Chapter Two (Part 3)
'Stop!' Li Tai Fang ordered.
After the afternoon meal, Li Tai Fang and Tao Tu Yun left Tao Fang Ao's villa. Li Tai Fang checked four directions before she confronted Tao Tu Yun.
'Lady Li, what is it that you want to say?' Tao Tu Yun asked.
Tao Tu Yun turned around and she smiled politely at Li Tai Fang.
'I'm warning you to admit your identity and you're not allowed to seduce Tao Fang Ao otherwise you can't blame me for being uncourteous!' Li Tai Fang threatened.
Li Tai Fang wasn't going to let Tao Tu Yun threaten her chance of becoming Tao Fang Ao's wife.
'Lady Li, I don't understand what identity you want me to admit.' Tao Tu Yun said.
Tao Tu Yun sighed. Until Tao Fang Ao finished investigating, she knew Li Tai Fang would continuously attempt to threaten her.
'Don't act dumb!' Li Tai Fang said. 'You're the fake. I'm encouraging you to confess to Tao Fang Ao otherwise I fear after the truth is exposed, you'll be dragged to the magistrate's court.'
Li Tai Fang's unprovoked second threat made Tao Tu Yun lose her usual politeness and evoked her anger.
'Lady Li, I've said it before, our hearts know who is real and who is fake,' Tao Tu Yun said. 'What you said to me applies to yourself. I'm advising you to resolve this situation amicably.'
Tao Tu Yun wasn't someone who wanted to compete with other people. But if she continued to retreat when dealing with Li Tai Fang then it would make Li Tai Fang more intolerable.
Initially Tao Tu Yun wasn't concerned about the misunderstanding about her betrothal, because she wanted to break her betrothal. She was relieved someone took her identity. But she didn't think she would be held captive at the Tao Manor and had to face the vicious Li Tai Fang so her initial relief disappeared. She was anticipating for day the truth was exposed then she could honorably leave the Tao Manor.
'You... if you're going to be like this then we'll see what happens!' Li Tai Fang said.
Li Tai Fang glared at Tao Tu Yun, stepped around Tao Tu Yun and she strode to her chamber.
Li Tai Fang's outburst gave Tao Tu Yun a bad feeling. Tao Tu Yun was the one who had the right to threaten Li Tai Fang, but it was Li Tai Fang who bullied her. She shook her head at the laughable situation.
'Lady Li is a vicious person,' Luo Bing Liang said.
Tao Tu Yun turned around and saw Luo Bing Liang stepped out from behind the fake mountain.
'Lady Luo,' Tao Tu Yun said.
Tao Tu Yun was surprised to see Luo Bing Liang. She wondered how long Luo Bing Liang was hiding behind the fake mountain and why no one could detect Luo Bing Liang's presence.
Earlier Luo Bing Liang was taking a stroll around the Tao Manor and she purposely hid behind the fake mountain because she wanted to eavesdrop on Tao Tu Yun and Li Tai Fang's conversation. It was a good opportunity for Luo Bing Liang to find out who was actually Tao Fang Ao's future wife, she didn't want to waste her silver taels in the wrong basket. Everyone at the Tao Manor apart from the parties involved were betting who Tao Fang Ao's real betrothed was.
Luo Bing Liang didn't think she would find out how vicious Li Tai Fang was. She hoped Li Tai Fang wasn't Tao Fang Ao's real betrothed, because she doubted Tao Fang Ao could tolerate being married to Li Tai Fang.
'Lady Tao, you're truly a good person,' Luo Bing Liang said. 'If I was in your position, I wouldn't be as polite to someone standing in front of me and yelling threats at me.'
Earlier Luo Bing Liang didn't hear who started the argument so she listened carefully to the rest of the argument. It was Li Tai Fang who was bullying Tao Tu Yan.
'Lady Luo, you know how to jest,' Tao Tu Yun said. 'Lady Luo, how many people do you think dare to raise their voice in front of you?'
Tao Tu Yun thought Luo Bing Liang spoke sincerely in front of her and she was happy to spend time with Luo Bing Liang. Perhaps they could become good friends.
'Lady Tao, you're right,' Luo Bing Liang said. 'Even Tao Fang Ling rarely raises his voice in front of me unless I do something too unreasonable.'
Luo Bing Liang smiled and agreed with Tao Tu Yun. She admired Tao Tu Yun's intelligence.
'If Lady Luo doesn't have anything else to say then I'll be returning to my chamber to rest,' Tao Tu Yun said.
Tao Tu Yun didn't want Su Wu to worry about her being on her own for a long time.
'There's no rush to return to your chamber,' Luo Bing Liang said. 'You'll be staying at the Tao Manor for a long period. Why don't I give you a tour?'
Luo Bing Liang had a good impression of Tao Tu Yun from the start. She didn't care if Tao Tu Yun wasn't Tao Fang Ao's real betrothed, she would still want to give Tao Tu Yun a proper tour of the Tao Manor.
'Then... I'll be troubling Lady Luo,' Tao Tu Yun conceded.
***
End of Chapter Two (Part 3)
