Chapter 288: Flower Festival

 Chapter 288: Flower Festival

"Big Sister!" "Sister Zixuan!"

After admiring the bridal gifts for a while, Daohua and Li Zixin entered Li Zixuan’s room, just in time to see her holding a golden hairpin with red ruby and pearl inlays, smiling shyly while looking down.

Seeing her like this, Daohua and Li Zixin exchanged glances and both chuckled, covering their mouths.

Li Zixuan quickly put the hairpin down and glared at the two younger girls with a playful reproach: "What are you laughing at?" When she noticed they were still staring at her, she felt even more embarrassed and had to cover her face with a handkerchief. However, she felt that this wasn’t quite right and quickly put the handkerchief down again.

Daohua smiled and walked up to her, snatching the hairpin: "Such a beautiful hairpin! Who gave it to you?"

Li Zixin walked over and playfully added, "Of course, it was my future brother-in-law."

Seeing the two teasing her, Li Zixuan could no longer hold back and stood up, pretending to chase after them to hit them.

Daohua and Li Zixin quickly ran away while continuing to joke, leaving Li Zixuan blushing in embarrassment.

After a while, the three of them were out of breath and stopped.

Daohua set the hairpin down and sat beside Li Zixuan, taking her hand and asking, "Sister Zixuan, you really like that Fang Liangji, don’t you?"

Li Zixuan immediately spat, "Nonsense! Don’t talk like that. Stop saying such nonsense."

Seeing her shy expression, Daohua silently smiled. It seemed like she did like him.

It was understandable—before truly understanding someone’s personality and values, attraction mostly comes from appearance.

Fang Liangji was handsome and elegant, making it easy for girls to develop affection for him.

Seeing how embarrassed Zixuan was, Daohua smiled and changed the subject: "I heard that today, the Fang family sent a lot of people and gave such generous bridal gifts, it seems they really value you."

Li Zixuan smiled and tapped Daohua’s forehead: "You little rascal! There’s no need to tease me. In two years, it will be your turn."

Daohua shivered and quickly moved aside: "I’m still too young. My mother said I need to stay at home for a few more years."

Li Zixuan laughed: "Even if they keep you at home for a few more years, you’ll still end up getting married eventually."

Daohua didn’t want to continue this topic and quickly said, "Zixuan, don’t talk about that. After the Flower Festival, I’ll be leaving. Let me have a few more fun days!"

The Flower Festival in Zhongzhou was held on the 25th of February. Two days ago, Dong Yuanyao had sent an invitation to attend the temple fair at the Flower Goddess Temple on the day of the festival. Originally, Daohua had planned to leave for Ningmen Prefecture tomorrow, but since Dong Yuanyao had invited her, she agreed to stay an extra three days.

Li Zixin chimed in: "Sister, let’s go together that day."

Daohua immediately nodded: "Yes, I’ve been here for over half a month and haven’t seen you go out yet."

Li Zixuan seemed tempted: "I need to ask Mother and Aunt first."

Li Zixin smiled: "They are also going for the spring outing that day."

The Flower Goddess Temple was located on the outskirts of the provincial capital.

On the day of the Flower Festival, Fan Shi took Daohua and the others out early, but they didn’t arrive at the temple until the fourth quarter of the hour (around 10 AM).

Dong Yuanyao had already arrived. As soon as Daohua and the others entered the temple, she approached them, greeted Fan Shi and Jiang Shi, and then asked, "Why are you so late?"

Daohua replied, "Don’t even mention it. There were so many people out today that we got stuck halfway."

Dong Yuanyao smiled, "That must mean you left late. We didn’t get stuck when we left the city." She then lifted a piece of colorful paper in her hand. "Come, let’s paste the paper."

Daohua glanced at Fan Shi, who nodded in agreement, so they followed Dong Yuanyao into the garden.

In the garden, flowers were blooming everywhere. Young ladies from various families flitted among the flowers like butterflies. In the distance, a few refined young men could be seen sitting in a pavilion, sipping tea, composing poetry, and enjoying each other’s company.

After pasting the colorful paper, the four of them strolled through the garden, chatting and admiring the flowers.

In the middle of their walk, Li Zixin, in her hurry, twisted her ankle and had to be sent back to Fan Shi and Jiang Shi.

"You go ahead and have fun. I’ll stay here with Zixin," Li Zixuan said, smiling.

Li Zixin added, "Yes, go and enjoy the flowers. Big Sister, you should go too. You rarely get out. Don’t let me spoil your fun."

Li Zixuan shook her head: "I’ve walked around enough and am a bit tired, so I’ll stay here."

Seeing that the two of them were content, Daohua smiled and left with Dong Yuanyao.

"I heard there are peonies blooming at the eastern corner of the garden. Shall we go take a look?" Daohua asked.

"Sure!" Dong Yuanyao eagerly agreed.

The two of them playfully headed toward the eastern corner of the garden.

"Look, there really are peonies!" Dong Yuanyao exclaimed as they turned the corner and saw several pots of blooming peonies in the distance. She immediately pulled Daohua over.

However, when she tugged, Daohua didn’t move.

Turning around, she saw Daohua frowning, staring at the pavilion not far away.

Dong Yuanyao followed her gaze and was immediately surprised: "Isn’t that the young man from the Fang family whom Sister Zixuan just got engaged to?"

In the pavilion, Fang Liangji was sitting with three or four young men, talking and laughing. Several young ladies were standing nearby. One in a pink dress was feeding Fang Liangji some pastries.

It wasn’t just handing them to him—she was directly feeding them to his mouth.

Though Fang Liangji appeared reluctant, he didn’t outright refuse.

Seeing this, Daohua’s brow furrowed.

Dong Yuanyao snorted, "This is how merchant families behave—no manners or decorum." The pink-clad young lady was practically pressed against Fang Liangji.

In the pavilion...

"Fang, take another piece! This is the sticky rice cake I made for you yesterday," said Sun Jiayue, as she placed a piece of cake in Fang Liangji's mouth.

Fang Liangji looked a little impatient, wanting to refuse, but fearing to embarrass his friend Sun Yongyi, he had to swallow it reluctantly.

Fang Hao stood with his hands behind his back, looking on from the side, his expression darkening as he saw this scene: "Liangji, if you don’t want it, just say so. Don’t force yourself to eat and ruin your stomach."

Fang Liangji’s expression changed, wanting to spit it out, but not wanting to appear impolite, he reluctantly swallowed it. Before he could respond, one of his companions spoke up in astonishment.

"They always say people are more beautiful than flowers, but I never believed it until now. Finally, I’ve seen such a stunning woman!"

As he gazed at the back, the group turned around, and instantly, two graceful figures—one in red, the other in blue—captured everyone’s attention.

Fang Hao, sensing the sudden silence in the pavilion, turned to look, his gaze turning deep.

"Cough, cough!"

Suddenly, a loud cough interrupted the silence.

It was none other than Fang Liangji.

The sticky rice cake had been too sticky, and he had choked on it.

Sun Jiayue quickly moved to help him pat his back, but to her surprise, Fang Liangji avoided her like a startled rabbit.

"Why are you two standing here?" a voice came from behind. Daohua and Dong Yuanyao quickly turned around and saw it was Xiao Yeyang and his group.

Daohua shot a glance at the pavilion, then snorted, "Just watching a good show."

Li Zhenliang immediately asked, "What good show? Where is it? I want to see too."

Daohua gave him a sideways glance: "Fourth Brother, you probably don’t have the talent for acting."

Xiao Yeyang, surprised, looked at Daohua.

The atmosphere felt tense. Who had made her angry? He looked up at the pavilion.

At that moment, Fang Hao from the pavilion was already walking over, with Fang Liangji trailing behind him.

"Jiguang Fang Hao greets His Royal Highness."

(End of this chapter)

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Chapter 287: Speechless

 Chapter 287: Speechless

After applying the medicine to Dong Yuanyao’s eyes, Daohua and her group left the side courtyard and returned to their respective homes.

In the carriage, Daohua looked at Yan Wentao. "Third Brother, why did you come to the capital?"

Yan Wentao answered, "Big Brother and Fourth Brother are not at the academy, so His Highness the Prince asked me to come with him."

Daohua then asked, "So, did you all go to the brothel because of His Highness’s suggestion?"

Yan Wentao shook his head. "No, it was Hongxin. He said that we were all grown up, and it was time to go and see the brothel."

Daohua continued, "So, what did you do once you were there?"

Yan Wentao replied, "We didn’t do much. Hongxin ordered the courtesan to accompany us, and he also called a few of the top girls."

Cough cough~

Li Chenyi suddenly started coughing loudly, casting a bewildered glance at Yan Wentao.

This Third Brother of his, why is he answering so honestly to his cousin’s questions? Can you talk about these things with a young lady?

Yan Wentao noticed Li Chenyi’s hint and immediately stopped talking.

Seeing this, Daohua was silent for a moment before looking at Li Chenyi with concern. "Cousin, are you feeling sick?"

Li Chenyi forced a smile. "No, it's just a bit of a sore throat. A few coughs and I’ll be fine."

Daohua nodded, her expression serious. "Though it’s not a big problem, you should still be careful. When we get back, go see a physician. If you keep coughing like this, it’s not just going to disturb our conversation, but if any elders are around, it’ll come off as disrespectful and improper."

Li Chenyi’s smile froze, and he was left speechless, looking at his cousin with a bit of astonishment.

The others in the carriage lowered their heads, stifling their laughter.

Afterward, Daohua didn’t bring up the brothel anymore, instead focusing on asking Yan Wentao about the family matters.

"The large gifts have already been taken care of by Second Uncle and sent to Ningmen prefecture."

"Uncle will be returning to Xingzhou in the next couple of days. After handing over the position to the new Prefect Magistrate, he’ll go directly to Ningmen Prefecture to take up his post."

"Once Aunt finishes packing up, she and Grandmother will also go to Ningmen Prefecture."

Daohua listened carefully, and soon the carriage arrived at the restaurant where Li Zixin was staying. "I’m going to call cousin Zixin. You all wait here."

Once Daohua got out of the carriage, Li Chenliang couldn’t help but comment, "Your little sister’s tongue is really sharp. Just now, she left Big Brother speechless."

Yan Wentao looked over. "Just a reminder, don’t provoke my little sister. She’s not someone who will take the loss. Even if she has to back down, she’ll find a way to make up for it later. His Highness the Prince has only ever lost to her."

Upon hearing this, Li Chenyi’s gaze flickered, and he casually said, "It seems like His Highness the Prince and your little sister have a pretty good relationship!"

Yan Wentao smirked proudly. "Of course, just look at who’s sister she is."

Seeing this, Li Chenyi was once again left speechless. He couldn’t help but sigh internally. Talking to his cousin was really exhausting.

You have to be very clear and direct in saying what you mean, or he won’t understand. Answering a question with an answer that makes sense, only to have him go off-topic and make it all more complicated.

Soon, Daohua returned with Li Zixin.

The two of them got into the carriage, and they headed to the Li residence.

As they neared the Li residence, Daohua couldn’t help but remind them, "You must make sure to explain what happened at the theater properly. Otherwise, I might tell everyone about your trip to the brothel."

Upon hearing Daohua’s tone of threat, Li Chenyi helplessly nodded. "Don’t worry, I’ll tell my parents that we took you to the theater, and the fight was started by someone else. Your injuries were just an accident."

