Третий учёный династии Сун

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Yingru's face grew colder and colder, while the madam below kept glancing up to the second floor, anxious. Wasn't Young Master Feng always able to answer the call? Why hadn't he spoken yet today? And the one next to him, judging by appearances, must be wealthy and powerful, and surely quite learned. How could the top courtesan of Yueyang Tower stand firm without finding a powerful patron like him?

Just as the commotion below was in full swing, an extremely beautiful voice came from upstairs: "A face like a peach blossom, a folding fan in the deep moonlight, tears streaming down."

Immediately, everyone fell silent and looked up. In the VIP room of the second-floor corridor, two elegantly dressed young men were sitting. Due to the angle, only a few people could see their faces. Upon seeing them, many were immediately stunned. Few honest people came to this brothel; most were playful and lecherous. Seeing that the two men were no less beautiful than Yingru, or even more beautiful, they couldn't help but drool.

Yingru looked up at the sound and immediately met Lin Suyang's captivating yet slightly melancholic eyes. Shifting her gaze, she suddenly saw the person beside him, and her whole body involuntarily trembled. A sudden joy rose from the bottom of her heart, like the warmth of the sun, slowly melting the hard ice that had been there.

However, the person he longed for didn't look down at him. His gaze remained fixed on the stunningly beautiful person opposite him, the usual smile gone, replaced by a bitter expression. Why did the once carefree and unrestrained man bear this expression?

While she was still stunned, she heard the maid calling her softly, "Miss, Miss..."

Yingru snapped out of her daze and nodded to her. The maid knew that her young lady had taken a liking to this person, so she looked up at Lin Suyang and said, "Young master, congratulations on passing the first test. My young lady's second task is for you to come down from the stage and play a piece on this seven-stringed guqin."

Surprisingly, this decision did not cause any dissatisfaction among the others. Perhaps they all knew they were not capable of arguing with the person upstairs, and everyone just watched quietly to see how much talent that seemingly perfect person had.

Before Lin Suyang could answer, Han Yufeng said, "No need, bring the zither up." His words carried an unyielding authority, making everyone's hearts pound. Could these two be some important figures?

The servant carried the zither that Yingru had just played upstairs, and Hanyu Feng placed it horizontally on the long table in front of him, letting Lin Suyang sit behind it.

"I'll make a fool of myself." The sound, like pearls falling on a jade plate, rang out once more. Lin Suyang began playing the ancient Chinese melody "The Phoenix Seeks Its Mate," a piece composed by Sima Xiangru for Zhuo Wenjun.

Phoenix, oh phoenix, return to your homeland. Roam the four seas in search of your mate.

My time has not yet come, and I have nowhere to go. How could I have known I would ascend this hall today!

A beautiful lady dwells in her boudoir. Though we are near, she is far, and this torments my heart.

Why do we become a pair of mandarin ducks, neck to neck? How can we soar together, side by side!

Oh, my Emperor, come and dwell with me. I will entrust my offspring to you and be your consort forever.

Our friendship is harmonious and our hearts are in accord. Who knows of our secret rendezvous in the middle of the night?

With both wings raised, it soars high, yet my thoughts remain unmoved, leaving me only sorrow.

Han Yufeng's eyes never left Lin Suyang, while Yingru's infatuated gaze remained fixed on Han Yufeng.

The entire Yueyanglou became very quiet, with only the melodious sound of the zither echoing in the hall, lingering and poignant, moving people to tears.

Lin Suyang's continued indifference was tinged with an inexplicable sorrow, which instilled a sense of desolation in the others as well. Han Yufeng's heart was filled with anger and pain. Why did you play so passionately, yet not for me?

Undoubtedly, Lin Suyang became Yingru's honored guest tonight.

A room filled with rosy hues, wafting incense, and draped in sheer curtains. This was Yingru's boudoir.

