Across the crowd, Luo Lingyu saw Third Lord Lu, who appeared as unapproachable as snowy peaks yet as alluring as flowers and moon reflected in the water. He wore a cyan robe with a decorative belt, and standing among several elderly gentlemen made his fair complexion and graceful bearing even more striking. This young lord’s features were as clear as ink in water.

His indifferent gaze swept through the crowd, and though those peach blossom eyes showed no emotion, Luo Lingyu could almost hear countless young ladies’ hearts beating wildly.

Luo Lingyu sneered internally and turned away: How flirtatious.

Being romantic was one thing, but pretending otherwise? Could he hide it? Anyway, she wasn’t attracted to looks… if he couldn’t be her husband, she wouldn’t waste time on unimportant people.

Beside her, Qi Third Lord was still speaking shyly: “My name is Qi An, I live in West Third Lane of East Prefecture City. Miss Luo, since you’re new to Jianye you might not know, but past the Border Market Row is Wu Yi Lane and then Danyang City. I often go to Danyang City with friends – it’s also under Lu family jurisdiction… I could take you to visit Danyang City sometime, would Miss Luo like that?”

The Lu family of Jianye was also known as the Lu clan of Danyang. The Danyang district in Jianye’s suburbs was where the Lu family originally lived. When the old Marquis Lu was still in Jianye, he found Danyang too far from the Taichu Palace in the city center, making it too rushed for the family’s young lords to attend court daily, so he decided to move the family to Wu Yi Lane. But Danyang district was still managed by the Lu family’s branch members who lived there. Being not far apart, the main Lu family branch in Wu Yi Lane also frequently visited Danyang for leisure.

This was what Qi Third Lord was referring to.

Luo Lingyu’s eyes were like autumn waters, enchanting. After turning away, she couldn’t help but wonder curiously why Third Lord Lu had come here. Hadn’t Second Brother Lu said Third Brother didn’t attend such gatherings? This person was truly hypocritical. When she looked again, she met Lu Yun’s gaze. Seeing his eyebrow twitch slightly, his long robe swaying as he seemed about to walk over.

Luo Lingyu’s heart jumped violently, and she quickly looked away again.

Beside her, Qi Third Lord: “Miss Luo, Miss Luo… did you hear what I said?”

Luo Lingyu turned to look at him gently, her soft voice causing this Qi Third Lord to blush again, his heart stirred: “I heard. Elder Brother Qi Three, your suggestion is very good.”

Qi Third Lord: Miss Luo smiled at him… this lady, sitting so close, smiling at him… he felt he was almost suffocating from nervousness, his mind filled with nothing but her lovely image.

Other young lords nearby weren’t to be outdone, gathering around Luo Lingyu: “Miss Luo is from Nanyang, right? We heard it’s unstable there, with fighting everywhere, is that true?”

Luo Lingyu couldn’t help but smile: “No, although Nanyang is close to the border between the Southern and Northern countries, it’s not that close. There’s no fighting, Nanyang is quite peaceful now.”

The young lords: “I see.”

Luo Lingyu’s appearance was outstanding, and she was also socially adept. After sitting there for a while, young lords gathered all around her. Young ladies couldn’t even squeeze in, their hearts bitter as they sniffed, thinking: It’s just beauty. There are many beauties in the world, mere looks won’t last!

While chatting casually with the young lords, Luo Lingyu watched Lu Yun from the corner of her eye. She saw him stop halfway, seemingly noticing how many men were around her, his brow furrowing with disapproval. Lu Yun had barely paused when the elderly gentlemen pursuing him were cut off by some ladies. A proper and cool-mannered lady stepped forward, blocking Third Lord Lu’s path. The lady bowed, exchanging greetings with Lu Yun who had stepped back with an expressionless face: “Third Lord, I trust you’ve been well.”

Lu Yun: “…”

He cast a fleeting glance at the lady blocking his path – it was Miss Chen Xiu from Scholar Chen’s household.

Chen Xiu’s appearance was above average, with a scholarly air about her. When she blocked Lu Yun and exchanged formal greetings with Third Lord Lu, her back was extremely straight. When she raised her eyes again to meet Lu Yun’s emotionless expression, Chen Xiu remained calm and composed: “The note my father sent to the Third Lord last time – have you finished reading it? Before I came, Father asked me to inquire if I happened to meet the Third Lord.”

Lu Yun replied coldly: “I’ll visit another day.”

Chen Xiu smiled slightly, neither humble nor arrogant: “My family will be leaving the capital for a distant journey in a few days, I’m afraid we won’t be able to host Third Lord. Might Third Lord set a specific date now, so I can inform my father?”

