Chapter 604: Aggrieved and Pitiful [Many Thanks! Bowing Again! 42K Chapters Owed]

"How much for this drum?"

The girl's crisp voice rang out.

The tattooed young man standing nearby heard this, and his eyes lit up even more.

The peddler, looking at Seeing Qingcao's attire, smiled and said, "Little lady, that will be one hundred and thirty wen."

Seeing Qingcao made a move to put the rattle-drum back and asked, "Will you sell it for eighty wen?"

"Little lady, if I sell it to you at that price, I'll lose my shirt," the peddler laughed.

"Then forget it!" Seeing Qingcao said as she set the rattle-drum down.

Just as the peddler was about to speak again, he saw someone riding a horse approaching from the side.

"This lady's money is on me!"

The tattooed young man, seated on his horse, shouted loudly.

As soon as the young man finished speaking, a string of copper coins threaded with red rope flew toward the peddler.

"Slap."

The string of copper coins was steadily intercepted in mid-air by a large hand and gripped in its palm.

Gao Da, robust and towering, tossed the copper coins in his hand back to that person and smiled, saying, "My younger sister uses her own silver and copper; there's no need for outsiders to worry."

After speaking, Gao Da swept his gaze over the young man; seeing the fine fabric of the spring robe tied at his waist, Gao Da narrowed his eyes slightly.

In that brief moment, the companions of the tattooed young men who had been surrounding the three women realized that someone had not kept up.

Turning their heads to look, they reined their horses around and gathered toward the tattooed young man.

Passersby and common folk on the street, drawn by this commotion, involuntarily stopped to watch.

The tattooed young man on horseback clearly had some background; he was not intimidated by Gao Da's build or attire and smiled, saying, "Big brother, is this little lady your sister?"

"My elders serve in the Imperial Guard, and our family possesses a modest fortune; I wonder if this little sister would be willing to enter our household as a concubine?"

The smile on Gao Da's face vanished, and he said, "You see a lady and immediately ask if she's willing to be your concubine? Is this how your Laozi and your mother taught you?"

The tattooed young man's companion glared and scolded, "You scoundrel, how dare you speak like that!?"

Gao Da stared at the two of them and said indifferently, "I speak exactly as he does! Seeing that you folks are not yet grown, let me advise you: do not invite trouble upon yourselves!"

While Gao Da was speaking,

the other two tattooed young men stopped chasing the courtesans on horseback and also surrounded them, looking at Gao Da and smiling, "Invite trouble? It's just a matter of a little lady; what trouble could we possibly have?"

Inside the Rong family carriage, Rong Rong Feiyan, having been reminded by Seeing Ningxiang, was already looking outward.

Seeing Gao Da and Seeing Qingcao in front of the peddler's stall, Rong Rong Feiyan hurriedly lifted the carriage curtain even wider and looked around in all directions.

Seeing no sign of Xu Xu Zaijing anywhere around,

Rong Rong Feiyan looked at the two people being surrounded and said, "Go! Let's get down!"

As she spoke, Rong Rong Feiyan had already risen, moved past the two maids, and headed outward.

"Miss, your veiled hat!" Seeing Xi Bu hurriedly said.

"Oh!"

Saying this, Rong Rong Feiyan took the veiled hat and put it on her head.

After exiting the carriage, Rong Rong Feiyan did not wait for the coachman to place the stepping stool; instead, she directly supported herself with one hand on the carriage compartment while lifting her skirt hem with the other, squatted down, lowered her center of gravity, and then—

"Whoosh~"

—she jumped straight down from the carriage.

"Miss! Wait for us!" Seeing Xi Bu hurriedly called out from behind.

As Dai Rong Rong Feiyan approached the group, one of the tattooed young men laughed and said, "Ho! Looking at your appearance, you seem quite confident! Which family in the capital are you from?"

Gao Da turned his head to give Seeing Qingcao a reassuring glance, then cupped his hands and said, "I am the personal attendant of Han Wulang of the Xu family of Marquis Marquis Yongyi."

The four tattooed young men, who wore smiles on their faces, still maintained their grins while Gao Da was speaking.

But once they clearly heard the content of Gao Da's words, the smiles vanished from all four of their faces.

The young man who had first thrown the copper coins exchanged a glance with his companion, swallowed hard, and while dismounting his horse and looking at Gao Da, said with all his imposing manner completely gone, "Yong—cough cough cough! Marquis Marquis Yongyi's residence?"

"Correct!" Seeing Qingcao popped her head out from behind Gao Da and said, "We are from Marquis Marquis Yongyi's Hou Fu."

Before the young man who had thrown the copper coins could finish dismounting, he was grabbed by his companion.

The companion said, "Just because you say so, does that make it true? So what if it's Marquis Marquis Yongyi's Hou Fu? Even if Xu Xu Zaijing were standing right here, I would still..."

Before Gao Da, who wore a mocking smile, could speak,

"What are you all doing!"

A crisp female voice rang out from behind the crowd.

"Make way!"

Another shout followed, full of imposing manner.

The four tattooed young men on horseback all turned to look backward.

Seeing Rong Rong Feiyan, wearing a veiled hat and leading her maids, approaching with great presence, the four exchanged somewhat puzzled glances, after which one of them asked, "And which family are you from?"

"We are from Hou Fu Chang's Hou Fu! Our Young Master is Rong Rong Xian!" Seeing Ningxiang shouted fiercely.

Upon hearing these words, the eyes of the four tattooed young men lit up.

"Rong Rong Xian? Then you must be Miss Rong Feiyan of the Rong family!"

Behind the veiled hat, Rong Rong Feiyan saw her maid shout out her elder brother's name, yet the four tattooed young men showed no sign of being frightened; her heart felt slightly panicked.

