates glow warmly.

Freshly steamed Yangtze River crabs lay on a silver plate, while Daughter's Red wine simmered in a celadon bowl.

Zhao Qingyi, the young master of the Zhao family in Wu County, was lazily reclining on a couch covered with cloud-patterned brocade.

The nineteen-year-old boy had a light layer of powder on his face, which made his skin look even whiter than snow, and a half-open white jasmine flower was pinned to his hair.

His figure was slender, typical of a young nobleman from Jiangnan, but when his peach blossom eyes swept over the entire room, they revealed an undeniable arrogance.

He held a jade cup between two fingers, listening to the several aristocratic young men at the table enthusiastically debating poetry and literature. He pursed his lips and casually took a sip of wine.

"Brother Zhao, try this freshly peeled crab meat, paired with this honey wine, it's a signature dish unique to Zuijianglou."

The young man in the blue robe beside him smiled and handed over a silver spoon, his smile revealing a hint of ingratiation.

Zhao Qingyi's father was Zhao Yuan, the Minister of Revenue of the Chen Dynasty, who controlled the Chen state's finances.

The Zhao family of Wu County was among the most prominent aristocratic families in Jiangnan, and with such a family background, it was natural that many people would fawn over them.

Zhao Qingyi didn't take the silver spoon, but only chuckled and gave him a disdainful look, slowly saying, "Have I never eaten it before, or do I not know how to eat it?"

He swirled the wine in his glass, amber beads clinging to the glass, his tone carrying the refined elegance and aloofness characteristic of aristocratic youths: "Just eat yours, don't you find it tiring?"

The young man in the blue robe blushed instantly. Afraid of being ridiculed by others, he could only awkwardly withdraw his hand and scoop up a spoonful of crab meat and put it in his mouth.

The laughter at the table subsided, and everyone looked at each other, pretending not to have heard anything.

Zhao Qingyi has always been arrogant and haughty. Among the young masters of Wuzhou, there are few people he can even look at seriously. Who would dare to really displease him?

Just then, the door to the private room was gently pushed open a crack, and Zhao's servant, Afu, bowed and moved as lightly as a cat, quickly slipping to Zhao Qingyi's side.

He knelt on the brocade cushion, almost pressing his face to Zhao Qingyi's ear, and said in a low voice, "Young master, someone from below has come to report that there are people gossiping about the Luo family's daughter at the Qingfeng Teahouse across the street."

The words "Luo family girl" were like a fine needle, instantly piercing the languid look on Zhao Qingyi's face.

His fingers tightened suddenly around the jade cup, spilling a few drops of wine onto his moon-white brocade robe.

Without turning his head, he asked coldly, "Who are you?"

Afu's voice lowered even further: "Judging from their accent, they must be those two people who were spreading rumors all over the city before."

"Bang!" Zhao Qingyi slammed the jade cup onto the table, the rim of the cup hitting the silver crab plate with a sharp, piercing sound.

The young men at the table were all startled and stopped talking, looking at Zhao Qingyi, whose face was ashen.

Everyone knows that the Zhao and Luo families are discussing marriage, and it was the Grand Marshal of the current dynasty who arranged it.

Although nothing has been decided yet, both families are prominent clans in Jiangnan. The Zhao family is in charge of literature, and the Luo family is in charge of martial arts. This marriage is beneficial to both sides and is bound to be a done deal.

But half a month ago, news suddenly spread in Wuzhou that the Luo family's daughter was having a secret rendezvous with a poor young man and they had pledged their lives to each other.

How could the proud and arrogant Zhao Qingyi tolerate this?

Even though he was one of the most prominent young noblemen in Wuzhou, there were always people who dared to gossip behind his back, saying that his "future wife already had someone else in her heart" and mocking him for "picking up someone else's leftovers."

Even if it wasn't said to his face, just hearing the rumors made him, with his proud and arrogant nature, feel utterly disgusted.

