Xiao Jinglin glanced at the maidservant kneeling nearby, boiling water and preparing tea. Hongying immediately stood up, briskly rising and stepping out of the painted boat.
Xiao Jinglin remained seated without moving, and Ren Yaoqi followed suit, staying still as well.
Before long, Hongying returned, about to report, when a young woman’s voice rang out from outside: "Xiao Jinglin, don’t you know that boats aren’t allowed on the city’s waterways? Or are you deliberately flouting the rules, relying on your status?"
The voice sounded youthful, likely around Xiao Jinglin’s age, carrying an undisguised tone of mockery and displeasure.
Clearly, the girl outside was acquainted with Xiao Jinglin, but Ren Yaoqi was curious about which family’s daughter in Yanbei would dare speak to the Commandery Princess of the Yanbei Prince’s Mansion in such a manner.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Jinglin didn’t even bother to change her expression, nor did she seem inclined to step out. She merely instructed Hongying calmly, "Tell the boatwoman to exit the city through the northern sluice gate."
Without the slightest hesitation, Hongying turned and went out again. From inside the painted boat, Ren Yaoqi could still hear Hongying speaking to the boatwoman at the stern.
Another maidservant finished preparing the tea and poured a cup each for Xiao Jinglin and Ren Yaoqi.
The ignored woman standing on the bridge grew increasingly angry, her voice rising even louder: "Xiao Jinglin, are you listening to me? Come out at once! Are the two sluice gates in the city meant for your casual amusement? You’re bringing shame to the Yanbei Prince’s Mansion! Xiao Jingyue, why aren’t you stopping her boat?"
Xiao Jingyue? The third young master of the Xiao Family?
"Cousin, you may not know this, but this painted boat was specially brought back from the capital by Second Brother for the heir. Don’t underestimate its size—its price is enough to buy a large estate. It’s not that I don’t want to stop it, but I don’t dare. If it gets damaged, I can’t afford to compensate," a leisurely male voice chimed in, only adding fuel to the fire.
"Look at how spineless you are! You all, go and stop that boat. If it gets damaged, I’ll take responsibility!" the woman declared arrogantly.
A few hesitant voices followed, likely the woman ordering her attendants.
By now, Ren Yaoqi could guess who this girl was. The Old Yanbei Princess Consort, born a princess, had only one daughter, Xiao Wei, who married Ningxia Regional Commander Wu Xiaohe. Xiao Wei also had only one daughter. The one outside, daring to challenge Xiao Jinglin, was likely Xiao Wei’s daughter—the cousin of the Yanbei Prince’s Mansion.
This Miss Wu certainly didn’t seem like an easy person to deal with.
As Ren Yaoqi pondered the complicated relationships within this family, she heard several thuds against the side of the boat, followed by a sudden rocking of the vessel.
Ren Yaoqi hadn’t expected those outside to actually take action. Caught off guard, she stumbled and collided with the low table.
The teacups on the table wobbled, and the freshly brewed scalding tea nearly spilled onto Ren Yaoqi. Seated beside her, Xiao Jinglin reacted swiftly, pulling Ren Yaoqi aside just in time. The tea streamed over the edge of the table, soaking a patch of the carpet on the boat floor, steam still rising from it.
"Miss, are you burned?" Pingguo, who had nearly fallen to the floor opposite them, steadied herself and rushed over, asking anxiously.
Xiao Jinglin also looked over with concern.
Ren Yaoqi shook her head. "The Commandery Princess pulled me away in time. I wasn’t burned."
Outside, a loud splash echoed, followed by startled cries."Commandery Princess, they used bamboo poles to knock our boatwoman into the water," Hongying leaned out to look before turning back to report.
The people on the bridge had somehow found bamboo poles. After knocking the boatwoman into the water, they prevented her from climbing back onto the boat and used the poles to push against the painted boat's outer hull, forcing it in one direction.
Ren Yaoqi felt the painted boat, which had originally been pointing toward the bridge arch, suddenly turn sideways. With the change in direction, the situation on the bridge became clearly visible.
A tall woman in purple robes stood by the bridge railing, a slight smirk curling her lips as she watched them, seemingly quite satisfied with the disarray of those on the boat. Beside her stood a handsome young man, lazily stroking his chin as he observed, clearly enjoying the spectacle without intervening.
Three or four maidservants and attendants, each holding a bamboo pole about ten feet long, were exerting force against the painted boat. A little farther away stood some ordinary onlookers, watching the commotion without understanding what was happening. Yet, given the tense atmosphere, no one dared to speak out of turn.
As the painted boat spun on the river, Ren Yaoqi felt her head growing dizzy from the swaying.
Xiao Jinglin finally stood up. "Stay here and watch over Miss Ren," she said, heading toward the cabin door.
"Commandery Princess, be careful not to fall into the river," Ren Yaoqi reached out to stop Xiao Jinglin but failed to grasp her.
Xiao Jinglin nodded, offering reassurance instead. "Don’t worry, I can swim."
"..."
Ren Yaoqi felt like crying. What did swimming have to do with anything? If a woman, especially a dignified Commandery Princess, fell into the river, would she really swim ashore in front of everyone?
