From across the crowd, Luo Lingyu spotted Lu Yun. He appeared as unreachable as snowy peaks, yet as alluring as flowers reflected in water. He wore a blue robe with a decorative belt, standing among several elderly gentlemen. This made his fair complexion and refined features stand out even more. His eyes were clear as ink in water.
His casual glance swept through the crowd. Though his peach blossom eyes showed no emotion, Luo Lingyu could almost hear countless ladies’ hearts racing.
Luo Lingyu scoffed internally and turned away: How flirtatious.
He could be flirtatious if he wanted, but why pretend otherwise? Who was he trying to fool? She wasn’t interested in appearances anyway… if he couldn’t be her husband, she wouldn’t waste time on unimportant people.
Beside her, Qi Third Master was still speaking shyly: “My name is Qi An, and I live in the West Third Lane of East Prefecture. Sister Luo, since you’re new to Jianye, you might not know that past the Border Market, you’ll reach Wuyi Lane and then Danyang City. My friends and I often visit Danyang City, which is under Lu family’s jurisdiction… When you have time, would you like to go to Danyang City with me?”
The Lu family of Jianye was also known as the Lu clan of Danyang. This was because Danyang County in Jianye’s suburbs was where the Lu family originally lived. When the old Marquis of the Lu family was still in Jianye, he thought Danyang was too far from the Imperial Temple in the city center. It made it difficult for the family’s young men to attend court on time. So the old Marquis decided to move the family to Wuyi Lane. However, the Lu family’s branch members still lived in and managed Danyang County. Since it wasn’t far, the main Lu family branch in Wuyi Lane often visited Danyang for leisure.
This was what Qi An was referring to.
Luo Lingyu’s eyes sparkled like autumn waters. After turning away, she couldn’t help but wonder why Lu Yun was here. Didn’t Lu Xian say his brother didn’t attend such parties? He really was a hypocrite. When she looked again, she met Lu Yun’s gaze. She saw his eyebrow twitch slightly, his robe flutter as he seemed about to walk over.
Luo Lingyu’s heart jumped, and she quickly looked away again.
Beside her, Qi An called: “Sister Luo, Sister Luo… did you hear what I said?”
Luo Lingyu turned to look at him gently. Her soft voice made Qi An blush again, his heart racing: “I heard you. Brother Qi, that’s a wonderful suggestion.”
Qi An thought: Sister Luo smiled at him… this lady was sitting so close and smiling at him… he felt he might suffocate from nervousness, his mind filled with her lovely image.
Other young men nearby also joined in, gathering around Luo Lingyu: “Miss Luo, you’re from Nanyang, right? We heard it’s unstable there, with fighting everywhere, is that true?”
Luo Lingyu couldn’t help but smile: “No, while Nanyang is close to the borders of the Southern and Northern countries, it’s not that close. There’s no fighting, Nanyang is quite peaceful now.”
The young men nodded: “I see.”
Luo Lingyu was exceptionally beautiful and socially graceful. Within moments of sitting there, she was surrounded by young men. The young ladies couldn’t even get close. They felt bitter and humphed, thinking: It’s just beauty. There are many beauties in the world. Mere beauty won’t last long!
While Luo Lingyu chatted casually with the young men, she kept watching Lu Yun from the corner of her eye. She saw him stop mid-step when he noticed all the men around her, his brow furrowing in displeasure. Just as Lu Yun paused, the elderly gentlemen following him were left behind by some ladies. A dignified and cold young lady stepped forward, blocking Lu Yun’s path. The lady bowed, exchanging greetings with Lu Yun, who had stepped back with an expressionless face: “Lu Yun, I trust you’ve been well?”
Lu Yun: “…”
He glanced lightly at the lady blocking his way – it was Chen Xiu, daughter of Scholar Chen.
Chen Xiu was above average in looks, with a scholarly air about her. As she blocked Lu Yun’s path and formally exchanged greetings, she held herself extremely straight. When she looked up again and met Lu Yun’s emotionless expression, Chen Xiu remained calm and composed: “Did Lu Yun finish reading the notes my father sent last time? Before I came, father asked me to inquire if I ran into you.”
Lu Yun replied coldly: “I’ll visit another day.”
Chen Xiu smiled faintly, neither servile nor overbearing: “My family is leaving the capital for a distant trip in a few days, so we may not be able to host you. Could you perhaps set a date now, so I can inform my father?”
