They saw that the person who came down from the carriage had black hair like ink that was casually tied behind his head. He did not seem to be old, rather, right at the age of reaching maturity. He was equanimous and had a relaxed expression. Although he was not smiling and his expression was calm, it still made people feel as warm as sunshine and unknowingly gave birth to a feeling of closeness.
Upon closer inspection, he was exceptionally handsome. His peach eyes seemed to hold a perpetual touch of affection, but they also appeared cold; he seemed easy to approach but upon taking a second look, it made people feel a sense of danger. It was so full of contradiction, but also made people fascinated.
The onlookers who had been watching curiously couldn't help but stop and look at the young gentleman getting off the carriage in astonishment.
Zilian and the man next to her stared at this person, both were stunned for a while. They saw him sweep a glance at the child at his feet, look at the veil hat that had fallen on the side and then look up at them.
“You are in the way.” His light and calm voice was clear and without the slightest emotion but it made people feel especially amicable and warm.
Seeing that no one reacted, he frowned slightly, “Hong Qui...”
With a gentle call from him, a woman in red came down from the carriage. She had a lovely appearance and could be said to be very beautiful. She seemed to be a little older than him and had bright, cheerful eyes. She jumped out of the carriage and without waiting for instructions, helped up the child who was still lying on the ground. The child seemed to have been scared silly. At this time, he stood up and without saying a word, turned and ran away.
Seeing him running away, she smiled slightly, picked up the veil lying on the side, brushed off the dust and stood in place while holding it in her hand.
Zilian saw it, took a step forward and said to her, “This is my veil.”
Hong Qui had just seen her treat the child in such a way and already felt displeased. At this moment, she did not speak to her and handed the item in her hand to Qi Mingyue instead.
Qi Mingyue raised his eyebrows, took the veil and murmured to himself, “Why would anyone have to wear it to go out on the street?” While looking at the thing in his hand, he looked quite puzzled.
Zilian saw that the woman who came down from the carriage was luxuriously dressed and was no worse than her. Whether it be her appearance or grooming, both were excellent. She ignored his question and her mind wandered off as she guessed what her relationship was with the young gentleman standing in front of her.
Biting her lower lip, she straightforwardly wanted to ask the young man to return the veil, but when facing him, she felt like she didn't know how to speak. While hesitating, she saw him hand the veil over.
“This young lady has an exceptionally beautiful appearance; it would be a shame if you covered it up with this thing.” His gentle voice was calm and even, but the listener’s heart seemed to have been touched that sent ripples across the surface. She had long grown accustomed to hearing others praise her appearance, but today, such a sentence made her cheeks red. She lowered her head slightly, took the veil from him, held it in her hand but did not put it on.
The man beside her always had an arrogant expression as if he didn't care about anything around him, but ever since he saw the young man come down from the carriage, his eyes were fixated on him and didn’t move an inch.
At this moment, he suddenly stepped forward and said, “My name is Ruan Tianqi, this is my sister Zilian. I wonder whether gongzi[1] is also going to enter the city and is heading to YeYao?”
[1] Gongzi (公子): son (honorific used to address a son from nobility/high status); son of an official/nobility.
Having arrived in this town and heading in that direction, it was clear that he was going to YeYao City. This question was superfluous. After hearing his name, Qi Mingyue was a little displeased because a certain character[2] in it and had no intention to answer so he just nodded lightly.
[2] 天 (tiān)
Ruan Zilian stood on the side and saw her brother had already started talking. Fearing that she would be left out, she promptly said, “It's such a coincidence. We are on the same road as gongzi.”
Just as her voice fell, there was a sound from inside the carriage, “Gongzi, it’s cold outside. It’s inconvenient to stay out for long, it’s better to be careful.” Along with the gentle voice, a pair of slender white hands were placed on the carriage door and a figure gently leapt down, turned around and took out a piece of clothing from inside.
Everyone saw a graceful woman unfold the clothing in her hands and drape it over his figure with a soft smile in her eyes, “Although gongzi is not affected by the cold winds, this servant can’t bear it. It’s better to wear more; if not, master would come to know and chastise us.”
