The clear sound of the piano echoed continuously in the garden party.
The fitting music and the appropriate atmosphere prompted some young men who were interested to secretly exchange tokens of affection with their maids and servants.
A single line of poetry or a comment on a flute melody can potentially lead to a marriage.
Zhang Rongfang stood in a corner, watching the crowd in the garden party gradually become more enthusiastic.
For a moment, he remained indifferent, like an outsider.
"Excuse me, are you Mr. Zhang Ying?"
Suddenly, a gentle female voice rang out from the side.
Zhang Rongfang glanced to the side and saw that the speaker was a woman in a bright red wide skirt.
The red dress was embroidered with peacocks, white birds, and mandarin ducks in gold thread. It was very beautiful.
The woman had long hair that was simply tied with a hairband, but the hairband was decorated with gold and Silver Thread and jade and kingfisher feathers, and its design was extremely complicated and exquisite.
The woman herself was also charming, with eyes like rippling water; she was a rare beauty.
"I'm sorry, I came here at the invitation of a friend and have no interest in the garden party."
Zhang Rongfang simply declined.
"You have no interest in him, but Young Master Li keeps recommending you to us. To be honest, this is quite annoying," the woman said with a smile.
"Could you please have a proper conversation with Young Master Li and ask him to stop bothering our sisters at Yaoyuan Book Club with this matter? Two of our sisters are extremely annoyed by it and have repeatedly declined, but to no avail."
"Uh," Zhang Rongfang was a little embarrassed. He didn't expect Li Huoyun to go to such lengths for his personal safety.
"We apologize for our offense. I will speak with Huo Yun about it later. We are sorry."
He apologized sincerely.
The woman nodded in satisfaction.
"It seems that Young Master Zhang is not as ignorant as others say; he understands some things."
She smiled.
"Therefore, I will give you a chance. There will be a red flower grabbing activity later, and you can join our book club."
If Young Master Zhang performs well and helps us sisters win enough red flowers, our book club can help introduce you to some of our sisters."
Zhang Rongfang had also heard of the Yaoyuan Book Club.
Central Capital Noble Lady from Tanyang City, and their daily activities mainly consisted of appreciating flowers, reading books, and listening to music.
Even a son as distinguished as Li Huoyun would only be considered above average among them.
The woman in front of him spoke politely, though every word seemed to be polite.
The tone, however, was one of condescension and looking down from above.
Zhang Rongfang chuckled inwardly.
The young ladies in the Yaoyuan Book Club are all either rich or noble. If an ordinary person were to marry any one of them, they could save themselves years of hard work and immediately become a member of the upper class in Tanyang, enjoying the support of countless people.
Among the guards and protectors of these people, there might be those of the Third Grade rank or even higher.
Therefore, Third Grade third-rank military officer like him was not even worth considering in the eyes of these people.
"I'm used to a leisurely life, thank you for your kindness, Miss, but there's no need for me to participate in the activities." Zhang Rongfang had no interest in wasting time with these young ladies.
With his current strength, which is equivalent to Seventh Grade, there is absolutely no need for him to lower himself to the level of these people.
Upon hearing this, the woman narrowed her phoenix eyes slightly and sized him up.
She had seen countless men go to great lengths, desperately trying to connect with the women in the book club.
I've also seen people deliberately play hard to get, using tactics to pique their interest.
I've also seen men who felt ashamed of themselves and, even when given an opportunity, refused to seize it, content to remain ordinary.
So, which category does this person fall into? Zhang Ying's information flashed through her mind quickly.
Zhang Ying, Bei People, is twenty-five years old and has just entered the third rank of martial Third Grade.
He was promoted to a higher official rank through connections with the Li Family, and was classified Subordinate Ninth Rank.
According to normal development, this person will only enter the Third Grade at the age of twenty-five, and will enter the First Grade every three years thereafter. It is likely that the Fourth Grade will be the limit at most.
Martial artists typically experience a decline in their energy and blood after the age of thirty, rendering them unable to continue breaking through their limits.
Fourth Grade guard is considered a high-ranking guard.
