Hua Wu listened for a while, but only Xu Qingcheng was speaking. He couldn't help but wonder what Tang Ye was doing. Unfortunately, he couldn't see anything through the door, so he could only secretly speculate about Tang Ye's current gaze and behavior. For some reason, whenever he thought of Tang Ye, he would think of his dark and cold eyes, eyes that could freeze someone with just one glance.
Xu Qingcheng was still pleading, but Tang Ye still didn't respond. What was he doing? Hua Wuduo was increasingly puzzled and tried to peek through the small crack in the door, but no matter how she looked, she couldn't see anything because the crack was too small. Just then, the door suddenly opened, and Hua Wuduo stumbled and fell into the courtyard. When she looked up, she met Tang Ye's unfathomable cold eyes.
Sure enough, just one glance sent a chill down her spine. Startled, she quickly laughed and said, "I was just about to push the door open when you opened it, giving me quite a fright, haha, haha."
Hua Wuduo's laughter grew increasingly weak and stiff. Glancing at Xu Qingcheng, who stood in the courtyard with tears streaming down her face, she hurriedly said, "Young Master has guests here. Tell me, tell me, Young Master and Miss Xu haven't eaten yet, have they? I'll go and call a servant to bring lunch." With that, she rushed out the door, and as she passed Tang Ye, a large bead of sweat rudely landed on his face.
Hua Wuduo ran a few steps before patting his chest and panting heavily, clearly terrified. Being caught eavesdropping was indeed embarrassing, and at that moment, the moral principles he had long forgotten came flooding back, but it was too late.
By the time she and the innkeeper's waiter had prepared the food and wine and carried them into the west courtyard, Xu Qingcheng had already left. Only Tang Ye remained in the courtyard, clearly waiting for her.
She forced a smile and walked up to Tang Ye, set out the bowls and chopsticks, and acted like a maid, carefully serving the young master his meal.
Fortunately, Tang Ye didn't say anything and started eating lunch.
Hua Wuduo had only eaten a few pastries that morning, and was already starving. Seeing Tang Ye start eating, he swallowed hard and sat down as well, taking a bite of a steamed bun.
Tang Ye ignored him and continued eating.
Tang Ye was a picky eater, and Hua Wuduo naturally noticed this after spending a lot of time with him. Every day at mealtimes, rice and noodles were always on the table, but he would only eat a small amount. He insisted on a balanced ratio of lean to fatty meat, avoiding anything too fatty or too lean. He ate very little oily food and mostly red, yellow, and green vegetables. He would have half a bowl of porridge and a cup of light tea afterward. Hua Wuduo, on the other hand, was generally not picky about food. When hungry, he would stuff himself regardless of whether the food tasted good or not.
She ate meat and drank wine with gusto, grabbing steamed buns without washing her hands and wolfing them down. Watching her like this, Tang Ye frowned slightly. Unable to bear it any longer, he said, "Come to my room when you're done eating." Without saying more, he put down his chopsticks and left.
Looking at Hua Wuduo, she hardly resembled a lady from a prominent family, let alone someone from the Fang family of Jinling. If Li She were to see her in this situation, he would probably have some doubts about his own deductions.
After Hua Wuduo finished eating, she called the innkeeper to clear away the bowls and chopsticks before entering Tang Ye's room. Seeing that Tang Ye was about to administer acupuncture to detoxify her, she said, "Is this the last two times?" She obediently rolled up her sleeve, revealing her poisoned arm, and handed it over.
Tang Ye nodded. The silver needles were precisely placed on her acupoints.
"Will you really let me go?" Hua Wuduo asked cautiously.
Tang Ye said, "Do you still want to be poisoned?"
Hua Wuduo quickly shook his head, his eyes flickering, and said, "If you don't let me go, don't poison me. Just tell me where you're going, and I'll go wherever you want. Being poisoned all the time is bad for my health, and I'm still injured, so I can't run very far and I'm no threat to you."
Tang Ye put away the silver needles, traced her pulse with his fingers, took out a pill and fed it to her, saying, "Go and rest for a while, then come with me to the Li residence at 5 PM."
"The Li residence?" Hua Wuduo frowned slightly and asked, "Then, in what capacity should I go this time?"
Tang Ye replied calmly, "My maid."
Things got worse day by day, and Hua Wuduo left in grief and indignation.
