After walking for a while, Gu Lili found that there were already crowds of people ahead.
Gu Lili casually pulled over an uncle who was watching the commotion and asked with a smile, "Excuse me, uncle, what's going on up ahead? Why is it so lively?"
The crowd surrounded a teahouse, but Gu Lili couldn't see anything amiss.
The uncle, who had been stopped by Gu Lili, rolled his eyes at her and said, "You don't even know this? This is the daughter of Liu Hanyuan, the richest man in Jiangdu, who's going to throw a bridal ball tonight to find a husband! Miss Liu is only sixteen, in the prime of her life! If you could marry her..."
Judging from the uncle's eager expression, he probably wanted to go up and try to snatch it.
No wonder he rolled his eyes at Gu Lili and the others; he clearly saw the three of them as competitors.
Gu Lili couldn't help but frown as she looked at the uncle in front of her. The young lady was only sixteen years old, but judging from his appearance, he was more than old enough to be her father.
It's utterly disgusting that they still harbor such thoughts.
Gu Lili looked up and saw that most of the people surrounding the teahouse were men.
People of all ages, from young boys to elderly folks, gathered around to join in the fun.
There were even quite a few beggars mixed in with them. Were all these people trying to snatch the embroidered ball?
Before Gu Lili could even ask, the unpleasant sounds from the surroundings reached her.
"Hey, Old Zhang, you're practically half-buried in the ground, how dare you come and join the fun!"
"Hmph! Why can't I join in the fun? What if I manage to win the beauty's heart? And Miss Liu will also receive a substantial dowry."
Hearing this shameless statement, Gu Lili couldn't help but turn her gaze to the person who said it.
When she looked at that person, Gu Lili's brows furrowed so deeply they could have trapped a fly.
The old man, with his gray hair, appeared to be about sixty or seventy years old.
No wonder the person just now said he was half-buried in the yellow earth.
Moreover, he was hunched over, and when he opened his mouth, there were only two or three yellow and black teeth in it.
A young man next to him looked at Old Zhang with disdain and said, "Old Zhang, if you catch the embroidered ball and marry Miss Liu, at your age, will Master Liu call you 'Father' or will you call Master Liu 'Father'?"
As soon as the sarcastic remark was made, those around who heard it burst into loud laughter.
Old Zhang instantly flew into a rage, pointing at the young man in front of him and saying, "Go away, you little brat, get out of the way and don't delay my business."
Old Zhang didn't have many teeth to begin with, and when he spoke, spittle flew everywhere, causing the people around him to back away.
Gu Lili and the other two shook their heads and walked to the side.
"Why does such a bad habit exist? If a young girl in the prime of her life were to have her embroidered ball snatched by someone like Old Zhang, wouldn't her life be ruined?" Gu Lili couldn't help but sigh.
She simply couldn't understand what kind of parents would do something like pushing their daughter into a fire pit.
Why would Gu Lili suspect that it wasn't Miss Liu who did it? Because how many women in this era can truly make their own decisions?
Li Ershu couldn't help but sigh, "Yes, it's such a pity!"
Gu Lili glanced at Li Ershu and Chang'an beside her and suddenly became curious.
"Are you two interested in trying to steal a gun too?" Gu Lili asked with a smile.
Chang'an and Li Ershu shook their heads repeatedly upon hearing this.
“I have no interest!” Chang’an said bluntly.
He's still waiting to find his family so he can propose to Gu Lili.
"How could I, a mere farmer, be worthy of a woman from a wealthy family? I know my place!" Li Ershu answered honestly.
At his age, it would be a lie to say he didn't want to get married.
But the three brothers in the family were all crammed into that thatched hut. If he were to snatch the embroidered ball, it might not be as good as Old Zhang catching it.
Judging from Old Zhang's clothes, he must have some spare cash.
Moreover, judging from his accent, he was from Jiangdu, so his circumstances were much better than Li Ershu's.
Although he was indeed a man who was half-buried in the loess soil.
Seeing that neither of them was interested, Gu Lili, being a woman herself, felt even less worthy of such a beautiful woman.
Instead of squeezing into this crowded place, we might as well find a restaurant to eat at.
Gu Lili looked up and saw a restaurant across from the teahouse.
Right now, everyone's gathered on the street, ready to snatch the embroidered ball. Even the shopkeeper is standing at the door watching. There's probably no one inside.
"Let's go eat at that restaurant. Let's get a private room on the second floor facing the street, and we can eat while we watch the show," Gu Lili suggested.
Chang'an and Li Ershu looked at the restaurant and thought it looked good, so the three of them headed there.
Upon entering the restaurant, it was indeed found that there were very few people dining there.
The three ordered some of the restaurant's signature dishes and were then led upstairs by the waiter.
This private room has an excellent location, directly facing the window of the teahouse across the street.
Seeing the curious expressions on their faces, the waiter enthusiastically told them everything he knew.
"Gentlemen, you must be here to watch the show. Let me tell you, the daughter of the Liu family is throwing her embroidered ball today not to find a son-in-law, but to marry off her daughter. Several days ago, the Liu family announced that whoever catches the embroidered ball will be able to take Miss Liu and one hundred taels of silver with them!"
The waiter spoke with great enthusiasm; judging from his expression, he must have been eager to give it a try.
One hundred taels of silver—for an ordinary family, that's probably more than they could earn in a lifetime.
but!
For someone like Master Liu, the richest man in Jiangdu, this was naturally just a drop in the ocean.
This girl was clearly abandoned by her parents like a worn-out shoe.
Having witnessed her father Gu Jingsheng's character, Gu Lili didn't hesitate and blurted out, "This young lady is probably not the madam's daughter, is she?"
The waiter shook his head after hearing this.
"This Miss Liu is said to be a direct descendant of the family!"
After listening to what the waiter said, Gu Lili became even more puzzled.
Is it really possible for a mother to humiliate her own daughter like this?
Forget it, this has nothing to do with me, I'll just quietly watch the show.
Gu Lili waved her hand, signaling the waiter to leave.
As the three drank their tea, watching the crowd grow larger and larger, their worries inevitably increased.
Unfortunately, Gu Lili couldn't control such a situation.
Since the other person's biological parents have already made the decision, it's naturally not Gu Lili's place to feel sorry for them.
The waiter quickly brought out the dishes, and Gu Lili and the others ate while watching.
As they were eating, the sound of gongs and drums rang out again.
The window of the teahouse across the street was slowly pushed open, revealing a young girl dressed in a pale yellow dress and wearing a veil standing by the window.
Although her face was obscured, her graceful figure was enough to elicit various teasing remarks from the men on the street.
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