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"The Li family still has three unmarried daughters! See if your son has a chance? What if he becomes in-laws with the Marquis's Residence?"
"Don't even dream about it! Lady Li Niang's standards are definitely high now! Her remaining three daughters will absolutely not marry merchants from our East Market Street!"
"You're right! It's best to dream less!"
...
Hearing the discussions of the surrounding neighbors and diners, Lady Li Niang was incredibly smug. Waving her round fan and swaying her waist, she turned and led her three daughters back into the shop! At this moment, the Four Fortunes Tea House had still not completed its redecoration, so it remained closed. Others, even if they wished to establish a connection with Lady Li Niang, couldn't enter the tea house storefront. This was because Wei Tingyu had left eight Shadow Guards, four men and four women, to protect the place. These individuals standing at the entrance directly deterred a large number of people with various intentions.
Lady Li Niang, of course, heard all the recent discussions among the surrounding merchants clearly, but she didn't take them to heart. After all, those dreaming of marrying into her family to become in-laws with the Marquis Jining's Residence were nothing but toads trying to eat swan meat! Even a single extra glance at them would be a waste of her time! Lady Li Niang naturally couldn't agree to such a thing! Moreover, her five daughters were already betrothed to Wei Tingyu; she absolutely dared not and was unwilling to ruin such a perfect marriage!
However, directly opposite the Four Fortunes Tea House, at the Panlou, a crack was left open in a second-floor window facing the street. Chai An, that fellow, was currently standing there, peeking out with a sinister expression. He had naturally witnessed all of this! Goodness! Yesterday morning, Fu Hui had just dissolved her marriage with the Fan family and taken the divorce papers, and then that very night, she signed a concubine contract with the Marquis Jining's Residence! And then this morning, she and the Li family's Eldest Daughter, Shou Hua, boarded Wei Tingyu's carriage and returned to the Marquis's Residence. Even the most obtuse person, upon learning these causes and effects, would surely be able to guess what was truly going on behind the scenes! So, his cousin, Fan Lianghan, was completely played by Wei Tingyu! Now he's truly had his wife snatched away!
Chai An didn't really care much about the Fan family's affairs, but the problem was that he had been involved in the matter earlier! Wei Tingyu acting like this clearly showed he didn't put him in his eyes! Thinking of this, a surge of anger at being played welled up in Chai An's heart! At the same time, a wicked plan for revenge began to brew within him...
Walking behind her mother and sisters, Third Daughter Kang Ning of the Li family suddenly stopped, lightly frowned, and subconsciously looked back in the direction of the Panlou. For some reason, an ominous feeling suddenly surged in her heart! It felt as though some evil event was gradually approaching her, her mother, and her sisters!
"Third Daughter, aren't you coming in?" Lady Li Niang called out when she entered the house and found her third daughter standing at the doorway, looking out.
"Oh! Coming!" Kang Ning blinked, then turned and followed into the house. But her heart grew increasingly uneasy! She believed her sixth sense should be accurate! It was just that at present, she couldn't precisely tell what kind of disaster might befall the Li family! However, thinking of Wei Tingyu supporting them from behind, Kang Ning felt a sense of security and wasn't particularly flustered.
"In the coming days, we must strengthen our defenses and not relax our vigilance!" Thinking of this, Kang Ning turned to a female Golden Shadow Guard standing guard at the door and said.
"Young Mistress, rest assured! The Marquis has already given instructions!" The Golden Shadow Guards' intelligence was no different from ordinary people, but their loyalty far surpassed them. Therefore, upon receiving Kang Ning's command, she immediately nodded firmly. Suffice it to say, with their eight Shadow Guards here, unless it was the Marquis himself, absolutely no one in this world could enter the Four Fortunes Tea House.
After the carriage stopped at the main gate of the Marquis Jining's Residence, Shou Hua and Fu Hui, whom Wei Tingyu helped down one by one, were both stunned, looking at the magnificent Marquis's gate with a bewildered expression.
