Asking About Love Songs

Chapter 22

Gong Xuan, Bing Xuan, and Yu Xuan stood guard, swords drawn, refusing to back down!

"Feng Yan, the Three Profound Swords invite you to try them out."

Yan Pingfei didn't turn his head, but called out to the graceful figure behind him.

The aloof swordsman, who always waited silently under the moonlight, swept the light across the three Daoist swords, the swords in his hand leaving their sheaths inch by inch.

"Waiting for your instruction!" The cold glint of the sword reflected in a pair of sharp eyes, but before he could finish speaking, the sword, which was half-drawn from its sheath, was sheathed again.

"Brother Feng Yan, your sword strike is awe-inspiring and earth-shattering. A mere youth like myself cannot possibly comprehend it." A soft sigh came from behind Feng Yan, followed by a pat on his right shoulder. "I have long yearned to visit Butterfly Maple Garden. How could I, a mere hangover, miss such an opportunity given the Third Prince's hospitality tonight!"

The guards standing nearby all looked at Su Shaochu in surprise, not knowing when he had stood behind Feng Yan!

"A true master doesn't reveal his abilities; Young Master Su is indeed extraordinary," Yan Pingfei couldn't help but say.

The other party moved so fast that it was almost imperceptible. Even Yan Pingfei, who was closest to the sedan chair, did not see when Su Shaochu got out of the sedan chair, nor could he sense any approaching aura. He had already arrived behind everyone. On Feng Yan's face, which was usually expressionless, there was a cold smile on his lips, as if he also felt approval, which then faded away.

"Now that I've revealed my true form, I can no longer be a true master. I can only follow you, Yan Pingfei, and become a helpless person with no choice in the matter," Su Shaochu said, spreading his hands.

"Fourth Young Master!" Knowing that Su Shaochu always avoided interacting with the Third Prince Zhu Yu, Sanxuanjian couldn't help but call out in concern at this situation.

"It's alright. Although I drank a lot tonight, it shouldn't affect my enjoyment of drinking with the Third Prince under the moon. I can handle it." Su Shaochu subtly reassured them not to worry. "It's just that I'll probably have to break my promise to a certain beauty." Sigh! When Shan Shan gets angry, he has to find a way to apologize and coax her for ages.

"Please, Young Master Su," Yan Pingfei said respectfully as he stood before the sedan chair.

Before getting into the sedan chair, Su Shaochu glanced at Yan Pingfei again. "I remember Lord Yan is from Nanyuan."

"Yes, when my clan's holy maiden gave birth to the prince, I was seven years old when I was chosen to be the prince's personal attendant. I came to the Central Plains with the clansmen who were paying tribute. Since then, I have been accompanying the third prince in the palace for almost thirty years."

"It's been so long, hmm, thinking about it, I saw you when I went to the palace to play when I was a child." Su Shaochu asked meaningfully, "When there are conflicts, are you loyal to your master or your clan?"

"Yan Pingfei has never forgotten his roots."

"Never forget your roots!" Su Shaochu pondered the phrase. "This 'roots' is quite profound!"

The moon's shadow slants through the dense foliage, casting dappled patterns of light, while a light mist gently veils the lake's surface.

As night falls, the Butterfly Maple Garden reveals its elegant charm in late autumn. The maple forest within the garden is ablaze with autumn colors, and the lights throughout the garden reflect the overlapping images on the lake, creating shimmering waves. The winding water and the moon's reflection float on the surface, making the pavilions shine.

Butterflies are hard to find in the dead of night, but upon entering the garden, one can hear the elegant music drifting by. The melody is as lingering as a dream, and the slow tune has a unique and profound charm, stirring up a hundred emotions, fluttering like the wind.

"The ancient melody on the zither is 'Youlan,' and I listen to it again with great care. To achieve peace of mind and body, listening to someone else play is better than playing it myself."

Facing the elegant figure entering the pavilion, Zhu Yu, sitting in front of the zither, remained as noble and beautiful as ever, and smiled softly at her flawless face.

"Would the young master be interested in playing a tune under the moon?"

