northernbook Chapter 309: Making Trouble
Chapter 309: Making Trouble
Chapter 309: Making Trouble
Ji Meiqing stepped back a few paces, keeping a distance from Xiao Lian. She then produced another rose in her other hand and gave it to Xiao Lian. Xiao Lian held the flower with excitement. The other guests, seeing that it was another rose, were somewhat unhappy, as novelty only lasts for a short time.
Lu Yu looked at his wife, who always seemed to do something unexpected, and smiled indulgently. Shen Bin looked at Ji Meiqing; this woman was different from others, yet remarkably intelligent. While thinking this, he glanced at Lu Yu beside him and, seeing the look in his eyes, felt a pang of envy and jealousy.
Ji Meiqing smiled as she watched Xiao Lian holding her roses. Suddenly, sparks flew from the roses in her hand, scattering lightly. Lu Yu, sitting below, was worried; how could she do something so dangerous? Shen Bin was also very worried, but dared not show it because Lu Yu was nearby.
Ji Meiqing placed her palm on the firelight. Lu Yu suddenly stood up, startling Shen Bin. Ji Meiqing slowly lowered her hand until the firelight disappeared. She removed her hand, showing the guests the perfectly intact rose. Upon seeing the rose, some screamed, some clapped, some blew on it, and others cheered enthusiastically. Ji Meiqing then showed her hand to the guests; it was also completely unharmed, which they found astonishing.
Seeing that Ji Meiqing was unharmed, Lu Yu felt it was a false alarm and returned to his seat. This woman always made him worry, yet she always surprised him.
Ji Meiqing retreated behind the screen. Zhao Ning'er, dressed simply, walked around the stage with a bundle in her hand, as if she were on a journey. When she got tired, she stopped and sang: "The road to the capital is long and arduous. How can I settle down when I arrive in the capital? I think of Li Lang's suffering in prison. I stop to think of a plan. Hey, there are so many people ahead. I'll go and see."
The people behind the screen came out and seemed to be discussing something in front of a wall. Zhao Ning'er went over to see what was going on. There was a piece of paper on the wall with two large characters written on it—Imperial Edict.
Zhao Ning'er exclaimed, "So it's the imperial edict! Oh, the imperial edict! The imperial edict tests the top scholar! If I pass and become the top scholar, can I rescue Li Lang?" She became increasingly excited as she spoke, tearing down the edict. The people who had been discussing it dispersed upon seeing Zhao Ning'er tear it down. Zhao Ning'er held the edict, examining it closely, clearly delighted.
Behind the screen, people began to beat drums and gongs, and the sound of pipa instruments filled the air. Zhao Ning'er began to dance, like a butterfly fluttering in the air. People downstairs heard the commotion upstairs and came up to see what was going on.
Seeing Zhao Ning'er singing and dancing on stage, accompanied by the sounds of gongs, drums, and pipa, it was quite a lively scene. People eating downstairs didn't even finish their meals before rushing upstairs to watch. The elderly, children, and women all came up to watch, and some servants occasionally came up to visit and enjoy the view.
Everyone watched the performance with great enjoyment. Behind the screen, Ji Meiqing smiled; this was exactly the effect she wanted. In ancient times, there was no television, but people loved performances and lively atmospheres. They all loved going to crowded places, places filled with the sounds of gongs and drums.
Zhao Ning'er carried the imperial edict to the capital for his journey. The stage was initially dark, but after a while, it slowly lit up, revealing Zhao Ning'er in a red dress with his hair piled high. Those in the audience were momentarily stunned by his handsome appearance; how could there be such a beautiful man? Only after a closer look did they realize it was Zhao Ning'er, and they felt a surge of admiration for the person who had done his makeup. With light makeup and arched eyebrows, he possessed an indescribable air of heroism. If he were a man, he would be an absolute beauty.
"I passed the imperial examination with flying colors and became the top scholar. I rescued Li Lang and returned home. Who would have thought that the emperor would bestow a marriage upon me? Although the princess is as beautiful as a flower, I am a woman. I cannot disobey the emperor's decree. I cannot resist!" After singing a verse, she began to pace on the stage.
Suddenly, someone clapped, and the guests who had been intently watching the performance all turned to look. They saw a man clapping and cheering, his folding fan open, fanning himself. The guests assumed he was there to watch the performance and didn't think much of it, continuing to watch the show.
Unexpectedly, the man walked onto the stage, grabbed Zhao Ning'er's hand, and said, "What a beautiful lady! I wonder how much it would cost to redeem you." As he spoke, his eyes roamed restlessly over Zhao Ning'er's body. Zhao Ning'er had been pampered by her father since childhood and had rarely seen such a person, let alone been pulled and tugged at by another man in broad daylight.
Today, she encountered him, and the fear in her eyes was impossible to hide. When the man saw Zhao Ning'er's fear, he laughed heartily and said, "If you want to be scared, follow me, and I guarantee you a lifetime of wealth and honor. Why spend all day in this restaurant singing and dancing? Don't you find it boring?"
Ji Meiqing noticed that Zhao Ning'er's singing had stopped outside the screen, replaced by the voices of other people. Sensing something was wrong, she quickly came out from behind the screen and saw a man holding Zhao Ning'er, looking somewhat angry. Ji Meiqing rushed over and pushed the man away. The man, caught off guard, let go of her.
"Who's blind? They ruined my good time!" The man immediately cursed. The guests present were furious at the sight of the man coming in to cause trouble and stop the performance, but they dared not speak out because the man's attire suggested he was from a wealthy family, and no one wanted to cause trouble.
"I'd like to see which dog is ruining everyone's mood." Ji Meiqing glanced sideways at the troublemaker and shielded Zhao Ning'er behind her. The man's eyes actually followed Zhao Ning'er's direction. Ji Meiqing felt disgusted by the man's gaze and quickly told Zhao Ning'er to go behind the screen.
Zhao Ning'er wasn't stupid; she immediately hid behind the screen. Seeing Zhao Ning'er leave, the man became agitated and started cursing, "You stinking woman, if you meddle again, believe me, I'll smash up your restaurant and ruin your business!" Ji Meiqing didn't take it seriously, treating it like a dog barking. The man tried to force his way behind the screen, but Ji Meiqing followed him wherever he went, refusing to let him in.
The man was furious and raised his hand. Ji Meiqing, with her eyes closed, expected the slap to land on her face, but she didn't feel it. When she opened her eyes, she saw Lu Yu holding the man's hand. Her heart warmed, but looking at Lu Yu's profile, she felt a chilling aura, like a demon in the middle of the night wanting to kill everything, making Ji Meiqing shiver.
"You brat, who the hell are you? Another busybody here? Heh, looks like there are a lot of busybodies out there today." The man, his hand gripped by Lu Yu, spoke through gritted teeth. Lu Yu's eyes flashed with murderous intent. The man swallowed hard, terrified but still managing to suppress his rage. "Young Master Lu, wait, let him go." Lu Yu was about to snap his hand when Shen Bin stopped him.
Although Ji Meiqing didn't know Shen Bin's reasons, the restaurant was ultimately his, and whatever Shen Bin said went. Ji Meiqing was just a minor shareholder. She stepped forward, grabbed Lu Yu's hand, and gestured for him to let go. Seeing Ji Meiqing's action, Lu Yu released his hand.