Eternal Night - Chapter 66
The newcomer wore a light robe of the same purple silk embroidered with peacock feathers in a subtle pattern, and a matching cloak. He walked along the deserted Jihua Street, glancing left and right from time to time. The people who had been waiting all day eagerly poked their faces out, only to be stunned when they met the newcomer's flawless face.
Upon seeing her enter, the soldiers on both sides straightened up even more and saluted. Seeing Yongye's slightly approving gaze sweep over her, they straightened their backs even more.
Yongye smiled as he looked at the graceful figure standing at the entrance of the Peony Courtyard. He quickened his pace and, just as Moyu gracefully bowed, nudged him with his fan. Moyu stood up smoothly, a soft voice escaping his throat: "Moyu greets Marquis Yong'an!"
Upon hearing this, everyone suddenly realized what was going on.
I heard that this young marquis was kidnapped and held hostage by thieves, which is why the capital was turned upside down. I also heard that the censors and officials of the Censorate went to the Imperial Palace to complain about this, accusing Prince Duan of using the Six Guards of the Capital Region to disturb the people. The Emperor dismissed the court with a single sentence: "The Marquis of Yong'an must not be harmed," ignoring the officials' ramblings, which infuriated them so much that they went to join the ministers to remonstrate after court. Unexpectedly, she went to a brothel with a grin. Not only that, but she also used the Capital Region Guards to clear the place out for her.
It goes without saying how favored the Marquis of Yong'an was.
It's only natural that Young Master Moyu would make an exception for her.
Unexpectedly, Yongye did not enter the building. Instead, she had chairs and tables brought out and a feast set up at the entrance of the Peony Courtyard. She smiled and said to Moyu, "I must avoid suspicion. If I enter the Peony Courtyard, my father will surely break Yongye's legs. Does Moyu mind?"
"I am content to have met you, Lord Marquis." With that, Mo Yu picked up the wine pot and poured wine for Yong Ye.
"I don't drink alcohol. I've heard that Young Master Moyu is proficient in all the arts, including music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. How about playing a tune on the zither?" Yongye slowly picked up some food and ate. She thought that the Peony Courtyard's success wasn't just due to the handsome young men and women there, but also to the chef's superb skills. She buried her head in her food and ate with great relish.
Mo Yu's face showed signs of weariness, but her smile remained unchanged. She called for a servant to fetch her zither and then played it at the entrance of the Peony Courtyard to entertain the guests.
The Marquis of Yong'an had sent a messenger early in the morning instructing him to stand at the gate to greet him, yet he made him stand there all day before finally arriving. Mo Yu sighed softly, thinking he was probably here to cause trouble. But this was someone he absolutely could not afford to offend; what could he do?
Yongye ate until he was half full, then looked longingly at the table full of delicious food. Under everyone's watchful eyes, he left the table and walked to Moyu's side, smiling as he said, "I will play a tune for Moyu on the zither."
Mo Yu said he dared not, but the person had already stepped aside and stood to the side.
Yongye glanced at the zither, struck a pose, and with a swift motion of his right hand, produced a melody, his demeanor as ethereal as a banished immortal. The crowd eagerly awaited to witness Yong'an Hou's masterful zither playing. However, after a few monotonous notes, it was back to the monotonous plucking of the strings. This continued endlessly, leaving everyone dumbfounded.
As the moon rose high in the sky, lanterns of all sizes were lit in front of the brothels of Jihua Fang, their glow seemingly stretching to the ends of the earth. Yongye watched, a hint of sadness in her eyes. The Peony Courtyard lived up to its reputation; a large, global chain, firing an employee was like crushing an ant. Trying to negotiate was futile; they were too wealthy and powerful to even acknowledge her. She couldn't help but sneer, thinking, "Blocking the door all day is useless; I'll come back tomorrow." She finally stopped, stood up gracefully, and said, "It's getting late. I'll come see Moyu again tomorrow."
Upon hearing this, the madam nearly fainted. If this continued, she would have no choice but to close down.
Mo Yu smiled and said, "My lord, one thousand taels of silver."
"I didn't bring any money, put it on the tab!" Yongye said without hesitation.
These words caused everyone to gape again. The Marquis of Yong'an had made such a fuss just to freeload! And Young Master Moyu was incredibly audacious, daring to ask this domineering man for money. It was still early spring, the chill of winter lingered, and everyone wiped the sweat from their brows repeatedly. It was unclear whether they felt ashamed for the Marquis of Yong'an or for Young Master Moyu.
"No credit for prostitutes!" Mo Yu replied softly.
Yongye thought for a moment, then took out a jade pendant from his pocket and tossed it to Moyu: "It's completely translucent green, probably worth two or three thousand taels of silver. Have someone take a look at it, so you won't ask me for money again tomorrow. I only get fourteen shi of rice a month, I don't have a thousand taels of silver, and I have plenty of these things in the mansion."
The implication is that coming to the Peony Garden every day is enough to keep him going.
Mo Yu took the jade pendant and saw that it was exquisitely crafted and made of superior material. It was indeed worth two or three thousand taels of silver. He felt bitter inside, but his smile remained unchanged as he said politely, "Mo Yu is not good at judging things. I need to ask the master in the building to take a look."
Yongye said impatiently, "Go quickly, go quickly."
Mo Yu paused, then strode inside and returned a moment later, respectfully saying, "My master said this jade pendant is worth two thousand five hundred taels. Lord Marquis, here is a one thousand five hundred tael silver note. We don't keep it in the store. If you come to find Mo Yu again tomorrow, you can pay us then." As he spoke, he handed over a small wooden box.