Lu Yun’s view of Luo Lingyu was blocked by the crowd surrounding her. He carelessly looked away as Chen Xiu continued talking endlessly beside him, irritating him. Lu Yun looked down at this lady, emphasizing each word: “I said, another day!”

He was cold as ice, showing no consideration for Chen Xiu, who was annoyed inside but showed nothing on her face. She smiled properly and naturally changed the topic to other matters.

Lu Yun turned away with a flourish of his sleeves, Chen Xiu following him.

Watching from afar, Luo Lingyu: “…”

Who was this noble lady? So formidable. Even with Third Lord Lu showing such obvious displeasure, she persisted undaunted.

Other ladies observing Chen Xiu’s behavior sneered: “So thick-skinned.”

“Indeed.”

They felt Third Lord Lu’s coldness toward women might largely be due to being scared off by Chen Xiu. Though Chen Xiu’s family specialized in Confucian studies, supposedly with extremely strict family rules, and she was proper and serious about everything else, she alone remained steadfast toward Third Lord Lu, unwavering for many years.

From Luo Lingyu’s direction, she inadvertently saw that lady following behind Third Lord Lu, her gaze toward Lu Yun full of admiration and resentment. Her expression was as if Lu Yun had abandoned her… Luo Lingyu hesitated before asking: “Is that lady close to my Third Cousin? Did my Third Cousin wrong her somehow?”

Why else would the lady be so resentful?

Moreover, Luo Lingyu knew that while Lu Yun appeared proud and aloof publicly, he was quite frivolous in private… For such a frivolous person, given the liberal customs of this era, Luo Lingyu thought it entirely possible that Third Lord Lu had had a private relationship with the noble lady. Hmph, acting so righteous…

The young lords surrounding Luo Lingyu followed her gaze to see Third Lord Lu and the lady talking incessantly beside him. They revealed knowing smiles and explained to Miss Luo: “This is quite a sight in Jianye. Miss Chen comes from a scholarly family, a talented lady who’s been ‘Flower Goddess’ for three consecutive years. Many young lords want to marry her… but who knows what obsession drives her to fixate solely on your Third Cousin.”

“She’s waited many years for Third Lord Lu, she’s already nineteen now but still refuses to marry.”

“All the young lords in Jianye know of her feelings for the Third Lord, who would dare propose to her? Scholar Chen is usually such an agreeable person, but he can’t do anything about this daughter.”

“But with Miss Chen’s persistence… if she waits a few more years, with the Chen family pressuring the Lu family more, pleading for a few more years, perhaps Third Lord Lu might marry her?”

The young lords laughed carelessly, their laughter teasing, finding it amusing. Marriage alliances between noble families traditionally emphasized benefits over personal desires. Third Lord Lu hadn’t seemed particularly close to any lady, his closest relationship probably being with Chen Xiu who wouldn’t leave him alone…

Luo Lingyu lowered her head, slightly puzzled. Could someone like Third Lord Lu be won over through persistent pursuit? Had she given up too easily? Look at Miss Chen…

Meanwhile, Chen Xiu was speaking grandly, using her scholarship to discourse with Third Lord Lu. Lu Yun maintained a stern face without saying a word. Suddenly, Lu Yun spotted the Prince of Hengyang and Prince Chen walking over from the grove. The Prince of Hengyang turned his head, seemingly making sarcastic remarks to Prince Chen. Prince Chen kept his head down, completely silent… These two appeared so dear to Third Lord Lu’s eyes that he called out loudly: “Your Highnesses!”

Prince Chen Liu Shu looked over, immediately seeing that Lu Yun was again entangled with Chen Xiu. Although he was currently irritated by the Prince of Hengyang, seeing Third Lord Lu’s annoyed expression amused him. Prince Chen nodded: “Xuchen.”

Lu Yun immediately came over to join Prince Chen in receiving the Prince of Hengyang’s anger. Liu Mu was convinced that Liu Shu was behind the schemes, both killing his captured assassin and disrupting his plans. Liu Mu constantly caused trouble for Prince Chen in court, and even after court, still showed no goodwill toward Prince Chen and Lu Yun. Encountering Prince Chen at the banquet, he launched into mockery. Prince Chen remained silent like a sealed bottle, which only increased the Prince of Hengyang’s anger –

Was the silence contempt?

Did not speaking mean he couldn’t be bothered?

How could this nephew be even more arrogant than him?

As soon as Third Lord Lu came over, Prince Hengyang Liu Mu said with an uncertain tone: “Third Lord Lu also comes to this banquet to welcome me? Must be with a weasel’s heart!”

Lu Yun: “Your Highness speaks truly.”

