Chapter 161: A Battle of Pride
Wang Dongdong seemed quite familiar with this maneuver. Without turning her head, she gritted her teeth and squeezed out a name, word by word: “Jiang! Cai! Bin!”
Her head snapped back with the force, and she kicked backward with a flying leg. This kick contained spiritual power and immense force. Liu Sheng estimated that if it connected, the person’s head would likely suffer an intracranial hemorrhage.
The person behind her was clearly inferior to Wang Dongdong in Cultivation and combat. Startled, he quickly let go and dodged away.
“Wang Dongdong, after all this time, do you want me dead?” the person said with hatred.
Liu Sheng followed the sound and saw a thin, pale young man who looked as if he could be blown over by the wind. He was dressed in a royal blue brocade robe, which was a bit too loose and baggy for his frame, making him appear lazy.
Wang Dongdong twisted her body in mid-air, turning towards him and throwing a punch.
“Hey, hey, hey, that’s enough!” The man named Jiang Caibin saw that Wang Dongdong was serious and quickly retreated another foot.
“Who told you to be so annoying! You’ve loved pulling my braids since we were little!” Wang Dongdong mixed old and new grudges, as if determined to settle them all today, and advanced further when he retreated.
“Second Brother!” Jiang Caibin hurriedly flew backward, tilting his head and shouting loudly to the upstairs, calling for help.
“Hmph, you always just call your brother.”
Wang Dongdong saw this familiar summoning technique and became even more enraged. She wanted to chase after him, but it was already too late.
“Dongdong?” A steady male voice came from upstairs.
Before she could react, a tall figure flew directly down from upstairs, shielding Jiang Caibin behind him.
“Dongdong, for my sake, don’t bully Cai Bin. His Cultivation is not as good as yours.”
The newcomer was a young man of about twenty-five or twenty-six, with a proper Face and an air of unspoken seriousness in his brows. His eyes were deep and bright. From his hair crown to his dark gray brocade robe, everything was neat and meticulous; every crease on his belt was symmetrical. One could tell at a glance that he was a very strict person, and his demeanor was calm and proper, a stark contrast to his brother.
Especially when Jiang Caibin peeked his head out from behind the young man and smiled at Wang Dongdong with a sideways glance and a tilted head—that look was truly frivolous and inviting a beating.
“Cai Zhi Ge.” Wang Dongdong suppressed the rising anger in her heart, clenched her fists behind her back, and obediently called out.
Liu Sheng was surprised to find that the usually bold and outspoken Wang Dongdong could be so well-behaved, like a docile lamb.
However, that was only in front of this young man.
Jiang Cai Zhi nodded, seemingly unaware of Jiang Caibin’s mischievous antics behind him, and simply said in a deep voice, “Hurry up, everyone is waiting for you.”
“Why are you so late?” His words seemed to carry a hint of reproach.
“I was busy Cultivating, so I was late,” Wang Dongdong naturally wouldn’t say it was because of Liu Sheng, and casually found an excuse.
“It is time to work hard. The Examination is in a few days.” Jiang Cai Zhi remembered that Wang Dongdong came to the capital precisely for the imperial Examinations, and said in an old-fashioned tone.
Wang Dongdong has good talent, but not enough effort.
“Later, you must remember to fine yourself three cups,” he said, and without waiting for Wang Dongdong’s reply, he strode directly into the Taibai Restaurant.
Jiang Caibin quickly walked a few steps to follow behind him, avoiding being near Wang Dongdong.
Wang Dongdong rolled her eyes, took Liu Sheng’s hand—who was already regretting and wondering whether to find an excuse to slip away—and followed along.
【Ah, as expected, one shouldn’t casually attend unfamiliar drinking parties.】
【Too late, too late, who told us to fall for the trick of roast duck and lamb offal soup.】
【So this was the kind of gathering. If I had known earlier, younger sister wouldn’t have come.】
【Where did this tone come from again?】
【Since older sister doesn’t understand, why should younger sister explain.】
【Who’s your older sister, younger sister…】
Liu Sheng was silently following when she suddenly heard the man casually ask Wang Dongdong, “Who is this?” He seemed to have just noticed a strange girl following behind.
“My good friend, Liu Sheng, also an examinee this year,” Wang Dongdong introduced, “I thought everyone could get to know each other.”
Wang Dongdong’s last sentence seemed to contain some kind of power, causing the Jiang Family brothers to seriously size up Liu Sheng.
Aside from being somewhat cute in appearance, she seemed to have nothing special. Her attire also suggested she wasn’t from a wealthy family.
