Chapter 11: Waiting for Xu Xian

"A misunderstanding, it's all a misunderstanding!"

Liu Ju was the first to react; she gave a hollow laugh and hurriedly tried to smooth things over.

What kind of mess is this!

This group of people is simply stuffed full and looking for trouble; why do you care if someone is a scholar or not? They didn't eat a single grain of your rice when they boarded the boat, so why are you being so difficult?

She cursed Liu Songjin and the others in her heart, but her face was piled with smiles: "It's all just a misunderstanding, we didn't know each other before this fight, and since we are all scholars, let's just laugh off our grudges."

"Young Master Liu, hurry inside and change your clothes."

Liu Songjin was still dripping with water, shivering from the cold, and in a fit of shame and anger, he said: "So what if this brat is a scholar? He threw me into the water and I nearly drowned; I will absolutely not let this matter rest!"

Liu Ju frowned.

Didn't you start by slandering him for not being a scholar, and then bring people over to pick a fight?

So much damn nonsense!

Su Bie sneered and spoke up: "Liu Songjin, don't say you won't let this matter rest; I, Su Bie, won't let it rest either! Brother Zijun was brought on board by me, and you deliberately slandered him in public and tried to drive him off the boat—you are slapping me, Su Bie, in the face! And slapping it quite loudly at that!"

Wang Dafu, who was to the side, also sneered: "This isn't just slapping Brother Su in the face, it's also slapping the Prefect and the entire Prefectural Office in the face! The name of Brother Zijun is clearly posted right at the entrance of the Prefectural Office, yet you, Liu Songjin, are so arrogant that you deliberately slandered Brother Zijun for not being a scholar—what immense gall!"

Liu Songjin was anxious and furious: "I didn't deliberately slander him! It was..."

He suddenly stopped speaking, glanced at Sun Yan'er in front, his face turning pale and green, and he didn't dare to continue.

"Alright, alright, that's enough, let's all say a little less! There are distinguished guests arriving on the shore, and I must go to welcome them. If you continue to make a scene, don't blame me for being heartless!"

Liu Ju waved her hand impatiently, glanced at the shore, and hurriedly led her maids away with quick steps.

By this time, many people had already gathered here.

The crowd understood the ins and outs of the matter, and now they were all laughing at Liu Songjin, who looked like a drowned rat, while some women were giggling and whispering to each other.

"Looking down on people with dog eyes, slandering others for not being scholars."

"Just to show off in front of Sun Yan'er, and now look, he's become a drowned dog..."

"Heh heh..."

Hearing these discussions, Liu Songjin was instantly so ashamed he couldn't show his face; he didn't dare to linger, and immediately entered the cabin with his head down and a flushed face to change his clothes.

"Tch, what an idiot."

Su Bie gave a mocking laugh, pulled Luo Zijun along and said: "Let's go, Brother Zijun, let's go inside and drink, no need to lower ourselves to that guy's level."

The three of them entered the cabin together.

Zhang Yitian hesitated for a moment, then followed them in.

Meanwhile, at the railing outside, Sun Yan'er was still standing in the same spot, her expression blank, muttering to herself: "Impossible... impossible... how could he be a scholar?"

Huang Zhaodi and the others to the side were all looking at each other in dismay.

"That Liu Songjin relies on his family having a little money, so he has always liked to look down on others, and he loves to show off in front of women—it's disgusting. Brother Zijun, don't take it to heart. If he dares to trouble you in the future, I naturally won't let him off."

Inside the cabin, seeing Luo Zijun looking absent-minded, Su Bie thought he had just been frightened and hurriedly comforted him.

In fact, Luo Zijun was thinking about Xu Xian.

It was already this late, and Xu Xian still hadn't arrived; could some accident have happened on the way?

The accident that worried him most was that Xu Xian might have already met Bai Niangzi by West Lake.

"By the way, why hasn't Brother Xu arrived yet?"

He couldn't help but ask.

Su Bie was stunned upon hearing this, turned to look out the window, and said: "That guy has always liked to dawdle, don't worry, he will definitely come tonight."

Wang Dafu, to the side, laughed: "It seems Brother Zijun is very concerned about that Xu Xian."

Luo Zijun pretended to explain casually: "I had just heard Brother Xu's name before, and since Brother Su happens to be his good friend, I wanted to get to know him."

While the few were chatting, Huang Zhaodi, dressed in a pale yellow dress, suddenly walked over, looked at Luo Zijun, and said coldly: "Luo Zijun, the matter just now was our fault, we misunderstood you. But as a man, you should have a broader mind; since Yan'er didn't take a fancy to you, you should let go gracefully, why must you resort to insulting her? It brings shame to the refinement of a scholar!"

Luo Zijun looked at her, still saying the same thing: "How did I insult her?"

Huang Zhaodi snorted coldly, didn't argue with him further, and said: "Anyway, I just came to tell you, don't go pestering Yan'er again in the future; let this matter end here."