Zhao Qingyi suddenly stood up, the hem of her moon-white brocade robe sweeping across the stool leg and knocking over a wine cup.

"Take me there, I'll teach him a lesson!"

Afu hurriedly took the cloud-patterned boots, held them in both hands, and handed them to his feet.

Zhao Qingyi put on her boots and walked out, with Afu jogging after her.

Seeing this, the young men present dared not delay and all got up and followed him out.

……

Night falls faster in Longshang than in Jiangnan. Just past 5 PM, a row of red lanterns lit up the "Jingxianju" residence in Phoenix Mountain Villa.

The warm yellow light shone through the carved window lattice, casting dappled shadows on the blue brick floor, like a handful of scattered gold.

This guesthouse is a place in the mountain resort specifically for entertaining distinguished guests. The courtyard is planted with late-blooming osmanthus trees, and a sweet fragrance wafts in when the wind blows.

The lanterns hanging under the eaves were all embroidered with the character "于" (Yu), and even the carvings on the pillars exuded exquisiteness and luxury.

Those who can stay here are all guests who hold significant influence in the eyes of the clan leader, Yu Xinglong.

The three chief deacons of external affairs now live here, and their residence alone shows their status in the eyes of the clan leader.

After meeting Yu Xinglong, Yang Can returned to his room.

As soon as I opened the door, I saw Qingmei sitting at the table, with two little girls, Yanzhi and Zhusha, standing beside her, their faces full of joy.

It seems that when he returned, someone from the eldest branch of the family saw him and specifically went to tell Qingmei.

After all, he is now the chief steward of external affairs for the eldest branch of the family, and there are bound to be many people willing to curry favor with him.

Qingmei has agreed to let Rouge and Vermilion be her personal maids, and the two girls' eyes crinkled with joy.

They were still young and had never experienced the hardships of growing up in Qingmei's environment. In terms of cunning, how could they be a match for Qingmei?
Qingmei readily agreed because she suddenly thought of herself.

She used to be Suo Chanzhi's maid, but at a crucial moment, she became a key link in maintaining the relationship between Suo Chanzhi and Yang Can.

Now she is Yang Can's concubine, and she knows that Yang Can cannot be without a legal wife forever.

Now that she treats Rouge and Vermilion well and treats them like sisters, she will have more confidence in the Yang family in the future.

Yang Can naturally had no objection to this. With two pleasing young girls by his side, wasn't it more appealing than that blockhead Wangcai?

Of course, Master Yang has always been one to appreciate the new while not abandoning the old. Wangcai is now acting as both father and mother to him, taking care of those little ones. Even if he hasn't done anything particularly meritorious, he has certainly put in the effort, and sooner or later he will return to his side.

There were maids and servants to serve him at "Jingxian Residence". Yang Can asked casually and found out the location of the banquet.

As soon as I entered the restaurant, I saw Li Youcai standing there, instructing his maid, "Serve the dishes later, and prepare the tea first, the master of the house hasn't arrived yet."

Upon seeing Yang Can enter, Li Youcai beamed with joy, waved for the maid to leave, and quickly stepped forward to greet her.

"My dear brother, it's been so long!"

"Big Brother!" Yang Can bowed respectfully, his attitude humble: "Big Brother has been promoted to External Affairs Steward, you must be much busier than before, right?"

"Hey, who said it wasn't!"

Li Youcai pulled Yang Can to sit down at the table, shook his head and sighed, but his words revealed a hint of smugness.

"On our Yu family's territory, I have to take care of everything—mining, workshops, and all sorts of industries. Even the safekeeping of secret recipes and techniques cannot be taken lightly..."

He kept talking, seemingly complaining about how troublesome things were, but the smile in his eyes was unmistakable.

He is now the third steward, in charge of the Yu family's industrial production, from mineral exploration and refining to production management, technology confidentiality, and workshops for porcelain making, car manufacturing, and shipbuilding.

In later generations, such industrial production would have been the most important pillar industry in the region.

