The back hall of Yuanyang Pavilion suddenly fell silent.
Xu Fengjia walked straight up to the Grand Madam, surveyed the room once, then knelt on both knees to pay his respects to the Grand Madam.
“I greet Fourth Aunt.” His low, mellow voice resonated through the back hall.
The young ladies began whispering to each other, discussing Xu Fengjia’s character.
To be honest, Xu Fengjia’s features weren’t like Feng Jin’s—naturally possessing that kind of beauty so extreme it seemed unreal.
But this didn’t mean he couldn’t compare with Feng Jin.
After all, he was a young man who had been to the battlefield. Like Gui Hanchun, he carried an indescribable martial bearing.
Compared to several years ago, that faint trace of dissolute manner had completely vanished.
Every movement carried a decisive quality; even when kneeling in greeting, he was crisp and efficient, without a single superfluous gesture.
However, compared to Gui Hanchun, Xu Fengjia had several degrees more noble bearing, an indescribable quality that only the sons of the capital possessed—a certain romantic flair.
Just that sweeping glance upon entering the room revealed his commanding presence: wherever this young man went, he placed himself in the position of master.
Seventh Miss focused intently, lowering her eyes to look at Xu Fengjia’s right arm.
Perhaps because he had official business today, he wore the fourth-rank Flying Fish robe, with a fierce tiger insignia adorning his chest, giving Xu Fengjia even more vigorous heroic bearing.
After greeting the Grand Madam, he rose and turned toward Madam Li, the other madams, and the accompanying wife of General Xiao, greeting each in turn.
His right hand moved freely, showing almost no sign of anything wrong…
Seventh Miss then looked up at Xu Fengjia’s face.
Several years of military life hadn’t left many scars on him.
His general features still followed his childhood appearance without much change, though he had gained more composure and martial bearing.
Only those upturned phoenix eyes ultimately carried the romantic flair characteristic of youth.
Combined with his low voice when speaking, he exuded an irrepressible allure.
Like Quan Zhongbai, he was one of the capital’s privileged sons.
They all possessed that characteristic nonchalance of capital youths.
Even when speaking with proper solemnity to the elders, the charm permeating his voice remained impossible to suppress.
When this person entered, it was as if he brought his own magnetic field—with his demeanor and voice… Saying he was handsome wouldn’t quite capture his striking beauty; saying he was decisive, there were still languid aspects; saying he was carefree, his behavior was also dignified.
Yet somehow, he drew all the young ladies’ gazes to himself.
Several of the Li family young ladies had already blushed.
Whenever the two families dined together, young men of marriageable age from related families often came to pay their respects.
These Li family young ladies had always carried themselves with dignity and propriety.
To peek from behind screens with flushed faces—this was a first.
The Yang family daughters, however, all behaved appropriately.
Fifth Miss merely glanced to see that Xu Fengjia had no scars on his body or face, then smiled with satisfaction, turned away, and spoke with Sixth Miss.
Sixth Miss was even more afraid of Xu Fengjia. She only looked once at her cousin, and when Xu Fengjia’s sharp eyes inadvertently swept toward the screen, she quickly looked away in fright, chattering with Fifth Miss about the fashionable jewelry on the madams.
Seventh Miss gazed deeply at Xu Fengjia a few more times, unable to resist looking at his right hand again.
Her gaze simply couldn’t move away from Xu Fengjia.
This person held too many mysteries.
Why did he practice left-handed sword techniques? Why did he protect her…?
Countless questions bubbled up in her heart by the thousands.
Yet Xu Fengjia couldn’t answer a single one.
After greeting the madams and accepting a few words of praise, he took his leave and went to the front hall to feast with the male guests.
The moment his figure disappeared, the rustling discussions among the young ladies suddenly erupted.
The two daughters of Madam Zhu’s family also joined the Li family daughters in quiet discussion of Xu Fengjia’s manner.
“Truly worthy of being a young hero! Such dragon-like strides and tiger-like bearing…”
Fortunately, the praise was all appropriate.
The madams exchanged glances and smiled knowingly.
Who hadn’t been young once?
These blooming young ladies, suddenly seeing a figure like Xu Fengjia—even if they didn’t discuss it now, they would certainly discuss it in private later.
This was only human nature.
They changed the subject to discuss the southern theatrical troupe invited to the house today.
The Grand Old Master also sent someone in with playbills, asking Madam Xiao to select a performance.
Madam Xiao demurred modestly, “I don’t understand such things. In the capital, the finest southern troupes are too proud; I’ve only heard kunqu opera once or twice.”