Chapter 25 Looking for Trouble AgainAmong them, Ni Chang is the most presumptuous girl. Ms. Li raised the teaching stick hitting Nichang"s shank. “There is no longer the Spring Breeze. It"s better to forget your coquettish steps.”
Ni Chang was ranked second following Linglong with her charming appearance in the Spring Breeze before. She was also protected well by Madam Young without being hurt by anyone.
“Madam, you are disdaining us from the brothel. Then it will be condescending and despised for you to teach us, won"t it?”
Ms. Li snorted, “Don"t forget that you are now the girl named Ni Chang in the Blossoming Peach, not Fei Cui that Madam Yang in Spring Breeze protected well. If you want to regain your old skills, I have no reason to object, but you had better leave the Blossoming Peach.”
Ni Chang got angry with her voice louder, “You are just a maid who is sent by Young Master to teach us etiquette. You cannot make my decision. Even in the Spring Breeze, Madam Yang had not blamed me as you did today.”
“I have met various people, but you are the only nostalgic person who even wants to remain in the ign.o.ble place. Since you won"t listen to me, I have no reason to stay. I don"t want to bother others making them blame myself.” Ms. Li said and were going to visit Yang Zijin.
At this moment, Yang Zijin had reached the door, “Ms. Li, where are you going?”
“I knew that my capacity is limited to accomplish the tasks you have a.s.signed. Please forgive me, Young Master,” said Ms. Li respectively. She got down on one knee with her eyes down.
Yang Zijin walked quickly to raise Ms. Li, “You are too modest. You have taught more girls than that I have ever seen. They are all tops. If you have the limited ability, who else can do better?”
The Maid-in-Charge of Rites stood up straight without a single word.
Yang Zijin raised her eyes and yelled at Ni Chang and her fellows, “Ms. Li has just retired from the palace with the most bountiful experience in terms of etiquette. If you can"t stand at the very beginning, how can you change ultimately? You"d better leave for your own life with this money.”
“Please calm down, Ms. Li. It"s not worthy of being angry with such little girls. Furthermore, they are not wicked. It is because they were spoiled by my mother in the Spring Breeze that they are so unbridled today. Just believe me. Any disrespect for you means offense to me. I will punish them if so,” said Yang Zijin with a wink to Ni Chang.
After hesitating for a while, Ni Chang finally walked behind Ms. Li, lowering her head and bending her knees, “Ms. Li, please forgive me. I am too young to speak without consideration. I promise that I will follow your order and regulation strictly.”
Ms. Li calmed down slightly, but she still didn"t talk. Yang Zijin frowned and looked at Ni Chang again.
Ni Chang understood and knelt on her knees. She said, “It was all my fault today. You can even punish me. I deserve it. But I will feel guilty to make you angry. Please punish me, Ms. Li, as long as you will not angry anymore.”
Ms. Li turned around and looked at Ni Chang. Seeing her sincerely regret, Ms. Li was not angry any longer.
“Ms. Li, so you just tell them how to punish someone who was not obedient before. I will not forgive her. If I let her go like this today, someone will follow suit in the future. I should close the Blossoming Peach as soon as possible.” Yang Zijin also said.
“Young Master, if you want great success in the Blossoming Peach. These girls should change their lifestyles and personality. I will forgive them this time, but others won"t forgive them easily.” Ms. Li was smart. She knew that Yang Zijin was giving her an out, so she should follow her naturally.
Yang Zijin responded several times, “You are right. If they behave like today again, please punish them strictly.”
Ms. Li nodded and arranged for the girls to practice.
After the conflict came to an end, the other girls no longer dare to disobey the rules. Ms. Li is relieved to see this.
“Ok, take a break. Then we"ll learn other etiquettes,” said Ms. Li much more softly.
The Maid-in-Charge of Rites was responsible for the etiquette. Yang Zijin, without worrying about it, turned to discuss something with Xian and others.
Yang Zijin"s recent actions have long been reported to Lord Protector by his finger man.
Lord Protector was furious since he knew that Yang Zijin was about to reopen the store. After thinking for a moment, he calmed down. He decided to plan comprehensively to stop the worsening of the relationship with Yang Zijin. After deliberating, he finally decided to ask the Shuntian Prefecture to take back the house of Yang Zijin. It would cut down her vigor, and at the same time make her realize how important the power is in the Imperial City. When she met difficulties, she would naturally turn back to him, which was actually an idea shooting two hawks with one arrow.
After receiving a message from the Lord Protector, the Shuntian House sent a soldier to inform the head of the guard, Bai Liyan and ordered Bai Liyan to lead his men to the house referred to by the Lord Protector.
At this time, Yang Zijin was instructing Xian what to do next in the new house. She heard a noise at the door, and walked quickly towards there with Xian.
There was full of soldiers.
Seeing the implying eyes of Yang Zijin, Xian immediately understood and ran to Bai Liyan. He said with a smile on his face, “May I help you, sir?”
Bai Liyan glanced at Xian, “Who bought this mansion? Call your master out soon.”
