Chapter 30: Fanning the Flames

"Shut your mouth! Who is your cousin? I... I have no relatives like you."

Liang Yunqing, faced with such an utter fool, could not be bothered to resort to violence immediately. She arched her brows and teased, "Biting the hand that feeds you the moment you put down the bowl—have you forgotten who paid for your tuition these past few years?"

As the words left her lips, before Liang Youcai could even retort, his fellow students behind him began to whisper, occasionally letting out bursts of snickers.

Seeing the persona he had painstakingly cultivated on the verge of collapse, Liang Youcai paced in circles, his eyes burning with resentment as he looked at the group opposite him. He gritted his teeth and muttered under his breath, "Why did you have to come here? Why did you have to ruin my reputation?"

Perhaps Liang Mingxue, standing behind him, could not hear this, but Liang Yunqing heard every word clearly. She stepped forward, blocking Liang Youcai's path, and said, "Liang Youcai, I truly wonder if you only passed the scholar's examination through sheer luck. Can a brainless thing like you really be a scholar?"

"You! You!"

Liang Youcai trembled with rage. He reached out to grab Liang Yunqing's collar, preparing to strike.

Liang Yunqing remained calm, effortlessly stopping the helpers summoned by Manager Yang. She looked at Liang Youcai with cold, indifferent eyes, a mocking smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "A dignified scholar assaulting a female relative in public—perhaps being taken to the magistrate’s office would be good; it would be just the thing to strip you of that scholar's title once and for all."

At these words, Liang Youcai's mind reeled. He let go and stumbled back several paces, breaking into a cold sweat. Yes... how could he strike someone in front of so many people? And to be taken to the magistrate’s office—he must have lost his mind.

"I won't report it... I didn't hit anyone either. I just, I just wanted to teach you a lesson."

"Teach me a lesson?"

Liang Yunqing straightened her collar and laughed. She glanced sideways at the students waiting to enjoy the show. "If I were you, I would turn around and teach those instigators behind you a lesson instead."

Following her gaze, Liang Youcai realized what she meant and turned to look at the others, his eyes filled with shock and suspicion.

The man who had been flattering him just a moment ago stepped forward, speaking with a stern face, "Brother Youcai, why do you still doubt your friends? This peasant woman is clearly a madwoman. Aren't you going to teach her a lesson? Don't worry, we will all testify for you."

"That's right! Go ahead and teach her; we'll be your witnesses."

"Brother Youcai, go for it!"

The incessant cheering from behind reached their ears, and Liang Youcai’s gaze, which had just begun to clear, grew murky once more. He pointed a finger viciously at Liang Yunqing and shouted, "You still dare to sow discord between me and my friends! I will teach you a lesson today!"

Liang Yunqing took a deep breath. She had no choice. She hadn't really wanted to resort to violence—after all, they were at Xike Restaurant, and she had to show some respect to the owner—but now, it was unavoidable.

She watched Liang Youcai stride toward her and offered him one last piece of well-intentioned advice.

"Liang Youcai, protect your head."

With that, she unleashed a roundhouse kick.

Liang Youcai didn't even realize how he had fallen; he only felt the world go black, followed by an agonizing, bone-shattering pain in his thigh.

"Ah!"

He shrieked, and as he opened his eyes and rolled on the ground clutching his leg, a shadow fell over him before he could even scramble to his feet.

Liang Yunqing’s face appeared suddenly before him, and the next moment, a flurry of slaps rained down.

Crisp, rhythmic, and melodic.

"Stop hitting me... wuu wuu..."

Liang Youcai covered his face with his hands, saliva dripping onto his collar.

However, the students behind him were displeased; finding the spectacle boring, they continued to shout, "Brother Youcai, hit her back!"

"Brother Youcai, retaliate! Hit her!"

Perhaps if they hadn't been shouting, Liang Yunqing wouldn't have paid them any mind, but seeing the mocking expressions on their faces, her temper flared. She tossed aside the whimpering, dog-like Liang Youcai, shook out her arms, and strode toward the group.

The man who had been the loudest saw her coming, but instead of being afraid, he looked at her arrogantly. "Does a mere peasant woman think she can act tough with me?"

Relying on his tall, sturdy frame, he looked down at Liang Yunqing, who only reached his chin, without a hint of fear.

"You enjoy stirring up trouble, don't you?" Liang Yunqing asked, her voice cold.

The look in her eyes made the man shiver; he swallowed hard and said, "I am a scholar of this county—is it your place to question me?"

Liang Yunqing remained expressionless. She stepped closer and, glancing at the bamboo tube by the man's feet, said softly, "It was you who struck the blow to my father's head, wasn't it?"

That fool Liang Youcai could never have hit anyone accurately; someone else must have been responsible for the precise strike to his forehead. It was this man who had been trying to escalate the situation from the start—only by making a scene could he ensure the injury to her father seemed insignificant.

"How dare you slander me!" The man shifted his arms nervously, attempting to use his posture to intimidate Liang Yunqing.

"No matter. I have my own ways of making you confess. Tell me, if you were the one being beaten, would those 'fellow students' come to your aid?"

"What?"

Before the man could react, a slap landed squarely on his face.

He roared in anger, his pretense of a refined scholar vanishing instantly. He balled his fists and swung at Liang Yunqing. "You dare hit me! You wretch, let me show you how to—ah!"

She dodged the punch, and Liang Yunqing delivered an uppercut that sent his head snapping back. As he stumbled from the loss of balance, she followed up with an elbow strike directly to his chest. The heavy, muffled impact caused the man to vomit the breakfast he had eaten that morning.

The filth stained the front of his robes entirely.

Liang Yunqing stepped back in disgust and addressed the others who had been watching the show. "Is there anyone else who wants to teach me a lesson?"

As the words fell, the group retreated one after another. No one even stepped forward to help the man on the ground, leaving him to vomit and moan in misery.

"To call yourselves scholars—you lack virtue and are full of self-importance. A bunch of blockheads, yet you dare pretend to be men of letters?"

No one dared to retort. Liang Yunqing then spoke softly to the man on the ground.

"From now on, keep your tail tucked between your legs. Don't let me see you in this county again. Every time I see you, I will make sure you regret the food you've eaten. Do you understand?"

"Mm, mm, mm..."

The man, not caring about the filth in his mouth, nodded frantically in agreement.

Liang Yunqing looked up once more at those who had followed the lead in stirring up trouble. "As for you lot, if anyone is dissatisfied, feel free to step up now. Otherwise, put an end to that gossip-mongering behavior."

"You!" one man in the crowd let out a disgruntled shout.

This delighted Liang Yunqing; now she had a reason to strike.

"You have an opinion?"

Liang Yunqing walked toward him. The others stepped back in unison, leaving only the man who had spoken standing there. He was red-faced with anger, pulling a fan from his sleeve to wave at himself. "A brute! I will not lower myself to argue with you."

"A brute? I'm a refined one, then! Another pretender—come and face your fate!"