Hua Wuduo nodded in agreement, while Gongzi Qi said with a half-smile, "Wuduo, do you want to avenge your humiliation?"
Hua Wuduo shook his head and said, "I don't want to."
"Oh?" This answer surprised Gongzi Yi and Gongzi Qi quite a bit. This didn't seem like Hua Wuduo at all.
Hua Wuduo calmly replied, "Song Zixing is in Hangzhou, which is too far from here. I don't want to go back the way I came for him."
Upon hearing this, Gongzi Qi said, "You probably don't know yet, but Song Zixing arrived in Jiangling Prefecture yesterday and is currently staying at the Prince of Jin's residence."
What? He's come to Jiangling?
He... he couldn't have come with her, could he?
×××××××××××××××××××××××
"How did you know?" Hua Wuduo asked.
Gongzi Qi and Gongzi Yi smiled but remained silent.
Although Hua Wuduo was inwardly apprehensive, his expression remained unchanged. Gongzi Qi looked at Hua Wuduo and said, "Wuduo, if you want to avenge your previous humiliation, this is a chance."
Hua Wuduo was secretly worried about Song Zixing's purpose in coming to Jiangling. When she heard Gongzi Qi's words, she wanted to say no, but when she met Gongzi Qi's gaze, the words on the tip of her tongue changed. Gongzi Qi's eyes seemed to be able to see through people's thoughts. If she refused directly, he would definitely suspect her again, so she asked, "What opportunity?"
Gongzi Yi also asked, "Qi, what tricks do you have up your sleeve now?"
A trick? Faced with Gongzi Yi's sarcasm, Gongzi Qi seemed unconcerned and said in a gentle and refined manner, "Yi, I just have a suggestion, not a trick."
"What is the suggestion? Tell me quickly, don't keep me in suspense!" Gongzi Yi said impatiently.
Hua Wuduo was also quite curious, listening intently, and intuitively felt that Gongzi Qi's suggestion was not simple.
Gongzi Qi leisurely sipped his tea, and after a moment, finally spoke slowly: "Yi, we've been in Jiangling for three days now, and it's time to pay our respects to Prince Jin. Why don't we take Wuduo with us tomorrow? We can have Wuduo pretend to be your sister, and that way, the three of us can legitimately move into Prince Jin's residence. Song Zixing is currently staying there..." Gongzi Qi smiled and said, "With us there, Wuduo can seize the opportunity. Are you worried about not having a chance?"
Upon hearing this, Gongzi Yi looked at Gongzi Qi thoughtfully, pondered for a long time, and then said, "Good suggestion. In this way, Song Zixing will definitely be caught off guard."
Looking at the smiling, seemingly gentle but actually cunning young master Qi in front of her, Hua Wuduo couldn't help but sigh inwardly, was this really the gentle and handsome young man who had once captivated her?
Hua Wuduo initially wanted to refuse, but then she thought that regardless of whether Song Zixing came here for her sake, as the saying goes, the most dangerous place is the safest place. Besides, with Gongzi Yi and Gongzi Qi by her side, she had nothing to fear, so she nodded in agreement.
Seeing that Hua Wuduo nodded in agreement, Gongzi Qi then asked, "Wuduo, do you know what the Phoenix Boat Race is?"
Hua Wuduo shook his head.
Gongzi Qi said, "The Phoenix Boat Race is actually a competition for court musicians to be selected. It is held every three to five years. This time, the Prince of Jin is in charge of selecting court musicians for the palace, which is why it is being held in Jiangling. The participants in the Phoenix Boat Race are all talented courtesans. Those who are selected can become court musicians, and some can also enter the homes of high-ranking officials and nobles. Moreover, each time the Phoenix Boat Race is held, brothels and painted boats from all over the country are invited. They bring their own famous courtesans on painted boats along the river to compete for beauty, hence the name Phoenix Boat Race. The last Phoenix Boat Race was held four years ago. At that time, Yi and I were not yet adults and could not participate. This time, Yi and I were invited by the Prince of Jin. However, we have been here for three days, but we have not yet visited the Prince of Jin's residence."
"I see. You two came here at the invitation. What about Song Zixing?" Hua Wuduo was most concerned about Song Zixing.
“His purpose for this trip should be the same as ours,” Gongzi Qi said thoughtfully, looking at Hua Wuduo.
Gongzi Yi laughed and said, "Not entirely. He might have one more reason than we do."
"What reason?" Hua Wuduo asked.
Gongzi Yi said, "The Prince of Jin has a son named Jin and a daughter named Yu. I heard that this girl is extremely beautiful and talented, and there are many suitors. Unfortunately, I heard that the Prince of Jin has not found any of them to his liking." As soon as Gongzi Yi said this, Hua Wuduo understood the implied meaning.
Is that so? Hua Wuduo patted Gongzi Yi on the shoulder and said, "Brother, she's such a beautiful and talented woman, why don't you go for her? Why let that kid Song Zixing get away with it!"
