Chapter 7

Alo and Qingfei were in the shed, covering their mouths, afraid to laugh out loud. After watching the two of them walk side by side towards the flower grove, they finally burst into laughter. This moment was the most harmonious for Qingluo and her two older sisters.

Alo curiously asked: "What is the upper line?"

Everyone around covered their mouths and snickered. Although Qingfei was cheerful, it was her first time attending such a banquet, and she felt quite embarrassed and annoyed. She turned and walked towards the flower grove. A Luo followed behind Qingfei, and after walking a few steps, she turned back to see Cheng Siyue still standing there in a daze, so she waved her hand to signal him to come along.

The man glared with his eyes, a hint of a cold smile appearing at the corner of his mouth: "There are only so many families attending the Peach Blossom Banquet today. You can say whatever you want, but I will find out who you are. Just wait until you come to my residence, and see how I will discipline you! Uncultured girl! It would be one thing if you were ungrateful, but to dare to harm your young master in secret, I despise those who plot behind others' backs the most!"

Cheng Siyue observed that Qingfei's calligraphy was already well-known. Upon closer inspection of the characters in the painting, they were graceful and elongated, exuding the charm of the apricot blossoms and spring rain of Jiangnan, harmonizing perfectly with the artistic intent of the painting. At this moment, he was truly impressed and bowed deeply to Qingfei. After standing upright, he asked, "I also enjoy calligraphy and chess; may I invite the young lady for a game?"

The man was taken aback, and A Luo struck him with her knee, hitting the vital point. She then brought her hands down in a chopping motion, causing the man to fall to the ground, yet he was not unconscious. He managed to squeeze out two words: "You, you!"

Qing Fei covered her mouth, almost exclaiming in surprise. Turning around, she saw Cheng Si Yue looking at her with a teasing expression, causing her heart to race.

Alo delivered another chop, causing him to completely lose consciousness. Then, she clapped her hands and laughed, saying: "My master said that an ordinary man can be rendered foolish by my chop. He is probably still young, lacking sufficient strength! You lecher, who told you to scratch me while I was resting?"

The young bud seemed to be in a dream, smiling faintly. A Luo and Qing Fei hurriedly shook her awake: "Elder sister, respond, it is the Crown Prince who personally invited you."

Behind the sheer veil, a young man stood outside the pavilion with his hands clasped behind his back. As the wind blew, the veil fluttered, revealing him dressed in a crimson-yellow robe, tall and slender, with bright brows and starry eyes, exuding a calm demeanor. A Luo sighed, "A handsome man from ancient times!" It turns out that men with good physiques look even more graceful in such long robes.

Liu Jue touched the jade token from the Wangfu in his arms, realizing that the girl must have known his identity: "When did you arrive?" Liu Ying was taken aback but still respectfully replied: "When that little girl untied the master."

Alo jumped up, brushed off the dirt from her body, looked around, and found no grass leaves stuck to her. With her back to the hero, she walked forward, saying as she walked, "I have given you the space, how stingy!"

Alo asked again: "Which young master proposed the question?"

The man paused his actions upon hearing her words: "Alright, for someone so young to be able to exchange a few moves with me, go ahead and tell me, which family do you belong to? Once you tell me, I will let you go."

Alo looked at Qingfei's appearance and said with a sly smile, "Second sister will surely be able to figure it out, won't she?"

Suddenly, the voice of Cheng Siyue came from behind: "With such talent, how can you say it is shameful? The one who should feel ashamed is me."

The man crossed his arms and said, "Which family's girl?"

Qingfei's face flushed slightly, and she lowered her head, fearing that others might hear. She shot a glare at Qingluo. Suddenly, A Luo exclaimed loudly: "What difficulty is there in this? My young lady can do it!"

Qing Lei finally came to her senses, glanced at Qing Luo, and tears welled up in her eyes: "A Luo, I, this piece is not ... ... "

Alo also learned to sneer coldly: "Who told you to look around so indiscriminately? It seems that the laws of Ningguo have a provision stating that those who gaze improperly at virtuous women are to be punished by having their eyes gouged out. I haven't reported you to the authorities, so consider yourself fortunate. In such a beautiful place, I do not wish to witness such a cruel act take place, you lecher!"

The hero snorted: "From your appearance, you are certainly not a refined lady from a prestigious family! I wonder which maid from that household would have been disciplined with a beating if she had come to my residence."

Upon hearing these words, the lady's face revealed surprise, and her voice trembled: "Alei, it is indeed His Royal Highness the Crown Prince who has extended the invitation!"

Qingfei looked outside and saw a circle of people gathered, with quite a few young girls watching. They were pulling Qingluo, wanting to go see the commotion. A Luo glanced around, not seeing that heroic figure, and feeling emboldened, thought to herself that the local customs here were quite open, comparable to the matchmaking events she had seen in the park with thousands of participants. She took Qingfei's hand and walked over.

Qingfei readily accepted, walked to the front of the stage, and upon seeing a painting of a rainy scene in the mountains placed on the table, she pondered for a moment and then smiled as she wrote a couplet in the blank space.

