News of the eldest daughter of the Zhe family causing trouble spread back to the rear courtyards of various noble families in the capital. The ladies and young ladies there treated it as entertainment. After all, ever since last year, Zhe Jing chasing after the eldest young master Ning all over the capital had become a common sight.
"What did you say? Zhe Jing's guards were beaten?" A young lady, who was holding a teacup and drinking tea, choked. The head maid serving her glared at the young maid who delivered the news and quickly took the teacup, offering her a brocade handkerchief.
"It's nothing," the young lady said, wiping the tea from the corner of her mouth. She looked with great interest at the flustered young maid and said with a crisp laugh, "Tell me carefully? Did Zhe Jing kick an iron plate this time?"
It was no wonder she was so gloating. The guards accompanying Zhe Jing were veterans from the battlefield. They were said to be the elite of the Zhe family, only forced to retire because of an eye injury sustained in battle.
Even so, with A Da's skills, he should have been by the side of the Zhe family's men. Instead, he became the guard for Zhe Jing, a young lady. This showed how favored Zhe Jing was in the Zhe family.
Seeing this, the young maid vividly described the scene at the inn. "I heard that Miss Zhe, the eldest daughter, even wanted to whip someone. The young lady also had a guard whose skills were much better than A Da's. If it weren't for the eldest young master Ning intervening, Miss Zhe, the eldest daughter, would have probably gotten hurt."
"Serves her right for always carrying a whip. She finally met someone tough." The young lady clapped her hands excitedly and laughed, then got up and walked towards the inner room. "Prepare the brush and ink. I want to send invitations to Ping Yan and the others."
The inner room was not cold, as a charcoal brazier was burning. The head maid, while grinding ink, couldn't help but worry and said, "Miss, that young lady is from out of town. She probably acted rashly because she didn't know Miss Zhe, the eldest daughter."
Her handwriting was neat and beautiful, like small characters written with a hairpin. The young lady, without looking up, smiled and said, "You only know one side of the story. Zhe Jing, with only A Da by her side, acts as if she's the only one favored at home. Although that young lady is from out of town, the two servants accompanying her are even more skilled than the Zhe family's guards. Zhe Jing still wants revenge. Just wait, this will cause an even bigger joke."
The reason why these young ladies gave way to Zhe Jing during their gatherings was twofold. Firstly, Zhe Jing was indeed favored at home, and the men of the Zhe family were unreasonable brutes when it came to her. Although they wouldn't lay hands on these young ladies from noble families, their own husbands would inevitably be ambushed and beaten up by the Zhe family.
Even if the matter went to court, there was no evidence. Moreover, the Zhe family's ancestors had saved the life of the founding emperor. The Zhe family also had an imperial decree of exemption from death. The current emperor was a benevolent and filial ruler, so the matter was dropped.
Another reason was that Zhe Jing was not only strong-willed and overbearing, but she also possessed some martial arts skills. The young ladies of the capital's noble families were all refined ladies. To confront Zhe Jing was like hitting a mouse with a jade vase – it was not worth the loss. Therefore, in the long run, they would avoid her whenever possible. If they couldn't afford to offend her, they could at least avoid her.
But this time Zhe Jing had suffered a setback, and they were naturally happy. If they weren't worried about provoking the crazy Zhe Jing, they would have sent invitations to meet that brave young lady.
The head maid understood and said calmly, "It is still Miss who thinks things through. I am truly ignorant. That young lady has martial maids accompanying her. Even if she is not from the capital, she must be from a local influential family. Her family background might even be stronger than the Zhe family's."
Zhan Feiyu, who was staying at the inn, was completely unaware that she had become the primary target for Zhe family's revenge and the object of desire for the young ladies of the capital's noble families. At this moment, Zhan Feiyu was struggling and staring at the policy questions in front of her, her head about to split.
"A Nuan, do you think Teacher intends to praise me to death?" Zhan Feiyu put down her brush and looked resentfully at He Nuan, who was sitting by the window and sewing. "I am a young lady from the countryside. What does the decline of influential families have to do with me? Teacher is clearly asking the impossible!"
He Nuan looked at her young lady, whose cheeks were puffed up with anger. Although she had reached the age of hairpinning, perhaps because she wasn't tall enough, when her young lady glared or pouted, she looked just like she did a few years ago. At first glance, she still looked like that chubby little girl who hadn't grown up.