Upon hearing this, Gongzi Yi glanced sideways at Hua Wuduo, who had a teasing smile on his face. He raised an eyebrow and said, "It sounds really nice to hear you call me 'brother,' but I would feel even better if you called me... Brother Yi."
“That’s easy, Brother Yi.” Hua Wuduo exclaimed, and this exclamation sent a shiver down Gongzi Yi’s spine.
Gongzi Qi also asked, "And me?"
"Brother Qi." Hua Wuduo called out without saying a word.
This exclamation made Gongzi Qi's eyebrows curve into a smile, and he said, "It really feels good, Duoduo."
Hua Wuduo was taken aback. Although she knew that Yi's younger sister was named Duoduo, for some reason, she felt a little disgusted by the name when Gongzi Qi called her that.
Night had fallen, and the three of them returned to their rooms. They were to go to the Prince of Jin's residence together the next day. Hua Wuduo returned to his room and was looking at his mask in the mirror when he heard a few knocks on the door.
Hua Wuduo opened the door and saw that it was Gongzi Qi.
Gongzi Qi said, "I see there's a light on in your room, so you must not be resting yet. It's stuffy and hot inside, and I can't sleep right now. Why don't we go for a walk?"
The two strolled to the backyard, and Gongzi Qi asked, "Duoduo, are you planning to wear a mask and come with us?"
Hua Wu nodded.
Gongzi Qi said, "You should have met Yi's sister in Daming Prefecture. She is very beautiful. With this mask on, you will be easily recognized, especially since you will not be able to fool Song Zixing."
Hua Wushu pondered for a moment and said, "Making the Third Miss's mask is not difficult, but time is running out. By tomorrow, the mask will be rather crude."
Gongzi Qi said, "Not many people have seen the real Duoduo. You can take it with you for now, and we can refine it more exquisitely later."
"Mm," Hua Wuduo replied.
"How many masks do you have?" Gongzi Qi asked.
"More than ten."
"So many... Haven't you ever considered not wearing a mask?"
"I haven't considered it."
Why?
"Of course, I'm afraid you'll cling to me like you did last time," Hua Wuduo said teasingly, blinking his eyes.
Upon hearing this, Gongzi Qi blushed slightly and suddenly asked, "I've always been curious, when did you discover that I was there that night?"
Hua Wuduo naturally knew what he was asking. His eyes flashed, and he smiled, "Do you remember when Yi ran down and fell into the bushes?"
Gongzi Qi nodded and said, "I remember."
Hua Wuduo casually said, "At that time, Yi held up two fingers, pointing in the direction where you and Xiu were."
What? Gongzi Qi and Gongzi Xiu were hiding in the woods, looking down from a high vantage point. They only saw Gongzi Yi fall down as he ran down, but they didn't see what happened after he fell. They were clearly surprised that this had happened. After a long pause, they said, "We never expected that it was Yi who betrayed us."
Hua Wuduo smiled and nodded, saying, "Yes, but it's all in the past, I don't blame you."
Gongzi Qi sighed softly and said, "Yi, as expected, values romance over friendship."
Hua Wuduo's gaze shifted. In fact, Gongzi Yi had not actually pointed to two fingers, nor had he pointed to the woods. Hua Wuduo was simply deceiving Gongzi Qi.
She overheard a conversation between Gongzi Qi and Gongzi Yi today and immediately thought of... sowing discord.
Around 3 PM today, Hua Wuduo got up groggily and went to the outhouse. On his way back, he happened to walk to Gongzi Yi's window and overheard Gongzi Qi inside asking, "Yi, what are you trying to peek at?"
Gongzi Yi said, "You know how beautiful the flower buds in the water were that night. Afterwards, we both wondered if that was her true face. You also saw that she changed her appearance every now and then, with a bunch of masks, changing them whenever she wanted. Maybe she was wearing a mask to deceive us that night. When we met her this time, we didn't mention a word about it, just to lower her guard. I plan to hide under her bed at night and take a look when she's asleep to see what her true face really looks like."
Gongzi Qi pondered for a while, then said, "Don't forget to bring the bewitching incense."
"Of course."
"Okay, I promise to help you."
The flowers outside the window, hearing this, gritted their teeth in silent resentment.
Tonight, Gongzi Qi's sudden visit, inviting her out for a walk, is probably to help Gongzi Yi hide under her bed. I wonder if her words just now will have any effect on Gongzi Qi.
At this moment, Hua Wuduo heard Gongzi Qi say, "Wuduo, you are like a mystery. We know you are hiding something, but Yi and I are not in a hurry to uncover the mystery. In fact, no matter what we do, what we want most is to keep you by our side."
Hua Wuduo was startled.
Back in his room, Hua Wuduo closed the door, took a bag off his shoulder, and untied it under the bed. Then, he heard someone shout from under the bed, "There's a snake!"
Gongzi Yi quickly crawled out from under the bed. When Hua Wuduo saw him, a smile flashed in her eyes, but she still put on a surprised expression and asked, "Eh? Brother Yi, what are you doing in my room?"
Upon hearing this, Gongzi Yi immediately looked embarrassed. He knew that Hua Wuduo had done it on purpose, but he couldn't explain himself. He could only say, "You've come to the wrong house." After saying that, he turned and stormed out of the door.
