Xu Jiu’s outfit today was quite eye-catching.
He already had proper features and dark skin, but his tall and sturdy build gave him the bearing of a true man. Adding to that a silver-blue sea-pattern grand boat robe, an ivory-and-gemstone-inlaid belt holding a silver-sheathed precious blade—how imposing! As always, a ring was fastened on his arm. This time, it was the white-gold ring she had first seen on Xu Jiu—two fingers wide, bearing a cloud leopard pattern, rough yet domineering with the air of a leader among heroes.
“Congratulations, Ninth Master! Felicitations, Ninth Master!” Mo Zi quickly clasped her fists, smiling warmly. “On such a joyous day, Ninth Master looks truly dashing and handsome, full of spirit and vigor. Like a gang leader, more like a bridegroom—just missing a red flower on your chest.”
Xu Jiu laughed heartily, his hand unceremoniously slapping Mo Zi’s shoulder. “When your big brother here gets married, I’ll have your sister-in-law serve you wine.”
Mo Zi had been joking, but hearing him say this, she exclaimed in surprise, “Ninth Master, I see you’re already in your mid-twenties—how is it you’re not yet married?”
“We boat gang folk depend on rivers for rivers, depend on seas for seas. When wind and waves come, our lives hang by a thread. Not even knowing if we’ll see tomorrow, marrying someone only to make them an early widow—wouldn’t that harm an innocent woman?” Xu Jiu spoke frankly and boldly. “However, it’s not that I won’t marry. A good man establishes his career first. Only when I can support a wife and children for life will I discuss marriage.”
Seeing he spoke without exaggeration, Mo Zi felt some respect. “Ninth Master truly has excellent bearing and noble character. On this great joyous day, I present a gift—Ninth Master, please don’t disdain it. The gift is light, but the sentiment is heavy.”
Zan Jin presented a gift box with both hands—palm-sized, brocade blue.
Xu Jiu personally received it, handed it to Mei Shan beside him, and clasped his fists in thanks.
“Have I come too early? Why is no one seated here?” Mo Zi waved away the thanks and asked Xu Jiu about the guests.
“Brother Mo, you’ve come at just the right time. However, most of the seats in the middle courtyard belong to brothers from the gang—they’ll all enter the venue together at the appointed time. Some guests are in the inner courtyard speaking with the old gang leader and will arrive shortly. Brother Mo, just follow Aunt Chun. She’ll seat you, and after waiting a brief moment, the ceremony will begin.” Xu Jiu instructed Aunt Chun not to neglect this honored guest.
Just then, a man came to announce that so-and-so had arrived.
Mo Zi then said, “Ninth Master is the host—receiving guests is important. You and I are so familiar, there’s really no need for formalities.”
Xu Jiu readily agreed. “I heard that Hongyu, which Brother Mo manages, has begun operations. I was just wanting to ask Brother Mo for help. Today there’s much to do—let’s wait for another day when we brothers can drink alone and discuss matters leisurely.”
“Xu Jiu, who are you calling brothers?” A voice suddenly interjected.
Mo Zi turned her face to look—what a wealthy and imposing handsome man with vermillion lips and phoenix eyes. Always dressed in ostentatiously brilliant attire, jewels jingling, gold fan and gold-tasseled horse, gold thread and gold strings, leaving no gaps.
Jin Yin had arrived.
“Young Master Jin, where does this come from?” Xu Jiu grinned widely, stepping forward to put his arm around the man’s shoulder, seeming very familiar and close.
Jin Yin winked at Mo Zi, using his fan to swat Xu Jiu’s hand. “Xu Jiu, don’t get handsy with me. I’m telling you, Brother Mo is my sworn younger brother. He and I are the brothers—don’t go mixing up relationships.”
Xu Jiu forgot there were still guests waiting for him at the main gate, his gaze looking back and forth between Jin Yin and Mo Zi, clicking his tongue in wonder. “Young Master Jin, is this true?”
“Naturally it’s true.” Jin Yin stepped aside to reveal the twins behind him. “Bai Liang, Qian Liang, look who’s here!”