Within gangs and sects, these places where martial arts are practiced are considered mid-level even for those of the Fourth Grade.
The woman sighed inwardly.
Such a person's future is predictable, and they should be self-aware enough not to presume to find a better match with a woman.
"I understand what Young Master Zhang is thinking."
"Thank you for your understanding, Miss." Zhang Rongfang smiled.
The woman immediately stopped talking and turned to leave with her two maids.
Zhang Rongfang realize that his conversation with the woman had attracted the attention of many people around them.
"Wow, Brother Zhang, you're really amazing!" Li Huoyun suddenly appeared out of nowhere, his expression one of exaggerated admiration.
"What do you mean? Is that woman very capable?" Zhang Rongfang asked with a smile.
"More than powerful." Li Huoyun shrank back. "You know that the highest martial arts master in Tanyang is Thousand-Household Lin. You should also know that there is an even higher big shot in the entire Tanyang."
"You mean..." Zhang Rongfang immediately guessed what it meant.
"That's right, it's State Governor Sun!" Li Huoyun clicked his Mingzhu. "The lady just now was named Sun Chaoyue, the State Governor's beloved daughter."
This person was born a martial arts prodigy, taught by renowned masters and utilizing a wealth of medicinal resources. Without taking any detours, Entering the Ranks the fourth rank at eighteen. Now, at twenty-two, they've already advanced to the Fourth Grade. Isn't that amazing?!
"Fourth Grade at twenty-two years old." Zhang Rongfang showed shock. "Indeed impressive."
After Entering the Ranks ranked, this woman progresses through the First Grade almost every year. At this rate, she will reach the Ninth Grade before she turns thirty. She is another future commander of Thousand Household Commander!
We can't afford to mess with them.
Zhang Rongfang felt that he should keep his distance from such important figures.
With his small frame, only at the Third Grade, he couldn't withstand being hammered.
Moreover, only Spirit Race State Governor serve as governors. If Sun Chaoyue can truly reach the Ninth Grade, her future status will likely be even higher.
Of course, achieving the Martial Rank is not as easy as it sounds.
Even if one's aptitude reaches the Ninth Grade, one's comprehension also matters.
Many skilled martial artists are stuck at the Sixth Grade rank because they lack comprehension or their martial arts skills don't suit their abilities.
This is also why many masters will exchange their children to other masters.
Just like someone who is naturally thick-skinned and slow to react, if you let him inherit the family's agile martial arts, wouldn't that be asking for trouble?
"So, Sister Sun Chaoyue is even more domineering in the entire Tanyang City than Lin Qixiao was back then. Sister Lin Qixiao at most bullied the lower class. But this woman, in front of her, more than 99% of the people in the entire Tanyang are from the lower class."
Li Huoyun helplessly.
"To my shame, I was often bullied and beaten by this person when I was a child. Now, seeing her coming from afar gives me a bad feeling."
"This is targeting us so much?" Zhang Rongfang was speechless.
"No, not really. Everyone was beaten by her when we were kids, not just me," Li Huoyun shook his head.
Zhang Rongfang had nothing to say.
Li Huoyun chatted for a while before being called away by others. Before leaving, he repeatedly reminded Zhang Rongfang to take the initiative.
Unfortunately, this guy is destined to be disappointed.
Time passed slowly, and finally, the garden party, which lasted an hour and a half, came to a gradual end.
One by one, the attendees boarded their own carriages and left.
Some people hurriedly walked away with their heads down. The clear distinction between social classes made Zhang Rongfang feel emotional as he left.
Suddenly, his gaze swept across the street and he noticed a woman in a black dress talking to a man who had just left the park.
The man was facing Zhang Rongfang, trying to appear calm, but the cold sweat on his forehead and his shifty eyes betrayed his panic.
This is also why Zhang Rongfang noticed the two of them.
Soon, the man fled in panic, hurriedly boarded a carriage, and disappeared into the flow of traffic.
Zhang Rongfang looked away.
"What? Looking at Assistant Prefect Xu's eldest daughter?" Li Huoyun patted him on the shoulder from behind.
"Just browsing." Zhang Rongfang smiled.
