Chapter 31

Downstairs, on a high platform, several courtesans from the nearby Xilin Lake area were displaying all their skills, singing and dancing, playing the zither and the flute in harmony, pushing the atmosphere of the BaWei Building to a climax, making it incredibly lively. In contrast, the private room where Feng Jueyu and Shangguan Ruomeng were dining felt particularly oppressive.

The meal was uninteresting, and during it, Shangguan Ruomeng did not nag Feng Jueyu about being a killer. Compared to her nagging throughout the day, Feng Jueyu was once again deeply grateful, thinking that this girl had some foresight, at least allowing him to have a peaceful meal.

However, the atmosphere in the private room was hard to stimulate one's appetite. The three of them finished their meal hastily, as if in a restaurant where only one table was left, Feng Jueyu ordered a bowl of Yangchun noodles, and a stranger opposite him ordered a bowl of beef noodles.

Noodles, all noodles!

But what they ate was unfamiliar...

By evening, the two returned to the Shangguan Manor. Feng Jueyu then realized that Shangguan Ruomeng always prepared in advance for everything she did. It turned out that the family had already prepared various gifts, with no less than a hundred items, all neatly stacked in the Yunmeng Pavilion, ready to be used at any time.

Xing'er called over a dozen servants from outside the pavilion, and led by the young miss, they began to visit the various households in the courtyard. The elder uncles and aunts, the maternal uncles and aunts, the second and third uncles and aunts, the great-aunts, the aunts, the cousins... all the relatives with direct blood ties to the Shangguan family were visited by the two, taking two hours to complete.

Feng Jueyu had met most of the Shangguan family's relatives, though he was not familiar with them. Many years ago, when the two were young, Shangguan Tengfeng and Chang Yufeng often took them to visit important relatives. However, such visits had become much less frequent in recent years.

However, this time, Shangguan Ruomeng's sudden actions caused a sensation throughout the Shangguan Manor. Even the most foolish people in the Shangguan Manor understood the young miss's intentions.

Feng Jueyu understood that for the entire day, everything Shangguan Ruomeng did was to inform everyone in the Shangguan Manor, including all the direct and collateral relatives, that she, Shangguan Ruomeng, had decided to marry Feng Jueyu and would never change her mind.

Almost overnight, the way everyone in the Shangguan Manor looked at Feng Jueyu changed fundamentally and completely.

The most significant and obvious reaction came from the relatives and descendants of the second and third branches. In the past, even if Feng Jueyu was weak, incapable, and despised by others, these people would still exchange pleasantries with him. However, after he followed Shangguan Ruomeng on this visit, their gazes became wary, cold, and merciless, even accusatory and abusive...

The struggle for power and property in a wealthy family was so ruthless, the warmth and cold of human relationships, the chill of the seasons, made one's heart feel cold.

At one moment, Feng Jueyu was at a loss whether to laugh or cry. Clearly, Shangguan Ruomeng's decision was the result of long-term deep consideration, and this matter had been tacitly approved by Shangguan Lao Ye, Shangguan Tengfeng, and Chang Yufeng. It seemed that the family had been planning for this battle for a long time, and once it started, it was earth-shattering.

And he, Feng Jueyu, felt like he had become the fundamental victim of the changing times in the Shangguan Manor.

Everyone was targeting him...

Good times were over...

People's faces were not the same as yesterday, but the cicadas' sounds were like last year...

Feng Jueyu thought of this ancient poem, which means that the cicadas' sounds were the same, but the people and things were different from before. The poem's meaning originally expressed a sense of nostalgia for lost beauty, but for some reason, it seemed particularly fitting for the sudden changes in the Shangguan Manor.

Damn, what was this?

He was living well in the Shangguan Manor, with silver to spend every month, full meals to eat, and time to play with birds, play chess, plant flowers, grow grass, and tease maids and young ladies. Life was so enjoyable.

But in one night, everything changed.

It was really...

Where are the people of the past, the peach blossoms still smile in the spring breeze...

Sigh! His good days were over...

Feng Jueyu was not a person who would accept things passively. He never was. If it weren't for the Shangguan family, he would never let Shangguan Ruomeng manipulate him. However, Feng Jueyu accepted it, not for any other reason, but to use this opportunity to see how many people would target him because of this wealthy family's grudges. Once discovered, he would root them out.

This was a rare opportunity, a once-in-a-lifetime chance, not to be missed.

...

After a good night's sleep, the next morning, as the first light of dawn appeared, Feng Jueyu got up on time, washed up, and came to the courtyard to breathe fresh air.

The Spring Talent Gathering was being held today. On the east side of the Tianan Imperial Capital, a grand poetry gathering would take place on Xilin Lake. This poetry gathering would include activities such as boating, sightseeing, lantern viewing, moon appreciation, zither playing, flute listening, chess playing, poetry recitation, couplet making, calligraphy, and painting, all held grandly on Xilin Lake.

In simple terms, this was a national gathering of literati. In about an hour, literary masters from various states, counties, prefectures, and provinces of the Tianan Kingdom would basically all be present.

Not only that, but several famous taverns and brothels in the Tianan Kingdom also spent a lot of effort to create flower boats and place them on Xilin Lake, hosting lively small programs to attract literati to stop by the flower boats.

