Everyone in the capital knew what kind of person Liu Ling was.
He frequented gambling dens and brothels, relying on his father, a top-ranking official, to act atrociously, bully the innocent, and hold grudges. He was known for his petty nature and vindictiveness, making him one of the most dangerous people to cross.
And today, someone had dared to insult him to his face, calling him a useless trash who only knew how to state his lineage?
The crowd cast sympathetic yet admiring glances at the Fengluan from Quanzhou.
Liu Ling exploded in rage, his eyes fixed on Nan Shiying, bloodshot and bulging with veins at his temples. "What do you think you are, to look down on this young master? Guards, beat him!"
At his command, his accompanying attendants swarmed forward.
Nan Shiying grabbed Yin'er's wrist, tossing her to Lvwǎn. With a flick, she opened her folding fan, and the scent of iris spread through the air.
Facing imminent encirclement, she showed no sign of panic or fear. She stood gracefully, fanning herself, as ethereal as the radiant moon.
Liu Ling's anger intensified. He waved his arms and roared, "Beat him to death!"
Lvwǎn's face turned pale with anxiety. Forgetting Yin'er who had been tossed to her, she glanced around wildly and then rushed to grab a coral stone ornament, charging into the crowd with it held high.
A cold glint flashed across Yin'er's face. Her hidden hand in her sleeve produced a silver needle between her thumb and index finger.
Lvwǎn yelled as she charged, but before she could reach the crowd, Nan Shiying hooked her collar with her fan, flinging her back.
In that blink of an eye, the attendants reached Nan Shiying. She swung her fan, releasing a faint fragrance that briefly dazed the attendants. The next moment, as if possessed, they froze in place.
Nan Shiying used the basic moves she learned from Xuan Yi, striking the attendant's knee with force.
The recoil almost made her lose her balance.
She quickly shifted her weight back, and the attendant, in pain, knelt to the ground. By chance, his chin struck the folding fan Nan Shiying had extended forward unintentionally.
As she retreated, the fan flicked upwards.
The attendant, struck hard in the throat, clutched his neck in agony, unable to utter a sound. He looked as if his throat had been slit by a sword.
"Hiss~"
The onlookers' eyes widened in unison.
From the attendant's attack to his fall, mere seconds had passed. The crowd now looked at Nan Shiying not with sympathy or ridicule, but with profound shock and reverence.
Such martial prowess was astounding.
Yin'er blinked and retracted the silver needle from her hand.
Though shocked by Nan Shiying's skill, the attendants, driven by instinct, continued to charge forward.
However, any attendant who approached within half a meter of her found themselves mysteriously unable to move.
After kicking the last attendant away, Nan Shiying, fanning herself, strode towards Liu Ling.
By the time the attendants were immobilized, Liu Ling was already trembling uncontrollably, his legs weak. He backed away, shouting menacingly, "What do you want? I am the legitimate son of the Minister of Rites. If you dare touch me, my father will never forgive you."
Nan Shiying remained unmoved, even contemplating rolling her eyes.
As Nan Shiying drew closer, Liu Ling found his body paralyzed. Panic seized him. Amidst his curses, he couldn't help but plead, "Brother Feng, Brother Feng, I was wrong, please spare me."
Nan Shiying let out a scoff. She grabbed Liu Ling by the collar and dragged him, like a dead dog, outside the gate of Huancai Pavilion.
Seeing that she had no intention of letting him go, Liu Ling's curses grew more vehement.
Nan Shiying, however, paid him no heed. She pulled out a dagger from her怀. With a swift motion, Liu Ling's clothes fell away like fragments.
She stripped Liu Ling completely naked, then used the torn scraps of his clothes to tie him to a nearby tree.
She even stuffed his mouth!
These actions were executed with such fluid grace that the crowd that had followed to watch were stunned speechless.
This was too ruthless!
This Fengluan from Quanzhou was truly a ruthless individual!
"Tsk, so small!"
Nan Shiying glanced at Liu Ling's crotch and couldn't help but mock him with a cold chuckle.
Lvwǎn almost fainted. Her pretty face turned from red to black, black to white, white to green, green to purple, like a painter's palette.
She wished she could immediately step forward and gag her mistress.
Mistress, do you remember you're a lady?!
Yin'er's eye twitched. She shot Nan Shiying a glare. For some reason, she even felt like grabbing her collar and dunking her head in water to cleanse her eyes.
Xuan Yi, perched on the roof of a building opposite Huancai Pavilion, covered his head. He couldn't quite imagine reporting this scene to his master.
He didn't know whether Nan Shiying would die first today, or if he, the reporter, would depart this beautiful world first.
Nan Shiying, you are a curse!
Xuan Yi was speechless.
Stripping the Minister of Rites' son naked and tying him to a tree was satisfying, but it meant she had to flee. Before leaving, Nan Shiying went to Yin'er and took the opportunity to pinch her cheek.
"So smooth~"
She grinned at Yin'er, then grabbed Lvwǎn and bolted.
Yin'er stared blankly at Nan Shiying's retreating back, instinctively stroking the cheek she had touched.
Her face immediately flushed red.
Seeing this, the surrounding onlookers pounded their chests in dismay.
What a disaster!
How could Miss Yin'er have fallen for such a troublemaking, unruly pretty boy!
They were not convinced!
Not convinced!
...
After escaping Huancai Pavilion, Nan Shiying tidied her clothes and, with Lvwǎn, entered a clothing store to buy two long dresses. Upon exiting, they found a nearby inn and booked an upper room.
After changing into new clothes in the room, Nan Shiying packed the discarded attire into the bundle used for the long dresses. The two of them transformed from a young master and his attendant to a young lady and her maid, carrying their bundles and gracefully exiting the inn.
"Make way, make way!"
A group of constables brushed past Nan Shiying and Lvwǎn, rushing towards Huancai Pavilion.
"So much trouble..."
Nan Shiying sighed, watching the constables' retreating backs.
Lvwǎn: "..."
Mistress, as I said before, be human!