For scions like them, instinctively judging people by their clothes was natural.
The two secretly exchanged a glance.
“Welcome, Miss Liu,” Jiang Cai Zhi said, and then said no more.
Jiang Caibin chuckled softly and said, “Dongdong, you haven’t been to the capital for two years, have you? Everyone has changed a lot. You probably don’t know how many Xuezis want to dine with Second Brother now. If we weren’t Tian Shi Kang's Close Friends, we wouldn’t be eating out at this time.”
Jiang Cai Zhi did not speak, implicitly agreeing with his words.
Liu Sheng understood; this Jiang Cai Zhi must be from the Ministry of Rites.
And the Tang Country’s imperial Examinations were precisely presided over by the Ministry of Rites.
“Since that’s the case, then I…” Liu Sheng was about to use this as an excuse to slip away. If they weren’t welcome, why would they shamelessly freeload a meal?
Unexpectedly, Wang Dongdong grabbed her tightly: “Sheng Sheng and I have a life-and-death friendship, which is why I want to introduce her to everyone with such importance.”
Jiang Cai Zhi saw Wang Dongdong’s stubborn expression and felt somewhat helpless. He said to Jiang Caibin, “Cai Bin, don’t be rude. I’m off duty now, just an ordinary person, simply having a meal with Tian Shi Kang's Close Friends. Don’t bring those things up. All who come are guests, no harm done.”
This was considered giving them an out.
Wang Dongdong’s expression finally softened, and she pulled Liu Sheng past them, walking quickly ahead.
The Jiang Family brothers exchanged glances and smiled helplessly.
Now that they had tried to prevent her from bringing a friend to the banquet, they had caused her to lose Face, and she was naturally displeased.
Who in this circle didn’t have a bit of pride?
Wang Dongdong of the Xichuan Wang Family was even more so; she was a bit single-minded but also very proud. They were all a little afraid of her when they were young.
Although she would often listen to Jiang Cai Zhi, that was only out of respect for him as the eldest brother in their circle.
If Jiang Cai Zhi truly said something wrong, she wouldn’t even give him a shred of Face as the elder brother.
…
As soon as they stepped into the Taibai Restaurant, the sounds of chatter, music, and laughter intertwined, reaching their ears.
The building had a hollow central tower that reached the top, and the palace lanterns hanging high above cast their light down, illuminating the interior of the building as brightly as day.
Below the palace lanterns, on the stage, musicians played melodies Liu Sheng had never heard before. The flutes were melodious, the pipa sounded, and drumbeats gradually joined in, growing louder and more intense, causing the listener’s heart to pound and throb along with them.
Accompanied by the music, a troupe of dancers gracefully performed. They wore red gauze dance skirts adorned with bells, and as their steps became light, the golden bells chimed, and their skirt hems fluttered, drawing waves of applause and cheers.
The source of these cheers was the guests observing from each floor, leaning on the railings. Besides the open grand hall on the first floor, the second floor and above consisted of private rooms, encircling the space, each with a view of the beautiful dance floor on one side and the night view of Chang’an outside the Taibai Restaurant on the other.
All the tables in the grand hall were full, and among them were many young people dressed in scholar’s robes, clearly Xuezis who had come from various places to the capital for the imperial Examinations, specifically to experience the Taibai Restaurant.
Laughter and lively conversation filled the air, with wine cups clinking and the aroma of wine and meat mingling.
Busy waiters carried trays full of dishes and wine, deftly weaving through the bustling guests. Roast duck, roast lamb, lamb offal soup, and Squirrel-shaped Mandarin Fish flowed continuously to the guests’ tables.
Liu Sheng and Ling Xiaoshu’s gaze also involuntarily followed the plates of delicacies. The aroma and colors were truly irresistible.
“We’re in the Osmanthus Fragrance Room on the second floor,” Wang Dongdong said, leading Liu Sheng up the stairs, leaving the Jiang Family brothers behind.
Liu Sheng saw that her expression was still not very good, so she said, “Actually, I could have eaten by myself, and we wouldn’t have to argue with them like this.”
Wang Dongdong immediately glared: “Do you know how hard it is to reserve a table at the Taibai Restaurant? You have to snatch one half a month in advance! Especially now, with Xuezis from all over gathering in the capital, you might not even get to eat there if you stayed in Chang’an for a month.”
Liu Sheng instantly fell silent.
“And I’m just bringing my friend to have a meal, why isn’t that allowed? Jiang Caibin brings newly met girls to hang out with us every three days, and they’re always different ones. Have I ever said anything?!” Wang Dongdong grew angrier the more she spoke.