As the door closed, Tang Ye said, "Swallow the pill; it's not poison."
He saw through it... Hua Wuduo thought to herself that both times she was poisoned without realizing it. She couldn't be careless. Just as she was cursing Tang Ye, she swallowed the pill without thinking. Well, no need to think about it anymore.
When Hua Wuduo followed Tang Ye out at dusk, he had already changed his mask. Tang Ye glanced at him but said nothing.
As they left the inn, the waiter stared at the two figures for a long time before pointing to the departing carriage and asking the other waiter who was sweeping the passageway, "When did that young lady who got on the carriage enter the west courtyard?" The waiter scratched his head and racked his brains for a long time but couldn't come up with a clue.
The waiter sighed and shook his head: "Why has Young Master Tang changed his maid again!"
Upon entering the Li residence, the courtyard is spacious and bright. While there are few delicate flowers and plants, it possesses a unique grandeur and freedom, devoid of any decadent air. Four corners of the courtyard are planted with paulownia trees. As autumn ends, fallen leaves are scattered throughout the courtyard, seemingly left untouched. Yet, there is no sense of desolation; instead, there is a touch of autumnal beauty.
The most peculiar part of the courtyard was the center, where the Eight Trigrams of the Primordial Chaos were laid out in distinct colors using pebbles. It was quite interesting at first glance. Hua Wuduo really wanted to step on it according to the Five Elements and practice a set of boxing moves, but as a maid, she could only obediently follow behind Tang Ye.
Having learned his lesson from stepping on her heel last time, Hua Wuduo dared not get too close.
Having been by Tang Ye's side for a long time, she noticed that he was always late for appointments. Today was no exception. When they entered, a group of people were staring at them. Naturally, she and Tang Ye became the target of everyone's gaze. If their eyes were arrows, they would have been riddled with hundreds of holes and died long ago.
After entering, Tang Ye exchanged pleasantries and made introductions with Li She, the host seated at the head of the table. Because there were many people at the table, this introduction took a long time.
Hua Wuduo hid behind Tang Ye, tilting her head slightly to peek out and scan the room. Seeing Song Zixing and Gongzi Xiu already seated, along with some unfamiliar faces, she couldn't help but linger on Gongzi Yi and Gongzi Qi. Gongzi Yi glanced at Tang Ye but didn't look again, while Gongzi Qi, unfortunately, caught sight of Hua Wuduo's half-revealed face. Unable to contain her excitement, Hua Wuduo made a face at Gongzi Qi in front of everyone. Gongzi Qi was startled and looked at her a few more times. After a moment of surprised scrutiny, he smiled—a smile that truly made hearts race. The maidservant from the Li family, who was pouring him wine, trembled and poured the wine over the edge of the cup, but he only smiled gently, and the maidservant's face instantly turned bright red.
Hua Wuduo withdrew his head, lowered his head and followed closely behind Tang Ye until he sat down, right next to Song Zixing.
Seeing that Hua Wuduo had indeed changed his mask, Song Zixing couldn't help but smile wryly. Hua Wuduo, however, was somewhat smug.
Hua Wuduo, now a maid, didn't even have a seat and could only serve by Tang Ye's side. She had just stood behind Tang Ye when she noticed the probing gaze of the young master Xiu opposite her.
At that moment, Gongzi Yi also looked at her, only to find her smiling at him unexpectedly. The smile was quite strange, a mixture of expectation, provocation, and inexplicable excitement, which made his heart skip a beat. The gaze seemed familiar. Gongzi Yi suddenly raised the corner of his mouth, a strange light flashing in his eyes, and raised his cup to Tang Ye, saying, "Brother Tang, it has been many days since we parted in Jiangling. I never expected that you would have such a beautiful woman by your side. I am truly envious."
Upon hearing this, Tang Ye said, "If you like it, I will give it to you."
Chicken Leg Again (Part 1)
The once noisy garden suddenly became quiet.
Hua Wuduo's heart skipped a beat. She sighed inwardly, thinking that Tang Ye had the ability to instantly cool down a lively occasion. She was actually thinking about this, completely unconcerned about her own fate. Of course, even if Gongzi Yi wanted to go, it would be pointless. Between Gongzi Yi and her, it was uncertain who was the maid and who was the master.
Gongzi Yi's gaze flickered, and he smiled slightly, "How could I possibly accept that?" The implication was that he did not refuse.
