Song Xingzhi vivió durante el reinado del emperador Huizong

Capítulo 190

"Where is he going? I haven't seen him in so long."

"It is said that His Majesty has set up a flower-viewing banquet in the Hundred Flowers Garden, and many young masters are going. Our young master Rufeng will also be going."

Who is the person in that sedan chair?

"It must be his sister," came an uncertain voice.

"Is that Yu Chi Ruxue, the one known as the most beautiful woman in Yuezhou City?" The surprised voice belonged to a man.

"Yes, yes!" a large group of people echoed.

...

Ru Feng's lips twitched. He felt once again that sometimes having too much internal energy wasn't a good thing, because he could hear things too clearly! But now, seeing more and more people gathering to watch, Ru Feng just hoped that they wouldn't block the road later.

As expected, Ru Feng's worries were justified. Having only traveled two-thirds of the way, the crowds had grown rapidly, even blocking the road. Looking at the throng, Ru Feng frowned slightly. She thought of Wei Jie from the Western Jin Dynasty, who was described as "as delicate as a flower, as tender as pink," and who often rode in a white sheep-drawn carriage through the streets of Luoyang. From afar, he resembled a sculpture of white jade, and was known as "the Jade Man" by his contemporaries. One year, while traveling in the lower capital, he was unexpectedly surrounded by countless beautiful women, preventing him from resting properly for several days. This frail but handsome young man eventually succumbed to exhaustion and died.

Fortunately, he was strong and healthy, and Ru Feng secretly rejoiced.

"Young Master, what should we do now?" Zhou Qian frowned. For the sake of the General's Mansion's reputation, these people couldn't be driven away. They couldn't be hit, they couldn't be scolded—what could they do? They couldn't afford to waste any more time.

Xiangling, who was walking beside the sedan chair, also looked at Rufeng with teary eyes and said, "Young Master, what should we do?"

Looking at her frightened face, Ru Feng said, "Why don't you go in and sit with Ru Xue? I'll handle things here."

Upon hearing this, Xiangling glanced shyly at Rufeng and went inside.

Looking at the bustling crowd, mostly young people, Ru Feng cupped his hands in a gesture of respect, channeling his inner strength into his voice, and said loudly, "Brothers and sisters, I am Yu Chi Ru Feng. I have urgent business to attend to, so please make way for me, okay? Look, there are so many carriages behind me that need to pass. They may also be in a hurry, and it wouldn't be good if they were delayed." His clear and powerful voice drowned out the noise of the crowd, and the entire scene immediately quieted down. After Ru Feng finished speaking, he took the opportunity to signal to the dozen or so personal guards beside him.

The guards, armed with spears, quickly cleared a path.

Ru Feng smiled brightly, her elegant demeanor striking, and cupped her hands in thanks, saying, "Thank you."

In the crowd, someone flicked their sleeve and drew that moment on a clean piece of paper, making a fortune afterward.

The road had been divided, and Ru Feng and the others continued walking. After passing through this relatively narrow section of road, they reached a wide street, and Ru Feng finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Behind Ru Feng was an exquisite sedan chair, with four sedan chair bearers whose sharp eyes and steady steps made them look unlike ordinary people.

At this moment, the person in the sedan chair whispered, "Who is this?" The voice was melodious and gentle, like a spring breeze, bringing joy to the heart.

"This is Yuchi Rufeng, the young marshal of Luoyan City, only eighteen years old this year," the maid outside the sedan chair replied. She was merely pretty, yet she could hear her master's whispers in such a lively setting; she was certainly no ordinary person.

"Oh," the woman replied softly, then continued, "He must be a handsome young man, that's why he's so popular."

“Miss, it is very beautiful. I saw it when he turned his head just now,” the maid explained.

"If you say it looks good, then it must be pretty good." The woman murmured to herself, her voice quickly fading into the air.

This was just a brief interlude, and no one would notice it except for those who were interested.

Upon arriving at the Hundred Flowers Garden, Ru Feng finally understood what a magnificent banquet truly meant. Unlike the previous victory celebration, which was entirely attended by men, this was a matchmaking event, so almost everyone present was a young man or woman. They were all children of nobles or high-ranking officials, so their demeanor was elegant, and their attire was the latest and most luxurious fashion. The entire Hundred Flowers Garden was filled with the sounds of birdsong and the recitation of poems, each flower vying for attention amidst the blooming blossoms. It was hard to tell whether people were admiring the flowers, or the flowers were admiring the people.

As Ru Feng entered, arm in arm with Ru Xue, they heard the eunuch at the door announce, "Young Master Ru Feng and Miss Yu Chi from the General's Mansion have arrived!" Because there was a Yu Chi Huai Yang in the court, and another General Yu Chi, to distinguish them, and because Yu Jue and Yu Xuan always called him "Ru Feng," people in the capital generally addressed Ru Feng as "General Ru Feng" or "Young Master Ru Feng." Since this was a relatively relaxed occasion, Ru Feng's official title was not mentioned.

