Not long after, a clamor arose from afar.
The crowd looked in that direction, their faces etched with shock!
A thousand-strong army, clad in armor, was approaching.
Leading them was none other than Liang Feng!
“Why is the Imperial Guard here?” “I recognize the one leading them, it’s the eldest son of the Liang family, General Liang Feng!”
Exclamations erupted, but Liang Feng merely led his thousand Imperial Guard comrades to secure the venue, nodding silently to Liang Xiao and Liang Yun in the distance.
“Even the Imperial Guard has come to support Duke Anguo!” The crowd buzzed.
The Imperial Guard answered directly to the Emperor, managed by two shadow guards.
Liang Feng, a mere auxiliary general, had no authority to deploy the Imperial Guard for Liang Xiao’s affairs.
There was only one possibility: the Emperor’s command!
Zuo Wushang, observing from afar, cursed his luck and slapped his forehead. He felt a prickle of unease.
Liang Xiao had indeed become the Emperor’s favored minister, and the prophecy of a wise official appearing in a dream was true!
After a lifetime of composure, encountering Liang Xiao had instilled a profound sense of powerlessness.
Was there any hope for the restoration of the Great Heng Kingdom?
In the backstage, Yi Rou’s breathing grew ragged, her delicate body trembling. Only Ye Qingyi remained calm, leading Yi Rou to the front.
“The Proprietress arrives! Miss Yi Rou, the Flower Queen, arrives!”
Liang Xiao simply smiled, though a flicker of displeasure crossed his mind.
He had already paid handsomely to book the entire venue; Hundred Spring Pavilion should not interfere with his grand event.
Ye Qingyi, holding Yi Rou’s hand, walked to the front, her appearance stunning the crowd.
“She is the Proprietress of Hundred Spring Pavilion? Seeing is believing, she truly lives up to her name, the Beauty in Green!”
Countless scholars and poets gasped, and even the high-ranking officials in the front row felt a tremor in their hearts, their minds reeling.
Ye Qingyi curtsied to the crowd below, her smile radiant. “Duke Anguo’s presence graces our humble abode! I hope everyone will abide by the rules later and not disrupt Duke Anguo’s wine sales.”
Her words were met with another wave of astonishment!
The Proprietress of Hundred Spring Pavilion was actually speaking in favor of Liang Xiao!
Liang Xiao merely gazed at Ye Qingyi and Yi Rou as they turned, remaining silent.
Yi Rou dared not meet Liang Xiao’s eyes, lowering her head in quietude.
Ye Qingyi offered Liang Xiao a faint smile, curtsied again, and her eyes conveyed a message.
“Duke Anguo’s talent is unparalleled in the world. I have admired you from afar for a long time and hold you in the highest regard.”
Ye Qingyi’s words struck the entire assembly like a thunderclap, leaving them stunned into silence!
Ye Qingyi, the Proprietress of Hundred Spring Pavilion, the peerless beauty who had gained fame in the capital five years ago!
Rumor had it that she navigated the circles of power with grace, yet remained pure, offering no one the chance to win her heart!
And now, she professed admiration for a nineteen-year-old youth, Liang Xiao?
“You flatter me, Proprietress. I am here to sell wine today,” Liang Xiao replied politely, with a faint smile.
Ye Qingyi’s beauty was only slightly inferior to Luo Qingxue and the others, but she possessed an innate allure. Despite her cold demeanor, she exuded a captivating charm that could easily ensnare an ordinary man!
Sensing the indifference in Liang Xiao’s tone, Ye Qingyi’s heart skipped a beat. She looked at Liang Xiao and then noticed Luo Qingxue and Jian Qinwan standing behind him.
The two women were observing Ye Qingyi with cool detachment.
“This…” Ye Qingyi was uncharacteristically taken aback.
To interact with Liang Xiao today, she had envisioned countless scenarios: Liang Xiao as a man of virtue, unmoved by her beauty; perhaps he was cold in “that” regard, or perhaps he was a henpecked husband…
In any of these imagined situations, she had a plan. At worst, she would orchestrate a renowned “epic love story,” slowly ensnaring him, and eventually winning him over!
However, she had never considered the possibility that he would be accompanied by two women more beautiful than herself!
Luo Qingxue in her green attire, Jian Qinwan in her violet robes, veiled such that only the upper half of their faces were visible, were enough to convince Ye Qingyi that her own beauty paled in comparison.
This was the intuition of a woman judging another woman.
