Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Come to my bed and kowtow eighteen times. ...

When the beauty in the room was about to get furious, Xie Tingyu retreated in time.

After her recent escape from the table and cabinet, Xie Tingyu's drunkenness had largely subsided. As soon as she stepped onto the small bamboo bridge, she felt a dark gaze fixed on her. She turned sharply, only to see a closed window.

Halfway through the journey, a guard came running towards her, stopped in front of her, and said with a look of grievance, "Young Master, where have you been? You said you would be waiting at the banquet. When I arrived at the Qingliang Terrace, I didn't see you and thought you were lost."

Noticing Xie Tingyu had changed into a gorgeous dress, Cen Xiu's eyes lit up immediately: "Young Master, this is what you look better in. If you weren't in such a hurry to attend the banquet, you should have dressed like this instead of that old Taoist robe."

According to the rules, the clothes of the nobles were all made by the embroiderers in the mansion. If the masters were to attend a banquet, the clothes and jewelry had to be prepared a month in advance.

Firstly, Xie Tingyu's return was sudden, having only been two days. Secondly, before the embroiderer could even start sewing, she mentioned she wanted to attend a banquet, leaving the government unprepared and ultimately forcing her to wear her old Taoist robe.

Xie Tingyu tugged at the sash around her waist. At this moment, several girls in tight-fitting clothes passed by her in the distance.

She stood there for a while, then turned to Cen Xiu and instructed, "Speaking of clothes, go back and have someone make me a few sets of martial arts robes. They should have narrow sleeves and a cinched waist, preferably suitable for riding and shooting. These complicated skirts can be made later."

"Riding and archery uniform?"

Cen Xiu also looked at the girls, thinking to herself, "I heard from the people in the mansion that when the young master was a child, he couldn't even ride a pony and had to be carried when he walked. Now he left home young and has returned old, and even his clothes are old. I'm sure he must be very envious of what these ladies are wearing today."

Thinking of this, Cen Xiu looked at Xie Tingyu with a look of pity and earnestness, and said, "Young Master, don't worry. I will definitely take care of this matter."

The two walked along the white stone curved bridge that led to the peninsula in the center of the lake.

Several small wooden boats were tied to the bridgehead, swaying gently with the waves. At the far end of the peninsula stood a hexagonal pavilion, known as the Water Heart Pavilion. On the steps, musicians were playing harp, panpipe, and xiao instruments, and the faint sound of heavenly music could be heard.

The lake is called Qingliang Lake. The water is as blue as a mirror. There are round and huge lotus leaves floating on the water, half a person's height. Pink and white lotus flowers are dotted in between, layer upon layer, and schools of fish swim underneath.

There were even a few white cranes, proudly strolling by the lake with their long necks held high, with servants standing nearby with food boxes in their hands, so that the girls could feed them on a whim.

In the center of the lake, there were several wooden carved fish floating, with small flags stuck on their backs and copper rings fixed on the tops of the flags.

Adjacent to the lake stood a two-story viewing pavilion, where the nobles attending the banquet were arranged to rest.

A crane suddenly spread its wings, and the water droplets it shook off rolled on the pink lotus. Someone nearby laughed and scolded, "You flat-haired beast!"

On the other side, a woman, startled by a crane, screamed and stumbled back, bumping into Xie Tingyu who was passing by. The man turned around, his face livid, and cursed: "Are you blind?! Can't you see I'm here? Don't you know to back off?"

Xie Tingyu glanced sideways, his face calm.

Behind him, Cen Xiu's face darkened. He quickly stepped forward to protect Xie Tingyu behind him, and said in a loud voice, "My master is walking peacefully on the side, don't slander me."

Cen Xiu was over seven feet five inches tall and quite muscular. Her thick brows furrowed, and with a fierce look on her face, she exuded a fierce aura.

This confrontation caught the attention of the onlookers, who all glanced sideways. Although it was difficult for them to stop and watch, they couldn't help but look back every few steps, their eyes gleaming with gossip, but their faces still maintained the reserved demeanor of a noble lady.

The attendant behind the man knew all the girls from Jiankang, but seeing Xie Tingyu was unfamiliar, they thought she was just a concubine from a declining family. Not willing to be outdone, they stepped forward and said, "My wife is..."

Before he finished speaking, there was a clang. Cen Xiu placed his hand on the sword at his waist and glared at him with his sword-like eyes.

"My wife is from the Qinghe Cui family!" The attendant held his neck tight, but his voice dropped three points. "You, coming from a small family, probably don't know the rules here..."

"A small family?" Cen Xiu sneered.

Xie Tingyu's heart skipped a beat.

As expected, Cen Xiu straightened his back, spoke each word clearly, and looked proud: "My master is from the Xie family of Chen County."

The surroundings suddenly became quiet.

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone around stopped in their tracks, and more than a dozen heads turned to look at Cen Xiu, looking behind her. Xie Tingyu felt a tingling sensation on his back, as if he were a monkey being played by a crowd.

Cen Xiu's face flushed with excitement. She turned around, wanting to get Xie Tingyu's praise, but under the expressionless gaze of her master, the corners of her mouth drooped instantly, and she looked aggrieved again.

