Although it was still quite early, there were already quite a few people on Chang'an Avenue. Most of the people coming and going were smiling and chatting, wearing new clothes. Even ordinary people who didn't have new clothes were dressed cleaner than usual.
The most bustling areas were undoubtedly the East and West Markets, as well as various scenic spots throughout Chang'an. The best scenic spot in Chang'an was, of course, the Hibiscus Garden. During the Han Dynasty, canals were dug here, and the "Yichun Rear Garden" and "Leyou Garden" were built. Emperor Yang Guang of the Sui Dynasty expanded the garden, which led to the creation of the Hibiscus Garden.
Furong Garden comprises several royal gardens, including Ziyun Tower, Ladies' Pavilion, Imperial Banquet Palace, Fanglin Garden, Apricot Garden, and Qujiang Flowing Wine Pavilion. The remaining areas are also open to the general public. However, ordinary people rarely have the leisure to stroll around. It's usually only scholars, poets, and ladies of high society who enjoy visiting. The only exception is during festivals. When everyone is free, Furong Garden becomes exceptionally lively.
Although Furong Garden is located in a corner of Chang'an City, it does not affect its lively atmosphere at all. Qujiang Pool flows through Furong Garden and is introduced into the garden, so the entire Furong Garden is like a water garden. There are babbling streams everywhere, and with various flowers, trees and plants, the scenery is very beautiful in this season.
Qin Mu had heard of Furong Garden before, but had never had the time. This time, he naturally wanted to take the opportunity to visit. Accompanied by his two younger sisters and guards, he toured the area and had lunch in the city before finally arriving at his destination.
Even in the afternoon, Furong Garden was still bustling with people, and many clever locals set up stalls outside.
"Big brother! This is Furong Garden." After getting off the carriage, Qin Yuxin pointed ahead and said. Although she also grew up in Chang'an, she had only been to Furong Garden once or twice, always with adults, so she never had the chance to play. Today, coming with Qin Mu, her mood was completely different. Mainly, she had a lot of fun along the way, as evidenced by the snacks in Qin Yuling's hand.
"Let's go in!" Qin Mu said with a smile. He led the Bu brothers, Bu Fang and Bu Mang, into the garden, leaving Qin Yong resentfully driving the carriage. He felt that his status had completely declined ever since that formidable blind man arrived.
The guards protecting the garden did not stop the people coming and going; they just curiously observed which family's young master or young lady they were.
Furong Garden is actually divided into three parts. One part is exclusively for the royal family, and outsiders cannot enter without an invitation. Another part is for nobles and dignitaries to enjoy. Of course, this doesn't mean ordinary people can't go, but everyone knows that it's a place for the wealthy and powerful, and for ordinary people to go there would only make things difficult for themselves. They might even get into trouble. Therefore, the boundaries were naturally defined in this way.
Qin Mu was unaware of all this. He simply led his sister along with the flow of people, slowly moving forward, enjoying the scenery, and relaxing after a busy period.
Qin Yuling was like a husky let loose, laughing non-stop the whole way, pulling Qin Mu to look here and there.
With such beautiful scenery, Qin Mu certainly wouldn't miss it, and he didn't notice that there were far fewer tourists.
A winding stream stretched out on the opposite bank, where many young men and women stood or paused, piquing Qin Mu's curiosity. He then led his younger sister across.
After watching for a while, I realized this was the famous "Floating Wine Cups on a Winding Stream," a favorite pastime of the literati of the Wei and Jin dynasties. The general idea was that everyone would sit around a winding stream, placing specially made wine cups (mostly lightweight lacquerware) upstream, letting them float slowly with the meandering current. Whoever the cup floated to would take it and drink. This process continued until everyone was satisfied.
Sometimes, it's like a game of musical chairs; the loser can choose not to drink or instead compose a poem.
Perhaps because of the Qixi Festival, there were many young girls playing here, which made the atmosphere very lively.
Qin Mu's arrival with his two younger sisters naturally attracted the attention of others, especially Qin Yuxin. Although she hadn't fully grown up yet, she was quite beautiful, particularly with her gentle and delicate demeanor, resembling a lady from a prominent family. Qin Mu, waving a folding fan, also exuded an air of refined elegance.
"Brother, it's better to meet by chance than to invite someone. Why don't we have a drink together?" A young man looked at Qin Mu and his sister, cupped his hands, and called out loudly.
"Okay!" Seeing the looks in his two younger sisters' eyes, Qin Mu thought they wanted to play, so he swallowed his refusal and nodded with a smile.
Holding Qin Yuling and pulling Qin Yuxin along, they crossed the ditch through a narrow passage.
