Gongzi Yi said, "She is my sister."
Young Master Xiu said, "I know who she is."
Gongzi Yi's gaze suddenly darkened; he had already discerned the unspoken meaning in Gongzi Xiu's words.
Li She suddenly spoke up: "Who is she?"
Gongzi Yi replied in surprise, "My sister? Brother Li, are you drunk?"
Li She was speechless...
****
Liu Yu whispered to Gongzi Qi beside her, "I never expected that Duoduo would have so many wonderful ideas." Liu Yu's voice was a little hoarse, as if her throat was still not fully recovered.
Gongzi Qi said, "She has always been mischievous and willful, and has been spoiled too much at home."
Liu Yu smiled and said, "Little Duoduo is innocent and adorable."
Gongzi Qi smiled and thought to himself that it was really strange to use the word "naive and innocent" to describe Hua Wuduo.
****
Already drunk, Gongzi Yu grabbed Gongzi Kuang's hand and mumbled incoherently, "I think I saw Hua Wuduo. Did you see him?"
Gongzi Kuang disgustedly shook off Gongzi Yu's hand and said, "I didn't see it."
Gongzi Yu turned around and grabbed Gongzi Ziyang's arm again, saying, "I think I saw Yi wet his pants, did you see it?"
Gongzi Ziyang almost spat out the wine he had just drunk. He was about to say that Gongzi Yu was drunk when he saw that Gongzi Yu had already collapsed on the table unconscious.
Among the group, Gongzi Yu had the worst drinking capacity and behavior when drunk. He was usually the first to get drunk, and the one who liked to talk nonsense when drunk. Therefore, those who knew Gongzi Yu well didn't take his drunken ramblings seriously.
******
Young Master Xun said to Young Master Zheng, "The more I look at Yi's sister, the more I like her..."
Upon hearing this, Gongzi Zheng advised, "Xiu has already made it clear that he has taken action, so give up."
Young Master Xun sighed, "Alas, I wouldn't give way to anyone else, but since it's Xiu... I'll give way."
Young Master Zheng said dismissively, "That sounds nice, like you gave it to Xiu, but actually you just couldn't win against Xiu."
Gongzi Xun said with considerable dissatisfaction, "Zheng, no matter what, I am the fourth most handsome man in our academy after Qi, Xiu, and Yi! How can you say that about me!"
Gongzi Zheng: "..."
A long ribbon dances, and the young master is intoxicated.
As Liu Jinqin's music began, Hua Wuduo began to dance.
Liu Jin's zither music gradually transformed from a gentle babbling brook into a mighty river that converged with hundreds of streams, until it surged and roared for thousands of miles... and became unstoppable.
Hua Wuduo's long ribbons fluttered and spun with her dance, the speed at which they were thrown increased rapidly until, in the end, it was almost dazzling, making it impossible to distinguish between the ribbons and her.
The soft, long silk seemed to come alive in her hands, the speed and force of its strikes on the table perfectly synchronized with the piano music. This was something no dancer could do; Liu Yu was completely stunned.
Gongzi Yi was genuinely surprised that Hua Wuduo could dance. As far as he knew, Hua Wuduo didn't seem to have any other talents besides eating, drinking, sleeping, and scheming to frame people. Martial arts, on the other hand, wasn't something a woman should know. He never expected her to be able to dance! It was truly rare… Unfortunately, before Gongzi Yi could even marvel at it, Hua Wuduo pettily banged on the table countless times. He didn't know how many cups of wine he had drunk, but Gongzi Yi's gaze became slightly hazy. He was drunk, truly drunk this time. He couldn't remember how long it had been since he'd been drunk. He remembered when he was eight years old, he stole wine from a tavern and nearly got pushed into a pond and killed on his way home drunk. Because he nearly drowned while drunk and also harmed his wet nurse, he vowed from that moment on to never get drunk. Ten years have passed and he has succeeded. No matter how much he drinks, he has never been truly drunk. But today he is drunk. Looking at the dreamlike woman in the hall, Gongzi Yi suddenly realized something. He slumped onto the table and, in a corner where no one could see him, raised the corners of his mouth in a mocking manner.
No one in the hall had expected that this game, which they hadn't paid much attention to and was merely a spur-of-the-moment thing, would become so exciting. All they knew was that whoever's table the long ribbon struck had to drink! No one cared how much wine was drunk; they only cared about whose table the beautiful woman's ribbon landed on, watching that person down the entire cup in one gulp, then watching the beautiful woman spin the ribbon and send it flying to strike another person's table, watching that person drink heartily. The ribbon struck the table with a loud thud, as if striking their own hearts, causing their hearts to pound with excitement. As the striking speed increased and the intensity grew, an inexplicable excitement became uncontrollable, their blood boiling, as if they would gladly drink themselves to death in such a spectacle.
