It was just past the halfway point of the Si hour, the busiest time of day. Everyone was racking their brains to find a spot on the mountain where they could rest and enjoy the view, and the young men were no exception.
Stone had already found a good spot, and just as he had set up the tables and chairs and was about to lay out the carpet, two young men who looked like servants rushed over, rolled up the carpet, and threw it away.
Stone was furious and started arguing with them.
This wasn't the first time the ladies and young ladies of the Pei family had come to Wuxia Manor to admire the plum blossoms together, nor was it the first time the servants of the Pei family had seized other people's territory on the mountain to curry favor with their masters. The two servants were quite adept at bullying others by taking advantage of their power.
These two kids are obviously just ordinary people. They robbed us, so what? Who would dare to go against the Pei family?
Unfortunately, they ran into a brick wall this time.
Shi Tou wasn't initially angry about being hit with the carpet, but upon hearing that it was someone from the Pei family, his anger flared up, and he swung his fist out.
He had been practicing martial arts for a year and had no problem dealing with two ordinary servants.
The four brothers stood in a line to the side. The half-grown boys didn't really have much presence, so the Pei family's servant got up and rushed forward.
At first it was two against two, but the Pei family soon sent three more followers, so now the fight was five against four.
Four children were fighting against five adults. Although there were many onlookers, no one dared to step forward to break up the fight.
They soon discovered that these kids were not at a disadvantage. Every punch they threw landed hard, making the servants howl in pain. They also dodged the punches that came their way with agility, looking like they were trained fighters!
In contrast, those servants fought without any strategy, their legs were weak, their stances were unstable, and they could be kicked away with a single kick.
"Stop! Stop it all!" A furious shout rang out, and the onlookers turned around and hurriedly avoided the area.
"Children, stop fighting! Run! The Pei family is here!"
A group of women from the Pei family arrived late, surrounded by guards and maids.
The middle-aged noblewoman at the head of the group glanced at the bruised and swollen servant and coldly asked Shi Tou, "Whose child is so rude? Fighting and causing trouble in broad daylight, what kind of behavior is this!"
Stone snorted with his nostrils flared, saying, "We are children of the Jiang family of Yuzhou! What's wrong with that? Only your Pei family's servants are allowed to bully others and steal their positions, but we're not allowed to teach them a lesson?"
The Jiang family of Yuzhou... Ah, that's the Jiang family's private kitchen, they're the family of Manager Jiang!
The middle-aged noblewoman raised her eyebrows, about to say something, when a flamboyantly dressed young woman behind her angrily retorted, "Do you know who our mistress is? She is the wife of the Minister of Works in the capital. Even Jiang Shi has to kowtow and kneel before our mistress. Who do you think you are!"
The speaker was Bizhu, who had become Pei Cheng's concubine while recuperating at the Pei family home.
She wasn't originally supposed to be on this trip, but Cheng took her along because she had served her.
The mere mention of the Jiang family filled Bizhu with hatred. If Jiang Shan were here, she would have immediately attacked him.
The younger children fell silent upon hearing that she was Fu Qiyuan's mother, but their resistance remained undiminished.
Cheng's gaze swept over the children, and she said coldly, "Where is Jiang? Tell her to come see me!"
The children ignored her, pursing their lips and turning their heads away without saying a word.
The onlookers, unaware of the connection between the Cheng family and Jiang Shan, began to gossip.
Madam Cheng's face darkened, and she said angrily, "Since Madam Jiang is not here, I will teach you ignorant brats a lesson! Men, tie them up and throw them down the mountain!"
Shi Tou's expression changed. He blocked his younger brothers behind him, clenched his fists, and took a fighting stance.
When it comes to fighting, these brothers have never been afraid of anyone!
Just as the Pei family's guards and servants were about to rush forward, a voice came from the crowd.
"Hey kids, what trouble have you gotten into this time?"
Shi Tou turned around and was overjoyed. "Grandpa Fu! Young Master!"
Outside the crowd, Patriarch Fu and Jiang Huai rode over on horseback, with Fu Li following behind on horseback.
Jiang Huai was held in the arms of the old patriarch Fu, grinning happily.
"Uncle, ride a horse!"
The moment Cheng saw Jiang Huai, she was both surprised and delighted and wanted to go to greet him, but when she heard Jiang Huai call out "Uncle," her heart sank again.
After telling the old master of the Fu family what had happened, Shi Tou began to complain: "Grandpa Fu, this Madam Fu is going to tie us up and throw us down the mountain!"
The old patriarch of the Fu family narrowed his eyes slightly, sizing up Madam Cheng. "Madam Fu?"
Madam Cheng took a deep breath and said with a stern face, "I am the wife of Fu Ting, the Minister of Works in the capital. Jiang's rule is lax, so I will discipline these children on her behalf!"
The old patriarch of the Fu family clicked his tongue, shook his head, and sighed, "No wonder Fu Ting dares not return to Qingcheng Mountain. Marrying such a wife is too shameful to face his elders! My poor grandson... how pitiful!"
Cheng's face turned pale, but her heart was in turmoil. Her lips trembled, and she didn't have the courage to say another word.
Granny Cheng, standing beside him, stepped forward, curtsied to the old master Fu, and tentatively asked, "May I ask who you are, sir...?"
The old patriarch of the Fu family tugged at the reins in his hand and said with a half-smile, "Fu Ting's father! Fu Ting is bad at disciplining his wife and managing his household, and I have no interest in disciplining irrelevant people for him! Children, where is your old man?"
Stone looked down the mountain, pointed, and laughed, "The master is over there! Sanlang, Xiaoqi, hurry up!"
Jiang Huai stood on his horse, jumping up and down and shouting, "Grandpa, Uncle, ride a horse! Great-Grandpa, ride a horse!"
Mr. Xunmei finally managed to climb up, and looking up with a smile, he waved to himself.
Granny Cheng glanced worriedly at her master, whose face was ashen, and her gaze inadvertently drifted downwards, whereupon she froze.
On the hillside, the gaunt old man smiled and said something to the child beside him before quickening his pace.
Granny Cheng anxiously said to the maid beside her, "Quick, hurry! Madam is unwell, we need to get down the mountain as soon as possible!"
A group of people surrounded Cheng and turned to walk in another direction.
The old patriarch Fu glanced in the direction Cheng had left, and snorted coldly. After throwing down the bag of fresh fruit he had just received, he rode away with Jiang Huai.
On a hillside not far away, Granny Cheng helped the distraught Madam Cheng walk hurriedly forward, as if a man-eating monster was chasing them. The faces of the two women were increasingly grim.
Bizhu's legs made walking difficult, and she found it strenuous to walk fast. After walking for a while, she went up to Granny Cheng and grabbed her arm, saying unhappily, "Granny Cheng, why are you walking so fast? Even if that old man..."
Before she could finish speaking, Granny Cheng slapped Bizhu hard across the face, knocking her to the ground.
"You despicable, courting death! If you don't want to leave, then get the hell out of here!"
Bizhu covered her burning face, staring in disbelief at Granny Cheng's almost distorted face, both shocked and frightened, unable to utter a single word.
Having known her for so many years, she had never seen Granny Cheng so distraught.
No, it wasn't a loss of composure, it was fear!
What is she afraid of!
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