Right as her words finished, everyone who heard it was astonished. They originally thought that the two women were so beautiful and poised, they must have extraordinary identities or must be siblings of the young man, but now they actually seemed to be master and servant.
Then, upon looking at the thing in her hand, it was a large moon-white overcoat. It wasn’t known what kind of precious fur was used to make it; from the lapels at the top to the hem, fluffy white fur covered every inch. The entire robe was also finely embroidered with intricate patterns that radiated a faint glow. Even the most ignorant knew that it was exceptionally valuable.
People couldn’t help but marvel at this gongzi’s family business that could be said to even rival the wealth of an entire nation. Otherwise, how could there be such a maid and such a splendid display?
The onlookers were stunned, today could be considered an eye-opener. They were used to seeing rich and famous people, but they had never had the fortune of seeing today’s scene; seeing this young man who was akin to an immortal. His facial features and eyes were simply indescribable, they just felt so pleasing to the eye that people couldn’t help but want to look more.
Turning a blind eye to the quiet exclamations of awe and staring eyes of the crowd, Qi Mingyue let Ying Ran drape the coat over him and noticed how cool her fingertips were. He said to her, “Although Mingyue feels warm, Ying Ran is freezing. Let’s return to the carriage quickly.”
Ying Ran smiled and ignored the pair of siblings beside the carriage like Qi Mingyue and got onto the carriage. Qi Mingyue pulled Hong Qui and did not look at the two as he sat down inside.
The pair of siblings looked at the leaving carriage, mesmerised.
Ruan Zilian squeezed the veil in her hand. It wasn’t known what she thought of, her face turned red. Ruan Tianqi watched the direction in which the carriage was leaving, mouthing the name he had just heard... Mingyue[3]... Is it the moon in the night sky? It really fits that person...
[3] Mingyue (明月) translates to ‘bright moon’ [in the night sky]. It also refers to 夜明珠, a legendary pearl that can glow in the dark.
Qi Mingyue did not put the chance encounter with the pair of brother and sister in mind. As the wheels rolled, the scenery changed along the way. After leaving the town, YeYao would already be in sight in a while.
Seeing the carriage drive into YeYao City, he suddenly felt a bit emotional. It had almost been three years since they parted, he wondered how his father was.
He lifted the curtain and looked at the scene outside, the noisy street, the wine shops, restaurants and other kinds of stores. YeYao City seemed to be more prosperous than before.
“Your Highness, we have already travelled a lot, so why don’t we find a place to sit down to rest and eat something?” Ying Ran looked at the sky, it was already late in the afternoon.
“Alright, look for a restaurant. I haven't walked around YeYao City, so I’ll take a stroll after the meal.” Now that he had reached YeYao, he was not in a hurry to return to the palace.
After finding a quiet and elegant restaurant, Qi Mingyue walked in with Hong Qui and Ying Ran, Wu Yao followed behind him. His strange temperament was already eye-catching, coupled with the extraordinary looks and luxurious clothes of their group in the imperial capital had long attracted the attention of all parties. Seeing them entering the restaurant at this time, all the forces were ready to move and wanted to find out.
Qi Mingyue was naturally aware of the movements around him and a small smile emerged on his lips. He asked the waiter, XiaoEr, without giving anything away, “Are there any private seats available here?”
Although it was the imperial capital, the waiter had never seen such an extraordinary young gongzi before. Not only does he have an outstanding temperament and an elegant demeanour, but also had such a handsome appearance. He was immediately a little excited and bowed with a flattering look on his face and answered with a smile, “Gongzi, if you want private seats, I will find the best place for you. I will take you there. If you are not satisfied, I will change it for you.”
Qi Mingyue nodded lightly and followed the waiter to the second floor.
Hong Qui and Ying Ran naturally followed him. Wu Yao was still like a ghost, making people almost forget his existence.
Ever since their group appeared in the restaurant, the seated customers inside had been quiet. And right when their figures disappeared at the top of the stairs, chatter burst out.
“Alas, did you see the young gongzi who went upstairs just now? That grandeur, that appearance... I think even the princes in the palace can't compare.”
