The man in gray then came to his senses and said to Chu Tong, "It seems you are destined for greatness." After saying that, he stood up and picked Chu Tong up again, saying as he walked, "I will take you to the capital of Beiliang now to find the royal family to cure your poison."
Chu Tong scoffed, "Don't try to fool me. I don't believe you know any royal relatives of Beiliang!"
The man in gray glanced at her, a hint of frivolity appearing in his eyes. He chuckled and said, "Qin Ye, the youngest son of the Northern Liang Emperor, is a romantic and unconventional man who loves music and dance and has a fondness for beautiful women. He personally selected twelve beautiful maids and singers skilled in singing, dancing, and playing musical instruments, known as the Twelve Beauties of Jinyang. In his spare time, he watches them dance and play. Recently, he heard that there is a lost art called the 'Gathering Beauties Sword Technique,' where women dance with music and swords, their beauty breathtaking like celestial maidens descending to earth. So he has offered a large reward. If you can dance for him and win his favor, he will naturally cure your poison."
Chu Tong thought to herself, "So he wanted to do pimping and sell me to the Prince's mansion for his own money." But after thinking about it carefully, she seized on the loophole and said, "You said this sword technique has been lost for a long time, but don't you know some of the moves? You're so dishonest, trying to fool me again!"
The gray-robed man frowned and said, "I originally thought that no one else in the world knew this sword technique except me. This 'Gathering Beauties Sword Technique' was created by Bai Suxue, the most beautiful woman in the martial arts world, decades ago. It was exquisite and unparalleled. Afterwards, Bai Suxue disappeared from the martial arts world, and this sword technique was lost. I only learned a few parts of it by chance." After saying that, the gray-robed man glanced at Chu Tong with a half-smile in his handsome eyes, and a mocking smile appeared on his lips. He said, "If Lady Bai Suxue knew that the descendant of this peerless sword technique was actually a shameless and unruly woman, she might immediately take action to clean up her family."
Upon hearing this, Chu Tong immediately smiled sweetly and said, "That's right. If Lady Bai Suxue knew that the descendant of this peerless sword technique was actually a ruthless murderer, she might immediately take action to clean up the sect."
The man in gray frowned and said, "What a sharp tongue!"
Chu Tong, thinking she had the upper hand, asked with a grin, "Murderer, what's your name?"
The gray-clad man glared at her displeasedly and said, "My name is Ding Wuhen." He then pressed Chu Tong's pressure point, rendering her mute, and dragged her forward. Although Ding Wuhen possessed high martial arts skills, he wasn't a traditional chivalrous figure. In the martial world, he always engaged in the business of taking money to solve problems for others. Although he had learned the Qunfang Sword Technique, he strictly adhered to his master's orders and never passed it on to outsiders. Now, encountering a half-baked practitioner of this sword technique, he was overjoyed and immediately abandoned his idea of killing Chu Tong for the reward. Instead, he took her to the capital to carry out his grand plan. Chu Tong was still dazed, looking at Ding Wuhen's profile, but her mind was slowly plotting her escape, intending to go to the Jin Yang Prince's Mansion and claim the reward for herself.
Under the bright sunshine, the two, each with their own thoughts, silently set off on their journey.
Back in town, Ding Wuhen rented a carriage and took Chu Tong straight towards the capital. Throughout the journey, Ding Wuhen never let Chu Tong out of his sight, even keeping watch outside when she went to the outhouse for a limited time. When they stopped for food or lodging, they slept in the same room; Ding Wuhen gave Chu Tong his bed, while he himself slept on the floor with his blanket. Unable to escape, Chu Tong could only grit her teeth in frustration. She was usually very talkative, but Ding Wuhen found her too noisy and would often silence her by pressing her acupoints. Extremely bored, Chu Tong could only sleep through the journey.
More than a month passed like this. One day, Chu Tong was fast asleep in the carriage when suddenly a hand released her speech-impairing pressure point and then slapped her awake. In her dazed state, Chu Tong saw Ding Wuhen sitting in front of her, holding a sword. He raised his handsome, slanted eyes and said, "We'll be arriving in the capital of Beiliang in a month. From now on, you'll practice the Qunfang Sword Technique for me every day." Without another word, he picked Chu Tong up and threw her off the carriage.
