Chapter 69 – Fearless (1)
“Well, having one more lifesaver is better than nothing; I might as well use this connection to deal with Liu Zhongqing.”
“I see, what a pity it was so dark back then that I couldn’t remember. Is he fully recovered from the wind-cold now?”
Jiang Pengji’s expression softened, but there was not a trace of joy on her face.
Wu Ma Jun cupped his hands in thanks, “Since then, he’s been nearly fine. If you don’t mind, just call me Zheng in front of Liu Young Master.”
Even Jiang Pengji knew that in ancient times, only family, teachers, and close friends would call one by their courtesy name.
He’s just bubbling with enthusiasm from the get-go; heh, looks like this person has ulterior motives.
Given her temperament, she wasn’t too keen on playing nice with others, but thankfully, Feng Jin was there to mediate, making the conversation a bit more bearable. Setting aside personal reasons, she actually found Wu Ma Jun’s temperament quite to her liking.
As they chatted, Wu Ma Jun inadvertently brought up earlier events, “That Zheng Young Master is not a good person. You just spared his face; you should be careful he holds a grudge and gives you troubles later… It’s better to avoid unnecessary sparks; Lan Ting could have easily suppressed this matter.”
Jiang Pengji scoffed, “He has dirt on me, so let him remember grudges. I’m not afraid of him.”
Wu Ma Jun: “…”
“Aren’t there evaluations coming up? Once your reputation is stained or if something goes wrong, you might not even be able to enter the官场 for the rest of your life. It’s crucial in such a key moment to keep your tail tucked in instead of sticking your head out to invite trouble. A brain like that? No worries needed.”
Hearing that, Wu Ma Jun couldn’t help but wonder if she really had something on Zheng Bin.
Today’s Elegant Gathering ended rather unpleasantly, with the disgraced Zheng Bin storming out in anger, and the other Young Masters showing no interest in flaunting their talents or wooing the noble girls, each of them distracted and uninterested.
After the gathering, Wei Jingxian fidgeted with her napkin, her pearly teeth biting her red lips, “Did she really say that?”
Shangguan Wan giggled, “I told you, Brother Lan Ting isn’t that rash and unreasonable. She treats Sister Jingxian so well, so of course, she wants you to find a good husband. The people at today’s gathering were dressed to the nines, but none were good men.”
Wei Jingxian sighed, her delicate brows slightly furrowed as she complained, “If only she were a man; there would be fewer troubles…”
Having returned home from the bandit’s lair, although she had preserved her reputation, her parents kept pressing her, fearing any loose ends might come back to haunt them. Unable to help herself, she indirectly asked her mother about Liu Xi’s femininity.
Unexpectedly, her parents both knew!
In fact, the Liu Residence had returned a token of engagement back then, but for her reputation’s sake, it dragged on until today.
Regarding today’s gathering, Wei Jingxian had expressed her objection, after all, she hadn’t officially annulled her engagement with Liu Xi; now, wasn’t that making the entire Liu household lose face?
Unfortunately, her voice was too weak, and her father had his plans, completely ignoring her words.
Seeing her daughter upset, Wei Mother softened and revealed, “You don’t need to worry about this anymore. Your father has already talked with the Liu Residence. Even if he is muddled, he wouldn’t dare offend Liu Zhongqing at such a critical moment.”
Before Jiang Pengji could step through her door, news of her performance at the gathering had already spread. As she expected, others’ gazes were more focused on her unparalleled archery skills, while her arrogant demeanor became a mere trivial embellishment.
Liu Zhi sat properly; in front of him lay a piece of bamboo paper with characters scrawled on it, which he glanced at, discovering it was Liu Lanting’s birth date.
“Did today’s Elegant Gathering go well?” Some father asked with a hint of amusement in his tone.
Jiang Pengji complained, “It was rather dull, a bunch of folks moping around, and they ruined my good mood.”
Liu Zhi almost chuckled, “Brother Lan Ting is right; such gatherings are hardly places to find joy. However, regarding Zheng Bin, you were perhaps a bit too reckless. Thankfully, my son’s archery is exceptional; otherwise, it could have ended up badly.”
Jiang Pengji sat down beside Liu Zhi at the table and smiled indifferently.
“Did that kid come whining to you like a petulant child?”
Isn’t it just classic—losing to me and then running to their parents for help?
“If he truly did, I would have kicked them out, not to mention they don’t have the guts to come seek out trouble over this matter.” Liu Zhi shook his head, but his concern wasn’t really about that, “I just wanted to tell you, publicly humiliating people is a sure way to make enemies. If you don’t have the confidence to finish them off completely, you should learn to leave a backdoor open for a future encounter.”
Leaving a backdoor ensures a smoother meeting later on.
At first glance, it seems like he’s advising Jiang Pengji to not be so ruthless in the future, but the real meaning isn’t that simple.
The premise of leaving a backdoor is “if you don’t have the confidence to finish them off completely”; if you do, then boldness in making enemies is encouraged.
Liu Zhi didn’t mind cleaning up after his daughter; after all, he was skilled at dealing with such matters. Yet time waits for no one, and he would grow old eventually, leaving her to fend for herself. While she was still young and her temperament unformed, perhaps he could sway her a bit.
“Dirt? Naturally, I have some.” Jiang Pengji slowly replied, “It’s said Zheng Bin is eyeing the evaluations to enter the官场, but the evaluations consider not just filial piety, looks, talent, and family background, but also reputation. If his reputation gets tarnished, it would be hard for him to bounce back.”
Liu Zhi raised an eyebrow and asked, “Why do you say so?”
“Zheng Bin seems all respectable on the outside, but behind the scenes, he has a tendency for indecency and a penchant for violence. I reckon there are quite a few kids he’s beaten to death.” Jiang Pengji sneered, “This issue is neither big nor small. If Zheng Bin were already in the官场, it would only damage his reputation and lead to a few reprimands; but he hasn’t stepped in yet, and the evaluations are extremely strict on reputation…”
She didn’t finish her thought, but it was clear what she meant.
Liu Zhi asked out of curiosity, “How do you know that Zhao Bin has such a hobby?”
Jiang Pengji replied, “Anyone with eyes can see it.”
Liu Zhi rested his hand on his forehead, his gaze shifting back to the paper on the table, suddenly asking, “In that case, what do you see now?”
“There’s a scent of burning incense on you, which I’ve only smelled at the monastery because it contains a special herb. Your clothes are still the same as yesterday—clean, but the corners are damp from the night mist… Did you go to the monastery last night to see Master Liaochen about my and Jing’s marriage match?”
