Rejected Beauty Practices the Villain Play
Chapter 95: Fun (Extra)

Chapter 95: Chapter 95: Fun (Extra)

Fengyu was stepping out onto the bustling streets with peers her same age for the first time, and she found it utterly novel.

The group tried to find a tavern where they could sit upstairs, enjoy the view of the dragon boats, and take in the festivities, but both riversides, full of taverns and flower houses, were already packed. Even wielding their influence and connections, they couldn’t secure a prime spot.

"Let me handle this."

In less than the time it takes for incense to burn, Fengyu arranged for a private room on the third floor of a tavern. The location was excellent, spacious enough for a group of ten or so people. Cai Wensen exclaimed in wonder, "Fengyu, how did you pull this off? Even my father couldn’t find such a large private room tonight!"

"I... have money," Fengyu replied with a discreet smile.

Zhou Liyu gave her a thumbs-up, while Lin Xiao chuckled. After they took their seats, the shopkeeper personally brought up wine, along with several chilled appetizers and snacks. Opening the windows revealed the river’s vibrant scene, dotted with richly adorned pleasure boats and the grandeur of colossal dragon boats beyond. Though they could hear the noise next door, it did not disturb their enjoyment.

Fang Lingjun leaned in curiously, "Why didn’t you bring Li Pengfei along to play? He was eyeing us earlier."

Zhang Boxin clicked his tongue, "He’s fallen out with Lin Xiao, so we’re not including him."

Lin Xiao took a sip of wine, a faint ring of liquid clinging to his lips, his expression slightly vexed. "Immature. It’s not falling out; we’re just not on the same wavelength."

Though Lin Yu Yan’s actions were at fault, Lin Xiao’s reputation among this group of idlers had always been untarnished. He held stature and standing in their circles, so the incident didn’t affect him.

Lin Xiao stole a glance at Fengyu, who was smiling as she nibbled on a snack. The group began playing drinking games, and Cai Wensen suggested, "Let’s recite poetry!"

Princess Xue Lan pursed her lips and innocently remarked, "Aren’t you deliberately putting us in a difficult spot?"

Xue Lan, Fengyu, and Fang Lingjun were notorious for being the bottom three students at the Imperial College. The idea of a poetry challenge left Princess Xue Lan feeling underprepared.

Fengyu wholeheartedly agreed. Lin Xiao proposed, "Then let’s do idioms instead."

Zhang Boxin couldn’t help but complain, "Ugh, you people really need to read more books."

"First Brother says something, and Second Brother thinks they’re in the same league," Fang Lingjun retorted, eliciting laughter from the group. Ultimately, they stuck with the poetry challenge for the drinking game—whoever couldn’t complete a verse had to drink.

The gathering grew lively and uproarious. Qiuxiang and Chunlu guarded the door, watching as Fengyu joyfully engaged with the others. Their smiles lightened, and they too felt delighted.

Girls should spend more time playing with peers their own age. In the past, her poor reputation and Lin Yu Yan isolating her meant no one was willing to befriend her. Now, with Fang Lingjun pulling her into the group, Fengyu had started smiling more.

Of the trio—Xue Lan, Fang Lingjun, and Fengyu—she clearly had the least familiarity with poetry. Losing twice in a row, she drank her first cup, her cheeks flushing. Her brows and eyes seemed suffused with the warmth of liquor, adding a radiant charm to her appearance.

As she was about to drink her second cup, Lin Xiao snatched the wine cup from her. "I’ll drink it for her."

"Oooooh..." Zhang Boxin, Zhou Liyu, Cai Wensen, and the others began playful teasing. Fengyu opened her mouth to speak but hesitated. Before she could stop him, Lin Xiao had already taken the drink with gusto.

Zhou Liyu and Zhang Boxin, the life of the party, had already consumed a few cups. They began dancing to the most fashionable steps of the moment, earning roaring laughter from Fang Lingjun, Xue Lan, and Fengyu.

Lin Xiao watched Fengyu’s animated laughter, a slight envy gnawing at him. He lamented inwardly that he couldn’t dance; otherwise, he too could have made her happy.

"There’s no curfew tonight. Don’t you all have guard duties to attend to?" Princess Xue Lan asked.

Zhou Liyu replied, "The Kyoto Capital Guard is on rotation tonight; we’re covering the latter half. Don’t even get me started on how miserable the past few weeks have been since we’ve been under the Little Marquis’ command. We barely get half a day off. You wouldn’t believe the grueling time we’ve had."