"Please make yourself at home, young master." From behind the curtain, Ying Ru raised her slender hand, revealing her beautiful face. Upon seeing Lin Suyang, she was startled again. She had been so focused on that person that she hadn't really observed this young master properly. But upon closer inspection, she was amazed by his otherworldly appearance. It was a pity he wasn't a woman, otherwise, countless people in the world would surely fall for him.

Lin Suyang cupped his hands in greeting to her, then turned and found a chair to sit down.

“Young master, I have a question, but I don’t know…” Yingru asked hesitantly.

"Please feel free to ask, young lady."

"Young Master and Young Master Feng...do you know each other?"

"I see." Lin Suyang smiled and said, "So you already have someone you love. It seems I was being presumptuous."

"No, I just..." Yingru, who seemed indifferent, suddenly became flustered.

"It's nothing, Brother Feng is my friend. If you wish to see him, I will call him in right away." With that, Lin Suyang got up.

Yingru quickly stopped her: "No, young master. I admire your talent very much. Tonight, I only wish to have a good talk with you. As for anything else, let's not talk about it." Her voice was gentle and melodious, but it carried a hint of melancholy.

Lin Suyang knew she must have something on her mind, so he didn't say anything and sat down again.

Yingru hesitated for a moment, then turned and stroked the guqin, gently tuning its strings. "I wonder how you, sir, view a courtesan like me?"

When Lin Suyang didn't reply for a long time, Yingru's heart sank.

"Does the young master also believe that courtesans are only worthy of ridicule?"

"I was just thinking about how to answer your question, young lady," Lin Suyang said.

“I don’t understand the purpose of your question, young lady. If it’s merely to know my opinion, then there’s no need for that. Someone like you is different from other women in the arts. Even if you were in a filthy pool, you could remain untainted by the mud. People cannot be treated as equals. Just as you cannot represent others, they cannot represent you. Therefore, please forgive me for not being able to give a suitable answer to your question.”

"What if I said it was only for my identity?" Yingru smiled bitterly.

Lin Suyang looked up at her. Could it be that she had someone she liked? Recalling how she had asked her about Han Yufeng earlier, and how she felt about Han Yufeng... In that case, their identities were indeed a major obstacle.

One was a high and mighty emperor, the other a mere courtesan singing and playing music in a brothel. The ancients placed great importance on matching social status in marriage. If Han Yufeng were an ordinary young man, it would be understandable, but he was the highest-ranking person in the country. Should we say Yingru had excellent judgment, or should we pity her tragic fate? She fell in love with someone she shouldn't have.

She fell in love with someone she shouldn't have. This very reason has shattered the beautiful dreams of countless women. Like Lin Suyang's mother, their fates are sealed: withered bones, abandoned in desolate mountains and villages.

Yingru walked slowly to a portrait hanging on the wall, but instead of looking at the person in the painting, she fixed her gaze on the lower right corner of the portrait.

Lin Suyang immediately recognized the inscription: "A beauty of unique talent, a smile that turns heads, willing to forsake all worldly cares." It was signed Feng Hanyu.

It's unbelievable that Hanyu Feng is so charming and romantic, leaving a trail of broken hearts everywhere. But I wonder if he considered other people's feelings when he wrote those words.

"Why?" Lin Suyang asked, "Why...why do you like him?" Someone like Han Yufeng is like a poppy among lovers—blooming profusely, yet untouchable. Yingru clearly sees this clearly, so why is she still so persistent?

"Why? I don't know why either." Yingru turned to look at her. "When you fall in love with someone, you can't find so many reasons. You just love them. If you have to get to the bottom of this, then what is precious in this world?"

Lin Suyang had never truly fallen in love with anyone. In her forty or fifty years of past and present lives, she knew nothing of love. What did it feel like to fall in love? Was it to love passionately and fiercely, with the thought of dying for it, or to quietly watch fate pass by, content as long as the one you loved was happy? Was it to yearn for a life of mutual respect, to grow old together, to never be separated for all eternity, or to be separated by distance, yet as long as you never forget each other and your hearts remain steadfast, can that invisible red thread still hold you together?

