"What material are your fan ribs made of? They can actually break a soft whip." Shen Lixue took the fan from Nangong Xiao's hand and touched it through the fan paper. The fan ribs were very hard and had a faint coolness to them. She couldn't tell what kind of material they were made of.
"I'm not entirely sure either. I only remember that one year, my father got a sword that was one-third broken. After melting it down, he made this fan for me!" At that time, Nangong Xiao was still young and his impression of the sword was very vague. He only vaguely remembered that the sword was very long and could be made into many sharp daggers. He didn't know why the King of Yunnan insisted on making fan ribs to hide this sharp weapon in the paper fan surface.
When Shen Lixue and Nangong Xiao arrived at Zuixianlou, it was during mealtime. Zuixianlou was bustling with people, clinking glasses and lively atmosphere. A waiter quickly stepped forward and greeted them warmly: "Young Master Nangong, this way please!"
Shen Lixue had only been in Qingyan for a short time, and many people didn't recognize her. They looked at her and whispered among themselves, "Who is that woman in green? She's quite pretty."
"I don't know, I've never seen her before. Judging from her clothes, she should be a noblewoman..."
“She and Prince Nangong look quite well-matched…”
"Everyone in Qingyan knows that Prince Nangong is a womanizer. He can't even have patience for a woman for more than a month. I reckon this woman will be heartbroken alone soon..."
Shen Lixue ignored the chatter and followed the waiter up the stairs, thinking to herself: Ancient people also love gossip, and their imaginations are even richer. She and Nangong Xiao just came to Zuixianlou for dinner, and they can already connect all sorts of things...
Nangong Xiao was initially quite happy, but after hearing them say he would abandon Shen Lixue, he gave them a cold glare, the dangerous glint in his eyes instantly silencing them. They quickly lowered their heads and began to eat; they couldn't afford to offend this ruthless young master…
"Nangong Xiao, which room did you book?" The entire hall fell silent. Even without turning around, Shen Lixue knew it was Nangong Xiao's doing. She was there to dine, not to intimidate others, so she subtly diverted Nangong Xiao's attention.
"Number Two of the Heavenly Class!" Nangong Xiao glared at the gossipy crowd, waved his hand twice, finding it empty, then suddenly remembered that the fan was still in Shen Lixue's hand. He quickly took a few steps to catch up, his charming eyes gleaming with a piercing light.
Private Room No. 2 of the "Heavenly" category is located on the second floor. The long corridor is exquisitely decorated, exuding an indescribable rustic charm, elegance, and grandeur, making it a place that is truly captivating.
"Nangong Xiao, who owns Zuixianlou?" Zuixianlou's decorations and furnishings are all top-notch, and its decor is extremely luxurious. However, opening this restaurant requires a considerable amount of money, so the owner behind the restaurant must be either rich or noble.
Nangong Xiao's eyes were unfathomable: "The Drunken Immortal Pavilion has always been very prosperous, so the mastermind behind it must be exceptionally capable. I can roughly guess a few candidates..."
"Squeak!" The door to a private room suddenly opened, and a guard in black walked out steadily, saying respectfully, "Miss Chen, Young Master Nangong!"
"Zi Mo!" Shen Lixue was taken aback. He was Dongfang Heng's personal bodyguard, and if he was here, Dongfang Heng must be here too.
Looking through the half-open door, a man in white stood with his hands behind his back by the window. His slender figure and indifferent aura made it clear that he was Dongfang Heng. Shen Lixue walked past Zi Mo and went inside.
"Shen Lixue, I invited you to dine here. Why did you go into Dongfang Heng's private room?" Nangong Xiao said indignantly, following closely behind Shen Lixue into the No. 1 room. Looking at the white figure in front of the window, his eyes were filled with anger that seemed to be spitting fire. This cunning fellow always ruined his plans whenever he appeared. Wasn't Dongfang Heng busy looking for Dongfang Xun? Why did he come here?
"Let me check on Dongfang Heng's injuries!" Shen Lixue explained patiently. Dongfang Heng's illness was getting worse and could flare up at any time. Regular treatment was necessary to prevent it from getting worse.
"After we've seen his injuries, let's go to Room Number Two in the Heavenly Class!" Nangong Xiao glared at Dongfang Heng. He had booked Room Number Two in the Heavenly Class, but Dongfang Heng was in Room Number One in the Heavenly Class. Whether it was a coincidence or intentional didn't matter. Room Number Two in the Heavenly Class was a private room that he had booked. Without his permission, Dongfang Heng couldn't barge in. No matter how cunning Dongfang Heng was, he couldn't outmaneuver him.
"Dongfang Heng, why are you here instead of recuperating at home?" Shen Lixue's tone turned serious. Zuixianlou, as the name suggests, is a place for drinking. Did Dongfang Heng come here to drink as well?
Dongfang Heng turned around, a hint of weariness flashing in his obsidian-like eyes: "Just like you, I'm here for a meal!" His gaze fell on the fan in Shen Lixue's hand, and his dark eyes narrowed slightly.
Shen Lixue gently pressed her slender fingers on Dongfang Heng's wrist. She wasn't particularly proficient in pulse diagnosis in traditional Chinese medicine, but she was still capable of simple physical examinations.
Dongfang Heng's pulse was normal, and there were no signs of illness, but he looked tired, and there were bloodshot veins in his eyes, clearly due to exhaustion: "What were you busy with yesterday?"
