FBC – Chapter 268 Causing Trouble

When Gu Hua looked up, she happened to see the Xuanhua Tower owned by the Pei family.

On the first floor, a group of beautiful women were singing and dancing, and the seats around them were packed full.

“Let’s eat here,” said Zhao Luoxuan cheerfully. “The Pei family’s Xuanhua Towers in Bianjing always serve dishes in the Jiangling style—they’re quite distinctive. I wonder if the one in Juzhou is just as good.”

“Sure.”

Zhou Zhilan and Zhao Luoxuan happily took Gu Hua by the arm and walked inside together.

The shopkeeper, busy as ever, noticed them coming in. His sharp eyes immediately recognized them. Quickly handing his current guests off to a waiter, he hurried forward personally.

“County Princess, Madam Mu—please, this way upstairs.”

On the second floor, there was a private suite reserved exclusively for distinguished guests.

Once the three women were seated, the shopkeeper smiled and asked, “Would you like to order yourselves, or shall I make arrangements?”

Gu Hua smiled faintly. “You arrange it.”

“Very well. Please wait a moment.”

As they cracked melon seeds and chatted, time passed pleasantly.

After about a quarter of an hour, the table was filled with an array of delicious dishes.

In the outer hall, Dong Hua and Chiyu’s group also had a table of their own, eating and laughing merrily.

Suddenly, Gu Hua faintly heard the sound of a commotion coming from downstairs.

Zhou Zhilan and Zhao Luoxuan heard it too. They put down their chopsticks and strained their ears.

“Please, my lord, let me go! I’m only a dancer, not that kind of woman! I beg you, my lord—ah… help, someone help!”

“You filthy woman! I honored you by asking you to drink with me, and you dare act coy?!”

The shopkeeper’s anxious voice rang out: “My lord, these women were hired by our establishment to perform. They’re not for sale!”

“Shut up! When I take a liking to a woman, it’s none of your damn business!”

The shopkeeper couldn’t let such behavior continue. If people were bullied inside Xuanhua Tower, the Pei family’s newly launched business would be ruined.

And with both the County Princess and Madam Mu upstairs, he wasn’t particularly afraid of these men. He continued to reason patiently, “My lord, please release her. This is Xuanhua Tower, not a brothel!”

The man was arrogant beyond measure. “That’s easy to fix—just take her back to my manor! I’ll do whatever I please with her!”

“Move aside! Get out of the way!”

“Help! Shopkeeper, save me!”

“My lord, you can’t take her—ah!”

The shopkeeper was sent flying with a kick.

“How dare you hit people!” someone shouted.

Gu Hua frowned. “Chiyu, go see what’s happening.”

Everyone knew that the Pei family’s restaurant was connected to Madam Mu. No one usually dared cause trouble there. For someone to stir up trouble today, and at the Pei family’s first restaurant in Juzhou—it clearly wasn’t just a dispute over a woman.

“I’ll go too,” said Zhou Zhilan, rising to follow.

Dong Hua and Dong Qing entered to stand behind Gu Hua, serving her attentively.

The noises from downstairs grew louder—crashing tables, chairs, and dishes.

“I’ll go take a look,” Zhao Luoxuan said, standing up. “You stay put.”

If the troublemakers turned out to be of high rank, Chiyu and Zhou Zhilan might hesitate. But the County Princess of Juzhou now carried great prestige—her presence would bolster them.

Seeing her would likely make those ruffians rein themselves in.

Gu Hua didn’t want to move much anyway—such chaos was dangerous, especially with her pregnancy.

Her due date was at the end of August; she couldn’t risk any accident.

“You call yourself a County Princess? Ha! Even a fallen phoenix isn’t as good as a chicken. You’re worse than that whore! At least she can please men. You—you’re a cursed widow even men avoid!”

Zhou Zhilan’s face flushed with fury. “Insolence! Chiyu, slap him!”

Chiyu, already livid, didn’t hesitate. Two crisp slaps rang out.

“The Duke’s people are beating civilians! The Duke’s people are bullying others!” someone shouted theatrically.

Gu Hua frowned. “Dong Hua, Dong Qing—help me downstairs.”

Dong Hua hesitated anxiously. “Madam, perhaps you shouldn’t go—it’s chaotic.”