"Minglan Guqin." Upon seeing the appearance of the guqin on the table, Su Shaochu's eyes lit up.

"Would you allow me to hear what this feeling of complete peace of mind and body is like?"

"Playing for oneself is not as good as listening to others play." Muttering these words, Su Shaochu casually raised an eyebrow and gracefully sat down. "I fear that my shallow abilities are insufficient to satisfy the Third Prince's desire for complete peace of mind and body."

The two maids in the pavilion immediately moved the guqin in front of Su Shaochu.

"Having been personally instructed by the eldest princess, who is skilled in music and dance, how could it be a rudimentary skill?"

"I have heard a lot about the Princess's talent in music and dance, but I have never had the opportunity to ask her for advice."

"Is that so? Since my dear brother is so sure, then so be it." Zhu Yu accepted the wine offered by the maid, smiling but saying nothing more.

The relationship between Su Shaochu and Princess Zhu Qingping is one that can never be officially acknowledged. After all, twenty years ago, the princess's husband's family was involved in treason and was executed. If they acknowledged their teacher-student relationship, it would also be an admission that the Su family had rescued a criminal convicted of treason. No matter how moved the emperor is that his brother survived, the will of the emperor is unpredictable. If the Su family ever loses power, these things will be remembered by those with ulterior motives!

Especially when facing Zhu Yu, the Third Prince who is so unique and beloved by the people, no one understands him better than Su Shaochu. No matter how much they know about each other, without evidence, it can only be a joke on paper, a battle of wits in words.

"The sound of the Minglan zither is melodious and clear. Its body is made of rare trees from a thousand mountains, and its strings are made of ice cicada silk. Now, ice cicadas have long since disappeared, and rare trees are nowhere to be found. This zither is even rarer than a rare treasure." Su Shaochu plucked the strings of the zither, and the tone was warm and lingering, clear and pleasant to the ear. "I, Shaochu, will make a fool of myself and return the Third Prince's kind invitation tonight with a zither piece."

Inside the Butterfly Maple Garden, the sound of the zither rose again, flowing through the long autumn night sky. The zither music was gentle and lingering, with a clear and serene tone, as if cleansing away the dust of the world through the music, making people want to calm down and feel it.

Zhu Yu rested her head on her side, her thoughtful eyes never leaving the zither player before her.

The night breeze stirred Su Shaochu's shoulder-length hair, which was tied up with a crown. Strands of black hair brushed against his handsome face. His eyes were half-closed and focused. The aura emanating from his brows was calm and otherworldly. His graceful and elegant posture and the way he played the zither revealed a delicate softness and... an ethereal quality that could never appear in a man's expression!

His narrowed eyes flashed with a glint of light, followed by a meaningful smile on his lips as he leisurely sipped his wine and listened to the music.

"My dear brother truly possesses superb musical skills. Is it that the instrument has a spirit, responding with its own melody, or is it that the player's emotions imbue the sound, making the music and the strings seem to come alive?"

When the zither strings came to an end, Zhu Yu personally poured him a cup of wine.

"Perhaps we should ask the Third Prince whether the music originated from Minglan or from Shaochu's fingers?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yu laughed loudly. "If you say the sound of the zither is on the zither itself, why doesn't it play when it's in its case? If you say the sound is on the fingers, why can't we hear it on your fingers? Is this your response to my younger brother's love?"

"What Shao Chu wants to understand even more is that the Third Prince's invitation tonight is not just to have Shao Chu play the zither and drink a cup of wine with him!" Su Shao Chu raised his glass in a toast.

"Yes! I just wanted to share a drink with you, my dear brother Shaochu."

"Using such a grand display, even going so far as to intercept someone in the dead of night, just for this one drink?"

Not only did the imperial guards clear the way, but Yan Pingfei, the chief steward of the Three Emperors' Mansion, also took the lead and sent his trusted master Feng Yan to oversee the scene. Such a display was more like escorting Su Shaochu into a sedan chair than inviting him.

