Princess Xiangsi - Chapter 14
"Miss...Miss..." She waved her hands in front of Qingyun's eyes. Seeing that she had come to her senses, she smiled and said, "Miss must think my silver eyes are strange! Many people are stunned like you when they see them for the first time!"
"Silver eyes are indeed rare in Fengxi. Most people in Fengxi have black or brown eyes." Looking at the silver eyes, she recalled the silver eyes that had appeared in her mind that night. But she could tell with certainty that the two pairs of silver eyes were different. The silver eyes in her mind had an inhuman quality that the silver eyes in front of her did not possess.
She gave her a quick tug, and a ridiculous question flashed through Qingyun's mind. What kind of expression would Situ Xingyun have if he found out about such a beautiful girl?
The question had barely crossed her mind when Qingyun bit her lip slightly. Why did she suddenly think of him?
"May I ask your name, young lady?" Composing herself, Qingyun decided to drop the subject. She smiled slightly and asked the girl beside her.
Just as she was about to answer, a large, rough hand suddenly slapped her buttocks, then slowly moved upwards. Her body trembled, and a scream escaped her lips.
"Ah! You lecherous scoundrel!"
The lively chatter ceased with her scream, and all eyes turned to two patches of green in the corner.
"A lecher?!" The owner of the large, rough hand sneered disdainfully. "A prostitute dares to call me a lecher? Humph!"
"A prostitute?!" Everyone was stunned. Upon closer inspection, someone exclaimed when they saw those bright, sparkling silver eyes, "It's Miss Shuangdie!"
Everyone gasped, their breath catching in their throats.
The top courtesan at the Drunken Flower Pavilion—Shuangdie Girl.
Volume One: Folk Tales of a Woman Named Qingyun Shuangdie (Second Volume)
When the woman named Shuangdie heard the man's disdainful words, her eyes dimmed, and she couldn't utter a single word in rebuttal. Seeing her like this, the man became even more audacious, pinching her buttocks hard while saying, "The Shuangdie girl in the Drunken Flower Pavilion is nothing special. Her lips have been tasted by thousands. Today, I, this great man, will also try the taste of the number one courtesan of Fengxi."
Having said that, his gaping maw was about to press down on her small, red lips.
However, no one present offered any assistance, as if such things were commonplace. After glancing at the man, the uproar resumed.
Suddenly, Qingyun pulled Shuangdie aside, dodging the gaping maw of blood. With a spin, she created distance between them. She glanced at the lecherous man, her brows furrowing slightly. "This is a celebration gathering; please do not disturb everyone's enjoyment."
Seeing the prize slip away and being humiliated by a woman, the man was enraged and said, "Birds of a feather flock together when they're with prostitutes. She must be one of the courtesans from the Drunken Flower Pavilion."
Ignoring his harsh words, Qingyun said calmly, "Women in brothels are human beings too."
"Hmph! This is the funniest thing I've ever heard. Prostitutes are human? Haha! Prostitutes are nothing more than tools for men to satisfy their lust; they can't be called human." His eyes were full of contempt.
The two butterflies behind Qingyun turned pale and then red, their heads hanging low.
Qingyun laughed loudly: "You're worse than an animal! You have no right to discuss this issue."
"You!" The man clenched his fist and said angrily, "How dare you call me worse than a beast! You..." A fist suddenly rushed towards Qingyun.
Qingyun pulled Shuangdie aside and dodged, her fist missing its mark and landing heavily on the wooden board, instantly turning her fist bright red.
Just as the fist was about to strike again, Qingyun embraced Shuangdie, lightly leaped, and jumped to the highest point of the boat, shouting loudly, "None of you here are helping! Don't the heroes of Fengxi have the spirit of helping those in need? Are you just going to let this lecherous man ruin such a beautiful girl? Does she deserve to be ruined just because she's a courtesan?!" Qingyun's voice grew louder and louder. Although she was not particularly beautiful, her bright eyes made people afraid to look directly at her.
Qingyun looked down at everyone from her high vantage point, exuding an innate air of nobility.
Shuangdie stared blankly at the girl beside her.
From the first moment she saw her, she felt that this girl was different from everyone else, extraordinary indeed. That's why she abandoned her maid and the guards assigned to her by the nanny, and secretly ran from her small boat into this boat to see this girl. She had indescribable feelings for this girl.
There was both envy and a strange sense of resentment.
Qingyun's decision to stand up for her stemmed not only from her indignation but also from a strange sense of guilt. It would be such a waste to see such a beautiful person ruined.
The man at the lower position suddenly spoke up: "Give me your name! Do you know who I am, you woman? I am the son of Minister Li, and I can have any woman I want!"
Everyone fell silent.
That's precisely why they dared not interfere; Minister Li was a favorite of the current emperor. They'd heard he'd recently rendered a great service! Moreover, Minister Li was known for being a favorite son. Therefore, even if someone harbored resentment, who would dare offend him?
Seeing that no one present dared to keep quiet, he looked smugly at Qingyun and Shuangdie.
"Ha! Hahaha!" Qingyun laughed loudly, "He's just the son of a minister, yet he dares to be so presumptuous! Do you even know where Prince Pingyan was last month?"
He didn't understand why she would suddenly bring up Prince Pingyan, but he still looked arrogant.
"Drunken...Drunken Brothel," someone in the crowd answered.
"Where is Zuihualou?" Qingyun looked closely at the person who had just answered.
"At...Miss Shuangdie's place." The person who answered stammered when she looked at him.
Suddenly, Qingyun's eyes softened as she looked at Shuangdie, "Shuangdie, did the Prince stay with you for a month?"
Shuangdie blushed slightly, nodded gently, and said in a voice as soft as a mosquito's bite: "Last month, the prince was indeed with Shuangdie."
"Did the prince make you any promises?" Qingyun asked softly.
Shuangdie blushed even more and replied, "The prince once told Shuangdie that he would not allow anyone to bully her."
Although the sound was soft, everyone present could hear it clearly.
The arrogant man's face paled slightly.
Qingyun turned her head, her eyes sharp, like a clear mirror reflecting the depths of everyone's soul.
"Did you hear that? Prince Pingyan has never treated a woman like this before. Since Prince Pingyan has made a promise, I believe that soon the most famous courtesan in Fengxi will be a member of Prince Pingyan's household." A sharp gaze shot towards Minister Li's son. "Do you dare to snatch Prince Pingyan's woman? Perhaps you think that Prince Pingyan, the consort of the emperor's most beloved princess, is inferior to a current favorite like Minister Li?"
His face turned a riot of colors, like a palette of colors, until finally it became as pale as paper.
"You wretched woman, you just wait and see!"