“It’s fine. I can’t let the County Princess be insulted, nor let them disgrace the Duke’s household.”

Gu Hua stepped out and looked down from the second floor.

Below, several gaudily dressed men were making a scene. One sat on the ground screaming like a shrew, clutching a dancer.

He had nearly torn off the dancer’s top; the fabric strap had wound around her neck. The man’s large hands were pulling so hard her face was turning red.

His arms were thick—clearly a military man.

Chiyu and the others dared not move rashly, afraid he might strangle her in a fit of rage.

Today was the first Qixi Festival celebration in Juzhou since the truce—citizens, soldiers, and merchants from all over were out celebrating.

This sudden uproar, involving both the County Princess and the Duke’s widow, quickly drew a large crowd.

Zhao Luoxuan was trembling with tears of anger, but she was no match for those ruffians. Her maids shielded her.

Zhou Zhilan and Chiyu were both fuming, but the troublemakers kept shouting about how the Duke’s people were abusing power.

This was Juzhou—if such rumors spread, both Madam Mu and the old madam’s reputations would be tainted.

With no choice, Chiyu’s men grabbed the offenders one by one to drag them out.

But the scoundrels made a show of resisting—one clung to the doorframe, another hugged someone’s leg, yet another held onto the dancer, one hand still choking her while yelling that the Duke’s family bullied citizens and colluded with merchants to exploit the people of Juzhou.

Nonsense poured from their mouths without pause—it was clearly a setup.

Gu Hua’s anger surged to her head.

She drew the small crossbow at her waist, aimed squarely between the man’s legs, and pulled the trigger without hesitation.

Thwip!

The bolt struck right in his crotch. His shrill cries stopped dead.

The entire room fell into stunned silence.

The man looked down at the arrow lodged in his trousers, dazed, then slowly raised his head toward the second floor.

There, a breathtakingly beautiful pregnant woman stood by the railing, her cold, sharp gaze fixed on him.

Chiyu reacted instantly—his sword flashed, cutting the strap around the dancer’s neck. Zhou Zhilan rushed forward and pulled the woman to safety.

A waiter hurriedly brought over a cloak, and Zhou Zhilan wrapped the trembling dancer in it.

The man on the floor stared blankly for a moment before pointing at Gu Hua and shouting, “The Duke’s widow has killed someone!”

Without a word, Gu Hua raised her crossbow again and aimed it at him.

“Shopkeeper—close the doors.”

The shopkeeper bolted to the entrance like the wind. The waiters rushed to help, pushing back the onlookers crowding at the door. With a loud bang, the door shut, and several men leaned their bodies against it to hold it closed.

They didn’t know what Gu Hua planned, but they trusted her completely.

The guards dragged the troublemakers back inside and threw them together on the floor in a heap.

The customers were terrified, huddled in the corners—no one dared move.

Gu Hua, still holding her crossbow, slowly descended the stairs.

Then she suddenly felt a peculiar gaze.

She glanced sideways—and froze for a moment.

It was the same man she had seen earlier, under the lanterns.

While everyone else recoiled in fear, he sat calmly, watching like it was a show.

What was he doing here?

So, Chiyu’s men hadn’t been able to keep tabs on him.

But there was no time to think about that now.

Gu Hua leveled her crossbow at the lead troublemaker and said coldly, “Chiyu, tie them up.”

Chiyu and his men surged forward, binding the men tightly.

The leader glared at her, realizing she wouldn’t dare kill him in public, and shouted defiantly—

“You damned widow! You killed the Duke and still strut around under his name, doing whatever you please! Did I say anything untrue?”

The others raised their necks and shouted too—

“That’s right! Juzhou was defended with the Duke’s and the Mu family army’s blood, and now you women are disgracing it!”

“A disgraced princess and a cursed widow, pregnant with who knows whose bastard, sitting here enjoying the glory of men better than you—how shameless! We won’t accept it!”

“Men of Juzhou, you’re all cowards! Letting two women trample you and you don’t even dare fart!”

Chiyu’s fury exploded—he struck each of them across the face.

Blood spattered; the men’s eyes filled with fear—but their spines stayed straight, their mouths still open to curse.