This was the story Daohua had discussed with Dong Yuanyao earlier.

It couldn’t be helped. The patrol officers had arrested people, causing a big scene, and their faces were injured. They couldn’t hide it, so they had to downplay it. This way, they wouldn’t face too severe a punishment.

Seeing Daohua looking out of the carriage curtain frequently, Yan Wentao couldn’t help but say, "Big sister, you don’t need to worry. Uncle and Aunt won’t punish you. If you want, I can take your place—"

Before he could finish, Daohua raised her hand to interrupt. "Fourth Brother, I appreciate your kindness, but please, when we see Uncle and Aunt later, don’t speak. I’m afraid if you open your mouth, you’ll ruin the story we’ve prepared."

"Poof~"

Li Zixin couldn’t hold back and laughed.

This cousin is like that—whenever he opens his mouth, nothing stays hidden.

Yan Wentao snorted. "I didn’t want to say anything."

Before long, they arrived at the Li family’s residence.

After Li Chenyi explained everything to Li Xingnian, Li Xingchang, and the two matriarchs, they nodded in understanding and didn’t say much. They simply told Daohua and the others to go rest.

Seeing how easily it was handled, Daohua was somewhat surprised. She pulled Li Zixin aside. "Cousin Zixin, do you think Uncle and Aunt believe us?"

Li Zixin also seemed unsure. Her parents had been much easier to talk to this time.

Daohua sighed. "Well, as long as we’re not punished, I’m fine with it."

After Daohua and the others left, Li Xingnian turned to Li Chenyi. "Now, tell me what really happened."

Li Chenyi sighed. He knew he couldn’t hide it from his parents and his second uncle and aunt, so he told them everything that had happened that day.

After hearing that Daohua had gone to the theater to investigate Fang Liangji, Li Xingchang immediately smiled. "Daohua really didn’t disappoint."

Li Xingnian shot him a glare. "Don’t be so flippant. A young girl going to the theater and even fighting—if your sister finds out, she’ll definitely lecture us about it."

Fang Shi laughed. "Alright, I see Daohua knows what she’s doing. However, today’s actions were wrong. She should be punished."

Jiang Shi added, "Daohua likes to play, so punish her by not letting her go out before Zixuan’s engagement."

Fang Shi immediately agreed, "That’s a good idea."

So, not long after returning to Li Zixuan’s courtyard, Daohua received a message from Fang Shi.

"Miss, the madam says you’re not allowed to go out these days."

Upon hearing this, Daohua slumped on the desk. "I knew I couldn’t escape. Aunt’s punishment is so harsh, directly grounding me!"

Seeing Daohua’s dejected expression, Li Zixuan and Li Zixin couldn’t help but laugh.

Before long, it was time for the Fang family to send the official engagement gifts to the Li family.

Hearing the sounds of bustling outside, Daohua and Li Zixin stood in the inner courtyard, watching as the servants brought in the engagement gifts.

"The Fang family seems quite wealthy."

Li Zixin nodded. "How could they not be wealthy? The Fang family in Zhongzhou is one of the top merchant families. My father was surprised when he heard that my elder sister was getting engaged to their eldest son."

Daohua sighed. "It’s a pity. Last time, I went to the theater, but I still couldn’t figure out what kind of person Fang Liangji is."

Li Zixin smiled. "You’re still thinking about that? My mother said that on the third day after we returned, Fang’s wife bumped into my mother and Second Aunt at the jewelry store. She personally explained why Fang Liangji was at the theater."

"He didn’t go to the theater on purpose. He was there to pick up his uncle, who was watching the performance."

"My mother said the Fang family comes from the Ji Guang Fang clan. Compared to other merchant families, they pay more attention to rules. Second Uncle agreed to the engagement because he values that."

Daohua nodded. This was actually a good thing. In this era of arranged marriages, marrying into a family that values rules and propriety is better than marrying into a family that lacks them.

(End of Chapter)

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Chapter 286: Half a Dozen, Half a Dozen

 Chapter 286: Half a Dozen, Half a Dozen

At first, Daohua didn’t intend to investigate the source of the fragrance, but seeing the awkward expression on Xiao Yeyang's face, her eyes flashed. "The scent is coming from you?"

They were standing quite close. After saying that, Daohua tilted her head and leaned toward Xiao Yeyang to sniff him.

Xiao Yeyang initially wanted to step away, but his gaze swept across, and he caught sight of Daohua's fair and graceful neck. For a moment, he froze in place. At the same time, images of the exposed, plump skin of the courtesans he had accompanied at the brothel flashed through his mind. His ears and neck instantly turned red.

"So it really is the fragrance from you!"

Daohua quickly confirmed the source of the smell and stared at Xiao Yeyang in disbelief. "Xiao Yeyang, you’re a grown man, why are you wearing such strong perfume? If you must wear it, at least have some taste, don’t use something so overpowering." She fanned her hand in front of her nose, clearly disgusted.

Xiao Yeyang snapped back to his senses and saw Daohua looking at him strangely. He couldn’t bring himself to look her in the eye, so he turned away from her. "Who’s wearing perfume?"

He muttered in frustration, cursing himself inwardly. What was he even thinking?

Daohua noticed his unease, folded her arms, stroked her chin, and walked over to him with a curious expression. "Where did this fragrance come from? And why are your ears red? Are you embarrassed?"

As soon as she said that, Xiao Yeyang looked like he had stepped on a cat’s tail. He hurriedly said, "Who’s embarrassed? Yan Yiyi, stop spouting nonsense!"

He awkwardly stepped back.

Seeing Xiao Yeyang like this, Daohua didn’t think much of it and assumed she had struck a nerve. She pouted and said, "You can deny it all you want, but you’re clearly guilty!"

After a pause, she furrowed her brows. "No, wait a minute. You usually care about your appearance. You wouldn’t use such perfume. You didn’t wear it yourself, so it must’ve rubbed off from someone else."

Recalling that they had encountered Xiao Yeyang and his group on Anle Street earlier, Daohua's eyes widened. She glared at him in disbelief. "You... you guys went to a brothel, didn’t you?"

Xiao Yeyang, feeling guilty and awkward, stumbled backward. "Uh, I just remembered, I’ve got something to do, I better go!"

Daohua grabbed his sleeve angrily. "Did you go to a brothel?!"

Xiao Yeyang was both embarrassed and guilty. "Well, we just went inside to sit for a while, we didn’t do anything else."

Daohua was infuriated and laughed sarcastically. "What else would you do? Xiao Yeyang, tell me, how old are you and you're visiting brothels? Do you know how shameful that is?"

Xiao Yeyang felt a headache coming on. He should’ve changed his clothes before stepping out.

Daohua paused for a moment, then, recalling Xiao Yeyang’s family background, she spoke to him with a tone that seemed almost like a concerned elder. "Xiao Yeyang, I know you don’t have elders around you, so you might be a bit careless, but some things you just can’t do. You’re still young. You should focus on serious matters and not let distractions take over your mind."

"Brothels, what kind of place is that? Yes, the women there are quite beautiful, I admit, but you don’t know the kind of people who go there, and who knows what diseases they might carry."

Seeing Daohua speaking to him in this manner, and her argument growing increasingly ridiculous, Xiao Yeyang couldn’t take it any longer. He pulled his sleeve away forcefully. "I told you, we just went to sit down."

Daohua raised her voice. "Just sitting isn’t enough! At your age, you have no self-control and are easily impulsive. You can’t resist temptation!"

"Enough!" Xiao Yeyang couldn’t bear to listen anymore. He took several deep breaths. "You’re spending all your time criticizing me, why don’t you go talk to your two brothers? Your Fourth Brother drank a lot of wine at the brothel."

To escape the situation, Xiao Yeyang shamelessly threw Yan Wenkai and Yan Wentao under the bus.

Sure enough, when Daohua heard this, her face immediately darkened. She clenched her fists, making a cracking sound. "Hmph, I’ll talk to them when we get home."

At that moment, seeing Xiao Yeyang still not returning, Dong Yuanxuan and the others came out of the living room, planning to enjoy the scenery in the courtyard. When they came out, they saw Daohua and Xiao Yeyang standing there.

"What are you two doing here?"

Yan Wenkai smiled and walked over, but when he got closer, he noticed the strange tension between his sister and Xiao Yeyang. His sister was glaring at them with her brows furrowed, while Xiao Yeyang looked guilty.

Daohua hurried over to Yan Wenkai and Yan Wentao and sniffed their clothes. "You guys are really something, learning to visit brothels instead of learning something useful!"

At the sound of this, everyone froze, and the awkwardness was palpable.

Daohua glared at Yan Wenkai and Yan Wentao. "Just wait, I’ll tell Father and Mother when we get home."

Yan Wenkai immediately panicked. "Big Sister, don’t! Didn’t you go to the theater today too?"

Daohua replied, "I went to the theater to investigate Fang Liangji’s conduct, not to drink flower wine. There’s a big difference, okay?"

Yan Wenkai muttered, "What difference? We’re all the same. Don’t talk like you’re any better. How about this: if you don’t tell on us, we won’t mention how you fought at the theater."

At this, Daohua’s eyes lit up, her face showing some interest.

Just then, Defu came in with eggs.

Xiao Yeyang hurriedly said, "You’re supposed to be treating Miss Dong’s eyes, go ahead!"

Daohua took the eggs from him. "I’ll go talk to Yuanyao and see if we should cooperate with you guys."

Once she left, Xiao Yeyang and the others sighed in relief.

Yan Wenkai looked at Xiao Yeyang, accusing him. "Your Highness, did you sell us out?"

Xiao Yeyang rolled his eyes. "You can smell the perfume on yourselves, do you need me to sell you out?"

Everyone raised their arms and sniffed.

Su Hongxin commented, "It seems like we picked up some rouge scent from the women at the brothel."

Yan Wenkai immediately responded, "Of course, it’s not like the courtesans didn’t sit right in your lap."

Su Hongxin snorted, "Don’t talk about me, you weren’t any better, you were fed several drinks by them."

Yan Wenkai protested, "How was I supposed to know they would be so forward? If I had known, I would’ve pushed them away. I thought they were weak and frail." Then, after a pause, he added, "Next time, I’ll learn from Xiao Yeyang, just keep a straight face and nobody will dare approach."

He then looked at Yan Wentao, suddenly recalling something, and laughed, "Or we could learn from Third Brother, stretch out our arms and throw the women off us. Remember when you threw one into the ground?"

Everyone burst into laughter.

Yan Wentao looked embarrassed, scratching his head. "I didn’t expect her to be that light."

Su Hongxin laughed heartily. "We’re all clueless when it comes to romance, it’s only Yuanxuan and Chenyi who are gentler."

Dong Yuanxuan shot him a sideways glance. "Don’t drag me into this. I only exchanged a few poems, I didn’t even drink."

Yan Wenkai was confused. "Seriously, I don’t get it. The women at the brothel are just like that, so why do men still like to go there?"

Li Chenyi looked at his confused cousin and couldn’t help but laugh.

(End of Chapter)

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Chapter 285: Tenderness

 Chapter 285: Tenderness

"Xiao Yeyang, wait!"

Xiao Yeyang walked ahead quickly, and Daohua chased behind. Normally, she would have caught up easily, but after the fight, her body was a bit uncomfortable. In her haste, she stepped on a stone, lost her balance, and fell to the ground.

"Ouch!"

