These words were so harsh, it was as if she was practically offering herself to accompany the princes. Wasn't this comparing her to a woman from a brothel?
Upon hearing her words, how could Liang Luo endure it any longer!
She roared and charged towards her, shouting as she ran, "You little slut, I'll rip your mouth apart!"
Liang Luo's charge was fierce, but Feng Jin Yao was no weakling. Holding Chi Ling, she quickly retreated. Yun Xu and La Mei would never allow anyone to lay a hand on their young lady, and immediately stepped forward to assist.
On the other side, Liang Luo's maid, Jin Xiu, also rushed over. The four of them descended into a chaotic brawl.
Yun Xu and La Mei shielded the front, preventing Liang Luo from touching even a single strand of Feng Jin Yao's hair. Instead, as she was held tightly by the two maids, her wrist twisted painfully.
"Let go of me! Have you eaten bear's heart and leopard's gall to dare stop me!"
Unfortunately, the loyal maids protecting their mistress cared not who the attacker was. Even if it were a celestial being, they would not let her harm their young lady even by half an inch.
Feng Jin Yao gently patted Chi Ling in her arms, her hand already clutching the pearl hairpin she had just removed. If Liang Luo dared to leap over, she would not be polite.
"This is a place of Buddhist cultivation, how can you resort to fighting like this."
Wei Lan Xuan was furious and stood on the steps, speaking to stop them. However, she was also afraid of the conflict spreading to herself, so she only sent the two maids beside her to intervene.
Unexpectedly, the commotion only grew more intense.
In the chaos, Tuan Rong, who had been sleeping soundly under the altar, was disturbed by the noise outside.
With a yowl, it ran out of the hall, found the shrewish Liang Luo who was shouting the loudest, and leaped up. Its sharp claws flew towards her cheek.
"Tuan Rong!"
Xu Ming Yue, seeing the runaway Tuan Rong, was both happy and worried. She feared that this mere orange cat would not be able to withstand the strength of Liang Luo and her maid, so she called out.
It was precisely this shout that made Liang Luo dodge. Coincidentally, the claws landed directly on Xue Qiu.
From head to tail, its snow-white back was covered in bloody scratches.
Xue Qiu had been pampered since birth and could not possibly contend with Tuan Rong, the orange cat that roamed the streets. In a few moves, it was scratched all over.
"Come back!" Xu Ming Yue cried out. Tuan Rong's anger was somewhat vented, and it finally let go of Xue Qiu, who was wailing from being scratched.
Liang Luo looked at Xue Qiu in her arms, now a "blood ball," and with eyes red, she lunged towards Tuan Rong in Xu Ming Yue's embrace.
"Where did this mongrel come from? I'll kill you!"
She slapped at Tuan Rong in Xu Ming Yue's arms, but Xu Ming Yue dodged by turning her head.
Then, Liang Luo pulled a pearl hairpin from her bun and was about to stab Tuan Rong. Just as the orange cat was about to die on the spot, her raised right hand was struck by a leaf.
Her wrist ached, and the tightly held pearl hairpin dropped to the ground.
Turning around, she saw that it was Master Jue Yuan, the abbot.
"Amitabha, this is a pure Buddhist land. Benefactor, you must not harbor the thought of killing."
Master Jue Yuan was a renowned monk of the current dynasty and had even been a guest of the Emperor. With such a distinguished status intervening, the flames of conflict began to subside.
Once the situation calmed down, Wei Lan Xuan and Wen Yu Wei quickly stepped forward to restrain the "frenzied" Liang Luo, fearing she would cause more trouble.
If their scuffle were to be accidentally spread, they could have framed Feng and Xu. However, with Master Jue Yuan present, that was no longer possible.
Her tone carried a hint of urgency, "Do not cause any more trouble. Hurry back to treat Xue Qiu's injuries. That is the most important thing."
