Chapter 343

In Jinming Pool,

the sturdy women pushed the bamboo poles hard, letting the pleasure boat sail slowly on the water surface.

On both sides of the pleasure boat carrying the noble young ladies, there was a small boat responsible for guarding, and on the small boat sat women familiar with the water, guarding against anyone falling into the water.

Seeing the noble young lady on the pleasure boat catch a big fish, the women on both the small boat and the pleasure boat looked over one after another.

Further away,

there were several other pleasure boats, from which the laughter of men could be heard from time to time.

On the Gu family's pleasure boat,

the fifth young lady of the Zhang family lifted the fishing rod, and without using any landing net, she hooked the fish with the rod and moved it toward the water bucket.

When it approached the pleasure boat, the fish thrashed violently in mid-air.

Under the fish's violent struggle, the water droplets splashed out, causing the noble young ladies watching to dodge one after another.

But the fifth young lady of the Zhang family not only didn't put the fish into the bucket, but instead brought the fish toward the noble young ladies.

As a result, the water droplets on the fish splashed even more violently, and the noble young ladies' dodging, screaming, and laughing also grew louder.

"Ah!"

"Oh my!"

"Fifth young lady, don't mess around!"

"Fifth young lady, hurry up and put the fish in the bucket! Ah!!!"

"Oh my, my new clothes!"

Seeing the somewhat disheveled appearance of the noble young ladies, the fifth young lady covered her mouth with her arm and giggled.

Seeing the fifth young lady being so naughty, Gu Tingyi in the boat shouted:

"Fifth young lady, you are too naughty! If you do this again, I will definitely tell the Duchess!"

"And the Marquis of Zhongjing!"

Hearing her mother's name, the fifth young lady was still somewhat indifferent,

but hearing the name Marquis of Zhongjing, she somewhat sheepishly and with lingering interest put the fish into the bucket and said:

"Alright, Sister Tingyi, I'll give you some face."

The few noble young ladies around wiped the water droplets from their hands and faces with handkerchiefs, and leaned over to look at the water bucket.

When the fish thrashed its tail, the few of them hurriedly dodged back again.

Subsequently, the pavilion on the pleasure boat became quiet again.

Chai Zhengzheng smiled and withdrew her gaze from the few noble young ladies, refilled a cup of tea for Gu Tingyi, and looked at the sturdy woman who was pushing the pole:

"Sister Tingyi, just now before boarding the boat, I saw these two mamas brought from the Marquis of Ningyuan Mansion; they seem to have practiced martial arts?"

Gu Tingyi turned her head to look and nodded:

"Hmm! These two mamas came to our house when my sister-in-law got married; they come from the Zhu Family Fortress north of Xiangzhou and have practiced some martial arts since childhood."

"Before, our house..."

After Gu Tingyi said two words, she shook her head and didn't continue, changing the subject and continuing:

"Sister-in-law knew I was coming to Jinming Pool for a boat trip, so she let these two mamas who know how to swim follow; they have played by the river since childhood and know how to swim."

Chai Zhengzheng had a thoughtful expression in her eyes: "Oh! Zhu Family Fortress? Is that the aunt's family of the Xu family's eldest young lady?"

"Yes!"

Hearing Gu Tingyi's affirmation, Chai Zhengzheng also smiled and looked at the two Zhu family mamas who were pushing the boat.

Suddenly,

in Chai Zhengzheng's line of sight, the light in the pavilion of the pleasure boat dimmed.

It turned out that the pleasure boat had sailed under the Immortal Bridge in Jinming Pool.

The Immortal Bridge spanned the south side of Jinming Pool, connecting the Five Halls in the pool to the Lingxing Gate on the south side.

After passing under the Immortal Bridge and continuing to sail forward, it was the Linshui Hall, and past the Linshui Hall was the tent where they had watched the race before.

At this time, from the direction of the tent, a small boat was sailing toward the pleasure boat; on it sat a few maids, who were here to deliver the lunch prepared in the tent on the shore.

