"Comparing courtesans to noble ladies who have been taught poetry, literature, and music since childhood, this young master probably hasn't read many books. In my opinion, any gentleman with virtue and integrity would not say such a thing."
Zhu Jiayu looked at them coldly. When this person spoke, no one refuted him. Instead, they mostly laughed and joked, which was enough to prove that they agreed with what he said.
But on what grounds?
Why should women have to abide by the Three Obediences and Four Virtues, while men can indulge in debauchery? Why should women have to learn needlework, poetry, literature, and music, while men can be considered good as long as their character isn't too bad? Why should women be someone that men can arbitrarily criticize and make fun of?
The world is too unfair to women. Zhu Jiayu can neither treat the symptoms nor the root cause, but now that she is standing here, she can't bear to hear what they are saying.
Her face was frosty, but it did not diminish her beauty in the slightest: "Perhaps I have seen too little of the world, and I don't quite understand where you, a rich and bloated young master, get the audacity to criticize all these noble ladies in the garden?"
"Or perhaps I haven't read enough books, otherwise why can't I understand how someone, who is so ordinary, can be so confident?"
The young men, who had been smiling and eager to see what unpleasant things this Miss Zhu from out of town would say, turned cold upon hearing this.
Zhu Jiayu's words are incorrect. They are of noble birth, born superior to others, and possess wealth and power that ordinary people cannot even imagine. In Heling City, they are the gods.
But despite Zhu Jiayu saying so much, they couldn't find a single compelling rebuttal.
Do they know their words are excessive? Of course they do, but they've been wrong for so long that no one has dared to point it out. Over time, even they themselves have come to think that these are harmless little things.
Now that Zhu Jiayu has given them a good scolding, they are angry, but they also suddenly calm down and examine their own words and actions.
Yes, they were clearly young masters from noble families who had grown up under the strict rules of etiquette. How could they use women as a topic of ridicule?
Some people can figure it out clearly, while others cannot.
Those who understood remained silent, while those who didn't began to shout: "Who do you think you are? It's Wei Wu's flower banquet today, how dare you be so presumptuous?"
"Just because some people flatter you a bit, you think you're someone important? You're just a cousin of the Qiu family. Even if the head of the Qiu family came, he wouldn't talk to you like that!"
"Those who know you call you Miss Zhu, but those who don't think you're a princess of the dynasty. With such great ability, you've insulted every young master in half of the noble circles in Heling City. I've never suffered such a humiliation before!"
Zhu Jiayu watched them silently, a smile gradually appearing on her face, but not intensely. She simply stood there, watching their commotion and anger with a faint smile, as if watching a farce.
She even turned to look at Qiu Lingyan: "When we were arguing, they watched the show and mocked us. Now that the situation has fallen on them, I don't think many of them can maintain the gentlemanly demeanor of turning a blind eye. What's so great about such people?"
Worried that she would be attacked by the group, Qiu Lingyan tugged at her hand: "My dear aunt, could you please say less? It won't hurt to hold it in for a while!"
Zhu Jiayu remained silent and turned to look at the noble ladies standing around and behind them.
Many people had indifferent expressions, but when they looked at those young men who were furious with embarrassment, their eyes were calm, and the slight blush on their cheeks that had occasionally appeared when they made eye contact earlier was gone.
Faced with the truth, these handsome and dashing young men appear utterly ugly and despicable.
A young man noticed her movements and, as if remembering something, immediately called out, "Wei Wu Niang!"
"Wei Wu, when Miss Xue and Miss Xu were arguing with her just now, you stood up and spoke up for her. Why are you not doing anything now? Are you just going to watch us get humiliated?"
Not long ago, Wei Wuniang had been all smiles and trying to persuade everyone not to hurt the harmony, but now her pretty face had turned cold. She looked at the man who had spoken and sighed:
“I was willing to stand up and speak the truth just now because they were both wrong, but now, Miss Zhu is clearly right. If I speak the truth again, it will not be fair, but rather biased in favor of you. Don’t you understand such a simple principle?”
She shook her head, looking very disappointed.
She used to think that people like Fang Hui were spoiled and had developed such bad habits because of their privileged backgrounds. There was nothing to blame or even be surprised about.
But just now, Zhu Jiayu's words woke her up like a thunderbolt: Why are they spoiled, mediocre and arrogant, while they, who have been required to be gentle and virtuous since childhood, have to endure it, when they have the same privileged background?
Looking at his foolish appearance now, Wei Wuniang felt even more unable to bear it.
"Now that the Fang family's business is in your hands, can you really protect it? Won't you squander it all?" she asked again.
If she were as stupid as Fang Hui, her mother would have already dragged her by the ear and thrown her to the ancestral hall to kneel as punishment.
"Wei Wu." Among the group of people in brocade robes, someone suddenly spoke softly. His voice was like a flowing spring, very pleasant to the ear, and his tone was light and gentle. But when he spoke, everyone seemed to fall silent, waiting for him to continue.
Zhu Jiayu looked over with some curiosity, but couldn't tell which of the many young men was the real voice.
She turned to look at Wei Wuniang again and found that she seemed a little nervous. Qiu Lingyan also tightened her grip on her hand.
Then she heard the man continue, “You have overstepped your bounds. Fang Hui has made a mistake. Once he returns to the Fang family, Lord Fang and Madam Fang will teach him a lesson.”
Wei Wu pursed his lips, and after a long while, murmured a reply.
Suddenly, the crowd on the bridge stirred, and a young man dressed in a moon-white robe stepped out from behind the crowd.
Zhu Jiayu thought that this was probably the person who had spoken earlier. She just didn't know his identity, and why everyone seemed to both respect and fear him.
She scrutinized his face, and felt a chill run down her spine at the familiarity of his features.
"As for this young lady..." He began to say, but was interrupted.
"Young Master, you must teach this arrogant woman a lesson!"
"Exactly, otherwise she would really think that people of our status are not someone she can belittle and insult at will!"
Young Master?
Zhu Jiayu finally recognized his face as that of an old friend.
Just then, the man called "Young Master" also saw the face of the audacious woman on the lake shore. The next moment, his expression changed slightly, and he whispered a rebuke to the spoiled brats around him who were clamoring for him to teach that woman a lesson: "Shut up!"
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