“Wait a moment!”
“Hold on!”
Song Yunzhao watched as the He Lan siblings spoke in unison to stop her, feeling slightly relieved in her heart. Those with nothing to lose fear nothing, but if she could avoid losing, she certainly wouldn’t choose to. Although her father’s official position wasn’t high, their ancestors had some modest reputation. However, the Xie Family was different. The Zhenbei Prince Manor wouldn’t openly suppress the Song Family, but they would definitely make things difficult for the Xie Family.
She couldn’t let the Xie Family suffer because of her. The only way was to force the He Lan siblings to back down.
How to force them?
Of course, by exploiting the fear children have when they make mistakes outside and dread having their parents called in by the teacher. The Zhenbei Prince Manor had a formidable reputation, but simultaneously provoking the Qin and Ji Families wouldn’t be an easy matter, especially over such unsavory romantic entanglements.
Only now did He Lan Yue truly look at Song Yunzhao properly. Suppressing the anger in his heart, he said, “Miss, reporting this to the authorities seems like making a mountain out of a molehill.”
“You speak of ‘country bumpkins’ and ‘tying people up’ so freely. We commoners feel terrified. Only the authorities can give us a sense of security.”
The gentleman hiding in the shadows with a folding twitched his lips. He had finally witnessed what it meant to be full of lies.
He Lan Yun, who had been forcibly pulled behind her brother and forbidden to speak, couldn’t help but poke her head out upon hearing this and said angrily, “If you hadn’t meddled in others’ business, who would want to make things difficult for you?”
“Did I make the teacup fly through the air and nearly ruin my face? Did I make Miss Qin almost crash into me? Your brain is meant for thinking, not for you to shake it and listen to the sound of the tides rising and falling.”
“What does that mean?” He Lan Yun didn’t understand and looked at her brother suspiciously.
He Lan Yue’s face darkened, but he didn’t speak.
Wasn’t this just insulting his sister by saying her brain was full of water?
He Lan Yue didn’t want his sister to make any more jokes of herself. Looking at Ji Yunting and Qin Xiyue, he said, “Let’s consider today’s matter over. It was my sister who acted improperly. I apologize on her behalf.”
Ji Yunting smiled but didn’t speak.
Qin Xiyue remained cold-faced and silent.
He Lan Yue dismissed his family’s guards and forcibly dragged He Lan Yun away.
He Lan Yun refused to go, protesting angrily, “Brother, what are you doing? This matter isn’t over yet.”
“Shut up!”
Song Yunzhao maintained a calm expression, but inwardly she thought that if the He Lan siblings had insisted on being stubborn, she would have been caught in a dilemma. This outcome was just perfect.
Power and influence were good things. Unfortunately, she didn’t have any. She could only put on a brave face to bluff others, while inside she was as scared as a coward.
How utterly boring.
Xie Jinshu’s back was drenched in cold sweat. Seeing that the third young lady had frightened away the He Lan siblings, he finally felt his legs go slightly weak and wished he could leave this troublesome place immediately. He said, “Third Young Lady, let’s go too.”
Song Yunzhao nodded. They really should leave.
But after taking just one step, she was stopped by Qin Xiyue.
“Miss, please wait.”
Song Yunzhao, with one hand grabbing Xie Linlang and the other waving at Qin Xiyue in farewell, fled in panic as if chased by a mad dog.
What a joke! Wasn’t today’s unjust disaster caused by the female protagonist’s halo?
According to the universal law that no matter what happens, the female protagonist will always be fine, she had no intention of becoming the unlucky cannon fodder constantly at the female protagonist’s side.
Just now, she had joined forces with the female lead only because they shared a common enemy.
After leaving Sanyuan Restaurant, Song Yunzhao let out a long sigh of relief and thanked Xie Jinshu, “Thank you for speaking up for justice today, Second Young Master.”
Upon hearing this, Xie Jinshu immediately replied with a hint of shame, “Third Young Lady, you jest. It’s a pity I’m of little influence and couldn’t be of much help.”
Song Yunzhao shook her head with a smile, “That’s not the way to put it. Today, Second Young Master displayed the demeanor of a true gentleman, which is truly admirable.”