The servant women adjusted the direction of the pleasure boat so that the slightly scorching sunlight couldn't shine in.

The noble young ladies used lunch on the boat; they were all of the same age, so naturally there was no rule of not talking while eating.

The pleasure boat sailing in the pool transmitted the laughter of the noble young ladies from time to time.

After the meal, everyone drank tea, sometimes chatting about poetry and songs in the capital, sometimes chatting about needlework, and sometimes chatting about the ways of managing a household.

At this time, Chai Zhengzheng and Gu Tingyi and the others were listening to Rong Feiyan speak.

The content of the conversation was some palace etiquette knowledge taught to her by Kong Mama these days; as the younger sister of a favored concubine, Rong Feiyan was considered the young lady among them who entered the palace most frequently.

Not only did she have 'theoretical knowledge', but she also had rich 'practical and observational experience'.

Listening to the young ladies nodding incessantly.

After Rong Feiyan finished speaking, she took a sip of tea to moisten her throat.

Gu Tingyi said with a worried face:

"Hey! Sister-in-law is giving birth next month! Mother said that I have to assist her in hosting the banquet by then!"

"But, it's so difficult! I've forgotten many things..."

Hai Chaoyun, who heard this to the side, smiled and said:

"Sister Tingyi, what's so difficult about this?"

"Just like the seating arrangement, first distinguish whether it's a matter for the men or the women, then look at the official status, background, seniority, whether they have titles, and whether there are kinship relations, as well as the closeness of the relationship..."

"Like Master Hong, the Magistrate of Yang Zhou who has just been promoted back to the capital, his Madam Peng comes from the Marquis of Fu'an Peng family, and Madam Peng's younger sister is married to Master Lu, a Vice Director of the Ministry of Revenue; the official ranks of the two sisters' husbands are the same! But because Master Lu handled his duties well last year, this younger sister has already been granted a title, so, in terms of seating..."

"Also, the Marquis of Fu'an Peng family has a distant relative who was once engaged to the nineteenth young master of the ninth branch of the Sun family in Xishui Gate, but it didn't happen, and I heard it was very unpleasant! So..."

"The Ma family of the Marquis of Jinxiang needs even more attention..."

Listening to Hai Chaoyun talking eloquently, everyone on the boat showed expressions of admiration.

After Hai Chaoyun stopped talking.

"Sister Chaoyun, do you have a small booklet recording these things?"

Chai Zhengzheng asked with full emotion.

Hai Chaoyun said with slight surprise: "Sister Chai, you... how did you know? I couldn't remember clearly before, so I just recorded it in a booklet."

Just after saying this,

Hai Chaoyun felt that she was suddenly surrounded by people.

Gu Tingyi even hugged her arm, her eyes full of stars, and said:

"Sister Chaoyun, from today on, you are my own sister."

"Bring the booklet here and let sister take a look."

Hai Chaoyun smiled slightly and said:

"I haven't needed to carry the booklet since I was twelve..."

"Besides, some things were inquired about by Mother from Madam Wu."

The fifth young lady of the Zhang family, who was sitting to the side without speaking, put down the teacup in her hand and looked back at the crowd looking at her suspiciously:

"Why are you looking at me?"

"Fifth young lady, the Duchess and Madam Wu have a good relationship; doesn't your family have such a booklet?"

"Yes, but Fan Mama is the one looking at it."

Subsequently, the young ladies on the pleasure boat and their personal maids began to communicate, verifying some news they had heard.

The ones asked the most were Fan Mama beside the fifth young lady, and Miss Zhu Jian and Baoxiu beside Hai Chaoyun.

In fact, many pieces of news were definitely known by the Madams of each family, but the young ladies didn't know, so they all treated them as novel anecdotes.

And the ones busiest recording were Ningxiang and Seeing Xi Bu beside Rong Feiyan; relying on the relationship with Concubine Rong, the Rong family Madam was also familiar with Madam Wu.

Although there were quite a few official families gathered near the Rong family, the family foundation was not deep, and the things they knew were mostly about noble martial officials, but they didn't know much about civil officials.