Chu Tong was naturally full of resentment, so he simply lay down on the ground, looked at the sky and said in a sarcastic tone: "I'm a person who has been poisoned. My whole body aches. Ugh, I don't want to move at all. Unless I can get a pot of hot tea, a few plates of delicate pastries, and a few tender young men to massage my shoulders, I can't lift my hands or my feet."
Ding Wuhen squatted down in front of Chu Tong, looking at her shameless expression, and sneered, "I don't have any delicate young male prostitutes, but I can give you a good massage to loosen your muscles and improve your blood circulation, you little rascal." After saying that, he reached out and pressed on Chu Tong's acupoints.
Instantly, a piercing pain spread throughout Chu Tong's body. She cried out "Ouch!" and trembled all over, tears streaming down her face. She stubbornly retorted, "Pah! What kind of hero are you, a man who bullies a woman! What's so great about knowing a little kung fu? The hero Yun who saved me four years ago was far more skilled than you!"
Ding Wuhen was stunned for a moment, then roared angrily, "What did you say?"
Seeing his anger, Chu Tong felt a surge of satisfaction and loudly proclaimed, "I'm telling you, you're no match for Master Yun! Four years ago, he was far more powerful than you! He killed dozens of experts in one go, beat the Second Madam so badly she was scared out of her wits and went mad!"
Ding Wuhen sneered, "Nonsense!"
Chu Tong exclaimed, "If you're so capable, go and challenge him! Then you'll know if I'm telling the truth! His mentor is the renowned Yun Zhongyan! How could you, a mere thief, possibly compare? Compared to him, you're like a rotten apricot compared to a fairy peach, a toad compared to a swan, a dry cornbread compared to osmanthus cake. Hahaha, that's hilarious!" In truth, Chu Tong didn't know who Yun Zhongyan was. She only vaguely remembered Yun Yinghuai mentioning him and thought he seemed quite remarkable, so she casually mentioned him.
Ding Wuhen, enraged, laughed and said, "Fine, fine, you little rascal, you have quite the sharp tongue. Rotten apricot and immortal peach? Are you talking about yourself? Xie Linghui, the second master of the Xie family, is now engaged to the eldest daughter of the Crown Prince. Everyone says that the young lady is gentle, beautiful, virtuous, and kind, and that she and Xie Linghui are a match made in heaven. Compared to her, you little rascal are nothing but a rotten apricot!"
Upon hearing this, Chu Tong was terrified, her heart and body aching with excruciating pain. Tears streamed down her face even more fiercely, but she laughed loudly, "Hmph! You think I care about him? Hahaha, I married Hero Yun years ago, and we even exchanged tokens of our love! Xie Linghui can marry whomever he wants now, why would I care about him? Hahahaha, how ridiculous!"
Ding Wuhen remained silent, only sneering repeatedly, and increased the pressure on his hand. Chu Tong was in excruciating pain, rolling on the ground. Finally, unable to bear the pain any longer, she thought to herself, "A wise man doesn't fight a losing battle," and shouted, "I surrender! I surrender! I give up!"
Ding Wuhen snorted and stopped, tossing the sword beside Chu Tong. Chu Tong angrily got up, wiping her eyes with her sleeve, mentally cursing Ding Wuhen's ancestors for eighteen generations. Then, unwillingly, she began practicing her swordplay. Filled with resentment, she naturally slacked off during her practice, her posture and footwork riddled with errors. Ding Wuhen watched quietly from the side, offering no guidance, only striving to ensure Chu Tong mastered the thirty-six forms with proficiency and agility.
From then on, Chu Tong practiced with her sword for an hour or two every day, but she gradually felt her body getting weak and powerless. She knew that the poison had slowly seeped into her blood. In addition, she heard the news that Xie Linghui was engaged, and her spirits became more and more depressed. Fortunately, she was strong and optimistic by nature. She tried her best to cheer up and not think about sad things.