Hearing her pained cry, Xiao Yeyang paused and impatiently turned around. Upon seeing Daohua on the ground, his face changed, and in two or three steps, he hurried over and grabbed her arm, lifting her up.

"With your soft hands and weak legs, you're trying to fight?"

Seeing Daohua blowing on her palm while glaring at him, Xiao Yeyang couldn’t continue his scolding. With a helpless sigh, he grabbed both of her hands and asked, "Let me see, where did you fall?"

When he saw the skin of her palm scraped off, his brow furrowed. "You..."

Daohua, anticipating his scolding, quickly interrupted, "Xiao Yeyang, you have no manners! I didn’t provoke you, so why are you getting angry?"

Hearing this, Xiao Yeyang glared at her angrily. "You still ask? You ran out and fought with others, and you're still in the right?"

Daohua pursed her lips and muttered, "If anyone should be angry, it should be my third and fourth brothers. Why are you getting angry for no reason?"

Xiao Yeyang didn’t catch the last part and didn’t want to argue with her. He took out the embroidered pouch. "You gave your hand-stitched pouch to an outsider. What do you want me to say?"

Daohua froze. "I didn’t mean to give it. It was an emergency. I had planned to retrieve it after we got home."

Behind them, Dong Yuanyao hesitated whether to step forward and mediate. When she saw they were talking about the pouch, she immediately shrank back.

The pouch was her fault. She had been the one who accidentally gave it away. She looked at Xiao Yeyang’s stern face and showed Daohua an apologetic look.

Daohua felt a little embarrassed, but she did not let it show.

Meanwhile, Daohua reached out to retrieve her pouch.

Xiao Yeyang raised his hand, avoiding her, and quickly tucked the pouch back into his sleeve, sneering. "It was touched by an outsider. Why would you want to take it back? Don’t you find it dirty? I’ll dispose of it for you."

Daohua was not concerned about the pouch but rather the silver notes inside. "My money is still inside. You have to return it."

Hearing this, Xiao Yeyang suddenly felt a bit tired. With a sigh, he reluctantly took the pouch out of his sleeve and retrieved the silver notes.

Seeing this, Daohua quickly snatched the silver notes back and gave Xiao Yeyang a smile.

Xiao Yeyang pressed his hand to his forehead and shook his head, walking ahead. After a few steps, he turned back. "Keep up."

With the silver back in her hands, Daohua felt a bit better. She saw Dong Yuanyao standing a few meters away and waved to her. When Dong Yuanyao approached, the two of them walked together to catch up.

"Where are we going?"

Once they caught up with Xiao Yeyang, Daohua asked.

Xiao Yeyang pointed to the corner of her mouth and then glanced at Dong Yuanyao’s dark eye circles. "Are you sure you want to go home looking like that?"

Daohua and Dong Yuanyao both shook their heads. "No."

They would be beaten to death if they went home like this.

Xiao Yeyang sneered. "Then follow me obediently."

Daohua and Dong Yuanyao exchanged looks, then turned to see their brothers catching up. They resigned themselves and followed.

After some time, Xiao Yeyang and his group arrived at a courtyard with a tranquil environment.

"Is this your house in the provincial capital?"

Daohua curiously looked around at the courtyard, where bamboo swayed in the wind and the stone paths were neat. "I didn’t expect such a quiet place in the middle of this bustling city."

Xiao Yeyang smiled slightly and casually said, "That’s because you don’t know much."

Daohua took a deep breath, deciding not to argue with him.

Before they arrived, Defu had already sent someone to prepare, and now, the washing supplies were ready.

While Dong Yuanyao and Daohua were escorted to the guest rooms to freshen up, the others were in the main hall sipping tea. Clothes and other items were conveniently provided by Wang Man'er and the others.

"Ah, when I go home this time, I’ll surely be punished again!"

After changing clothes, Dong Yuanyao sighed while a maid combed her hair.

Daohua’s face also fell. "I’ll be scolded by Uncle and Aunt as well."

Soon, both of them were ready.

The injuries on their faces were less noticeable in men's clothing, but when they changed back into women’s clothes, they were more obvious.

"Poof~"

Seeing Dong Yuanyao’s eye turned into a panda eye, Daohua couldn’t help but laugh.

Dong Yuanyao pouted. "Don’t laugh. You’re not any better. You’ve got a big bruise on your mouth."

Daohua immediately covered her mouth and rubbed it.

At this moment, Defu came in, standing at the door. "Miss Yan, Miss Dong, these are the medicines the master asked me to bring."

Daohua took the medicine and praised, "Xiao Yeyang is quite thoughtful." She then took the medicine to find Dong Yuanyao.

Outside, Defu looked up at the sky and sighed. The master was only attentive to Miss Yan’s matters. If it were any other girl, even if she fell in front of him, he probably wouldn’t care.

Thinking of the Lantern Festival this year, when the master went out for lantern viewing and a young lady from the Du family tried to throw herself into his arms, only to be tripped, he chuckled.

The master had a tender side, but not everyone could enjoy it.

If he weren’t concerned that the other party was a girl, he probably would have kicked her into the nearby river.

"You have a pretty obvious bruise on your eye, you should use an egg to apply it."

Daohua looked at Dong Yuanyao’s eye.

Dong Yuanyao asked, "But do we have any eggs here?"

Daohua looked outside. Since she didn’t like others attending to her, she had sent away the maids in the courtyard. Now, no one was around. "I’ll go ask."

She said as she took Wang Man'er and Gu Yu out of the yard.

"Where are you going?"

After leaving the yard for a short while, they ran into Xiao Yeyang coming from the side.

Daohua’s face lit up. "You came at the right time! Yan'er needs an egg to treat her eye. Do you have any?"

Xiao Yeyang looked at Defu, who nodded and immediately went to the kitchen.

Seeing the bruise on Daohua’s cheek, Xiao Yeyang frowned and reached out, "How did you get such a serious injury?"

His movement was so fast that Daohua didn’t react before she felt the warmth of his touch on her face.

Looking into Xiao Yeyang’s concerned eyes, Daohua felt awkward. With a "smack," she pushed his hand away. "Speak properly. Don’t touch me."

Xiao Yeyang, seeing the discomfort on Daohua’s face, didn’t know why, but he felt a strange sense of joy. His gaze wandered, and he didn’t look at her anymore, just rubbing his hand that had just touched her cheek.

Daohua’s face was smooth and soft. He really wanted to squeeze it again!

"Sniiff! Sniff!"

Daohua wrinkled her nose and sniffed.

Xiao Yeyang was confused. "What are you doing?"

Daohua frowned. "Do you smell that scent?"

Xiao Yeyang smiled and pointed to the flowers in the courtyard. "Is it the scent of the flowers?"

Daohua shook her head and said firmly, "No, it’s not flower scent. The flower scent is faint, but this scent is a bit strong, almost like it’s scented with added cosmetics, a sharp, pungent smell."

Hearing this, Xiao Yeyang’s face immediately turned uncomfortable, and his expression changed.

(End of chapter)

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Chapter 284: Anger

 Chapter 284: Anger

As the officers began arresting people, the Steward of the theater stood by, sweating profusely. He hadn’t participated in the fight and wasn’t being arrested. He dared not speak up about the theater’s enforcers being taken away and silently prayed for these nobles to leave quickly.

Dong Yuanxuan glanced at the theater Steward. Though he was angry that his sister and sister Yan's had been beaten at the theater, he remembered that his family had a share in the profits of the theater. After a moment's hesitation, he said to Xiao Yeyang, "Your Highness, my two younger brothers are injured. Let us leave first."

Xiao Yeyang’s expression softened slightly as he nodded. He then turned to Daohua and Dong Yuanyao, who were standing still, and coldly said, "Why are you still standing there? Hurry up and follow us."

Hearing the anger in his voice, Daohua and Dong Yuanyao exchanged wry smiles, walking toward him with their heads down, looking like they had done something wrong.

Just as everyone was about to leave, Wang Man’er stepped forward, tugging at Yan Wenkai’s sleeve and pointing at the theater Steward. "The young master’s purse is still with him."

The silver note could be given, but the purse was embroidered by the young lady herself and needed to be returned.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yeyang immediately stopped and turned around, his gaze like a sharp blade as it fixed on the theater Steward.

The Steward of the theater trembled and quickly pulled out the purse Daohua had given him earlier, handing it over to Wang Man’er.

Wang Man’er took the purse and intended to return it to her lady, but Xiao Yeyang spoke up, "Give it to me."

Looking at the embroidery on the purse, Xiao Yeyang immediately recognized that it had been made by Daohua.

Daohua had personally embroidered this purse, and yet this wretched Steward dared to take it, hiding it in his sleeve!

Xiao Yeyang's eyes turned dangerously cold, and he looked at the theater Steward with an icy stare. He spoke without any warmth, "Which hand touched this? Cut it off yourself!"

Upon hearing this, the Steward’s legs buckled, and he fell directly to the ground.

Dong Yuanxuan and the others were also stunned, watching Xiao Yeyang's stern expression. In their hearts, they couldn’t help but think that the Young Prince was really angry this time.

Although Xiao Yeyang usually got along well with them, no one dared to provoke him at such a moment. Even Yan Wenkai, who was usually bold, wisely said nothing.

As for Daohua, her eyes widened in shock as she stared at Xiao Yeyang.

Xiao Yeyang, exuding an overwhelming presence, seemed unfamiliar to her at that moment. She suddenly realized that the usually cheerful and easygoing Xiao Yeyang was a royal who held the power to determine life and death.

Daohua swallowed and stopped him, saying, "That… We broke their tables and chairs. It’s only right to pay for the damages." The theater Steward hadn’t done anything to them, and this punishment of having his arm cut off seemed too harsh.

Seeing the fear in Daohua's eyes, Xiao Yeyang’s lips tightened, and he spoke coldly, "A theater must ensure the safety of its patrons. You were beaten inside. What’s the point of keeping such a theater open?"

Upon hearing this, the Steward of the theater trembled even more, fearing that Xiao Yeyang might order the theater to be shut down. He immediately gritted his teeth and said, "It was my neglect towards the two young ladies. I am willing to sever my arm. Please, Your Highness, forgive me."

Saying this, he picked up a broken piece of door and was about to smash it against his arm.

"Wait!" Daohua quickly called out, tugging at Xiao Yeyang’s sleeve. "Xiao Yeyang~" Her tone held a note of pleading.

Seeing Daohua’s uneasy expression, Xiao Yeyang softened slightly, gave a cold snort, and walked away.

Daohua quickly snatched the wooden piece from the theater Steward’s hand and tossed it aside before hurriedly chasing after Xiao Yeyang.

Wang Man’er and Gu Yu immediately followed.

At this moment, Dong Yuanyao finally snapped out of it and quickly followed them with her two maids.

Looking at the Steward of the theater, who was still sitting on the ground, visibly shaken, Dong Yuanxuan coughed and said, "Steward."

The Steward snapped to attention and respectfully looked at Dong Yuanxuan. "Young Master Dong."

Dong Yuanxuan coldly snorted, "This theater has caused trouble more than once. You can’t even handle such a small matter. You’re really useless as the Steward."

The Steward bitterly smiled in his heart. He had wanted to protect everyone, but Du Jitong, though despicable, was a fourth-rank official, and he couldn’t afford to offend him too much.

Dong Yuanxuan gave the Steward a sidelong glance. "Take care of yourself. If this happens again, don’t bother keeping the theater open." He said this and then waved his sleeve and left.