This had two benefits: first, it promoted their own shops, making them even more famous and profitable. Second, if a talented person or a top scholar was invited to a shop during the poetry gathering, and if that person later became a top scholar, the shop could benefit from their success and rise to a higher level.

The main participants in the gathering were the talented people of this session, but it also included powerful people in the Tianan Kingdom, officials, and merchants. In short, anyone who felt they had a connection to literati would attend, making it a grand event held every three years, bustling and lively.

Standing in the courtyard admiring the flowers and plants, Xing'er, the maid, soon appeared from the Yunmeng Pavilion. Feng Jueyu, for this Xilin Lake boat trip, specially changed into a clean and tidy scholar's robe, which he borrowed from his younger brother-in-law. He originally thought Shangguan Ruofan would also go, but upon asking, he learned that the boy had become obsessed with practicing swordsmanship and had gone to the Shangguan family's villa in the eastern part of the city to train. He was indeed a diligent and obedient child.

Feng Jueyu, who was already handsome, specially groomed himself today, tying his hair into a scholar's knot and securing it with a green silk ribbon, and wearing a jade belt around his waist. He looked elegant and graceful, standing there like a willow tree in the wind, making Xing'er stare in admiration. She silently praised his good looks...

However, given his notorious past, Xing'er's admiration was quickly overshadowed by disgust.

Approaching, Xing'er bowed and said, "Young Master, Miss is getting dressed. The carriage is ready outside. Young Master can wait outside the gate."

"Okay, I understand," Feng Jueyu responded indifferently. Since they didn't want him to wait in the courtyard, he would go outside. What was the problem with that?

Walking through the corridor of the flower garden, he came to the main gate of the Shangguan Manor. A luxurious carriage was parked at the gate, with a driver wearing a hood dozing in the sun, apparently having woken up too early and now catching up on sleep. These activities of the nobility and officials were hard on the servants, and the carriage looked specially decorated that morning.

Standing at the gate, watching the bustling crowd heading to the eastern part of the city, Feng Jueyu felt a bit like it was a big market day.

With nothing to do, Feng Jueyu recalled the discovery Xiao Yuanshan mentioned the previous day.

Business was not easy, as the saying goes, the bigger the tree, the more it attracts the wind.

In recent years, Huairen Hall's business had been booming, inevitably attracting jealousy. He should inform Shangguan Lingyun about this, as the old man had been good to him.

How to inform him?

Going directly to him wouldn't work. If he asked where the information came from, could he say he heard it from a thug? The old man would probably kick him out of the Shangguan Manor.

Besides, there was no benefit in doing so.

While he was at a loss, Feng Jueyu suddenly heard someone calling him, "Young Master Feng, Young Master Feng..."

Feng Jueyu looked around and saw that it was Zhao Lao San, who was waving at him from the corner of the street. Taking advantage of the driver's nap, Feng Jueyu walked over.

"Why are you here?" Feng Jueyu asked.

Zhao Lao San, knowing that the ghost incident that night was caused by this "godly brother," showed deep respect, "Young Master Feng, the boss asked me to bring you a message. The guys at the dock are planning something, and it seems to be tonight."

"Tonight? So soon?" Feng Jueyu was surprised, then began to admire these desperate men. "Tonight, during the poetry and lantern festival, they really know how to pick their time."

Feng Jueyu thought for a moment and suddenly had an idea, "I've got it. We can inform the Shangguan family in the name of Jishi Workshop. This way, I can stay clean, and Jishi Workshop can build a good relationship with the Shangguan Manor, making them owe Jishi Workshop a favor."

With this in mind, Feng Jueyu instructed Zhao Lao San, "Zhao Bing, don't wait here for me. I'll go get some paper and a pen."

Zhao Lao San, standing next to the calligraphy shop, quickly flattered, "Young Master Feng, is this a small matter for you? Please wait, I'll be right back."

Without waiting for Feng Jueyu's response, Zhao Lao San patted his buttocks and entered the calligraphy shop. Before Feng Jueyu could react, the boy returned with a wolf-hair brush, an inkstone, and several sheets of high-quality Xuan paper.

Feng Jueyu raised his eyebrows and gave a thumbs-up, then picked up the brush and began to write swiftly.

In a few sentences, he clearly described everything that would happen tonight. Finally, he signed "Li Yide" at the bottom, folded the paper neatly, and handed it to Zhao Bing.

"Listen, in a while, the young miss of the Shangguan family will come out. Run over and give her this. Remember, don't say anything else, then go back and inform Lao Li and Yuanshan. Tell them it's my idea, understand?"

Zhao Bing, being quick-witted, immediately understood Feng Jueyu's intention and nodded, "Young Master, you take care."

Zhao Bing put the letter in his pocket, and as he did, a book fell out.

"What's this?" Feng Jueyu looked closely and saw a few small, crooked words on the cover, clearly newly printed and poorly made, a pirated book.

Picking up the book, Feng Jueyu was speechless.

"A Thousand Poems"

This book title was quite flashy. He had only heard of "Three Hundred Tang Poems," not "A Thousand Poems"...

"Where did you get this?"

To the readers:

PS: I'll post two chapters first. The next one is half-written. I'll post it after eating.

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