However, upon closer inspection, He Nuan could see that Zhan Feiyu had undergone significant changes. Her chubby cheeks had thinned considerably, making her eyes appear larger. Her skin remained fair and delicate, and her features had matured, giving her a graceful and intelligent feminine aura, with less childishness.
"Miss, although I am literate, I have not studied history books." He Nuan looked at the stack of history books, which were more than a foot high, with a sense of avoidance. Compared to flipping through these densely packed books, He Nuan would rather study her prescriptions and medicinal herbs. Although they were also numerous, at least they didn't require so much thought. "I don't want to study anymore either." Zhan Feiyu slumped onto the table in dejection. She was now a truant academic failure...
In the early years, with her photographic memory and knowledge from living another life, Zhan Feiyu felt that although studying for the imperial examinations was difficult, as long as she worked hard, she could at least achieve a top-tier result.
But now, looking at these policy questions, which had decreased in number but increased in difficulty, Zhan Feiyu felt that she, a failing student, was being pushed to death. This was clearly asking her to score in the top five, which required brains.
Despite her resentment, the thought of not passing the imperial examinations and potentially losing her freedom in the future instantly revived her. She opened the "Book of the Later Han Dynasty" on her desk and continued to study.
Time passed little by little. He Nuan put away the undergarments she had made and looked at Zhan Feiyu, who was sitting diligently at her desk studying. She gently added more charcoal to the brazier and then quietly withdrew.
The winter was cold. Even for He Nuan, a martial artist, she shivered as she came out of the warm study. After adjusting to the cold wind outside, He Nuan was about to go to the kitchen when she saw He Sheng walking towards her briskly.
"Miss is studying?" He Sheng glanced at the study and then lowered his voice, following He Nuan towards the kitchen. "Several groups of people have come asking about Miss Xiao's situation."
"The Zhe family?" He Nuan's first thought was of Zhe Jing, who had lost face earlier. Without even a verbal conflict, she had rashly drawn her whip to strike someone. He Nuan could imagine the Zhe family's style of doing things. It was impossible for them not to seek revenge.
The kitchen contained various vegetables and meats delivered by the inn staff in the morning. He Sheng helped to take out the fish kept in a wooden basin and immediately knocked it unconscious by the side of the basin. "Besides the Zhe family, there's also the Ning family, and several other families. They probably want to know who Miss is."
He Nuan skillfully began preparing the dishes for lunch and sneered, "They are hesitant to act now. If Miss stays at the inn for a few more days, they will probably make a move."
If Zhan Feiyu went to the Academician's Mansion, no matter how spoiled Zhe Jing was, she would absolutely not dare to seek revenge. Perhaps she would even be forced to apologize.
A few years ago, the princes had tried to suppress Academician Gu or replace him with their own people. However, as the emperor grew older, the princes remained strong and vigorous.
As a result, the emperor trusted Academician Gu even more and became increasingly wary of his adult sons who wanted to seize power. Therefore, Academician Gu's status in the capital was not inferior to being second only to the emperor, if not on par.
"Why didn't Miss go to the Academician's Mansion?" He Sheng had been following Zhan Feiyu for several years, but due to the difference between men and women, he didn't understand Zhan Feiyu as well as He Nuan did.
He Nuan paused in her vegetable-picking and frowned. "Miss said she wanted a few days of peace. Once her identity is exposed at the Academician's Mansion, she won't have as much freedom when she goes out."
Although Zhan Feiyu's reason was logical, He Nuan always felt something was not quite right. However, as a servant, He Nuan would never ask what she shouldn't, and she firmly believed that if Miss did something, she must have her reasons.
Considering Academician Gu's current status in the court, He Sheng nodded in agreement. "Miss dislikes trouble the most. The capital is not like other places. If it were just ordinary noble family disciples, it would be fine. But this involves princes and imperial grandsons. Miss's worries are not unfounded."
The emperor did not favor the adult princes now and preferred the younger ones. However, although Miss was Academician Gu's only disciple, she was indeed from a farming family. If the princes harbored any improper thoughts, and the matter escalated, the emperor, as a father, would naturally favor his sons or grandsons, and Miss would be the one to suffer.
He Nuan also understood this and couldn't help but look up at He Sheng, who was scaling fish. "How is Lord Qi's situation?"
If Academician Gu was the emperor's most trusted minister, then Yin Wuyan, his nephew, was undoubtedly the most trusted. The Jinlong Guard's infamy in the Great Qing Dynasty was definitely far greater than it was a few years ago. As the emperor grew old, he became somewhat indecisive in dealing with court officials and affairs, but on the other hand, he was exceptionally cold-blooded and ruthless towards some people.
