Chapter 135: Banquet Changes Host
Chai Wan’er left.
Qin Ying’s ears buzzed.
First, her mind was in turmoil, and second, the voices in the room rose and fell one after another.
“Fine, Yang Luo, hurry back with me!” Yang Hui, who had been hiding behind the crowd, shouted loudly. “You’ve caused big trouble!”
She knew nothing good would come from going out with Yang Luo!
At home, this master and servant duo had sharp tongues, and outside, they would immediately get beaten.
Luckily, she hid quickly, or she would have been beaten too.
She even threatened to have the Empress issue a decree to examine her!
If the Empress issued a decree, she wouldn’t examine her; she would interrogate her!
Who does she think she is, oh my God!
“Cousin, it’s too late to leave now,” Mo Zheng said. “Since things have come to this, why not just sit down and have a meal first.”
Yang Hui spat in anger: “Then don’t go back!”
With that, she flicked her sleeves and hurried away.
“Miss Yang, don’t be afraid.”
Li Rong came over and took “Yang Luo’s” hand, saying.
Her face was pale, her voice trembling; clearly, she had been quite frightened just now, but she was still forcing herself to comfort Miss Yang.
“Although my aunt is only an Imperial Consort and has been put under house arrest, I will ask my father to speak to His Majesty on your behalf, and I will also testify for you that Chai Wan’er provoked you first.”
She said this with eyes full of grievance.
“We all know what happened; it’s just because you outperformed Princess Pingcheng in the exam.”
This they did not know! Qin Ying’s brow twitched; Chai Wan’er had provoked her, but hadn’t mentioned Princess Pingcheng even once.
Yet Li Rong was trying to direct the matter toward Princess Pingcheng!
Chai Wan’er was openly stirring up trouble, but Li Rong was slyly provoking it.
The Li Clan, from the Imperial Consort’s family, naturally came with ill intentions too!
This Miss Yang must not be fooled by these sweet words.
“Miss Yang, it’s all my poor hospitality,” Qin Ying hurriedly interjected, taking “Yang Luo’s” other hand. “Miss Chai has always been like this; I should have reminded you earlier.”
Mo Zheng curtsied to her: “Although it was others who provoked me, it did disrupt your banquet in the end.”
She said this with a smile.
“How about this: the cost of this banquet will be on me.”
After saying that, she signaled to Yang Luo.
Yang Luo responded and turned to walk outside.
Qin Ying hadn’t expected her to say this and hurriedly waved her hand: “How can that be? A Sheng, A Sheng…”
The maidservant had already reached the door; she hurriedly chased after and grabbed her.
The “maidservant” smiled: “Miss Qin, no need to be polite; this is our young lady’s intention.” Then, raising her voice proudly, “Our young lady is very wealthy now; last time she saved the Princess, the Emperor and Empress rewarded her generously.”
She looked at Qin Ying and lowered her voice again.
“It’s more fitting to use the money rewarded by the Empress and Emperor to host this banquet.”
Qin Ying understood her meaning: money rewarded by the Emperor and Empress to the rewarded person—when people from the Empress’s family came to make trouble, it was tit for tat.
Sigh, this Miss Yang was truly exceptionally bold.
And very loyal too.
Not only did she not blame her, but she even wanted to get her out of it.
Qin Ying suddenly felt again that her intuition was right; this Miss Yang from the Yang Family was indeed worth befriending.
“A Sheng, my Qin Family can afford it too.” She gritted her teeth and said softly.
Court officials could also stand up to imperial relatives.
Yang Luo shook her head again: “This will be advantageous for our next moves.”
Next… yes, this matter wasn’t over; it had just begun. Qin Ying hesitated, then nodded: “Alright, then I won’t compete with Miss Yang.” She smiled as she said, “When the New Year comes, I’ll invite you all to my home.”
……
…….
While the maidservant was talking with Miss Qin over there, the young lady had walked up to Zhu Yunxiao and Jiang Rui.
“Thank you again, Young Lord Zhu.” Mo Zheng lowered her head in a curtsy.
Zhu Yunxiao returned the courtesy: “Miss Yang is too polite.”
Before he could say more, Mo Zheng had already turned to Jiang Rui: “Miss Jiang was frightened.”
Jiang Rui said: “It was Miss Yang who was frightened.”
Of course, she had indeed been startled; Chai Wan’er had come aggressively, shouting about beating and killing.
But now she couldn’t afford to be afraid; she was filled with worry.
Yunxiao had gotten involved.
Sigh, it was all because of her…
“Miss Yang, rest assured; if the Empress and His Majesty ask…”
Zhu Yunxiao’s voice came.
Both Jiang Rui and Mo Zheng looked at him.
Zhu Yunxiao looked at Mo Zheng: “I can also testify.”
Mo Zheng smiled and curtsied again: “Thank you.” Then she looked at Jiang Rui again. “Miss Jiang came to dine with Young Lord Zhu’s family; thank you for coming here to sit. Go back and keep your family company; don’t let them worry.”
Jiang Rui looked at Zhu Yunxiao.
