Intentions Revealed

"Young Master Feng, this Miss Wen is as beautiful as an immortal. You two make a perfect match!" Said a man looking like a scrawny monkey, his eyes gleaming with lust.

"Yes, compared with her, the top performer in Wanhua Tower is not even worthy of carrying her shoes." said another man with pockmarks on his face.

Slap!

Feng Zheng smacked the table, hissing: "How dare you compare Miss Wen to those... THINGS in brothels!"

"Right, right, right! Young Master Feng is right. I shouldn't have spoken out of line!" The pock-faced man pretended to slap his own mouth, saying in an exaggerated way.

"Young Master Feng, we'll be returning to Xuanyang Town in a few days. Are we just going to let this slide?"

Feng Zheng squinted in Wen Die's direction. Her eyes were locked on some other man, a dreamy smile playing on her lips. He said: "Hmph! Every beauty I've ever set my eyes on has fallen into my hands. So what if she's the Magistrate of Qingyun City's daughter!"

"Young Master Feng is right! Our Xuanyang is far more important than his Qingyun! And you two are equals by birth, so isn't this just what the heavens intended?" The pock-faced man said, trying to flatter Feng Zheng.

"Only a beautiful young lady from a good family like her would make a suitable wife for me." Feng Zheng said confidently: "I'll send someone to the Wen Manor to propose when we get back. Surely Magistrate Wen won't refuse."

Young Master Feng, the bony monkey pointed in their direction and exclaimed: "Look! The way Miss Wen gazes at that boy is just like how she'd look at a lover!"

Feng Zheng's expression darkened. The girl he liked was looking at another man with that kind of look!

"Go! Find out who that boy is and where he comes from!"

"Yes, Young Master Feng! And what should we do now?"

"Don't rush." Feng Zheng said: "If the boy isn't from anywhere important, then..." He finished with a chilling smile.

"I understand!"

The others chuckled, sharing a look that suggested they'd been involved in schemes like this many times before.

The four friends remained clueless about the conversation just happened between Feng Zheng and his companions.

"Brother Xu, do you still remember the young man named Zheng Yaoyang who competed on the stage with me?" Wen Yuan asked.

Xu Wenwu replied: "Remember, this person has a calm mind and excellent literary talent."

Wen Yuan nodded: "Yes, after our competition last time, I spoke with him briefly. I learned that he's an orphan, making a living by selling his calligraphy and artwork in his spare time. If the teacher in the academy hadn't seen that he was a good student and exempted his tuition, he probably wouldn't have had the chance to take part in this exam!"

Xu Wenwu said: "Great minds have always come from humble backgrounds. I'm sure he wouldn't have dared to take this exam without being prepared."

Wen Yuan smiled: "Aren't you worried he might outperform you, Brother Xu?"

Xu Wenwu smiled mildly: "There are many who are better than me. I just focus on doing my best."

Wen Yuan nodded, still smiling: "I think he'd be a great friend. After the exam, I told him to come find me at the Wen Manor. But for some reason, he hasn't shown up yet."

Xu Wenwu suggested: "Maybe something came up. If we're meant to meet, we will eventually."

The four of them enjoyed the beautiful scenery while chatting, feeling completely at ease.

However, Feng Zheng's group kept glancing their way, their looks somewhat hostile.

Qibao noticed too and frowned: "Sister Wen, you have to be careful. Feng Zheng might have plans against you."

A look of disgust flashed through Wen Die's eyes: "Well, I'll be careful."

Wen Yuan was worried as well: "You might not know this, but this Magistrate Feng has relatives working in the capital. Even though he and I are both sons of magistrates, he's got connections and always acts like he owns the place."

Wen Die really hated the way Feng Zheng looked at her with those creepy, lust-filled eyes: "Brother, let's go! It's getting dark, and Father and Grandpa Xu are still waiting for us in Juxiang Pavilion!"

Wen Yuan had no problem with that: "Okay, we've seen the best views on this little island anyway. It's time to head back."

The four of them stood up and left the pavilion.

"Young Master Feng, they're gone."

"Obviously! I saw them leaving. Since the beauties are gone, there's nothing left to see here. Let's go." Feng Zheng said, leading the way down the steps.

The four friends got back in their boat and returned to the shore.

Lights were coming on in the shops lining both sides of the street. People were out and about, and vendors pushed carts along the sidewalks, hawking all kinds of delicious treats.

The four of them returned to Juxiang Pavilion. The main hall was packed, so they went upstairs to a private room.

They could hear the hearty laughter of Grandpa and Magistrate Wen before they even opened the door.

When the group came back, Magistrate Wen asked: "You're back! How was your time out?" He spoke with a smile.

"Father, I took Brother Xu and Sister Xu to Jinhua Island. There were a lot more people than usual." Wen Yuan said.

Magistrate Wen explained: "Jinhua Island is one of Qingyun City's main attractions. Now that the exams are over, it's natural that many visitors from other places would want to see it."

Madam Wen smiled: "Sit down and rest for a bit. Dinner is almost ready."

Mrs. Zhang waved them over: "Qibao, this is Aunt Wen."

Qibao nodded: "Hello, Aunt Wen."

Madam Wen smiled: "I've heard Die'er talk about you. Your name is Qibao, right?"

"Yes, that's my nickname at home." Qibao replied: "My full name is Xu Linyue."

Magistrate Wen laughed heartily: "This girl is amazing! Even if several officials from the government office came together, they would still be no match for her."

Whenever someone praised his granddaughter, Grandpa's pride swelled as if they were praising him directly: "Magistrate Wen, I only have this one granddaughter. I watch over her like I watch over my own eyes. I believe girls should learn some martial arts too. That way, nobody will dare to bully them."

Magistrate Wen replied: "I've rarely met women who practice martial arts. However, I very much agree with you, Old man. It's a good thing for girls to have some self-defense skills."

Wen Die stepped forward and tugged on her father's arm: "So, Father, are you saying I should start learning martial arts too?"

Magistrate Wen smiled: "Sorry, dear, it's best to start martial arts training as a child. You're grown now, so it might be too late for you."

Mrs. Zhang and Madam Wen seemed to have experienced something during their conversation, as they quickly became close. They interacted as if they had been friends for ages, showing no signs of it being their first meeting.

The old man exclaimed: "Eldest, go and ask the waiter to serve the food. Everyone is here."

"Okay, Father." Uncle Xu replied.

Before long, the waiter entered with platters of sliced meat and vegetables.

"Hey, old man." Magistrate Wen remarked: "I've got to hand it to you when it comes to business. Look at this hotpot place booming. I wonder who came up with this way of eating—it's seriously addictive. In winter, just one bite could warm you right up."

"Ah, we have so many kids in my family, always craving something good." The old man replied: "Our womenfolk enjoy trying out new dishes, and that's how we came up with this hotpot thing."

"I guess you're really fortunate, old man!" Magistrate Wen said: "It's not like my place, where we eat the same few dishes over and over until we're sick of them."

The old man laughed: "Sure, I'll admit that. My home may not have much, but we sure do have plenty of different foods to eat. It's not bragging when I say it, Magistrate Wen. If you ever come over for a visit, you'd find lots of yummy treats you've never tasted before."