"May I ask your name, sir?" asked the young man who had greeted Qin Mu earlier.
"My name is Qin Mu, and this is my younger sister." Qin Mu gave a brief introduction, but of course he wouldn't reveal his sister's name to outsiders.
"My name is Wei Si'an. Please make yourself at home, Brother Qin," Wei Si'an said with a smile.
"Hehe, I'll just take a look." Qin Mu nodded with a smile, then led his sister to a less crowded spot to observe the scene up close.
"Brother Wei, who is this? Why is he ignoring you?" As soon as Qin Mu left, the other young men went over and asked.
Watching Qin Mu's retreating figure, Wei Si'an suppressed his slight displeasure and smiled, saying, "I don't know either. He said his name is Qin Mu. Have you heard of him?"
"No! He's probably from some small family, just arrived in Chang'an. Otherwise, how could he be so calm in front of Brother Wei?" another young man said with a flattering smile.
"I haven't heard of it either. We'll have someone ask around later. After all, someone who can bring guards must have some connections," another person said.
"Hmm." After saying that, the group stopped paying attention to Qin Mu and started chatting with the others.
Every festival is a large gathering. Many of these young people are cultivated by their families, so they will not waste the opportunity to socialize, especially with those who are worth winning over.
In Qin Mu's view, these people were more like a flock of redbirds, vying to show off in front of the opposite sex, whether by laughing loudly while drinking or reciting poetry while swaying their heads. After watching for a while, feeling that the air was too thick with hormones, his interest waned, and he shook his head, intending to leave.
"Big brother, look!" Qin Mu, who was lost in thought, was interrupted by Qin Yuling's voice. He looked down and saw her proudly picking up a cup from the ditch, seemingly happy that she had gotten something.
"Hehe, Fourth Sister, put it back. This is the wine that my brothers drank," Qin Mu said with a smile.
“Hey! Brother, this won’t do. Whoever has the wine in front of them should drink it; that’s the rule,” a young man next to him interjected.
"I'm sorry, my younger sister is being inconsiderate. I'll drink it for her," Qin Mu said apologetically with a smile and a cupped-hand salute.
"No! Alcohol cannot be substituted," the young man said, shaking his head.
"Are you trying to make things difficult for me? My younger sister is so young, how can she drink alcohol?" Qin Mu said, his smile fading.
"Hmph, it's not impossible to substitute, just write a poem. Of course, it has to be decent, don't just try to fool people." Seeing that Qin Mu didn't smile, the young man also said with a stern face.
"Are you deliberately here to cause trouble?" Qin Mu stared at the young man and asked. He had already disliked this man with canine teeth.
It's not that canine teeth are unattractive; in fact, there's nothing wrong with them. Qin Mu had heard before that people with canine teeth are very family-oriented. However, if a person with canine teeth also has too much white in their eyes, making it appear larger than the pupils, then that's not a good thing. This is the legendary "white-eyed wolf" look—not only can they not be tamed, but they'll also bite.
The person in front of me has a lot of white in his eyes, and when he speaks, he reveals his canine teeth, giving him a sinister look.
"Looking for trouble! I think you're the one looking for trouble. Ask everyone here, that's the rule. Kid, where did you come from? You don't even know this, yet you come here to play around," the ingrate sneered.
"Hehe! Zhang Wu, you're absolutely right, he really did emerge from some obscure corner." Another somewhat familiar voice rang out.
Qin Mu turned around and saw that Changsun Chong had not brought his younger brother this time, but he was followed by two guards, as well as Wei Si'an and others.
Qin Mu didn't see them earlier because Changsun Chong had just arrived and was chatting with Wei Si'an. When he saw people arguing over here, he looked over and realized they were his enemies, so he couldn't help but come over and join in.
Wei Si'an was about to speak, but after hearing Changsun Chong's words, he blinked twice, shut his mouth, and revealed a smile that looked like he was watching a good show.
"So you're from a small town. No wonder you're so ignorant. I won't stoop to your level. Let your sister marry me as my concubine, and I'll forgive your rudeness." Upon hearing Changsun Chong's words, Zhang Wu immediately revealed a smug smile and said proudly.
"You're asking for death!" Upon hearing this, Qin Mu was instantly filled with rage and stared intently at Zhang Wu.
"You brat, you dare threaten me? Don't you even know who I am?" Zhang Wu shouted, pointing at Qin Mu.
"Heh! That's exactly what I wanted to ask!" Qin Mu suppressed his anger and asked. He wasn't afraid, but he wanted to find out the other party's background. For him, if he was going to deal with someone, he should deal with them all at once. Otherwise, if he made a mistake and didn't even know who his enemy was, it would be a waste of time. Instead, he would have to worry about retaliation from unknown people.