Xie Tingyu put his hand on Cen Xiu's knife handle and said, "Put the knife away. Why are you so irritable? We are here to have fun at the banquet, not to fight. Don't keep thinking about using violence to solve problems."

She walked out from behind Cen Xiu, crossed her fingers in front of her chest, and raised her right thumb. This was the cross-arm salute that noble ladies performed when meeting for the first time. She said, "Xie Tingyu, from the Xie family of Chen County."

Others were whispering.

"...Xie? Did Yuan Wangshu invite Xie today?"

"That day, when Xie Er rode her donkey out of the city gate, I happened to be returning from a trip to the suburbs in a carriage. She actually came back from Shangqing Monastery?"

The Great Zhou Dynasty emphasized the Five Noble Families and Seven Surnames. Although the Wang family of Langya was the leader twelve years ago, the Wang family's army suffered a major military blunder while resisting the barbarians, losing 60% to 70% of its troops, earning the late emperor a public reprimand. Currently, the Yuan family of Runan and the Xie family of Chenjun are at the forefront, with their respective heads holding important positions in the court: Grand Minister of Agriculture and Grand Minister of Education.

Although the Qinghe Cui family had capable people holding several positions in the court, in terms of family status, they were still slightly inferior to the Chenjun Xie family.

The girl's expression froze. She looked Xie Tingyu up and down, then reluctantly returned the greeting, "Qinghe Cui, Cui Yuanying."

Cui Yuanying turned around and started to walk away, but when she heard a "Hey" behind her, she stopped and turned around, looking back impatiently, "What else?"

"Excuse me, my lady, what are the rules of Jiankang?" Xie Tingyu sat calmly on the railing of the curved bridge, tapping the bridge surface with his fingertips. "I just came back from Shangqing Temple and don't know the rules of Jiankang. Let me ask you, if someone's words hurt someone and cause them to suffer a heart attack and die, what should be done?"

Cui Yuanying was stunned. "What nonsense are you talking about? Where did the dead person come from?"

Xie Tingyu began to analyze the situation logically: "As the saying goes, physical illness is easy to cure, but mental illness is difficult to heal. I'm weak and can't stand being insulted. When people scold me, I become upset, lose my appetite, can't sleep, have frequent nightmares, palpitations, and night sweats. My health must be deteriorating."

At this point, Xie Tingyu covered her lips and coughed lightly. Cen Xiu immediately bent down with a nervous look on her face and patted her back.

"If my mother and father ask about my condition, I'll inevitably bring up the humiliation I suffered today. Let alone Jiankang, even in the small mountain towns where I live, anyone who commits such an offense would be forced to carry thorns, go barefoot, wear plain clothes, and kowtow eighteen times at the patient's bedside, shouting 'I deserve to die' with each kowtow. Perhaps this would save the patient's life."

Xie Tingyu sighed, "Everyone present here will have to bear witness for me when the time comes."

Okay, okay, this is to bring her mother out.

Cui Yuanying was stunned when he heard this. He wanted to compete with his mother, but he couldn't, and he didn't have Xie Tingyu's eloquence.

The attendant behind him knew that his wife had been humiliated, but he still risked being beaten and leaned close to Cui Yuanying's ear, whispering: "My wife, Master Cui has just punished you with solitary confinement and reflection, and copied the family precepts. If you cause trouble again and Master Cui finds out..."

Cui Yuanying elbowed the follower, who groaned, covered his mouth, and silently retreated behind him.

"So what do you want from me?"

"Right now, you have to apologize to me for what you just said, and you have to do the most respectful thing."

Everyone's eyes instantly focused on Cui Yuanying.

Cui Yuanying's face turned purple, and he held his breath in his throat. He wanted to explode but could only hold it in.

Finally, she took a deep breath, clasped her hands stiffly in front of her chest, leaned forward, and slowly bent down: "Thank you, Madam. I was reckless and ignorant today. I hope you can forgive me and don't take it to heart."

Xie Tingyu laughed out loud and said in the tone of an elder: "Okay, okay, I won't do it again. I'll forgive you this time."

Rao? Why use the word "rao"?

The onlookers were trying to hold back their laughter so hard that their shoulders were shaking, but they were also afraid that if they laughed out loud they would be hated by Cui Yuanying, so they all dispersed quickly in unison.

Cen Xiu said: "Young Master, please don't take this person to heart..."

Xie Tingyu waved his hand and interrupted directly: "It's just a trivial matter, not worth my worrying about it."

On the viewing platform, the gentlemen standing by the railing had a panoramic view of the farce on the bridge and could even hear the conversation clearly.

"Bang."

The teacup was slammed down on the table, and the tea splashed on the slender fingers.

Ji Lian pulled a handkerchief from his sleeve and wiped his fingers carefully. He gritted his teeth, his voice escaping through his teeth: "So this shameless and wanton woman is called Xie Tingyu."

He picked up the silver spoon and scooped out a piece of the pastry. The cool sweetness melted on his tongue, but it couldn't extinguish the nameless anger in his heart.

Staring at the pomegranate-colored figure gradually walking towards Shuixin Pavilion, Ji Lian bit the silver spoon hard, as if he was biting someone's shoulder.

The author has something to say:

----------------------

1. The heroine is the second child in the family and has an older brother, so she is called Xie Er.

2. Seven feet five inches, or 1.8 meters