Chapter One, The Sound of Autumn (Part One)

As he spoke, he had already approached. Bai Xingzhi circled around Wang Xun's back, frowning as she looked over. She saw that the newcomer had a large black circle over his left eye, two bruises on his right cheek, and his nose and mouth were covered with a piece of cloth, from which blood was continuously seeping. It was evident that he had been severely beaten, no wonder he had come to Jin Hua Lou seeking help

"What a big deal, come on, can the sky really fall!" Seeing someone stand up for Xiao Ping'er, Wang Xun found it inappropriate to continue arguing. He glared fiercely at the door and issued a loud command

As a woman of the world, she was already well aware of her fate in this life. Thus, she did not aspire to marry into another family as a legitimate wife; instead, she only wished to be a favored concubine for life, no longer treated as a mere plaything to be passed around. Therefore, even though she was destined to have a maid by her side to warm her husband's bed, she held high expectations, not wanting the man to look down on her in the future because of a maid. Just as she was filled with frustration, a loud voice suddenly echoed from downstairs, "Second Brother, Second Brother, do not blame Miss Ping'er. It was I who asked her to call for you. Hurry and get ready, something big has happened!"

Second Brother!" Seeing the hesitation on Wang Xun's face, Yu Wen Zhi elongated his voice in a plea

You girl! Bai Xingzhi shook her head, slowly sitting back on the edge of the bed, rubbing her burning cheeks with her hands. Did she really almost end up as just an empty fish hook? She felt somewhat bewildered. Why did she suddenly want to entrust everything to him today without any guarantees? She was unclear. It just felt as if there were many mysteries in the air, waiting for her to slowly decipher. Perhaps in just a few days, she would see through it all. Or maybe, with just a moment's hesitation, she would miss out on an entire lifetime. It just felt as if there were many mysteries in the air, waiting for her to slowly decipher. Perhaps in just a few days, she would see through it all. Or maybe, with just a moment's hesitation, she would miss out on an entire lifetime

The elder sister is still protecting him. One must understand that one cannot be soft-hearted when dealing with men. The softer you are, the less he will appreciate you. It is best to always be unattainable. With no outsiders present, Xiao Ping's mouth immediately began to move up and down like popping beans, "If you press him one step further today, he might just agree to let you into the residence of Chongrenfang. You always think of him, always think of him..."

"Ingrate!" Xiao Ping'er, still resentful about the grievance she had just suffered, glared at the retreating figures of Wang Xun and the others, cursing angrily.

While he was taking advantage of two women, he intermittently described the events that transpired. The cause of the conflict sounded quite simple: Wang Xun, Yu Wenzhi, and several other noble descendants had jointly opened a cockfighting arena called "Changlefang" in the East Market, which had recently been thriving. With nothing to do and a penchant for excitement, Yu Wenzhi spent his days gambling at the arena. Unexpectedly, his luck was extremely poor that day; the rooster he usually relied on, "General Wuwei," surprisingly lost after initially winning. As one of the owners, Yu Wenzhi felt embarrassed and decided to borrow another rooster, "General Anle," from his other cockfighting arena, "Baishengguan," to turn the tide. However, an onlooker from out of town insisted that the house should adhere to the pre-established rules and demanded that "Changlefang" bear the losses based on its own strength. The staff at the arena, seeing this, prepared to invite the outsider to the back for "tea." To their surprise, the outsider refused to cooperate and took the opportunity to cause trouble, knocking several staff members to the ground. Yu Wenzhi, not one to suffer in silence, immediately stepped in to defend his staff. Unfortunately, he was outmatched and was humiliated by the outsider. Witnessing this from the second-floor private room, the Qin brothers, Qin Guomo and Qin Guizhen, jumped down to lend a hand. The outsider was soon joined by four or five companions, and a brawl ensued with the Qin brothers. Hearing the commotion, a descendant of the Gao Tang Duke, Ma Fang, came to mediate but was also beaten black and blue by the group of outsiders, who mistook him for an accomplice in the gambling scheme.

Mandarin ducks' pillows, red phoenix canopies, layers of spring colors fill the bed. A slight parting of crimson lips, two starry eyes slightly open. ... Scorching, scorching, calling out to the little troublemaker, do not be overly anxious. ... The two initially engaged in playful banter, but later, a surge of passion welled up in their hearts, just as they were about to "make a vow to enjoy a day of joy together," when suddenly, hurried footsteps echoed from downstairs. The door creaked open with a "m.hetushu.com" sound, and Bai Xingzhi's personal maid and qin player, Xiao Ping'er, rushed in hastily. The two initially engaged in playful banter, but later, a surge of passion welled up in their hearts, just as they were about to "make a vow to enjoy a day of joy together," when suddenly, hurried footsteps echoed from downstairs. The door creaked open with a "m.hetushu.com" sound, and Bai Xingzhi's personal maid and qin player, Xiao Ping'er, rushed in hastily.