Yan Wenkai, who had been watching with interest, immediately walked up to Dong Yuanxuan once he was done. "Brother Dong, I didn’t expect you to have such a way with words. I’ll have to learn from you."

Hearing Yan Wenkai’s loud voice, Dong Yuanxuan looked at him helplessly. "You want to learn? Better forget it."

Yan Wenkai’s face darkened. "What, you look down on me?"

Dong Yuanxuan, feeling a headache, didn’t want to argue with this carefree guy. But seeing that he wouldn’t let it go, he sighed and said, "I think you’re better off solving things with your fists."

Hearing this, Yan Wenkai’s expression brightened, and he thought for a moment. Then he nodded. "You’re right. Threatening people doesn’t really suit my style. I’d rather drag them into a corner and beat them up. That would solve everything."

Hearing this, the theater Steward shuddered again. He thought, if that guy laid a hand on him, his old limbs would probably never get up from bed.

Yan Wentao, seeing that Yan Wenkai was still chattering away, grabbed his arm and pulled him off to catch up with Daohua and the others.

After the group left, the street, which had been tense, suddenly fell silent, with people letting out a sigh of relief.

The owner of the fabric shop across the street wiped the sweat from his forehead and silently thanked himself for not offending those two young ladies.

Li Chenyi and his two brothers, who had been with Yan Wenkai, were walking at the back. As they passed the theater entrance, they happened to see Fang Liangji and his companions coming out from inside.

Seeing Fang Liangji, Li Chenzhi was surprised. "Brother Fang, what are you doing here?"

Li Chenyi and Li Chenli looked somewhat displeased. Their engagement was coming up in a few days, yet this person was still hanging around Anle Street.

Fang Liangji hadn’t expected to run into them. He immediately smiled and stepped forward to greet them, introducing Fang Hao, who was familiar with Sun Yongyi, and not saying much else.

After the greetings, Fang Liangji explained, "My uncle just arrived in the capital, and we came to the theater together to watch a play."

Fang Hao, showing consideration for Fang Liangji, smiled faintly and said, "I enjoy watching plays, so I invited Liangji to accompany me."

Li Chenyi nodded and smiled, "The plays at the Hundred-Opera House are indeed good. The three of us have something to attend to today, but we’ll invite you again to watch a play soon."

Sun Yongyi couldn’t help but ask, "Chenyi, are you with the Young Prince?"

Li Chenyi glanced at him, vaguely replying, "We’re just accompanying our cousin." He then smiled apologetically, "Goodbye."

Looking at the three brothers from the Li family hurrying away, Fang Hao squinted his eyes and looked at Fang Liangji. "The cousin Li Chenyi mentioned is the son of the new Prefect of Ningmen, Master Yan, right?"

Fang Liangji nodded.

Fang Hao’s eyes gleamed. "The Dong family, the Yan family... I should know who those two young masters are." He chuckled and looked at Fang Liangji. "Seems like they’re not too keen on marrying their daughter to you."

Fang Liangji gave a wry smile. He now roughly guessed the identity of the people following him and understood why the two young ladies had appeared at the theater.

(End of Chapter)

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Chapter 283: Kicking the Iron Plate

 Chapter 283: Kicking the Iron Plate

"You little rascal! Are your eyes blind? How dare you touch anyone!"

Defu's face darkened as he kicked Du Jitong away, then turned to look at the somewhat disheveled Daohua and Dong Yuanyao, his expression complicated.

He had seen many young ladies behaving out of line, and it wasn't a big deal for a woman dressed as a man to visit a theater, but it was the first time he had seen a group of women, accompanied by their maids, getting into a brawl with a bunch of men.

No wonder the faces of his master and Young Master Dong were already turning green.

The moment Defu rushed over, Daohua and Dong Yuanyao stiffened. Catching sight of Xiao Yeyang and the others not far away, both of them felt awkward and cursed their luck internally.

"Why did we have to run into these people here?"

"What should we do now?" Dong Yuanyao nudged Daohua with her elbow. Thinking about her elder brother's grim face, she couldn't help but shiver.

Ever since returning from Jiguang, her family’s control over her had become even stricter.

Now that she was caught visiting a theater and even fighting, she could already imagine the storm she’d face when she got home.

Daohua had never expected to run into Xiao Yeyang and the others here. Right now, without even turning her head, she could sense several angry gazes from not far away.

Although in her view, there was nothing wrong with visiting a theater, this was ancient times!

And they had even fought.

To be honest, fighting wasn’t something people would encourage, even in modern times.

At this moment, the only thing she was grateful for was that her big brother Yan Wenxiu wasn’t around; otherwise, this would definitely cause a stir at home and reach her mother and grandmother’s ears.

"How about... running?"

Having made a mistake and caught red-handed, she didn’t know how to face it.

Dong Yuanyao nodded repeatedly.

Just as the two were nervously preparing to leave, a group of people rushed out of the theater, including Du Jitong’s men and the theater's enforcers.

"Which bastard kicked our young master?"

"Who kicked down the theater's doors? Are you looking to die?"

As soon as these people appeared, they started yelling.

"It’s him, it’s him who kicked the young master,"

A servant pointed at Defu, and immediately, others raised their fists and charged at him.

Several meters away, in front of the brothel, Xiao Yeyang and the others watched the scene, their faces darkening.

Yan Wenkai and Su Hongxin immediately rolled up their sleeves. "Well, well, picking on the few with the many?" After speaking, the two rushed forward to join the fight.

Meanwhile, Yan Wentao quickly moved in front of Daohua and Dong Yuanyao, shielding them and guiding them to the corner to avoid being mistakenly injured.

Watching his fourth brother knock down several of Du Jitong’s servants with quick kicks, Daohua widened her eyes, feeling thrilled.

"My fourth brother is so cool!"

Dong Yuanyao nodded in agreement.

Yan Wentao couldn’t help but shake his head when he saw that the two were still watching the fight like it was entertainment.

At this point, Xiao Yeyang and Dong Yuanxuan walked over. One of them frowned deeply while the other’s face turned ashen.

Right now, Daohua and Dong Yuanyao didn’t look good.

Their hairpins were disheveled, and they even had injuries on their faces.

When Xiao Yeyang saw the blood at the corner of Daohua’s mouth, his eyes darkened, his anger barely contained. Meanwhile, Dong Yuanxuan looked at his sister’s swollen eyes, feeling both angry and heartbroken.

Upon seeing them, Daohua and Dong Yuanyao immediately lowered their heads, shrinking their necks, and instinctively took a step back.

Just then, the theater Steward came out to assert his presence, shouting at Yan Wenkai and the others who were fighting, "Stop it! How dare you come to Baixi Theater and make a scene? Do you have such audacity?"

Before he could finish speaking, Yan Wenkai kicked him out of the way.

Seeing their Steward down, the theater’s enforcers couldn’t sit still and immediately charged out.

These enforcers were far more skilled than Du Jitong’s servants, and Su Hongxin, distracted for just a moment, took a punch.

Seeing this, Dong Yuanxuan furrowed his brow and turned to Dong Yuanyao. "Stay here properly!" He then paused, his gaze lingering on Daohua for a moment, signaling that she should stay put too, before grabbing his fan and walking toward the theater’s enforcers.

Xiao Yeyang didn’t move, his eyes still fixed on the fight, though his gaze was cold.

Seeing Xiao Yeyang standing guard over Daohua and Dong Yuanyao, Yan Wentao also quickly joined the fray.

With only Xiao Yeyang left beside them, Daohua and Dong Yuanyao exchanged bitter glances. At this moment, Xiao Yeyang’s aura was imposing; his eyes narrowed, and his face was as cold as ice, making the two young ladies feel somewhat intimidated.

Sensing Daohua’s gaze, Xiao Yeyang shifted his attention from the fight.

When he looked over, Daohua stiffly forced a smile. However, the smile immediately pulled at the wound on the corner of her mouth, causing her to hiss in pain.

Xiao Yeyang furrowed his brows, reaching out as if to check Daohua's injury. However, remembering they were still on the street, he quickly retracted his hand and coldly asked, "Who hit you?"

Daohua covered her mouth and shook her head. "I don't know. There were too many people hitting at the time, I couldn't see clearly."

Xiao Yeyang’s brows twitched, and he pressed his lips together, as if holding back something.

Two young ladies, getting into a brawl with a group of servants!

They sure had guts!

Seeing his reaction, Daohua realized she shouldn’t have said that and immediately fell silent.

Before long, Yan Wenkai and the others had taken down the theater's enforcers and Du Jitong’s servants, leaving a group of twenty or so men groaning in pain on the ground, creating quite a spectacle.

Passersby, seeing the scene, quickly backed away in fear.

"Clear the way, clear the way!"

At that moment, the city patrol officers arrived.

The leading officer took one look at the bodies strewn across the ground and was about to scold someone, but as his eyes scanned the area, he noticed Xiao Yeyang and the others in the corner. His expression changed instantly, and he hurried over to Xiao Yeyang, bowing deeply. "This humble officer greets His Highness the Young Prince."

The theater Steward, who didn’t recognize Xiao Yeyang, was stunned and trembled in fear as his heart pounded.

Xiao Yeyang nodded indifferently, then cast a cold glare at Du Jitong and his group.

At that moment, Du Jitong and his companions, who had been so full of themselves earlier, were now trembling in fear. They deeply regretted rushing out to fight without even knowing who they were up against. Who could have expected their bad luck, that they would end up provoking the Young Prince?

"Make sure they all go to the jail and reflect on their actions!" Xiao Yeyang said coldly. His frosty demeanor made Du Jitong lose the courage to even beg for mercy.

The patrol officers immediately started arresting people.

Meanwhile, Daohua and Dong Yuanyao, realizing the situation had escalated to the point where the authorities were involved, looked uneasy.

"This is bad, it’s getting out of hand!" Dong Yuanyao sighed, knowing that once these men were thrown into the prison, her father would certainly find out. She couldn’t avoid the punishment that awaited her.

Daohua glanced at Xiao Yeyang, hoping he would let it slide, but seeing the dark expression on his face, she didn’t dare to speak up.

(End of Chapter)

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Chapter 282: Fighting

 Chapter 282: Fighting

The plot to seduce Fang Liangji was initially supported by Daohua before they entered the theater, but after seeing the reaction of the men in the hall to the singing girl on stage, she hesitated.

How many men can resist temptation?

Although her intentions were good, would her interference truly make things better? If she caused her future aunt and uncle to be displeased, would it be worth it? Was the next match for her cousin, Zixuan, sure to be better than this one?

Dong Yuanyao noticed Daohua’s hesitation but did not press her further, quietly drinking tea.

Behind them, Wang Man'er and the others sighed in relief, glad their young lady had stopped her talk.

While Daohua was pondering, the song on stage came to an end.

After the singing girl finished, she went to the floor to thank the audience. Everything appeared normal in the main hall, but trouble started on the second floor. The commotion occurred in the very box where Fang Liangji and his companions were seated.

Hong Fang and Wang Man'er quickly ran upstairs to inquire about the situation. They returned not long after, laughing.

"The singing girl was harassed, and in her panic, she ran into Young Master Fang's box. Now she's asking for his help!" Wang Man'er quickly explained.

Daohua immediately asked, "How did Fang Liangji react?"