It was because of this dance that Wu Duoduo became famous overnight.
Because of this dance, for the first time in his life, Gongzi Qi felt that the two thousand taels of silver that Gongzi Yi spent were especially worthwhile! He had overheard the entire bargaining between Hua Wuduo and Gongzi Yi.
Because of this dance, Princess Liu Yu's carefully applied makeup, which she had spent an entire day putting on, seemed to lose its luster.
Because of this dance, there are not many people left in the hall who are fully conscious.
From then on, for many years, this drinking game remained popular in the court. At banquets, whoever's table was struck by the dancer's long ribbon had to drink.
But ever since, no dancer has been able to perform such a fast and breathtaking dance.
Years later, when a new emperor ascended the throne, he strictly forbade such drinking dances from ever again. There was even an unwritten rule in the palace that dancers were not allowed to use long ribbons to dance at banquets.
Thus, this drinking dance gradually declined and eventually disappeared.
In truth, Hua Wuduo's dance wasn't entirely dance; it incorporated martial arts elements. Hua Wuduo was skilled with soft weapons, and the ten golden rings she used were similar to long silk ribbons. Therefore, manipulating these ribbons was effortless for her. The aerial dance moves were simply those she had observed performed by other dancers in recent days. Having studied martial arts for many years, Hua Wuduo possessed a rapid memory for any movement. Furthermore, her exceptional lightness skill allowed her to execute each movement with masterful precision. While she might not rival the delicate grace of other dancers, in terms of flamboyant and unrestrained power—the ability to move the ribbons at will—no dancer could match her.
When Song Zixing entered the main hall, this was the scene he witnessed. No one in the hall had noticed his arrival, and the servants' announcements were no longer effective. The Prince of Jin was busy checking who had been hit on the table and whether they had drunk any wine, repeatedly slamming his fist on the table and shouting, "Good! Refreshing! Good! So refreshing, so refreshing!"
In Song Zixing's eyes, everyone in the hall had gone mad, but when he saw that the person dancing in the hall was actually Hua Wudu, he was stunned.
The figures dancing in the arena were dazzling. When the long ribbons were thrown out, they hit the table with a thud, making a sound like a heartbeat. Together with Liu Jin's zither music, sometimes it was like ten thousand horses galloping, soaring with great passion! At other times it was like white clouds emerging from glaze, graceful as a startled swan.
Song Zixing stood at the entrance of the main hall, watching the woman's figure in the room, his gaze never leaving her.
The steward of the Prince of Jin's residence quietly retreated from the upper floor, looking slightly embarrassed. He had just gone to inform the Prince of Jin, but the Prince of Jin didn't listen to him at all and even pushed him aside because he was in the way. He was wondering how to answer General Song Zixing when he saw Song Zixing smile as if he didn't care and turn his head to whisper a few instructions to him. The steward immediately nodded and went to make the arrangements.
Before long, Song Zixing was seated between Hua Wuduo and Gongzi Xiu.
Logically, Song Zixing should have sat between Princess Liu Yu and Prince Qi, while Hua Wuduo should have sat between Prince Yi and Li She. However, upon entering the main hall today, Hua Wuduo sat between Prince Yi and Prince Xiu. When Prince Yi asked her why she sat there, Hua Wuduo's excuse was that it was convenient for picking up food... Prince Yi couldn't find a reason to refute her, so he had no choice but to let her be. This was because in their eyes, all rules and etiquette were worthless; anyone who dared to lecture the other would be ridiculed. It was remarkable that they were so remarkably in sync on this point.
Just as Song Zixing sat down, before he was even fully settled, he heard a loud bang as one end of a long ribbon struck the table in front of him. He was slightly startled, then heard the Prince of Jin shout, "General Song, drink! Drink!" Song Zixing raised his cup and drank it down in one gulp, then struck the table again. He suddenly smiled, and drank another cup, struck the table again, and drank another cup, repeating this over and over without the slightest fear.
Hua Wuduo's figure twirled and danced lightly in the hall. Her long ribbons sometimes dispersed like clouds and mist, and sometimes soared like birds spreading their wings, dazzling the eyes. Even so, Song Zixing could still clearly see the smug look in Hua Wuduo's eyes. Song Zixing smiled, his fingertips intentionally or unintentionally tracing his lips.
Song Zixing's actions reminded Hua Wuduo of the incident where she was bitten earlier that day, and her gaze changed. She refused to believe that she couldn't drink him to death!
Gongzi Xiu's gaze had already turned to Song Zixing.