However, in that era, agriculture and commerce were far larger than industry, and industry was mostly still in the form of small workshops.

The large workshop built by the Yu family with the power of a single clan was comparable in scale to factories in later generations, but such industries were still too few.

Not to mention sensitive industries such as weapons manufacturing and armor forging, which had to be directly controlled by the lord, thus taking away a large portion of important authority.

Even so, this is still a type of industry for the entire Yu family. Compared to before when he was only in charge of the eldest son's branch, his power has increased significantly. How could Li Youcai not be happy?
He licked his lips, his tone full of envy: "The one managed by Steward Yi is still the best."

The entire conglomerate owns shops, pawnshops, transportation, and customs duties—it's all easy and lucrative. Even now that the Suo family has gotten involved, they're still rolling in money!

Yang Can said with a smile, "Big brother, keep up the good work and strive to go even further in the future."

Li Youcai waved his hand, his tone tinged with self-deprecation: "I am ten years older than Steward Yi, how could I possibly hope to advance further?"
I'd be content if I could stay in this position peacefully. Oh, by the way…

He suddenly sat up straight, his eyes gleaming: "The clan leader bestowed a house in Tianshui City on He Youzhen as a gift to me!"
That place is in a bustling area, and the mansion is large and impressive. When you ever visit Tianshui City, you must come and visit me!

"Of course, I'll have to trouble you, brother," Yang Can replied with a smile.

Li Youcai was even more delighted and said, "My house is on Jinshi Street in Xiguan, the Li Mansion is diagonally opposite Kunlun Huizhan!"

Yang Can was taken aback. Kunlun Huizhan? That sounds familiar. Isn't that my family's warehouse? It's my family's warehouse, isn't it?

Li Youcai, oblivious to his odd behavior, continued, "Last time, I moved over before you even got back."

The new house is nice, but I don't know any of the neighbors.

Your sister-in-law was telling me that even though the house is big, she feels lonely.

Unlike before, when your childhood sweetheart lived right next door, and we could at least chat.

As the two were talking, footsteps came from outside the door, and Dong Shun and Yi She walked in together.

Li Youcai seemed to have a spring under his buttocks, and he sprang up from his chair with a "whoosh" and quickly walked to the head of the table.

He hurriedly pulled out the chairs for the chief and second-in-command seats, bowing and scraping as he invited the two chief deacons to sit down: "Deacon Dong, Deacon Yi, please have a seat!"

Yang Can found it somewhat amusing; the three of them were all external affairs officers, each in charge of their own area.

Strictly speaking, there is no subordinate relationship; they are all directly responsible to the clan leader. Li Youcai's flattery is really unnecessary.

But then he realized that Li Youcai's promotion to the position of Foreign Affairs Officer was somewhat mysterious.

Compared to the two well-established senior stewards, Dong Shun and Yi She, he always felt inferior and naturally couldn't help but try to curry favor with them.

Yang Can, on the other hand, simply smiled and bowed respectfully, his attitude neither humble nor arrogant.

Even Yi She, who was always arrogant, couldn't help but cast a few approving glances at him.

Dong Shun glanced at Yang Can, who had just sat down, and said with a smile, "We were returning to the mountain to report on our duties when we happened to run into you, a young talent."

I've always been delighted by talent, and since I have some free time today, I thought I'd invite you to have a few drinks with me.

……

The teahouse was filled with the astringent smell of cheap tea. Li Qingyun and Yuan Yiyi sat in a corner, leaning over to ask the peddler who was going from street to street for details.

What was originally a completely fabricated matter was mentioned briefly when the two people from Dailai City inquired about it and found that the people did not know what they were asking about.

But when those who have heard it tell others, they do so in great detail.

This story has been passed down to the present day, and there are now five or six different versions, which fully demonstrates the strong creative desire and creative ability of the people.

Moreover, it mainly spread among ordinary people, so how could anyone like to listen to it if it didn't have some "color"?

