Asking About Love Songs

Chapter 25

Chapter Six

As night falls, the Jade Pavilion transforms into a world of revelry and music, with exquisite dishes and wines served one after another, and fine wines mingling in the air, creating a lavish and extravagant feast.

Yuqiong Tower is most famous for its lakeside scenery. Chenyue Lake in the back garden is a very large artificial lake. The surrounding landscaping is specially built for the nighttime splendor. Everywhere you look, there are lights and candles. There are several small pavilions on the vast lake, which are reserved for high-ranking officials and wealthy people who spend lavishly.

The yellow pavilion at the front is the "Summit Pavilion". Without a certain status and wealth, one cannot enter the "Summit Pavilion" to watch the performance and listen to music. Each pavilion is connected by a small arched bridge.

On the opposite shore of the lake, some distance away, stands another exquisite pavilion called "Lake Heart Pavilion." Various light gauze curtains are tied to the pillars of the pavilion, and there is an extended platform in front for the dancers to perform. This is an independent pavilion, and those who wish to enter the pavilion can only cross the lake by small boat. However, to this day, no guest has been able to enter the pavilion. Only those recognized by the famous courtesan Yu Ziyan can enter the pavilion.

"Brother Mingchao, now that you're here, relax and enjoy yourself! Look at you, even drinking a cup of wine you're so stiff." Zhu Yu, sitting leisurely in the uppermost pavilion, earnestly urged Lu Mingchao to drink.

"Third Prince, I dare not trouble you. I can do it myself." Lu Mingchao gave a dry laugh as Zhu Yu kept pouring him wine, urging him to drink one cup after another.

"Yay! It's a rare treat to share this beautiful night with my beloved Ming Dynasty brother. Of course, this prince should do his best to be a good host." Hehe.

"Let me get the cup myself." Lu Mingchao awkwardly pushed away the Third Prince, who was already holding the cup to his lips and insisted on feeding him cup after cup, drawing sidelong glances from the people in the next pavilion!

The Third Prince, Zhu Yu, was the other person he couldn't handle the most, besides his own wife, Yan Shanshan.

"Young Master Ming, you've really changed, especially since you got married. You've kept me, the prince, at all times. It's heartbreaking for those who have taken care of you!" Zhu Yu sighed like an old man, his fingers adorned with dazzling gems resting on his temples as if he were heartbroken.

"How adorable you were when you were little! How happy we were when you were alone with my parents at my Third Prince's Mansion. Even a diaper had to be trimmed with gold before I would let you use it; I personally fed you every bite of food, even the spoon was made of the finest jade; I rocked you around all day. Back then, if you couldn't see me, you would cry for half a day. Now, alas! Now that you're all grown up, you won't even give me, your 'old man's favor,' a cup of wine."

As Zhu Yu deliberately raised his voice and sighed, Lu Mingchao looked around and saw that he was being stared at by people who seemed to be criticizing him for being so ungrateful and ungrateful to receive the care of the Third Prince, who was of such high power and status!

"Third Prince, I don't want to drink right now." People have their own opinions, and since he was going to stay here tonight anyway, I decided to put on a stern face and show that I wouldn't dance with him!

"I don't want to drink it! Tsk tsk, I almost forgot, my little brother Mingchao can be a bit spoiled and willful sometimes!" Zhu Yu put on an even more amiable smile and cupped Lu Mingchao's face in his hands. "Come, come, look at me, Your Highness. Do you remember the 'Ten-Ingredient Nourishing Blood-Strengthening Herbal Tea' that Wuyou and Wuchou specially prepared for you?"

Lu Mingchao's eyes widened in shock as he remembered the reason for that terrifying thing!

"That martial artist's blood?!" Lu Mingchao, who was always extremely sensitive to the smell of blood, immediately gasped in shock!

"My little brother from the Ming Dynasty has a truly good memory. It's a fine product extracted from human blood and precious medicinal herbs, and I've still kept it for you!"

People have personalities, but they just need to meet Zhu Yu. No matter how individualistic they are, they won't be able to show it!

