Jian Qinwan's hand gripping the sword trembled violently.
Ding Wuyi's words had stunned her, and she could no longer hear anything else.
After a long while, Jian Qinwan turned to look at Liang Xiao, her eyes cold: "He? A gentleman?"
Liang Xiao's old face blushed, and he covered his embarrassment with a cough.
"He must be a gentleman!" Ding Wuyi introduced Liang Xiao with a torrent of words. "As I said earlier, His Majesty regards him, along with Zhuo Lingjun and the Marquis of Zhenguo of Daliang, as the 'Three Gentlemen of the Two Nations.' This is His Majesty's personal decree!"
Jian Qinwan's expression grew increasingly displeased: "It seems there are no gentlemen in this world. When there are no heroes, the unworthy gain fame."
Ding Wuyi paused, carefully savoring Jian Qinwan's implied meaning, and sensed that something was amiss.
Du Pingling quickly introduced Jian Qinwan to Liang Xiao: "Marquis An, have you and our junior sister not met yet? Our junior sister is the renowned Qin Xian of this generation, unmatched in both zither and sword. You wouldn't find another like her in all the land!"
Liang Xiao gave an awkward laugh, but after a few breaths, his smile froze.
Jian Qinwan was staring at him, her eyes seeming about to spew fire!
Jian Qinwan stood apart from everyone, maintaining a distance of ten feet, her cold gaze fixed on Liang Xiao.
"Young Master Liang the Second, what just happened?" Ding Wuyi asked urgently.
"Just now..." Liang Xiao was about to answer when he met Jian Qinwan's murderous gaze. He pouted, "I accidentally ruined her flowerbed and mistook her for an aunt."
"Aunt?" Du Pingling stifled a laugh and said, "Marquis An, that is very disrespectful. Our junior sister has only just turned nineteen, and her maturity far surpasses that of her peers!"
Jian Qinwan's face remained stern, her gaze fixed on Liang Xiao.
She was clearly very young, but Yue Lian looked so youthful that, by comparison, other women appeared older...
Just then, Luo Qingxue also emerged from within and ran behind Liang Xiao. She looked at Jian Qinwan, her expression agitated, and couldn't help but praise.
"This must be the Qin Xian, right? Truly peerlessly refined!"
Another peerless beauty was standing behind Liang Xiao!
Jian Qinwan's delicate eyebrows furrowed, and she said coldly, "You had best understand, appearances can be deceiving!"
Everyone was perplexed by her words. Yue Lian's face reddened, and she hesitated to speak.
Liang Xiao was also contemplating a strategy at this moment.
This Jian Qinwan clearly meant business when she threatened to gouge out his eyes!
How could such an arrogant woman with a penchant for cleanliness tolerate her reputation being tarnished?
Jian Qinwan's eyes never left Liang Xiao, her gaze like knives, repeatedly dissecting him.
Luo Qingxue, sensing the growing tension, also became nervous. She watched Jian Qinwan, who held her sword, and her hand instinctively went to the hilt of her own sword.
She could tell this was the look of someone intending to kill.
Ding Wuyi quickly offered a conciliatory smile: "There must be some misunderstanding between you two. It can be resolved if you talk it out. Qin Wan, Young Master Liang is the future hope of the Great Gan Kingdom, and he is also the son-in-law..."
Jian Qinwan interjected abruptly: "He is truly the hope of Great Gan?"
Liang Xiao sighed, "I sincerely apologize to you."
"You are not allowed to speak now!" Jian Qinwan snapped.
Seeing Du Pingling frantically signaling to him, Liang Xiao opened his mouth but said no more.
She was clearly still enraged, her intention to kill unwavering.
Ding Wuyi said solemnly, "Yes! His Majesty absolutely will not allow any harm to befall Young Master Liang the Second, and wishes him a long life! Because as long as he lives, the people of Great Gan can live better lives!"
Jian Qinwan's expression softened somewhat, and she returned to the bamboo forest with Xiao Douya'er.
"Bring him to see me."
Deep within the bamboo forest, in a refined small dwelling, the maids Diao'er, Yao'er, and Xun'er stood behind Jian Qinwan, their faces tense, sensing their mistress's anger.