After a long and arduous journey, Chu Tong and Ding Wuhen finally arrived in the capital of Beiliang. After resting for one night, the next day, Ding Wuhen instructed Chu Tong to change into a plain white dress, and then led her to an extremely magnificent mansion. Chu Tong looked up and saw four large, gleaming golden characters inscribed on the vermilion gate: "Jinyang Prince's Mansion." Two imposing stone lions guarded each side of the gate. Ding Wuhen knocked on the copper rings held in the mouths of the auspicious beasts on the gate. After a short while, the gate opened, and a middle-aged man in his forties stepped out. He sized them up and asked with a smirk, "Who are you? What brings you here?"
Ding Wuhen hurriedly took out a large silver ingot from his sleeve and stuffed it into the doorman's hand, saying with a smile, "Brother, we are people of the martial arts world. We heard that His Highness has offered a large reward for the 'Qunfang Sword Manual,' so we have brought the manual here to present it to His Highness in person."
The gatekeeper snorted and said, "People from the martial arts world? Your origins are unknown. If you have ulterior motives and harm the prince again, my head will be gone too!"
Ding Wuhen hurriedly took out three silver ingots and stuffed them into the doorman's hand, saying, "Brother, please do us a favor. How could we be unknown people from the martial world? We just happened to get a sword manual and wanted some silver to go home and make a living."
The doorman weighed the silver in his hand, glanced at Chu Tong and the other woman again, and then said, "Alright, I'll go in and announce your arrival. Please wait a moment." With that, he closed the door.
Chu Tong and Ding Wuhen stood outside the door for a long time. Chu Tong, carrying her bundle, was quite impatient and was about to complain when the door creaked open. The doorman said, "Come in, the prince is listening to music." He then instructed them to keep their heads down and not to look around. He told them to kneel down and pay their respects to the prince immediately. Ding Wuhen and Chu Tong could only nod and agree.
The palace was built with extreme luxury and magnificence, with pavilions, towers, and rare birds and flowers. Looking at every blade of grass and tree in the courtyard, Chu Tong was momentarily reminded of the Xie family mansion. Then she recalled Ding Wuhen's news that Xie Linghui was engaged to the Crown Prince's daughter, and a pang of pain shot through her heart. She quickly shook her head, trying to banish Xie Linghui's image from her mind, and focused solely on following Ding Wuhen deeper into the palace. As they walked, they faintly heard the sounds of string and wind instruments ahead. Looking into the distance, they saw a bay of clear water, on which a painted boat slowly glided. The boat was draped with layers of colorful gauze curtains, shrimp-whisker-like blinds, and carpeted with flowers. Its golden windows and jade railings were dazzling. Several beautiful women danced gracefully and sang sweetly on the boat, appearing as if they had descended from the heavens.
Chu Tong was stunned, thinking to herself, "My goodness, this boat is more than 14,000 times more beautiful than the pleasure boats of Nanhua! It looks like it came down from the ninth heaven!"
Music drifted into their ears, and they heard the women singing:
"I rise languidly to do my hair. Before the mirror, my hair is adorned with jade hairpins and my eyebrows are painted with dark blue ink. The palace is quiet with pear blossoms in full bloom, and no one is there, only the curtains hang low. Willow branches sway gracefully on the spring water. I roll up the sandalwood window to find the shadows of flowers, but the heavy doors are closed, and the smoke from the orchid-scented window is still at dawn. The jade water clock drips, and the night grows cooler."
A silver hook hangs low in the lonely courtyard. All that remains—the fragrant embroidered curtains, the mandarin duck quilt. So much sorrow on the crystal pillow, entrusted to the clear song of the zither. The swallows still fly in the painted hall. How much youth has been wasted? Cheeks grow thin, red candles drip tears. Leaving only the moonlight on the ground!