Those embellished details, like sugar in tea or firewood in a stove, acted as both lubricants and catalysts, allowing this fabricated story to spread like wildfire.

At that moment, the peddler was so engrossed in his storytelling that he had almost forgotten himself.

He slammed his rough hand on the table with a "smack," scattering sunflower seed shells all over the floor.

His throat was glistening with saliva, and his voice gradually grew louder: "This is what they call 'A beautiful young woman of sixteen seeks an ancient temple, while a talented scholar from a humble background gathers among the secluded bamboo groves'!"
The story goes that the Luo family girl fell in love at first sight with the poor scholar, and the two of them, taking advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention, quietly slipped into a deserted bamboo grove…

He paused deliberately, his gaze sweeping over the assembled tea drinkers, before continuing, "As soon as they entered the bamboo grove, there wasn't a bird in sight, and the two of them immediately clung to each other, it was like a thunderbolt igniting a fire in the earth..."

"boom!"

A loud crash suddenly rang out, and the tea table at the entrance of the teahouse was kicked away violently. The wooden leg broke in two after hitting a pillar, and the rough porcelain bowl on the table shattered. The tea drinkers sitting at the table jumped up in surprise. Two powerful servants in brocade robes with short knives at their waists stepped aside, and Zhao Qingyi stepped out from behind them. Her moon-white brocade robe was still stained with wine, but her face was frighteningly ashen.

"Young master, it's them!"

The tea drinkers who had run to Zuijianglou to report the news earlier scrambled over, pointing at Li Qingyun and the peddler, their voices filled with the excitement of taking credit: "It was these guys who spread rumors here that the Luo family girl was having an affair!"

Zhao Qingyi's anger flared up instantly, and she raised her hand to slap him.

With a sharp "smack," the tea drinker was slapped so hard that he stumbled and bumped into the carrying pole on the ground, scattering needles and thread from the basket all over the floor.

"You son of a bitch!" Zhao Qingyi's voice was like ice, sharp and piercing: "You think you're so great, huh? You think you're the only one with a mouth? You son of a bitch!"

He grew angrier as he spoke, and kicked the tea drinker in the stomach again until the man curled up on the ground groaning. Then he turned and coldly swept his gaze over Li Qingyun and his group, gritting his teeth and saying, "Take them down!"

The tea drinkers in the teahouse had already scattered in fright, and the sounds of tables and chairs colliding and screams were mixed together.

The peddler panicked and hurriedly packed up his load, muttering, "Oh no, oh no!"
The Zhao family is currently negotiating a marriage with the Luo family, and this young master Zhao is the actual betrothed. What brings him here?

Before he finished speaking, he shouldered the load and ran towards the back door, not caring that there were still some needles and threads he hadn't had time to pick up. In his haste, the soles of his shoes scraped against the ground, and he almost stumbled.

Li Qingyun and Yuan Yiyi were also shocked and broke out in a cold sweat.

In order to separate their daughter from Steward Yang, the Luo family even killed Yang Can's entire family. In the eyes of these Jiangnan gentry, the lives of ordinary people are no different from grass.

Now that Zhao Qingyi is going to marry the Luo family girl, how could he not be furious and embarrassed to hear them gossiping about the "Luo family girl's romantic affairs"?
They were both outsiders, and if they fell into Zhao Qingyi's hands, they would probably have no way to survive.

Without hesitation, the two overturned the tea table in front of them, smashing the wooden table and teacups at Zhao Qingyi's servants, and tried to escape in the chaos.

Zhao Qingyi was as slender as a bean sprout, yet she was accompanied by seven or eight powerful servants.

Although these people wore their hats askew and their clothes were open, giving them a carefree and nonchalant appearance, they were extremely ruthless in their actions.

Seeing that Li Qingyun and his companion were about to escape, the servants immediately pounced on them, drawing their short knives with a "whoosh," the blades flashing coldly in the dim light of the teahouse.