"Marquis! Can this concubine and my sister enter through the main gate?" Shou Hua blinked, looking at Wei Tingyu with some doubt. Concubines generally could only use the back gate; this was something she and Fu Hui had already mentally prepared for. Of course, this didn't mean the two women didn't care about the difference between entering through the main or back gate. The problem was that their love for Wei Tingyu ran deep. As long as they could stay by his side, even if they could only enter and exit through the back gate in the future, they were willing to endure it.
"Didn't I tell you?" Wei Tingyu smiled, seeing Shou Hua and Fu Hui's bewildered expressions. He stepped forward, took their hands, and as he led them through the main gate, he said, "In my residence, you only have differences in title; the actual treatment is the same!" Wei Tingyu wasn't deceiving them. What Dou Zhao, the legitimate principal wife, had, the concubines like Miao Ansu also lacked nothing of! Besides these material things, the right to use the Marquis's Residence's resources, such as carriages or the main gate, was also essentially equal! Shou Hua and Fu Hui watched with wide eyes as Wei Tingyu truly led them through the main gate. Their bewildered expressions gradually transformed into pleasant surprise. The sisters exchanged glances, both reading the joyous emotion in the other's eyes.
Indeed! Entering the Marquis's Residence was truly their most correct choice! Of course, at this moment, the two women also felt fortunate for their three younger sisters! From this perspective, being a concubine to Wei Tingyu was indeed much more comfortable and more respected than being a legitimate wife in an ordinary household!
"Eldest Matron, please have some tea!" Shou Hua and Fu Hui knelt obediently before Dou Zhao, offering her tea. Co-wife He Weifang sat in a nearby seat, and as for Miao Ansu and the other concubines, they also had their respective seats. One should know that in other large residences, concubines at this time only had the right to stand behind the principal wife!
"My two sisters, quickly rise!" Dou Zhao took a sip from each of their teacups, then quickly personally rose and helped them up. Actually, this etiquette in the Marquis Jining's Residence was more of a symbolic meaning, but it was still preserved. Shou Hua and Fu Hui, of course, had no complaints about this. After all, it was impossible for all good things to fall to them, was it?! If they could truly be on equal footing with the legitimate principal wife on their first day in the residence, just thinking about it made the two women feel a sense of shame and guilt!
"Wonderful!" Dou Ming, that young girl, was also officially a concubine by this time. Seeing the ceremony completed, she quickly clapped her hands with a smile.
"What's so wonderful?" He Weifang, beside her, gently flicked her small nose with a chuckle, saying, "Your hair is already styled into a bun, yet you still don't look like a proper lady; you still look like a maid!" These words were full of the elder sister's loving affection for her younger sister. Although the two were not blood relatives, their relationship in the Marquis's Residence was indeed quite good.
"My mother and my two sisters' mothers were originally close confidantes!" Dou Ming wrinkled her small nose, then somewhat playfully linked her arm with He Weifang's jade-like arm, smiling, "Now we have become sisters in the Marquis's Residence!"
"The affection between our elders hasn't faded in our generation; instead, it has grown closer. Isn't that a good thing?"
"Sister Ming is right!" Fu Hui quickly nodded with a smile, "From now on, we are true sisters!"
"It's pretty good, it's just a bit regrettable..." However, Zhao Zhangru beside them suddenly spoke, "Why are all the concubines the Marquis brings back so gentle and serene? Is there no one who can practice martial arts with me?" Zhao Zhangru's mood was even more depressed at this moment. The more gentle sisters there were, the more she seemed to stand out, and that wasn't a good thing.
"I've long heard that Sister Zhao enjoys practicing martial arts!" Shou Hua blinked, looking at Zhao Zhangru, and said, "My Fifth Sister also loves wielding swords and staffs. When she marries into the Marquis's Residence in a while, you'll have a companion!"