"If you're interested, I'll send someone back to the manor to have Wuyou and Wuchou bring it over. Tonight, we'll have a banquet in this brothel. It's inconvenient to bring those two little maids along, as they've already thrown a tantrum. But now, they'll definitely be happy to drink with you."

Zhu Yu smiled radiantly, extremely pleased, and patted Lu Mingchao's stiff shoulders and back.

"Young man from the Ming Dynasty, your body is too stiff. Come on, drink some wine to improve your circulation."

The small glass, filled with wine, was brought to Lu Mingchao's lips, urging him to open his mouth.

"Martial artists value integrity. I will drink this cup of wine myself tomorrow. Thank you, Third Prince." There are some principles that Lu Mingchao will not yield to. He insisted on taking the wine from Zhu Yu's hand and drinking it down.

"Sigh! I asked you to have a drink with me, not to be physically intimate with me. Look at you, you drink like you're taking drugs to kill yourself. No wonder your beautiful and intelligent wife always complains that you're a boring jerk who lacks romance. Be careful, or your wife might leave you one day."

These words struck Lu Mingchao like a blow, and his facial features immediately contorted in distress. His nervousness and seriousness towards Yan Shanshan had always been something she couldn't stand.

"Wow~~ With that physique and that pitiful look, Ming Dynasty's little brother is someone you can never get tired of playing with!" Zhu Yu laughed.

Anger surged to his heart; he was annoyed, but he couldn't let it out, otherwise he would be playing into Zhu Yu's hands. So he could only desperately drink to relieve his boredom!

Glancing at the shadow standing silently behind Zhu Yu, always guarding him, Lu Mingchao sometimes wondered how the aloof and unsmiling Feng Yan could tolerate his master's frivolous and dissolute manner!

"Those people from the Eastern Regions, especially those from the Central Plains, seem to have extraordinary backgrounds."

Lu Mingchao noticed that in another pavilion a few steps away, the lights around the pavilion were decorated with different styles and were quite dazzling.

There were so many girls accompanying people for drinks and entertainment that this pavilion stood out. Inside the pavilion were a group of people dressed in foreign clothes, and a few of them had a particularly sinister aura and expression.

"That's why we've specially arranged a banquet at Yuqiong Tower, so everyone can meet and make friends. Later, we'll have someone take them to each pavilion to offer a round of toasts. I'm sure everyone will make new friends soon!" Zhu Yu gave him a flirtatious wink.

Having understood Zhu Yu's implication, Lu Mingchao smiled knowingly. Within the Eastern Region, the Demonic Sect was rampant, and its methods and actions were mostly ruthless and vicious. They were fond of witchcraft and poison, and even their martial arts were unpredictable and sinister. Righteous people did not like to get too close to them.

Although we do not know their intentions in coming to the Central Plains, since they are visiting the Central Plains together with envoys from the Eastern Regions, we should hold a lavish banquet, the more extravagant the better.

Tonight's banquet at Yuqiong Tower is familiar to everyone, from wealthy merchants and officials to all sorts of people from brothels. These new faces are well-known. Whatever they want to do, they have to keep a low profile. Even if any witchcraft or poisoning incidents occur in the capital while they are there, they will inevitably be suspected and may even have to help prove their innocence.

"The Third Prince is indeed wise and insightful in his words and actions." Lu Mingchao was deeply impressed by this.

"Oh~~ Your eyes are revealing your true feelings. If you admire me so much, then you'd be happy to grant me a small wish." Zhu Yu took the opportunity to pat him on the shoulder and lean closer.

"What is your wish?"

"Oh! What's your wish? Hehehehe~~"

With his elegant and handsome face, he burst into loud laughter as soon as he opened his mouth, as if he had hooked him, making Lu Mingchao's heart, which had been relieved, jump up again.

