Song Wenyu became anxious and said to Miss You, "We were originally here to listen to the zither, how did it turn into this? It's the old lady's birthday banquet, after all, let's not have the competition."
We all know Gu Qi's impulsive and outspoken nature; we should stop him quickly. Your third brother has been practicing martial arts for much longer than Gu Qi."
They're practically saying they won, so what's the point of having the nerve to say it?
The Ninth Princess exclaimed, "We're doing this for Gu Qihao's sake. She's used to spouting nonsense, saying things like 'sitting down to find a husband' or 'contesting a martial arts match'—all because the guards at home flatter her so much that she doesn't know her place. We all know her personality, but outsiders don't. If she doesn't learn her lesson and know her place, what will happen if she causes trouble everywhere in the future?"
Take the last time at the Imperial Academy where they played polo, for example. It was all her fault. Although the Emperor rewarded them with a lot of things in the end, if it weren't for the Marquis of Dingbei who happened to be there with his men, who knows how badly they would have lost.
"Why bother with these life-or-death contracts? You Da even went to the palace to report to the princess. If it weren't for my mother's kindness, who sent someone to inform my father, those untamed Yelü people would never have let it go so easily."
Miss You glanced at Song Wenyu and chimed in, "You were injured last time too, don't forget the pain once the wound has healed."
Song Wenyu was speechless.
The sickly prince said gently, "It's nothing, Sister Song, don't worry. Sanlang isn't someone who doesn't know what's going on. He's just letting Sister Baozhu know how difficult it is to learn martial arts."
Song Wenyu grew increasingly disgusted with the sickly crown prince, but he couldn't show it outwardly, so he could only sigh, "This is for the best."
Gu Baozhu didn't bother with any of that. Gu Shiliu was always elusive and impossible to meet, forcing her to fight with the guards instead. At least she wasn't as helpless as she was under Gu Shiliu, unable to withstand even a single move. She easily dealt with Xu Tang and the others, which made her even more unaware of her own martial arts skills.
Now that Young Master You has volunteered to step forward, then she's in trouble...
"Alright, let's have a little martial arts match then. We don't even need to go outside. How about we just stay in this open space?"
Gu Baozhu looked around. The zither room was very spacious, divided into several sections by many curtains and screens, where some zithers, books, tea sets and other items were arranged.
There was a large open space where they were sitting, which should have been enough for the two of them to fight, dodge, and maneuver.
A hint of hesitation flashed across Young Master You's face.
The Crown Prince then said, "Let's do it here. Don't make too much noise. It's one thing if you startle others, but what if you disturb the Duchess of Zhenguo? This isn't a birthday celebration, but a troublesome one."
Young Master You had no choice but to say, "Alright then, Miss Gu Qi, I'm older than you, so I'll give you three moves."
Gu Baozhu raised her eyebrows sharply: "Who told you to give way? There's no need for that. Show me your true abilities."
Who do they think they are, giving me three moves?
I was originally planning to hold back a bit, but since he's already said that, I have to use all my strength to show him how powerful my Qi Shen Leg is.
Indeed, those who roam the martial world and uphold justice need a name.
When Qin Heng learned that Xu Tang's attempt to ambush her had failed and instead resulted in his leg being broken, yet he didn't dare to retaliate at all, his admiration for her was like a surging river flowing down to the heavens. He immediately bestowed upon her the nickname "Qi the God of Legs" and said that if she could bring him into the upcoming Cuju (ancient Chinese football) competition, he would make sure that nickname spread far and wide.
Gu Baozhu wasn't someone who cared about empty fame. Since the brothers respected her so much, she couldn't let that reputation fade away.
Gu Baozhu stood at attention, her eyes wide open, glaring angrily at Young Master You. This was called the "tiger eye" style, meant to intimidate the other party first.
Young Master You smiled and made a very humble gesture, saying, "Miss Gu, please make your move."
Gu Baozhu touched the ground with both feet, leaped into the air, and pounced on the leisurely Young Master You.
...
Qin Yuan chatted and laughed with the women of the Duke of Anguo's mansion, and after passing through several gardens, she was greeted by the women of the Marquis of Shouchun's mansion. The two sides exchanged greetings and pleasantries.
The newlywed wife of the illegitimate son of the Marquis of Shouchun was the daughter of a Doctor of the Imperial Academy. She had frequent contact with Qin Wan, and when they met, they both pretended not to know each other.
Lady Shouchun, who already had several grandchildren, didn't have much to say to Qin Yuan, her young daughter-in-law. They exchanged pleasantries and then she asked about the capital inspection.
Gu Jinghui has a tight rein on people, preventing any information from getting in or out. Now, officials in the capital are all wondering what the final outcome of this capital inspection will be.
Marquis Shouchun had long been drifting through life, and the capital inspection had little impact on him. However, since his children and in-laws all held positions in the court, he couldn't help but pay some attention. After trying to get some information out of them, Marquis Shouchun's wife left dejectedly.
The concubine's wife followed behind with her head bowed and eyes lowered, not daring to utter a single word.
After everyone had passed by, Hongye laughed and said, "I thought she was so proud of herself. She followed the example of the Second Miss and got engaged to the Marquis of Shouchun's family. She'll be a matriarch for who knows how many years. I always said our Miss is extremely lucky."
Qin Yuan couldn't help but laugh and scold, "I knew you'd say these things whenever you saw them. You really can't keep a secret. Didn't you say you were with the Duke of Anguo's family? Who knows where they've gone by now."
Hongye said, "It's not my fault. It was the people from the Marquis of Shouchun's mansion who stopped us. The Marquis was busy with things outside, so how would we know? They kept asking questions, which is why it took so long."
Qin Yuan said, "Alright, alright, let's not wander around anymore. Judging from the time, the banquet should be starting soon. Let's just sit here and enjoy the scenery."
This garden is a traditional garden from Suzhou and Hangzhou. It is exquisite and small, and cannot accommodate many people. Many people come to take a look and then leave. However, its location is in a place with easy access in all directions, so it is relatively quiet and not remote.
It's nice to sit down and rest, and I don't have to worry about being bothered by malicious people.
Hongye was tired from walking. Upon hearing this, she immediately pulled Cuiming to a place to sit down and looked around at the scenery. If there was anything she didn't understand, she would ask questions. After all, her young lady was knowledgeable about everything from astronomy to geography.
As the group chatted happily, a young maid rushed over, panting, and said, "Madam of Dingbei, I've finally found you!"
Qin Yuan's brow twitched.
Here we go again, here we go again. I wonder what kind of show this is going to be putting on now.
The lotus flowers and seedlings had already stood up, blocking Qin Yuan behind them, leaving only a sliver of space.
Qin Yuan asked through the crack, "What's wrong? Whose household are you from? Who is your master? What do you want with me?"
The young maid gasped for breath and hurriedly bowed. "I am a maid from the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, serving the eldest young lady. The eldest young lady ordered me to find the Lady of the Marquis to look after the seventh young lady of the mansion. If I don't go soon, I'm afraid something bad will happen."
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