Especially Luo Qingxue, also dressed in green! It wasn't the clothes that were terrifying, but the potential for awkwardness if one was less attractive…
All the strategies Ye Qingyi had meticulously prepared to conquer Liang Xiao were now rendered useless!
Jian Qinwan and Luo Qingxue, mindful of not disturbing Liang Xiao, maintained their composure, though their hearts were filled with vigilance.
How dare this woman try to seduce him!
As Ye Qingyi stood frozen, Liang Xiao’s voice reached her ears.
“Proprietress, if there is nothing else, could you allow me to conduct my business first?”
Ye Qingyi, barely regaining her senses, almost choked. The crowd below was aghast.
Dugu She, the steward of the Dugu family, sneered, “Duke Anguo, you are truly impolite! Miss Ye, the Proprietress, admires you, and you simply dismiss her?”
Half of the onlookers echoed his sentiment, their voices laced with palpable jealousy!
Ye Qingyi turned her head, tears welling in her eyes, causing the crowd to ache with sympathy.
Good heavens! He had made such a noble lady weep! Never before had there been rumors of the Proprietress of Hundred Spring Pavilion shedding tears!
Ye Qingyi wiped away her tears and turned back to Liang Xiao with a captivating smile, her allure intoxicating. “It matters not. Once Duke Anguo has concluded his important affairs, this humble woman wishes to attend to some personal matters with you…”
Gasps of cold air rippled through the audience, punctuated by faint cries of despair!
This proud and aloof, peerless beauty, the mysterious Proprietress of Hundred Spring Pavilion, having suffered such humiliation from this man, not only did she not despair but actually…
“Is this what they mean by envy killing people?” Several fragile scholars in the back began to weep softly.
Liang Feng, clapping a soldier of the Imperial Guard on the shoulder, declared proudly, “See that? My second brother is this charming! Are you convinced? Now, everyone, open your purses!”
The soldiers could only sigh in admiration and pledge their allegiance. “We are convinced! We’ll pay later!”
Who would have thought that Liang Feng had already set up several wagers with his comrades?
Liang Xiao glanced at Ye Qingyi and said with a hint of resignation, “We’ll see. Proprietress, please return to your seat. I am eager to sell my wine.”
A moment of stunned silence fell over the assembly, followed by an immediate eruption of boos!
Clearly, Liang Xiao had incurred the wrath of the crowd, so much so that they no longer feared offending him, the Duke Anguo!
“Duke Anguo is utterly intractable! Proprietress, stop talking to him, talk to me!” A talented young man from the Ouyang family declared proudly, his companions from aristocratic families voicing their agreement.
What was one Duke Anguo to them? They were all members of powerful clans; even the Prime Minister would hesitate to offend them!
Ye Qingyi’s heart burned with annoyance. She shot Liang Xiao a resentful glance and said softly, “It is this humble one’s deep admiration that led to such presumption. I shall abide by Duke Anguo’s arrangements. This humble one and Yi Rou will await good news…”
Yi Rou finally spoke shyly, “Mm…”
Seeing Ye Qingyi’s eagerness towards Liang Xiao, and Yi Rou’s gentle compliance, the onlookers were dumbfounded. Some even collapsed backward, losing consciousness on the spot!
Why… even Miss Yi Rou…
Luo Qingxue and Jian Qinwan finally breathed a sigh of relief, casting satisfied glances at Liang Xiao, and then a cold look at Ye Qingyi.
Ye Qingyi, with a distracted Yi Rou, returned to their seats on the stage, fixing her gaze on Liang Xiao, her heart filled with resentment.
“I truly underestimated this man!”
She had been so attentive, yet Liang Xiao remained indifferent, solely focused on selling his wretched wine!
A sense of defeat, the first in her life!
Duanmu Chao finally stood and cupped his hands to Liang Xiao. “Duke Anguo, you must surely be aware that ‘One Drunk for a Hundred Years’ has been selling for nearly two months at the exorbitant price of five hundred taels per jar. This is perhaps a bit excessive…”
The other merchants chimed in, requesting Liang Xiao to lower his prices.
Liang Xiao merely swept a glance over them and said sternly, “Sit down!”
A hush fell over the crowd, and they all returned to their seats.
Without responding to their pleas for a price reduction, Liang Xiao had his guards bring a sandalwood board and a sandalwood table adorned with brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.
The crowd peered closer, noticing that a fine Xuan paper was already affixed to the wooden board.
Under their astonished gazes, Luo Qingxue ground ink for Liang Xiao, who then began to wield his brush with great flourish!