Killing someone in public is impossible, but there are plenty of ways to get revenge. Knowing the details is the best way to strike at the root of the problem.
"Hmph! I am the Minister of Works, the son of the Duke of Xun," Zhang Wu said arrogantly.
"Brother Bu, open your mouth." Qin Mu said coldly as soon as he heard him finish speaking. As long as they weren't royalty, he would teach them a lesson today. As for the future, there would be plenty of time.
"Yes!" Bu Mang cupped his hands and strode forward.
"You dare! Men, break his legs!" Zhang Wu was startled and hurriedly retreated, shouting sharply.
It was rare for a young nobleman in Chang'an to go out without guards. As Zhang Wu shouted, two guards rushed over from the side.
"Get lost!" Bu Mang shouted, rushing forward and punching one person. Then he kicked out and sent another person flying.
Those who can act as guards are certainly not mediocre. After being struck by Bu Mang, the two of them staggered back a few steps and then rushed forward again.
"Does Brother Changsun know him?" Wei Si'an asked in a low voice.
"Just watch the show," Changsun Chong sneered.
"Who is that? How dare they attack the Duke of Xun's family?" Others started discussing as they saw the fight break out.
"I don't recognize them. Judging from the guards' clothes, they don't seem to come from a large family."
"Brother, you're mistaken. Although that guard's armor looks worn, it bears the marks of battle."
"Hmph, those guards have never seen blood."
The onlookers were buzzing with discussion, but the battle was already decided. Although Zhang Wu's guards were also elite soldiers who had retired from the army, they were no match for the former Eighteen Riders of Yanyun. Even though Bu Mang didn't use his full strength, the two were quickly knocked to the ground.
With two clangs, the two men got up again, drew their swords, and stood protectively in front of Zhang Wu, but they dared not attack first.
"You bastard, what are you standing there for? Kill him! I'll take responsibility for anything that happens!" Zhang Wu roared.
"If you're so good, then you do it!" The guard felt bitter inside. Although neither of them had used their bloodthirsty aura, he knew perfectly well who was stronger. At this moment, he wished he could beat Zhang Wu up.
“Your Excellency is indeed formidable, but this is the third son of the Duke of Xun. You’d better think carefully and not bring trouble upon your master,” a guard warned.
"Get out of my way! Or let me beat you up!" Bu Mang grinned, revealing his yellowed teeth. He wasn't afraid of Qin Mu's background, or even Luo Cheng's connections; in fact, the word "fear" had long been forgotten for him. He was itching to take action, a rare opportunity indeed.
"Kill!" Seeing that they couldn't intimidate Bu Mang, the two guards exchanged a glance, their bloodthirsty aura rising, and swung their swords at Bu Mang.
"Hmph!" Seeing the opponent draw his knife, Bu Mang didn't hold back either. He snorted coldly, and with a flash of red light, he rushed over at a much faster speed than before.
With two loud thuds, the two guards flew two meters away, landing on the ground. They tried to get up twice, but couldn't. This was only because Bu Mang had held back; otherwise, these two wouldn't be alive.
"You...you...don't come any closer." Zhang Wu didn't expect his guard to be defeated so easily. Faced with Bu Mang walking towards him, he was so frightened that he kept backing away.
"Changsun Chong, save me!" Zhang Wu ran to the side and rushed to Changsun Chong, shouting.
"Qin Mu, don't go too far!" Changsun Chong said to Qin Mu.
Qin Mu ignored him and continued to watch expressionlessly.
For Bu Mang, unless his master gave an order, he had to carry it out without question and continue moving forward.
"Stop him!" Changsun Chong said, frowning. He wasn't worried about his safety. There were countless guards in Furong Garden, and many people had been watching this place. However, since Bu Mang hadn't used his weapon or killed anyone, they hadn't interfered.
Moreover, the people here are all wealthy and powerful, and they are unwilling to offend anyone, but if things really get out of hand, they will definitely have to step in.
"Are you going to stand up for him?" Qin Mu asked coldly.
"Could you two please stop? Why let such a small matter ruin our harmony? We're all here to have fun; there's no need to make things unpleasant," Wei Si'an said, bowing respectfully.
"Insulting my family is unacceptable, even if the Duke of Xun came today!" Qin Mu said coldly.
“Zhang Wu just spoke offhand; he meant no harm. Brother Qin, why don’t you forgive him this once? Besides, he wasn’t wrong. Drinking really can’t be substituted; he wasn’t deliberately trying to cause trouble,” Wei Si’an advised. He had already learned what had happened.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com