"Perhaps it's because my beloved younger brother Shao Chu usually 'intentionally avoids' him, and coupled with my overwhelming longing for him, I have no choice but to ask for help." Zhu Yu smiled and shrugged, speaking as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"I, Su Shaochu, am truly guilty for causing the esteemed Third Prince to suffer such torment of longing for me. Alas! How can I atone for this?" To these words, Su Shaochu not only remained unmoved but also earnestly considered a solution. "Was the self-portrait I gave the Third Prince not realistic enough, failing to soothe his yearning heart?"

"Ah, the portrait is so realistic that I love it so much that it has become my companion before I fall asleep."

"Would you like Shao Chu to provide another one?" Su Shao Chu asked jokingly, pouring himself a glass of wine and raising it to drink, but someone grabbed his wrist!

"Young Master, your existence is indeed a sin, for you cause me considerable annoyance."

"Oh! What's troubling you, Third Prince?" Su Shaochu asked with amusement, meeting Zhu Yu's determined gaze.

Zhu Yu didn't answer, but stared intently at the person in front of her, wondering what the truth was hidden beneath those clear and ethereal eyes.

"The image of my beloved brother can no longer comfort this prince's longing in dreams," Zhu Yu said hastily, clenching his wrist.

"So, what does the Third Prince hope Shao Chu will do?"

Zhu Yu slowly raised his lips, his expression both unpredictable and wicked. He took the wine cup from Su Shaochu's hand, but still did not let go of his wrist.

"I want you, Su Shaochu, in person. How about it?" Zhu Yu smiled enchantingly, then, taking advantage of the lip print Su Shaochu had left on the wine cup, he deliberately drank the wine slowly, as if savoring the taste of the owner of the lip print.

"I appreciate the Third Prince's affection, but unfortunately, I have neither the inclination nor the interest," Su Shaochu said calmly, maintaining his composed smile.

"I have no such inclination!" Zhu Yu's eyes, which were always calm and composed, remained fixed, as he asked pointedly, "Does my beloved brother mean the gender as perceived by the world, or as perceived by this prince?"

Chapter Four

A moment of silence passed between them as they looked at each other. Finally, Su Shaochu said slowly, "A dream is just a dream. Good dreams are always the easiest to wake up from. Perhaps the Third Prince should wake up. Some dreams cannot be chased."

"Not going to defend this prince's problem?" This implies tacit agreement.

"What difference does it make whether the world sees gender as it does, or the Third Prince sees it as it does? Because the Third Prince cannot achieve it, nor can he obtain it!"

"Why?" Zhu Yu gripped his wrist tightly, his sharp eyes fixed on the other person.

"Because the dream you want is called Su, Shao, Chu, but unfortunately, this person has a bad habit: he loves to prevent others from realizing their dreams!" Su Shao Chu raised his eyebrows, his calm smile unchanged, his unhurried tone unchanged, but one could feel the firm provocation in his words.

"Anything in the world, I can make it come true, even if it's just a dream." Zhu Yu stroked Su Shaochu's hand, which was being held. The fingers and palm were long and slender, and the palm was warm and thick. It was not as delicate as a woman's hand, but it was clear that it belonged to a martial artist.

"Then Shao Chu has no choice but to accept this challenge!" Su Shao Chu sighed sadly, then sighed again heavily, "I am very grateful that the Third Prince is so fond of Shao Chu's hands. If possible, please let go, unless the Third Prince wishes for Shao Chu to lose an arm!" Everyone has hands, don't be so fond of him alone!

"That's a good suggestion." Zhu Yu not only didn't let go, but even started to playfully stroke it back and forth, ignoring the other's deeply furrowed brows, and simply replied, "This prince only hopes to keep one thing from you, Su Shaochu, to accompany you, better than a painting."

"This is a joke that Shao Chu can't afford. Once the arm is removed, it's practically a dead thing. If left for too long, well... it'll rot and stink."

"What if I, the prince, wasn't joking!"

Swish, swish, swish—the imperial guards standing by the pavilion all drew their swords as soon as their master finished speaking!

