FID – Chapter 299

In addition to the numerous stores, there were also street stalls that stretched like long dragons from one end of the street to the other end.

The street was filled with vendors hawking their wares and the discordant bargaining of customers.

Fu Yuzheng originally thought that once they reached the street, the man would go his separate way from her.

She didn’t expect him to follow her, subtly intending to accompany her to see the store.

“Aren’t you going to buy ink brushes and books?” She asked in a low voice as she looked down the street at another place.

Liu Zhixia smiled. “It won’t take long to buy things. I’ll go with you to check the store first. You are a woman. It’s better if someone accompanies you.”

“There’s no need to bother…”

“Let’s go.”

Fu Yuzheng sighed under her breath and walked into one of the stores under the King’s name. There were people running small businesses inside, and the business was neither profitable nor loss-making.

Seeing Fu Yuzheng, the shopkeeper greeted her, “Greetings, Miss Fu.”

The shopkeeper was transferred from another manor and belonged to the King’s Palace. He was usually in charge of the store here, so he was very familiar with Fu Yuzheng.

Fu Yuzheng took over the previous account book for checking.

Everyone knew that she was an important person in front of the King, or the King’s benefactor, so no one dared to offend her recklessly.

“There’s no need to entertain me. Continue looking after the shop. I’ll go around by myself.”

After sending the man away, Fu Yuzheng walked around in front of the store and behind the courtyard to take a look.

Liu Zhixia also followed along to look at the layout, survey the size, and also the woman’s serious work.

Before long, the woman came out of the backyard and whispered a few words to the shopkeeper to determine her store pick. 

Liu Zhixia waited until they came out of the shop before curiously asking, “Since it’s a selection, shouldn’t you make a decision after checking out all the shops?”

She only checked this one out. What if there was a better one?

Fu Yuzheng smiled. “No need, I’ve been to all the stores under the royal residence, and I know the layout, size and location of all the stores like the back of my hand.

I actually came here this time just to inform the shopkeeper and ask him to vacate the place in preparation for the change in business.”

“So before you came out, you’ve actually picked it out in your mind.”

“Hmm.”

Looking deeply at the woman, Liu Zhixia suddenly laughed, “If you meet my grandmother in the future, I’m sure you two will get along well.”

“Your grandmother?” The woman was surprised. Her clear cold eyes widened a little, and her dumbfounded look actually looked cute.

“She is the same as you. She never drags things on when deciding, very simple and neat.”

“…” She simmered with laughter at the thought of him comparing her to his grandmother.

The two looked at each other at the entrance of the store and both saw the smile in each other’s eyes.

“In broad daylight, in front of the store with a man eye-to-eye, Fu Yuzheng, you really give Fu family face!”

“Making eyes at a man in front of a shop in broad daylight; Fu Yuzheng, you really give Fu family face!”

The voice was originally sweet, but because of the sharpness of her rebuke, it sounded unusually harsh and completely ruined its beauty.

It also spoiled the harmony that easily sparked between the two.

Fu Yuzheng and Liu Zhixia simultaneously looked towards the source of the sound, and saw Fu Yuxian with a maid walking slowly from across the street.

Her eyes were brimming with mockery and hatred.

“A vicious dog blocking the way,” Fu Yuzheng snorted coldly, not wanting to pay attention to her, and said to Liu Zhixia, “Let’s go.”

“Who are you calling a vicious dog? Fu Yuzheng, stop right there!”

Fu Yuxian immediately accelerated her steps to block the way, coldly and maliciously glaring at Fu Yuzheng. 

“At any rate, I am also your sister. You have no sense of propriety, decorum, integrity or shame, hooking up with a man in the middle of the streets. It is right for your sister to teach you a lesson! But you hurt me with your words!”

Fu Yuzheng’s lips curled into a chilly smile and regarded Fu Yuxian indifferently.

“Recently, the rumors about Miss Fu of the Fu family in the capital are abuzz. Who doesn’t know that Miss Fu fell down the waterfall in the Osmanthus Grove, got soaked in public, and was seen naked.

You’ve got a stinky reputation, and you’re cynical. You want to throw dirty water on me in the street and want me to be as notorious as you. Are you worthy of calling me your sister?”

“Shut up!” Fu Yuxian screamed.

The frustration of having her heart poked out made her face red.

Fu Yuzheng was right.

The capital was abuzz with rumors about the incident in the Osmanthus Grove that day. The first to bear the brunt was the Prime Minister’s granddaughter, whom a drunkard hugged.

The second was her, Fu Yuxian, who fell into the water pool and was seen naked!

Rumors have always been erroneously circulated. The more the rumors deviate from the truth, the more it was unpleasant to the ears.

There were even rumors now that she, Fu Yuxian, has been seen by several men without a stitch of clothing on her body!

The culprit for everything was Fu Yuzheng! If it wasn’t for her, she wouldn’t have been in that situation at all!

It was Fu Yuzheng who pushed her into the pool!

If it were possible, she would have killed this bitch and cut her into pieces!

Fu Yuzheng sneered at the woman who didn’t even bother to pretend anymore. Her sneer was as usual with the slightest wisp of sarcasm in the mix.

It seemed that the impact of that incident was quite big to Fu Yuxian. Otherwise, she, who was fond of playing artless and innocent, would not lose her mind and reveal her true face in the street.

Fu Yuxian really hated her.

Several people have started to stop around to watch. More and more people gathered, stretching their necks to watch the spectacle.

Few people in the capital didn’t know Fu Yuxian, the eldest Miss of the Fu family. 

She was the most popular figure in the recent rumors in the capital. Even if someone was uninformed, the next person would also point out some, making them more interested in watching the fun.

“You bitch, you did it on purpose that day, didn’t you!” Fu Yuxian asked through clenched teeth, looking daggers at Fu Yuzheng.

“Yes!”

“Fu Yuzheng!”

Fu Yuxian screamed. She lunged in a frenzy to hit Fu Yuzheng, but an extremely strong arm blocked her, fending her off and almost pushing her down.

Her eyes turned to the tall man, protecting Fu Yuzheng behind him. 

He was wearing a sky blue scholar’s robe and a square scarf. He was born white and handsome, with eyes calm and introspective. Fu Yuxian felt even more indignant.

“Young Master, you look like a scholar. You have a great future ahead of you. Could it be that you still fancy a servant and protect this bitch like this?”

Liu zhixia glanced at her and replied, “A woman with a loose tongue is a gossip monger. If such a woman lives in the backyard, there will definitely be endless unrest in the house.

If Miss has the time to reprove someone here, why not reflect on yourself first? Your reputation is already in tatters, but you still came out to show off. Be careful, or you’ll end up unmarried.”

“Pfft!” Fu Yuzheng covered her lips and laughed, standing behind the man.

She didn’t expect this man, who usually looked serious and even a bit pedantic, to utter such things.

A loose-tongued woman was an extremely poisonous word for upper-class women.

No one wanted to marry a garrulous woman and take her home.

So many people around were watching. Once her reputation as a gossip monger spread, she was afraid it wouldn’t take long for Fu Yuxian’s popularity to catch up with Zuo Xuan.

Fu Yuxian also did not expect a man to say such words to her in public, without the slightest scruple, without a shred of grace that a scholar should have had!

It was a blatant insult!

Devoid of even a single dirty word!

“There is nothing to argue with this kind of person. Garrulous women are most used to being unreasonable. Let’s go,” Lu Zhixia turned around and gently said, looking at the woman who hid her mouth and smothered a laugh, making her face red.