As the saying goes, if the ruler wants the minister to die, the minister must die. The emperor disliked the reputation of being a murderer, so these infamies were borne by the Jinlong Guard.
Wherever the Jinlong Guard went, not only court officials and noble families, but even ordinary people avoided them, fearing death by the Jinlong Guard's goose-feather swords.
"Lord Qi is expected to return to the capital before the end of the year." He Sheng did not know much.
As night fell, even the bustling capital during the day had quieted down. Although there was no curfew, on a freezing winter night, no one wanted to go out late.
But at this moment, several figures appeared like ghosts in the darkness. Apart from the sound of the wind, there was not the slightest sound of footsteps.
After a while.
"Boss, aren't they still asleep at this late hour?" The speaker forgot to lower his voice due to surprise. He looked at the lights not far away through his black hood.
If it were for keeping watch, the light was too bright. It was no different from daytime.
The leader of the black-clad men also frowned. His first reaction was that the other party had guessed that someone would attack tonight and had set a trap.
Another subordinate also spoke in a low voice, "Could it be a trap?"
Their young lady's reputation was known throughout the capital. It was normal for the other party to guess they would come for revenge, but to be so blatant was simply not taking their Zhe family army seriously.
"Have you noticed anything unusual these past two days?" the leader asked again. After all, this was the capital. No matter how arrogant the Zhe family was, they had their limits. The primary goal was to leave no evidence. This way, even if the matter reached the Shuntian Prefecture or the Five Cities Patrol, without evidence, it would be a false accusation against the Zhe family.
The subordinate responsible for gathering information immediately replied, "It's been cold these past two days, and that young lady hasn't left her courtyard. Her meals are prepared by maids. The stable hand only goes to the backyard to feed the horses and hasn't gone out. The remaining guard has gone out twice to buy daily necessities and has not contacted anyone else."
Cheng Wu nodded. He had already reported this to the third young master.
If they were visiting relatives in the capital, they should have had two days to rest. Even if they had difficulties, they should have inquired about their relatives during these two days.
But this young lady had settled in the inn as if she had taken root. Anyone who didn't know would think this was her own residence.
"Boss, are we still going to act?" A gust of cold wind blew, making those hiding by the wall shiver. But looking at the bright lights, they dared not act rashly.
"Why don't I go and scout the situation?" the subordinate with the best Qinggong whispered. Otherwise, acting rashly would be dangerous if it was a trap.
After pondering for a while, Cheng Wu nodded. Thinking of He Nuan being able to slap A Da in the face, he couldn't help but whisper, "Be careful, and retreat immediately if you notice anything wrong."
"Yes." The subordinate took the order, and his figure, like a ghost, moved past the others, inching closer to the study with the candlelight.
In the study, Zhan Feiyu was unaware of anyone approaching. "The Yuan family has shown kindness for four generations, with disciples and former subordinates spread throughout the land. Once they gather heroes and troops, valiant individuals will rise..."
The weakness of the ruler and the strength of the ministers was the reason for the prosperity of the influential families. But it was in line with the trend of the world that when united for a long time, it would divide, and when divided, it would unite. The influential families occupied land and became kings, and the world became like loose sand, with each person ruling their own territory and each person being their own king. Wars erupted, and it was the common people of the land who suffered.
He Nuan glanced out the window and suddenly said, "Miss, someone is here."
Zhan Feiyu put down her book and followed, looking out at the pitch-black window. "People from the Zhe family?"
Her gaze returned to the book in her hand. Zhan Feiyu had also heard He Sheng mention the Zhe family before. The corrupt emperors of the previous dynasty led to the suffering of the people, with feudal lords vying for power. The ancestor of the Yin family had risen in rebellion in response to the times. The Zhe family members had followed the founding emperor back then.
After the Great Qing Dynasty was established, the ancestral lands of the Zhe family were all graves. However, only half of these new graves contained bodies; the rest were cenotaphs. Countless men of the Zhe family died on the battlefield, and even the luxury of being wrapped in horsehide was a distant hope. Most of them were beyond recognition, mixed with the corpses of their land, comrades, and enemies, leaving behind only their aged parents, frail and orphaned wives, or their crying infants...