At this moment, Gongzi Yi, who had been slumped over the table, suddenly sat up. He turned his head and saw Song Zixing. He opened his mouth, revealing a mouthful of white teeth, smiled, and moved to sit where Hua Wuduo had been sitting. While Song Zixing was drinking, Gongzi Yi patted Song Zixing on the back and, reeking of alcohol, cheered, "Brother Song, well done! Brother Song, you have a great capacity for alcohol!"
Li She could hear the thumping sound of Gongzi Yi's clapping even from a seat away.
Just then, another person walked into the main hall. He was dressed in dark green clothes and had an outstanding temperament. At first glance, one could tell that he was a dashing and dignified man who was no ordinary person.
Hua Wuduo was the first to spot the person. Suddenly realizing something, she stopped dancing and looked at the person curiously.
An excited Prince Jin immediately asked, "Why did Duoduo stop?" But when he followed Hua Wuduo's gaze to the person at the door, he suddenly stood up. At this moment, the green-robed young man stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Tang Feng and Tang Ye of the Tang Clan of Sichuan pay their respects to Prince Jin."
This person mentioned two names in one sentence, but he was only one person. Just as everyone was wondering, another person walked in through the door. Hua Wuduo immediately noticed the peony-red bib kite that the person was carrying...
He is Tang Ye!?
In an instant, all eyes, whether sober, half-sober, somewhat sober, or those jolted awake by the name, were focused on the young man behind the green-clad gentleman.
Poison King Tang Ye!
Rumor has it that anyone within three steps of him will be suffocated by the poisonous gas emanating from his body!
At this moment, the drunken and unconscious Gongzi Yu seemed to hear a name in his dream and was suddenly startled awake. Opening his eyes, he found himself surrounded by people, but eerily quiet. Everyone in the large space seemed petrified, staring in one direction. He followed suit. Huh? How did Gongzi Yi's sister, Wu Duoduo, end up in the main hall? Hmm? This green-robed young man... I feel like I've seen him somewhere before… His dazed gaze shifted to the young man behind the green-robed young man. He was stunned. Who was this young man? So strange.
The boy had pale purple lips and a pale face. He wore a black robe with a purple belt, and his black hair was adorned with a golden crown, tied with silver threads that cascaded down his back, giving him an eerie yet striking appearance. His eyes were emotionless and devoid of desire, as black as night. He stood in the hall, holding a red paper kite, and his gaze swept over everyone present until it stopped at Song Zixing.
Upon closer inspection, Gongzi Yu realized that the boy was carrying a paper kite made from a red bib! Wasn't this the same red bib with peonies that Song Zixing had flown? Gongzi Yu suddenly remembered. Could this person be looking for Song Zixing? Could he really want to marry Song Zixing? Gongzi Yu wondered, becoming even more curious about who this person was, but in this tense and strange situation, he dared not ask.
At this moment, the steward of the Prince's mansion invited the two young masters to take their seats.
There were two empty seats next to Gongzi Zheng, whose heart had been pounding ever since he saw Tang Ye appear.
Tang Feng and Tang Ye sat down. The person closest to Tang Ye, and also the most unfortunate, was indeed Gongzi Zheng. Just as the others secretly breathed a sigh of relief, Gongzi Zheng barely managed to restrain himself from getting up and running away.
Before Tang Feng could even sit down properly, he subconsciously moved his stool further away. When Gongzi Zheng saw this, he quickly followed suit and moved his stool as well. Next to Gongzi Zheng was Gongzi Xun, who also moved his stool. Next to Gongzi Xun was Gongzi Kuang, who also moved his stool. Next to Gongzi Kuang was Gongzi Yu, and next to Gongzi Yu was Gongzi Ziyang. And so on, everyone moved their stools, and the hall was filled with the sound of stools being moved.
Hua Wuduo stood in the center of the hall, staring at Tang Ye. He found it amusing that there was no one within three steps of Tang Ye.
Prince Jin turned his gaze to Liu Jin, and the heir Liu Jin immediately stepped forward, raised his cup, and said with a smile: "It is a great honor for my father and me to have the two young masters from the Tang Clan of Sichuan grace our palace with our presence today. I would like to offer a toast to the two young masters first."
Seeing this, Hua Wuduo knew she should leave, so she bowed to the Prince of Jin on the upper seat and prepared to return to her own place. She saw that Gongzi Yi had taken her original seat, which suited her perfectly; she didn't want to sit next to Song Zixing and dislike him. Before Hua Wuduo could return to her seat, someone said, "Stop."
Hua Wuduo was startled upon hearing this, but still calmly turned around and saw that it was indeed Tang Ye who spoke.