The voice, sometimes near, sometimes far, was melodious and sweet, like heavenly music, captivating everyone's hearts. When she heard "embroidered curtains, fragrant scents, brocade quilts, mandarin ducks," Chu Tong couldn't help but chuckle, thinking to herself, "So this young prince of Beiliang is quite the ladies' man, fond of these lewd songs." Just as she thought this, Ding Wuhen suddenly grabbed her shoulder and leaped into the lake. Chu Tong was shocked and cried out, "My God!" Ding Wuhen used his lightness skill, stepping on the water and jumping onto the painted boat.
The beauties on the boat paled at the sudden intrusion, screaming and scattering in chaos. Several guards wielding swords rushed forward, drawing their blades. Ding Wuhen knelt on one knee, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and proclaimed loudly, "I am Ding Wuhen, known in the martial world as 'Jade Hawk,' and I have come to pay my respects to Your Highness!" He repeated himself twice, and a refined and elegant man slowly rose from the center of the beautiful women on the pleasure boat. He had delicate eyebrows and narrow eyes, a face as white as powder, and lips as red as rouge. He wore a beige python robe, his hair tied up with a sandalwood dragon hairpin, and held a bamboo flute. He stood up with a look of fear on his face and said in a trembling voice, "I, I am Qin Ye, the Prince of Jinyang. May I ask what brings you here?"
Chu Tong opened her eyes wide and looked Qin Ye up and down, thinking to herself, "Tsk tsk tsk, this young prince really looks like a young lady. Although the young master is also as beautiful as a woman, there is still a bit of heroic spirit in his eyes. This Qin Ye looks delicate and timid, like a sickly Xi Shi. But... he looks somewhat familiar."
Ding Wuhen continued, "I heard that Your Highness has announced a large reward for the whereabouts of the 'Qunfang Sword Manual'. My sworn sister happens to know this sword technique and is willing to perform for Your Highness!"
Chu Tong secretly rolled her eyes at Ding Wuhen, thinking disdainfully, "Pah! So soon you've become related to me? All along the way you've called me a scoundrel, but now you're calling me 'sworn sister' so affectionately."
Qin Ye's eyes lit up immediately, and he exclaimed with delight, "Really? Quick, stop the boat and dock!" Then, with a smile, he said, "I've heard rumors in the martial arts world that Bai Suxue, the most beautiful woman in the martial arts world back then, once danced a sword dance on the rooftop. She was like a celestial maiden descending to earth, stunning everyone present. Even now, the martial arts world still talks about it with great interest. I've been longing for this sword manual for a long time!"
As they spoke, the boat slowly approached the shore. Chu Tong jumped ashore, put down her bundle, and caught a glimpse of Ding Wuhen nodding slightly to her. She then drew her sword and began to wield it. Over the past month, Chu Tong had become quite proficient in the Qunfang Sword Technique. Ding Wuhen had also taught her some breathing techniques, making her movements even more graceful and ethereal. At this moment, a white figure could be seen, moving with the agility of a butterfly, still as a drunken concubine, and in motion as a swallow in flight. Her movements were as lithe as a dragon in flight, flowing smoothly and elegantly. For a moment, all around was silent. When Chu Tong completed the final move, "Peach Blossoms in Full Bloom," Qin Ye clapped and cheered, "Wonderful! Wonderful! I have watched countless sword dances, but only this time have I truly seen the myriad wonders of sword dance!" After saying this, he stood up, took a few steps onto the riverbank, and came to Chu Tong.
Chu Tong hurriedly knelt on one knee and said, "This commoner, Yao Chu Tong, greets Your Highness." Qin Ye looked at her intently and saw that the girl kneeling in front of him was only fifteen or sixteen years old. Her cheeks had a slightly sickly look, but it could not hide her natural beauty and incomparable charm. Her starry eyes revealed a bit of cunning and cleverness, and when she lowered her eyes, she looked extremely well-behaved and clever.
Qin Ye was stunned for a moment, forgetting to tell Chu Tong to rise. Chu Tong knelt for a while with her hands clasped in front of her, and seeing that Qin Ye did not react, she cursed under her breath. In an instant, she squeezed out several large tears and said to Qin Ye, "Your Highness, I beg you to save my life!"
Qin Ye then came to his senses and, seeing the beauty in tears, hurriedly went over to support her, asking, "What do you mean by that?"