“Not only that, the two girls following him are first-class beauties. They can match up to the emperor's harem. It’s possible that they were given by that little gongzi’s family to serve in the room[4], tsk... life of the rich sure is different.”
[4] Sons of nobles and officials had maids to serve them and it wasn’t uncommon for them to satisfy their sexual urges through them. These young men were as young as fourteen (or even less). These maids were not considered concubines, rather, their status was considered far less than concubines. At best, they were bed warmers.
“Do you want to die? How can you talk about it so casually? Don't forget that you are on the emperor’s land. If your mouth is so loose, you won’t know when you’ll die.”
“I'm not wrong, we all saw that young gongzi’s bearing. I’m afraid only Young Master Yan Qing of Liufang Pavilion can compare to that young man, don’t you think so?”
“Young Master Yan Qing is an absolutely magnificent phoenix, however, compared to this young man, he seems to be a bit inferior...”
“Recently, I went to Liufang Pavilion again, but I didn’t get to see Young Master Yan Qing.”
“How can he be so easy to see? But today after seeing this young gongzi, I don't seem to think what Yan Qing is doing. Alas, eat the dishes, eat the dishes. We’ll sit and see, maybe we would see him come down in a while. “
The whispered discussion downstairs did not escape Qi Mingyue's ears. He kept walking upstairs without stopping while asking the waiter next to him, “Just now I heard about the Liufang Pavilion, I wonder where it is?”
XiaoEr’s smiling face suddenly became ambiguous, “Is gongzi going to the Liufang Pavilion? It is the most famous little masters’ pavilion in the imperial capital, the top eye-candy there is called Yan Qing. It’s said that he is an excellent literary talent, full of elegance, and he has a refined temperament. He is also extraordinarily handsome. I heard master who had been there say that he is very charming...”
XiaoEr spoke while paying attention to Qi Mingyue’s expression and upon seeing him raise his eyebrows in interest, he quickly continued, “Young Master Yan Qing is different from other male escorts. Whether you can see him depends entirely on his mood or if someone happens to meet his fancy. Not only will he present a sword dance and play the qin, even staying overnight is possible. If gongzi is interested, why don’t you go and try it out? In my opinion, gongzi’s appearance and bearing would surely be liked by Young Master Yan Qing and he might not even release you.”
He let out a chuckle. Everyone could understand the meaning of his words. Qi Mingyue nodded, appearing to have awakened his interest. When they reached the lounge upstairs, he instructed Ying Ran to give a reward. As XiaoEr held the silver ingot in his hand, he was simply dizzy with joy. He hadn’t received such a large reward before and it was his fortune to meet this nobleman today, he didn’t dare slack off and served tea and water with great attentiveness.
Hong Qui and Ying Ran were surprised earlier as well as a little anxious because His Royal Highness was compared to a brothel boy, but he was not angry, instead, he seemed to be very interested in going to explore that place. If he did, what would happen if His Majesty found out?
Qi Mingyue invited everyone to sit down. Wu Yao was still like a puppet while sitting opposite him with a vacant expression on his face, moving his chopsticks mechanically. There was no response to what he heard just now. Hong Qui and Ying Ran did not eat. Although the dishes ordered by His Highness tasted good, at present, they were in no mood to eat. Only Qi Mingyue tasted the dishes and nodded in satisfaction.
Their seats were right next to the window. Although it was winter and the window was just narrowly open, the snow plum peeking in through the window still exuded a faint cold fragrance which made Qi Mingyue feel very pleased.
There are not many guests on the upper floor, it was very peaceful. Qi Mingyue admired the scenery outside the window while lifting his chopsticks to eat. He also took a rare sip of wine. He didn't have much wine in this life, so there was a moment of satisfaction and he drank a few more cups. A faint red blush appeared on his face and some fine sweat appeared on his forehead.
A plain white handkerchief suddenly appeared in front of him. When he looked up, it was someone whom he had met before, Ruan Tianqi.
