Chapter 434: 434 Vain and narrow-minded Young Master
The tavern suddenly quieted down, as those young Swordsmen had been chosen by their respective families to participate in the Zhengying Academy trial—they were certainly not fools. Observing the situation, they realized their actions had displeased Qu Fengting.
"Yes, indeed, it should be Young Master Qu who is credited with the greatest merit." Someone said thoughtfully with eyes closed, shaking their head.
"Indeed, we owe it all to Young Master Qu," added others.
Once again, praises for Qu Fengting rang out in the tavern, sporadic and noticeably perfunctory.
Although Qu Fengting’s few hangers-on were lavish in their praises, others were not fools. Whether or not Han Yan could retain the servants, the undeniable fact was that he was the first to expose the disguised thief’s identity. When it came to merit, his was the greatest.
As for the fact that he had known the thief but recognized her late, upon reflection, it wasn’t really a big deal. The thief had disguised herself as a servant in the tavern, a place bustling with people. Who would take special notice of a busboy? It was normal for Han Yan to realize late, and to say he was maliciously seeking fame was perhaps too cynical.
However, understanding was one thing; since those few followers had gone out of their way to embellish Qu Fengting’s image, they couldn’t avoid giving some face and had to unwillingly praise him a few more times.
"Forget it, let’s disperse," said Qu Fengting, sensing their perfunctory tone and feeling utterly bored. He waved his hand as he spoke.
Qu Fengting was in a sour mood and lost his appetite. He left the tavern with Mu Feng and others, casting a particularly dark look at Han Yan before departing.
It seemed Han Yan had inadvertently offended him. She hadn’t expected him to be so vain and petty. Nevertheless, it didn’t really matter to her. Strictly speaking, even the death of Qu Shanhai could be charged to her account, so offending Qu Fengting was trivial by comparison.
After settling the bill, Han Yan also left the tavern with Mu Cheng.
"What’s the deal with that Han Yan? Is he really that famous?" a curious inquiry came from behind her. The voice seemed young, probably someone not used to stepping outside the family estate.
"What? You haven’t even heard of him?"
"That’s impossible, how do you not know him?" Surprised voices followed one after another.
Hmm, it seems my reputation is indeed quite substantial; so many people know me. Han Yan didn’t know whether to feel fortunate or unfortunate. Overall, her portrayal as a playboy had been quite successful—not enduringly laudable, but infamous for ages, which was better than being utterly insignificant. Lady Mu reassured herself with a touch of pride.
"You haven’t heard of the Mu Family’s number one playboy? He bullies men and oppresses women and was a notorious spendthrift in his youth. I’ve heard that as he’s grown older, he’s developed some perverse habits, especially fond of tearing clothing from young maidens. People in Heishi City call him Mu Siyi," someone gossiped.
"So, he’s not really a good person after all, but his ’Eye Power’ is impressive, identifying that female thief," remarked the young man next to him, surprised yet puzzled.
"You don’t understand, every playboy is good at sneaking around. They befriend all sorts of lowlifes, where else do you think such bad traits come from? When surrounded by low-class people, having good ’Eye Power’ comes naturally," someone self-righteously explained.
"Er..." Mu Cheng heard the gossip behind him, glanced at Han Yan, and instinctively stepped back a few paces, positioning himself as though he didn’t know him.