Young Master Du was on friendly terms with Yun Zhaobai, Fuyi’s elder brother, so out of respect for that relationship, Fuyi did not put him in a difficult position. Instead, she turned her gaze toward the others. “Just now, as we passed through the apricot grove, we saw several servants driving people away, saying that noble personages were composing poetry here and that ordinary people were not allowed to disturb. We wanted to come in and pay our respects to noble personages. I trust that none of you will hold our intrusion against us, will you?”
“Of course not! These noble personages are surely magnanimous and wouldn’t take offense against us,” Yang Erlang said with a mocking tone as he twirled his riding whip. “Isn’t that right, Your Excellencies?”
With a touch of exaggeration, Lin Xiaowu shielded her lips with a handkerchief as she laughed in a pretend daintiness. “When we return today, we’ll be sure to spread the word about Your Excellencies’s generosity to us. We don’t want to be deprived of enjoying the apricot grove like those ordinary people, do we?”
“Drive you out of the apricot grove?” Young Master Du was puzzled. “What do you mean by that?”
“Oh, come now, what short memories you have, Your Excellency.” Cao Sanlang, the third son of General Cao, was a tall and imposing figure. When he imitated Yang Erlang’s mocking tone, the words he spoke were all the more cutting. “If we hadn’t seen it with our own eyes, you’d probably deny it ever happened.”
Young Master Du glanced at Fuyi, and seeing that she did not deny the accusation, he realized it must be true. He hurriedly turned back to his group, demanding, “Who among you was responsible for this?”
The young literati exchanged uneasy glances. Even His Majesty allowed commoners to enjoy this place—who among them could be so bold as to drive the people away?
Someone noticed Lu Tanhua’s uneasy expression, “Lu Tanhua, was this the work of your servants?”
Lu Tanhua couldn’t understand why his new acquaintances were so nervous—it was just a few commoners. If this had been in Lingbei, those low-class people would have made way for them without being told to. It was only in the capital that the commoners were so insolent, requiring his servants to intervene.
“We were reciting and composing poems here. If those uncouth ignorants disturbed us, wouldn’t it ruin the atmosphere?” Lu Tanhua did not deny it. “Besides, the apricot grove is large enough. They can go somewhere else to admire the blossoms—”
“Oh, so you mean everyone else is uncouth, while you are a celestial being who doesn’t need to eat or drink?” Fuyi said sarcastically, “Since you are so divine, why are you staying in this mortal world? Why don’t you quickly ascend to heaven, so that we uncouth people won’t taint your divine presence?”
“You!” Lu Tanhua, with his delicate features and literary talent, had always been highly praised despite his status as a mere side branch member of the Lu clan. He had never been mocked by a woman like this before, and his anger made him tremble and gnash his teeth. “Such crudeness is a disgrace to civility!”
“How many books have you read? For someone so scholarly, you seem to have missed the lesson that those in high positions should care for the common people,” Fuyi raised an eyebrow. “Or did all those readings enter not a human’s brain, but a dog’s stomach? If that’s the case, instead of reciting poetry, why not get down and bark like one?”
“Crude! Shameless!” Lu Tanhua panted with rage. “I am a descendant of the Lingbei Lu clan, personally appointed by His Majesty as this year’s Tanhua scholar! Who are you to insult us like this?!”
His literati friends immediately averted their gaze—‘Yes, you are insulted, but don’t drag us into it! This has nothing to do with us!’
“I am but a citizen of Great Long, without rank or title, just one among the millions of common people,” Fuyi said as she unfastened the riding whip from her waist. “You defy His Majesty’s orders and drive out the common folk for your own benefit. Anyone in this land has the right to criticize you—how am I in the wrong?”
“You’re just a woman, not even with a rank, yet you dare to disrespect a man and superior. Truly lacking a sense of propriety,” Lu Tanhua sneered, confident that this insolent woman had no idea he was about to become the future husband of the Junzhu young lady from the Shun Wang family. Offending him would be as good as offending Shun Wang!
At the words ‘just a woman,’ several of the young ladies who had been composing poetry alongside him frowned.
Unlike the demure young ladies, Lin Xiaowu had no scruples. She immediately leaped up and kicked Lu Tanhua in the knee, sending him stumbling back a few steps.
“What kind of so-called scholar is this? His mouth is so dirty.” Lin Xiaowu brushed off her skirt and then flashed a bright smile at Fuyi. “Fuyi, how was my kick? Pretty accurate, right?”
“You dare to assault a court official? I will surely report this to His Majesty!” Lu Tanhua hadn’t expected the capital’s women to be so brazen, treating a Tanhua scholar like him with such contempt. Pointing a trembling finger at Lin Xiaowu, he sputtered, “You are uncivilized, no better than a rat!”
Fuyi glanced at his outstretched finger, and with a swift kick, sent Lu Tanhua tumbling into a muddy ditch outside the pavilion, where he struggled in vain to climb out.
“Oh, what a lively scene we have here.” A palace eunuch strode into the apricot grove, clearly high-ranking from his attire. Seemingly oblivious to Lu Tanhua struggling in the ditch, he flicked his horsetail whisk and smiled, “Greetings to all the young masters and young misses. His Imperial Highness has arrived—please prepare to receive him.”
Before the stunned crowd could ponder why the Prince would suddenly appear here, they hurriedly adjusted their clothing and hair ornaments. Soon, they saw the Jinwu Guards leading the way with their swords, followed by Imperial Guards carrying decorated grass umbrellas, peacock fans, and flags embroidered with the figure of a mythical auspicious beast. The Prince sat upon the golden palanquin, his arrival marked with great ceremony.
Seeing that the Prince was traveling with half of the regalia of a crown prince, the two groups assumed he must be here on official business. They bowed their heads and stood silently, not daring to make a sound.
Su Tingheng descended from the golden palanquin, his gaze sweeping briefly over the waterlogged ditch before settling on Fuyi.
“Miss Yun, come forward to receive the edict.”
Everyone hurriedly knelt on the ground, still in a daze, as the Prince read the imperial edict aloud. As the pleasant voice recited word upon word of flowery compliments, it took them a long moment to process what they were hearing.
A character hidden with virtues like precious jewels?
Utmost loyalty, undeterred by danger?
Proficient in both literature and martial arts?
Who is this edict describing?!
Yun Fuyi?!
“Yun Junjun.” Su Tingheng approached Fuyi, bent down to help her up, and placed the imperial edict in her hands. “Your loyalty and righteousness are well appreciated by both Father Emperor and Mother Empress.”
Fuyi held the not-so-heavy scroll, completely bewildered. She had only been away from the capital for three years—had things changed this much? Was it now customary for a Prince to go all the way to the suburb to look for a mere marquis daughter, instead of informing her to set up a full altar at home and receive the edict while kneeling and with a full kowtow?
Was it her father’s unwavering loyalty that won the Emperor’s favor, or was it her act of saving the Empress?
“What creature is in that ditch?” Su Tingheng turned his head slightly, looking towards the murky water with an indifferent expression, and then issued an order to the Jinwu Guards: “Wild boars are prone to harm people—shoot it immediately.”
Lu Tanhua, who was hiding in the muddy water because he was too embarrassed to show his face, instantly froze in terror.
Is His Highness referring to… him as the wild boar?!
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Author’s Note:
Su Tingheng: Wild boars are dangerous—kill.
The idlers gang: We might call ourselves idlers or dandies, but what should others call us?
Answer: The noble and righteous wandering chevaliers!
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I want to be part of this wandering chevaliers crew!! They’re so much fun 😂😂