Her guards

Chapter 135 A Change of Masters at the Banquet
Chai Wan'er is gone.

Qin Ying's ears were ringing.

Firstly, my mind was in turmoil, and secondly, there was a constant stream of voices inside the room.

"Alright, Yang Luo, you'd better come back with me right now!" Yang Hui, who had been hiding behind the crowd, shouted loudly, "You've gotten yourself into big trouble!"

She knew nothing good would come from going out with Yang Luo!

At home, this master and servant were so sharp-tongued; if they spoke like that outside, they would immediately be beaten up.

Luckily she dodged quickly, otherwise she would have been hit.

She even boasted that she would have the Empress issue an imperial decree to test her!

If the Empress were to issue a decree, she wouldn't be tested; she would be tortured!

Who does she think she is?!
“Cousin, it’s too late to leave now,” Mo Zheng said. “Since things have come to this, why don’t we just sit down and have a meal first?”

Yang Hui spat angrily, "Then don't go back!"

After saying that, he flicked his sleeves and left in a hurry.

"Miss Yang, don't be afraid."

Li Rong walked over and took Yang Luo's hand, saying...

Her face was pale and her voice was trembling, clearly she had been quite frightened, but she still tried her best to comfort Miss Yang.

“Although my aunt is only a Noble Consort and has been punished by being confined to her quarters, I will ask my father to tell His Majesty, and I will also testify for you that it was Chai Wan’er who provoked him first.”

She spoke with eyes full of grievance.

"We all know the reason, it's just because you scored higher than Princess Heisei."

They had no idea! Qin Ying's brow twitched. Chai Wan'er was provoking her, but she hadn't mentioned Princess Heicheng at all.

Li Rong, however, wanted to pin this matter on Princess Heicheng!

Chai Wan'er openly caused trouble, while Li Rong secretly stirred things up.

As for the Li family, they are from the family of a concubine, so naturally they are not here with good intentions!
Miss Yang, don't be fooled by those sweet words.

"Miss Yang, it's all my fault for not being a good host." Qin Ying quickly interjected, grabbing Yang Luo's other hand. "Miss Chai has always been like this; I should have reminded you sooner."

Mo Zheng curtsied to her: "Although it was someone else who provoked me, they still disrupted your banquet."

She smiled as she spoke.

"How about this, I'll cover the cost of this banquet."

After speaking, he gestured to Yang Luo.

Yang Luo responded and turned to walk out.

Qin Ying hadn't expected her to say that, and quickly waved her hands, "How can you do that, Ah Sheng, Ah Sheng..."

The maid had already walked outside the door, so she hurriedly chased after her and grabbed her.

The maid smiled and said, "Miss Qin, you don't need to be so polite. This is our young lady's kind gesture." Then, she raised her voice with a hint of pride, "Our young lady is very wealthy now. Last time she saved the princess, the emperor and empress rewarded her handsomely."

She looked at Qin Ying and lowered her voice again.

"It would be more appropriate to use the money bestowed by the Empress and the Emperor to host this banquet."

Qin Ying understood what she meant. The money that the emperor and empress had given to those people was now being used to cause trouble by the empress's family. It was a direct confrontation.

Wow, this Miss Yang is really tough.

And he's also very loyal.

Not only did they not blame her, they also tried to extricate her from the situation.

Qin Ying suddenly felt that her intuition was right, and that this Miss Yang was indeed worth befriending.

"Ah Sheng, it's not like my Qin family can't afford to do this." She gritted her teeth and said in a low voice.

Court officials and imperial relatives could also clash head-on.

Yang Luo shook his head again: "This is beneficial to our next response."

Next... Yes, this matter is not over yet, you could say it has just begun. Qin Ying hesitated for a moment, then nodded: "Okay, then I won't compete with Miss Yang." She smiled as she spoke, "I'll invite you all to my home for the New Year."

……

.......
While the maid was talking to Miss Qin, the young lady stood in front of Zhu Yunxiao and Jiang Rui.

"Thank you again, Prince Zhu." Mo Zheng bowed and curtsied.

Zhu Yunxiao returned the greeting: "Miss Yang, you're too kind."

Before he could say anything, Mo Zheng turned to Jiang Rui and said, "Miss Jiang, you've been frightened."

Jiang Rui said, "It is Miss Yang who is frightened."

Of course, she was indeed startled, as Chai Wan'er was aggressive and shouted threats of violence.

But now she couldn't care less about being afraid; she was only filled with worry.

Yunxiao got involved.

Sigh, it's all because of her...

"Miss Yang, rest assured, if the Empress or His Majesty inquires..."

Zhu Yunxiao's voice came through.

Jiang Rui and Mo Zheng both looked at him.

Zhu Yunxiao looked at Mo Zheng: "I can also testify." Mo Zheng smiled and bowed again: "Thank you." Then she looked at Jiang Rui again, "Miss Jiang is here to dine with the young master's family. Thank you for coming here to sit for a while. You should go back and be with your family. Don't let them worry."

Jiang Rui looked at Zhu Yunxiao.