"That's good. As for that person from the Xu Family... well, how should I put it, something's off about him." Li Huoyun pointed to his head.
"Understood." Zhang Rongfang nodded.
"Good to know. Their eldest daughter is named Xu Miaotong. It is said that she was sent away to study when she was young. After she came back, she became a little mentally unstable and would often come to ask others strange questions."
"I was asked that once too," Li Huoyun said helplessly.
"Yeah?"
Zhang Rongfang looked again at the woman in the black dress, but she had vanished from the spot.
Since the garden party ended without result, he didn't hitch a ride with Li Huoyun's carriage, but instead walked home on foot.
After crossing half the city, we were almost at the Ministry of Justice.
He saw the woman in the black dress again in front of the public bathhouse near his house.
The woman's skirt had soft, coral-like velvet trim, and her chest and waist were dotted with silver shimmering dots, seemingly mixed with Silver Thread.
The skirt was just long enough to cover her thighs, but both legs were clad in long gray leather boots that were so long they could easily be worn as trousers.
The woman even wore thin black silk gloves on her arms, which extended all the way to her shoulders.
This kind of attire is generally only seen on certain External Teachings among the Hu Xi People.
But the sliver of skin exposed on the woman's neck was as white as jade.
Seemingly noticing the gaze, the woman turned around and looked in their direction.
Before Zhang Rongfang could avoid her gaze, she walked straight toward them.
"I've been waiting for you."
The woman's first words as she approached made Zhang Rongfang skip a beat.
"Miss Xu?" He paused for a moment, then greeted her politely.
A chill ran through me.
He had only been slightly distracted for a moment, and the other party had silently closed to within three meters of him.
This speed looks normal, but it's actually clearly wrong.
"You know me? I know you too, Zhang Ying, a friend brought by Li Huoyun," Xu Miaotong said calmly.
To be fair, she wasn't particularly beautiful, just average-looking, and her figure wasn't slender, just ordinary.
But there's a strange sense of tranquility about her.
Before she spoke, she was like a stagnant pool.
"They say you're Third Grade. But I don't think so," Xu Miaotong continued.
"Hehe. Miss Xu, please don't talk nonsense. I really am only at the Third Grade, and I just broke through and advanced." Zhang Rongfang's heart skipped a beat, but he said without changing his expression.
"Miss Xu, your movement technique just now was quite well concealed."
To be able to get so close without him noticing, this movement technique must be at least Fourth Grade, if not Fifth Grade- grade.
A young lady from an official family, who is said to be only in her early twenties, already possesses such agility. For a moment, both of them fell silent.
"May I ask what business Miss Xu has with me?"
Zhang Rongfang spoke first. He didn't believe the other party had come here by chance.
"Before I came, I didn't believe it, but now that I've seen the person, I believe it too," Xu Miaotong said calmly.
"According to the rules, this is for you."
She raised her hand and tossed out a round, purple jade pendant.
Zhang Rongfang reached out and caught it. Of course, he caught it through his sleeve.
He picked it up and took a look.
The jade pendant is carved into a lifelike wing.
A gold character is engraved in the middle.
"You've been chosen, Zhang Ying."
Xu Miaotong continued.
"This Feather Token can save your life in a critical moment. When you urgently need help, take it to Cloud and Mist Residence for assistance."
"What's the meaning?"
Zhang Rongfang was baffled. Looking at the jade pendant, the material was clearly not ordinary.
"Something's happened at Qinghe Temple. The uprising in Seven Counties has now turned into internal strife. Sea Dragon and Red Dog King sent people to Huaxin and found some clues. Your affairs could be exposed at any time," Xu Miaotong continued.
"So, it's there to save your life."
"What?!" Zhang Rongfang's heart tightened. The other party actually knew even this.
"Don't worry, your identity was obtained through the same channels your master used. No one else will know."
"Who are you people?" Various guesses flashed through Zhang Rongfang's mind. The other party knew too much; could it be related to his master, Zhang Xuan?
"We are the Golden Wing Tower," Xu Miaotong replied softly.
"We've received word that there's internal strife at Qinghe Temple. I suggest you head back immediately."