Liang Xiao, Luo Qingxue, Yue Lian, and Ding Wuyi sat opposite each other.
The atmosphere was awkward.
"Diao'er, take Xiao Douya'er down the mountain first, and return in an hour," Jian Qinwan finally said, breaking the silence.
"But Miss, they will dirty this place..." Diao'er worried.
Everyone was speechless.
As soon as they had entered, before they could even sit down, Diao'er had frantically cleaned the path they had taken and even threatened to douse it with boiling water.
This level of cleanliness, which seemed unbelievable to outsiders, was a pleasant surprise to Liang Xiao.
Such advanced awareness of sterilization and disinfection!
Of course, this cleanliness was a bit excessive.
"Go," Jian Qinwan said.
The three maids reluctantly took Xiao Douya'er down the mountain.
Ding Wuyi said sincerely, "Qin Wan, what kind of misunderstanding has arisen between you? If you explain it, Young Master Liang will surely make amends!"
"Amends?"
Jian Qinwan was startled, her pretty face flushed, and her delicate body trembled violently. She spat, "This scoundrel, who sneaked in to watch me bathe! And you still have the nerve to call him a gentleman?"
Luo Qingxue and Ding Wuyi were dumbfounded on the spot.
Watched her bathe??
Liang Xiao quickly said, "It wasn't intentional! Look, now that you've let others know, you can stop trying to hunt me down."
Jian Qinwan laughed in her fury, placing her sheathed sword horizontally before her, her killing intent palpable.
"Qin Wan, calm down!" Ding Wuyi urged.
"You are so afraid of death now! After ruining my flowerbed earlier, you thought a few paltry coins would suffice as compensation! You knew you were in the wrong, yet you spoke disrespectfully to me! You have three transgressions, unforgivable!"
"I'm afraid of death?" Liang Xiao let out a sudden laugh.
If he were afraid of death, would he be riddled with injuries? Would he need to come here seeking medical treatment?
Wasn't this the biggest joke in the world?
"Liang Xiao is definitely not the kind of person you think he is. He certainly didn't do it on purpose!" Luo Qingxue quickly defended Liang Xiao.
Jian Qinwan smiled.
"Scholars are all glib-tongued, deceiving superiors and cheating subordinates. Combined with handsome appearances, they sweet-talk women into living for them and dying for them. I have seen and heard such things; how could I fabricate stories to slander him?"
"He also picked the lock on my iron door. That lock is made of refined gold and is a seven-aperture lock. Without my key, it's impossible for an ordinary person to open. This person, despite his refined appearance, is nothing but a perverted thief!"
Ding Wuyi and Luo Qingxue were startled again, looking at Liang Xiao in astonishment.
"That jade pendant, I must retrieve it no matter what. In a moment of urgency, I merely picked the lock, I didn't smash the door," Liang Xiao said calmly.
"The fault is mine, please do not blame my young master!" Yue Lian was already in tears, on the verge of kowtowing to Jian Qinwan.
"It is not your fault at all," Liang Xiao said sternly, patting Yue Lian's shoulder.
"Then who is at fault? Is it my Xiao Douya'er?" Jian Qinwan said with a cold laugh.
"Blame me. If I had accompanied him, it would have been enough for me to retrieve the jade pendant," Luo Qingxue interjected before Liang Xiao could speak.
Jian Qinwan stared at Luo Qingxue, her sword-like eyebrows furrowing even tighter: "He made a mistake, and he made a mistake. His actions were clearly those of a perverted thief, yet you insist on defending him and arguing for him. You are birds of a feather."
Luo Qingxue's beautiful eyes welled up with tears of grievance. She gritted her teeth but dared not offend Jian Qinwan, fearing she would refuse to let Liang Xiao see the Divine Doctor.
At this moment, Liang Xiao let out a hearty laugh, lightly patted Luo Qingxue's shoulder, and said, "Later, I will compensate her for the flowerbed. I will pretend I never came to this Heavenly Mountain and remember nothing. Qingxue, Yue Lian, let's return to the capital."