Chu Tong sobbed and choked out, "I was unwittingly drawn into a battle in the martial world and was poisoned. I heard that this poison is the Thousand Miles of Fragrance from Beiliang. If I don't have an antidote, I'm afraid I won't live past this year! So please, Your Highness, save me and give me the antidote! I will never forget Your Highness's kindness!"
Qin Ye hesitated for a moment. "Thousand Miles of Fragrance" was a secret poison concocted by the Northern Liang royal family. Although it had circulated among the martial arts world in recent years, the antidote remained firmly controlled by the Northern Liang royal family, extremely rare and valuable. He couldn't help but hesitate. However, seeing Chu Tong's tearful eyes and sorrowful expression, Qin Ye suddenly felt that even an antidote so rare and valuable would be worthwhile if it could save the girl's life. With this thought, he gently patted Chu Tong's shoulder and smiled slightly, "Don't be afraid, I will save you now." He then ordered a eunuch to bring a yellow satin brocade box adorned with auspicious dragons and clouds. Opening it, he took out a small black lacquered ivory bottle carved with a beautiful woman's shoulder, poured out a pill, and handed it to Chu Tong, saying, "This is the antidote. After taking it and recuperating for a while, the poison will naturally dissipate."
Overjoyed, Chu Tong said, "Thank you, Your Highness!" She took the medicine and swallowed it without thinking, tears welling up in her eyes with emotion. Not long after taking the medicine, she felt a churning in her chest and vomited two mouthfuls of black blood.
Qin Ye said, "This is poison. It will be fine once it's vomited out. My dear brother and sister, there's no need to worry." Then he coughed lightly and said, "If you two don't mind, would you like to stay at my residence for a few days? Miss Yao can also instruct the dancers in my residence to learn the Qunfang Sword Technique." After saying that, he looked intently at Chu Tong.
Ding Wuhen pondered for a moment and said, "My sister is seriously poisoned and needs to recuperate. Why don't we let her stay at the Prince's residence from now on? This will also help her avoid her enemies in the martial arts world. However, I have other things to do, so I will not bother you any longer."
Qin Ye asked with delight, "Really?" Then he glanced at Chu Tong and asked, "Will Miss Yao be staying here from now on?"
Ding Wuhen raised his handsome eyes and smiled slightly, "Of course, Your Highness saved her life, so she naturally wants to repay Your Highness... However, I have one condition."
Chu Tong felt even more disdainful and said, "Pah! What kind of chivalrous hero is he? He's just a brothel madam! I want to hear how much he can sell me for."
At this moment, Qin Ye felt that if this beautiful girl could stay in his manor, he would agree to any conditions she offered. He readily asked, "May I ask what conditions you have, Master Ding?"
Ding Wuhen said, "I have heard that Your Highness's mother, Consort Xuan, once bestowed upon Your Highness countless treasures, one of which was a Shoushan stone seal carved with tadpole-shaped patterns of auspicious beasts."
Upon hearing the word "tadpole script" for the seal, Chu Tong shuddered, recalling the snowy night in the dilapidated temple a few years ago, when she had taken a mythical beast seal from a young man in brocade robes.
Qin Ye nodded and said, "That's right. That seal was given to me by my mother. Legend has it that the tadpole script is an auspicious symbol that can protect me from bad luck, so I always carried it with me until I was thirteen."
Ding Wuhen's eyes twitched slightly, and he involuntarily took a step forward, his voice trembling slightly: "But I wonder... but I wonder if Your Highness could take out the seal so that this humble subject could have a look?"
Qin Ye lowered his eyes and frowned, saying, "Alas, Master Ding, it is indeed unfortunate that the seal disappeared several years ago."
Ding Wuhen's expression changed drastically, and he exclaimed, "Gone?"
