"AHHH~~" Ling Tian jumped up, hugging his calf. He seemed ready to burst into anger, but the moment he saw Yu BingYan’s seething look, he immediately put on a placating expression, "Hehe… this… en, sister, please continue, continue speaking… keke, I’m listening! What you said was very interesting, really full of meaning… I’m still listening…"

"Meaningful your *ss!" Yu BingYan was towering in rage. After snorting heavily, she hugged the diagram and ran into her own room to cultivate. A once in a blue moon opportunity, if she did not grasp it, then how could she be worthy of the care shown by the heavens?

Care shown by the ‘heavens’?! Seems like our main character just gained a new nickname...

Born in an aristocratic family surrounded by martial arts, yet unable to cultivate internal energy, this was one of the thorns in Yu BingYan’s heart, and also one of the reasons why she felt inferior in the family! With this diagram now, Yu BingYan’s heart, for the first time in forever, was filled with hope! Although she was not too satisfied with Ling Tian’s reaction, she knew deep in her heart that without him, she would have never gotten the chance to lay her hands on such a diagram! Furthermore, because Ling Tian did not practice martial arts, he naturally would not know the value of such a scroll.

In frustration, Yu BingYan dashed out of the place immediately, not even glancing at Ling Chen. If she had, she might have suspected something: Is Ling Chen sick? Why were both of her shoulders trembling non-stop?

-Scene Swap-

Smoky Thea Tower, fragrant smoky Thea,

Gathering those of talent and wit, from the cardinal and ordinal!

While the clouds dance at the rooftop, a spring flows at the bottom,

A toast is made to the moon, one gets intoxicated over the faces of the beauties,

To enjoy drinking whilst one’s name is made known,

The number one pavilion in Sky Bearing Royal Capital! Smoky Thea Tower!

Those who could afford to hold banquets in this very pavilion were the upper echelons of the society. While it looked like an ordinary pavilion from the outside, the interior actually boasted a spring, as well as bluffs. Surrounding the spring were tender shrubs, as well as lush green gra.s.s, with flower blossoms dotting the entire place. This made people feel that they had stepped into an immortal paradise on earth, an otherworldly utopia!

Today, the Smoky Thea Tower had long between cordoned off on all four sides; the chainmail of the soldiers a clear contrast, as they stood in orderly rows, from the bodyguards dressed in all sorts of robes as they patrolled the area, scanning their surroundings with eagle sharp eyes.

The Royal Consort Ling Ran had organized a feast at the Smoky Thea Tower! The various wives of the ministers would all gather for this grandiose annual meeting and those who had received her invite would feel immensely honored. A few days before the actual feast, the various n.o.blewomen all seemed to be of one mind, as they opened what seemed to be a fas.h.i.+on show in their houses. The ladies seemed to have become a carousel, turning round and round with different styles and different dresses, and their husbands naturally became the only evaluator for this entire fas.h.i.+on show.

This caused the many ministers of the court to attend the morning sessions sporting deep eye bags. Looking at them, it was as though a group of pandas had arrived to convene a meeting!

At the third floor of the Northern Spine, a mult.i.tude of females with delicate faces, all clad in unadorned clothes, walked to and fro frantically as they tried to make the comfortable room they were in even more perfect than it already was. While it was called a 'room', the venue was so s.p.a.cious that it could suffice as a banquet hall! The place could comfortably accommodate hundreds of people and not feel claustrophobic. This was indeed the private room which the Royal Consort Ling Ran had booked, known as the Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion! Ever since Ling Ran had taken a fancy to this place and hosted the first-ever Wives’ Meet in there five years ago, it had never been opened to the general public ever since! The only exception was the annual ‘Sky Bearing Beauties Meet’.

If one were to push open the windows of that pavilion, they would be greeted with an expanse of tranquil bluish-green waters of the lake, rippling every now and then when a gentle breeze blew. The willows on all sides waved together with the breeze and flowers carpeted the ground outside; whenever the breeze entered the pavilion, it would bring with it a heavenly fragrance, allowing one’s troubles to magically disappear from their heart and losing themselves in their revelry.

Inside the Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion, there were already a few of the n.o.blewomen sipping on the fragrant tea, as they sat upright; every one of them wore a mask of forced smile, their clothes gorgeous and their fine black hair arranged neatly, looking as though they could serve as mirrors. These few were the n.o.blewomen who had received Ling Ran’s invitation for the first time this year and came much earlier in advance to await the consort. Some of them had an expression of haughtiness, some with fright, some expectant. There were even some that were behaving unnaturally, as well as one or two of them looking around bewilderedly.

However, all the serving girls did not have the least bit of contempt towards the actions of those women, as all who were able to sit here today were definitely the top of the upper cla.s.s of n.o.blewomen; they were all the wives of the major figures in the imperial court. Those who sat here today were a proof that the Sky Bearing Imperial Court had recognized the contributions of her husband, as well as her family! It was a recognition of incomparable honor!

Smoky Thea Tower, Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion; this had become the place that the wives of all Sky Bearing Officials yearned to enter, and had become the utmost sacred place in all the young girls’ hearts!

The tower master of Smoky Thea Tower, Xi Yan, once told those under her this: If there comes a day when you get an invite from the Royal Consort and step into Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion as a guest, then as a woman, you have already reached the apex!