"How miserable?" Fang Lingjun blinked with feigned curiosity. "Tell me—hearing about it will definitely make me feel better!"

Zhang Boxin drained a cup of wine and groaned, "Ever since the Little Marquis took over the Kyoto Capital Guard, he’s had us working day and night during the snowstorms to repair everything. Disaster recovery dragged on; I thought we’d at least get one day to rest. But no—come dawn at 5 a.m., we had to be at the west suburban training ground for drills. Latecomers were punished with laps. My house is in the east; for me to get to the west suburban ground, I have to get up between 3 and 5 a.m. After shifts, we still had to return to the training ground for practice. Midnight was the earliest I’d get to go home. I’ve been with the Kyoto Capital Guard for half a month, and I’ve already lost weight. I ran more horses and shot more arrows in this half-month than I ever have in a year."

"Who hasn’t been getting up at the crack of dawn? On top of drills, I have to manage the soldiers under me," Zhou Liyu complained after three more cups. "The Little Marquis assigned me to oversee 1,000 Kyoto Capital Guard soldiers. Whenever a mistake happens during patrol, I’m the one taking the blame. If things escalate with the commoners—even if it wasn’t my fault—I’m still punished. Just in these two weeks, I’ve been whipped six times. Our family has widespread connections among the noble clans, so despite being about the same age, many of my uncles and elder relatives are in the Kyoto Capital Guard. How am I supposed to manage them? Outside, I have to discipline them, but at home, I get beaten up for it. The three whip scars on my back are courtesy of my cheap uncle!"

Cai Wensen said grimly, "The Little Marquis is a tyrant! He trains us like we’re in the Northern Iron Cavalry. If I see him in the streets, I’ll turn and flee."

"Just thinking about him gives me nightmares," Zhou Liyu shook his head. The two clinked glasses bitterly, their camaraderie forged in suffering.

Lin Xiao remained notably silent. If anyone was more exhausted, it had to be him. He managed the most people, particularly those with high noble status in his troops—making them even harder to control. Yet, he didn’t voice any complaints.

"It just shows he trusts you guys!" Fang Lingjun clicked his tongue. "My brother always says that good soldiers are forged through rigorous training. If you lounge in luxury, sipping on fine liquor, when the enemy is at the gates, you’ll be the first to defect."

Princess Xue Lan, Fang Lingjun, and Fengyu—descendants of military generals—wholeheartedly supported the Little Marquis.

"Who are you looking down on? Whoever defects is a dog! I may not be fighting in Ningzhou or guarding Jiangnan, but if Beiman invades the city gates, I’ll stand with everyone else—better to die than live as a traitor!" Zhang Boxin declared passionately, his words stirring admiration from Fengyu.

"Well said! I’ll drink to that." Fengyu clapped, pouring wine. The young group cheered and raised their glasses together, their aspirations soaring.

Fengyu thought to herself, The Little Marquis is truly remarkable, managing a group of incorrigible idlers so effectively. Zhang Boxin wasn’t a bad choice for a brother-in-law.

"At least you have half a day off. The Little Marquis is still out patrolling past the first half of the night," Fengyu couldn’t help but defend Xie Xun, speaking up on his behalf. From what she’d heard, Xie Xun was also on duty for the latter part of the night.

"How do you know that?" Lin Xiao asked with an inscrutable gaze.

Fengyu answered plainly, "I saw the Little Marquis leading the Kyoto Capital Guard on patrol when I came. Everyone could see it."

Zhang Boxin, slightly tipsy, leaned close to Fengyu. The scent of alcohol on him was noticeable, but Lin Xiao grabbed hold of Zhang Boxin’s collar and yanked him backward. In a cold voice, Lin Xiao said, "Say what you need to say and keep your distance."

"Let go, let go, I’m about to suffocate!" Zhang Boxin clawed at Lin Xiao’s wrist, his face flushing red from the strain. The others didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Only when Zhang Boxin sat upright did Lin Xiao release him, an act of "mercy."

With mischief glinting in his eyes, Zhang Boxin leaned toward Fengyu and asked, "Fengyu Sister, what does your eldest sister like?"

"Ooooh..." Fang Lingjun, the ringleader for stirring up drama, began making a commotion. Princess Xue Lan, equally amused, listened eagerly to the gossip.