Even to this day, some young men of the Zhe family die on the battlefield every year. General Zhe, the elder, still guards the border and has not returned. Therefore, not only are the Zhe family doting on Zhe Jing, their youngest daughter, but the emperor also turns a blind eye. In the end, it is just a quarrel between young ladies. The most the Zhe family did was to beat up the men of the other party.
"Just repel them," Zhan Feiyu said. This concession was not because of Zhe Jing, but because of the heroic souls of the Zhe family who had died on the battlefield over the years.
He Nuan nodded in understanding, looked at Zhan Feiyu, who had returned to her desk to study, and walked towards the door. She gestured to He Sheng, who was guarding the door, and then closed the door, returning to the room.
A moment later.
"You..." Cheng Wu, shocked, emerged from his hiding place and looked at his subordinate with a sword at his neck. Although his heart was in turmoil, his expression remained calm.
"Take your men and leave!" He Sheng retracted his sword and pushed the subordinate towards Cheng Wu. His cold gaze swept across the surroundings.
Cheng Wu was shocked again. The places He Nuan was looking at were exactly where his subordinates were hiding. He thought they had hidden perfectly, but he didn't expect their figures to be exposed so early.
"My apologies." After bowing with his fists clasped, Cheng Wu made a gesture and led his five subordinates, no longer hiding their figures, and left in unison.
Only when they left the street where the inn was located did the six of them stop and stand in a sheltered corner.
"I was discovered before I even got close to the house. No wonder A Da was no match. This person is like a ghost, appearing silently. By the time I noticed, it was too late." The subordinate who had gone to scout the situation first said with a bitter face. This couldn't even be called inferior skill; their combat strengths were simply not on the same level. If the other party had no intention to kill, he would probably have been beheaded.
"Boss, the young lady has really met a tough opponent this time." Another subordinate said with a wry smile, pulling off his mask and continuing, "Boss, you know my five senses are naturally stronger than ordinary people. I survived back then because of this talent. But just now, when that person was holding Xiao Liu and walking over, I sensed that there were still hidden masters, and their numbers were definitely no less than five."
At this moment, there was no need for further explanation. Cheng Wu and the others understood that these were not ordinary martial artists but elite assassins and hidden guards meticulously trained by noble families. Only such people possessed such terrifying skills.
Even though Cheng Wu and the others were skilled, they were only considered masters. But these assassins and hidden guards were the cream of the crop, one in a million. Even if they couldn't fight a hundred, they were close. Because it was too difficult to train an assassin, most families had no more than twenty assassins. These twenty people could be considered a family's most formidable force. Normally, apart from protecting the head of the family and the heir, they were rarely used.
Zhan Feiyu, a young lady, not only had assassins by her side, but not just one or two, but six or seven, or even more. This made Cheng Wu tremble with fear. What was this young lady's background?
...
Zhe family.
Snowflakes began to fall outside early in the morning. Zhe Jing, unusually, got up early. After the maid helped her wash, she strode out.
"Young lady, quickly put on your cloak. It's snowing outside." The head maid, holding a large crimson fox fur cloak with both hands, hurried to catch up and put it on Zhe Jing.
While Zhe Jing got up early, in the main house of the Zhe family, the First Madam and the Second Madam, along with their daughters and daughters-in-law, had already come to pay their respects.
"Young lady is here!" The eunuch serving at the door quickly called out to announce her arrival, with unconcealed surprise on his face. Although the young lady came to the Madam's place every day, she had never gotten up so early since winter. It was usually after the sun had risen high, and the Madam had finished her breakfast.
Although Old Madam Zhe's original words were that young ladies could only be carefree during their years at their maiden home, and would not be so relaxed after getting married and going to their in-laws' homes, Old Madam Zhe was exceptionally lenient with Zhe Jing, her youngest daughter. She didn't care about virtue, speech, appearance, or conduct, as long as her youngest daughter lived comfortably.
It was not yet Chen Shi, and Zhe Jing had already arrived. It was no wonder the eunuch was so surprised.
She bustled into the room, ignoring her two sisters-in-law who greeted her. As for the younger generation, Zhe Jing completely disregarded them. "Mother, when did Cheng Wu and the others return?"
"Why are you rushing about so early in the morning? Go and greet your sisters-in-law quickly." Old Madam Zhe playfully patted Zhe Jing's hand with feigned anger. Even though she doted on her youngest daughter, Old Madam Zhe knew that her two elder brothers would be the ones to support her in the future.
