I stared at him for a long time before slowly saying, "In that case, why not use both?"
So I started learning embroidery, embroidering characters.
As expected, this move was quite effective.
I stroked the white silk again, a look of satisfaction in my eyes.
Just then, a voice rang out from outside the door: "Reporting to the steward, everything is ready."
"What time is it?"
"1:15 AM (卯时一刻)".
"Let's welcome the guests."
"Yes." The footsteps faded away.
I stood up, put on my robe, and walked to the bronze mirror. The woman in the mirror was tall and thin, with pale skin, deep-set eyes, and a serious expression. Like the black characters embroidered on white silk, her strokes were strong and vigorous, yet already showed signs of vicissitude.
I reached out and knocked the mirror down, then turned and pushed open the door. The bright April sunlight bathed me in its warmth.
Along the jade passageway, two rows of maids stood neatly, dressed in green shirts and white skirts, exuding a strong sense of spring.
Zhong Ruo, the steward who had been waiting outside the door, quickly bowed to me.
I slowly walked past the crowd. As I passed one of the maids, I glanced at her. Zhong Ruo, who was beside me, immediately stared at her and said, "Your earring is missing half a bead. Didn't you know?"
The maid was startled, reached up to touch her ear, and her face immediately turned pale.
"Hurry up and change!" Zhong Ru shouted, and the maidservant rushed off.
I continued on my way, stopping seven times along the way, and Zhong Ruo pointed out seven faults. This spring treasure exhibition was the most important event planned by the Gong family after the change of ownership, and the attendees were all the most famous people in the world. No one in the entire Gong family, from the head of the palace to the servants, could be disrespectful in the slightest. As the steward, I was naturally on high alert and dared not relax my vigilance in the slightest.
When they reached the gate, the servants in green were already standing at attention, red lanterns hung high, and the words "Gong Family" on the newly replaced ebony plaque gleamed in gold. Everything was ready.
Then, the first guest arrived.
The imposing presence of the sixteen guards combined couldn't compare to the middle-aged man who stepped out of the green sedan chair behind them. He wasn't tall, his features weren't particularly striking, and his clothes were quite ordinary, but he possessed an aura that was unmatched.
I walked toward him, bowed, and as I straightened up, I saw him smiling: "It's been a long time, Miss Feng."
"Lord Marquis, how have you been?" This man was none other than Zhu Yanming, the Marquis of Dingyuan, who had wanted to marry me three years ago. This man was no ordinary person; even after I rejected him, he remained magnanimous and chatted with me with ease. If it were anyone else, they would have been furious.
He looked up at the plaque and exclaimed, "Mi Nangong's calligraphy is truly excellent!"
I lowered my eyes and didn't reply, but as he stepped inside, I extended my hand: "My lord, please."
Zhu Yanming was taken aback, then chuckled and said, "After all these years, you're still the same, strictly adhering to the rules without the slightest slackening. Ziheng, give her the things."
A guard behind him stepped forward and opened the brocade box in his hand, inside which lay a jade leaf. I gestured for Zhong Ruo to take it and stepped aside to let her pass.
Another maidservant stepped forward to lead him to the flower hall, while Zhong Ruo was responsible for settling his attendants and guards. Everything proceeded in an orderly manner.
As the sun rose, four more groups of guests arrived, some wealthy and famous, others powerful and influential nobles. After receiving several groups, I was already feeling a little tired.
Without looking up, I was met with the rising sun, and suddenly my eyes were filled with a dazzling array of golden stars, and a sense of overwhelming powerlessness arose within me.
I bit my lip, a fleeting displeasure crossing my mind. From a young age, I was born with a weak constitution; let alone martial arts, even standing for long periods was torture for me.
"Steward, would you like to have a seat?"
Zhong Ruo's words of comfort came from beside him. So he had also noticed?
Although it was well-intentioned, it was inappropriate. Without rules, nothing can be accomplished. There is no household in the world that welcomes guests while sitting down.
I didn't turn around, and said calmly, "No need."
At this moment, the sixth guest arrived.
The moment I saw him, a murderous aura shot straight to my brow.
These are not guests of the Gong family.
At the very least, he wasn't someone that Gong Feicui would invite.
He was agile and walked with a steady gait, clearly a martial arts master. His clothes were worn at the cuffs and joints, and his leather boots were covered in dust, as if he had traveled a long way to get here.
However, none of that is the key point. The key point is that he really has no sense of style. Just by looking at his clothes, you can tell that he has no taste and doesn't care about enjoying life.
Gong Feicui despises this kind of person the most.
The man walked up to me and looked me up and down. I stood there and let him look at me without even blinking.
"I am Han Feng," he said coldly.
I heard Zhong Ruo behind me gasp. Han Feng, the most famous assassin in the Central Plains, was known for his ruthless methods, his sword only drawn to draw blood, and was also called the Blood Wolf.
I remained standing there quietly, without any expression.
He took the jade leaf from his pocket and tossed it over.
Zhong Ruo had no choice but to hurriedly reach out to take it, and heard Han Feng say, "This invitation originally belonged to Xiao Donglai, the young master of Fuhai Money Shop, but he can't come now."
Zhong Ruo was stunned and asked, "Why?"
"Because his leg is broken."
Zhong Ruo then asked, "Why was his leg broken?"