Zhu Yu brought the hand in his palm closer to his lips, deliberately kissing each of Su Shaochu's slender fingers. "This prince has his own medicine to preserve the integrity of this arm."

"The Third Prince's tastes are indeed extraordinary; he is truly no ordinary person, nor does he have an ordinary mind!" Su Shaochu said outwardly without showing any anger, but inwardly he cursed him a thousand times: This utterly monstrous and devilish prince!

"Or perhaps your brother wants to replace it with something else?"

His master's words caused all the imperial guards beside him to sheath their swords.

Zhu Yu's always charming and elegant face blossomed into an even more captivating smile. He moved his hand from his lips to his cheek, caressing and playing with it, refusing to let go.

"I would like to hear the Third Prince's opinion." Hehe, a smile is the best way to remain calm. Even if killing intent is surging and shouting within, it cannot be revealed in one's expression. Otherwise, if things go wrong, one might kick the table and turn on the other, which would be a big problem.

"My dear brother, are you aware of the recent series of misfortunes caused by the Purple Flying Twin Moons?"

"There are hardly any people in the entire capital who don't know this!" To be honest, if the other person kept patting his palm and kissing it so passionately, he was afraid he wouldn't be able to keep up the act anymore!

"Alas! As you know, I have always cherished my younger brother from the Ming Dynasty. Although I am at ease entrusting this case to him, I am afraid that he might make a mistake. If we can have the assistance of the talented and versatile Fourth Young Master Su, I believe we can arrest Zi Fei Shuang Yue quickly."

"Such high expectations are too much for Shao Chu to bear!"

"My dear brother is too modest. Everyone knows that your wit and intelligence make you one of the Crown Prince's most trusted confidants. To be so highly regarded by my elder brother, my dear brother, your talent must be truly exceptional."

"You flatter me, Third Prince. As for this matter..."

"Could it be that my beloved brother has finally decided to cut off one arm? Excellent, I also hope so."

Swish, swish, swish! The imperial guards by the pavilion immediately drew their gleaming longswords once more!

"As the Third Prince said, Shao Chu will assist the Ming brothers in arresting Zi Fei Shuang Yue."

"Sigh!" Zhu Yu finally let go with a look of regret. "For the sake of the people of the capital, and to prevent Zi Fei Shuang Yue from killing people for pleasure again, this prince has no choice but to give up the opportunity to keep my beloved brother by my side."

He sighed with regret for his own lofty and impetuous emotions. The guards by the pavilion also sheathed their swords and stepped back a few paces at their master's wave.

"I'm afraid that even if Zi Fei Shuang Yue is caught, the real murderer will still be at large." Resisting the urge to wash his hands with wine, Su Shao Chu pretended to raise his glass again, but then remembered that the little wine cup had just been taken and drunk from by the Demon Prince Ying.

"My dear brother, you can rest assured. The real murderer has already been caught. It was a bandit stronghold that the government cracked down on a few months ago. The bandit leader had escaped, and when he went to a brothel to drown his sorrows, he encountered several officials who were there to arrest him. A fight broke out, and three government officials died before they finally caught him!"

Three?! Rumors have killed seven government officials!

"It seems this will turn into the Purple Flying Twin Moons Killing, adding several more victims. It must have been the result of the Third Prince's 'deliberate' planning!" The prince in front of us, who is in charge of the safety of the capital and is deeply trusted by the emperor and the crown prince, is truly capable of controlling the rumors and every case in the capital.

"Yes! Young Master Shaochu should know that I am the least fond of abusing my power unless someone provokes me; I will never use my power to oppress others unless they are courting death. I have always considered myself magnanimous and have a heart that can tolerate even the thinnest hair. Apart from being absurd, extravagant, and living a life of debauchery, I prefer to be low-key and not show off. It seems that I really don't have any bad habits."

Zhu Yu flicked his fingers, revealing eight fingers adorned with various gemstones and gold rings. He brushed the red bead on his ear, which was as long as his hair. The moonlight illuminated his incomparably gorgeous and noble attire, as well as his proud and extraordinary face. He was truly an unparalleled handsome, beautiful, and domineering figure!