"Really?" Zhao Zhangru's eyes immediately lit up upon hearing this. Goodness! The Li family actually has a sister with the same hobby as me?! That's absolutely wonderful! Thinking of this, Zhao Zhangru was even somewhat impatient to meet Fifth Daughter Le Shan of the Li family soon! When it was her turn to serve the Marquis at night, she would definitely whisper sweet nothings in his ear and beg the Marquis to quickly bring the Li family's Fifth Sister into the residence!
Two days later, the former Four Fortunes Tea House finally reopened after a new round of renovations! It was now renamed Four Fortunes Study, and the storefront looked much grander than before!
"Esteemed guests, come, come! Four Fortunes Study is open for business again!" Lady Li Niang, dressed in new clothes, called out joyfully to the surrounding neighbors. "Esteemed guests! Don't let our small storefront fool you; our humble establishment lacks nothing that you scholars value: incense burning, tea appreciation, scroll hanging, and flower arranging!"
"Whether you're tired from walking around the Crossroads Street and want a place to rest and drink tea."
"Or you've found something good at the East Corner Tower and want someone to appraise it."
"Or you simply want a place to chat, tell stories, enjoy incense, and discuss tea."
"You'll find it all right here at our humble establishment!"
Lady Li Niang smiled radiantly, her words flowing like lotus flowers, causing the surrounding onlookers to nod in agreement. Regardless of anything else, Lady Li Niang's demeanor truly exuded a scholarly air! Especially today, dressed in luxurious clothes, adorned with gold ornaments and jade hairpins, every gesture and smile revealed her elegant charm! Many passersby and onlookers stared intently! The phrase "still possessing youthful charm" could not be more fitting for Lady Li Niang at this moment! Of course, Lady Li Niang was also dignified and composed, without any hint of being overly ingratiating, only inspiring admiration.
"A small tea house gathering the four scholarly arts? That's quite unusual!" A young gentleman in green robes nodded, looking at the plaque of the Four Fortunes Study, and said.
"Indeed!" Lady Li Niang, hearing someone knowledgeable, quickly smiled. While gently fanning herself with a round fan, she assumed the air of a proprietress and softly shook her head, "Our establishment has books and paintings! It has incense and tea!"
"All of you, enter and see for yourselves!"
The moment Lady Li Niang's words fell, the surrounding crowd stirred. It seemed this proprietress wasn't just bragging; daring to invite esteemed guests to enter and see for themselves meant she must have some confidence!
"Let's go! Let's go in and take a look!" Thinking of this, several gentlemen dressed as scholars in the crowd began waving their folding fans and led the way into the Four Fortunes Study. With some leading, the rest of the crowd naturally followed in a steady stream. For a time, customers filled the entrance of the Four Fortunes Study, almost breaking the threshold. Of course, crude tasks like welcoming guests didn't require Lady Li Niang to personally intervene. The hired servants and doormen in the shop stepped forward one after another, leading customers into the establishment.
Lady Li Niang stood to the side, leisurely fanning herself, her face radiating smiles as she watched the scene unfold before her. Indeed, the Marquis's idea was excellent! The money from these dissolute young masters and down-on-their-luck scholars is truly easy to earn! As long as there's style, everyone rushes to get in!
Of course, across the street, outside the Panlou, Chai An was also looking at the bustling scene with a livid face. Because it was clear that many customers who were originally heading to the Panlou had been lured away by the Four Fortunes Study! This included two customers who had already had one foot inside the Panlou's main entrance, who surprisingly turned around and ran to the Four Fortunes Study after hearing Lady Li Niang's shouts. This scene undoubtedly was a fierce slap to Chai An's face! Seeing Lady Li Niang's smug expression at this moment, Chai An naturally couldn't hold back. Disregarding his servant's attempts to stop him, he strode directly towards the Four Fortunes Study.
The moment he entered the main door of the Four Fortunes Study, Chai An was immediately shocked. Because it was completely different from the tea house in his original impression. The decor was very elegant, filled with a strong scholarly ambiance. The arrangements inside the shop were also quite exquisite! There were even some genuine works of famous calligraphy and paintings! No need to ask, they must have been brought by Wei Tingyu from the Marquis's Residence!