Everyone was talking excitedly,

suddenly,

in the distance of the pleasure boat, an exclamation came.

Attracting the attention of everyone on the pleasure boat.

Gu Tingyi asked while looking outside the boat: "What's wrong?"

"Replying to the young lady, a boat has capsized there, and people have fallen into the water!"

"What?"

Hearing this, everyone in the pleasure boat walked outside one after another, standing outside the pavilion on the boat, Gu Tingyi said anxiously:

"Quick, let our family's small boat go save people!"

In Jinming Pool, similar words came from other pleasure boats from afar.

And just as Gu Tingyi finished speaking,

a pleasure boat sailed toward the place where the boat capsized in the eyes of everyone.

With the poles plus the six or seven oars extending from both sides, the speed of this boat was still quite fast.

On the bow of that boat, there was also a young man standing in the wind, shouting:

"Young lady, don't panic! I am the fifth young master of the Duke of Korea's mansion; I'm here to save you! Faster!"

Saying this, the oars beside the pleasure boat rowed even faster.

In the Gu family's pleasure boat, the fifth young lady of the Zhang family looked at Chai Zhengzheng with some suspicion and said:

"He... how did he know it was a young lady?"

The boat was silent,

and the fifth young lady of Minister Li's mansion squinted her eyes to look over there, feeling the blur in front of her eyes, she said in a low voice with some uncertainty:

"Could it be... that his eyesight is better?"

Fan Mama to the side looked at the young ladies in the boat and said in a voice that everyone could hear clearly:

"What a coincidence! How come it's always this fifth young master of the Duke of Korea's mansion who runs into such things for us to see? Last time outside Yiqiu Gate, he saved a woman who was being bullied, right?"

"Yes, Fan Mama."

During the time they were talking,

the Zhu family's sister-in-law beside the boat said: "Look, they haven't sunk yet; these three who fell into the water look like they know how to swim..."

Subsequently,

Han Wulang, who was at the bow of that pleasure boat, jumped into the water.

Although the boat Gu Tingyi and the others were riding didn't go over, just sending the guarding small boat, there were other pleasure boats that sailed directly over.

Amidst the exclamations and sighs of the young ladies on the pleasure boat that sailed over, Han Wulang sent two young ladies to the Gu family's small boat.

After sending another woman to his own pleasure boat, Han Wulang then grabbed the boatman's pole and got on the boat.

Amidst the applause, Han Chengyun looked at the Gu family's pleasure boat not far away, smiled slightly, and shook the pool water off his head, thinking he was dashing.

Then, in his line of sight, everyone on the Gu family's boat entered the pavilion on the boat.

This made his movements freeze; after taking the towel handed over by the little servant, he pondered:

"Is that Chai family young lady really on the Gu family's boat?"

"Yes, young master."

"Go, go over and thank the Gu family for their help..."

"Yes, young master."

But just as the Han family's boat moved, another pleasure boat stood in the way of the Han family's boat stern, and the small flag with the character 'Dou' was very eye-catching.

In the pavilion of the Dou family's boat, two young ladies lifted the hanging silk gauze and looked over.

While looking, they whispered to each other.

A little servant to the side hurriedly said:

"Young master, this is the boat of the Duke of Fu'an Dou family; the two legitimate daughters of the Dou family are also on the boat today."

Han Chengyun bowed to the pleasure boats gathering from afar, and amidst the praise coming from afar, he scolded the little servant in a low voice:

"Who cares about the Dou family?"

"I am going to thank the Gu family or the Chai family!"

"Go around!"

The little servant hurriedly obeyed and let the Han family's pleasure boat move.

But the Dou family's boat kept leaning over, and one could even see the boat woman of the Dou family throwing a rope, preparing to throw it onto the Han family's boat.

There was also a well-dressed Dou family servant woman standing by the boat, bowing and saying:

"Is this the fifth young master of the Duke of Korea's mansion?"

Han Chengyun bowed perfunctorily, and the little servant replied: "Exactly!"