Prince of Hengyang: “…”

He cast suspicious glances between the silent Prince Chen Liu Shu and the unperturbed Lu Yun. He suspected these two had something wrong with them, remaining so calm even when he was nearly cursing them to their faces… Perhaps eccentrics just got along well with eccentrics?

Watching Lu Yun join the Prince of Hengyang and Prince Chen, Chen Xiu’s gaze grew more resentful from where she stood. Those few lords were different from others – while other lords engaged in pure conversation, they discussed politics, making it inappropriate for her to approach. But Lu Yun’s obvious attempts to shake her off… she wasn’t a fool, how could she not understand?

Third Lord Lu had shown her contempt countless times!

Chen Xiu suppressed the unwillingness in her heart and walked back behind the ladies’ tables. With such displeasure in her heart, her gaze constantly went to Lu Yun. Having watched for so long, she occasionally noticed Third Lord Lu’s gaze wandering in a certain direction while listening to the Prince of Hengyang… Chen Xiu looked over and saw it was Luo Lingyu. Of course, it was Luo Lingyu – among the ladies here, only Luo Lingyu had the most young lords gathered around her. The direction of Lu Yun’s gaze couldn’t be wrong.

Chen Xiu was secretly shocked: This lady… seemed to be the newly arrived Miss Luo staying with the Lu family.

A friend beside her said: “Yes, Miss Luo has been staying with the Lu family for almost a month now. I heard from the Lu family that she came to rely on her eldest aunt. With her eldest aunt watching over her, she can probably stay with the Lu family until she marries.”

Chen Xiu pressed her lips together, her hands clenching within her sleeves as she said casually: “That’s nothing special. There are many poor relatives seeking shelter with the Lu family.”

Miss Han, who was sitting on the same couch peeling lychees with her head down, immediately looked up and sneered: “What do you know? A few days ago when we went to Mount Zhong, we saw Third Cousin embracing Sister Luo while they were archery shooting. The way Third Cousin looked at Sister Luo…”

Miss Han said: “I think Sister Luo might be able to stay at the Lu family forever. She’ll marry Third Cousin.”

Chen Xiu turned to look, recognizing this Miss Han was also related to the Lu family, which explained why she called Lu Yun “Third Cousin.” She mockingly thought to herself that besides Lu Qingyi who was already married, the Lu family had no young ladies – these female cousins staying at the Lu family were just after the Lu family’s young lords… Chen Xiu said lightly: “Many female cousins are staying with the Lu family.”

She took a sip of tea, her clear gaze passing indifferently over Miss Han’s face.

The implication was clear: many female cousins were staying with the Lu family, but none had been known to marry Third Lord Lu.

Miss Han was furious: “…”

Miss Han protested: “Sister Luo’s beauty is unmatched in Jianye!”

Chen Xiu: “When beauty fades, so does love – it cannot last. Beauty alone, with an empty mind, is merely something for others to mock.”

Miss Han’s face reddened: “…”

She felt slightly bitter toward Luo Lingyu because after staying with the Lu family for two days and playing with Luo Lingyu several times, she saw that Luo Lingyu had more than just looks. Luo Lingyu’s excellence and ability to please young lords made Miss Han jealous… but! But Chen Xiu was even more detestable! Using her “scholarship” to suppress them for so many years, clearly liking Third Lord Lu herself yet looking down on them as female cousins…

Miss Han stood up abruptly: “You’ll see, Third Cousin treats Sister Luo differently!”

Chen Xiu’s self-importance forced her to become Luo Lingyu’s supporter.

By this time, Luo Lingyu had left the circle of young lords. Though she wanted to befriend the lords, she couldn’t risk gaining a bad reputation for only playing with men and ignoring ladies. Luo Lingyu found several Lu family female cousins she knew and gracefully walked over. Seeing them gathered around a square table, heads lowered and whispering with occasional laughter, Luo Lingyu asked curiously: “What are you doing?”

The familiar ladies looked up, saw Luo Lingyu, and made way for her. Luo Lingyu saw many decorated papers on the table, with many names written and copied onto fine paper… A gentle, delicate voice explained beside her: “These are the names of ladies participating in the ‘Flower Goddess’ selection. Everyone is registering here.”

The speaker was Princess Pingning Liu Tang, who smiled at Luo Lingyu with evident goodwill.

The ladies laughed and asked: “Would Miss Luo like to participate in the ‘Flower Goddess’ selection? If so, add your name.”

Luo Lingyu feigned enthusiasm: “How interesting, I’ll join in then.”