As soon as he finished speaking, the man reached out to grab A Luo, but A Luo swiftly dodged and kicked out with the tip of her left foot. The man tilted his head to evade it, raising his eyebrows: "Still just a wildcat with sharp claws. Come again!" He swung his fist, creating a gust of wind that rushed straight at her face.

Qing Fei shook her head: "He is a very young gentleman, but I do not know who he is"

Looking at the sky, it was already late, and soon I would have to return to the four corners of the Xiang residence. I wondered when I would be able to see this beautiful scenery again, which made me feel a bit annoyed. I took off the man's outer robe and tore it into strips, binding him to the peach tree. After glaring at his disheveled appearance, my anger finally subsided.

Alo rested both hands behind her head, one leg propped up, and with her eyes closed, casually said: "One should not gaze upon what is improper. Upon seeing a young lady resting here, a person of propriety ought to apologize and turn away with a blush, as that is the proper conduct"

Liu Ying swiftly took away the torn outer robe. After a while, she brought another robe for Liu Jue to put on. Liu Jue slowly walked towards the banquet, recalling the moment when she lifted A Luo from the stream, as the wind blew aside her bangs, revealing her clear and sparkling eyes. A smile curved at the corner of her mouth.

Only a well-built man in a tight-fitting outfit emerged respectfully from behind the flowering tree in the distance, responding: "It seems to be Shaolin's short fist, yet it is not entirely like it"

It is very beautiful! A voice interjected.

Alo laughed and said, "Do I look handsome?"

The princess playfully remarked: "We have grown old, let us depart first, so as not to hold them back."

Alo secretly lamented, as the other party possessed the legendary lightness skill, unlike the ordinary ruffians who lacked martial arts; how could one possibly compete? She had already shouted, "A true man does not fight with a woman; what kind of hero is it to bully a child!" Relying on her years of training in karate, she quickly dodged a few attacks.

Alo decisively interrupted her: "Sister, this is the piano you played, and the song is the one you sang, respond quickly!" After saying this, he and Qingfei helped her up.

The hero, seeing that she did not speak, said: "Are you really not afraid of being thrown into the creek?"

Laughter erupted, and the atmosphere relaxed significantly

Alo was taken aback, yet did not move, closing her eyes and saying: "If it weren't for the cockroach that interrupted the scene just now, it would have been even more beautiful"

It turned out to be a couplet contest. A Luo suddenly recalled singing mountain songs and the north-south pairing during drinking games. However, the men here appeared very gentlemanly; if a lady could not respond or answered incorrectly, they would elegantly say, "Miss, being able to respond is already a great fortune for this young man"

Qing Fei had approached the flower grove, distancing herself from the crowd, and then said: "A Luo, it's all your fault for making me stand out; how embarrassing it is."

Cheng Siyue is one of the five young masters of Wind City, so how could he be unaware of the romantic atmosphere? He clasped his hands together and stepped away from the crowd, heading towards Qingfei. As he approached, A Luo winked at him and stepped aside.

Qing Lei gazed deeply at Qing Luo, took a deep breath, raised her jade hand gently, brushed aside the light veil, and walked out.

Alo chuckled softly, writing, this is a unique skill of Qingfei, capable of leaving you bewildered without needing to strike from both sides.

Alo thought, I have only been out of the residence once in six years, and now my desire to enjoy the flowers and scenery is going to be interrupted, how unfortunate! From that person's tone, it seems they are also someone of considerable status, not to be trifled with, better to avoid them.

Her voice was crisp, and the people in front turned their heads in unison. A Luo had already shrunk behind Qing Fei. Originally tall, Qing Fei now stood out in the crowd, and the eyes of the young men brightened as they saw a woman in a rosy dress with a charmingly innocent expression. The young man who had presented the first line quickly raised his hand in greeting: "I am Cheng Siyue, an official in the Ministry of Rites. May I ask if this young lady can respond to this couplet?"

Alo saw from a distance two people happily conversing under the flowering tree, occasionally hearing Qingfei's silver bell-like laughter. She thought to herself, if this were modern times, seeing such a good match for a blind date, countless women would rush forward, with most of the blushing being from the handsome man! She also wondered what the other three looked like, as the five young masters of Fengcheng met the two.

Liu Jue coldly laughed and said: "Is she using Shaolin's inch punch to untie me?"

Qing Fei murmured softly: "The new moon is like a bow, the waning moon is like a bow, the first quarter bow, the last quarter bow"

Liu Ying suddenly knelt down and said: "Your Majesty, I accept the punishment."

A Luo glanced at the jade pendant, then at Liu Jue tied to the tree, secretly cursing herself for causing trouble, and hurriedly began to untie him. After untying halfway, Liu Jue let out a sound, startling her and causing her to lose her grip. Truly a hero, waking up so quickly? She dared not strike him again. However, once Liu Jue was awake, she found she could no longer restrain him. A Luo steeled her heart; since she had almost finished untying him anyway, she placed the jade pendant into Liu Jue's arms and took off running.

