Chapter 364

Heng Xian, Hua Ai Ai, city wall (generic), hunting grounds (generic)

hunting grounds (generic)

Twenty-One Cities, Ziying City Bai clan, Muqing City Mu clan, Wang clan, Nanyan City Song clan, millennium-old clan (generic)

Liuzhou City Chen clan

clan (generic), winter hunt hunting grounds (generic), great clans (generic), small clans (generic)

Wang clan, Muqing City, city lord's family (generic), Mu clan, great clan (generic), central position (generic), edge (generic)

host (generic), Song Clan Patriarch Song Nantian, Lady Li, great-clan ladies (generic)

Wang clan tent (generic)

Wang clan patriarch (generic), Heng Yue Ruo, elders (generic)

Wang Qing, center direction (generic), Wang clan, great clan (generic)

Wang Clan Grand Elder

Wang Qing, field (generic), trial-archery youths (generic), Wang clan's young men (generic)

Grand Elder, Heng Yue Ruo, Twenty-One Cities Alliance, Heng De, Wang clan

Wang Qing, Heng Yue Ruo

Heng Yue Ruo, patriarch (generic), senior lady (generic), Second Uncle, Wang clan, medicinal pills (generic), spirit stones (generic), herbs (generic)

Heng Yue Ruo, natal elder brother (generic)

Wang Clan Elders, Heng Yue Ruo, Tie Niangzi

Wang Qing

Heng Yue Ruo, brother (generic)

(none new)

Wang Clan Elders

central tent (generic), Ziying City Bai Clan Patriarch's Wife

(none)

various great-clan ladies (generic), young masters (generic), misses (generic)

The matriarch of the Mu family in Muqing City, short‑statured and with a slightly gloomy visage, gave a faint smile and said, "Lady Tie thinks we're making a racket; she's well‑read and reasonable, comes from a great clan, and prefers quiet!"

The sarcasm was very obvious.

Because the seats were clearly arranged by them!

"Too bullying!" Wang Qing clenched his fists and angrily muttered under his breath.

A group of Wang family elders remained silent.

Heng Yue Ru glanced over, smiled, and retorted, "It's not that I find it noisy; I just can't get a word in. I don't have the broad experience of you ladies—within a few hundred li, I know every family's affairs inside and out!"

"Lady Tie actually admits she's lacking in insight!" hehehe… A group of ladies covered their mouths and chuckled, completely ignoring Heng Yue Ru's implied meaning.

The matriarch of the Song family from Nanyan City, a kind‑looking woman whose smile never left her face, gave a gentle smile and said, "Lady Tie, why sit so far away? Come here, let's prepare a stool for the Wang family lady!"

"Yes!" a few servants, with odd expressions, brought over several stools and placed them before the ladies.

Seeing this, Wang Qing and the Wang family elders' faces instantly turned grim.

Sitting on a low stool in front of others is the treatment reserved for juniors and servants.

When did the chief lady of the Wang family of the Twenty‑One Cities become so lowly?

Heng Yue Ru's expression also changed; being naturally competitive, when had she ever suffered such humiliation?

Seeing her hesitate, the Song family matriarch's smile faded a little: "What's the matter? Lady Tie, do you look down on me?"

Heng Yue Ru's breathing grew rough as she gazed at the head of the Song family, Song Nantian.

Song Nantian immediately turned his head to the side and raised his cup in a toast with a senior elder of a minor clan.

The atmosphere became extremely awkward.

The matriarch of the Bai family, pretending to tidy the hair by her ear, said, "Boss Heng is still soaking in the water, you know!"

The implication is that your brother, Lady Tie, is still in prison; if you want to save him, you naturally need to ask us—will you accept this humiliation or not?

"Aunt, let's go!" Wang Qing and the several Wang family misses and young masters behind him said through gritted teeth.

Heng Yue Ru, however, shook her head, rose with a faint smile, and walked toward the stools.

"Aunt!" Wang Qing and the others' faces changed; they then steeled themselves, facing countless gazes, and followed behind.

Even if humiliated, it was impossible to let Aunt suffer the humiliation herself.

Watching Heng Yue Ru and her group obediently sit on the low stools up front like a bunch of ugly servants, the vanity of the Song, Bai, and Mu matriarchs and the other ladies was immensely satisfied, and they couldn't help laughing 'hehe' together.

"Hehe…"

Since time immemorial, many have enjoyed watching others' jokes; from all directions, the ladies and misses of the various cities and great clans whispered among themselves and joined in the laughter.

At this moment, feeling dead inside outweighed the shame.

Especially for someone like Heng Yue Ru, who has been competitive and strong‑willed her whole life.

She unconsciously stared blankly at the sky, her whole person falling into a daze, all her stubbornness and persistence vanishing from her eyes.

Wang Qing and the Wang family's direct descendants lowered their heads slightly, eyes bloodshot.

Just then, at the gate of the hunting grounds, a group of people rode fierce beasts and horses, galloping in; leading them was a youth in splendid robes, his face like a jade crown, full of arrogance, drawing the crowd's gazes.

Not far away, a lady from a great clan chuckled hehe and said, "My son is eighteen, already at the First Tier of the Qi Sea Realm, has been tentatively accepted as a disciple by the Eastern Emperor Palace, and the Chu royal family is intentionally or unintentionally seeking a marriage alliance with us!"

The meaning behind her words was very obvious.

Yet the crowd ate it up, because after all she was stating facts; unsurprisingly, this youth's future is limitless!

Thus they all offered congratulations and well‑wishes.

That lady returned each greeting, her face full of a satisfied, contented smile.

After that youth took his seat, many more youths and girls entered, as if arranged beforehand; each had considerable background—either exceptionally talented or uniquely distinctive—so they all won the crowd's applause.

Then another group entered, led by two handsome young men whose fine looks and outstanding talent drew extra attention.

Madam Bai covered her mouth and laughed: "The one with fairer skin is my son Bai Zixuan, an inner disciple of the Divine Blade Palace!"

The other, slightly darker-skinned one, is my maternal nephew—a direct disciple of the Da Luo Holy Sect, Wang Ling of Du Capital, reportedly a master on the Earth Ranking, and he has reached the Ninth Level of the Qi Hai Realm; what a little troublemaker!

(End of Chapter)