Chapter 116: Playing Games

Liang Xiao walked out of his front door, causing the heckling servants and ruffians to retreat two steps, their voices fading into a timid murmur. Having once fought on the battlefield alongside General Liang, he carried an inherent aura of ferocity that naturally struck fear into others.

Zhang Zhongheng let out a cold snort, cursing those men as useless in his heart. He looked at Liang Xiao and gritted his teeth, "I can't believe you actually dared to come out..."

"Why wouldn't I?" Liang Xiao looked at him, his narrowed eyes sweeping over the crowd. "Do you find it amusing to have stirred things up to this point? No matter how much you fuss, you are nothing but a clown, inviting ridicule."

"Spare me your nonsense!" Zhang Zhongheng’s face darkened as he pointed straight at Liang Xiao. "I am here today to settle the score. You shameless, immoral villain! I have come to demand justice for Miss Xu!"

"I was saving her life."

"A joke! With so many people in the prestigious Zhang family, did it have to be you who saved her? Aren't you afraid of being laughed at for saying such things?"

"Right and wrong are determined by heaven. Wasting my breath on scum like you is a waste of time."

As Liang Xiao turned to leave, a provoked Zhang Zhongheng shouted, "Liang Xiao, give me a straight answer today! Are you going to take responsibility for compromising Xu Ruojin or not?"

"That’s right, Miss Xu is truly wronged and pitiful..."

"Sigh, one moment of carelessness and her reputation is ruined. If not for Young Master Zhang standing up for her, she wouldn't even be able to show her face."

"Just watch..."

The onlookers whispered among themselves, most of them looking at Liang Xiao with suspicion. The rumors Zhang Zhongheng had been spreading for days were clearly taking effect. Moreover, Liang Xiao had not been in Zhonglin County long, and few knew him well enough to judge his character.

Facing the scorn and accusations, Liang Xiao smiled indifferently. "Compromising her? That is a highly inappropriate word. No wonder you only hold the title of a scholar and cannot pass the imperial examinations."

Stung by the jab, Zhang Zhongheng jumped up in a rage. "Enough of that! Just tell me: will you take responsibility?"

"You have been making such a scene for days just to confront me in person today?"

Liang Xiao’s counter-question made Zhang Zhongheng press his lips together. "I am seeking justice for myself. I wouldn't have had to do this, but you were always hiding, rarely at your residence. Where else was I supposed to go for an explanation?"

"Ridiculous." Liang Xiao’s expression remained icy. "Did you not see me at the Magistrate’s residence a few days ago? Why didn't you speak up then?"

"I..." Zhang Zhongheng, not expecting to be turned on, stammered, "That is because you are beneath me."

"Say it, then. What is it that you want?"

"Let everyone judge for themselves just how wicked you are! The ancestors of the Liang family served the country, but because of you alone, the Liang family name has been utterly disgraced!"

Zhang Zhongheng’s words were heavy, and the murmurs among the crowd grew louder. He was intentionally provoking Liang Xiao, trying to goad him into a heated public argument. If Liang and Zhang remained at a stalemate, he wanted to see how Yan Hongwen would handle it! Furthermore, if Liang Xiao admitted to pulling Xu Ruojin from the lake himself, it would confirm the rumors, and no explanation would save him.

As for Xu Ruojin... he had long since ceased to care about her.

The commotion grew, drawing more people to the scene. The feud between the Zhang and Liang families and the reputation of the Xu girl had become the biggest topic in the small town of Zhonglin. Everyone waited for the outcome. Two young masters confronting each other in person—how could one miss such a spectacle? The Liang mansion’s entrance, usually quiet and deserted, was now as bustling as a marketplace. Even though tomorrow was New Year’s Eve, this scene was far more captivating than fireworks.

Meanwhile, Xu Ruojin was hosting Yan Hongwen in her courtyard, sharing tea. Having spent several days with him, she no longer felt the need for excessive formality. She didn't find him annoying; on the contrary, he often offered unique suggestions on various topics. However, Xu Ruojin had realized an undeniable fact: he had a strong ulterior motive. As for what that motive was, she still couldn't fathom it. She also knew he was treacherous—despite his elegant and handsome appearance, he was full of malice and would often ask questions that caught her off guard. She had learned one effective way to deal with such a man: disdain. Disdain to argue, disdain to compete, disdain to debate right from wrong. If she didn't know how to answer, she simply stayed silent.

"Why have you been so listless today? Is something on your mind?" Yan Hongwen noticed the lack of a smile on her face and the dark circles under her eyes.

"I just don't feel the spirit of the New Year," Xu Ruojin replied dismissively, busy preparing the wine for the following night. She hadn't originally been tasked with this, but after Yan Hongwen left yesterday, Madam Yang had pressured her to make his favorite wine, hoping to convince him to stay for New Year’s Eve.

"What do you think the New Year should be like?" Yan Hongwen asked, covering his nose with his hand. It was his first time seeing how this "delicious" wine was brewed, and the sour, fermented stench made him nauseous.

Xu Ruojin, long accustomed to the smell, answered casually, "It should be lively, with firecrackers and fireworks, families gathered together chatting and eating, waiting for the night to pass." She sighed, looking at him. "But this year is different because you are here. The maids and servants are afraid of breaking etiquette by being too loud, my parents are only busy figuring out how to entertain a distinguished guest from the capital, and my younger brother? He has vanished, trying to stay as far from you as possible."

Yesterday, when Madam Yang forced Xu Zimo to come to the courtyard, Yan Hongwen had scared him off with a few flowery phrases, and he hadn't been seen since.

Yan Hongwen smiled. "They cannot compare to you. You are better off with me."

"Young Master, please watch your tongue," Xu Ruojin retorted, curling her lip. "Are you hoping I’ll be finished off by a length of white silk?"

"How could I have such a wicked heart?"

Just as he finished, Yan Hongwen caught a glimpse of someone whispering to Zhu Fang at the gate. He had previously ordered that his attendants should not disturb him unless it was an emergency. Seeing Zhu Fang’s ghastly expression as he hurried over to whisper in his ear, he knew something had happened.

"Zhang Zhongheng has gone to the Liang mansion and is confronting Liang Xiao, forcing him to take responsibility for Miss Xu," Zhu Fang reported.

Yan Hongwen’s eyes widened. "Is he insane? He went to question him in person?"

Zhu Fang didn't answer. Yan Hongwen looked at Xu Ruojin, cursing Zhang Zhongheng with suppressed resentment, "That little brat, playing dirty with me? He wants to use me as a shield? No way!"

Xu Ruojin stared at them, realization dawning that this matter was inextricably linked to her. Yan Hongwen stood up, looking at her before leaving. "Zhang Zhongheng is confronting Liang Xiao at the Liang residence. You should prepare yourself."

The first thought that flashed through Xu Ruojin’s mind was, "Is he trying to force me to my death?"

"Yes," Yan Hongwen said, looking at her with a complex expression. "He wants you dead."