Lu Yun’s view of Luo Lingyu was blocked by the crowd around her. He looked away disinterestedly as Chen Xiu kept talking, irritating him. Lu Yun looked down at her and repeated word by word: “I said, another day!”
He was cold as ice, showing Chen Xiu no courtesy. Though Chen Xiu was angry inside, she didn’t show it. She smiled gracefully and naturally changed the subject.
Lu Yun turned away, but Chen Xiu followed him.
Watching from afar, Luo Lingyu thought: “…”
Who was this noble lady? She was quite bold. Even with Lu Yun being so obviously dismissive, she persisted.
Other ladies watching Chen Xiu’s behavior sneered: “How thick-skinned.”
“Indeed.”
They felt Lu Yun’s coldness toward women might largely be because Chen Xiu had scared him. Though Chen Xiu’s family practiced Confucianism and was known for strict propriety, and she was proper in all other matters, she was uniquely persistent with Lu Yun, unwavering for many years.
From Luo Lingyu’s position, she could see the lady following Lu Yun, her gaze full of both love and resentment as she watched him. Her expression was as if Lu Yun had abandoned her… Luo Lingyu hesitated and asked: “Is that lady close with my third cousin? Did my third cousin wrong her somehow?”
Why else would the lady look so resentful?
Besides, Luo Lingyu knew that while Lu Yun appeared proud and aloof in public, he was quite frivolous in private… For someone so frivolous, given the open customs of the time, Luo Lingyu thought it entirely possible that Lu Yun had been intimate with noble ladies. Hmph, acting so righteous…
The young men around Luo Lingyu followed her gaze to Lu Yun and the lady talking endlessly beside him. They smiled knowingly and explained: “This is quite a famous sight in Jianye. Lady Chen comes from a scholarly family and is known for her talents. She’s been crowned ‘Flower Goddess’ for three consecutive years. Many young men have sought to marry her… but for some reason, she’s fixated only on your third cousin.”
“She’s waited many years for Lu Yun, she’s already nineteen now but refuses to marry anyone else.”
“All the young men in Jianye know she admires Lu Yun, who would dare propose to her? Scholar Chen is usually such an easy-going person, but he can’t do anything about this daughter.”
“But with Lady Chen’s persistence… if she waits a few more years, and the Chen family puts more pressure on the Lu family, keeps asking for a few more years, maybe Lu Yun will really marry her?”
The young men laughed carelessly, their laughter tinged with mockery, finding it amusing. Marriage between noble families typically prioritized benefits over personal desires. Lu Yun hadn’t seemed particularly close to any lady – his closest relationship was probably with Chen Xiu who kept pursuing him…
Luo Lingyu lowered her head, slightly puzzled. Could someone like Lu Yun be won over just by persistent pursuit? Had she given up too easily? Look at Lady Chen…
Meanwhile, Chen Xiu was talking grandly, using her scholarship to engage Lu Yun in elaborate discussion. Lu Yun kept a dark expression and said nothing. Suddenly, Lu Yun spotted Prince Hengyang and Prince Chen walking over from the grove. Prince Hengyang turned his head, seemingly exchanging sarcastic remarks with Prince Chen. Prince Chen kept his head down, completely silent… These two looked so endearing to Lu Yun that he called out loudly: “Your Highnesses!”
Prince Chen Liu Shu looked over and saw Lu Yun was again entangled with Chen Xiu. Though he was annoyed by Prince Hengyang’s attitude, seeing Lu Yun’s irritated expression amused him. Prince Chen nodded: “Xuechen.”
Lu Yun immediately came over to join Prince Chen in facing Prince Hengyang’s anger. Liu Mu was convinced Liu Shu was behind the troubles – killing his captured assassin and disrupting his plans. Prince Hengyang constantly caused problems for Prince Chen at court, and even after court, he still showed disdain for Prince Chen and Lu Yun. Running into Prince Chen at the banquet, he started mocking him. Prince Chen just listened silently like a closed jar, which made Prince Hengyang even angrier —
Was not arguing a sign of looking down on him?
Was staying silent a sign of not bothering with him?
How could this nephew have an even more arrogant personality than him?
As soon as Lu Yun came over, Prince Hengyang Liu Mu said with an unstable tone: “Lu Yun came to this banquet to welcome me? Must be with a weasel’s heart!”
Lu Yun: “Your Highness speaks wisely.”