“Sir, my master is a modest businessman. Please. Let"s go to the side hall and have a cup of tea.” Xian said, giving a pocket of money to Bai Liyan secretly.
Bai Liyan took the silver and then threw the silver bag on the ground with a sneer, “Modest? Don"t you know that it breaks the low to bribe officers? Shut up and call your master out!”
The construction craftsmen stopped their works surprisingly. They guessed that the master must get involved in a lawsuit.
Yang Zijin walked unhurriedly towards Bai Liyan and asked, “Could you please tell me what happened, sir?”
Yang Zijin has always been following the rules and regulations. She can"t offend the government. After thinking quickly, she figured that there might be someone sent by the Lord Protector to look for her trouble.
Yang Zijin tried her best to be energetic to deal with this difficulty. Nowadays, she had no choice but to resolve it accordingly.
“It"s the house you bought?” Bai Liyan scorned the thin Yang Zijin.
“Yes, sir,” Yang Zijin looked calm.
“Today, I"m here to inform you that the house has been taken back by the government, so you all should quickly move out.”
Take back? This is a grab!
No emotion appeared on the face of Yang Zijin. She even asked the leader aloud, “I don"t know which official department has withdrawn my house. Sir, could you please show me the official doc.u.ments or the handwriting notice?”
“Oh, we are here undoubtedly following the command of the top department. You had better know who gives the command to us. Now you ask me about this, which means the disrespect to his Majesty!” said Bai Liyan. He wondered how Yang Zijin would respond.
Indeed, they were troublemakers. They had enough reason to say that she is disregarding the emperor.
Yang Zijin said seriously, “Disrespect to his Majesty? I don"t dare to do so, my lord. If his Majesty does order us out of the house, I will go without a single word. But you, my lord, you came here without the imperial edict nor official notice. How can I believe you?”
“You…” Bai Liyan said anxiously, “you"d better listen to me. Otherwise the Lord will….”
It was clear enough that the order was by the Lord Protector since Bai Liyan had said “the Lord”. Yang Zijin snorted, and she could not believe that her father was so “good”. He looked for her trouble again.
Shuo Ling knew that the Lord Protector would not let Yang Zijin go, but he didn"t expect the day came so soon. After receiving the news, Shuo Ling rode here.
Bai Liyan knew that he had spilled the beans and then glanced at the people around him. All the guards pulled out big swords at once.
Yang Zijin told everyone that they should keep away from the guards to avoid being hurt by them.
While Yang Zijin was thinking about how to deal with, Shuo Ling came on horseback. Somehow, seeing Shuo Ling coming, Yang Zijin breathed a sigh of relief.
Shuo Ling dismounted, glanced at the people present, and finally fixed his eyes on Bai Liyan.
After realizing who he was, Bai Liyan knelt immediately, “My lord.”
Shuo Ling seemed solemn at the moment. He said, “Go back and tell your master that I have bought a new house in his area. Don"t forget to come and have some drinks when we open it.”
It was the house that the Lord Protector ordered him to confiscate, wasn"t it? How did it become the house of Marquis Shuo? Bai Liyan thought that he could not offend either of the two big bugs.
Then Bai Liyan was trembling and nervous. It was commonly said that in the imperial city anyone offending Marquis Shuo would be killed or beaten to death.
“Get out.” Shuo Ling said angrily.
Bai Liyan and his soldiers fled as soon as possible.
The governor of the Shuntian Prefecture personally went to the Mansion of the Lord Protector and told him the experience of meeting Shuo Ling completely. He didn"t want to offend both sides.
The Lord Protector waved to him and motioned for him to go out.
The Lord Protector was full of anger. He did not know why the Marquis Shuo repeatedly destroyed his plan. He did so just because he wanted to protect Yang Zijin. The house could not be his. With the interference of Shuo Ling, how could they bridge the gap between him and his daughter? How could they get along with well?
Lord Protector gradually became disappointed. He didn"t know it was right or wrong because it was not bad that a person was protecting his daughter so well.
On the other hand, it was around 8 p.m. when Shuo Ling and Yang Zijin returned home.
“Mo Li, prepare meals.” Shuo Ling"s tone was calm.
Mo Li responded and was about to quit, when Shuo Ling paused and said, “By the way, prepare hot water for both me and Mr. Yang.”
“Yes.” Mo Li answered and retreated.
Without his help today, I had to spend a lot of effort. If I have the opportunity, I will thank him practically or help him in return. Otherwise I will always feel owing to him. Yang Zijin walked into the courtyard while thinking, and walked to the door. She stopped and opened the door. When she raised her eyes, she saw the hot tub. Yang Zijin raised her hand, pressed her temples, and shook her head. Then she walked in.
Shuo Ling took off his robe, revealing the muscles. He walked into the bathtub, leaning on it leisurely. His eyes slightly squinted with no expression on his face. His hair slightly soaked and spread in water. The moonlight spilled on him through the window.
“My lord, the food is ready.” Mo Li ‘s voice came from outside.