Not everyone could stand tall in the face of high-ranking officials and powerful nobles.
Xie Linlang, having finally caught her breath, spoke up, “That scared me to death. How could there be such unreasonable and domineering people?”
Song Yunzhao chuckled, “There’s no shortage of all kinds of people in this world.”
At this point, she looked at Xie Linlang and belatedly realized something. In the book, Xie Linlang had become Ji Yunting’s concubine, but today, she seemed to have no reaction to Ji Yunting.
Ji Yunting’s handsome face was exactly Xie Linlang’s type.
This shouldn’t be the case.
“Linlang, what do you think of Young Master Ji?” Feeling somewhat puzzled, Song Yunzhao decided to probe.
Xie Linlang thought for a moment before recalling who Young Master Ji was, then her expression turned rather complicated. She spoke candidly to Song Yunzhao, “Ming’an County Princess has feelings for him, and I noticed that Miss Qin also treats him differently. But look at his aloof and detached attitude today—it’s not impressive at all.”
Song Yunzhao fell silent for a moment. Well, the fan filter had shattered.
In the book, it was written that Xie Linlang insisted on entering the Prime Minister’s Manor to become Ji Yunting’s concubine not only to support her maternal family by marrying into a powerful household but also because she was captivated by Ji Yunting’s charisma.
Xie Jinshu nodded in agreement, “Linlang is right. If Young Master Ji had taken a clear stance and explained things properly, there wouldn’t have been so much trouble. Such behavior is hardly befitting of a gentleman.”
The famously talented scholar from the book had now become a petty figure in the eyes of the Xie siblings.
It was quite subtle.
“Let’s not talk about this—it’s really dampening the mood. I originally wanted to take you out to have fun today, but we ended up running into such an unfortunate incident,” Xie Linlang said apologetically. “Yun Zhao, let’s go to the jewelry shop up ahead. Pick whatever you like—I’ll buy it for you as an apology.”
“That’s not necessary,” Song Yunzhao declined with a shake of her head. A gentleman loves wealth but acquires it rightly. Though she was no gentleman, she didn’t want to take advantage of others for no reason.
“Are you still being polite with me?”
“It’s not about politeness—it really isn’t needed.”
“Alright then.” Xie Linlang, knowing Song Yunzhao’s temperament, didn’t press further.
Xie Jinshu, who had been listening nearby, spoke up, “How about going to the teahouse for a cup of tea? There’s a female storyteller there who’s quite famous in Jing City.”
Hearing the term “storyteller,” Song Yunzhao recalled that the book hadn’t really mentioned these common livelihoods, focusing entirely on the female lead. Thus, she wasn’t very familiar with the world beyond the protagonist.
“Second Young Master, is storytelling very popular in Jing City?” Song Yunzhao asked, feigning curiosity. “In Nanyu, it wasn’t very common.”
Xie Jinshu explained, “It’s only become popular in the last couple of years. It started with a failed imperial examinee who wrote exceptionally captivating scripts that left people in awe. That’s how storytelling took off in Jing City.”
Song Yunzhao understood. Looking at Xie Jinshu, she continued, “I heard from Linlang that the Xie Family also owns teahouses and restaurants. Why not hire someone to write storybooks?”
Xie Jinshu smiled wryly. “Third Young Lady, not every Cultivated Talent can write storybooks that become widely popular.” (5,0);
Song Yunzhao grasped the point—just like how hundreds of TV shows and movies are produced each year in later generations, not every one becomes a phenomenal hit.
Phenomenal hits are all money-making machines.
Song Yunzhao’s fingers itched with anticipation; she was truly in dire need of money.
If she had money, she wouldn’t have refused Xie Linlang’s invitation to go jewelry shopping today.
Buying whatever she wants, whenever she wants, is every woman’s dream.
She decided that her first pot of gold in life would start with writing storybooks.
Though the starting point was low, her dreams were high.
That’s all for today’s update. Mwah, mwah, dear readers! Thank you all for your support—love you! Please cheer me on, dear Xiaoxiang readers! If you have tickets or anything, feel free to show some support—blushing and running away now.