Tang Ye replied, "Since that's the case, then let it be."
Seeing that Gongzi Yi had been humiliated, Hua Wuduo wanted to laugh but couldn't laugh too openly. He was really holding it in and his cheeks twitched slightly. When Gongzi Yi stared at him, the twitching became more intense.
Gongzi Qi had already used the contents of her cup to hide the smile that was spilling from the corners of her mouth.
Li She remained silent, speaking to the person beside him. Sitting next to him was a young man who resembled him somewhat, but was younger and had a rather unrestrained demeanor, glancing in their direction intentionally or unintentionally.
Song Zixing, Gongzi Xiu, and several others present remained silent, observing the situation.
Gongzi Yi then put on a knowing look and said confidently, "I knew Brother Tang wouldn't be willing to part with it."
Upon hearing this, everyone couldn't help but look at Tang Ye, who remained silent, seemingly acquiescing.
For a moment, everyone's attention was focused on the maid behind him. The maid had an ordinary appearance and nothing outstanding about her, but her eyes were bright and sparkling. Although she was dressed as a maid, her blue cloth dress looked very simple, but her figure was graceful. At this moment, the setting sun shone on her, and even when she stood casually, she had an indescribable charm and beauty.
Seeing this, everyone secretly speculated that this woman might have a close relationship with Tang Ye. Rumors had circulated recently that Tang Ye's maid was Fang Ruoxi, the second daughter of the Fang family, and everyone had already harbored doubts. Before Tang Ye arrived, Li She had mentioned that those were just rumors and not true, so the matter was dropped. Now, seeing Tang Ye's maid become such a hot topic as soon as he entered, everyone was intrigued, but dared not act rashly because of Tang Ye.
The garden fell silent for a moment, each person lost in their own thoughts.
Hua Wuduo also realized this, and from the probing gazes of the crowd, he understood his true identity. Thinking of Song Zixing's reminder that morning, he couldn't help but feel somewhat depressed.
At this moment, Li She clapped his hands, and several dancers entered the garden. Each dancer was tall and graceful, dressed in daring and revealing clothing. As the music started, the dancers danced to the music, their movements graceful. The atmosphere in the garden instantly became lively, and it also gained a touch of extravagance.
The group consisted of young people, all invited by Li She. In addition to scions of prominent families from afar, such as Wu Yi, Liu Xiu, Wu Qi from the capital, Song Zixing from Hangzhou, Liu Jin from Jiangling, and Chen Dongyao from Jian'an, there were also some talented young men with distinguished backgrounds. Some came from other places, while others were from prominent families in Luoyang. All of them had impressive backgrounds. Li She had a wide circle of friends from all over the country, and each of them was quite remarkable.
After several rounds of drinks, the young men's frivolous behavior became increasingly apparent. Gazing at the dancing girls, they behaving with unrestrained abandon. Someone mentioned the "Records of Beauties of Luoyang," immediately attracting the attention of Young Master Yi. One of them said, "The beauties of Luoyang are Chu Tianxiu from the east of the city, Li Qin (Li She's sister, the only daughter of the Li family) from the city center, and Jin Sichai, the third young lady of the Jin family from the west. Except for Li Qin, who is already married, the other two are still unmarried." Mentioning Chu Tianxiu, the most beautiful woman in Luoyang, was a well-known figure in the city. This beauty was skilled in music and played the zither beautifully. After drinking, the young men spoke of her in a frivolous and flirtatious manner, thoroughly enjoying themselves.
One person said, "Miss Chu is a beauty that could topple kingdoms, and her jade-like hands produce music that is incomparably beautiful. In my life, I have never seen a woman more beautiful than her. Not to mention the most beautiful woman in Luoyang, she is, in my humble opinion, the most beautiful woman in the world."
Upon hearing this, Gongzi Yi's eyes lit up with longing, and he said, "I wonder what this beauty Chu looks like? If I could see her in person, this trip would not have been in vain."
Just as everyone was shaking their heads and saying it was difficult to see her, Li She laughed and said, "It's not difficult for Young Master Yi to see Miss Chu. It just so happens that my elder sister has returned home today, and Miss Chu came to visit her. She is currently at the mansion. I will send someone to invite her over to join everyone."
Upon hearing this, all the young masters present perked up, with Young Master Yi slapping his thigh and loudly praising him. This only drew endless scorn from Hua Wuduo.