The servant woman bowed again and said:

"Your fifth young master is warm-hearted and saves people in danger! Although the spring day is warm, you must be careful not to catch a cold!"

"Please drink a cup of hot tea to drive away the cold!"

When this servant woman was speaking, in the small pavilion on the boat, the two young ladies continued to lift the silk gauze and look at Han Chengyun.

Han Chengyun stood on tiptoe and leaned forward, looking at the Gu family's pleasure boat walking further and further away, and said with some irritability:

"No need, please move aside."

Hearing Han Chengyun's words, the boatman on the boat hurriedly rowed forward, preparing to go around the Dou family's pleasure boat.

But the Dou family's boat kept leaning over.

Han Chengyun didn't expect that one day he would be so entangled by others.

Before, it was he who entangled others like this!

After dodging, the Han family's boat finally went around the side of the Dou family's pleasure boat.

Han Chengyun looked at the woman looking over with some resentment in the pavilion of the opposite boat and glared back fiercely.

Relying on his own boat's speed,

the Han family's pleasure boat caught up before the Gu family's pleasure boat reached the shore.

The Gu family's pleasure boat naturally wouldn't compete with the Han family's, still sailing slowly toward the shore.

The maids and mamas of each family stood behind the silk gauze of the pavilion, blocking the view from outside.

Sailing alongside the Gu family's pleasure boat, Han Chengyun, who was still somewhat wet, stood by the boat, bowed, and cupped his hands:

"Thank you for your help just now; Cheng Yun is here to pay his respects."

While speaking, he raised his head and looked straight into the pavilion of the boat.

But, in the pavilion on the boat, there were only maids and servant women behind the silk gauze, and what he saw through the gaps were the noble young ladies with their backs to him.

By the boat, Fan Mama of the Duke of England's mansion stood outside the pavilion and said with a smile:

"Just a casual act, Master Han is too polite."

Han Chengyun continued: "No, no, no, I should choose a day to go to your mansions to thank you properly!"

Fan Mama put away her smile and said loudly:

"Master Han! There are female relatives on the boat, so it's not convenient to talk more! There's no need to thank us! Master Han, please feel free!"

Saying this, the small boat guarding beside the Gu family's pleasure boat inserted itself between the two boats.

Han Chengyun looked at Fan Mama who bowed to him and didn't speak again.

After waving his hand with a smile, the Han family's boat speed dropped.

Anchored on the water surface, looking at the many noble young ladies who went ashore via the boat board and walked into the tent, Han Chengyun looked back fiercely at the Dou family's pleasure boat that had followed.

If it weren't for this boat, he could have said a few more words on this journey!

"Go ashore!"

After returning to the shore, while waiting for the Han family's carriage to come over, the little servant who followed ashore put a cloak on Han Chengyun and said:

"Young master, this Dou family is also a Duke's mansion; looking at the appearance of their young ladies, they like you, why not..."

Han Chengyun withdrew his gaze from Gu Tingyi and the others and scolded:

"What do you know!"

The little servant hurriedly lowered his head to admit his mistake.

Looking around and seeing that they were all his own trusted aides, he continued: "Do you know what the Tian family boy of the Earl of Huixian said?"

"Young master, what?"

"His mother went to the Marquis of Tuoxi Cao family and heard from Madam Cao that these Gu and Chai families have earned tens of thousands of guan in just these few months!"

"It won't be less in the future! If I marry either of them, will I still worry about money? The Dou family? Pfft!"

"Don't look at them with their backs to me now; who knows how they view my act of saving people in their hearts!"

The little servant hurriedly bowed.

While the young ladies of each family were still boating in Jinming Pool,

northwest of Bianjing,

thousands of miles away,

at the border between Great Zhou and the Bai Gao Kingdom,

looking out from the military camp of the Bai Gao Kingdom,

rumbling war drums came,

and in several huge military formations,

war flags with large characters such as 'Cao', 'Zhe', and 'Zhong' were fluttering in the wind!

(End of chapter)