As soon as the little eunuch finished speaking, the lively atmosphere inside fell silent for a moment, and everyone's eyes involuntarily turned to the doorway.

When had Ru Xue ever experienced anything like this? In Yuezhou City, she rarely left her residence, venturing out only once or twice a month to attend poetry gatherings or similar events organized by women. This time, she hadn't even had time to familiarize herself with the city before arriving here. She was already terrified on the street, and now, under the watchful eyes of so many people, she felt utterly helpless.

Ru Feng sensed her nervousness and smiled, "Sister, don't be nervous. They are just amazed by your beauty."

Upon hearing this, Ru Xue quickly smiled and said, "Don't worry, little brother, I won't do anything." After all, she was a well-bred young lady from a respectable family, so her slight panic quickly subsided. She glanced politely at everyone, smiled, and resumed her elegant and graceful demeanor, winning the admiration of the men present.

Soon, Murong Yinghe walked over, dressed in gorgeous clothes, sparkling jewelry, and jingling ornaments, her beauty dazzling. She looked intently at Rufeng, but spoke to Ruxue, saying, "Sister Ruxue, let's go together."

Ru Xue was delighted to see an old acquaintance from Yuezhou City. Back in Yuezhou City, Murong Yinghe had put a lot of effort into getting to know Ru Feng, which was why the two of them had developed a good relationship.

The two, one as bright and vibrant as a fiery red rose, the other as elegant and refined as a solitary orchid in a secluded valley, complemented each other beautifully. Coupled with Ru Feng standing smiling beside them, they instantly became a stunning sight, attracting everyone's attention.

Many young men immediately came over to chat. Since everyone was young and wanted to make friends, some of them were former classmates from Fengxian Academy, so they got along well.

Taking advantage of an opportunity, Ru Feng grabbed Gao Yueqi's sleeve and led him to an open space, saying, "Why do you seem so relaxed? Also, I remember you didn't like these kinds of occasions, so why are you here this time? Did the deputy commander come back?"

Gao Yueqi tugged at his black brocade robe, saying uncomfortably, "Don't stand with me. I don't like being the center of attention. My father is back, which is why he forced me to come here. He said he must find a girl he likes today and make me get married as soon as possible." As he said this, Gao Yueqi tugged at his robe again.

Looking at him, Ru Feng said, "You look tall and imposing, but you're dressed in black? Who came up with that? What a genius! Your strong physique and cold demeanor make you look like an assassin!" Ru Feng whispered, resting his chin on his hands, seemingly mesmerized.

Gao Yueqi looked at Ru Feng awkwardly and said, "Don't make fun of me, I'm not used to this."

Ru Feng's large eyes swept around the room, receiving flirtatious glances from many women, before turning to Gao Yueqi and smiling, "Most of the women here today are very beautiful, so you should be able to find someone you like." Ru Feng comforted him, secretly pleased that he wasn't the only one being forced to find someone to take home. They were in the same boat; it was good to have someone else troubled like him.

"And what about you?" Gao Yueqi glanced at Ru Feng. Everyone in the capital knew that General Yuchi was planning to find a granddaughter-in-law at the flower-viewing banquet. Although the news only started spreading yesterday afternoon, everyone present already knew.

Ru Feng pouted, speechless.

Soon, some bold women surrounded Ru Feng and started talking to him.

As Ru Feng, waving a folding fan and chatting merrily among the women, stirred their hearts with delight. Ru Feng, already possessing an understanding of women's psychology, coupled with his handsome looks and eloquent speech, thrived like a fish in water, living a carefree and delightful life—a veritable playboy. This earned him the admiration of many men, while others were filled with envy and resentment.

As they were chatting and laughing, they heard a eunuch shout, "His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived! His Highness the Second Prince has arrived! His Highness the Third Prince has arrived!" Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw the three brothers: the Crown Prince was honest and gentle, Yu Jue was handsome and noble, and Yu Xuan was unruly. They were dressed in brocade robes, wearing golden crowns and jade belts inlaid with jewels. Each of them was radiant and had their own unique style.

Ru Feng couldn't help but sigh, "That emperor has fathered three handsome sons." However, what needed to be done still had to be done. Ru Feng quickly went to Gao Yueqi's side and bowed along with the others.

The Crown Prince smiled gently and said, "No need for formalities. Father said today is an auspicious day, so there's no need for formalities. Everyone should just do what they need to do and not worry about us." Yu Jue and Yu Xuan, who were standing to the side, also nodded with smiles.

After scanning the area, Yu Xuan's gaze settled firmly on Ru Feng.

Ru Feng quickly turned her gaze to Yu Jue and nodded with a smile.