Alo saw that he was only about twenty-two or twenty-three years old and thought to herself, does he really consider me a little kid? She crossed her arms and tilted her head, asking him, "So, which family's brat are you?"

Before she could run out of Liu Jue's line of sight, Liu Jue woke up, his eyes fixed on the distant figure clad in blue. He glanced at himself, and with a sudden movement, the cloth strips binding him snapped. Liu Jue stood up and touched the back of his neck: "You little brat! At such a young age, your moves are so decisive. What martial arts are you using? Liu Ying!"

The people present did not expect that a woman could express such broad sentiments through a piece titled "Autumn Waters"; they were astonished and could not help but admire her. Just then, a man spoke aloud: "I have long heard that the young lady of the Li family commands her thoughts through the guqin, and in my youth, I admired the purity of the plum blossoms. Hearing about it is not as good as seeing it in person. I wonder if the young lady of the Li family would accompany me to enjoy the flowers"

Alo knew that the hero had arrived and certainly could not defeat him. This was the princess's private garden, and it was likely that some young talent attending the event would not harm her. Gathering her courage, she closed her eyes and ignored it.

Alo lowered her head and softly said something, but the man did not hear clearly and walked closer to listen. Suddenly, Alo raised her head and looked ahead: "Ah! Madam!"

She glanced at the items taken from the man's embrace: several large banknotes, some loose silver coins, a few gold beans, and a jade tablet. A Luo's eyes lit up at the sight of money, thinking, let this be a case of robbing the rich to help the poor, as my first pot of gold. She tucked the banknotes into her bosom, and upon closer inspection of the inscription on the jade tablet that read 'Anqing Wangfu', she was stunned. This person is Liu Jue? The son of the Anqing King, the nephew of the Ning King? No wonder he is so arrogant, seeking revenge for the slightest grievance! Oh my, how did I get involved with him?

Liu Jue laughed and said: "Seeing your young master being knocked unconscious by a little girl is unbelievable. I thought you might have ulterior motives and did not dare to act rashly. Later, I was worried that I would punish you for not stepping in to save him, am I right?"

Qing Fei smiled to herself and said, "What is so difficult about this!"

Suddenly, a figure appeared before her. A Luo took a step back, thinking to herself that someone skilled in lightness kung fu could jump out and startle her. As she looked him up and down, she noted that he had a good build, was about the same height as the crown prince, and had a handsome face with defined features. His brows were strikingly heroic. Today, she had only noticed a few men, yet they all seemed to be of excellent quality

That voice chuckled, "If someone were to become a drenched chicken, it would not only spoil the scenery but also create a frightful sight!"

The ladies responded in unison: "It is indeed an honor"

Li Qinglei's cheeks flushed red, and she quickly glanced at the Crown Prince's face, meeting a pair of eyes as dark as lacquer. She hurriedly lowered her head and replied softly, "Such trivial skills, how could I dare to receive Your Highness's favor"

As she pondered, she sought a tranquil place. Having been here for over six years, it was her first encounter with nature, and such a beautiful spot at that; soon it would be too late to see it. The voices of people gradually faded away. A Luo noted the direction she had come from and saw several peach blossoms stretching out from behind a large rock. She circled around to take a look, and then glanced ahead, finding a natural barrier. She lay beneath the flowering tree, with a stream flowing not far from her side, and the grass below was abundant and lush. Looking up from the ground, the pink of the peach blossoms intertwined with the azure sky, and A Luo exclaimed, "How beautiful it is!"

Liu Ying's face flushed: "Your Majesty is wise."

Liu Jue's expression turned serious: "Go find out which family she belongs to, how a girl of such a young age could possess martial arts skills, and who her master is!"

Two people were squeezed in the crowd. A Luo, being short, could not see the situation inside. Qing Fei lowered her voice and told her: "A young master has presented a couplet, looking quite pleased with himself, as if no one can respond to it."

Qing Fei found herself in a difficult position, and with a slight smile, she replied: "The morning glow is like brocade, the evening glow is like brocade, the brocade of the East River, the brocade of the West River. What does the young master think of this?"

Cheng Siyue, confident in his outstanding literary talent, was the top scholar in high school at the age of eighteen. Upon hearing Qing Fei's remarks and seeing her exceptional talent and charm, he could not help but feel overjoyed: "Miss, absolutely! I admire you. I have a painting; may I request you to inscribe a title for it?"

The Princess of the Protectorate let out a hearty laugh and said: "Alright, alright, the Crown Prince has taken the lead in inviting everyone. Gentlemen, with the Crown Prince as your example, go and seek out the women you admire. Ladies, would you care to accompany me for a stroll?"

Curious heads had long been poking out from the opposite shed, eager to see this extraordinary woman favored by the Crown Prince, who had overshadowed the renowned daughter of Minister Gu. As Qing Lei made her appearance, she was met with waves of applause. The crowd had already recognized Gu Tianlin's exceptional grace, but they did not expect Li Qing Lei to be equally stunning. The Crown Prince was also slightly taken aback, softly remarking: "Miss Li's beauty is like autumn waters, and her talents are unparalleled; I have admired her for a long time."