Zhu Yunxiao nodded: "Then we'll head over first."

Jiang Rui bowed to Mo Zheng and followed Zhu Yunxiao outside, hearing Miss Yang calling to the young ladies in the hall behind her.

"Although I did not answer Chai Wan'er's questions, I can recite my answers to the questions for the Chief Minister and show them to everyone."

"Bring me the pen, ink, paper, and inkstone."

"Bring some more tea and snacks."

Jiang Rui glanced back and thought to herself that Miss Yang was really starting to act as the hostess of this banquet.

……

.......
"Ah Rui, are you alright?"

Zhu Yunxiao looked at Jiang Rui with concern.

"I'm sorry to have scared you. I shouldn't have let you come."

He was apologetic.

"I never expected the Chai family's young lady to be like this..."

Jiang Rui hurriedly shook her head and asked in a low voice, "Yunxiao, will the Yichun Marquis family be angry after you hit Chai Wan'er this time?"

Zhu Yunxiao said, "I didn't hit her. She attacked first. I just blocked it. The whip bounced back and she hit herself. Besides, the Yichun Hou family is angry with me, but it's not about this. Let them be angry."

He then smiled faintly.

“I, Zhu Yunxiao, have done nothing wrong and have nothing to fear from them.”

Jiang Rui understood. Zhu Yunxiao's previous refusal to marry into the Yichun Marquis's family had already displeased the Yichun Marquis.

Her face was filled with self-reproach; it was all because of her…

It's not surprising that Chai Wan'er dared to provoke Yang Luo so brazenly in public; that's just how the Chai family behaves.

Knowing that Zhu Yunxiao was already engaged, she still came to propose marriage, just because her father was not at home and she was considered inferior, and she didn't take her seriously.

However, just now, Miss Chai bullied Miss Yang by calling her a country bumpkin, but Miss Yang, who was also from the countryside, refuted her every single one of her points without any politeness.

Unlike her, who could only be angry in private when she heard that the Yichun Hou family was arranging a marriage between Zhu Yunxiao and her husband, and who would say she didn't know anything when others asked, and who would lower her head and avoid the Chai family's daughter in daily life...

If Miss Yang were her, would she have gone to the Chai family to berate them and question their right to steal someone else's husband?
Yes, does being from a marquis's family qualify? Does being from the Empress's maternal family qualify? Her father died loyally for the Emperor, and her marriage to Zhu Yunxiao was personally requested by the Earl of Yongwu, and even His Majesty praised it. She was upright and justified...

Jiang Rui couldn't help but want to laugh, as if she could really see herself criticizing the Yichun Marquis's family like that.

"Don't overthink it." Seeing her strange and complicated expression, Zhu Yunxiao quickly reassured her again, "Go and get something to eat with your mother and sister, I'll pay the bill and then we'll leave."

Jiang Rui nodded and went to the private room without saying anything more.

Zhu Yunxiao watched her go inside, then looked away and gazed at the accounting office.

……

.......
"Please accept this, young lady; it's extra money."

Yang Luo stood in the accounting room of Dengyun Tower, asked about the cost of the banquet hosted by the Qin family, and took off a gold bracelet to pay the bill.

Ever since she wore expensive jewelry at the National Academy, Mo Zheng and Yang Luo have always chosen suitable jewelry to wear whenever they go out, just in case.

The shopkeeper of Dengyunlou took the bracelet without asking any questions, agreed on the price, and gave him change.

Yang Luo walked out with the money bag in his hand. Just as he reached the second floor, a voice came from behind him.

"Miss Asheng."

Yang Luo was startled. That voice...

She turned around and saw Zhu Yunxiao walking out from the corner of the stairs.

Zhu Yunxiao was alone, without Jiang Rui by his side.

Yang Luo scoffed inwardly.

The "hero" is demanding a reward so quickly?
When Chai Wan'er fell while hitting someone, she knew it wasn't Zhu Yunxiao's fault, but Mo Zheng's doing.

But we are grateful to Zhu Yunxiao for diverting Chai Wan'er's hostility towards him.

So she immediately went to thank him.

This must be exactly what Zhu Yunxiao wanted.

He came here today under the guise of Jiang Rui, wasn't it all to get in touch with "Yang Luo"?

Yang Luo looked at the young man in front of her. Although he didn't have the same tenderness in his eyes as he had in her previous life, he was also different from the coldness he showed her at the restaurant last time.

Gentle and refined.

Yang Luo lowered his eyes and curtsied, saying, "Prince Zhu."

Zhu Yunxiao nodded: "Miss Asheng, I have something to say."

Yang Luo gave an "oh," stood up, and forced a smile at him: "I'll go ask our young lady if it's convenient for her..."

"I have something to say to Miss Asheng," Zhu Yunxiao said with a smile.

Yang Luo was taken aback; this was somewhat unexpected.

This time, she wasn't a young lady from the Duke of Ding'an's mansion, but a maid. Yet Zhu Yunxiao still had something to say to her?
(End of this chapter)