The pair of delicately carved jade-like youths smiled happily upon seeing Mo Zi. One of them shouted, “Third Young Master!”
The other came forward to bow to her, his voice not as loud. “Third Young Master.”
The one who shouted was younger brother Bai Liang; the composed one was older brother Qian Liang.
Anyone addressed by such an adorable pair of youths couldn’t possibly remain unmoved. Mo Zi was no exception. Moreover, at Risheng she had already claimed to be third in rank. To now pretend that wasn’t the case seemed inappropriate. So she responded with a slight smile.
Xu Jiu seemed to genuinely regret it. “Young Master Jin, Brother Mo, you two really aren’t giving me face. Such a good thing as sworn brotherhood, yet you didn’t invite me. I thought my relationship with you two was quite good.”
“Ninth Master, you’re not of the same generation as us. Besides, if you really became sworn brothers with us, how would outsiders address you? Call you Ninth Master Xu, or Fourth Master Xu?” With one opening of her mouth, Mo Zi casually turned the tables.
Jin Yin waved his fan and stood beside Mo Zi, gathering her into his radiance of pearls and jewels. “Third Brother speaks correctly. Xu Jiu, do you lack sworn brothers and sisters? We don’t need you.”
Xu Jiu laughed again, shook his fist saying he must excuse himself, and walked outside.
“Third Brother, you’ve truly broken Second Brother’s heart.” With outsiders gone, internal squabbling began.
Mo Zi ignored his false grievances and smiled, asking Aunt Chun to lead the way.
“Why doesn’t Third Brother ask Second Brother why his heart is broken?” A jade claw grasped Mo Zi’s smooth wrist.
Seeing Mo Zi first having her shoulder slapped by Xu Jiu, then her wrist seized by this brilliantly golden fellow, yet remaining completely composed, Wei Qing’s first thought was that this young lady would have difficulty with marriage proposals in the future.
“I haven’t seen Young Master Jin for half a month—how could I have broken your heart?” Mo Zi exerted some force and withdrew her hand.
“After returning from the three trials, you sent a card to someone Yuan, yet gave me no word at all. Isn’t this favoritism?” Grievance, utter grievance. “He’s your older brother—am I not your brother too?”
Did these people have antennas on their heads? Every single one knew about her breaking through the three trials.
“Yuan Cheng has shown me kindness. I’m grateful to him—isn’t that appropriate? If Young Master Jin ever lends me assistance, I’ll certainly present my sentiments as well.” Yuan Cheng and Jin Yin had long been sworn brothers but didn’t address each other as such, so she needn’t call them First Brother and Second Brother either.
“Sentiments?” Jin Yin didn’t understand at first, but being so clever, he immediately had an epiphany, his expression exaggerated. “Third Brother, you not only sent a card but also a gift? What was it?”
So she had inadvertently confessed. Inwardly crying out in dismay, she laughed falsely and deflected. “Just some small thing, not worth much money. Young Master Jin runs a money house—what fine things haven’t you seen? It wouldn’t catch your eye at all.”
“If you would send it, if he would receive it, and if it can be called a sentiment, it would definitely catch my eye.” Jin Yin’s phoenix eyes flew upward. “How about this—as you just said, I’ll help you, and you just send me an identical sentiment.”
Mo Zi suddenly turned to look at Jin Yin. She actually didn’t know much about this person, just instinctively didn’t reject him. But her instincts had once been terribly wrong.
Under her gaze, Jin Yin’s gorgeous smile actually vanished completely, his eyes becoming clear as spring water. “Does Brother Mo not trust me?”
What a formidable person!
Mo Zi answered thus: “Sentiments vary from person to person. When the time comes, I’ll weigh it myself.”
“Third Brother, in the end you’re biased.” His phoenix eyes blinked, peach blossoms overflowing, using his sleeve to cover his face.
“Young Master, your seat is very far from Third Young Master’s.” Bai Liang pointed to the other end, where Qian Liang was waving.