A chaotic fight broke out instantly. Tea drinkers screamed and pushed their way out the door, tables and chairs were overturned and teapots and teacups were smashed all over the floor.

The peddler was clever; he slipped away in the chaos and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Since only Li Qingyun and Yuan Yiyi put up a fight, the servants' attention was entirely focused on them.

The thugs, relying on their numbers, attacked the two men with various weapons: some wielded short knives to stab, others swung sticks and clubs, and even grabbed a bench from the corner to use as a weapon.

Although Li Qingyun and Yuan Yiyi were agile, even a tiger can't withstand a pack of wolves. The enemy outnumbered them and soon they were at a disadvantage.

"You barbarians from the islands of Jiangnan!"

While using his arm to block the blows, Li Qingyun roared, "It's just a few words of casual conversation, is it necessary to be so aggressive?"

"That Luo family girl isn't even married to you yet, why are you in such a hurry to sleep with someone else!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than a thick wooden stick slammed down on his arm with a dull thud. Li Qingyun turned pale with pain and could no longer lift his arm.

"Kill him! Kill him for me!"

Zhao Qingyi was so enraged by his words that she flew into a rage. The thin powder on her face was twisted by her muscles and fell off in a flurry, and all traces of her previous gentlemanly demeanor vanished.

He screamed twice, then suddenly coughed violently, his back arching like a bow.

The young men who came with him rushed over, patting his back and offering him water, as anxious as ants on a hot pan.

Having received the young master's orders, the servants intensified their attack.

Even the servants brought by those young masters picked up their weapons and joined the battle.

More than twenty henchmen wielding sharp blades surrounded the small teahouse, making it impossible to move.

Li Qingyun and Yuan Yiyi were cornered against the wall, making it difficult for them to even breathe.

"Ah!" Li Qingyun, who already had an injured arm, couldn't dodge in time. A short knife pierced his ribs with a "thud," and blood instantly stained his clothes.

Li Qingyun was in so much pain that his movements faltered. Another long bench slammed down on his head. He groaned, his vision went black, and he fell heavily to the ground, where he remained motionless.

Yuan Yi was terrified, knowing that if she didn't leave now, she wouldn't be able to escape.

He brandished his sword wildly, forcing back the thugs in front of him, and moved step by step toward the back window of the teahouse, cursing loudly: "You surnamed Zhao!"

You can't control your wife, letting her commit adultery and have affairs. She's done all sorts of shameful things, and she might even have given birth to your illegitimate son!
"You incompetent bastard, why are you taking your anger out on us!"

Yuan Yiyi retreated to the window, threw her head back and laughed loudly, her voice full of sarcasm: "Trying to shut us up?"
Let me tell you, this shameful affair has already spread throughout Wuzhou City. No matter how powerful and domineering you, Zhao Qingyi, are, you are a laughing stock for the whole world!
You bastard! You're a complete bastard!

After finishing her rant, Yuan Yi leaped into the air, her shoulder slamming hard against the window frame.

With a crash, the wooden window shattered. Yuan Yi rolled to the riverbank outside the window, got up, and ran wildly into the distance, disappearing without a trace in the blink of an eye.

The area outside the teahouse was already crowded with onlookers, their whispers and pointing fingers as quiet as a mosquito's buzz.

The young men who came with her looked at each other, wanting to persuade Zhao Qingyi, but not daring to step forward. Everyone could see that Zhao Qingyi was about to go crazy with anger.

Zhao Qingyi's face turned white, red, and then bluish-purple, just like a piece of cloth hanging in a dye shop on the street.

Suddenly, he broke free from the young master who was supporting him, pointed one finger at the sky, and screamed at the top of his lungs.

"The Luo family daughter is shameless and has disgraced the family! I, Zhao Qingyi, hereby declare today that there is absolutely no possibility of marriage between us in this lifetime!"
May the gods punish me if I break this oath! May the gods punish me!

