Chapter 113 Finding Trouble
"Why are you angry, sir? I was just worried that you were having a hard time outside, so I asked a few more questions."
Madam Xiao looked at the man she had shared her bed with for over twenty years, her tone carrying a hint of mockery, yet also as if surprised that he would think that way.
Xiao Su's anger got stuck in his throat, and suddenly he deflated.
"Madam, you are overthinking it. How could I possibly hold a grudge against you?"
He smiled calmly, picked up his chopsticks again, as if he wasn't the one who had just slammed down his chopsticks and shouted angrily.
“Madam must be starving after waiting for me so late. Here, let me serve you some food.”
He took the initiative to pick up a piece of eggplant with his chopsticks and place it in the bowl in front of Madam Xiao.
Madam Xiao frowned, then said calmly, "Master, you can use it yourself. I've already used it."
"And, sir, you've forgotten that I don't like eggplant."
To make eggplant delicious, you have to add a lot of oil. Madam Xiao disliked oil and never liked to eat it, but Xiao Su loved it.
This is because although the Xiao family had a glorious past, they had been staying in Jiangnan for the past few generations. Only Xiao Su's father relied on his own efforts to settle down in the capital and raised such a good son as Xiao Su, who rose from a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) to a second-rank official.
When Xiao Su was a child, his family was not exactly eating coarse food, but they were only of average means. As a young boy, he especially loved strong-flavored food. His mother was thrifty and hardworking, and the family rarely had large amounts of meat or fish for three meals a day. Therefore, Xiao Su was very fond of this oily but not extravagant dish.
"Oh, yes, yes, I forgot."
Xiao Su smiled and put the food back into his own bowl, not taking it to heart.
A few days later, the two young ladies of the Xiao family had packed their things and were preparing to return to their hometown in Jiangnan. Many people in the capital had heard about this.
Dai Cheng, Zheng Yanling, and Zhao Mei wrote a letter to Xiao Yuxuan, wanting to get together with her one last time before setting off.
Although Xiao Yuxuan had promised the Princess that she would leave after the Dragon Boat Festival, she still held a banquet today to bid farewell to several of her close friends.
She dressed even more simply than usual, in a light yellow summer dress, and her hair was held up with only two jade hairpins.
Her fair and pretty face was adorned with a gentle smile, which made anyone who saw her feel comfortable and at ease.
"When you go to Jiangnan, don't forget to send us a letter and tell us about the scenery there. To be honest, I've never been to Jiangnan before."
Zheng Yanling personally poured wine for Xiao Yuxuan, looking somewhat excited.
Zhao Mei also said:
"I've heard that the girls there are all gentle and reserved, with tender feelings. Sister Xiao, could you tell me if that's really the case?"
Xiao Yuxuan smiled and agreed to each one.
Suddenly, a commotion arose outside the private room, mixed with a man's drunken cursing, which made the faces of the people in the room change.
"Just sing when I tell you to! Who are you trying to impress with this affected and pretentious act?"
"Young master, I was hired by the shopkeeper to sing folk songs, but I really can't sing the kind of... lewd and obscene songs you're talking about!"
The woman's voice was melodious, yet her tone was confident and firm, suggesting she was not someone who would easily compromise.
"Heh, you're trying to be a hypocrite, do you even know who my brother-in-law is? I think you don't want to work here anymore!"
Zheng Yanling frowned and pondered, about to take a look at Xiao Yuxuan before making a decision, since today was her farewell reception, when she saw Xiao Yuxuan stand up and walk out.
"Sister Xiao!"
Zhao Mei and Zheng Yanling followed closely behind.
Dai Cheng was taken aback; how did he end up being the slowest one?
The four girls came out of the private room on the second floor and saw two young men and women arguing in the lobby on the first floor. This was the source of the argument they had just heard.
"Go outside and find out who I am! You dare spoil my fun? I'll make sure you come in upright and leave horizontal!"
The young man in the purple robe shouted in a thick tongue, but the woman holding the pipa in her arms, whose sleeve he was pulling, was not angry. She calmly pulled her sleeve back, turned around and continued to sit in her seat.
She then plucked a few strings with her delicate hands, and a series of rolling, pearl-like notes poured out.
"I haven't finished singing today's song yet. I've already received my wages, so naturally I have to finish today's work before I can leave."
Her expression was indifferent, giving the impression that she didn't consider this drunken young man a trifle.
The melody was interrupted before it could even reach its full melody.
"You shameless woman, you don't know what's good for you!"
Ignored, the man in purple uttered a string of foul words and reached out to grab the pipa player again.
"Wait!"
Zheng Yanling had a bad feeling. She used to disguise herself as a man and fight for justice. But when she looked closely, she realized that the man in purple was Nie Huaiyuan, the younger brother of the wife of the Prefect of the Capital.
This man, relying on the Nie family's backing and his brother-in-law being the Prefect of the Capital, was notorious in the capital for bullying men and women. He had been of marriageable age for several years but was still unmarried, and noble ladies avoided him like the plague.
She had once saved a little boy from him who was selling himself to bury his father, but now she had unexpectedly encountered him committing injustice again!
Zheng Yanling felt nauseous when she saw Nie Huaiyuan reach out his hand. She rushed downstairs in a few strides, and the crowd made way for her.
"Does your sister and brother-in-law know about Young Master Nie's behavior? Aren't you afraid that the Prefect of the Capital will be impeached in court tomorrow morning?"
"And where did you come from? How dare you interfere in my business?"
Nie Huaiyuan squinted his drunken eyes and searched for a long time before finding the source of the voice. When he saw that it was just a young girl speaking, he was quite disdainful.
"I..." Zheng Yanling suddenly stopped speaking.
In the past, when she "meddled," she would disguise herself as a man. Although her attempts were somewhat clumsy, she always had a reason to use another identity as a pretext and wasn't afraid of revealing her identity as the granddaughter of Prime Minister Zheng. But today, since Yu Xuan was hosting the banquet, she didn't change into men's clothing...
"Go somewhere cool and stay there! You little brat, you don't know your place!"
Seeing that she was weak, Nie Huaiyuan suddenly raised his voice.
Zheng Yanling was hesitating whether to continue speaking when a woman in simple clothes and a simple hairpin suddenly stepped out from the crowd. She looked quite elegant.
"Young master, being kind to others is also creating good karma for yourself. Why bother this young lady so much in front of everyone?"
Some bystanders recognized the woman and whispered among themselves:
"Isn't this Madam Wan from Longxing Cloth Shop?"
Longxing Cloth Shop? Madam Wan?
Nie Huaiyuan's mind cleared up considerably.
He certainly wouldn't know about Lady Wan, but how could he not know whose property Longxing Cloth Shop was?
In the capital, prominent families all preferred to have their clothes made by Longxing Cloth Shop. Was it really because their craftsmanship was unique?
It's all because the owner behind this store is someone they're trying so hard to please!
"What brings Lady Wan here for a meal today? Hahaha, this is all a misunderstanding. Come, waiter! Lady Wan's bill is on me!"
Nie Huaiyuan was quick to understand, and his attitude immediately became much more amiable.
The woman holding the pipa secretly breathed a sigh of relief, her eyes curiously falling on the woman named Wan Niangzi.
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