Hong Fang replied, "I saw, Young Master Fang didn't look pleased. He seemed rather impatient with the singing girl."

Daohua let out a sigh of relief.

"It seems Fang Liangji is quite rational and didn't rush to intervene."

Just then, a loud crash echoed from above, and a figure was thrown down from the second floor, crashing into a table in the hall.

Daohua glanced up, recognizing it as someone from Fang Liangji’s box.

"Get lost!" A voice, neutral and cold, shouted from the second floor. Moments later, the crowd saw a well-dressed young man dragging the singing girl downstairs.

"Let me go!" she screamed.

"Help!" she cried out, struggling.

The well-dressed young man, seeing the people around him laughing at him, became furious. He slapped the girl hard across the face, knocking her to the ground.

Coincidentally, she landed right in front of Daohua and Dong Yuanyao.

Daohua quietly asked Dong Yuanyao, "Didn't you say these girls are always after rich men? This one seems to have someone backing her, why doesn't she want him?"

Dong Yuanyao replied, "You know part of it, but not all. The one harassing her is Du Jitong, the son of Du Canji. I’ve heard he’s killed several of his concubines. Who would dare entrust their daughter to a man like that?"

As Du Jitong’s lackeys moved forward again, the singing girl, in a moment of desperation, spotted Daohua and Dong Yuanyao standing nearby.

Recognizing they were disguised as young men, she immediately rushed towards them. "Please, help me, gentlemen!" she cried.

Both Daohua and Dong Yuanyao were startled, quickly stepping aside. The girl missed and fell to the ground.

Neither of them had any intention of intervening. The girl clearly wasn’t behaving in a manner befitting a proper lady. Had she left after her performance, none of this would have happened.

Though neither of them wanted to get involved, the girl’s scream drew attention, and soon everyone in the hall was looking at them.

"Wow, what handsome young men!"

"Are those new faces from Nanfeng Pavilion?"

As the crowd shifted its attention to them, both Daohua and Dong Yuanyao felt embarrassed.

Daohua quickly grabbed Dong Yuanyao’s arm. "Let's go."

But as they took a few steps, Du Jitong blocked their path.

Seeing the vile look in Du Jitong's eyes, Dong Yuanyao felt a surge of anger. "Get out of the way!" she snapped.

Du Jitong wasn’t offended; instead, he smiled smugly. "Where do you two young gentlemen come from? I’ve never seen you before." As he spoke, he raised his hand to touch Dong Yuanyao's face.

Seeing the filthy hand approaching, Daohua’s expression darkened. She drew a whip from her belt and swiftly lashed it across Du Jitong's arm with a sharp crack.

"Ah!" Du Jitong screamed.

Before he could order his men to capture them, Dong Yuanyao kicked him with force, sending him flying several meters. "You bastard, do you think you can touch me?" she shouted.

Everything happened so quickly that the surrounding crowd barely had time to react.

Du Jitong was the son of Du Canji, a prominent official, yet these two young women dared to attack him. How could they have such courage?

On the second floor, Sun Yongyi swallowed nervously and glanced at Fang Liangji. "Liangji, you've really upset two fiery-tempered young ladies. You’re in trouble now!"

Fang Liangji, already exasperated, responded, "I told you, I don’t know them."

Sun Yongyi clicked his tongue in disbelief. "Don’t know them? Then why have they been following you all the way here to the theater?"

Fang Liangji was just as puzzled, but he had no time to ponder it further. The fight downstairs was escalating.

After Du Jitong was helped to his feet, he angrily shouted, "Get those two dogs under control!"

Du Jitong had only brought two attendants, but now other young men and servants gathered. In no time, about ten of them charged toward Daohua and Dong Yuanyao.

"Stop!"

Seeing so many people charging towards Daohua and Dong Yuanyao, Hong Fang, Hong Yu, and Wang Man’er were anxious. The three of them had trained in martial arts with their mistress and had some skills, so they grabbed chairs and rushed forward.

Even Gu Yu, who didn’t know any martial arts, quickly grabbed the dishes on the table and threw them at the people.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Seeing the people charging at her, Daohua was unafraid, skillfully swinging her whip, striking at the opponents.

Dong Yuanyao didn’t bring a sword. She glanced around, grabbed a broom from the hall, and used it as a sword.

Seeing that the two weren’t very old but were quite capable, the people in the theater box were somewhat surprised.

However, despite this, they were still at a disadvantage.

There was nothing they could do; there were nearly twice as many people on Du Jitong’s side.

Soon, Daohua and the others started to struggle with the situation.

Daohua glanced at Du Jitong’s people and knew they couldn’t win, so after a moment’s thought, she quickly swung her whip toward the tables and chairs in the hall, smashing them forcefully.

She knew that places like theaters often had people behind the scenes. Once the theater's people intervened, they would have a chance to escape. Once they were out of the theater, if Du Jitong dared to chase them, she would let him experience the power of her "itchy pills."

With so many people on the street, it would also be easier for them to slip away.

On the second floor box, Fang Hao looked at Daohua, who was smashing things in the hall, his eyes flickering, and a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. "Clever."

As expected, soon, the theater's enforcers appeared.

"Who is causing trouble here?"

Seeing the theater’s Steward leading people out, Du Jitong’s side immediately stopped.

Daohua and Dong Yuanyao also stopped and gathered with Wang Man’er.

The theater Steward scanned the disarrayed hall with a grim face, then coldly looked at Du Jitong. "Young Master Du, you’ve gone too far this time."

Du Jitong was furious, pointing at Daohua and the others, "They were the ones who struck first."

Daohua snorted, "We only acted because someone here was spitting filth. If we didn’t teach him a lesson, he’d think he’s a crab, able to walk arrogantly in the streets."

When these words were said, the people in the theater laughed.

Seeing the theater Steward look over, Daohua didn’t wait for him to speak. She directly said, "We’ll pay for the damaged tables and chairs." She took out her purse.

Dong Yuanyao immediately stopped her, whispering, "What are you doing? Even if we’re paying for it, it should be Du Jitong and his people who pay."

Daohua leaned close to her ear and spoke in a voice only the two could hear, "We don’t want to make a big fuss. You don’t want the entire provincial capital to be gossiping tomorrow about how the young ladies of the Prefect Magistrate’s Family and the Prefect Magistrate of Xingzhou’s Family were out shopping at the theater and fighting, do you?"

Dong Yuanyao immediately stopped speaking and grabbed the purse from Daohua, throwing it at the Steward.

Seeing this, Daohua hurriedly said, "What are you doing? There’s a thousand taels of silver in that purse!"

Dong Yuanyao quickly looked at the Steward to get it back, but the Steward was already smiling as he put the purse away. Dong Yuanyao could only look apologetically at Daohua. "Why do you carry so much silver on you?"

Daohua was extremely upset. "That was money I planned to use to buy a gift for my cousin Zixuan."

The silver was already given, and there was no way to get it back. Although Daohua was heartbroken, she didn’t forget their current situation and looked at the theater Steward. "Can we leave now?"

The Steward smiled and made a gesture inviting them to leave.

As soon as Daohua and her group exited the theater, Du Jitong immediately tried to chase after them, but he was stopped by the theater Steward.

Knowing what Steward wanted,Steward was handed a silver note, and then Du Jitong rushed to chase Daohua and the others.

"Stop right there!"

Du Jitong, leading his men, dashed out of the theater. Upon seeing Daohua and the others still at the door, he was overjoyed and reached out to grab them.

However, before he could touch them, a figure rushed forward and kicked Du Jitong back into the theater.

The force of the kick was so great that it knocked the theater doors down.

(End of this chapter)

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Chapter 281: Truly Don't Know

 Chapter 281: Truly Don't Know

"Which girl did you get involved with, following you all the way to the theater?"

Hearing the teasing voice of his friend, Fang Liangji rolled his eyes: "I’m not like you, always flirting around. I don’t even know the people following me."

Sun Yongyi waved his fan and laughed, "Don’t speak too definitively. Think carefully, maybe it's some young lady from a good family who has taken a liking to you. Since you’re about to be betrothed, she probably couldn’t sit still and might come looking for us here."

Fang Liangji didn’t bother with his teasing friend and turned to look at his younger uncle, who was sitting in the main seat, sipping tea.

Although he called him his younger uncle, they were actually the same age, and he was even a few months older.

"Uncle, I really..."

Fang Liangji knew that the direct descendants of the Fang family placed great importance on etiquette and personal character. He wanted to explain himself, but as soon as he opened his mouth, his uncle raised his hand to interrupt.

Fang Hao casually set down his teacup, and the glint in his eyes made even Sun Yongyi, the son of the Chamber of Commerce president, hesitant to underestimate him: "These small matters, you don't need to explain to me."

Fang Liangji smiled wryly and said no more.

His family was just a branch of the Ji Guang Fang family, distanced by several generations. Nowadays, they could only do business in Zhongzhou by relying on the favors of their ancestors. Although they exchanged gifts with the direct family, they were not particularly close.

Some things were better left unsaid.

The direct family may have hoped to grow closer, but they also knew that without the right leverage, the direct family wouldn't bother with them.

He never expected that, during this engagement with the Li family, the direct family would send someone—no less than the head of the fifth branch.

Fang Liangji took a cautious glance at the serious-looking fifth master of the direct family. He had heard many stories about him, particularly that he had taken over the fifth branch at a young age after losing his father. Despite being only eighteen, he was already a juren (a successful candidate in the imperial examination) and had managed the family’s affairs efficiently, earning the respect of all.

Hearing such stories always left him in awe.

Fang Hao paid no attention to the other two in the room. His gaze remained fixed on the downstairs scene, his eyes gleaming.

The rules in Zhongzhou seemed to be rather lax—those young ladies actually dared to come to a theater so openly!

Downstairs, after some persuasion from the staff, Dong Yuanyao finally accepted the reality that all the reserved private rooms were taken, and they were left with no choice but to sit in the main hall.

Not wanting to attract more attention, Daohua gently tugged at Dong Yuanyao's sleeve, saying, "Let’s just find a corner and sit there."

Dong Yuanyao, though reluctant, had no other option and reluctantly agreed with a "Hmm."

Finally, Daohua and the others sat in the far corner of the hall.

The staff brought tea and snacks, preparing to leave when Daohua stopped them.

She placed a silver coin on the table and looked at the staff member. "I want to ask you something."

The staff glanced at the silver coin before looking away, giving a forced smile. "What does the young master wish to know?"

Daohua asked, "Do you know the son of the Fang family?"

The staff member, hearing the question, quickly took the silver coin and hid it in his sleeve, answering, "Yes, the young master from the Fang family is here today. He’s in a private room upstairs, listening to the play."

If the inquiry had been about an official family, he would have been more cautious. But as it was about a merchant family, there was little to avoid.

Daohua and Dong Yuanyao exchanged a look. "Which private room is he in?"

The staff member looked up toward the second floor and pointed, "It’s the one next door."

Both Daohua and Dong Yuanyao turned around just in time to meet the gaze of Fang Hao and his companions, who were looking down at them from the second floor.

Seeing them, Fang Hao and his companions were momentarily surprised. They had only heard the voices earlier and hadn’t seen the people.

"Oh, those two young men are quite handsome," Sun Yongyi remarked teasingly, winking at Fang Liangji.

The four maidservants were in male clothing, so it was obvious that those two young men were also disguised.

Fang Liangji furrowed his brow. Although he hadn’t paid much attention earlier, now he tried to recall. But in the end, he still couldn't recognize them.