Wandering into the wrong room and ending up under the bed – that's amazing!
After tidying up the house, Hua Wuduo began working through the night to make a mask for Wu Duoduo, the third young lady of Daming Prefecture.
The next day, it was almost noon when the three of them finally got up. As soon as Gongzi Yi went out, he saw his younger sister Wu Duoduo leaning against his door. He was slightly taken aback and stammered, "Duoduo, what are you doing in Jiang..." Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly realized what was happening and exclaimed in surprise, "Wuduo?!"
Hua Wuduo nodded and smiled.
Gongzi Qi also came out of the room next door at this time. He was stunned when he saw Hua Wuduo and said, "You were able to make such an exquisite mask in such a short time. Wuduo, you are really amazing."
Hua Wuduo smiled and said, "The time was too short, otherwise I would have made it more exquisite."
Upon hearing this, Gongzi Yi and Gongzi Qi exchanged glances, their eyes filled with surprise and doubt. To create such an exquisite mask in just one night, one that could easily fool the real thing—was that her true face that night?
After lunch, the three of them, along with their pageboys Du Xiaoxi and Zhao Zhen, made a group of five and went to the Prince of Jin's residence.
After presenting the Prince of Jin's invitation, the three were led into the front hall by the Prince of Jin's steward. At that moment, people were chatting and laughing behind the entrance screen. As soon as the three of them walked around the screen and stood still, Hua Wuduo saw a middle-aged man sitting high above them. He had tiger-like eyes and a long beard, and he was deep and dignified. He must be the Prince of Jin.
Hua Wuduo lowered his head and, together with Gongzi Yi and Gongzi Qi, paid their respects to Prince Liu Yi of Jin, who was seated in the highest seat. Prince Liu Yi laughed and exchanged pleasantries before the three of them took their seats.
Hua Wuduo naturally took his seat next to Gongzi Yi and Gongzi Qi. Sitting opposite them were Song Zixing and a young man in fine clothes.
The two sides sized each other up. Prince Jin seemed to intentionally refrain from introducing them. The music in the main hall was soft and gentle, but undercurrents were surging.
Hua Wuduo looked up and saw a flicker of surprise in Song Zixing's eyes as he looked at Gongzi Yi. Suddenly, Hua Wuduo remembered something, and her hands and feet turned icy cold. Oh no, she had completely forgotten about that painting…
She immediately realized that Song Zixing had likely already recognized Gongzi Yi! And she was right next to Gongzi Yi at this moment, so perhaps… Thinking of this, she couldn't help but feel a little guilty. Just then, she felt Song Zixing's unabashed gaze fixed on her. Startled, she still feigned shyness and lowered her head, but her hands, hidden in her sleeves, had already unconsciously clenched, her palms trembling almost uncontrollably from the coldness of her fingertips. Now that things had come to this, she could only wait and see what happened.
She was already on tenterhooks when she suddenly heard Song Zixing say, "I have a painting here, and coincidentally, the person in the painting looks a lot like this young master Wu Yi."
His sudden remark startled Hua Wuduo, who had been bowing her head. She instinctively reached for her chest, but her hand froze in mid-air, clenching into a fist. She abruptly looked up at Song Zixing and saw him watching her with a half-smile, a slight upturn at the corners of his lips. She immediately realized she had fallen for his trick, and her hand, already in that position, was too late to retract.
At that moment, Gongzi Yi asked in surprise, "Oh? You have such a painting? May I take a look at it?"
Song Zixing lowered her eyes slightly, not looking at Gongzi Yi, but looking at her with a half-smile, and said meaningfully, "It's a pity that the painting was stolen."
The most tempting pear
Hua Wuduo was initially very guilty and fearful of being recognized by him, but she didn't expect that he would trick her so easily. Although she was unwilling, now that she had been recognized, she was no longer afraid. With Gongzi Yi and Gongzi Qi by her side, and considering her current identity, what could Song Zixing do to her? Thinking this way, she felt relieved and could face Song Zixing calmly without caring.
She was no longer afraid, she was indifferent, but in Song Zixing's eyes, her indifference was a provocation, as if she were saying to him: So what! It's me, what can you do to me? Seeing her like this, Song Zixing smiled meaningfully.
Hua Wuduo naturally noticed his smile, and for some reason felt a little uneasy.
The people in the hall saw their expressions, but none of them showed any emotion.
At this moment, Gongzi Yi smiled kindly and said, "Oh? Is that so? If this young master likes it, I don't mind having the painter paint another one of my likeness and giving it to you."
Upon hearing this, Song Zixing finally turned his gaze to Gongzi Yi.
Facing Song Zixing's gaze, Gongzi Yi smiled even more warmly, so warmly that one might think that was exactly what he was thinking. Gongzi Qi, sitting to the side, remained calm, reaching for his teacup as if Gongzi Yi had uttered nothing out of the ordinary. Only Hua Wuduo couldn't help but cover his face with his sleeve, his eyes crinkling with laughter.