On the pleasure boat by the lake, the sounds of humming and humming accompanied the harmonious music of the zither and the aroma of wine and tea filled the air, with occasional laughter.

The servant hurriedly took a small boat to the barge, and threw the zither onto the barge, making a loud noise.

The music in the pleasure boat stopped and then changed to a different tune. Following the tune, a steward in green clothes came out and scolded the reckless servant.

"What is this for? Don't you know that the master is receiving distinguished guests?"

The servant nodded hurriedly and pointed to Miss Qionglan on the shore, "Someone is bullying Miss Qionglan. Miss Qionglan asks the master to help her!"

The steward frowned: "How dare you bother the master with such a small matter? Where does the master have so much time to settle the matter for the prostitutes in the building? Get lost!"

The servant was in a dilemma and tried his best to beg the steward: "Please be flexible and ask the master! Otherwise, the lady will not forgive me!"

The steward sneered, pinched the boy's face, and looked at Qionglan on the shore: "Qionglan can't forgive you, but the master can forgive you? You can't tell the difference between offending a prostitute and offending the nobleman and the master?"

The servant nodded tremblingly and agreed with the steward: "It's okay, it's okay to offend Miss Qionglan."

"That's right." The steward patted the boy's face and said, "Go down, don't disturb the nobleman anymore, otherwise..."

Not long after the servant was sent off the pleasure boat, crying and making noises started again.

Qionglan tore her clothes into tatters and cried bitterly on the shore, "Master, please help me..."

When Qionglan made such a noise, all the boys and girls who were playing around came over.

Helian Yu ate rice cakes, huddled in the crowd, and looked up at Xie Rangchen: "She seems to have been bullied."

Xie Rangchen gently poked her bulging cheeks and said, "You can't just cut the grass without removing the roots."

"Spring breeze brings new life!"

Helian Yu answered quickly.

"You memorized a lot." Xie Rangchen praised him. Seeing Helian Yu's curved eyes, he continued, "It's a pity that you can't use any of them."

Helian Yu bumped his head against Xie Rangchen's leg and rubbed his sticky hands on his robe.

A mass of white rice film on the black robe gives a strong visual impact.

Xie Rangchen: The hardest working person in the mansion is the laundry maid.

After wiping his hands, Helian Yu forgot about him and watched the fun with great pleasure.

Xie Rangchen sighed and looked at Chang Zuo: "Go back to the mansion to get a set of clothes."

Chang Zuo took the order and left the crowd.

More and more people gathered around to watch. Those who were flying kites put away their kites, those who were writing poems put down their pens and papers, and even the vendor selling rice cakes moved his stall closer.

Qionglan's tears flowed like a spring, and she wiped her tears from the corners of her eyes with her scallion-like fingers. She cried and complained, "Master, please help Qionglan!"

The onlookers were incited by their tears and whispered to each other.

"Is this the girl from Wanhua Tower? Look at her thin waist, wow..."

"You know what, she looks pretty even when she cries. If I had money, I would have taught her a lesson."

"She must have been bullied by some man. Look at her clothes, they are messy and her bellyband is showing. I guess they couldn't agree on the price and she is not happy."

Helian Yu pulled Xie Rangchen and stood in a place with fewer people. At the same time, the pleasure boat docked and two people came out.

Helian Yu opened her mouth slightly. The Second Prince and Qiao Zhe? How could they be together? Didn't Qiao Zhe have a relationship with Helian Chi?

Before Helian Yu could sort out the relationship, Xie Rangchen had already taken her hand and walked towards Qionglan. Helian Chi followed and ordered Zhuo Liu and Chang An to stay where they were.

"Master, this is not good..."

"Qiao Zhe happened to be here, so I'll take you to see him. He's the one who asked Fengge for money. You can use the magnolia jade pendant he gave you when you go out to get money."

Helian Yu was surprised. Was that jade pendant given to her by her master through Qiao Zhe? At that time, she hadn't met her master yet. How could he...