Liang Luo was in the wrong from the start today. Not only did she kick Feng Jin Yao's fire fox without reason, but she also clashed with Xu Ming Yue in her words. No matter where she went, she would not get a fair hearing. It was best to leave.
"But they injured Xue Qiu. The Imperial Consort entrusted it to me to care for, and it ended up like this. How can I explain this?"
Liang Luo was now anxious. If she had known Xue Qiu would be so badly injured, she should have killed that orange cat with a slap just now.
Her gaze towards Tuan Rong was like that of a snake coated in venom.
"Sister Liang, if you don't go down the mountain to find someone to treat it soon, I'm afraid Xue Qiu might not make it."
Seeing Xue Qiu in her arms on the verge of death, its injuries so painful that it had no strength to bare its teeth, its head drooping, and with the possibility of death from excessive blood loss at any moment.
Thinking of this, Liang Luo had no choice but to leave. Before departing, she fiercely threw down a threat, "If I don't get revenge for today, I swear I will not be human!"
Xu Ming Yue looked at her with neither joy nor sorrow, as if she were joking.
Feng Jin Yao only cared about Chi Ling's injuries and found Liang Luo's threats so detestable that she couldn't even be bothered to look at her.
After Wei Lan Xuan and her group left, Xu Ming Yue tidied her clothes and hair ornaments slightly, handed Tuan Rong in her arms to Yun Bai, and walked forward, apologizing slightly to Master Jue Yuan, "I apologize, Master, for disturbing your tranquility."
"It's alright. Outsiders will be here soon. Miss Xu should take everyone to rest in the courtyard where Old Madam Xu often stays."
"Thank you, Master."
The mistress and servants, along with the cat and fox, went to the courtyard from yesterday. The young monk had already prepared hot tea and retreated as soon as they entered the courtyard.
Feng Jin Yao was worried about Chi Ling's injuries. She laid it flat on the table and gently moved its limbs. Fortunately, there were no bone injuries, but Liang Luo's kick had been fierce, and the redness was turning into bruises.
"I have excellent liniment for bruises and sprains at home. I'll send someone to get it right away."
Xu Ming Yue looked at Feng Jin Yao and Chi Ling with guilt. After all, this kick was taken for Tuan Rong and the Xu family, so she naturally had to take full responsibility.
"Ah, then please trouble Sister Xu to send the medicine to my home. I want to take it down the mountain to find a doctor first. It hasn't fully grown yet, so it would be troublesome if it were injured."
"That makes sense. Then I'll send someone to take you back first. After I pick up Si Ruo, I'll come to your home to see it."
"Mm."
They had originally planned to stay in the mountain villa for a few days to relax, but unexpectedly, early in the morning, Feng Jin Yao brought her servants down the mountain. The carriage sped towards the Li Family Pharmacy in the city, which specialized in treating bruises and sprains.
Dr. Li saw a woman wearing a veil and dressed as a young lady and was somewhat curious.
Who knew that the person would then place a fox on the table and ask him to treat it.
He had been practicing medicine for decades and had never examined a fox before. He thought the person was playing a trick on him and was about to get angry, but then he saw the signs of bruising on the fox's chest.
To heal and save lives, this fox was also a life, so he began to ask about its condition carefully.
After a thorough examination, and repeatedly assuring her that there was no serious harm, he prescribed a blood-activating and bruise-reducing ointment to apply to the wound, which finally put Feng Jin Yao at ease.
"Dr. Li, your benevolence as a physician is deeply appreciated by this humble daughter."
As soon as she finished speaking, Yun Xu stepped forward and placed a silver ingot in the doctor's hand, "This is the consultation fee. Thank you, Doctor."
Looking at the heavy silver ingot, Dr. Li's eyes almost popped out. Before he could ask a few questions, the maid scooped up the fox and left. They came and went in a hurry, and he had no idea who this noble person was, only remembering that the fox was fiery red all over, so beautiful that one couldn't look away!