“He is Prince An, of course he’s busy with state affairs,” Nangong Xiao answered first. Dongfang Heng’s complexion was ruddy, and his eyes were deep; he was clearly a perfectly healthy person. He didn’t want to be tricked by Dongfang Heng feigning illness again.
“These events are royal secrets and cannot be revealed to others casually. Prince An must have many things to attend to. You have also confirmed that he is in good health, so let’s not disturb him. Let’s go to the No. 2 VIP room for our meal!”
"Your Highness, the food is ready!" Just then, Zi Mo gently knocked on the door and walked in, followed by two waiters carrying steaming hot food.
"Bring it in!" Dongfang Heng said calmly.
The waiter entered the private room and brought out plates of dishes to the table. The dishes were colorful and beautiful, and the aroma was irresistible.
His gaze swept over Nangong Xiao and Shen Lixue, and Dongfang Heng said softly, "Zui Xian Lou is quite busy, your food will probably take a while to arrive. If you're in a hurry, you can eat together..."
"No rush, no rush, we have plenty of time to wait!" Nangong Xiao waved his hand repeatedly to refuse Dongfang Heng's invitation: Dongfang Heng was obviously up to no good, and if he sat down to eat, he would definitely plot against him!
"Shen Lixue, let's go to No. 2, the highest rank!" Nangong Xiao pulled Shen Lixue's sleeve and walked out. Shen Lixue was a guest he brought with him. Dongfang Heng was the Prince of Qingyan. Even if he was concerned about face, he would not dare to snatch her in front of so many people.
Dongfang Heng sat steadily, his gaze as deep and unfathomable as a still pool. He held a teacup and sipped his tea calmly, every movement exuding elegance and nobility.
As expected, Dongfang Heng didn't come to snatch him away. He was the Prince of Qingyan, bound by many constraints. Nangong Xiao had almost found a way to deal with him. A gleam of wicked light flashed in his eyes. Suddenly, a servant rushed over, his eyes filled with anxiety: "Young Master, something terrible has happened! Something's happened at the villa..."
"What happened?" Nangong Xiao's eyelids twitched, and an ominous premonition rose in his heart. Unless it was something very important, the people from the villa would not have come here to look for him.
"Young Master..." The servant whispered a few words to Nangong Xiao. Nangong Xiao's expression changed instantly. He glared fiercely at Dongfang Heng, his eyes blazing with anger. He gritted his teeth and said, "Dongfang Heng, you're ruthless!"
"Li Xue, I'll invite you another day!" Nangong Xiao flicked his sleeves and strode out. Dongfang Heng had definitely planned more than one scheme to trip him up from Shen Li Xue. If he ignored the affairs of the villa and stayed to confront him, he would definitely be outmaneuvered and wouldn't be able to snatch Shen Li Xue. He should go back to the villa to deal with things first and then think of a way to deal with Dongfang Heng later. He was really unlucky to have encountered such a jinx.
“Nangong Xiao!” Dongfang Heng coldly called out Nangong Xiao’s name.
"Is there anything else?" Nangong Xiao turned around and asked irritably, his eyes burning with anger, wishing he could burn Dongfang Heng to ashes.
"Your fan!" Dongfang Heng raised his hand, and the folding fan on the table flew straight towards Nangong Xiao. When Nangong Xiao reached out to catch it, his body was shaken and he staggered backward until he was out of the room. Only then did he stop, his hands numb from the shock. His charming eyes were filled with shock: "You..." This martial arts prodigy, he's so sick, yet his martial arts have still improved!
After glaring fiercely at Dongfang Heng, Nangong Xiao opened his folding fan with a "whoosh!" and strode out of Zuixianlou.
"What did you do to his villa?" Before leaving, Nangong Xiao kept accusing Dongfang Heng. Dongfang Heng did not refute him. It seemed that the incident at his villa was related to Dongfang Heng.
Dongfang Heng gently swirled his teacup, his dark eyes unfathomable: "It's because he has too many beautiful maids in his villa, and they had a little squabble among themselves. It has nothing to do with me..."
Shen Lixue raised the corners of her mouth: She had witnessed Nangong Xiao's womanizing and ruthlessness on the first day she transmigrated. All the beauties were his maids. Let alone minor disputes, even if someone died, he would not care.
Just now, Nangong Xiao left in a hurry, looking like something terrible had happened. Things are definitely not as simple as Dongfang Heng said.
"The food is getting cold, let's eat!" After Nangong Xiao left, Shen Lixue naturally stayed to eat with Dongfang Heng. Dongfang Heng handed Shen Lixue a set of chopsticks and a bowl, his cold, deep eyes flashing with a hint of darkness: "When are you planning to see Consort Tian?"
Consort Tian! Shen Lixue was taken aback, then thought of what had happened in the palace: "How was Consort Tian dealt with?" Before they left the palace, Consort Tian's fate had not yet been decided.
"Demoted to a commoner and banished to the cold palace!" Dongfang Heng said calmly, his eyes undisturbed.
"Then she'll never have a chance to turn things around!" Shen Lixue smiled warmly. The emperor has three palaces and six courtyards, with many beautiful concubines. He usually doesn't remember the concubines in the cold palace.
"That's how it seems on the surface, but we can't rule out the possibility that she might have stumbled upon a great opportunity and regained favor!" Dongfang Heng's gaze was profound: things in the palace are inherently complex and unpredictable.