But she still raised her chin slightly, staring at the four through the thin gauze, and said in a cold voice, "Indeed, my elder sister is Consort Rong. These two are noble servants of Marquis Marquis Yongyi's Hou Fu! They speak no lies."

While Rong Rong Feiyan was speaking, Gao Da in the crowd turned his head to glance at the peddler behind him.

Glared at by Gao Da, the peddler hurriedly whispered to Seeing Qingcao, "So you are noble servants of the Hou Fu; please, just take this rattle-drum."

Seeing Qingcao smiled, took two strings of copper coins from her purse, and placed them on the peddler's carrying pole.

And those four men, seated on horseback, looked down at Rong Rong Feiyan from above, one of them saying, "We thought we wouldn't get to see Miss Rong Feiyan's lovely face since we failed to obtain the Dou family's invitation, yet unexpectedly we encounter you here at Qi Yiqiu Gate."

Having spoken, this man puffed out his chest and continued, "Miss Rong Feiyan, my Xue family ancestors were Great Generals, and we have even produced an Empress! My aunt is currently the eldest sister-in-law of the Duke of Qi, and she has influence before Your Majesty and the Empress!"

"We heard from the Dou family that the Rong family intends to choose a husband for Miss Rong Feiyan! Miss Rong Feiyan, what do you think of me?"

Seeing Xi Bu and Seeing Ningxiang beside Rong Rong Feiyan frowned and exchanged a glance.

Seeing Xi Bu scolded, "You fellow, what nonsense are you spouting!"

Meanwhile, Brother Qingyun opposite them cupped his fists and bowed to Rong Rong Feiyan, declaring loudly, "Thank you, Miss, for speaking up righteously; this humble one is deeply grateful! With so many eyes and ears about, please return quickly to your carriage."

That young master of the Xue family glared, and relying on the broad view from his horseback, he scanned the surroundings to confirm safety before raising his horsewhip to scold Brother Qingyun:

"I am speaking with Miss Rong Feiyan! You are merely a Xu family attendant, so shut your mouth!"

Having spoken, the Xue young master looked again at Rong Rong Feiyan and said, "I am not spouting nonsense; the Dou family told us exactly this!"

"Yes, we all know it!"

The three men nearby echoed in agreement.

Hearing these words, Rong Rong Feiyan beneath her veiled hat knitted her brows tightly.

Glancing through the thin gauze at Brother Qingyun and Seeing Qingcao, Rong Rong Feiyan felt a slight panic in her heart, and after that panic came anger.

Just as she was about to open her mouth to refute, Rong Rong Feiyan suddenly remembered the teachings of that Nurse Kong whom the Rong family had invited previously.

'Miss Rong Feiyan, in the future you will have sisters-in-law, and the relationship between a sister-in-law and a younger sister of the husband is inherently very delicate.'

'But before outsiders, you must absolutely appear harmonious! Otherwise, at best you become a laughingstock, and at worst your reputation will be affected.'

Thinking of this, Rong Rong Feiyan took a deep breath.

But,

if she did not dismount the carriage today, Rong Rong Feiyan did not know when she would ever hear about these rumors being spread by the Dou family.

Thinking of the very friendly attitude she had maintained since Da Niangzi Dou entered the household, only to receive this repayment today!

Suddenly,

an image flashed through Rong Rong Feiyan's mind: at the entrance of a residence in Guangfu Ward, standing at the gate was—

A nameless grievance surged abruptly into Rong Rong Feiyan's heart, making her eyes burn hot and her nose sting sour.

On the other side, Brother Qingyun stared at the four men and said, "Gentlemen, whether you know or not, it would be best to speak with caution!"

"Why are you glaring at me, you scoundrel? Even if Xu Xu Zaijing were here, I would still say exactly this!"

At this moment,

"What are you talking about?"

A voice came down from the high city wall of Qi Yiqiu Gate.

Hearing this voice, Rong Rong Feiyan froze for a moment; she hastily used both hands to lift the thin gauze of her veiled hat and looked up toward the city wall.

Xu Xu Zaijing, who had been invited by the gate commander to walk a circuit along the city wall, possessed extremely sharp vision.

Looking down from the wall at Rong Rong Feiyan, who was pouting her small lips in grievance, her eyes red and filled with tears, gazing up at him with an expression full of hope,

Xu Xu Zaijing instantly froze!

Before Xu Xu Zaijing could take a second look,

several other gazes also turned toward him,

"Heavens, how is he on the city wall!"

"Quick, quick, quick! Go! Giddyup!"

Somewhat panicked and anxious voices came from below.

Below the city wall,

the several brocade-clad youths surrounding Rong Rong Feiyan spoke with voices full of panic, even bordering on the ridiculous.

Rong Rong Feiyan frequently practiced archery, using her soft bow.

Her eyesight had also been trained,

therefore,

she too saw Xu Xu Zaijing standing stunned on the city wall.

The moment he stood stunned coincided exactly with the moment she looked up; Rong Rong Feiyan was absolutely certain of this.

For some reason, the grievance in Rong Rong Feiyan's heart suddenly vanished into smoke; thinking of Xu Xu Zaijing's stunned appearance, she even felt a trace of very sweet, secret joy.

Her lips no longer pouted.

Happy, Rong Rong Feiyan forgot that she was still holding up the thin gauze of her veiled hat!

"Thump, thump, thump~"

Seeing Qingcao, similarly captivated by Rong Rong Feiyan's appearance, unconsciously moved the Er Lang Gu in her hand, sighing in her heart, "Oh, my Young Master..."

(End of Chapter)