Amid the jostling crowd, Fengguang could only take one step forward and be forced three steps back. Without realizing it, she had been pushed onto the small stone bridge. Someone shoved her from behind, and she was squeezed right up to the edge. Caught off guard, she failed to grab the railing in time. Her body pitched forward, she lost her balance, and she fell off the bridge.
Below the bridge flowed water filled with drifting river lanterns. A painted pleasure boat was slowly gliding beneath it. A woman dressed in light blue stood at the bow, but a maid who had come to fetch her was tugging her toward the cabin.
“Miss, please stop being stubborn,” the young maid pleaded earnestly. “As long as you serve that gentleman well, you’ll enjoy endless wealth and honor in the future. Isn’t that better than staying in Lanyue Pavilion forever, being overshadowed by that Bingqing and only ever playing the role of a supporting beauty?”
The woman in blue was delicate and pitiful to behold, and now she spoke with melancholy in her voice. “Yuan’er, I know it too. That gentleman holds high rank and great power. If I please him, I could soar from the branches and become a phoenix. But…”
“But what, Miss?”
“You know as well as I do that he is… ah!”
She cried out, her words cut off abruptly—because someone suddenly fell from above and slammed into her, pinning her to the deck.
“Miss!” Yuan’er screamed, reaching out to shove the person off her lady. “Miss, are you all right?”
Unfortunately, the woman couldn’t answer. She had already lost consciousness.
Dazed, Fengguang pushed herself up from the floor. She had thought she would splash straight into the water, but to her surprise, the fall hadn’t hurt at all. She was momentarily stunned. When she heard the maid’s cries, she looked over and saw another beautiful woman lying on the ground. She immediately realized what had happened.
“Um… your young lady… is she still alive?”
“It’s all your fault!” Yuan’er spun around angrily. “Who are you, anyway? You came out of nowhere and knocked my lady unconscious!”
“I’m really sorry… I didn’t do it on purpose.” Knowing she was at fault, Fengguang couldn’t muster her usual confidence at all.
“Yuan’er, why haven’t you brought your young lady inside yet?” A woman who still retained a great deal of charm opened the door and came out. The moment she took in the scene, she froze, then clutched her face and cried out, “Yuan’er, what happened?! Today’s guests are all distinguished people—they specifically requested attendants! If something goes wrong, how is Lanyue Pavilion supposed to survive?”
“Madam, it’s not my fault!” Yuan’er pointed at Fengguang and shouted. “It was this woman—she knocked my lady unconscious!”
Fengguang hurriedly lowered her head and apologized. “I’m truly sorry. I really didn’t mean it. Please don’t worry—I’ll pay for the medical expenses and anything else!”
“Is this just a matter of medical expenses?” Yuan’er snapped.
“Wait.” The woman circled Fengguang once, then nodded and smiled. “Miss, I see you have a good figure, and your looks are quite fine as well. Since you’re the one who injured my girl and delayed our business, shouldn’t you offer some appropriate compensation?”
“If it’s medical expenses—”
“This isn’t about money.” The woman clapped her hands, and several strong, burly women immediately appeared. “Take her away, dress her up properly, change her clothes, and remember to cover her face with a veil.”
“Hey, what are you trying to do—” Fengguang didn’t even get to finish before she was dragged away.
Several women hauled her straight into a room. Two of them restrained her movements, while the others began changing her clothes and fixing her up. She hated the feeling of being pinned down, but before she could protest, the madam-like woman beside her spoke coldly:
“Miss, today’s guest is Lord Song from the Western Depot. If you don’t cooperate properly, then be prepared to be executed along with Lanyue Pavilion.”
Sam Williams On TYMIMA Chapter 152