Qin Ye sighed and said with a sigh, "Seven years ago, the Great Zhou and the Northern Liang were at war for a long time, and later both sides prepared to negotiate peace. During this period, in order to show the sincerity of both sides, they had to exchange hostages. My mother, Consort Xuan, was my father's most beloved concubine, and I was my father's most beloved child since childhood, so the Great Zhou court wanted me to be a hostage. I traveled a long way to the Great Zhou at a young age and was placed under house arrest for three years. Later, an informant secretly contacted me, and my father wanted to rescue me. A few days later, on a snowy night, we escaped from our place of house arrest. In order to confuse the situation, my servant Xun Yin switched clothes with me. I gave him all my jade pendants, sachet, and even the seal, and then I wore the servant's clothes and fled for my life. When I returned to the Northern Liang, I heard that Xun Yin had died in the Great Zhou, and the seal was nowhere to be found." After saying this, he sighed again and said, "If that seal were still there, it wouldn't matter if I let you see it or even gave it to you."
Chu Tong felt a jolt of surprise: "Bah! What a coincidence! Could it be that the person I met at the ancient temple four years ago was Qin Ye's servant, Xun Yin?" Then she looked at Ding Wuhen, whose face was deathly pale, and thought to herself with smug satisfaction: "Hahaha, Ding Wuhen, you never expected that the seal was in my hands!" At this moment, her poison had been neutralized, and she was already very happy. Now she was even more triumphant and arrogant, and she tried her best to control herself so as not to dance wildly.
Qin Ye said, "Master Ding, if you like Shoushan stone seals, I will give you a few rare treasures, all carved by famous artists and with records of their existence."
Ding Wuhen's eyes were vacant. He forced a smile and said, "No need. I'll take my leave." He then clasped his hands in a fist salute and walked out dejectedly.
Qin Ye hurriedly shouted, "Quickly lead the way for Hero Ding!" Then he said to the eunuch beside him, "Go to the treasury and get five thousand taels of silver to give to Hero Ding. Don't let him leave!" The eunuch nodded and ran off.
Chu Tong thought to herself, "So I'm only worth five thousand taels of silver!" But then she remembered that Qin Ye had just given her an antidote. With five thousand taels of silver plus an antidote, her value wasn't too bad, and she smiled broadly.
Qin Ye turned to Chu Tong and smiled slightly, "Miss Yao, would you be interested in joining me for a boat ride on the lake to listen to music and watch a dance?"
Chu Tong had long wanted to play on that magnificent ship, so she was naturally eager to do so when Qin Ye said this. Just as she was about to agree, she heard a voice behind her say, "Your Highness, please wait."
Snow Willow Golden Threads Curve Like Clouds
Chu Tong turned around and saw a young woman in palace attire, accompanied by a maid, walking gracefully towards her. She appeared to be in her early twenties, with a long face, delicate features, and light makeup. She was of medium height, slightly plump, and poised. She wore a crimson palace dress embroidered with light blue magnolia branches, cinched at the waist with a maroon belt inlaid with jade, from which two slender sashes hung down. Her hair was styled in a high bun, adorned with a kingfisher feather phoenix hairpin and a silver hairpin with dangling pearls, and a pair of ruby earrings. Her expression was calm and composed, exuding a dignified air.
She walked up to Qin Ye, bowed deeply, and said, "This humble servant greets Your Highness." Her voice was deep and slightly hoarse.
Qin Ye turned around and saw the woman. He nodded and said, "No need for formalities. The weather is fine today, so you've come out for a walk."
The woman laughed and said, "That's right. I heard from behind that the prince was boating on Bichun Lake, so I wanted to come and join in the fun."
Qin Ye said calmly, "It's rare that you have such refined tastes." He glanced at Chu Tong out of the corner of his eye and said to the woman, "This young lady is Yao Chu Tong. She just entered the manor today and is proficient in the Qunfang Sword Technique. She can give the dancers some pointers." Then he smiled at Chu Tong and said, "This is my concubine, Lady Du."
Chu Tong wondered to herself, "The prince seems quite distant from his wife. It's always the princess who's eager to please him. Could it be that the prince doesn't like her?" Despite these thoughts, she kept a straight face and obediently bowed, saying, "Greetings, Your Highness."