“Have Qian Liang bring the name card over.” Jin Yin took his seat next to Mo Zi, picked up the name card in front of him and tossed it backward, apparently certain Bai Liang would leap to catch it. “Take it over there.”
Aunt Chun’s smile stiffened somewhat, but she said nothing.
“Young Master Jin, you’re making things difficult for people.” Mo Zi spoke fairly.
“I’m not someone who makes others happy. It’s already difficult enough to make myself happy.” After Jin Yin finished speaking, he added another sentence. “Third Brother is different from others.”
Mo Zi rolled her eyes, poured some tea, and drank.
After a while, she saw a large group of people emerge from the central hall, gradually taking seats at the first three rows of tables. Leading them were several she recognized. Old Master Min Yu from Risheng, Fang Ming from Yacheng, Zeng Hai from Hongtu, and Zhen Luo from the Zhen clan had all come. They were laughing and talking with a brocade-robed old man whose face was ashen and hair graying. However, the old man walked with a cane and had the sickly appearance of advanced age. This should be the old Leopard Gang leader.
Thinking these were the only acquaintances, she was about to turn her gaze away.
“I knew he would come.” Jin Yin snorted.
Mo Zi’s heart stirred, and indeed she saw that all-too-familiar figure. Only this time, he no longer appeared so aloof. Who would be lonely when accompanied by a great beauty?
The distance wasn’t far—she could make out the lovely features of the woman beside Yuan Cheng. Her dress was also different from that of a refined young lady. The woman wore tight-sleeved, waist-hugging short garments, bright red wide-legged pants gathered at the ankles, a pair of gold-embroidered long boots, and faintly visible at her waist was a coiled whip. Her hair was tied in small braids on both sides with the rest hanging loose, a pink flower at her temple. She had a smiling appearance with dimples.
“Leopard Gang’s Eleventh Sister Xiang Xiang, also called the Gang’s Flower. Sweet appearance, but her delicate temper is hard to bear, and that whip of hers can raise wind. If a man dares harbor improper thoughts, he must first let her flay off a layer of skin. She leads a female boat gang—every one of them has some skill. Her father was originally the deputy gang leader who died young, so the old gang leader dotes on her like his own daughter. She and the gang leader’s daughter Hu Tao grew up together like real sisters. This year she’s twenty-two, has been too picky, and no one has the courage—also an older unmarried woman.” Jin Yin’s explanation was detailed. “I heard she shows no favor to men, so why is she making that lovesick face at Yuan Cheng? That fellow Yuan Cheng is probably using his refined scholarly appearance to seduce the young lady again.” After speaking, he deliberately glanced at the person beside him.
“Young Master Jin just said ‘also an older unmarried woman.’ I wonder, who else are you implying is an old maid?” Was it her?
Jin Yin thought to himself: this girl doesn’t pay attention to what she should, and fixates on what she shouldn’t.
“Third Brother, you’re nineteen going on twenty this year—don’t miss the good opportunity.” That’s right, he meant her.
“First Brother and Second Brother haven’t married—how would Little Brother dare establish a family first?” She truly didn’t understand why any woman who was somewhat good-looking had to have a title. For example, Luoyang’s First Beauty, World’s First Beauty, Gang’s Flower—such hackneyed titles. If she eventually resumed her female identity and managed Hongyu, would they also give her a title?
Shipping Industry’s First Tomboy?
That absolutely wouldn’t do!
Thinking of this, Mo Zi shivered, but her gaze met Yuan Cheng’s. Unconsciously, she smiled. This smile, due to her psychological state, was somewhat radiant.
Yuan Cheng first narrowed his eyes, then returned her smile and sat down. It was precisely at the table where Jin Yin should have been sitting.
At this moment, Miss Xiang Xiang’s face showed a dreamlike expression. She stood motionless until someone pulled her to sit down.
Jin Yin’s eyes were sharp as knives as he pursed his lips. “Silly girl, does she think he smiled at her?”
A thunderous gong sounded with a clang.
From the three doors of the front hall, over a hundred sturdy men in tight clothing rushed in together, shouting and roaring, their cries piercing the clouds.