"I really don’t know them."

Someone like him, if he had met them before, would definitely have remembered.

Daohua and Dong Yuanyao looked back at the private room and then quickly turned away.

"It looks like they’re just here to watch the play," Daohua murmured.

At that moment, the stage featured a grandfather and his granddaughter.

The grandfather played the zither while the granddaughter sang a song.

Daohua, curious, looked at Dong Yuanyao. "Isn't this a theater? Why is there singing?"

Dong Yuanyao snorted lightly. "Men, aren’t they all fond of pretty young girls? The theater is a business; they’ll do whatever makes money."

"See, that girl singing—those big, watery eyes are so captivating. After the song is finished, she’s bound to receive a lot of tips."

After a pause, she glanced at Daohua. "Still want to test your future brother-in-law?"

Daohua glanced at the singing girl on stage. "How do you want to test him?"

Dong Yuanyao grinned. "Use a beauty trap! Look, the beauty is already ready."

Daohua furrowed her brows. "This doesn’t feel right. She’s singing to earn a living."

Dong Yuanyao scoffed. "Yes, the girls at ordinary teahouses might be doing it because they’re struggling and have no other choice. But the ones at this theater? They’ve been specially trained."

"Do you really think such naturally gifted singers are everywhere?" She looked at the girl on stage again. "Look at those eyes—doesn’t it seem like she’s trying to steal your soul?"

Daohua looked carefully and nodded. "You’re right, her gaze is indeed mesmerizing."

Dong Yuanyao smirked. "Girls like that aren’t from poor families. I’ll tell you the truth. I’ve been to this theater a few times, and every time, the girls singing are different."

"These girls have sharp eyes. As soon as they spot a man who’s smitten and weak-willed, they latch onto him and don’t let go."

Daohua was impressed by her knowledge. "Dong Yuanyao, I didn’t know you were so well-versed in this!"

Dong Yuanyao proudly smiled. "I’ve seen a lot, naturally learned a lot."

Daohua laughed. She didn’t find anything wrong with knowing such things. Observing the world and learning more about human nature could expand one’s horizons and temper the mind—it was all good.

Dong Yuanyao, seeing no objection from Daohua, smiled more deeply.

She knew that Daohua was someone who wouldn’t be repulsed by these things, nor would she try to lecture her about being too forward for a woman.

Her judgment was spot on—Daohua was a true confidante.

Dong Yuanyao asked again, "So, what do you think? Do you want to test him?"

Daohua glanced again at the charming girl on stage, then hesitated. "How do we test him?"

Dong Yuanyao smiled. "Give that girl some silver and have her seduce your future brother-in-law. We won’t have to lift a finger. If you want to keep your distance, you could even hire someone else to do it."

(End of this chapter)

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Chapter 280: Entering the Theater

 Chapter 280: Entering the Theater

"We'll follow them first, see where they go, and then discuss what to do next," said Daohua to Dong Yuanyao and Li Zixin.

Dong Yuanyao immediately nodded, "Alright!"

Li Zixin, who wasn't as bold as Daohua and Dong Yuanyao, was still hesitant. Although she also wanted to help test her future brother-in-law's character, she was unsure.

Seeing this, Daohua didn't want to force her and said, "How about you stay here and order some food while we go take a look?"

Li Zixin hesitated a bit.

At that moment, Dong Yuanyao spoke up, "This way, I'll go with Daohua. We both know how to handle ourselves, and even if we get discovered, we can escape quickly. Besides, we're not part of the Li family, so even if the Fang family finds out, they can't blame your family."

Daohua felt that Dong Yuanyao's reasoning was sound and nodded in agreement.

Seeing that both of them were determined to go, Li Zixin reluctantly agreed. "Please, just don't make a scene and embarrass anyone," she warned.

Daohua patted her hand reassuringly. "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing," she said before instructing the Li family maid and then heading out with Dong Yuanyao.

On the street, Fang Liangji was leisurely walking with his friend, chatting as they strolled down the street.

Soon, Daohua and Dong Yuanyao caught up with them.

Daohua glanced at a nearby ready-made clothing shop, her eyes flashing as she instructed Wang Man'er to keep an eye on Fang Liangji. Then she grabbed Dong Yuanyao and entered the shop.

Moments later, the two of them emerged dressed in men's clothing.

Upon seeing them, the waiting Gu Yu and Dong Yuanyao's maid, Hong Yu, quickly approached.

Dong Yuanyao asked, "Where did he go?"

Hong Yu, looking a bit uncomfortable, glanced at Dong Yuanyao and Daohua before answering, "Young Master Fang entered Anle Street ahead. Hong Fang and Man'er have already followed him."

Hearing this, Dong Yuanyao immediately furrowed her brows.

Daohua, confused, asked, "Is there something wrong with Anle Street?"

Dong Yuanyao leaned closer to Daohua and whispered, "Anle Street is the most famous red-light district in the city, full of brothels and theaters. Don't you remember? The year before last, during the Lantern Festival, you and the young prince accidentally ended up at Nanfeng Pavilion."

Daohua's eyes widened as the memory came back to her. She stood still for a moment, then said, "So Fang Liangji really has questionable character? They're about to get engaged, and he's already hanging around such places!"

Dong Yuanyao quickly grabbed Daohua's arm, "Shh, keep your voice down. Well, what should we do now? Do you still want to follow him?"

Daohua immediately nodded, "Of course! If I catch him drinking at a flower house, I’ll go straight home and tell Uncle and Aunt to break off the engagement."

Dong Yuanyao fully agreed, "Exactly. We can't let a man like that marry into the family. Let's go take a look."

Anle Street.

Compared to other streets, this one had noticeably fewer women.

Wang Man'er and Hong Fang walked along the street, attracting curious glances from passersby. When they saw Fang Liangji enter a theater, Hong Fang quickly pulled Wang Man'er into a clothing store.

While picking out fabric, they kept peering outside.

Not long later, Daohua and Dong Yuanyao appeared in their line of sight.

"Miss, we're over here!"

Wang Man'er stepped out of the shop and waved to them.

After a while, Daohua and Dong Yuanyao entered the shop.

"Where is he?"

Hong Fang pointed across the street at the theater. "He went inside."

Daohua, seeing it was a theater, relaxed slightly but then caught sight of a brothel next door. Her expression darkened with both curiosity and displeasure.

Fang Liangji frequented such places—his character was definitely suspect.

Dong Yuanyao spoke up, "Should we go inside and check? I wonder whose play is on today."

At the familiar mention of a play, Daohua immediately looked over. "You're familiar with this place?"

Dong Yuanyao gave a sheepish smile but didn't respond.

In the past, she had occasionally disguised herself as a man and come here to watch plays. She wasn't exaggerating—she had been to almost every theater in this area. Otherwise, she wouldn't have happened to see Daohua and the young prince at Nanfeng Pavilion during the Lantern Festival two years ago.

The shopkeeper had already noticed the group and immediately smiled at them. "Today, we have a performance by the Shuangxi Troupe. If you're lucky, you might even hear a performance by the famous actors An Xianggong and Ning Xianggong."

Seeing Daohua’s puzzled expression, Dong Yuanyao immediately explained, "An Xiang and Ning Xiang are the heads of the Shuangxi Troupe. They're highly favored by the nobility and are often invited to perform at private gatherings. They rarely perform in public theaters."

Daohua nodded. "I know them. I’ve heard their performance at the Zhou family before," she said, pausing for a moment. "They're quite good-looking."

Dong Yuanyao immediately gave Daohua an appreciative look, as if silently agreeing.

The shopkeeper, overhearing their conversation, smiled even more. Earlier, when he saw Wang Man'er and Hong Fang lingering without buying anything, he had almost wanted to chase them out. But now, hearing their conversation, he was more than happy to serve them.

Clearly, these two were either wealthy or noble, so he dared not offend them.

Having come this far without much result, Daohua decided it was time to take action. She turned to Dong Yuanyao and said, "Shall we go in and listen to the play?"

Dong Yuanyao, without hesitation, agreed. "Sure!"

In the past, she would sneak in alone; now, with Daohua accompanying her, she felt braver. Moreover, she felt that doing something mischievous together would strengthen their bond.

Daohua glanced at Wang Man'er and the others. Since they were dressed as women, it would be difficult for them to enter the theater. She said, "You stay here and keep looking at the fabric. We'll be back soon." Before Wang Man'er could reply, Dong Yuanyao had already pulled her out of the shop.

Wang Man'er and the others watched the two of them leave with a helpless expression.

Wang Man'er turned to the shopkeeper, "Do you have men's clothing?"

The shopkeeper's heart skipped a beat. He had thought the two young "masters" were exceptionally handsome, but now it made sense—they were actually women.

Hong Fang slapped the counter and asked, "Do you have any or not?"

The shopkeeper, coming back to his senses, immediately nodded, "Yes, yes, we do!"

Soon, the four of them were dressed in men's clothing and ready to leave the shop. Before they could exit, Hong Fang glanced at the shopkeeper, who, sensing her intent, quickly said, "The shop knows nothing."

Hong Fang smiled in satisfaction, and the four quickly left the shop.

On the other side, Daohua followed Dong Yuanyao into the theater. While Dong Yuanyao seemed accustomed to the bustling noise, Daohua felt a little uncomfortable with the chaotic atmosphere.

They entered just as a play had finished, and the audience was cheering.

As soon as they entered, a servant approached to greet them.

"We'd like a private box on the second floor," Dong Yuanyao said with a casual toss of a silver coin.

The servant smiled broadly, thanking her for the tip, but then his face showed some hesitation. "Unfortunately, the private boxes are all full. Would you like to sit in the main hall? It’s the same, really."

Dong Yuanyao glanced around at the noisy main hall and frowned, "I know you always reserve boxes. We’ll have one, please."

At that moment, in the closest second-floor box to the entrance, Fang Liangji, having just greeted some elders, turned his attention to the argument happening below. When he saw the two "young masters" entering the theater, his brow furrowed.

"To think they followed me here!" he muttered.

(End of Chapter)

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Chapter 279: The Beauty Scheme

 Chapter 279: The Beauty Scheme

"Zixuan is getting engaged on the 22nd of February. Your mother needs to prepare the dowry and the arrangements for traveling to Ningmen Prefecture, so I won’t have time to go. You’ll have to visit your uncle’s house for me instead."

Upon hearing Madam Li, Daohua nodded. "Mother, when should I head to the provincial capital? Will I be going alone?"

Madam Li paused for a moment. She didn’t feel comfortable with Daohua going alone, so after some thought, she said, "Let your fourth brother take a few days off from the academy and go with you."

"Today is already the 8th, and there’s not much time left. You should pack your things and leave for the provincial capital in a couple of days."

Daohua had no objections. Madam Li had already discussed this with Old Madam Yan, and she didn’t oppose the plan.

Thus, Daohua began to prepare her dowry.

Looking at the courtyard she had lived in for three years, Daohua felt a bit reluctant. "Once I leave this time, I probably won’t be able to return."

Since Zixuan cousin was getting engaged, the Yan family had likely already gone to Ningmen Prefecture.

Looking at the blooming flowers in the yard, Daohua called Wang Man’er over. "Go to the Zhou family and tell Jingwan to come here."

Soon, Zhou Jingwan arrived. As soon as she stepped into the yard, she saw the servants packing up and immediately asked Daohua, who was standing under the eaves, "You’re leaving already?"