Zhu Yunxiao nodded: “Then we’ll head back first.”
Jiang Rui curtsied to Mo Zheng and followed Zhu Yunxiao out, hearing Miss Yang’s voice greeting the young ladies in the hall from behind.
“Although I didn’t answer Chai Wan’er’s exam question, I can recite what I answered to the Libationer for everyone to see.”
“Bring brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.”
“And serve some more tea and pastries.”
Jiang Rui glanced back, thinking that Miss Yang had truly started acting as the host of this banquet.
……
…….
“A Rui, are you alright?”
Zhu Yunxiao looked at Jiang Rui with concern.
“I scared you; I shouldn’t have let you come if I knew.”
He was full of apology.
“I didn’t expect Miss Chai from the Chai Clan to be like this…”
Jiang Rui hurriedly shook her head and asked softly and urgently: “Yunxiao, you hit Chai Wan’er this time; will Marquis Yichun’s family be angry?”
Zhu Yunxiao said: “I didn’t hit her; she struck first. I just blocked, the whip bounced back, and she hit herself. Besides, even if Marquis Yichun’s family is angry with me, it’s not just over this one thing. If they’re angry, let them be.”
With that, he gave a faint smile.
“I, Zhu Yunxiao, act upright and sit straight; I’m not afraid of them.”
Jiang Rui understood; previously, when Zhu Yunxiao rejected the marriage with Marquis Yichun’s family, it had already displeased Marquis Yichun.
Her face filled with self-reproach; it was all because of her…
It wasn’t surprising that Chai Wan’er had so fearlessly provoked Yang Luo publicly in front of everyone; that was the Chai Clan’s style.
Knowing full well that Zhu Yunxiao was engaged, she still came to talk of marriage, bullying her father for being absent and her family lowly, not taking her seriously.
However, just now Miss Chai had bullied that Miss Yang by calling her a country bumpkin over and over, but this Miss Yang from the countryside had retorted every time without holding back.
Unlike her, who could only seethe privately when Marquis Yichun’s family talked of marriage with Zhu Yunxiao, claiming ignorance when others asked, and lowering her head to avoid Misses from the Chai Clan in daily encounters…
If she were Miss Yang, would she have rushed over to scold the Chai Clan? To question what right they had to steal her fiancé?
Right, did being a marquis’s mansion give them the right? Did being the Empress’s maternal clan give them the right? Her father had loyally given his life for the Emperor; her marriage arrangement with Zhu Yunxiao had been personally sought by Duke Yongwu and was also praised by His Majesty; she was righteous and confident…
Jiang Rui couldn’t help but want to laugh, as if she could really see herself thus rebuking Marquis Yichun’s family.
“Don’t overthink it.” Seeing her strange and complicated expression, Zhu Yunxiao hurriedly reassured her again. “Go eat something with Mother and Younger Sister; I’ll settle the bill and we’ll leave.”
Jiang Rui nodded and said no more, heading to the private room.
Zhu Yunxiao watched her enter, withdrew his gaze, and looked toward the accountant’s office.
……
…….
“Miss, please take this; it’s the change.”
Yang Luo stood in the accountant’s office of Dengyun Tower, asked about the cost of the Qin Family’s banquet this time, and took off a gold bracelet to settle the bill.
Ever since that time at the National Academy when she had deliberately worn expensive jewelry, afterward both Mo Zheng herself and Yang Luo had chosen appropriate jewelry to wear every time they went out, for use when needed.
The shopkeeper of Dengyun Tower took the bracelet without asking questions, confirmed the price, and gave change.
Yang Luo clutched the money bag and walked out, having just reached the second floor when a voice came from behind.
“Miss Asheng.”
Yang Luo was startled; this voice…
She turned around and saw Zhu Yunxiao emerging from the stairwell corner.
Zhu Yunxiao was alone, without Jiang Rui by his side.
Yang Luo sneered inwardly.
The “hero” had come so quickly to demand repayment?
When Chai Wan’er fell while striking, she knew it wasn’t Zhu Yunxiao’s doing, but Mo Zheng’s handiwork.
But she was grateful that Zhu Yunxiao had drawn Chai Wan’er’s hostility onto himself.
So she had immediately gone to thank him.
This undoubtedly suited Zhu Yunxiao’s intentions perfectly.
He had come here today using Jiang Rui precisely to build a relationship with “Yang Luo,” hadn’t he?
Yang Luo looked at the young master before her; though he didn’t gaze at her with the full tenderness from her previous life, it was different from the icy coldness last time at the restaurant.
Gentle and refined.
Yang Luo lowered her eyes and curtsied: “Young Lord Zhu.”
Zhu Yunxiao nodded: “Miss Asheng, I have something to say to you.”
Yang Luo said oh, stood up, and forced a smile at him: “I’ll go ask if our young lady is available…”
“I have something to say to Miss Asheng.” Zhu Yunxiao said with a smile.
Yang Luo was stunned; this was somewhat unexpected.
She wasn’t a young lady from Duke Ding’an’s Mansion this time; she was just a maidservant, yet Zhu Yunxiao still had words for her?
