Her guards

Chapter 132 The People Who Attended the Banquet
"Aren't you going?"

Sitting in the carriage, Yang Luo looked at Yang Hui and asked with a frown.

Qin Ying's invitation was sent to the Duke of Ding'an's mansion, inviting Miss Yang, and naturally Yang Hui as well.

But Yang Hui said she wouldn't go in the morning, but when she got on the bus in the afternoon, she came with a long face.

Hearing the maid's question, Yang Hui said irritably, "I'm going to keep an eye on you so you won't act arrogantly and disrespectfully outside."

Of course she didn't want to go. Going to school was so hard, and she didn't want to go out again after the holidays. But her mother insisted that she go.

"You'd better keep a close eye on her and make sure she doesn't talk nonsense or spread rumors outside."

They also told her to bring more people, so that if she said anything inappropriate, they could forcibly bring her back.

"If she causes trouble, you'll be the one who suffers."

That's right. Looking back on these past few times, every time they got into trouble, she was the one who suffered, but she never got any good things.

Yang Luo smiled and said, "Then we'll have to rely on Miss Hui's guidance." After saying that, he looked out the window and called for the car to stop.

Caught off guard, Yang Hui was jolted and stumbled.

"What are you doing?" she shouted.

Mo Zheng smiled and said, "I asked her to pick up Miss Liu."

Yang Hui watched as Yang Luo lifted the carriage curtain and got out. There was a small alley next to them. She pursed her lips and said, "Take care of yourselves first."

As soon as she finished speaking, Mo Zheng gestured to the driver to let them go, and Yang Hui, caught off guard, leaned back again.

"What now?" she said angrily.

Mo Zheng said, "Let her ride in the same car as Liu Chan, so you'll have more space and be more comfortable, cousin." She then looked at Yang Hui with a smile that curved her eyes, "Cousin, am I good to you?"

Yang Hui shivered and moved to the other side of the carriage. Okay? More like scary!

……

……

Although there was one less maid, the scene was still quite lively when the carriages of the Duke of Ding'an's mansion stopped in front of Dengyun Tower.

After all, Yang Hui also brought three maids and one servant woman with her.

Zhu Yunxiao stood by the window on the third floor, watching as two elegantly dressed young girls were surrounded by maids and servants.

He recognized Yang Hui; the woman walking beside her must be Miss Yang Luo.

But what about the maid who impersonated Liu Chan?
No longer a young lady, so among the maids?

Zhu Yunxiao's gaze searched among the maids of the Yang family, perhaps because he couldn't remember the appearance of the fake Liu Chan and couldn't tell her apart for the moment...
Why are you looking at this maid?!
Zhu Yunxiao snapped out of his daze and hurriedly looked for Yang Luo, but Miss Yang had already entered Dengyun Tower.

Zhu Yunxiao frowned, and just as he was about to look away, he suddenly saw another carriage on the street.

Upon seeing the emblem on the carriage, Zhu Yunxiao's gaze sharpened once more.

Li Jia, Grand Master of the Palace.

……

……

"Li Rong, the youngest daughter of Doctor Li."

Sitting in Liu Chan's swaying carriage, Yang Luo looked through the note that Tao Hua had handed him.

She came to see Liu Chan, but not to pick her up; rather, she came to persuade Liu Chan not to go.

Liu Chan never wanted to go in the first place.

Hearing Yang Luo say, "I'm afraid someone might be hostile to our young lady," she was startled again and asked if she needed help. When she heard Yang Luo say, "As long as you stay out of the limelight, we'll help you without worrying about you," she immediately decided not to go.

He told them to be careful, and then asked Peach Blossom to drive Yang Luo to Dengyun Tower.

Of course, Yang Luo came here for two reasons: first, to stop Liu Chan from going, and second, to find out what was happening in the capital from last night to this morning.

Last night, the person in charge of keeping an eye on the Li family spied on their carriages and servants preparing for Miss Li's departure. Judging from the departure time overheard, they should be heading to Dengyun Tower.