"Your strong and powerful physique, your fragile and vulnerable inner self, and the sensitive expression beneath your steady eyes—it's all a kind of repressed beauty that's a paradox. I love it so much. I really want to get you drunk until you're unconscious, and then I can savor this repressed beauty of your body all by myself, slowly touching every part of you, feeling the power of your muscles. That's my only little wish for you, my little brother Mingchao."

Zhu Yu rested her elbow on his shoulder, personally brought him a glass of wine, and breathed her laughter on his face, as if waiting for his answer!

A kind of solidified lump began to spread from the first breath Zhu Yu blew on Lu Mingchao's face, until the frozen lump covered his entire body, making him as stiff as ice!

"Oh my, little brother Mingchao is such a simple and easy-to-understand person!" Zhu Yu stretched out a finger and poked the stiff face, as if he could see it beginning to crack and peel. Zhu Yu watched with amusement, then simply drank the wine he was about to hand him, and didn't forget to poke it again. He saw the man tremble all over and Zhu Yu laughed heartily.

"Third Prince—" Lu Mingchao shook his head, about to explode!

"Hey, Tsunade's performance is starting, watch quietly." He immediately raised his index finger to signal for silence, interrupting his impending rage.

When the lights of the "Lake Pavilion" across the way were lit, the previously boisterous atmosphere of revelry, loud laughter, and chattering suddenly fell silent.

A gentle breeze stirs the colorful gauze and brocade hanging around the pavilion in the middle of the lake. The lights reflect on the water, creating a scene like a brocade spread out. The stars in the sky are reflected in the lake, and wisps of smoke rise from the shore. It seems like an unreal, beautiful dreamscape, yet you are truly immersed in it.

A graceful figure could be seen through the draped veil, sitting upright in front of the zither stand. Her face, covered by a veil, appeared even more mysterious and enigmatic amidst the rising smoke.

Two small boats, each carrying four people, drifted toward the "Lake Pavilion." Each person carried a musical instrument and stepped onto the platform extending in front of the pavilion.

"Miss Ziyan always makes you feel like you're inside the pavilion without even realizing it."

Just moments before, no one was in the pavilion, but as soon as the lights came on, that graceful figure appeared sitting inside.

The wealthy businessmen, who had visited several times before, lowered their heads and whispered among themselves.

Zhu Yu narrowed her eyes slightly. Yu Ziyan, interesting.

The musicians, who had already taken their seats on the platform, began to play the melodies of the pipa, sheng, and flute, interspersed with the intermittent sounds of the drums, one after another, clear and steady, as if grasping a undulating rhythm in the pleasant melody, making the paused banquet start again.

Then a clear and gentle voice emanated from inside the pavilion, like a rising melody flowing smoothly over Chenyue Lake. The voice was not loud, but elegant and surrounded each pavilion.

"Thank you for your presence tonight, distinguished guests. Now that you have come to Yuqiong Tower, I hope you can escape the troubles of the world and return home without worries."

As the wind rises and the veil flutters, a beautiful woman in the pavilion can be seen gliding her slender fingers across the zither, testing the strings and its timbre. The woman, seemingly so close, makes one want to gaze upon her intently, but the veil is drawn back down, leaving her with an air of mystery and a distant distance.

Before long, the sound of the zither rose again, its tone like a clear and elegant melody cascading from the sky, melodious and lingering, its rhythm like a gentle stream, flowing slowly and gracefully.

"This kind of phonology..."

Zhu Yu, inside the uppermost pavilion, frowned slightly. A scene flashed through his mind: the moonlit night a few days ago, his long hair, tied up to his shoulders, strands of black hair brushing against his handsome face, his graceful figure exuding an ethereal charm...

"Young man's love for his younger brother?!"

Zhu Yuyou's eyes narrowed as he listened. He rested his head on his hand, a slight smile playing on his lips, a mixture of admiration and contemplation.

"My ears are delighted by the first strains of the zither, and my heart is free of worldly cares as I am half-drunk with wine. If I could also find solace in Qi Qi's company, I would speak of four joys, not three."

The gentle, elegant melody flowed smoothly through the moonlit sky once again, accompanied by the zither music.