She scanned the unfamiliar names, her lips curling knowingly when she saw “Chen Xiu.” Looking at the still hesitating Princess Pingning beside her, Luo Lingyu smiled and encouraged: “Princess should join too! It’ll be fun. You might even become a ‘Flower Goddess’! You could be the first princess to be painted in the scholars’ ‘Ladies’ Portraits’ – wouldn’t that be something?”

Being painted in the scholars’ “Ladies’ Portraits” was a renowned honor that could bring eternal fame. Contemporary scholars held tremendous influence. Princess Pingning wavered: “I couldn’t…”

Luo Lingyu was waiting for the princess’s title to compete with Chen Xiu, allowing herself to benefit as a third party. It wouldn’t harm the princess at all… Luo Lingyu said: “Everyone competes with their abilities, just for fun. The title of ‘Flower Goddess’ belongs to whoever earns it, why hesitate?”

The other ladies giggled, and Miss Wang turned with her brush: “Then Princess, shall I add your name? What will you compete in? Poetry, painting, or dance?”

Some competing ladies chose poetry and painting, others chose to dance. These were the most common options. But when Miss Wang asked, Princess Pingning said: “Horseback riding.”

Miss Wang’s hand trembled as she wrote, managing only a few characters. Luo Lingyu looked back at Liu Tang’s slender, delicate appearance, truly unable to imagine this lady would choose such an uncommon event as horseback riding… Seeing “Liu Tang’s” name appear on the paper, Luo Lingyu’s lips curved up, already imagining the spectacular scene when Liu Tang and Chen Xiu would compete for the title. The only princess from the royal family versus a noble lady favored by scholars… with these two fighting intensely, it would be easier for her to emerge.

Let others compete while she observed and claimed victory. Once she could suppress these two, she would gain the most supporters.

Luo Lingyu seized the opportunity to ask them about details of the Flower Goddess Festival. As the ladies chatted and laughed, they saw Miss Han storming over. Miss Han slammed the table, looked down at Luo Lingyu’s name added to the paper, and grabbed her hand: “Sister Luo, you’re also competing for ‘Flower Goddess,’ right? I won’t participate – I’ll give my spot to you! You’ll become ‘Flower Goddess’ and teach Chen Xiu a lesson!”

The ladies hurriedly asked what happened: “You shouldn’t provoke Miss Chen… she’s a talented lady, how could you argue with her?”

Miss Han slapped the table: “I don’t need to argue with her! She said Sister Luo only has beauty but no talent, but I didn’t just meet Sister Luo yesterday…” She looked down, saw “Dance” written after Luo Lingyu’s name, and after a pause, immediately grabbed the brush to change it: “Sister Luo, compete with her in poetry, in painting! I don’t believe you’re inferior to her!”

Miss Han had gone mad, her eyes red, thinking only of defeating Chen Xiu.

Luo Lingyu quickly stopped her: “No, no…”

Her goal was to amaze everyone, not just defeat Chen Xiu!

Noble ladies learned many skills, but individual talent was limited. Most ladies were thoroughly suppressed by renowned scholars like Chen Xiu. Moreover, Chen Xiu looked down on those who spent their days in leisure, considering herself above them, making her quite unpopular. Many also disliked Luo Lingyu… but these feelings were more complex, and they currently had no doubts about Luo Lingyu’s character. Thus, after hearing Miss Han’s words, the female cousins pondered briefly before quietly deciding: “Then I won’t participate either, it better for Miss Luo to win.”

Luo Lingyu modestly said: “Don’t do that…”

While internally blooming with joy.

She smiled sweetly, genuinely glancing toward Miss Chen who wouldn’t sit with them “vulgar people”: This lady was truly helpful. Creating such stable antagonism had brought her unexpected benefits.

Chen Xiu caught Luo Lingyu’s gaze: “…”

She turned to the lady beside her: “What does Miss Luo mean? Is she challenging me?”

A fallen noble family’s daughter, daring to challenge her?!

Seeing the young lords’ furtive glances at Luo Lingyu, Chen Xiu internally scorned: Common paint and powder, men’s taste was just that base.

Not wanting to mingle with those ladies, Chen Xiu rose and went alone to a painted screen, considering briefly before taking up a brush to paint. After a while, the playful ladies seemed to run out of paper and brushes. Luo Lingyu looked around, saw many wolf-hair and rabbit-hair brushes in Chen Xiu’s brush holder, and voluntarily went over to get brushes and ink. As Luo Lingyu bent to select a brush, she heard Chen Xiu’s cool voice: “Miss Luo, I am several years your senior and have lived in Jianye longer than you. I deserve to be called ‘elder sister,’ and have some words of advice to give you as such – you’re from a small household in Nanyang, what do you know of great families? With limited horizons and experience, your behavior is petty and unsophisticated.”