His voice was so shrill it almost pierced people's eardrums, and the people on the street were stunned, even the discussions stopped.

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came from the street corner. The four young generals of the Luo family had received a message from a tea drinker that someone was ruining their sister's reputation again, and they rushed over angrily with more than a dozen family retainers.

As soon as they arrived at the teahouse entrance, Zhao Qingyi's heartless vows reached their ears word for word.

……

The evening breeze, carrying the fragrance of osmanthus, passed through the carved windows of Jingxian Residence. The palace lanterns hanging under the corridor swayed gently in the breeze, and the warm yellow light flowed like water across the banquet, making the delicious dishes on the table even more enticing.

A glistening roasted lamb leg lay on a silver platter, its skin so crispy you could see tiny droplets of oil. In a celadon bowl, tender venison stewed until mushy could be torn into shreds with a single pluck of chopsticks.

Several delicate dishes of pickled vegetables and candied fruits were placed beside it, and a pot of freshly warmed rice wine was emitting wisps of steam. The aroma of the wine mixed with the smell of meat, making one's nose itch.

The tables and chairs were all made of the finest nanmu wood, with a delicate, satin-like texture. The cups and saucers were crystal-clear glassware, reflecting a pale purple glow under the light. Even the embroidery on the tablecloths was meticulously stitched, exuding an extraordinary sense of nobility.

Yang Can was the youngest and least experienced of the four, and he hadn't been idle since he sat down.

He waved away the maids who came forward to serve him, and personally picked up the wine pot to pour wine for the three stewards. When the celadon wine pot was tilted, the wine poured steadily into the glass cups, not a drop more or less.

He was very tactful when serving the food, always picking the freshest and most tender parts of the dish for Dong Shun and Yi She, his movements fluid and respectful.

Li Youcai sat to the side, feeling very pleased.

In the past, when drinking with the two chief stewards, he was always the one busy pouring wine and serving dishes. Now that he has Yang Can as his little brother, he can finally sit still and enjoy the comfort of being served.

Tonight's banquet, with three foreign affairs chiefs who are not subordinate to each other, was destined to be devoid of any important matters to discuss.

This has always been the case with drinking culture: the more people there are and the more diverse their backgrounds, the more trivial and innocuous the conversations tend to be.

Dong Shun was indeed interested in Yang Can, and Yang Can's actions over the past six months had been quite remarkable.

However, Dong Shun invited Yang Can to the banquet today simply because he wanted to get to know this young man better.

If you really have something on your mind, you shouldn't be talking about it here.

Yi She didn't have any particular feelings for Yang Can. He himself was in his prime, and their status, age, and mindset were different.

Li Youcai, however, wished that Yang Can would catch the eye of the two senior deacons, so that they could give him, their little brother, a chance to be promoted in the future.

It's lonely at the top; only after he took this position did he realize how much he needed helpers and friends.

The higher Yang Can's position and the greater his power, the more weight Yang Can's role as the foreign affairs steward would naturally carry.

Yang Can chatted and laughed, frequently raising his glass.

As for his background, he simply made up a reason at the time, and to make it seem believable, he casually incorporated a story about a family in Jiangnan that he had just heard about.

Little did he know that at this very moment, his very words would stir up a huge uproar in Wuzhou, Jiangnan.

……

In the Luo family's "Pillow Moon Pavilion," dozens of glass lamps hang under the eaves, their light shining through the thin, cicada-wing-like lampshades, illuminating the entire pavilion as bright as day.

All around were rows of gilded tables, on which were placed delicate side dishes, warm tea, amber-colored yellow wine, and deep red wine, the cups clinking together with a crisp sound.

A dozen or so young ladies from aristocratic families, dressed in traditional Chinese dresses, sat around a table. The embroidery on their dresses shimmered under the lamplight, and the fragrance of their clothes and the shadows of their hair reflected in the lotus lanterns floating in the pond below the pavilion.

The lamplight swayed with the ripples on the water, making it hard to tell whether it was in the human world or in the heavens.