Bai Xingzhi wanted to say a few more words, but fearing to embarrass Wang Xun in front of others, she opened her mouth, only to swallow back the words that had already reached her lips. She watched helplessly as Wang Xun went downstairs, mounted his steed with the assistance of his close attendants, Wang Ji and Wang Xiang, and then hurriedly rushed to the window, leaning down slightly to whisper, "Second Young Master, be careful and don't get yourself into trouble"

Wang Xun was furious, throwing the beautiful person in his arms onto the bed. He turned around and shouted angrily: "Has no one taught you any manners? You run around carelessly all day long. If you were in my house, you would have been dragged out and beaten to death with a big stick!"

"It's nothing!" The man with dark circles under his eyes, known as Young Master Yuwen, turned around and cupped his fist in a grand gesture towards her, saying, "I apologize for offending the young lady. Once my facial injuries have healed, I will definitely host ten tables of wine at the Jinhua Pavilion and publicly toast to you, young lady!"

"Second Brother, you really haven't seen it; those outsiders are here to cause trouble!" With dark circles under his eyes, Yu Wenzhi could not argue back and had no choice but to sit down obediently, allowing Bai Xingzhi and Xiao Ping'er to help tend to his wounds. "They, ah, Ping'er, be gentle. It hurts! If you're not careful, I'll ask Second Brother for you another day, so you can warm my bed!"

He dares! Wang Xun stood up abruptly, casually grabbing his bright red cloak. "This is Chang'an, beneath the feet of the Son of Heaven. Is there really no law here?"

The affairs of men can indeed be quite troublesome at times White Xiongzhi shook her head and slowly closed the window

"I fear it has swallowed the bait and slipped away with a whoosh, leaving you with an empty hook!" Xiao Ping secretly glanced at the mistress and murmured softly.

Since they cannot run far, why not let the authorities capture them and punish them? In this region of Chang'an, does Young Master Yuwen still fear engaging in a lawsuit with a few outsiders? Bai Xingzhi was momentarily taken aback, feigning a look of complete innocence and ignorance

Who on earth is it that has acted so ruthlessly? Seeing his good friend, with whom he grew up, being beaten to such a state, Wang Xun's anger was instantly extinguished. He pulled over a stool and pressed the other person onto it, while grabbing a towel from the dressing table and tossing it into the basin, all the while angrily inquiring.

Do not be anxious, let me think! On one side is the concerned gaze of a beautiful woman, and on the other is the expectant look of a friend. Wang Xun feels somewhat indecisive: "In any case, no matter how fast we hurry now, they have already run far away. Do not be anxious, first stop the bleeding. Ping'er, go fetch a basin of cold water. Sister Bai, could you please find a few clean towels? It would be best if they are made of long plush silk. Xiao Wu, do not be anxious, sit down and slowly explain how this fight started. I believe that group of outsiders is quite bold, but if you did not provoke them, they would not dare to cause trouble for us in the East Market!"

Enough, do not say anything more! Wang Xun slammed the table with great force, causing the entire table to collapse, and the teapot and teacups shattered all over the ground. If Yu Wen Zhi were beaten alone, perhaps he could endure this humiliation today. This kid, Yu Wen Zhi, often causes trouble everywhere; suffering a setback might help him learn a lesson. However, the Qin brothers from the Hu Gong Mansion and Young Master Ma Si from the Gao Tang County Mansion are all family friends of the Wang family, and they usually provide support for the Wang family's other enterprises. Now, if he, the main owner of the fighting chicken arena at 'Chang Le Fang,' is beaten black and blue by a few outsiders and still hides away without showing his face, he will no longer be able to meet with his friends in the future!

"Little girl, what do you know!" Bai Xingzhi poked with a finger, causing Xiao Ping'er to cover her head in pain. "Have you ever seen fishing? Without bait, you cannot force it into its mouth. You must always understand to pull the line, keeping it in a state of being able to eat or not eat. It will naturally take the bait!"

"Young lady, you may not be aware of this," Master Yuwen said, rubbing his hands together. "We are all people who value our reputation. Wherever we stumble, we must find a way to recover. How can we casually disturb the authorities? Otherwise, if word gets out, those who know will say we are upholding the laws of the Tang Dynasty and do not wish to cause trouble. Those who do not know will think we are relying on our connections in the officialdom to bully these outsiders!"