After saying this, she turned and left gracefully.

Luo Zijun was completely bewildered. What did she mean by "don't go pestering her again in the future"?

Had he ever pestered her before?

"Zijun, do you have a history with that Sun Guniang?"

Su Bie looked curious.

Wang Dafu, to the side, also laughed: "Brother Zijun, tell us, we are brothers, we certainly won't laugh at you."

Luo Zijun hadn't taken that matter to heart in the first place, so seeing the two of them asking, he just spoke about it casually.

"Our ancestors once knew each other and arranged a childhood betrothal; that day, we followed our elders' orders and met for the first time, but neither of us took a fancy to the other..."

Wang Dafu gave a hehe laugh: "Brother Zijun, that's not right, is it? Judging by what that Huang Guniang said just now, it was that Sun Guniang who didn't take a fancy to you, right?"

Su Bie, to the side, hurriedly stopped him: "Brother Wang."

Wang Dafu laughed: "Brother Su, you underestimate Brother Zijun; look at him, does he look like he's taking this to heart? We're just asking out of curiosity, no other meaning, Brother Zijun won't blame us."

Luo Zijun gave a bitter smile: "Actually, I didn't want to go, it was my sister who forced me to go. Brother Wang is right, I truly haven't taken this matter to heart."

He came here with his mind set on Xu Xian and Bai Niangzi; such affairs of the heart had absolutely nothing to do with him, so naturally, he wouldn't care.

!

Wang Dafu glanced outside, a smile on his face as he said: "Looking at the situation just now, that Sun Guniang didn't seem to know before that Brother Zijun was a scholar, right?"

Su Bie also reacted: "Brother Zijun only passed the scholar exam a few days ago, no wonder, no wonder."

He seemed to have suddenly understood something.

Wang Dafu snorted coldly: "That Sun Guniang thought Brother Zijun was just an apprentice at a Pharmacy, so she didn't look at him at all, but now that she knows Brother Zijun's status as a scholar, I wonder what she's thinking."

Su Bie advised: "A good horse doesn't eat grass behind it; Brother Zijun, such a woman, who prides herself on being noble and looks down on others, is not worth it."

Wang Dafu laughed and said, "Brother Luo doesn't look like the type to look back; what's the point of a woman like that? Brother Luo, follow me from now on, and I'll take you to the Brothel to see those gentle, considerate women with eyes as watery as spring."

Su Bie laughed heartily and said, "Brother Luo probably really hasn't been to see them."

Zhang Yitian, who had been silent for a long time at the side, also laughed and said, "Then in a few days, we shall take Brother Luo along to see them."

"Good, it's a deal."

Wang Dafu clapped his hands and boasted quite proudly, "I am a regular at those few Brothels in the Outer City; there isn't a woman in those houses I don't know. Which of those women doesn't beam with joy, eyes watery as spring, and waist swaying like a water snake when she sees me?"

The few of them laughed out loud.

Luo Zijun secretly thought it was boring.

During this period, he had often followed his master to Brothels to treat those young women.

Having seen so many, he had absolutely no interest at all.

The few of them chatted idly for a while, and the guests had almost all arrived.

Liu Mama stood at the ship's rail, peered toward the shore for a while, and prepared to have someone pull up the wooden bridge.

At this moment, a boy dressed as a page boy ran over, stepped onto the wooden bridge, said a few words to Liu Mama, and then turned and left.

Liu Mama frowned and ordered someone to remove the wooden bridge.

Watching from the window, Luo Zijun hurriedly said, "Brother Su, Liu Mama is already pulling up the bridge; why hasn't Brother Xu arrived yet?"

Su Bie looked out the window, also puzzled: "Strange, could it be that Brother Xu suddenly has something to do and can't make it tonight?"

Don't do this, big brother!

Luo Zijun felt secretly anxious in his heart.

He had come here tonight to take the opportunity to meet Xu Xian; if Xu Xian didn't come, then what was the point of him sitting here?

To listen to these people brag and watch the song and dance performances on stage?

A waste of life!

At this time, Liu Mama swayed her waist and hips as she entered the cabin, looked around, and came straight to their table.

"Young Master Su, the page boy of Young Master Xu Xian just came to pass on a message, saying that Young Master Xu has something to do tonight and cannot come. He asks you all to enjoy yourselves and drink well, and he will apologize to you another day."

As soon as these words were spoken, Luo Zijun's mood immediately turned sour.

Su Bie frowned and said, "Does Liu Mama know what delayed Brother Xu?"

Liu Ju smiled and said, "I heard from that page boy that Young Master Xu had already arrived at West Lake, but he encountered two women asking for directions at the Broken Bridge, and then he personally took those two women and left."

Upon hearing this, Luo Zijun stood up abruptly: "What kind of women?"

(End of this chapter)