Today, Gongzi Xiu seemed to have something on his mind, drinking his wine in a calm and aloof manner, occasionally glancing at Hua Wuduo and Tang Ye in front of him.
When it comes to beauties, Young Master Yi is the most knowledgeable, and he spoke eloquently about the beauties of the capital. From Du Qianqian in the spring rain and apricot blossoms to Ding Qiao'er in the bright and beautiful cottage, in no time, this young master from the capital had become one of the other young masters.
Gongzi Qi watched Gongzi Yi's ease and confidence with amusement, shaking her head and chuckling softly.
During the conversation, someone asked about the world-renowned beauty Qi Xin. Gongzi Yi glanced at Gongzi Xiu first before saying a few words about Qi Xin's beauty. Gongzi Yi was eloquent, and when he spoke of beauties, he described them vividly. After listening, everyone's hearts were aroused. Some people sighed in bewilderment, wondering whether Chu Tianxiu of Luoyang or Qi Xin of the capital was more beautiful.
Liu Jin smiled and said, "That's easy. After Brother Yi meets Chu Tianxiu, he will be able to answer everyone's questions."
Everyone readily agreed that this made sense.
Throughout the entire evening, Chen Dongyao, from Jian'an City in the southeast, listened to everyone's conversation but seemed uninterested, only occasionally glancing at Song Zixing, who had unexpectedly remained very quiet all night.
Song Zixing didn't drink much, nor did he talk much; it was unclear what he was thinking about.
After several rounds of drinks, Hua Wuduo already knew who the person beside Li She was—Li Kan, the fourth son of the Li family. Li Kan was not born of the same mother as Li Kang, the eldest son of the Li family, and Li She, the third son. Li Kan had moved to Shu with his mother when he was young, and by the time he reached adulthood, he had taken over the Li family's business in Shu and the southwest. He rarely appeared in the Central Plains, so few people in Luoyang recognized him. Now, he had returned for his elder brother Li Kang's joyous occasion. Judging from his appearance, Li Kan was about the same age as Gongzi Yi and the others.
Hua Wu was quite bored during the meal, so she glanced at Li Kan a few more times. She was surprised to find that the maid behind Li Kan blushed every time she poured him wine, and even the maid serving him food had a shifty gaze, her face turning even redder with each glance at Li Kan – quite amusing. Perhaps because she had been looking at him for too long, Li Kan finally looked back at her, and she immediately looked away.
Looking around, each of the young men here has his own unique charm.
Song Zixing wore a half-smile, yet with a detached, indifferent air. Surprisingly, he spoke little today, exchanging only a few polite words with Li She, and drank very little wine. He occasionally glanced at the people in the courtyard, his thoughts unreadable. Standing behind him was his attendant, Xu Qing. Hua Wuduo, realizing that Xu Qing wouldn't recognize him because of his mask, couldn't help but feel a little smug.
The one who talked the most and smiled the most during the meal was probably Young Master Yi. The maid who served Young Master Yi also smiled the most, and every now and then, she would hear some frivolous remark from Young Master Yi, and her face would turn bright red in an instant. Young Master Qi watched everything with a smile, his gaze wandering among the people, sometimes smiling, sometimes shaking his head. He was clearly listening carefully, yet he seemed detached. The flickering firelight in the courtyard made his handsome face look like jade, and anyone who saw him would find it hard to suppress their heartbeat. Hua Wu looked at him for a while, then felt a little hot and fanned herself a few times with her hand.
Gongzi Xiu, though not one for words, was not to be underestimated. He would only exchange a few polite words with others and drink his beverage occasionally. At this moment, he seemed lost in thought, his gaze seemingly glancing at Hua Wuduo. During this encounter, Hua Wuduo felt that Gongzi Xiu seemed to have something to say to him, but he always swallowed his words back.
Liu Jin, however, chatted and laughed during the banquet, getting to know many people.
Tang Ye was a man of few words, and few people came up to toast him. Fortunately, Song Zixing and Chen Dongyao were sitting next to him, so there was no awkward situation of being all alone. Hua Wuduo thought that it was quite admirable that he dared to stand behind Tang Ye with such courage and boldness!
Hua Wuduo was unaware that Tang Ye's seating arrangement was intentional. The two people beside him were no ordinary young masters, so there would be no awkward situation like the one at the Prince of Jin's residence where they had to move their chairs. Chen Dongyao and Song Zixing had always been at odds, and the aloof Tang Ye standing between them was just right.