Daohua shook her head. "My mother and the others will probably leave a few days later, but I’ll be leaving in a day or two."

Zhou Jingwan was surprised. "Why so soon?"

Daohua explained, "My cousin Zixuan is getting engaged, and my mother can’t go, so it’ll be just me and my fourth brother."

Zhou Jingwan walked over to Daohua, linking arms with her. "Does this mean we’re going to be separated soon?"

Daohua corrected her. "It’s only temporary. We’ll meet again in the future."

Zhou Jingwan pouted. "That’s easier said than done. We’re getting older, and it’s not as easy to go out as it was when we were children."

Daohua sighed inwardly.

Life in ancient times was troublesome, especially for women. Even stepping outside was difficult.

They were lucky; their families pampered them. If they married, they would have to stay in the back courtyard unless they had their husband's or mother-in-law's permission.

Not thinking too much about it, Daohua pointed to the flowers in the yard. "Consider yourself lucky. Take whatever flowers you like."

Hearing this, Zhou Jingwan’s eyes lit up, and her previous worries vanished. "Really?" When Daohua nodded, she excitedly said, "I love the climbing roses in your yard! I’m going to transplant them to my garden."

Seeing her so happy, Daohua smiled. "Do you want me to have someone help you?"

Zhou Jingwan nodded eagerly. "Yes, yes, please!"

In the next two days, Daohua focused on packing, while the servants managed the house. Daohua also met with the Stewards of the estates and shops to remind them to send the account books to Ningmen Prefecture every three months.

"I trust you all, but I’ll say it again: if anyone dares to abuse their power and bully the local people, I’ll make sure they’re expelled, and if it’s serious enough, I’ll have them sent to the authorities."

The Stewards of the estates and shops listened carefully and assured her they wouldn’t do such a thing.

Despite her young age, they didn’t underestimate her. She had a firm hand, and every estate and shop had strict rules—breaking them meant punishment, and no one could use personal connections to escape consequences.

Once everything was packed and arranged, Daohua boarded the boat to the provincial capital on the 10th of February.

Zhou Family

After Daohua left, Zhou Jingwan was in low spirits for several days.

Madam Zhou went to her daughter’s room and saw her hugging a cartoon toy of the twelve zodiac animals that Daohua had given her. Smiling, she picked up the tiger toy. "Daohua is quite talented. Her sewing skills are impressive."

Her daughter was never fond of sewing, but since becoming friends with Daohua, she had picked it up. Now, her needlework was presentable enough to show others.

Seeing her daughter downcast, Madam Zhou smiled. "Look at you. You’re not going to be apart forever. Is it really that hard to let go?"

Zhou Jingwan nodded. "Only when I’m with Daohua do I feel at ease. With the other girls, it’s always awkward and boring."

Madam Zhou sighed. "If only Daohua were two or three years older, I really would want her to be your sister-in-law."

Zhou Jingwan’s eyes brightened, but then darkened again. "Mother, you shouldn’t say such things."

Madam Zhou went over and pulled her daughter up. "Alright, enough with the gloom. Let’s go see the dowry your brother is preparing."

Li Family in the Provincial Capital

When Daohua arrived, both Li Zixuan and Li Zixin rushed over to greet her and led her into the house.

Yan Wenkai, seeing that the two girls didn’t even acknowledge him, immediately felt annoyed and looked at his brothers. "I’m standing right here, yet they didn’t even glance at me?"

Li Chenyi laughed and patted his shoulder. "Wenkai, it seems your charm doesn’t compare to that of your cousins!"

Hearing this, Yan Wenkai didn’t feel upset at all. Instead, he proudly said, "Of course, don’t forget whose cousins they are."

The day after Daohua arrived, Dong Yuanyao paid a visit.

"Why are you here?" Daohua asked in surprise as she saw Dong Yuanyao sitting in the living room, sipping tea.

Dong Yuanyao gave her a glance and said, "You have the nerve to ask me? You arrive at the provincial capital and don’t come to find me?"

Daohua smiled as she walked over. "I’ve just arrived."

Dong Yuanyao got up and greeted Li Zixuan and Li Zixin.

The four of them then went to play in Li Zixuan’s courtyard.

In the afternoon, Dong Yuanyao got up to leave, and as she was about to go, she turned to Daohua. "It’s so boring staying at home. Why don’t we go shopping tomorrow?"

Daohua eagerly nodded. "That sounds great!" Then she turned to Li Zixuan. "Cousin Zixuan, can you go out tomorrow?"

Li Zixuan shook her head. "I won’t be going. You girls can go shopping."

Daohua then turned to Li Zixin.

Li Zixin looked tempted. "As long as my mother agrees."

Daohua quickly went to ask her aunt, and after receiving her approval, Daohua, along with Li Zixin, went out early the next morning and met Dong Yuanyao at the agreed-upon restaurant.

After they met, they first visited a fabric shop, then a miscellaneous goods shop. After a long day of shopping, they returned to the restaurant for lunch and planned to shop a bit more before heading home.

Just as they were about to order food, Li Zixin suddenly exclaimed in surprise.

Daohua immediately asked, "What’s wrong?"

Li Zixin pointed downstairs at a young man in fine clothes. "That’s Fang Liangji."

Hearing this, Daohua quickly went to the window to look. Dong Yuanyao leaned over, curious.

"How does he look? Is he handsome?"

"He’s alright, looks quite graceful. He’s barely good enough for cousin Zixuan."

As they watched Fang Liangji chatting with his friends on the street, Daohua narrowed her eyes. "He looks fine, but I wonder about his character."

Dong Yuanyao immediately chimed in. "You’ll know once you test him."

Daohua’s interest was piqued. "How do we test him?"

Dong Yuanyao said seriously, "To test a man’s character, you need to use a beauty scheme."

Daohua’s eyes brightened.

On the side, Li Zixin saw their eager expressions and quickly stepped forward to stop them. "Don’t do anything rash."

Daohua hesitated for a moment, but then, thinking of how Zixuan might marry a bad man, she said, "Cousin Zixin, don’t you want Zixuan to marry well?"

"Now that the engagement isn’t finalized yet, we have a chance to test his character. If he’s no good, we can still back out. Once the engagement is set, though, it’ll harm cousin’s reputation if we try to break it off."

Li Zixin hesitated.

Seeing her uncertainty, Dong Yuanyao reassured her, "Don’t worry, we’ll be discreet. He won’t find out."

(End of Chapter)

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Chapter 278: Promotion to Prefect

 Chapter 278: Promotion to Prefect

Yan Zhigao spent the day resting and then took Yan Wenxiu to visit the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. After meeting the second eldest of the Zhou family, they were led to the Ministry of Personnel to report and wait for the emperor’s summons.

During the wait, neither father nor son considered visiting the Yang family.

After several days of waiting, the Yang family could no longer hold back. Yang Boyi, accompanied by his eldest son, Yang Hongrui, personally visited to meet Yan Zhigao and his son.

Yan Zhigao and Yang Boyi were former classmates, and after many years of not seeing each other, they should have had a lot to talk about. Unfortunately, when they finally met, only awkwardness remained.

On the other hand, Yan Wenxiu and his cousin, Yang Hongrui, got along quite well and even made plans to visit a teahouse together in the future.

After a while, the Yang family left. Before they left, Yan Zhigao said, "Once I meet with the emperor, I'll visit my sister."

He said sister and not the Yang family.

Upon hearing this, Yang Boyi felt a little uncomfortable, and Yang Hongrui was visibly embarrassed.

In the past few years, their family had been far from friendly with the Yan family. Not only had they failed to offer any assistance, but they hadn’t even followed the basic courtesies.

He knew that his mother still harbored grievances, and now, seeing his uncle’s attitude, he realized that the Yang family wasn’t well-regarded.

Xingzhou

While Yan Zhigao waited for the emperor's summons, the Yan family carried on with their usual routine.

Time passed quickly, and soon it was the fifth day of the second month.

On that day, a servant from the Yan family rushed back, panting, with a letter in hand.

"Madam, a letter from the master!"

Steward Sun, handed the letter to Madam Li, who eagerly opened it. Soon, a radiant smile spread across her face as she hurried to the Songhe Courtyard.

The second and third branches of the family also rushed to Old Madam Yan's courtyard upon hearing the news.

"Mother, good news! The master has been personally appointed by the emperor and is now a prefect of the fourth rank!"

Daohua, who had been playing with the parrot in Old Madam Yan’s courtyard, was instantly thrilled upon hearing this.

Madam Li quickly handed the letter to Old Madam Yan, who read it carefully. Upon confirming the contents, she immediately clasped her hands in prayer, exclaiming, "May the ancestors of the Yan family bless us!"

Daohua, too, read the letter with a joyful expression.

The better things were for her father, the better they would be for everyone else in the family.

At that moment, Yan Zhiyuan and the others arrived.

Yan Zhiyuan eagerly asked, "Sister-in-law, is it a letter from Big Brother?"

Madam Li nodded, smiling.

Yan Zhiyuan asked, "Is Big Brother being reassigned to the capital or to somewhere else?"

Madam Li replied, "He’s being reassigned to Ningmen Prefecture as the fourth-rank prefect."

Upon hearing that he wasn’t going to the capital, Yan Zhiyuan felt a bit disappointed. However, thinking about the fourth-rank prefect position, he smiled again and said, "Ningmen Prefecture? That’s still in Zhongzhou Province."

Madam Li nodded, "Yes, I’ve heard of Ningmen Prefecture. It’s the northernmost part of Zhongzhou. I think it might be somewhat barren?"

Meanwhile, the Zhou family also received the news, and Madam Zhou immediately took Zhou Jingwan to offer their congratulations.

While the Yan family didn’t realize the importance of Ningmen Prefecture, Old Master Zhou certainly did.

Ningmen Prefecture connected three provinces: Zhongzhou, Jiguang, and Fenxi. Ningmen Pass was also a crucial military checkpoint, and its jurisdiction was equivalent to three other prefectures combined. Historically, the prefects there had always been appointed personally by the emperor.

From this, it was clear that the emperor had a good opinion of Yan Zhigao; otherwise, he wouldn’t have been given such an important post.

While Madam Li entertained Madam Zhou, Daohua pulled Zhou Jingwan back to her own courtyard.

"What are you looking for?"

Seeing Daohua rush into the study, Zhou Jingwan was puzzled.

Daohua replied, "A map!"

She needed to see where Ningmen Prefecture was and learn about its geography.

Zhou Jingwan looked surprised. "You have a map?"

Their family only kept maps in the outer study, and women weren’t allowed in there.

Daohua didn’t even look back as she answered, "I borrowed it from Xiao Yeyang."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Jingwan sighed in envy, "The Young Prince really treats you well. Maps like that can’t be bought outside."

Daohua pulled the map off the shelf, unfolding it as she said with a smile, "That’s because he lost to me in a game of chess. This is my reward."

Zhou Jingwan rolled her eyes, "Do you really believe that? Your level of chess is only good enough to play with me. Against others, you'd just lose."

Daohua stubbornly replied, "Either way, I won it fair and square."

Zhou Jingwan couldn’t be bothered to argue further and quickly moved closer to Daohua. "Did you find it? Where is Ningmen Prefecture?"

Daohua pointed to a marked location on the map. "It's at the northernmost point of Zhongzhou Province, with a tributary of the Grand Canal flowing through it." She smiled and added, "Looks like we’ll be able to see each other more often from now on."

