Chapter 196

He blocked Jiang Si and Jiang Sheng, standing alone in front of them and coldly said, "Since when did Fengjing decide that carriages are not allowed to go too slow? What is considered slow? How do you determine slow and fast?"

The maidservant widened her eyes.

Of course, Fengjing did not have any regulations stating that carriages couldn't go too slow. The regulations in Fengjing were about proper parking of carriages and not stopping at random.

Today was the third day, and it was the banquet at Wenchang Pavilion. Carriages and people were coming and going at the entrance.

Jiang Si wanted to pass by the entrance of Wenchang Pavilion, but he had to slow down and be cautious.

Chang Yan didn't feel any wrongdoing on their side, even when Jiang Sheng tugged at his sleeve, he still stood straight and looked at the maidservant from a distance.

"You... you people from other places cause trouble in Fengjing and still want to make a fuss," the maidservant became anxious and spoke without restraint, "Clearly, it's your fault, and we don't want to pursue it, but you insist on shifting the blame onto others. Truly uncivilized."

Uncivilized, a term broadly used to refer to foreigners, and the people of the Dayu Dynasty would also use it to refer to the nomadic tribes in the northern frontier.

But it was unexpected that even the people from Anshui Prefecture in the Central Plains would be called "uncivilized." It seems that Fengjing has more than just a slight bias against people from other places.

Chang Yan remained silent with a cold expression, his gaze falling on the carriage of the Jiang family.

Although he didn't know which Miss from the Jiang family was in the carriage, he knew that the one who could give orders was the master, and the one who could retract the command was this Miss from the Jiang family.

In a real confrontation, their side might suffer a bit, but the other side wouldn't have it easy either.

"Are people from the Jiang family always this formidable? Calling others uncivilized and unreasonably shifting the blame onto others?" Chang Yan questioned loudly, afraid that others wouldn't hear.

The maidservant became flustered immediately.

Not only because she didn't want to lose face, but also because Chang Yan's relentless pursuit had already delayed the young lady's schedule.

She decided to settle it quickly, "Are you two children trying to be unreasonable? Someone, hold them down and find their elders to discuss this!"

This was an impeccable argument, and four sturdy servants rushed over to capture Jiang Sheng and Jiang Si.

Just as the saying goes, "A stitch in time saves nine." Xu Mo, who was listening to Zhu Sihuan's eloquent speech in the Wenchang Pavilion, felt uneasy and seemed to have heard the voice of his younger brother.

He tugged at Zhu Sihuan's sleeve and quietly left the discussion area, standing at the entrance of the Wenchang Pavilion. He immediately saw his siblings being surrounded, and his expression changed drastically.

"Stop!"

Xu Mo removed his hat and rushed to his siblings, opening his arms to protect them. "Don't you dare bully my younger brother and sister in public."

The maidservant didn't expect another person to appear and was somewhat surprised.

After realizing it, she waved her hand to signal the servants to continue.

Jiang Si, who was next to her, was on the verge of tears. If he let go of the carriage, he was afraid the horse would run away with the goods, but he couldn't rescue the young master and miss while holding the reins.

Seeing that the three siblings were about to be captured by the four servants of the Jiang family.

Zhu Sihuan rushed out of the Wenchang Pavilion and happened to witness this scene. He was momentarily stunned, and a battle of emotions surged within him.

With Xu Mo's support, he had already gained some fame, and even without Xu Mo, he could maintain his position.

But Xu Mo held great significance for him, perhaps he could fulfill his wish to be with the girl he loved, thus bestowing him a favor.

However, helping Xu Mo was equivalent to publicly acknowledging their connection. If someone were to suspect that Xu Mo had helped him cheat...

These three thoughts swirled in his mind.

Without hesitation, Zhu Sihuan rushed forward, kicking away two servants with a single blow.

Beside him, Jiang Si heartlessly let go of the reins and pounced in front of Jiang Sheng.

"What's wrong with the Jiang family? Does the Jiang family think highly of themselves, daring to bully people in broad daylight?" Zhu Sihuan shouted at the top of his lungs, "Are you really bullying two children like this?"

