msmithbooks Chapter 656: Fu Ya Nei
Chapter 656: Fu Ya Nei
Being appeased like this, Qin Yuan truly took Yang’er and Hehua a few steps away to enjoy the flowers.
As for King Jin, he was completely forgotten. Once Marquis Gu was done with his tasks, the two of them entered the hall together.
The Emperor, sitting on the throne, saw Marquis Gu and asked, "Is the grand review ready?"
Marquis Gu stepped forward, bowed, and said loudly, "Your Majesty, everything is prepared."
The Emperor raised his hand, "Rise, my dear advisor. The hour is still early, why not have a few cups of Imperial Wine first."
Old Wang hurriedly instructed the little eunuch to fill Marquis Gu’s cup. Marquis Gu took it and drank it all, thanked the Emperor for the wine, then stepped back to sit at his own seat.
Prince Qi looked over with a faint smile. Meeting Marquis Gu’s eyes, both pursed their lips disdainfully and turned to talk to their neighbors.
After half an hour, Old Wang whispered a few words into the Emperor’s ear, and the Emperor laughed, "Since the Empress Dowager is so interested, I might as well join to see the ball game."
...
Today, they were to determine the top three, coinciding with the Empress Dowager’s birthday. The Capital Governor Mansion chose the arena at Qiao’s Tile, not far from the Imperial Palace. Overnight, the existing stands and fences were dismantled. Leaving only one stand, they expanded the other three sides tens of feet and set up viewing canopies.
Crowds came to watch the ball game. Early in the morning, people at Qiao’s Tile were drinking, watching plays, gambling, and enjoying acrobatics to pass the time. On this day, the stalls and shops around Qiao’s Tile did unprecedented business, earning as much as they would usually in a month or two.
Gu Baoshu, with legs crossed, lazily leaned back on the stand, waiting for the referee’s gong announcing the start of the match.
Having heard that some nobles from the palace were coming, the match had been delayed several times.
The so-called nobles in the palace were none other than that handful.
Gu Baoshu was not worried at all, now dressed as a man, no one would recognize her.
But the waiting was a bit exasperating.
Looking from afar at Brother Ximen, surrounded in the field, Gu Baoshu whistled in satisfaction, admiring how these people put all their efforts to surpass Fu Ya Nei, clinging to Brother Ximen tightly these past two days.
Ha ha ha ha.
She dared to say Brother Ximen didn’t even have time to pee alone.
Yuan Da sneaked over, somewhat anxious: "Brother Qi, why hasn’t the ball game started yet?"
Gu Baoshu looked at that bearded black face, her eyes suddenly uncomfortable, said, "Who knows, today’s prize is heavy. With Brother Ximen here, our team will definitely win. Don’t you think? If you trust me, just bet your whole fortune, I assure you a big win today."
Yuan Da hesitated a bit.
Though he didn’t play much, he was an experienced spectator.
The opposing team had several good players, while this side only had Brother Qi and Brother Ximen as capable ones, and the rest were just fillers.
Especially that Qin kid, whose mind was all on dressing up and showing off. What else could a person like that do on the field besides stand there and be counted?
He might even be a hindrance when moving around.
Gu Baoshu glared, spat out the leaf stem from her mouth, and slapped her hand heavily on Yuan Da’s thick chest, "Come on, come on, don’t you trust me or Brother Ximen? I’ve been watching here, with Brother Ximen around, these lads are much more organized in playing."
Yuan Da fumbled through his pockets, "What I earned these days all went to drinking, not much left. If I lose all, where do I find money to drink?"
Gu Baoshu’s eyes darted, speaking quickly: "How many days are you staying in the Capital City? If nothing else, I will come look for you to drink every day."
Yuan Da said, "The Capital is prosperous, but we won’t stay long. Remember, we came to see the lantern festival, it’s just this one night, right?"
The implication was that they’d leave after tonight.
Gu Baoshu looked disappointed, "I thought we brothers could be together longer, how does one bear to part? Black-skinned Brother Hong also wanted Brother Ximen to bring along some companions. It’d be great if we could visit Chief Li a few more times."
Yuan Da, being straightforward, immediately said, "Brother Ximen has a fondness for that delicate lady, probably will stay a few more days. I can’t stand it, want to leave with the boss."
Gu Baoshu sighed, "How about we play ball today and have a drink together? There’s no curfew tonight, we can play all night, not just watch lanterns."
Yuan Da answered with an "Mm," but not very sincerely.
After a while, Fu Ya Nei, surrounded by a few people, walked over and, looking down, asked, "Kid, how come I never saw someone like you before, as if you just popped out of a crack in the stone. Whose son are you?"
Yuan Da didn’t voice any support, only stared at Gu Baoshu, waiting for her response.
Gu Baoshu rolled her eyes, sneered, "I neither change my name sitting nor lying down. I’m from the Qi family, last name Qi, first name Gu. Even in the Imperial Palace, Xu Tang would step aside hearing my name. Who are you to comment? Saying I popped out of a crack in the stone, you look more like a creature without parents to raise you."
Fu Ya Nei wanted to find out Gu Baoshu’s background before acting.
Unexpectedly, he encountered a rogue unafraid of trouble—more worried if trouble didn’t come her way.
"Alright, kid, you’re in big trouble. Do you know whose Ya Nei this is? You probably won’t even know how you died!"
"Yeah, quickly kneel and kowtow to Fu Ya Nei, break your own legs to apologize."
Two tattooed men beside Fu Ya Nei bared their arms, threatening.
Yuan Da coughed and said, "Brother Qi, reveal your background, let these ruffians know your might, scare these lackeys who bully the weak."
Gu Baoshu leaped onto the step, barely half a head taller than Fu Ya Nei in front of her.
She crossed her arms, chin up, looking at Fu Ya Nei with disdain, "My goodness, I really didn’t know when a person named Fu became so prominent in the Capital City, strutting like a crab. One might think the Fu family is mighty.
Pardon me, but I’ve never heard of any nobles surnamed Fu. How about you state your significance and spare me from counting endlessly."
Noble families are numerous in the Capital, but the Fu surname indeed doesn’t rank, at least not in Gu Baoshu’s eyes.
However, these truthful words infuriated Fu Ya Nei, who intended to show this lad a lesson, sneeringly said, "If you can’t figure out who the Commander-in-Chief of the Five Cities Military Department is, what’s the point of your big talk? I’m not bluffing, cause a stir with me, and your whole family would have to leave the Capital City."
A tattooed man laughed, "Why waste words with such a frog in the well, thinking two pennies make him important. The biggest official he knows is probably just the village chief."