Yongye gently opened the box, and her face lit up with a smile after just one glance. Inside, there was not only the jade pendant, but also a pill sealed with wax. She whispered in Moyu's ear, "No wonder you want to be the top courtesan. Your ability to swallow your pride is far superior to mine."
Mo Yu's pupils contracted sharply, a cold glint flashing within them, but he quickly bowed his head and said, "Farewell, Lord Marquis!"
"Haha! The Peony Courtyard truly lives up to its reputation! The Flower Gathering Pavilion is indeed teeming with beauties! This trip was worthwhile." Yongye thought to herself with pride. She had blocked the entrance and caused a scene, and even presented a replica of Princess Jade Sleeve's jade. She wasn't worried that Youli Valley wouldn't give Yuepo the antidote. She had already made it clear that she would be going to Chen Kingdom to offer birthday greetings soon. If she wanted to follow her plan, she would have to give her benefits.
She had already opened the pill that Huihun had given the princess to cure her of the bewitching spell; inside was an insect egg. Was this a Gu poison? Was it a roundworm, a pork tapeworm, a blood fluke, or some monster from this world she didn't understand? Yongye remembered that Yuepo had said he had been afflicted by Gu, and that to save him, she had to get the antidote.
Moon Soul has been discarded, so there's no reason for Youli Valley to turn against her. Besides, Reincarnation will assume she's also under the influence of the curse, so they'll naturally feel at ease.
What should she do next? Yongye wandered around aimlessly for a few minutes, then she had a feeling that someone was following her.
Hired a cool bodyguard
Yongye walked slowly, thoroughly enjoying the comfortable evening breeze of the spring night. Who was following her? What did they want? She smiled, and as she rounded a street corner, she used her lightness skill to swiftly leap onto a rooftop, hiding in the shadows behind a wall of wind. A short while later, she heard the sound of wind rushing past. She relaxed, cautiously peeking out, and saw the person who had followed her pause with a hint of confusion before heading towards the Prince Duan's residence.
"Going to the Prince's Mansion to find me?" Yongye thought for a moment. It must be someone from the Peony Courtyard looking for Li Yannian. Her visiting the Peony Courtyard wasn't the issue; the important thing was that she had used her jade sleeve to blackmail Youli Valley for the antidote to Yuepo. For an assassin trained by Youli Valley from childhood, such an act would surely provoke the disciplined Youli Valley to kill her without hesitation. Yongye sighed, recalling the time she hesitated to stand up for Yuepo. Would Li Yannian rush to Wanyu Courtyard to question her? Would he remind her that the medicine for restoring soul contained a poison? Would he tell her… that even without Yuepo, there was still Feng Yangxi?
Time was running out; she needed to return to the Prince's mansion before Li Yannian came looking for her. Yongye quickly turned into the alley behind the flower market.
As she passed the alley entrance, she couldn't help but glance at the noodle stall. The stall was run by a young man. She felt a little sad, but her eyes remained fixed on the small wooden house deep in the alley, and she walked over without stopping.
Standing at the door, she knocked lightly a few times: "Is anyone home?"
Feng Yangxi opened the door, frowned at her, somewhat puzzled, but still stepped aside to let her in.
Yongye didn't move, and took the wooden plaque from around his neck: "You said that I could ask you to do something with this."
Feng Yangxi was touched to see her carefully hanging the wooden plaque around her neck. He picked up the plaque and smiled, "What does Yongye want me to do?"
"Anything is allowed?"
The face, brimming with hope and anticipation, shone with childlike innocence under the lamplight, instantly reminding Feng Yangxi of his childhood moments begging his family for things he loved. But he always received nothing, always felt disappointed, always kept his longing hidden deep inside. Slowly, he learned to never mention it again. Yet, he understood, he understood the feeling of rejection. He made a wooden sign, hoping to grant the other person a wish, wanting to see what kind of eyes would light up instantly.
This satisfied him.
Before Feng Yangxi could answer, Yongye lowered his head, his toes unconsciously tracing patterns on the ground, showing his frustration and difficulty: "Forget it, it's impossible... It's too much trouble... Thank you, but I'll keep the wooden plaque as a souvenir. I don't need your help anymore."
The wooden plaque, suspended by a silk rope, swayed before her eyes. Yongye dejectedly reached out to grab it. The plaque was instantly lifted high, and she grasped only air. Yongye looked up, pursed her lips, and said discontentedly to Feng Yangxi's raised hand, "Next time, I'll find an easy task for you to complete before taking it back. It's mine now!"
Feng Yangxi was amused by her; this young master, who had been granted the title of Marquis of Yong'an, really acted like a child. A series of hearty laughs erupted from his throat. Yongye glanced at him; from her angle, she could only see Feng Yangxi's chest heaving with laughter and his full beard. Yongye took a step back; she wasn't used to not being able to see the other person's eyes when she was playing tricks on them, as it made it difficult for her to judge.
Feng Yangxi smiled and hung the wooden plaque back around her neck. The eyes that had once flashed with a sharp, seductive allure in the darkness, making her jealous, were unexpectedly gentle: "I promise you."
"Aren't you going to ask what I need?" Yongye wondered. Are all the heroes in the world so easily fooled? The fact that she cherished his wooden plaque moved him, that she trusted him so much he felt he'd have to help, and then she proactively shook her head and declined, only fueling his curiosity. She'd only used a little trick, and Feng Yangxi had decided to help her without even asking. Was it the same with Li Tianyou asking Feng Yangxi for help?
"I think you definitely won't make me do anything difficult. And it certainly won't be anything immoral." Feng Yangxi's voice reminded Yongye of her teacher from her past life, who said to her, a poor student, with a loving face, "I believe that as long as you are willing to study, you will definitely get good grades."