“For instance, using beauty to converse with men is most improper.”

“We ladies should value virtue and quietude above all. You’re younger, take care not to stray from the proper path and be called frivolous.”

“Don’t bring your bad Nanyang habits to our Jianye.”

Luo Lingyu’s sleeve-raising hand paused: “…”

She stood straight, seeing Chen Xiu lecturing her coolly while painting on the screen. Assuming the role of an elder sister, teaching her to be proper… Luo Lingyu raised her eyes – currently, metaphysics was popular, not Confucian teachings. Jianye’s ladies were all formidable, even Chen Xiu herself from a Confucian family still fixated on Third Lord Lu… There were many ladies in Jianye different from Chen Xiu, so why did she single out Luo Lingyu to lecture?

Did she think a fallen noble family’s daughter with no powerful backing could be bullied at will?

Luo Lingyu said playfully: “My horizons are limited, I’m petty and unsophisticated?”

Chen Xiu glanced over, seeing her beautiful face wearing an ambiguous smile. Chen Xiu already disliked women of excessive beauty, let alone this Miss Luo whose beauty was striking, nearly bewitching, improper… Chen Xiu emphasized: “I mean well. Little sister, don’t waste my good intentions.”

Luo Lingyu smiled and lowered her voice: “Elder Sister Chen, though my parents died early, my family elders are still alive. My character doesn’t need your guidance. Even now living in the Lu family, my aunts and uncles don’t criticize me. This is our first meeting, we’re strangers, I don’t think you have any standing to lecture me… but since you call me ‘petty,’ I’ll show you what ‘petty’ really means.”

She suddenly stumbled back several steps, flinging the wet brushes in her hand so water splashed on her sleeve. Meanwhile, her hand seemingly tried to steady herself on something nearby, but as she raised her other hand, she knocked over an inkstone on the table, causing the ink to splash and leave a streak on her hand.

She staggered backward, knocking over the screen and falling into a sitting position, clutching her wrist with a cry of pain.

She looked up, her watery eyes filled with disbelief and heartbreak as she stared at Chen Xiu, her lips trembling: “You- you…”

The screen fell with a crash, attracting everyone’s attention.

Ladies and lords rushed over to help Luo Lingyu. Before Luo Lingyu could speak, her lips trembling and face pale, Miss Han was already indignant: “Chen Xiu, what’s wrong with you, how could you bully Sister Luo?”

Chen Xiu stared wide-eyed at Luo Lingyu, who was surrounded by people as she covered her sleeve in distress: “…”

This lady… such tactics… Chen Xiu pressed her lips together in anger: “I didn’t do anything…”

Liu Tang also held Luo Lingyu’s hand sympathetically: “Sister Luo’s hand is injured… what if Sister Luo wants to paint, won’t she be unable to?”

Chen Xiu: “I didn’t…” Her pleading gaze stopped in one direction, seeing the Prince of Hengyang, Prince Chen, and Third Lord Lu coming over. Chen Xiu’s eyes brightened: Because she wanted to please Lu Yun, she had chosen to paint behind a screen near Lu Yun and the others. Luo Lingyu hadn’t seen them behind her, but Chen Xiu knew! They weren’t far away, and these men all had excellent martial arts skills and good hearing. What had just happened, they must have seen clearly!

But Luo Lingyu remained calm, unconcerned: Standing so close, separated by a screen, what could others see? They were busy talking and scheming themselves.

Liu Tang immediately complained to her brother: “Brother, Miss Chen bullied Sister Luo!”

Prince Chen Liu Shu coughed, his flickering gaze turning to Third Lord Lu: This is your cousin…

Third Lord Lu lowered his eyes to Luo Lingyu’s ink-stained hand. He looked at Chen Xiu, then at Luo Lingyu, his tone pained and sympathetic: “Cousin has truly… been wronged.”

Chen Xiu’s lips whitened as she trembled: “Third Lord Lu!”

She was thunderstruck, deeply shocked!

Prince Hengyang Liu Mu looked Luo Lingyu up and down with curious eyes: Unexpected, unexpected… was this the “scorpion beauty” Master Kong spoke of?

Second Young Master Lu, who had been breathlessly searching everywhere for the Prince of Hengyang to try to connect him with Luo Lingyu, returned to see everyone surrounding a pale-faced, tearful delicate lady and saw the Prince of Hengyang’s gaze fixed unwaveringly on Luo Lingyu. Lu Xian sighed in relief, delighted: It seems I don’t need to do anything – fate has decreed it, the Prince of Hengyang has fallen for Cousin Luo after all.