The First Marquis of Leisure

"Hey, where did this country bumpkin come from?"

"What, are you trying to meddle in other people's business?"

Yuan Yao glanced at Bai Xinghe with disdain in his eyes, not taking Bai Xinghe seriously at all.

Bai Xinghe didn't want to waste any more words. He walked over and suddenly kicked Yuan Yao.

No one expected that Bai Xinghe would dare to directly attack Yuan Yao!

"You, you dare to hit me, young master?"

Yuan Yao was shocked, followed by overwhelming anger.

"Guards, kill him right now!"

Soon, Yuan Yao's men released Hu Pingfan and turned their attention to Bai Xinghe.

Bai Xinghe's expression was cold and stern; he didn't even consider these ordinary servants from aristocratic families a threat.

He clenched his fist and punched the person in front of him.

The man collapsed to the ground and couldn't get up. Before the others could react, they saw that Yuan Yao was already in his hands.

"If you don't want to die, take your men and get out of here right now!"

Bai Xinghe stared coldly at Yuan Yao and warned him.

Yuan Yao's face turned ashen. This was the first time he had ever been beaten up. His status didn't seem to matter.

"Fine, you've got guts, you dare hit me!"

"Get lost!" Bai Xinghe was too lazy to waste words. He had seen too many arrogant young masters from powerful families like this, and his own family used to be one of them.

With that, he threw Yuan Yao aside.

Yuan Yao didn't linger and quickly left with a few of his men.

As soon as Yuan Yao left, several guests gathered around.

"Brother, you're probably not from Yan, are you? Do you know who Yuan Yao, whom you just fought, is?"

"I advise you to leave as soon as possible, the farther the better. If you delay, you won't be able to leave even if you want to."

The guests looked terrified. Although they also hated Yuan Yao, they were afraid of the Yuan family's power.

"I appreciate your kindness, but since I'm here, I'll make the best of it."

Bai Xinghe was also able to accept the situation. He knew the consequences of his actions, but he couldn't bear to just stand by and watch everything unfold.

"Young master, thank you."

Myolie Wu helped the injured Hu Pingfan up and nodded her thanks to Bai Xinghe.

"No need to thank me, I don't mind. But you and your grandson should leave this place of trouble immediately."

Bai Xinghe sighed. He could only help temporarily, not permanently.

Without a doubt, Yuan Yao will definitely seek revenge.

"Young master, the world is vast, where can my grandfather and I possibly escape to?"

As Myolie Wu spoke, her eyes reddened, and she burst into tears.

It's obvious that this isn't the first time Yuan Yao has bullied her.

"Xing'er, you must not cry in front of your benefactor."

Hu Pingfan wiped the blood off his face and walked straight to the front to close the inn door.

"My benefactor, you saved this old man and Xing'er. Please accept my bow."

As he spoke, Hu Pingfan was about to kneel down and apologize.

Bai Xinghe couldn't stand the constant kneeling and quickly helped Hu Pingfan up.

"Old man, there's no need for that. I was just trying to help someone in need. But I doubt that young master Yuan will let this go so easily. Alas."

"That's enough." Hu Pingfan's face was full of grief and helplessness. "Xing'er, take our benefactor to the backyard first, tidy up a bit, we don't need this inn anymore."

Myolie Wu nodded, wiped away her tears, and then took Bai Xinghe to the backyard of the inn.

After a while, Hu Pingfan also arrived at the backyard.

The grandfather and grandson didn't pack much; they just took some silver and clothes.

"My benefactor is from the Yuan family, which has produced four generations of high-ranking officials and wields considerable power in the Yan Kingdom. Yuan Yao is a distant relative of the Yuan family, and he is known for his tyrannical and domineering behavior, so much so that even the government dares not do anything to him."

"You hit him today to save us, he certainly won't let it go. Why don't you stay at the old man's house for a while and then make some plans?"

After a moment's thought, Bai Xinghe agreed to Hu Pingfan's suggestion.

Sure enough, not long after the three hurriedly left the backyard...

Yuan Yao then arrived at the inn in a menacing manner with a large group of servants.

Seeing that the inn's door was tightly closed, Yuan Yao ordered his men to kick it open and then rush in to look for the person.

"Young master, Old Man Hu, Hu Xing'er, and the man who hit you earlier have all run away!"

One of his men searched the area but found no one, so he immediately reported back.

"They ran away?" Yuan Yao asked, barely audible.

"Find him immediately! Even if you have to turn the entire capital upside down, find him!"

"How dare he hit me! I'll kill him!"

.......

Inside a small house south of the capital of the Yan Kingdom.

This is the poorest place in the entire capital, where the most impoverished people live.

The entire capital of the Yan state was divided according to the pattern of the east being rich, the west being noble, the south being poor, and the north being lowly.

Hu Pingfan and Hu Xing'er, along with Bai Xinghe, temporarily settled here.

"Young master, this is my grandfather's and my old house. It's a bit simple, please don't mind."

Bai Xinghe glanced at the bare walls of the house, but felt nothing in particular.

He smiled and said, "Old man, Miss Hu, you flatter me. To be honest, I am also new to the capital of Yan. I am unfamiliar with the place and the people. I don't have much money left. It is already very good that I have a place to stay."

Myolie Wu nodded: "Young master, you have an extraordinary bearing. You must have come to Yan to participate in the national examination, in preparation for ascending the Golden Terrace in the future."

Bai Xinghe nodded; he did not hide anything about this.

The three of them then cleaned up the small house together and got to know each other a little better.

Hu Pingfan and Hu Xing'er, granddaughter, were originally from the State of Chu. They came to the State of Yan to escape their enemies.

The inn was originally doing quite well, but it was later framed and swindled by Yuan Yao, which led to its current predicament.

After thinking it over, Bai Xinghe also told the grandfather and grandson that he was from the State of Zhao.

However, he did not reveal his real identity, but instead used the alias Bai Zhen!

As time went by, it grew dark.

Myolie Wu went out to tidy up, then picked up a guzheng and said, "Brother Bai Zhen, you can stay here with my grandfather. I need to go out and earn some money."

Upon hearing this, Bai Xinghe asked, "Little sister Xing'er, where are you going?"

Myolie Wu blushed slightly, seemingly finding it difficult to speak.

At this moment, Hu Pingfan sighed, "To be honest, Young Master Bai, if it weren't for Xing'er's mastery of music and her talent, this old man would probably have starved to death long ago after coming from Chu to Yan!"

"Now that the inn is gone and there's nothing else to do, Xing'er has no choice but to perform in Queyuefang in the south of the city to earn some money and make a living!"

Bai Xinghe was greatly shocked upon hearing this.

He was of noble birth and was once the heir to a powerful marquisate in the State of Zhao. He had never had any concept of finance.

But unexpectedly, Myolie Wu, a girl who was only sixteen years old, had to perform in brothels to make a living!

"Xing'er, I'll go with you, so we can look after each other!"

Myolie Wu shook her head, feeling very worried.

In her kind-hearted eyes, Bai Xinghe had hit Yuan Yao today, and if he were caught by Yuan Yao's men, he would definitely be dead.

She was just a woman, and she certainly wouldn't lose her life.

"Sister Xing'er, I know you're worried about me, but there's no need. The politics of the Great Yan Kingdom are quite transparent, and it's not certain that the Yuan family can truly control everything. Let's go!"

As he spoke, Bai Xinghe took the guzheng from Hu Xing'er and went out first.