Prince Liu Jin still held his wine cup, while Tang Feng's smile froze on his face. All eyes turned to Hua Wuduo and Tang Ye. Hua Wuduo calmly turned to face Tang Ye, gave a slight bow, and said, "Young Master Tang, is there anything I can help you with?"
Tang Ye placed the peony-red bib kite on the table, pushed it forward, and said, "Here you go."
If Tang Ye had said, "Here you go," many people would have mistakenly thought that Tang Ye admired Hua Wuduo, but the token of their love he gave was really not flattering.
However, Tang Ye said "I'll return it to you," clearly adding the word "return," which inevitably sparked much speculation. Everyone had the same question: how did Tang Ye know that the undergarment belonged to Wu Duoduo? One thing was certain: Tang Ye had seen Wu Duoduo's undergarment! How did he see it? When did he see it? How did he see it? It truly aroused immense curiosity.
But how could Song Zixing have turned Wu Duoduo's bib into a kite? Could it be that Song Zixing stole Wu Duoduo's bib...?
Apart from Song Zixing, whose brows were furrowed, everyone else present was extremely surprised and considered all sorts of possibilities.
The young men looked at each other, winking, pursing their lips, their smiles all carrying a hint of lewdness.
The officials looked at each other, some sighing, some sneering, some shaking their heads, and some waiting to see the joke.
Hua Wuduo stared blankly at the undergarment in front of her. She truly had never imagined that Tang Ye would do such a thing in front of everyone. Even the usually eloquent, self-proclaimed brilliant, and fearless Hua Wuduo was stunned. For the first time, she deeply understood what it meant to play with fire and get burned!
At this point, she had three choices: 1. Take it; 2. Pretend to be naive; 3. Run away.
By doing so, Wu Duoduo's lifelong reputation was completely ruined. She indirectly hurt the girl who would blush slightly when she smiled. She couldn't do that; after all, she was Yi and Qi's sister.
If she pretends to be stupid, Tang Ye must have already recognized her, otherwise he wouldn't have been so certain. If she pretends to be stupid, it might backfire and cause Tang Ye to say something he shouldn't, putting her in a dilemma and making the consequences even more difficult to handle.
Fleeing might be a good option for her at this moment, but unfortunately, her momentary daze has caused her to miss the opportunity. Now, leaving would be an admission of guilt and would leave her open to gossip.
Just then, two male voices suddenly rang out at the same time: "That's mine!"
Whose is it? Liu Jin's wine glass, still in his hand, trembled slightly. He thought to himself: Men carry that stuff too…
And not just one, but two!
The two who spoke at the same time exchanged a glance; one was Gongzi Yi, and the other was Song Zixing. All eyes turned to these two. If Song Zixing claimed it was his, it was somewhat understandable, since he was the one who flew the kite. Although many people ridiculed him behind his back, out of consideration for the Song family, they had to give him some face to his face. But Gongzi Yi…
If at this moment, Gongzi Yi were to say, "She and I are siblings, and we share the same undergarment, do you all have any objections?" Everyone would be speechless with surprise, after all, what wouldn't the unrestrained Gongzi Yi do?
Gongzi Qi sighed softly.
Li She, who was watching from the sidelines, noticed that Gongzi Xiu, who had suddenly stood up at almost the same time, had now secretly sat down again, and he couldn't help but think about something.
Liu Yu looked at Gongzi Yi with a complicated expression, revealing a hint of confusion.
Liu Jin finally put down his wine cup, looked at Gongzi Yi, and asked, "Brother Yi, what do you mean by that?" Liu Jin deliberately didn't ask Song Zixing, after all, there was ample evidence that Song Zixing had flown a paper kite in the street that hit a man. He really didn't dare to ask easily.
Young Master Yi leaned against the table, ignoring the astonished stares of everyone present, and chuckled, his eyes still blurry with drunkenness, "Ahem, this undergarment was given to me by Du Qianqian when I went to Yanshan Pavilion the day before yesterday. I've kept it on me ever since, but I never imagined it would fall off at some point, and Young Master Ye would pick it up. Haha, ha..."
Before the second "ha" could be uttered, Song Zixing interjected, "That is indeed Du Qianqian's bellyband, but Du Qianqian also gave me the same one today."
Upon hearing this, Gongzi Yi quickly shut his mouth, patted Song Zixing's shoulder, and laughed loudly, "So that's how it is! I was wondering why the undergarment looked so familiar. I thought it was my own, but I forgot that Brother Song also wore it this afternoon." Gongzi Yi's words had a hidden meaning, and anyone could tell that he was referring to Song Zixing flying a kite in the street this afternoon.