The woman subtly glanced at Chu Tong, nodded faintly, and remained silent. Qin Ye, however, was the first to board the painted boat and beckoned everyone to board. Once aboard, Qin Ye and the woman sat on the low couch at the head of the table, while Chu Tong sat to Qin Ye's left. Below, on either side of the dance floor, stood six exceptionally beautiful young women, dressed in various colorful garments, their heads bowed, a breathtaking sight.
Qin Ye smiled slightly and turned to Chu Tong, saying, "These twelve women are the Twelve Beauties of Jinyang. I personally selected each of them. They are not only beautiful, but each of them is also proficient in a musical instrument, and their singing and dancing are also outstanding."
Chu Tong was startled and hurriedly looked the beauty up and down, thinking to himself, "My goodness! The girls here are truly exceptional in both looks and talent! Any one of them would be a top courtesan in any brothel, a truly top courtesan! Tsk tsk, I wonder if this young prince runs a brothel, and if his business is booming."
Qin Ye, of course, was unaware of Chu Tong's cunning. When he saw Chu Tong's surprised and admiring expression, a hint of smugness flashed across his face. Holding a bamboo flute, he pointed and said, "Coral, Amber, Pearl, and Agate have the most melodious voices; Yingluo, Tortoiseshell, Glass, and Xuanji have the most outstanding dance moves; Linglong, Qiongyao, Dingdang, and Linlang are skilled in composing music, and all the musicians in the market must admit defeat."
Chu Tong initially thought the young prince was discussing jewelry when he mentioned pearls and agates. However, upon realizing these were actually the names of courtesans, she was greatly surprised and secretly admired him, saying, "This young prince is truly a master! Not only does he know how to train girls, but even the names he chooses are so elegant! When I'm rich and have many servants, I'll personally name my maids and servants. My maids will be named Wealthy, Blessed, Prosperous, and Smooth Sailing; my servants will be named Gold Brick, Gold Bar, Gold Ingot, and Gold Stem..."
Qin Ye clapped his hands with a smile and said, "The song and dance were interrupted just now, and I didn't get to enjoy it enough. Please sing it again."
As soon as the words were spoken, the twelve women gave a curtsy in unison and said in sweet, melodious voices, "Yes." Then they dispersed, each holding a musical instrument and playing and singing. Three women stepped into the hall and began to dance gracefully.
Chu Tong initially found it novel, watching intently. After a while, she suddenly smelled a sweet fruity aroma. Turning her head to look around, she saw Qin Ye holding a jade flute, clapping it to the rhythm, swaying his head, completely absorbed. The concubine sitting beside him, however, was clearly not focused on the music. She busied herself, using a small knife to cut watermelon flesh into a small bowl, carefully removing the seeds with a small silver hairpin, and pushing the bowl towards Qin Ye. Then, she personally peeled a pear, cut the flesh into small pieces, placed them on ice, pierced one with a bamboo skewer, and held it to Qin Ye's mouth. Qin Ye, lost in his own reverie, was suddenly struck by the coldness on his lips. Opening his eyes, he saw his concubine holding a piece of pear, smiling at him. Qin Ye hesitated for a moment, then ate the pear. The woman immediately beamed and offered him another piece. This time, Qin Ye pushed the woman's hand away, a half-smile on his face, and asked, "What do you think of this piece of music?"
The woman was stunned for a moment. Her lips moved, but she couldn't say a word as she looked at Qin Ye.
Qin Ye chuckled softly, pointed with his flute at the blue-clad girl playing the zither below, and said to the woman, "This melody was composed by Ding Dang using lyrics I casually wrote last night, but the dance was only choreographed today. What do you think?" Chu Tong looked up and saw the blue-clad girl with jade-like cheeks and cherry lips, her appearance exuding indescribable charm.
The woman withdrew her hand holding the pear and lowered her head, saying, "I am not very knowledgeable about music, but I can tell that this melody is extremely melodious, and the dance and singing are also very beautiful."
Qin Ye withdrew his gaze, stared at the woman, and nodded, saying, "You're right. Her dance and singing are both extremely beautiful. Coral's voice is the purest, and can be described as 'lingering in the ears for three days.' Yingluo's waist is supple; once you see her, you'll know what it means to have a slender waist and a light touch."