This one sentence was enough to explain everything!

"Arrival of the Madam of General Shen…"

"Arrival of the Madam of Rites Minister Wei…"

"Arrival of the Madam of Rites Minister Su..."

"Arrival of the Madam of General Yang…"

Following the announcement, a few n.o.blewomen with graceful bearings appeared at the scene in succession, heading towards Smoky Thea Tower leisurely, into the Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion!

Everyone who walked in would arouse a chorus of greetings from the rest. As for those who were on friendlier terms with each other, they would naturally seat together, swapping some gossips.

"Do you think the Madam of General Ling would come this year?"

"I’m afraid not? Remember that year, when her son Ling Tian was only eleven? That boy actually went to a brothel to indulge in wine, and even got into a fight with someone over a courtesan. That person actually turned out to be Mister Li’s grandson; both of the Madams were even publicly shamed by Madam Yang during the banquet. From then on, both Madams did not turn up anymore."

When the subject touched on this topic, a few women t.i.ttered softly. One of them replied, "Only eleven and he already went to a brothel for wine, getting into a fight over a prost.i.tute. This Young Master Ling seems to be quite the talent."

"Heehee…. What do you know? I heard that he was caught by the Royal Consort hara.s.sing his maidservants when he was only five years old and got a huge wallop by General Ling!" Another woman spoke as though offering up a precious treasure.

"Five years old?! My goodness! Haha… it seems like General Ling and his wife… their teachings seem to be quite unique!" The first n.o.blewomen spoke with an ambiguous tone.

"Hahaha…. You crazy person, what are you even thinking of? You’re full of dirty thoughts!"

"What I said was the truth… haha, hara.s.sing maids at the age of five, and going to drink wine at the age of eleven, hais! How could General Ling have this sort of son, their family really is unfortunate. Who knows how many ladies have been ‘spoilt’ by him… If not for the fact that the Ling Family has a huge influence, that kid would have probably died, even if he had seven or eight lives. I pity the families of those poor ladies…" One of them sighed.

Were Ling Tian at the scene, he would have vomited blood in distress, thinking ‘what have I ever done to those ladies? This n.o.ble here is still 100% a virgin, added from my past life, I can already be considered an old virgin. You all are just slandering without basis, talking about frostbite in summer! One song breaks the heart, O where do I find a person that understands me?' [1]

"Just yesterday, this Young n.o.ble Ling came out with another stunt. At the Northern Capital Gates, he got into an argument with Old Mister Yang," At this point, she glanced s.h.i.+ftily left and right before continuing with an even lower voice, "I heard that he lambasted Yang KongQun in front of everyone, calling him a b.a.s.t.a.r.d and all that, then extorted him of twenty thousand taels of silver! This is what I call tyrannical!"

"Ah? There was such a thing?"

"It’s true! Ling Tian was being unreasonable at first, blatantly allowing his family servants to provoke them, beating them up. He then became unreasonable at the end, slandering Yang KongQun. That sort of unbridled att.i.tude, is still my first time seeing!"

"Whoever gets such a ‘good’ son, will definitely have a headache over it!"

"Haiz, isn’t that so, the Lings are really unfortunate to give birth to such an ingrate. No wonder Madam Ling has no face to meet anyone; if I had a son like that, I would have probably strung him up for a beating already. Then I will lock him at home, lest he goes out to embarra.s.s me."

"Heeheehee… sister, don’t speak too early, seems like that little tyrant in your house also has some name for himself! Although he can’t compare to Ling Tian, they seem to be the same cut…"

"Similar your head! Speak one more word, see if I tear your mouth apart…"

"Hahaha… spare me, sister…"

"Oh~ Madam w.a.n.g is here."

"Madam w.a.n.g, you mean the mother of one of the three young masters, w.a.n.g Bo?"

"Who else?"

"Seems like she isn’t too happy, her brows are all furrowed…"

"Of course she wouldn’t be happy. A few days ago, the NanGong Family’s second son, NanGong Le was killed, and of all the coincidences, Young n.o.ble w.a.n.g just got into an argument with him a few days ago. He even threatened to marry the NanGong miss as a concubine. Now, they are first on the list of suspicion by the Yang Family. I suspect Madam w.a.n.g is now in terrible shape, how could she be happy?"

"Hais, that is true. At this age, rather than raising a silkpants son that is a disappointment, it would be better to raise a caring and sweet girl, just like the la.s.s of my house, obedient and docile…"

"Yeayea, oh right, sister, I heard your la.s.s has turned of age this year? This sister’s son still can’t find a suitable candidate, but still looks decent, I’m sure you will take a fancy to him. How about the two of our families…"

"Cough cough… this matter, this… oh my, look who’s here…"

Just as the discussions of the women in the pavilion got more and more heated, getting more and more imaginative, they suddenly felt as though the entire Smoky Thea Tower had gone silent, only making out the vague sounds of saluting. After which, a loud and clear cry sounded, "Arrival of the Royal Consort! Arrival of the Madam of General Ling!"

[1] - This is talking about not being able to find anyone that understands him perfectly. For more details, check out http://www.xiaogus.h.i.+8.com/a/es/2014/1284.html