"Look at the glaze on this vase... the color is just right..."
"The color is good too! Especially beautiful!"
In the courtyard on the left, a man who looked like a shopkeeper was introducing a piece of porcelain in his hand to several gentlemen who were gathered around.
"In my opinion! Young Master Zhang's use of the character 'empty' in this poem is the most exquisite! Not a bit more would do!"
"Indeed, indeed! Brother, what you say is absolutely right!"
In the pavilion on the right, several literati were gathered in small groups, discussing poetry and lyrics. This decor! These arrangements! How could they possibly have been conjured up by a few women of the Li family out of thin air? Chai An's brow furrowed even tighter as he thought of this! He hadn't expected that after the Li family latched onto the Marquis Jining's Residence, they would have such good fortune; they even managed to make their shop flourish! Of course, Chai An wasn't the only one with such thoughts.
"It truly is a hidden gem! It's just that the storefront is a little too small, not as grand as the Panlou!" A young gentleman dressed as a scholar looked at the surrounding situation and spoke with a regretful expression.
"Young Master is right! But your daily expenses at the Panlou's pavilion are enough to drink tea here for a month!" The servant of the Four Fortunes Study was naturally eloquent and quickly answered with a smile.
"Ah! How vulgar!" At this moment, a young gentleman in a brown robe spoke again, "You see, for tea appreciation, poetry discussion, playing the zither, and listening to music, what's desired is tranquility! Small also has its unique charm!"
"You're right! But vulgarity is elegance, and elegance is vulgarity; we appreciate both the refined and the common!"
Hearing these discussions, Chai An's face grew increasingly grim. He hadn't expected that this small Four Fortunes Study, after such a redecoration, would actually catch the eye of these scholars! It even opened an outdoor stall selling antiques and cultural relics beside it. If this continued, it was entirely possible that the Four Fortunes Study's reputation would overshadow his family's Panlou on this East Market Street! No! I must think of a way to make the Four Fortunes Study suffer a huge setback!
"Oh! What kind of wind is blowing today?" However, just as Chai An was concocting evil schemes in his mind, he suddenly heard Lady Li Niang's voice from behind him. "How did it blow Young Master Chai from the Panlou over here?"
Chai An was startled, then quickly turned around and gave Lady Li Niang a feigned bow. Of course, his current humble demeanor could no longer deceive Lady Li Niang's eyes! She subtly rolled her eyes, then, while fanning herself with a round fan, walked forward and sized up Chai An, saying, "Our humble establishment is small and lowly; it cannot accommodate your two precious legs!"
"You'll have to trouble yourself to move elsewhere!"
After saying this, Lady Li Niang put on the full airs of a noblewoman. With a slight flick of her fan, two Silver Shadow Guards from the shop stepped forward and escorted Chai An out. Although Chai An knew a little martial arts, his superficial skills were no different from an ordinary person who knew no martial arts in the eyes of the Silver Shadow Guards! He didn't even resist twice before he was completely subdued, and was taken out the door with his hands twisted like a prisoner by the Silver Shadow Guards, right before the eyes of all the customers. Then, amidst the roar of laughter from the crowd, he was directly thrown out. If he hadn't known a bit of martial arts and managed to steady himself at the last moment, he would have truly stumbled and fallen face-first on the street of East Market Street!
Bang!
"These Li family women!" In a room on the second floor of the Panlou, Chai An slammed the teacup in his hand onto the ground with fury! The floor was already covered in shattered porcelain; he had smashed more than twenty cups, but still couldn't alleviate the hatred in his heart! After all, as a prominent figure in East Market Street, when had Young Master Chai ever suffered such humiliation?
"Brother!" And Fan Lianghan cowered in the corner, trembling slightly, watching Chai An's enraged figure.
"Look at your pathetic self!" Chai An, seeing Fan Lianghan's cowardly demeanor, immediately felt even more infuriated!