There is no need for that! You and Erlang are childhood friends, and his matters are also my concerns! Bai Xingzhi sat upright at the head of the bed, appearing poised and graceful. "However, the East Market is quite a distance from here, and your nose is still bleeding. How can you not feel dizzy on horseback? Moreover, you have come such a long way to seek help; the round trip will take a considerable amount of time. By the time Erlang arrives, those troublemaking outsiders will likely have fled far away!"

Not only is there no law, but I, along with those two young princes from the Qin residence in the west and the fourth young master from the Ma residence in the north, have all been beaten by them! I reported my second brother's name, but they didn't take it seriously at all!" The one with dark circles under his eyes immediately stood up, grabbing Wang Xun's arm and heading outside.

I... Xiaoping was scolded by him until her eyes turned red, filled with tears and on the verge of crying. Wang Xun, upon seeing this, felt increasingly unsettled, deeply uncomfortable. Unable to restrain himself, he glared and whispered harshly, "What are you crying for? Besides crying and causing trouble, what else can you do?"

"Not dizzy, not dizzy," Master Yuwen repeatedly waved his hand. "They will definitely run, but they won't get far. The East Market is our territory, and we have many eyes and ears both openly and secretly."

After being repeatedly obstructed by Bai Xingzhi, Wang Xun's anger gradually subsided. However, he usually only had a few people, including Yu Wenzhi, to bully others, and now his event had been disrupted by someone else, making it difficult for him to swallow this humiliation. Moreover, a very crucial point is that although he is respectfully referred to as the Young Marquis, in reality, he is merely a young man who has inherited the remnants of his ancestors' fortunes. The title that his predecessors fought for with their lives during the founding of the dynasty has diminished over generations, and by the time it reached him, it was reduced to merely a viscount's cap. While it can serve as a facade, it may not be very useful in dealings with the authorities. If today he chooses to report the troublemakers instead of personally capturing them, given the muddled temperament of the magistrate of Chang'an, it is likely to end up as a matter that would be left unresolved.

Bai Xingzhi had originally prepared to give everything, but was suddenly interrupted at a moment of deep emotion, which naturally dampened her spirits. Therefore, when she saw Xiao Ping'er being reprimanded, she did not come to her aid or intervene. Instead, she propped herself up on one elbow from the bed, staring blankly at Wang Xun's back.

If Second Brother does not bring the brothers back today, in the future at Dongshikou, we... Universally fearing chaos, Yuwen Zhi continues to add fuel to the fire

Upon realizing this, Wang Xun disregarded Bai Xingzhi and her servant, who were busy cleaning up the broken porcelain shards on the floor. He grabbed Yu Wenzhi's arm and turned to leave, saying, "Come with me to pursue. Today, even if we have to chase to the ends of the earth, we must reclaim our honor. You follow me first, and if I prove to be no match, we will seek others to take the lead!"

Speak, and with a gentle tap on the stirrup, the chestnut horse beneath me lets out a "whinny". I race down the same street that the officials had just triumphantly returned along, moving like the wind.

"Rest assured!" Wang Xun turned back and smiled at her gratefully. "Aren't they just a few outsiders? Can they really go against the heavens? I'll go take a look first, and then I'll come back to listen to your new composition!"

Then I can go up and speak. I hope I won't disturb Miss Bai!" A loud voice from downstairs shouted again, and then rushed up the stairs in a few quick steps. "I didn't mean to interrupt you, Second Brother. But the brothers were bullied terribly today. If you don't stand up for us..."

Bai Xingzhi had long recognized this uninvited guest, whose surname was Yuwen and given name was Zhi. He was a good friend of Wang Xun, having played together since childhood. However, his personality was vastly different from Wang Xun's; he often liked to stir up trouble, leaving his friends to clean up after him. Considering the man's pride, Bai Xingzhi initially did not intend to intervene. But upon seeing Wang Xun prepare to stand up for the other party without even inquiring about the details of the situation, she couldn't help but furrow her brow and softly called out, "Er Lang, are you going just like that? Young Master Yuwen's nose is bleeding, you know?"

"A group of damned outsiders." Heiyanquan took the towel that Wang Xun had washed, wiping the dirt and blood from his face while responding with a sense of grievance. "Erlang, you should hurry; if you delay any longer, the cockfighting arena will be taken over by them!"

Little Hou was taken aback by the tense atmosphere inside the house, while the maid, Xiao Ping'er, stood awkwardly with one foot inside the door and the other outside