As a rising star of the Wenchang Pavilion, he had attracted considerable attention when he emerged from within. With his outburst, he managed to draw in the entire literary community of the Wenchang Pavilion.

The maidservants and servants of the Jiang family were all frozen in place, forgetting even to defend themselves.

"The Jiang family may be powerful, but does that give them the right to bully others?" Zhu Sihuan's mouth rattled like a slingshot, continuously firing, "Are you daring to forcefully apprehend children right at the entrance of the Wenchang Pavilion? Are you planning to commit murder and arson behind the back of the Wenchang Pavilion? So this is the Jiang family, truly frightening! Should we all start avoiding the Jiang family in the future?"

The literati had loud voices.

Although they had no backing, their ambitious aspirations could not be suppressed. Before indulging themselves, they belonged to the Dayu Dynasty, and after indulging themselves, the Dayu Dynasty belonged to them. Once their inner indignation transformed, they dared to offer advice even in front of emperors, let alone the mere Jiang family.

Immediately, many literati pointed at the Jiang family and cursed. Since there were so many people and so many voices, the Jiang family couldn't possibly eliminate everyone from the Wenchang Pavilion. The maidservants' faces darkened, their courage waned, and the servants became afraid.

The people inside the carriage became increasingly restless, their expressions conflicted.

After a while, the literati finally fell silent.

Trembling, one of the maidservants timidly spoke up, "We... we only wanted them to apologize and let them go. It was their insistence on causing trouble."

Zhu Sihuan and the literati were momentarily stunned.

Chang Yan widened his eyes, knowing that the Jiang family was trying to twist the truth.

He was about to retort.

Jiang Sheng, who had been protected at the back all along, suddenly stepped forward angrily, "It was clearly your carriage that collided with ours. If you didn't want to apologize, it would have been fine, but now you want to forcefully apprehend us. And now you're turning the tables in front of all these talented gentlemen. How long do you intend to continue lying?"

The young girl spoke clearly, her voice crisp, every word piercing to the heart.

The phrase "talented gentlemen" caused many literati to straighten their backs, even more firmly supporting the young girl.

The maidservant was completely speechless, trembling as she retreated, occasionally glancing at the carriage. Evidently, she was waiting for her master to step forward.

The people inside the carriage became even more conflicted, their fingers resting on the curtain, several times attempting to open it, only to hastily retract.

In this situation, it was best not to step forward.

But if she didn't step forward, who else could?

In that split second, Jiang Chengyuan, the eldest son of the Jiang family, finally arrived. He looked at his sister Jiang Chenghua's carriage in confusion, then glanced at the trio in the crowd, suddenly brightening up.

"Xiaosheng Jiang, is it you?"

The words echoed softly in the air, carrying a sense of anticipation and longing. It was as if time had stood still, and the world had narrowed down to just two souls intertwined in a delicate dance of fate. Their destinies, once entwined, were now on the precipice of reunion.

Jiang's heart skipped a beat as he heard the familiar voice. It was the voice that had haunted his dreams and filled his waking hours with thoughts of love and longing. He had spent years searching, hoping to find her again, and now, in this fleeting moment, it seemed that destiny had finally granted his wish.

With trembling hands and a racing heart, Jiang turned around to face her. And there she stood, bathed in the soft glow of the setting sun. Her eyes, like pools of liquid honey, met his gaze, and in that instant, the world around them ceased to exist. It was just the two of them, bound by an invisible thread that had spanned time and distance.

"It is I, my love," Jiang whispered, his voice filled with a mixture of joy and disbelief. "After all these years, I have found you once again."

Tears welled up in her eyes as she took a step closer, her voice barely above a whisper. "Jiang, my heart has never forgotten you. Through the trials and tribulations, through the vast expanse of time, my love for you has remained steadfast."

They embraced, their souls intertwining in a long-awaited embrace. The years apart melted away, leaving only the present moment, filled with the promise of a love that had endured against all odds.

And so, their love story unfolded, a tale of passion, longing, and the unbreakable bond between two souls. Together, they would navigate the complexities of life, their hearts forever intertwined in a dance of love and destiny.