Ms. Li was not among those invited.

The Marquis of Yichun's defenses were very tight, and there was never a chance to sneak in. Those watching on the street saw that Chai Yuan went out of the city to Feiyun Temple last night, and it was unknown who he visited. He didn't return until early this morning.

Yang Luo flipped to the next page and saw that at noon, Zhu Yunxiao, the heir of the Marquis of Yongwu, was having lunch at Dengyun Tower with the Marquis of Yongwu's wife, Miss Zhu, and Jiang Rui.

They had not yet left.

What a coincidence, we've run into each other again.

Whether in the previous life or this life, Yang Luo and Zhu Yunxiao always seem to run into each other by chance.

Yang Luo, with an indifferent expression, stuffed the note he had read into the incense burner beside him.

There's no coincidence involved.

However, it was all man-made.

"Miss Asheng," Peach Blossom said from ahead, "we've arrived at Dengyun Tower."

Yang Luo smiled broadly, lifted the carriage curtain, and happily got out of the car. "Thank you, Sister Peach Blossom. I'm going in now."

……

.......
After identifying himself and undergoing verification, Yang Luo was led inside the Qin family's private room by a servant.

Yang Luo glanced around and saw that there were quite a few people in the room, but he didn't recognize many of them; they were probably all young ladies from the Qin family.

As expected, no other female companions came to the banquet.

Besides the three Yang family members, there was only Jiang Rui.

As for Jiang Rui, Yang Luo's eyes flickered slightly. She definitely didn't come for "Yang Luo." She must have been tricked by Zhu Yunxiao's sweet talk.

This time, Yang Hui was mocking Jiang Rui. "I didn't expect you to come, Jiang Rui, and so early too. Were you waiting to pick us up?"

"I misjudged you. I didn't know you were so enthusiastic, Jiang Rui."

"I didn't see you being particularly close to the princess even at the Academy of Chinese Learning."

"When school resumes—no, we don't need to wait—I'll tell Princess Heisei about this amazing thing at the New Year's banquet."

This was undoubtedly a threat to tell the princess that she had come to the banquet today specifically for Yang Luo.

Everyone else came, but she did, so she fawned over Yang Luo.

Jiang Rui's face turned pale as she listened to Yang Hui's words, and she clenched her hands tightly on her knees.

"Arui just happened to be here for a family dinner," Qin Ying quickly explained. "She came to sit here for a while, as she will be leaving soon with Lady Yongwu."

Yang Hui then gave Qin Ying a half-smile and said, "Qin Ying, you should thank Miss Jiang Rui and me. Of all the posts we sent out, only our two families responded, which saved you face."

As she finished speaking, a soft voice came from the side.

"Then I should thank Miss Qin for allowing me to come uninvited so that I can meet Miss Yang."

Yang Luo then stood behind Mo Zheng and softly called out, "Miss."

"You're back." Mo Zheng turned to look at Yang Luo, smiling as she spoke, then looked behind her, "Miss Liu isn't here?"

“Miss Liu can’t go back to her hometown this year. She’s going to spend the New Year with relatives outside Beijing and is busy packing her luggage,” Yang Luo said. Looking at Qin Ying beside him, he curtsied and said, “Miss Qin, Miss Liu asked me to apologize to you and will visit you after the New Year.”

After saying this, he bowed to Qin Ying again.

“Miss Qin, I also want to apologize to you. You took good care of me before, but I kept my identity a secret from you.”

At this moment, all eyes in the room fell on the girl dressed as a maid, and they guessed that this was the maid who was impersonating Liu Chan.

Qin Ying's expression was complicated.

How could she possibly think that a maid was worth clinging to?

She subconsciously stood up, and although she shouldn't return a greeting to a maid, she still slightly curtsied in return.

Regardless, although this maid was a maid, she had stayed at the Imperial Academy to study and had attended the lectures of the Chancellor, so she could be considered a scholar and should be treated with courtesy.