A beautiful young girl wore a white silk dance dress, the sleeves of which were as light and thin as clouds in the sky, and her figure was as slender as a willow in the wind.

A young noblewoman nearby began to play the konghou (a type of Chinese harp). As soon as the clear music began, the dancing girl raised her hand, rolled up her long sleeves, and lightly touched the lamplight with her fingertips. Her figure moved slowly in time with the music.

The wide sleeves of her white silk dance dress unfurled as she gracefully turned, like two drooping white clouds, making a soft rustling sound as they brushed against the air.

As the sound of the konghou quickened, she twirled her waist and flicked her sleeves, the cloud-like sleeves almost brushing against the girl sitting behind the table, but she skillfully withdrew them at the last second before touching her, eliciting soft gasps from the crowd.

At the climax of the dance, she bent her knees and spun around, her wide sleeves overlapping in front of her and then suddenly unfolding, her skirt billowing as she spun, like a white lotus suddenly blooming in a pond, so beautiful that it was impossible to look away.

The aristocratic girls all around clapped and laughed. The dancing girl, with a proud smile, gracefully walked down from the stage. This girl was none other than Luo Mei'er, the beloved daughter of General Luo.

"Lan Shu, you danced so well! You moved like a fairy!"

"I've practiced that tiptoeing spin move for ages but I still can't do it well. My calves are too weak. How could you be so light and graceful?"

"It's even harder when you're doing the stepping. You have to be graceful and light as if you're flying between movement and stillness to look good. That requires really strong thighs, which I'm far from being able to do."

"Who can we compare to Lan Shu, who is the daughter of a great general and possesses exceptional martial arts skills?"

The girls praised her, but their tone betrayed a hint of envy.

This "White Silk Dance" was originally a standard feature of banquets for young ladies from aristocratic families; whoever danced it well could easily steal the spotlight.

Luo Meier's martial arts skills far surpassed theirs in terms of balance, coordination, and strength. As long as Luo Meier was around, no one else could steal the spotlight.

Not to mention, the Luo family is also negotiating a marriage alliance with the son of the Minister of Revenue, Mr. Zhao. One family holds the power of the sword, and the other holds the purse strings. Luo Meier's future glory will be unmatched by them. How can they not be envious?
Just then, a young maid rushed in, panting, with stray hairs sticking to her face: "Miss, those two outsiders who spread rumors about you have appeared again!"

"Where?" Luo Meier, who was chatting and laughing with the girls, suddenly turned pale. Her eyebrows furrowed, and a murderous aura flashed in her eyes. Even her voice turned cold.

The maid swallowed hard and said urgently, "The young masters have heard about it and have already gone to arrest the person! But... but..."

"But what? They escaped?" Luo Meier pressed.

The maid quickly shook her head: "No, no! It was Young Master Zhao who was there at the time. In a fit of rage, he injured a stranger who was spreading rumors!"
But... but that outsider's words were so rude! The young master of the Zhao family was furious and immediately swore a solemn oath that he would never again consider a marriage alliance with the Luo family!

As soon as these words were spoken, the pavilion fell silent. The young ladies from noble families looked at each other, lowered their heads and whispered among themselves, their eyes revealing undisguised glee.

Luo Meier didn't need to turn around to smell the gloating in his eyes.

I told you you were prettier than me, that your family background was better than mine, that you danced better than me, and now look what's happened! The wedding is off, and you've lost face big time!
The maid continued, "The four young masters were also enraged by what the young master Zhao said, and they beat him up on the spot!"
The outsider who spread the rumors was also rescued by the four young masters and is currently being interrogated...

However, in my opinion, that stranger is seriously injured and is about to die..."

"Even if he's about to die, he'll have to confess first who's been talking about me behind my back!"

Luo Meier gritted her teeth: "I want to catch that bastard, pull out his tongue, and then chop him into eighteen pieces to vent my hatred!"

(End of this chapter)