But Xiao Jinglin had already stepped out of the cabin. Only then did Ren Yaoqi notice that even as the painted boat rocked unsteadily, Xiao Jinglin’s steps remained unaffected, steady and sure. Ren Yaoqi suddenly remembered that Xiao Jinglin was different from ordinary women like herself—she knew martial arts. This realization eased her worries somewhat.
Ren Yaoqi, no longer caring whether those outside could see her, quickly sat by the window to watch Xiao Jinglin, who had now left the cabin.
Xiao Jinglin grabbed a bamboo pole that had been thrust toward her, yanking it forcefully toward her chest. Without seeming to exert much effort, the burly middle-aged woman holding the other end of the pole was flung off the bridge and into the water with a loud splash.
The other women, seeing this, grew fearful and tried to retreat. But the young woman in purple immediately hardened her expression, snatched a bamboo pole from one of the women near her, and swung it toward the boat. Unlike the others, who had aimed for the hull, she directed her strike straight at Xiao Jinglin.
Xiao Jinglin raised her own bamboo pole to deflect the blow. The young woman in purple twisted her wrist to evade, then immediately swung again. The two of them—one standing on the bridge, the other on the bow of the boat—began to spar.
After watching for a while, Ren Yaoqi began to understand what was happening. The young woman in purple on the bridge also knew martial arts, and because she held the higher ground, she had a temporary advantage and showed no signs of losing.
Ren Yaoqi felt a headache coming on. What kind of situation was this?
"Cousin, what is the meaning of this?" Xiao Jinglin finally spoke, her tone as calm as ever. It was the first thing she had said to the people on the bridge since the beginning.The woman on the bridge snorted coldly, "Since you call me cousin, I must discipline you, lest you become too arrogant, relying on the influence of Yanbei Prince's Mansion and making a fool of yourself everywhere!"
Ren Yaoqi thought that, given Xiao Jinglin's temperament, she would remain silent again. Unexpectedly, she heard Xiao Jinglin say calmly, "Since you said I'm embarrassing Yanbei Prince's Mansion, what does it have to do with you? Do you plan to change your surname to Xiao?"
Ren Yaoqi couldn't help but want to laugh. She felt she still didn't understand Xiao Jinglin well enough...
"You..." The girl in purple was so enraged by these words that her face twisted slightly.
Just then, someone nearby let out a soft "pfft—" of laughter.
The girl in purple's expression turned cold, and she immediately turned her head, only to be struck on the arm by Xiao Jinglin's bamboo pole.
The sound of the impact made Ren Yaoqi wince in sympathy.
The girl in purple paled from the pain, momentarily unable to turn back and deal with Xiao Jinglin.
Ren Yaoqi looked toward the bridge and was also taken aback.
At some point, three more people had appeared on the bridge. Among them, leaning casually against the railing with a slight smirk, was a tall, slender young man with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes—Yun Wenfang.
Lately, Yun Wenfang had been staying at the Ren Family but was often elusive, appearing and disappearing unpredictably. No one knew what he was busy with. Ever since Qiu Yun returned to the academy, it had become inconvenient for Yun Wenfang to linger in the inner courtyards of the Ren Family, and he had become even harder to spot. Ren Yaoqi had no idea when he had returned to Yunyang City.
Yun Wenfang noticed Ren Yaoqi by the window at that moment, his eyes lighting up. He straightened up and even winked in her direction.
"Commandery Princess, Miss Wu," a young man dressed as a scholar who had come with Yun Wenfang bowed, his voice as clear and melodious as a mountain spring.
When he straightened up, Ren Yaoqi couldn't help but silently admire his appearance.
This young man was exceptionally handsome. Among the men Ren Yaoqi had seen, aside from Xiao Jingxi—who was practically an immortal and didn't count—this man's looks were undoubtedly the finest. Moreover, he carried an air of scholarly refinement, not the aggressive, domineering aura of Yun Wenfang, but one that made others feel as if they were bathed in a gentle breeze.
In the presence of such a man, most women would feel inadequate.
Thus, the girl in purple quietly lowered the bamboo pole in her hand, lowered her head, and covered the arm that Xiao Jinglin had just struck, murmuring softly, "Young Master Yun." A faint blush even appeared on her cheeks.
The girl who had been brandishing the bamboo pole with such ferocity moments ago had transformed into a refined young lady from a noble family—one who had just been wronged, no less. Her ability to change expressions so swiftly was truly astonishing.
Yun Wenfang glanced at the scholar-dressed young man, the corners of his mouth still curved in his signature smile, though it now carried a hint of teasing.
Ren Yaoqi realized that the address "Young Master Yun" was not directed at Yun Wenfang but at this scholarly-looking young man—Yun Wenfang's older brother, Yun Wenting.
Ren Yaoqi had met Yun Wenting in her previous life, but it had been so long ago that she couldn't clearly recall his appearance, only vaguely remembering that he was quite handsome.
In her previous life, her fourth sister, Ren Yaoyin, had become Yun Wenting's concubine. As for who Yun Wenting's principal wife was, Ren Yaoqi had no memory of it.*************************************************************************************************************(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please come to Qidian () to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
OpenNovel