Zhou Jingwan smiled and nodded in agreement.

Her family owned a boat, so traveling along the Grand Canal would be quite convenient.

Daohua studied the map of Ningmen Prefecture carefully. "It connects the three provinces of Jiguang, Fenxi, and Zhongzhou. The jurisdiction of this prefecture is pretty vast."

Zhou Jingwan immediately said, "I’ve heard from my grandfather that General Guo is stationed at Ningmen Pass, which is within the jurisdiction of Ningmen Prefecture."

Daohua looked surprised. This was the first time she had heard of this. After a moment of thought, she said, "The bandit problem in Fenxi and the floods in Jiguang make things difficult, but Zhongzhou seems to be in better condition. Ningmen Prefecture will be tough to govern."

Zhou Jingwan looked intrigued. "My grandfather said the same thing, but he also said that, while it’s a difficult place, if one has the capability, it’s the easiest place to achieve success."

Daohua didn’t dwell on it too much. "Let my father worry about that," she thought.

Three days after receiving the letter from Yan Zhigao, Madam Li received another letter, this time from the Li family.

"What?! Cousin Zixuan’s engagement has been decided?"

Daohua was surprised. It had only been a little over two months since she and her two cousins parted ways. "Isn’t this a bit too fast?" She said, while reading the letter from her second uncle.

After reading it, Daohua sat down to ponder for a moment. Then, she looked up at Madam Li. "Mother, is it possible that the Fang family decided to settle the engagement because they found out that Father was promoted to the prefect of Ningmen?"

Madam Li tapped her daughter’s forehead with a smile. "Wherever you go, you're full of clever ideas."

She didn’t deny it, so it seemed that was indeed the case.

Daohua looked concerned. "Mother, if the Fang family is this opportunistic, will they treat Cousin Zixuan well?"

Madam Li paused before answering. "Since your second uncle approves of the Fang family’s young master, it means his character is acceptable. As for the opportunism... When families marry, it’s to support each other. If both sides can benefit, then it’s a win-win."

Daohua fell silent. After a while, she asked, "Mother, does that mean when it comes to my marriage, you’ll first consider whether it benefits the Yan family?"

Madam Li gave her a teasing look. "You naughty girl." She then pulled Daohua into her arms. "You are my daughter. I don’t expect you to bring any benefits to the family. All I want is for you to live a happy and fulfilling life. Don't worry about it. I won’t just marry you off to anyone."

Daohua grinned, climbing even higher up the teasing ladder. "Then, Mother, can I wait until I'm twenty before discussing marriage?"

This immediately earned her a flick on the forehead.

Madam Li frowned. "What nonsense are you talking about? Twenty, you'd be an old maid by then!"

Daohua was speechless. "Twenty is still the prime of life!" She quickly corrected herself, "Fine, how about eighteen? Eighteen should be fine, right?"

Madam Li sighed, glaring at Daohua. "You, always thinking about nonsense. Don’t worry about it. I can keep you at home a few more years, but when it comes to marriage, it’s better to start looking early."

Daohua was about to say something else, but Madam Li stopped her.

(End of Chapter)

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Chapter 277: Going to the Capital

 Chapter 277: Going to the Capital

"Miss Zhou is here!"

Seeing Zhou Jingwan, the maids and servants in the Daohua courtyard immediately smiled and greeted her.

Zhou Jingwan nodded: "Where is your young mistress?"

Li Xia chuckled: "The young mistress is still lounging on the bed!"

Zhou Jingwan shook her head: "This lazy girl, I'll go wake her up." With that, she stepped into the room and headed straight for the bedroom.

Seeing Daohua, dressed in a silver squirrel fur, lazily leaning against the head of the bed while flipping through a storybook, Zhou Jingwan immediately laughed: "Ever since your Li cousins left, you've become lazier. It's almost noon and you're still not up."

Daohua didn't sit up when she saw her; instead, she lowered the book, patted the edge of the bed, and gestured for Zhou Jingwan to sit before saying with a smile, "Tomorrow is New Year's Eve. How come you still have time to come to my house?"

Zhou Jingwan put on a stern face: "What, are you complaining about me?"

Daohua smiled, covering her mouth with the book: "Miss Zhou’s grand visit really makes our little courtyard shine."

Hearing this, Zhou Jingwan finally smiled, then casually took off her boots and sat on the bed.

Seeing this, Daohua gave her a light punch, then quickly shifted further into the bed, speaking as she moved, "You just came in from outside, you're still cold, you can’t just jump into my bed."

Zhou Jingwan shot her a glance: "Who wants to climb into your bed?" She said this and leaned back against the pillow, copying Daohua.

Daohua had someone bring a blanket and cover Zhou Jingwan, then lay back down herself: "Has my father been to your house again?"

Zhou Jingwan nodded.

Daohua: "Sorry for troubling your grandfather recently."

For this trip to the capital for official business, her father had been taking it very seriously. Whenever he had free time, he would visit Old Master Zhou to listen to him explain the relationships of the various families in the capital and the emperor's taboos.

After three years of interaction, the Yan family and the Zhou family had become good friends.

Thus, Old Master Zhou had been sharing everything he knew, carefully explaining the power dynamics of the capital to Yan Zhigao.

Zhou Jingwan casually responded: "It's only natural that our families are friendly."

Daohua smiled: "I made some medicinal dishes for my grandmother, I’ll send a little to your grandfather later."

Zhou Jingwan nodded: "Great, my grandfather loves your cooking." Then, she turned over to face Daohua, "I heard from my mother that Uncle Yan will definitely be promoted this time. Whether he stays in the capital or gets transferred, we’ll probably be far apart from now on."

Seeing the look of sadness on Zhou Jingwan's face, Daohua took her hand: "Don't be like this, we can always write letters. If my father is transferred somewhere not too far from Xingzhou, we can still make time to go out and play together."

Zhou Jingwan sighed: "But it won't be as convenient as now."

Daohua nodded: "Yes, you're right."

After a moment of silence, Zhou Jingwan suddenly said: "My brother’s marriage has been decided. My mother said once we finish with my brother's matters, it will be my turn. Daohua, we won’t get to see each other as often in the future."

Hearing this, Daohua also sighed: "I don’t want to grow up."

Zhou Jingwan looked melancholic: "Who does?"

That day, Zhou Jingwan stayed at the Yan family for lunch and played until the afternoon before returning home.

After sending Zhou Jingwan off, Daohua had just returned to her own courtyard when she saw Wang Man'er, Gu Yu, and Li Xia talking about something. "What’s going on, why are you all so animated?"

Wang Man'er saw Daohua and immediately lifted the door curtain. After Daohua entered, she followed her in, saying as she walked, "The master just returned from outside and was stopped by Fifth Master and Third Miss."

Daohua raised an eyebrow: "Are they trying to plead for Concubine Lin?"

Wang Man'er poured Daohua a cup of tea and smiled: "It’s impossible to hide anything from the young mistress."

Daohua took the tea cup: "What did my father say?"

Wang Man'er: "The master said Fifth Master and Third Miss's filial piety is commendable, so he allowed them to spend New Year’s with Concubine Lin in Shuoxing Courtyard."

Daohua: "Didn’t he release Concubine Lin from confinement?"

Wang Man'er shook her head with a smile: "No."

Daohua smiled, blowing on the foam in her tea cup before taking a sip: "I hope my father can stay as clear-headed as he is now."

The Spring Festival of the 19th year of Yongxing was rather quiet in the Yan family because Yan Zhigao was busy preparing for his official duties in the capital. There was simply too much to do, so the household wasn’t very lively.

Worried about delays on the road, Yan Zhigao left with Yan Wenxiu, Master Xiao, and Qin Wu on the third day of the New Year.

Once they left, the Yan household became a bit lonely.

Daohua, on the other hand, had a great time. Perhaps because they were about to part, Zhou Jingwan came to find her almost every day. The two would either stay in the courtyard discussing business matters or go out together for horse riding. They lived very carefree lives.

Yan Zhigao's group arrived in the capital the day before the Lantern Festival.

When they reached the city gates, the Yan family's servants, already waiting there, welcomed them, with some of Yang family’s servants following.

Yan Zhigao cast a cold glance at the Yang family servants.

When his luck was bad, the Yang family had treated him terribly. If not for his sister being married to the Yang family, he would have had no desire to deal with such relatives.

"We’ve traveled a long way, let’s go back and clean up before we visit," Yan Zhigao said.

The Yang family servants immediately bowed and acknowledged.

For the Fourth Madam's big brother, the Yang family wasn’t daring to act arrogantly, even though their family head held a higher official position.

Before they left, the family head had specially instructed them to be cautious and not offend anyone.

"Lead the way!"

Yan Zhigao said to his own servant, then sat back in the carriage.

Everyone in the Yan household thought the house was rather secluded, but when they arrived at the gate, they realized it was only a few streets away from the imperial palace.

After a long pause, Yan Zhigao turned to Yan Wenxiu: "How much did your sister say this house costs?"

Yan Wenxiu smiled wryly: "Two thousand taels."

Yan Zhigao was momentarily speechless: "When we return, have your mother send the silver to the young prince."

Yan Wenxiu shook his head: "The young prince won’t accept it." Seeing Yan Zhigao frown, he smiled and added, "Our family’s relationship with the young prince has been long established. We’ll repay him slowly in the future."

Yan Zhigao nodded. Noticing people nearby were observing them, he didn’t say anything further and followed the house steward into the main gate.

The house steward led the way while cheerfully explaining the surroundings: "Most of the houses around here are similar, and the residents are all newly wealthy individuals from recent years."

Yan Wenxiu listened while inwardly marveling at the house the young prince had gifted them. It was really a perfect match for their current status—it wouldn't stand out too much.

Yang Residence

When Old Madam Yang saw that Yan Zhigao hadn't arrived, her face turned a little sour. She glanced at her youngest daughter-in-law, who was keeping her head down and silent: "Your big brother, has he become distant from our family? Now that he's in the capital, he hasn't even mentioned staying with us."

Yan Siyu thought to herself, Does Old Madam Yan not remember how poorly the Yang family has treated my maternal side over the years? How can she say such a thing?

Eldest Madam Yang, seeing that her younger sister-in-law didn’t respond, remembered her husband’s earlier advice to foster a good relationship with the Yan family. She had no choice but to smile and mediate: "Mother, the Yan family has a residence in the capital, so they probably didn’t want to trouble us."

"I know you're eager to see your in-laws, but since they're already in the capital, there’s no need to rush for a day or two."

Old Madam Yang’s expression softened slightly. She asked, "Where is the Yan family’s residence?"

Yan Siyu replied, "East Suburb Street."

Upon hearing this, everyone in the room was taken aback.

East Suburb Street was close to the inner city and much closer to the imperial palace than their own residence.

After a long silence, Old Madam Yang looked at Yan Siyu: "How did your maternal family manage to buy a house there?"

The closer one was to the inner city, the more expensive and harder it was to buy a house. One needed connections to manage it.

Yan Siyu, also surprised when she learned the location, replied, "I haven't been in touch with my family much over the years, so I'm not sure how they managed it."

Upon hearing this, Old Madam Yang and the other three daughters-in-law didn’t ask any more questions.

It was true that over the years, their family had been somewhat negligent in their interactions with the Yan family.

(End of chapter)

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