When the singing and dancing paused, Li She recounted some interesting stories that had recently happened in Luoyang. Li She was an excellent orator, and all the young men listened with great interest.
Standing for a while, Hua Wuduo felt increasingly hungry, so she stared intently at the food and wine on Tang Ye's table, especially the glistening, tempting chicken leg. Hua Wuduo licked her lips and swallowed. Unexpectedly, she looked up and saw Gongzi Yi opposite her holding a chicken leg, deliberately waving it around on the ground, making her eyes widen.
Hua Wuduo winked at Gongzi Yi, who then lightly shook his chicken leg.
Hua Wuduo frantically tried to signal with his eyes, and Gongzi Yi raised an eyebrow and continued shaking the chicken leg.
Hua Wuduo clenched his fist and made a cross in front of his chest. Gongzi Yi slightly made an "O" shape with his mouth, and then raised the corner of his mouth. His expression and behavior made Hua Wuduo so angry that he almost jumped up.
Hua Wuduo narrowed her eyes, her gaze flashing with a fierce light as she stared intently at Gongzi Yi. Gongzi Yi blinked, gesturing for Hua Wuduo to look up. Hua Wuduo glanced casually and saw Li Kan, seated above, scrutinizing her. She immediately lowered her head.
After a while, Hua Wuduo glanced at Li Kan out of the corner of her eye. Seeing that he was no longer looking at her, she raised her head again, glared fiercely at Gongzi Yi, gritted her teeth, waved her fist, and tried to signal him with her eyes. Gongzi Yi, who had been smiling, finally showed a look of fear and gave her a wink. She immediately understood, her eyes showing smugness, and she left the garden first.
Because everyone's attention was drawn to the interesting stories Li She told, apart from a very few familiar people, no one else noticed the subtle flirting between Hua Wuduo and Gongzi Yi.
***********
The sun had already set, and lanterns were hung all over the veranda outside the courtyard. Hua Wuduo walked along the veranda deeper into the courtyard, only to find another garden at the end. Unlike their own courtyard, this place had its own unique scenery, with artificial hills and pebbles all around, a stream flowing through it, and small bridges hidden among the rocks and water.
Hua Wuduo leaned against a corner of the artificial hill, gazing at the babbling water and listening to the sounds around him. After a while, he heard footsteps and peeked out to see Gongzi Yi holding a chicken leg.
Under the moonlight, he arrived gracefully, his brocade robes and jade belt somewhat different from before, showing less of his frivolity and more of his composure. Hua Wuduo hid behind the artificial hill, secretly watching him, and suddenly thought of the secret rendezvous with her lover under the moon described in the book, her heart pounding wildly.
Gongzi Yi coughed lightly, and Hua Wuduo poked her head out again, only to be caught in his gaze. Left with no choice, she hesitantly stepped forward.
Gongzi Yi raised an eyebrow and said dismissively, "It's been a while, why are you being so hesitant?"
Upon hearing this, Hua Wuduo raised an eyebrow, abandoned his previous wild thoughts, snatched the chicken leg from his hand, and began to eat it in large bites.
Gongzi Yi stood beside her, his gaze intense, a smile playing on his lips, reaching his eyes. Seeing her eating so eagerly, he couldn't help but sneer, "How come you're getting worse and worse? Before, when you were my bodyguard, you had plenty to eat and drink, and you even dared to hit me. How did you end up working as someone's maid, starving? If you really ran out of money, why didn't you come to the capital to find me?"
While gnawing on a chicken leg, Hua Wuduo mumbled, "It's a long story." The chicken leg was crispy and fragrant, and Hua Wuduo was eating it rather hastily because he was hungry.
Seeing that she didn't answer and was only tearing at the chicken leg, clearly starving, Gongzi Yi smiled and didn't press further. He then said, "So it was you impersonating Fang Ruoxi. No wonder, if you weren't the real Fang Ruoxi, only you could pass for her."
"Is Fang Ruoxi that important?" Hua Wuduo suddenly asked.
Gongzi Yi's eyes held a deep meaning, and he said with a hint of mockery, "If you weren't a fake, you would have been able to sense the special nature of Fang Ruoxi's identity. It's just a pity... Li She had already clarified your identity before you came in."