Prince Hengyang: “…”
He glanced uncertainly at the silent Prince Chen Liu Shu, then at the expressionless Lu Yun. He suspected something was wrong with these two – they stayed calm even when he was almost scolding them to their faces… Maybe strange people just got along well with other strange people?
Watching Lu Yun join Prince Hengyang and Prince Chen, Chen Xiu’s gaze grew more resentful. Those few men were different from other young men – others just had casual chats, but they discussed politics. She couldn’t join them. But Lu Yun’s obvious way of shaking her off… she wasn’t stupid, how could she not understand?
Lu Yun had snubbed her countless times!
Chen Xiu held back her frustration and walked back to where the ladies sat. Though upset, she kept glancing toward Lu Yun. After watching for a while, she noticed Lu Yun would casually look in one direction while listening to Prince Hengyang… Chen Xiu looked over and saw it was Luo Lingyu. Of course it was Luo Lingyu – among the ladies here, only Luo Lingyu had so many young men gathered around her. Lu Yun was definitely looking in that direction.
Chen Xiu was secretly shocked: This lady… wasn’t she the Luo girl who recently came to stay at the Lu house?
Someone who was friendly with her said: “Yes, Miss Luo has been staying at the Lu house for almost a month now. I heard from the Lu family that she came to rely on her aunt. With her aunt watching over her, she’ll probably stay at the Lu house until she gets married.”
Chen Xiu pressed her lips together, gripping her sleeve, and said casually: “That’s nothing special. There are many poor relatives seeking shelter with the Lu family.”
A Han family lady who was sitting on the same bench, peeling lychees with her head down, immediately looked up and sneered: “What do you all know? A few days ago when we went to play at Zhong Mountain, we saw Third Cousin embracing Sister Luo while teaching her archery. The way Third Cousin looked at Sister Luo…”
The Han lady said: “I think Sister Luo might be able to stay at the Lu house forever. She’ll marry Third Cousin.”
Chen Xiu turned to look, recognizing this Han lady was also distantly related to the Lu family, which explained why she called Lu Yun “Third Cousin.” She inwardly mocked that besides Lu Qingyi who was already married, the Lu family had no daughters – these cousin ladies staying at the Lu house were clearly just after the Lu family’s young men… Chen Xiu said lightly: “Many cousin ladies have stayed at the Lu house.”
She took a sip of tea, her clear gaze passing lightly over the Han lady’s face.
The meaning was clear without words: Many cousin ladies had stayed at the Lu house, but none had ever married Lu Yun.
The Han lady was furious: “…”
The Han lady refused to back down: “Sister Luo’s beauty is unmatched in Jianye!”
Chen Xiu: “Beauty fades and love wanes, it cannot last. Beauty alone, with an empty head, is just something for others to laugh at.”
The Han lady’s face turned red: “…”
She felt slightly sour about Luo Lingyu because after staying at the Lu house for a few days and playing with Luo Lingyu several times, she saw that Luo Lingyu wasn’t just beautiful. Luo Lingyu’s excellence and ability to please young men made the Han lady jealous… But! But Chen Xiu was even more hateful! She used her “scholarship” to look down on them for years, and though she also liked Lu Yun, she despised these cousin ladies…
The Han lady stood up abruptly: “You’ll see, Third Cousin treats Sister Luo differently!”
She was forced by Chen Xiu’s arrogance to support Luo Lingyu.
By now, Luo Lingyu had left the circle of young men. Though she needed to be friendly with them, she couldn’t get a bad reputation for only playing with men and ignoring ladies. Luo Lingyu found some Lu family cousin ladies she knew and gracefully walked over. Seeing them gathered around a square table, heads lowered and whispering with occasional laughter, Luo Lingyu asked curiously: “What are you all doing?”
The ladies she knew looked up, saw Luo Lingyu, and made way for her. Luo Lingyu saw many paper sheets on the table with names written and copied onto formal paper… A gentle, delicate voice explained beside her: “These are the names of ladies participating in the ‘Flower Goddess’ selection. Everyone is registering here.”
The speaker was Princess Pingning Liu Tang, who smiled at Luo Lingyu with great fondness.
The ladies laughed and asked: “Does Miss Luo want to join the ‘Flower Goddess’ selection? If so, just write your name down.”
Luo Lingyu acted very interested: “How interesting, I’ll join in the fun.”