"You're too kind, Miss Asheng," she said, then looked at Yang Luo and said, "No wonder I felt that Miss Asheng had an extraordinary demeanor and would definitely pass the exam when I first saw her. It turns out that she is a very talented young lady."

The conversation then shifted from the maid to the young lady.

That one sentence was enough for her to say to the maid.

Yang Luo didn't say anything more, smiled and stepped back, standing quietly behind Mo Zheng.

“She also studied from a young age,” Mo Zheng said, then pointed to the girl sitting next to Yang Luo, “This is Miss Li, the Li family who gave me a set of ancient books.”

This is Miss Li Rong from the Li family. Yang Luo saw that she was sixteen or seventeen years old, with a beautiful face and a quiet temperament.

Li Rong didn't mind her mistress introducing her to the maid. She nodded and smiled at the maid, and said softly, "A strong general has no weak soldiers under his command. Miss Qin is right. Miss Asheng has an extraordinary demeanor."

Yang Hui rolled her eyes. What kind of extraordinary demeanor does a country maid who speaks rudely and even hits people have! You haven't seen the real them, mistress and servant.

“What a pity,” Mo Zheng chimed in. “Miss Liu should come and meet you. She’s just like you, a book lover.”

Li Rong smiled and said, "Then I understand. She must stay home as much as possible. What could be more enjoyable than reading at home?"

Mo Zheng laughed, and Qin Ying and the other young ladies around her laughed along. Jiang Rui also smiled slightly. Yes, it's happier to stay at home and not go out, but...

Jiang Rui's gaze swept over the young ladies in the room, including Miss Li, who claimed to love reading and never went out. Miss Li did indeed rarely go out in the capital and did not associate with other noble ladies, but today, didn't she still step out of her house?
It's said that she was the first female disciple who admired the chief priest, but who knows if she truly admired him or was simply drawn to his reputation and felt compelled to befriend him?

Lost in thought, she heard Li Rong's voice continuing to ring in her ears.

"That set of books would be perfect for Miss Yang. Not to mention that you saved my aunt and Princess Wuyang, Princess Wuyang's studies have also improved a lot recently."

Princess Wuyang said that you prepared notes for her before the exam, and she benefited greatly from reading them.

"My father was very pleased at home, finally no longer having to scold her for being useless and having no talent for studying like any other child of the Li family..."

Before she could finish speaking, a sneer came from outside the door.

"...That's an interesting point."

A clear female voice rang out, and as she spoke, the door was pushed open with a bang. A woman of about seventeen or eighteen years old, dressed in gorgeous clothes, with a face like a peach blossom, and holding a riding whip in her hand, swaggered in.

The trembling voice of the Qin family's servants, who were squeezed at the back, finally broke through.

"Miss, Miss Chai, Miss Chai Wan has arrived—"

Chai? The Marquis of Yichun's family, Yang Luo's eyes narrowed slightly.

Qin Ying was clearly shocked and hurriedly went to greet her, but Chai Wan ignored her completely and stood in front of Li Rong instead.

She was taller and had a habit of holding her chin up, looking down at people.

"Li Rong, are you saying that Princess Wuyang didn't inherit your Li family's bloodline?" She sneered, "She only inherited His Majesty's bloodline, so she's stupid and can't read?"

That was a really fierce question, and the ladies in the room all gasped.

"Chai Wan'er, what nonsense are you spouting!"

Li Rong's face turned pale; she was angry, anxious, and somewhat fearful. She grabbed Yang Luo's arm.

"I was just thanking Miss Yang for her help to Princess Wuyang; after all, she was Princess Wuyang's tutor."

Chai Wan'er's haughty gaze fell upon this Miss Yang.

"Oh," she said, "you're that distant relative from the Ding'an Duke's mansion who served as the tutor to the supposedly foolish Princess Wuyang, and who even outperformed Princess Pingcheng, whom His Majesty always praised?"

"What a blunt inquiry!" The ladies inside gasped again.

Mo Zheng looked at Miss Chai, smiled slightly, and bowed: "Yes, that is me."

(End of this chapter)