She couldn't understand why the saying "May we be birds flying wing to wing in the sky, and trees with intertwined branches on the ground" could attract all men and women to rush towards it like moths to a flame, even knowing the outcome, without caring about being shattered to pieces.

The sorrow in my heart is tangled and impossible to unravel.

Suddenly, Si Junxing's smiling face flashed before her eyes. Lin Suyang touched her chest. Was this love? If so, why had she never thought of or longed for it when he wasn't around? If not, why did her heart race whenever she heard anything about him, filled with an unprecedented worry and fear? Was it all for him?

"Does the young master also have someone he loves?" Yingru asked with a smile.

"Hmm?" Yes or no?

"Judging from your expression, young master, you must be thinking of your sweetheart. I wonder which lucky girl is to have caught the eye of someone as talented as you. She must be a daughter of a wealthy family." Yingru said with envy in her eyes.

"There's no need for that, young lady. Perhaps one day you will get what you want."

“Young master, there’s no need to comfort me. I know I don’t have that kind of luck and dare not dream of it. I only wish that in the next life, I can live a good life with the one I love. No matter how many twists and turns life throws my way, I will have no complaints.”

Yingru sighed, returned to the zither platform, sat down, and began playing a poem again. The previous lightness was gone, replaced by a sense of melancholy for this life.

Alone I ascend the west tower, blowing on the cold soup and roasted meat, while jade-like porcelain and fine wine are added to my cup.

Thin clothes and a cold quilt, phoenix brocade and ivory bed shine brightly.

A clear stream flows through the gauze curtains, revealing a silver-hooked canopy and a pale, haggard face.

The rouge has faded, the makeup washed away, and the beauty in the brothel has departed.

Icy tears, dripping from somewhere, seep into the redwood, amidst the fluttering of foolish laughter.

The curtains rolled up to reveal a beautiful and alluring view of the courtyard.

Carved corners, green incense burner, sandalwood incense; a heart full of sorrow, yet I drink to welcome intoxication.

The moon hangs high on the branch, a lone lamp shines alone; I ask, when will you return?

"Full of Fragrance," I stand alone in my tower, gazing at my beloved...

On the way back, Lin Suyang still shared a carriage with Han Yufeng.

"After talking for so long, are you feeling any better?" Han Yufeng asked softly.

Lin Suyang looked at him, remained silent for a while, and then said, "What... do you think of Yingru?"

"Yingru? She's a very good girl. Talking to her makes all your unhappiness disappear, and being around her makes you feel free." Han Yufeng didn't know why Lin Suyang would ask this, but he noticed that she seemed to have more on her mind.

"Then...why don't you bring her with you?" After thinking for a moment, Lin Suyang finally asked this question.

Han Yufeng, being the man he was, immediately understood Lin Suyang's meaning upon hearing this. His face darkened, and a chilling aura emanated from his body. He sneered at Lin Suyang, "Who do you think I am? Someone who enjoys lingering among brothels and possessing beauties? I am the Emperor of Yan Liao. I have everything I desire. Why would I care about a mere courtesan? There is nothing in this world that I cannot obtain, including you." With that, he called out, "Stop the car," and then got up and left.

Lin Suyang heard him say to the coachman again, "Take the young master back." Then came the sound of the carriage moving. She sat alone in the carriage, silently saying in her heart: I'm sorry.

I don't know if it's Hanyu Feng or Yingru.

Volume Two, Fallen Dust, Chapter Fifty: The Reeds and Rushes Never End

The Yanliao Imperial Palace is located directly north of Ji'ao. Although the palace city is large, its buildings are orderly and well-organized. The interior is crisscrossed by waterways, and many places can be navigated by boat. However, no one dares to do so unless they want to die. Otherwise, who would dare to be presumptuous under the emperor's nose?

