"What an interesting girl!"

Qi Jingyu watched the departing young woman, his lips pressed together, revealing a subtle, enigmatic smile.

He turned and went to the nearby inn for a temporary stay.

"Shopkeeper, whose daughters were those young ladies just now?"

The young man’s heart was restless, and he couldn’t help but inquire about the origins of those girls.

The innkeeper was a middle-aged man in his forties, quite experienced and knowledgeable. Upon hearing this, he chuckled, "Young man, have you taken a fancy to one of them? Haha, they are all daughters of the Gao Family, a well-known merchant family in Jiangzhou. Their daughters are precious!"

After a pause, the shopkeeper said mysteriously, "You don’t seem to be from a poor family either. If you really like a girl from the Gao Family, you could pay them a visit and try to court one!"

Seeing the shopkeeper act so secretively, Qi Jingyu couldn’t help but want to roll his eyes, but since the man was kind-hearted, Qi Jingyu just gave a faint smile.

"Thank you!"

He replied indifferently, then turned and went upstairs to the guest room.

He put down his luggage and lay on the bed, hands behind his head, looking at the beam above.

"Third Miss?" he murmured to himself, "She’s a very interesting and spirited girl!"

With that, he turned over and went to sleep.

...

Gao Mansion.

A few young ladies returned home and went to Old Master Gao’s room to explain what had happened today.

Old Master Gao was instantly furious and ordered people to go to the government, have the rascal who bullied his daughter interrogated, and find the person behind it.

"Master, do you think this might be the handiwork of the Lin Family?"

At this moment, Mrs. Gao suddenly spoke.

Mrs. Gao was considered fortunate; she had a good relationship with Old Master Gao. She bore all of their daughters, and another was born to her handmaid, cherished both by palm and back of the hand, she couldn’t bear to see them suffer.

Lin Family?

Old Master Gao was stunned for a moment, then nodded seriously.

Indeed, the Lin Family really might be responsible.

"The Lin Family has been competing with us in business and now in marriage. Humph, who doesn’t know that our eldest daughter is soon to marry the Prefect’s son? Such an honor, how many people are envious of us!"

Mrs. Gao said as she approached her three daughters, gently patting her chest.

"It’s truly a blessing from our ancestors that the eldest daughter didn’t go out today, or who knows how this would have ended!"

Old Master Gao nodded, feeling equally relieved, it truly was very dangerous.

"Then, what should we do next? All three girls were touched by that damned rascal. Even if we know it was malicious and unrelated to our daughters, rumors will spread, and people distort truths, until they end up painting our girls as promiscuous!"

Speaking of this, Mrs. Gao was exceedingly anxious, sweat forming on her brow.

Old Master Gao was also deeply troubled, and his wife beside him kept chattering complaints, making him increasingly frustrated.

"Stop pacing around, it’s making me dizzy. My old life will be drained by all this!"

Old Master Gao grumbled.

"You scoundrel, only caring about yourself. Our daughters are so wronged, can’t you think of some solution?"

"What solution could I possibly think of?" He shook his head, then said, "However, I will handle this matter, talk to those scholars, give them some silver, and let them speak for our daughters!"

"That’s more like it!"

Mrs. Gao pursed her lips and barely managed a satisfied smile.

"We’ve got trouble, big trouble, Master, Madam!"

However, before they were happy for long, panic and shouts erupted from outside, and several servants stumbled in, looking extremely anxious.

"What’s going on?"

Old Master Gao felt a sharp pain at the back of his head, feeling terrible. He coldly stared at the servant reporting, waiting to hear what he had to say.

If it was something trivial, he’d definitely have him punished!

"Master, there’s major trouble, really, rumors say our Gao Mansion’s young ladies are behaving impropriately, secretly involved with others..."

"Bang!"

Upon hearing this, Old Master Gao slammed the table in anger, "Scoundrel! Whose vile mouth would say such things? This is a deliberate attack on our Gao Mansion, isn’t it?"

"Yes, Master, who would disagree? No one knows who is spreading these rumors. If we don’t stop them, if they keep spreading, our young ladies’ reputations will be ruined!"

The speaker was a steward, quite prestigious in the Gao Mansion, well-respected by the servants and even some concubines.

This old steward was currently analyzing the situation.

"Master, as Madam said, this matter is very likely the work of the Lin Family, aiming to ruin our marriage alliance with the Prefect’s family so they can push their own daughters forward. Their intentions are truly despicable!"

"Indeed! The Xie Family is so unethical in this matter, our Gao Family will never let them off!"

Mrs. Gao spoke coldly as she moved beside Old Master Gao, "We need to talk to Lord Governor!"

"That might not be wise!"

Another person entered, the old Madam of the Gao Family, Old Master Gao’s mother. Aged, having witnessed more than them.

She entered, shaking her head, "If we do that, we’ll seem guilty, how will it appear to the Prefect?"

"But, shall we let our daughters bear this disgrace? This is too much, too much!"

Mrs. Gao clenched her fists, her body trembling, wishing to immediately confront the Lin Family and argue with them!

For something like this to happen to them, it was infuriating!

"Neither option works, what should we do? Just let ourselves be bullied?"

Mrs. Gao was truly distressed, tears welling up.

"Stop crying, your tears are giving me a headache!"

Old Master Gao felt like tearing his hair out—his wife’s tears, children’s issues, now even the marriage might be ruined, all these troubles together made him want to take drastic actions.

"Master, I have a solution to resolve this issue!"

Then, the old steward suddenly spoke, Mrs. Gao and the old Madam turned towards him, "Oh?"

"Since they’ve acted this way, why not fight fire with fire?"

The old steward’s statement made Old Master Gao slap his forehead, "Yes, now that you mention it, our family is in trouble and the Lin Family is eager to add insult to injury. If they face a similar issue, they would only strive to cover it up. Haha, marvelous, marvelously splendid!"