In front of the restaurant where the marriage proposal was being held, a huge crowd had gathered. Tao Wanniang asked the people around her, "Does the city lord's daughter have some hidden illness that requires her to throw an embroidered ball to choose a husband?"

"Beauty is a curse. The city lord's daughter is stunningly beautiful, causing the four young masters in the city to fight over her every day. The city lord is having a headache and can only come up with this method."

Tao Wanniang was stunned for a moment. This reason sounded like a joke to her.

"How beautiful could they be!" Tao Wanniang couldn't help but exclaim. However, listening to the commotion of the crowd, she first got to see the four young men.

Four tall, imposing young men, accompanied by their attendants, began to drive away the crowd. It seemed that the so-called "throwing the embroidered ball to choose a husband" ceremony was about to be ruined by these four.

"So domineering. This Sifang City isn't very big, but it seems like there's a lot going on!" Tao Wanniang and the others were pushed aside by the crowd, and she couldn't help but mutter.

Looking around, she saw an elderly man who looked to be in his fifties joining in the fun, so Tao Wanniang teased, "Brother, are you here to join in the fun too?"

"Isn't everyone just here for the fun? The city lord's daughter would never fall for an old man like me!" the old man joked. "Young lady, you're obviously from out of town, just here for the show!"

“Yes, we’re just here for the spectacle. Your Sifang City is quite something. It’s not a big place, but these young masters make quite a grand entrance.” Tao Wanniang teased, “Why make such a big fuss to pursue your sweetheart? Who are these four young masters?”

"Young lady, you don't know, but the reason our Sifang City is called Sifang City is related to the four prominent families that built the city. The ancestors of the Du, Wu, Zhu, and Xu families built Sifang City. In this generation, the young masters of the four families and the city lord's daughter are childhood sweethearts who grew up together. However, the city lord is also in a dilemma, wondering who his daughter should marry. That's why we have this embroidered ball marriage contest today."

"Isn't it simple for a daughter to marry whomever she likes?" Tao Wan's mother listened with great interest.

"Well...it seems like they all like it." The old man chuckled. "Here she comes, the city lord's daughter is out!"

Tao Wanniang looked up and saw that she was indeed a rare beauty. But what did she mean by liking her?

"Manager Tao, don't go forward," Chen Yan warned, seeing Tao Wanniang's eagerness to proceed.

"Go closer and take a closer look; the embroidered ball isn't going to be thrown to me anyway," Tao Wanniang said. She figured this was probably a competition between the four young men. Wouldn't it be incredibly satisfying to see four men vying for her attention?

The city lord's daughter, standing on the roof of the restaurant, looked very troubled and asked the city lord beside her in a low voice.

"Father, is this really a good idea?"

"My dear daughter, if you can't decide for yourself, then let's leave it to fate. This time, under the watchful eyes of everyone, whichever young master snatches you up, you'll marry him," the city lord said with a smile.

Yun Pingting, with her stunning beauty, was in a dilemma. Hearing the young masters of the four families calling her name, she simply closed her eyes, tossed the embroidered ball high into the air, and left everything to fate!

The four young masters' men all started scrambling for the embroidered ball for their masters, creating a chaotic scene. Tao Wanniang and her group stood on the periphery, watching the embroidered ball fly high into the air, frantically snatched and tossed about, like a hot potato that no one could hold onto.

"Watch out!" Someone must have exerted force, because the embroidered ball flew straight towards Tao Wanniang. Chen Yan kicked it away, sending it flying towards the restaurant.

"Father!" Yun Pingting was about to cry when she saw the embroidered ball being kicked back. Was this to prevent her from getting married?

The city lord was also stunned; this didn't seem to be within his expectations!

"Take them down! Take them down! They've ruined the young lady's wedding! Take them down!" the city lord shouted, pointing at Tao Wanniang and her entourage.

"Mother!" Little Qiao'er tugged at Tao Wan's mother's clothes, looking very nervous.

"It's a misunderstanding, it's all a misunderstanding!" There was no way to run away, so Tao Wanniang simply stood still.

Chen Yan stood in front of Tao Wanniang, watching as the guards from the city lord's mansion surrounded them, ready for battle.

"Chen Yan, don't be nervous. I believe the city lord is a reasonable person. After all, you were just fulfilling your duty as a guard," Tao Wanniang said in shock.

A traditional matchmaking event involving throwing an embroidered ball to find a husband has ended with the ball returning to the woman of marriageable age. This is unprecedented in history!

Tao Wanniang, who was taken to the city lord's mansion, remained calm and composed, and even comforted Xiao Qiao'er and Shen Lian.

"Who...who are you people? Why are you trying to ruin my daughter's marriage?" City Lord Yun Qingshan was so angry that veins bulged on his forehead.

"Lord City Lord, please don't be angry. We are just outsiders passing through Sifang City. This... was purely an accident!" Tao Wanniang said with a smile. "Really, look at us. We are not men. We are not here to steal a bride."

"Father!" Before the city lord could question her again in his anger, Yun Pingting had already composed herself and walked in with a rather good mood. Behind her, the four young masters looked unconvinced.

"I think they didn't mean it. Doesn't this just show that it's not the right time for me to get married? Four brothers, Pingting doesn't want to hurt any of you. You've all seen it. I've already asked God to choose for me, but in the end, He still couldn't choose!"

"Who are you people, and why are you ruining Pingting's marriage contest?" The man who spoke was named Du Heng. He originally wanted to snatch the embroidered ball and marry Yun Pingting, but Tao Wanniang and the others ruined it.

"Young man, what kind of people do we look like? Do I need to repeat myself?" Tao Wanniang was naturally annoyed when she saw that the person in question had already said it was okay, but the man was still acting aggressively.

"I'm from the capital, on my way to Youzhou for business. I was passing through your Sifang City when I happened to witness this incident, so I took a look. I never expected something like this to happen!" Tao Wanniang said. "Your embroidered ball was aimed at the child's face, and my guards kicked it away to protect the child. Is there a problem with that?"

"Oh, you almost hit the little girl?" Yun Pingting exclaimed in surprise. "Brother Aheng, please don't pursue this matter."

"Doing business in Youzhou? Do you even know where Youzhou is, eldest sister?" The tallest of the four, Xu Ming, spoke again, her eyes filled with suspicion. Youzhou was frequently invaded by foreign tribes. These three adults and one child were all women; how could they possibly go there to do business?

Tao Wanniang met the man's scrutinizing gaze. Had she said something wrong?

“Can’t I? I have connections in Youzhou!” Tao Wanniang said frankly. “The King of Youzhou came from the capital, and I came from the capital!”

“Isn’t the King of Youzhou the same as the King of Rui? Could you be a former subordinate of the King of Rui?” City Lord Yun Qingshan’s expression turned serious, and his gaze toward Tao Wanniang became wary and scrutinizing.

What, does he know Prince Rui? Is there a grudge? Or is there some past grievance? Tao Wanniang couldn't immediately determine what the city lord meant.

"What old subordinates? I run a restaurant in the capital. I'm going to Youzhou to find different dishes. I know not only the former Prince Rui's family, but also General Ling and many other dignitaries in the capital," Tao Wanniang said calmly.