Her two daughters-in-law could still manage on their own while she was alive, but if she were to pass away one day, and Jing'er fell out with them, she would be the one to suffer.
Zhe Jing was a bit annoyed but did not dare to disobey Old Madam Zhe. She turned around and paid her respects to her two sisters-in-law, and also received the greetings from the younger generation, then looked at Old Madam Zhe with a wronged expression.
Knowing her daughter's impatient nature, Old Madam Zhe smiled and said a few words to the younger generation. "Alright, you can all go back and study diligently with your tutors. The Zhe family is a family of generals, but now that the country is peaceful, studying and literacy are also a way out. Even if you go to the border for training in the future, you must learn military formations."
What the First Madam and Second Madam respected most about Old Madam Zhe was this. Although their mother-in-law doted on her younger sister-in-law to an unreasonable extent, she never neglected the education of the younger generation in the family. Even if the second son of the Zhe family had no talent for studying, he could not avoid studying. And Old Madam Zhe acted as the villain, forcing the younger generation to study and read. It was precisely because of this that the two sisters-in-law were also very tolerant of Zhe Jing, their unreliable sister-in-law.
After Cheng Wu came to report the situation, the other servants in the room were dismissed, leaving only a few mistresses. Zhe Jing no longer needed to maintain her composure and eagerly asked, "How is it? Did they teach that bitch a good lesson for me?"
Cheng Wu knelt on one knee and asked Old Madam Zhe for punishment. "Your subordinate has failed in his duty. Please punish me, Old Madam. The guard by her side is highly skilled. We were discovered before we even got close..."
"What did you say?" A sharp and piercing cry interrupted Cheng Wu's reply. Zhe Jing, enraged, rushed forward and angrily cursed Cheng Wu. "Say that again? You failed last night? So many of you couldn't even deal with a bitch?" m..oΓg
It was no wonder Zhe Jing was so furious. After losing face at the inn, several young ladies from families in the capital held what they called "Snow Appreciation Banquets," "Plum Blossom Banquets," and "Poetry Gatherings." Which well-behaved family would send invitations in the afternoon to hold a banquet?
Even without going out, Zhe Jing knew that these people were gathered together to laugh at her. But the Zhe family, no matter how powerful, could not prevent other girls from gathering. Therefore, Zhe Jing had been憋屈 (bīequ - stifled/aggrieved) for two days, waiting for Cheng Wu to lead his men to teach Zhan Feiyu a lesson and avenge her.
Cheng Wu lowered his head and asked for forgiveness. "It is my subordinate's lack of skill."
"You useless people! The Zhe family raising you is worse than raising a dog, at least it would bark at the enemy!" Zhe Jing was furious. Seeing Cheng Wu's pathetic appearance asking for forgiveness, she became even more enraged. She quickly stepped forward and raised her hand to slap Cheng Wu in the face.
Old Madam Zhe and the two daughters-in-law were still surprised by the news of Cheng Wu's failure. By the time they noticed Zhe Jing's movement, it was too late to stop her.
Cheng Wu could have dodged, but even as the leader of the Zhe family's guards, he was still inferior in status. When Zhe Jing slapped him, Cheng Wu did not dodge.
With a crisp slap, Old Madam Zhe and the other two were stunned.
"Jing'er, don't be ridiculous!" Old Madam Zhe roared angrily. Looking at Zhe Jing, who was holding her hand high and had no idea she had done wrong, Old Madam Zhe was also furious. She slammed her hand on the table. "Who allowed you to be so unruly? Apologize to Commander Cheng immediately!"
"I won't! They disgraced our Zhe family. Why should I apologize?" Zhe Jing turned around and shouted at Old Madam Zhe with red eyes. The thought of this news spreading made her furious, and she thought about how those bitches would laugh at her. Zhe Jing's eyes turned red, and she ran out of the door.
"Mother, please take care of yourself. My sister-in-law is just straightforward. Please don't argue with a young girl like her." The First Madam quickly got up and soothed Old Madam Zhe's back, trying to calm her down.
The Second Madam also spoke to Cheng Wu, who was still kneeling on the ground. "Commander Cheng, please get up quickly. I apologize to Commander Cheng on behalf of my sister-in-law."
"Second Madam, you flatter your subordinate." Cheng Wu, who had stood up, immediately avoided the Second Madam's attempt to apologize. They all knew the young lady's temperament.
After Cheng Wu retreated, the two sisters-in-law comforted the Old Madam for a while longer before leaving together.