“Mingyue gongzi, it seems that we are quite destined to have met here again.” Ruan Tianqi appeared alone out of nowhere with a proud and confident expression on his face. Without waiting for Qi Mingyue's answer, he continued, “Since there is such fate, why not let me be the host? This meal is on me. Ever since I saw gongzi’s elegant demeanour the last time we met, I wanted to get acquainted with you. I am lucky to have met you today, I can't miss this chance again.”
Qi Mingyue took his handkerchief and said, “Thank you.” He put it aside. Hong Qui had already taken out a thin, delicate handkerchief from her sleeve and wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead and didn't even spare a glance to Ruan Tianqi standing on the side.
Ruan Tianqi had never suffered through such disregard before, but he couldn't do anything about it. The atmosphere was in a stalemate for a while, but Qi Mingyue unexpectedly answered his previous words for some reason, “You don't need to call me Mingyue, that name was given by someone else. I am Cheng Ziyao. Since Ruan gongzi intends to be the host, I will not be polite. Hong Qui, Ying Ran, just order whatever you want to eat. Ruan gongzi will not be stingy with such a small amount of money in the face of beauties.” Since someone was willing to pay the bill, he might as well save some money for his father.
Ruan Tianqi got his answer and knew his name, he was delighted and immediately smiled, “Exactly. In the face of such a beautiful person, materialistic things are nothing.” He said so, but his eyes were fixated on Qi Mingyue. The meaning of his words was self-explanatory.
Qi Mingyue acted as if he wasn’t aware of it and glanced at Ruan Tianqi who was standing in front of him, “Gongzi is indeed an elegant person and doesn't care about those mundane things. Since this is the case, Hong Qui, Ying Ran, you guys add some more dishes, Ruan gongzi must be hungry.”
“Ziyao doesn't need to be so formal, just call me Tianqi. It also makes us seem closer.”
Hong Qui and Ying Ran had long since found this person to be an eyesore and when they heard that His Highness wanted to talk to him, they were a little surprised but they didn't show anything on their face. They just called XiaoEr to order additional dishes, regardless of whether they could eat it or not. They just chose the expensive ones and quoted them.
Ruan Tianqi sat down on the additional seat available on the side. While eating, he looked at Qi Mingyue with a scorching gaze which made it impossible for people to ignore, but Qi Mingyue dealt with it unflinchingly. He tasted the food and drank wine without any change, his movements were full of grace and calmness and without the slightest hint about being mindful. Both Hong Qui and Ying Ran looked at him in admiration.
The meal ended in a strange atmosphere. When the dishes on the table were removed, XiaoEr offered a fine, sweet-smelling tea. Everyone sat around the table holding teacups in their hands and inhaled the aroma of snow plums, it was very pleasant.
At this time, the sky wasn’t completely dark yet. It was about to reach the twilight period. When facing the small cold winds, a few snowflakes suddenly drifted inside. Qi Mingyue opened the window quickly. The wind was not strong, but the sky was covered with falling snowflakes, moreover, there were light pink snow plum petals. The impact of these two combined, at a glance, made the scene unbelievably beautiful.
Qi Mingyue glanced at Ruan Tianqi who was sitting beside him and said to Ying Ran, “With such a beautiful view, it would be better if I match it with an appropriate musical piece.”
When they heard His Highness call himself Cheng Ziyao, Hong Qui and Ying Ran understood that His Highness did not intend to reveal his identity, so naturally, they did not show the slightest fluctuation in their expression at this time. She nodded, said yes and went downstairs to fetch the zither from the carriage and gave to Qi Mingyue.
Qi Mingyue took it with a smile and put the zither on his lap. He raised his eyebrows at Ruan Tianqi, a mesmerising trace flickered past in his eyes as he raised his thin lips lightly, “Would Ruan gongzi like to listen to me play a song?”
Under the brilliance of the setting sun, Qi Mingyue’s light smile appeared very seductive. When Ruan Tianqi saw it, the intensity of his gaze deepened, “If I could have the pleasure of hearing Ziyao’s zither today, I couldn’t ask for more. What is the name of this song?”
Qi Mingyue took a sip of the tea while watching the falling snowflakes outside the window and narrowed his eyes slightly, “This song is called Nian Chen...”
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It has come to the attention of this servant that we all serve the villain.