She scanned the unfamiliar names, raising her lips knowingly when she saw “Chen Xiu.” Looking at Princess Pingning who was still hesitating, Luo Lingyu smiled and encouraged: “Princess, you should join too! It’ll be fun. Maybe you’ll win ‘Flower Goddess’? You might be the first princess to be painted in the ‘Ladies’ Portrait’ by the scholars!”
Being painted in the “Ladies’ Portrait” by scholars was a great honor that could bring fame across the land, even lasting for generations. The current scholars’ influence was extremely powerful. Princess Pingning wavered: “I can’t…”
Luo Lingyu was waiting for her to use her princess status to compete with Chen Xiu, so she could benefit as a bystander. It wouldn’t harm the princess at all… Luo Lingyu said: “Everyone competes with their own abilities, just joining in for fun. The title of ‘Flower Goddess’ belongs to whoever earns it, why hesitate?”
The ladies also giggled, and the Wang lady turned with a brush: “Then Princess, shall I add your name? What will you compete in? Poetry, painting, or dance?”
Ladies could compete in poetry, painting, or dance. These were the most common options. But when the Wang lady asked this, Princess Pingning said: “Horseback riding.”
The Wang lady’s hand trembled as she wrote. Luo Lingyu looked back at Liu Tang’s slender, delicate appearance, truly unable to imagine this lady would choose the uncommon event of horseback riding… Seeing “Liu Tang’s” name appear on the paper, Luo Lingyu’s lips curled up, already imagining the spectacular scene of Liu Tang competing with Chen Xiu for the title. The only princess from the royal family versus a scholar’s beloved daughter… With these two fighting intensely, it would be easier for her to emerge.
When interests clash, the bystander wins. Only by suppressing these two would she gain the most supporters.
Luo Lingyu quickly asked them more details about the Flower Goddess festival. While the ladies were chatting and laughing, they saw Han lady storm over angrily. She slammed the table, saw Luo Lingyu’s name added to the paper, and grabbed Luo Lingyu’s hand: “Sister Luo, you’re joining the Flower Goddess selection too, right? I won’t participate – I’ll give my spot to you! You’ll definitely become Flower Goddess and teach Chen Xiu a lesson!”
The ladies hurriedly asked what happened: “You shouldn’t provoke Lady Chen… She’s a talented scholar, how can you argue with her?”
Han lady slammed the table again: “I don’t need to argue with her! She said Sister Luo only has beauty but no talent. I’ve known Sister Luo for a while now…”
She looked down, saw “Dance” written after Luo Lingyu’s name, paused, then quickly grabbed the brush to change it: “Sister Luo, compete with her in poetry and painting! I know you’re just as good as her!”
Han lady had gone crazy, her eyes red, focused only on beating Chen Xiu.
Luo Lingyu quickly stopped her: “No, no…”
She wanted to amaze everyone. Just beating Chen Xiu wasn’t her goal at all!
Noble ladies learned many skills, but individual talent was limited. Chen Xiu was famous for her scholarship, and most ladies felt completely suppressed by her. Chen Xiu looked down on their playful lifestyle, acted high and mighty, and was quite disliked. Many also disliked Luo Lingyu… but this dislike was more complex. They had no real doubts about Luo Lingyu’s character right now. So after hearing what Han lady said, the cousin ladies thought for a moment and quietly decided: “Then I won’t participate either. It’s better if Miss Luo wins.”
Luo Lingyu humbly said: “Please don’t do that…”
Inside, she was overjoyed.
She smiled sweetly, genuinely gazing toward Lady Chen who wouldn’t sit with these “vulgar people”: This lady was truly helpful. She had built up such solid hatred that it benefited Luo Lingyu.
Chen Xiu caught Luo Lingyu’s look: “…”
She turned to tell the ladies beside her: “What does that Luo girl mean? Is she challenging me?”
A fallen noble family’s daughter dared challenge her?!
Seeing the young men secretly glancing at Luo Lingyu, Chen Xiu inwardly scorned: Common beauty, men’s taste is just that low.
Not wanting to mix with those ladies, Chen Xiu stood up, went to a painting screen alone, thought for a moment, then started painting. After a while, the laughing ladies seemed to run out of brushes.
Luo Lingyu looked around, saw many brushes in Chen Xiu’s ink stone, and went over to get some.
As Luo Lingyu bent down to pick a brush, she heard Chen Xiu’s cold voice: “Miss Luo, I’m a few years older than you and have lived in Jianye longer. I deserve to be called ‘elder sister,’ and I have some sisterly advice for you – your small Nanyang family isn’t from any great household. With limited views and experience, your behavior is low-class and unrefined.”