When the veil hanging above the pavilion in the middle of the lake was lifted, everyone gasped in surprise, because Yu Ziyan, who rarely left the pavilion, had actually stepped out of it tonight.

A graceful figure, draped in light purple and misty yellow gauze, appeared holding a pipa. Instantly, the lights along the Water Moon Lake shone brightly, making her ethereal figure appear even more dreamlike and ethereal.

The platform on the lake in front of the pavilion is covered with a pale purple veil of the same color, embroidered with pale yellow cloud patterns. In the moonlight and shimmering water, it stands out so much that it is hard to look away.

As the beautiful figure bowed slightly to the crowd, she slowly raised one arm, her flowing sleeves revealing her slender, fair wrist. At that moment, the sound of a zither came from behind her, and she began to dance. The sheng, flute, and xiao also played in unison.

Her nimble and graceful figure is like a blend of passion and cold beauty. Her sleeves flutter like butterfly wings. In the swirling of purple and yellow gauze, her figure is like a dream. The ribbon of color that she suddenly turns around is not delicate but exudes a heroic spirit like a sword!

The alluring beauty, both strong and gentle, the interplay of light and shadow, made everyone present feel as if they had forgotten to breathe, their eyes only able to see the unreal, ethereal platform on the lake.

As the melody slowed, the dancing figures stopped, and the misty yellow veil unfurled like a sudden burst of light. All the music in the pavilion also ceased, and only the melodious sound of the pipa could be heard, its clear and high notes resounding through the moonlit sky.

The reeds are green and lush, and the white dew has turned to frost.

Playing the pipa in her hands, she moved lightly with lotus-like steps amidst the purple smoke, slowly descending the stone steps of the pavilion.

The one I long for is on the other side of the water.

Dressed in flowing robes, her skirt billowing in the wind, she stood before the waterlogged stone steps, her presence evoking a sense of poetic beauty.

Going upstream to follow it, the road is difficult and long.

With graceful movements, she leaps across the lake, carrying her zither, her skirts and robes fluttering, like a celestial being gracefully gliding across the water, her feet landing on a small rock in the center of the lake.

I followed the stream upstream, and it seemed to be right in the middle of the water.

Amidst the hazy smoke, an elegant and graceful figure unfolds a captivating and enchanting beauty, like a dream.

Gazing at the graceful figure standing on the water, everyone held their breath, even Zhu Yu was completely absorbed in the music and dance.

"The words and phrases are perfectly matched, and the people are like immortals. What a wonderful performance! The music is like poetry, and the dance is like a dream." Even Zhu Yu, who had seen all kinds of songs and dances, couldn't help but sigh.

As she took flight once more, layers of misty yellow and pale purple gauze enveloped the airborne dancer, until the yellow and purple satin ribbons unfurled in layers, scattering countless colorful fragments of glitter that created a dazzling spectacle in the night sky.

Amidst the gasps of amazement, when the glitter and satin colors faded, what followed was a flurry of red and white satin, swirling and dancing in a vortex, seemingly carrying a dazzling brilliance that took everyone's breath away. Feng Yan, who had been standing silently a few steps away from his master, raised his brows in a fierce expression.

Just as everyone was expecting to see Yu Ziyan gracefully descend, suddenly, from within the red and white double satin, a swirling figure, carrying a fierce momentum, pounced towards them, its gleaming longsword aimed straight at Zhu Yu inside the "Supreme Pavilion"!

Chapter Seven

"There's an assassin—"

Lu Mingchao, who was standing next to Zhu Yu, immediately protected Zhu Yu. As he shouted, Feng Yan had already leaped out like lightning, his cold sword light cutting through the approaching aura!

"Purple Flying Twin Moons?!" Yan Pingfei, who rushed over upon hearing the commotion, exclaimed in surprise upon seeing the assassin!

Dressed in pale purple with her face veiled and her arms wrapped in red and white satin, she could dance and create a moonlit glow that changed color, making people feel as if they were trapped in a nightmare!