Could it be that the master had predicted that she would become his disciple? When Helian Yu and his companions arrived, Qiao Zhe and the Second Prince also came ashore.

Qionglan ran to Qiao Zhe with her clothes in disarray and tears on her face, kneeled down, hugged his trouser legs and cried, "Master, someone has been harassing me! Please take care of it!"

Facing the curious looks from the Second Prince, the Fourth Prince, the Imperial Master, Princess Zhaoyang, and the common people, Qiao Zhe pulled Qiong Lan up with gritted teeth and said, "Put on your clothes first."

Qionglan's sobs gradually subsided. She lifted her eyelids to peek at the Second Prince, her brows soft and submissive. She then turned to look at Qiao Zhe: "Master, just now I was about to go on the boat to play music for you and the noble lady, but who would have thought..."

Qiong Lan looked for Helian Chi and Xie Rangchen. Under Qiao Zhe's horrified gaze, she pointed at them and accused them coldly, "Master, the two of them flirted with me together!"

Xie Rangchen was silent.

Helian Chi was speechless.

Helian Yu stood in front of the two of them, looking cold and stern: "I was the only one who touched you just now, why don't you say that I was frivolous with you? Do you look down on me?"

Qiong Yu ignored Helian Yu and cried, "I know that the two gentlemen don't want to have anything to do with me, but just now you... were clearly beasts! It's terrifying!"

Helian Yu put his hands on his hips: I'm so angry, you are too young, and your sins are forced to take a detour.

Qiao Zhe scolded Qiong Lan: "That's enough! The two gentlemen will never force you."

Qiao Zhe couldn't guarantee what would happen to Helian Chi, but he could guarantee what would happen to Xie Rangchen.

"Master?" Qionglan's beautiful eyes widened in disbelief, "Master, you don't believe Qionglan? Qionglan will serve you two——"

"That's enough!" Qiao Zhe looked solemn. Because of his nervousness, there was a strange look on his face. "Qiong Lan, apologize to the two gentlemen."

"Master..." Qionglan's eyes were panicked, and she realized that the two men were extraordinary. "Since the master said Qionglan was wrong, Qionglan admits it."

Qionglan bowed to Xie Rangchen and Helian Chiyingying and said, "Qionglan was inappropriate just now. I beg you two gentlemen to forgive me."

"Big sister, you are throwing the blame on my master and fourth brother, aren't you? You didn't even explain the reason when you apologized, and it's like we're bullying you and forcing you to admit your mistakes." Helian Yu raised his voice, refusing to give in, "You have to apologize again."

Qionglan's body trembled, and she turned her gaze to the Second Prince who was watching the fun.

"What are you looking at him for? He doesn't have any sympathy for women." Helian Yu rolled his eyes, his eyebrows full of impatience, "If you apologize, this matter will be over. Is it necessary to involve other people?"

I am so annoyed! Can't we just get it over with? Xie Rangchen stuffed a candy into her mouth: "Don't be angry."

Helian Yu pushed the candy against his cheek and said in a discontented tone: "It's a simple matter, but you have to keep dragging it out."

Qionglan was unwilling to give up, and tried her best to flirt with the Second Prince in an attempt to gain his favor.

But it was all done for the blind.

Helian Sheng walked towards Helian Yu and the others, nodded to Xie Rangchen, then squatted down to look Helian Yu in the eye, "Don't worry, Xiao Yu'er, Second Brother is on your side."

While Helian Sheng was talking, Qiao Zhe warned Qiong Lan in a low voice: "While the young lady is unwilling to care, apologize as soon as possible. If she doesn't care about this matter, those young masters will decide, and you won't survive this night."

In Qiao Zhe's eyes, Qiong Lan was no different from the fish on the chopping board.

However, Helian Yu was willing to take her life and let her go.

Everyone else treated her as food and could not escape the fate of being slaughtered.

(End of this chapter)