The woman kept her head down and didn't say anything.
Chu Tong suddenly realized, "So that's how it is. This young prince is dashing and charming, and he likes graceful women who are skilled in music and dance. This concubine... tsk tsk, not only does she not know the five notes of the pentatonic scale, but she also has a barrel-shaped waist, her voice isn't melodious enough, and her appearance is at best pretty. No wonder she's not favored by the prince... Alas, it seems men judge by appearances, and there's nothing good about them." Thinking of this, she couldn't help but feel a little sorry for the woman. At this moment, Qin Ye smiled and said to Chu Tong, "Miss Chu Tong, what do you think of this song and dance?"
Chu Tong quickly smiled and said, "The music is so beautiful, so beautiful. It's just that the lyrics and melody are a bit melancholic."
Qin Ye took a sip of tea and nodded in agreement: "A few days ago, I heard a play called 'Zhaojun's Lament.' Wang Qiang was originally a palace maid. She had beauty and talent but no chance to see the emperor. She was sad and resentful in the deep palace. I was moved by this and wrote this poem. It is indeed a lament of a woman in her boudoir, and it is quite tragic."
Chu Tong, with her sharp eyes and keen senses, had already grasped most of Qin Ye's preferences. Knowing that he particularly loved refined pursuits such as playing the zither, singing, poetry, and prose, she flattered him, saying, "Your Highness, this poem is so ornate, quite reminiscent of the style of Wen Tingyun, the 'Flower Among Flowers' poet!" In reality, the poem was utterly third-rate and lacked any artistic conception or particularly good lines. Yet, Chu Tong spared no effort in flattering him, saying, "I originally thought that the poems of Wei Zhuang, Zhou Mi, and Qin Shaoyou were all graceful and beautiful, but I never imagined that Your Highness would be no less skilled than them. I admire and worship you to the fullest!"
Qin Ye was clearly pleased, and said with a smile, "Miss Chu Tong, you flatter me." Then he casually asked, "Miss, you grew up among the common people. Do you know any novel and interesting folk songs?"
Chu Tong thought to herself that this was a great opportunity to get closer to the prince, and quickly said, "Folk folk songs are naturally not as refined as the prince's, but they have their own sentiments. I remember a little lament of a woman in her boudoir that is quite nice." After saying that, she hummed softly: "Tears wet my plum blossom makeup, not for my own sorrow but for my parting lover. My black hair in the mirror has turned to frost and snow, and I mistake a returning boat for a vast, boundless boat."
Qin Ye nodded and smiled, "It has the style of Han Dynasty folk songs."
Chu Tong smiled ingratiatingly, but out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that the concubine's face was rather unpleasant, and she remained silent with her head down. At this moment, the song and dance performance ended, and the girls slowly dispersed, leaving the atmosphere quiet for a moment. Qin Ye glanced at the concubine, subtly pursed his lips, and ordered, "That's enough for today. Row the boat back."
After they reached the shore, Qin Ye said to Chu Tong, "Come with me." He then led her into a waterside pavilion. At this moment, the concubine followed them over, pulled Qin Ye aside, took a stack of clothes from a maid, and smiled at him, "Your Highness, I noticed that the hem of your old court robe was a bit torn, but the rest was still intact. It would be a pity to throw it away like that. I mended it for you last night. As you can see, it looks brand new."
Qin Ye glanced at the clothes, then said listlessly, "Mending clothes is something servants can do. You, a princess, don't need to do such things. If you have time, you should learn music and read poetry to cultivate your character." Upon hearing this, the princess's smile froze. Qin Ye then looked at Chu Tong and called out, "Someone, take Miss Chu Tong to Huanfangzhai. Give her a superior room and two clever maids to serve her." He then waved his hand and said, "You may all leave. I'm tired and need to rest." Chu Tong was somewhat stunned. Suddenly, two streams of tears rolled down the princess's cheeks and fell onto the clothes she was holding. She quickly wiped her cheeks, hurriedly bowed, and walked away.