“For example, flirting with men is so unladylike.”
“We ladies should be virtuous and quiet above all. You’re younger, don’t go down the wrong path and get called frivolous.”
“Don’t bring your bad Nanyang habits to our Jianye.”
Luo Lingyu’s hand paused as she reached for a brush: “…”
She stood straight, saw Chen Xiu coldly lecturing her while painting. Acting like an elder sister, teaching her to be proper… Luo Lingyu looked up. Currently mysticism was popular, not Confucianism. Jianye ladies were all bold – even Chen Xiu herself, from a Confucian family, still chased after Lu Yun… There were many ladies in Jianye different from Chen Xiu, why did she only lecture Luo Lingyu?
Did she think a fallen noble family’s daughter, with no power to rely on, was easy to bully?
Luo Lingyu said playfully: “So I’m narrow-minded, low-class, and unrefined?”
Chen Xiu glanced over, saw her beautiful face’s ambiguous smile. Chen Xiu already disliked women focused on beauty, especially this Miss Luo whose stunning looks bordered on bewitching, improper… Chen Xiu emphasized: “I mean well. Sister, don’t waste my good intentions.”
Luo Lingyu smiled and lowered her voice: “Sister Chen, though my parents died early, my family elders are still alive. I don’t need you to teach me about character. Even now living with the Lu family, my aunt and uncle don’t lecture me. We’ve just met, I don’t think you have any right to lecture me… But since you called me ‘low-class,’ I’ll show you what ‘low-class’ really means.”
She suddenly staggered several steps, flinging the wet brushes in her hand so water splashed on her sleeve. Her other hand seemed to grab for balance, then lifted and knocked over an ink stone on the table, splashing ink onto her hand.
She stumbled backward, knocked over the screen, fell sitting down, and clutched her wrist with a cry of pain.
She looked up, her watery eyes full of disbelief and heartbreak as she trembled at Chen Xiu: “You… you…”
The screen crashed down loudly, drawing everyone’s attention.
Ladies and gentlemen rushed over to help Luo Lingyu. Before Luo Lingyu could speak through her trembling white lips, Han lady was already furious: “Chen Xiu, what’s wrong with you, how could you bully Sister Luo?”
Chen Xiu stared wide-eyed at Luo Lingyu surrounded by people, hiding her sleeve and looking heartbroken: “…”
This lady… such tactics… Chen Xiu was so angry her lips pressed straight: “I didn’t do anything…”
Liu Tang also held Luo Lingyu’s hand worriedly: “Sister Luo’s hand is injured… What if Sister Luo needs to paint, won’t she be unable to?”
Chen Xiu: “I really didn’t…” Her pleading gaze stopped in one direction, seeing Prince Hengyang, Prince Chen, and Lu Yun coming over. Chen Xiu’s eyes brightened: Because she wanted to please Lu Yun, she had chosen to paint behind a screen near him. Luo Lingyu hadn’t seen them with her back turned, but Chen Xiu knew! They weren’t far, and these men all had good martial arts skills and hearing. They must have seen everything clearly!
But Luo Lingyu stayed calm, unconcerned: Standing so close, separated by a screen, what could others really see! They were busy talking and scheming anyway.
Liu Tang immediately complained to her brother: “Brother, Lady Chen bullied Sister Luo!”
Prince Chen Liu Shu coughed, his flickering gaze going to Lu Yun: This was your cousin…
Lu Yun lowered his eyes to Luo Lingyu’s ink-stained hand. He looked at Chen Xiu, then at Luo Lingyu, his tone pained and sympathetic: “Cousin truly… has been wronged.”
Chen Xiu’s lips turned white as she trembled: “Lu Yun!”
She was completely shocked and devastated!
Prince Hengyang Liu Mu looked Luo Lingyu up and down with curious eyes: Unexpected, unexpected… So this was the “scorpion beauty” Master Kong mentioned?
Lu Xian, who had been breathlessly searching for Prince Hengyang to introduce him to Luo Lingyu, returned to find everyone surrounding a pale, tearful delicate lady, and saw Prince Hengyang’s gaze fixed on Luo Lingyu.
Lu Xian sighed in relief, delighted: Seems I didn’t need to do anything – it was fate, Prince Hengyang still fell for cousin Luo.
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