The Deep Palace was the name of a palace within the Yan-Liao Imperial Palace, specifically designed to store important royal items. Because some items couldn't be preserved for long at outside temperatures, an icehouse was built beneath the Deep Palace. This so-called icehouse was essentially a massive ice cellar filled with ice accumulated over the winter, which was replaced annually. If something needed refrigeration, it was placed in an iron box directly on the ice, its function being no less efficient than a modern refrigerator.

After finishing the morning court session, Han Yufeng hurriedly headed towards the ice chamber deep within the palace. Upon entering the main hall, he dismissed all the palace servants and walked alone towards a small hut next to the ice chamber.

Opening the door revealed the entire interior. The cramped space contained only a stone bed, a table, and a chair. On the table was a tea tray, and next to it was a teacup with half a cup of water.

"You've arrived." A cold voice came from the right.

Han Yufeng walked in and sat down on a chair, saying to the man in blue robes who was sitting cross-legged on the stone bed, "You've arrived."

Who is this person, who can speak like this in front of the ruler of a country and not even mind Han Yufeng? Upon closer inspection of his eyebrows and eyes, his unique pale and handsome features reveal him to be none other than Si Junxing, who has been missing for a long time!

"How much longer?" Han Yufeng asked.

“It will take less than half an hour. When… will she arrive?” Si Junxing asked.

"I will bring her tomorrow. Remember what you promised me."

Si Junxing remained silent for a moment before saying, "I know."

Then neither of them spoke. Han Yufeng's fingertips tapped incessantly on the wooden tabletop, making a "tap-tap-tap" sound that echoed in the quiet little house, sounding quite eerie.

After a long while, Han Yufeng got up, looked at the person on the bed, and said, "Let's go take a look."

Si Junxing got out of bed and carefully walked forward, supporting himself on the cold stone wall. When he reached the door, he still hadn't heard Han Yufeng following. He stopped. With his back to Han Yufeng, he said, "Let's go quickly. Although I can't see, I can still hear."

It turns out that although Si Junxing survived the great battle, he lost his sight. Now he can't see anything. Fortunately, his martial arts skills are still intact. With his extraordinary hearing, he can locate sounds, but his movements are greatly restricted.

Han Yufeng opened the door to the ice chamber. A blast of icy air immediately rushed out. The two of them went inside together. They arrived at the center of the iceberg. There, on a block of snow-white, crystalline ice, sat a small golden iron box. The box was surrounded by a ring of densely packed ice fragments, like pearls from the deep sea, emitting a cold light.

Just as Han Yufeng was about to open the box, he heard Si Junxing say, "Be careful to concentrate your inner strength in your hand before opening the box. Right now, the Nine Lotus Ice is at its coldest. You can easily get injured if you're not careful." He paused, his outstretched hand still extended. Then, he suddenly opened the box.

Nine Lotus Ice: Nine transparent ice petals cling together, forming the shape of a lotus flower. Every part of it is clear with the clarity of water and the brilliance of crystal, giving the impression of shimmering waves and dazzling beauty.

The temperature inside the ice room dropped significantly after the metal box was opened; an ordinary person would have been shivering from the cold. Han Yufeng nodded and said, "Alright."

The magic of Nine Lotus Ice lies not only in its extraordinary medicinal effects, but also in its ability to wither like a real flower. Logically, Nine Lotus Ice is nothing more than an inanimate object, so how could it possibly wither? In fact, abnormalities began to appear when it was being transported to Yan and Liao. The ends of each ice petal melted little by little, at a very slow rate, but by the time it reached the imperial palace, the entire ice flower had shrunk by almost half.

At the time, it didn't attract much attention from Han Yufeng. Since it wasn't anything particularly important, and he didn't care to believe the legends, he simply placed it casually in the ice chamber. Later, upon learning that Lin Suyang had been struck by the Fire Nether Palm and that only this medicine could cure her, he hurriedly sent a message back to inquire about the Nine Lotus Ice's condition. He was only slightly relieved to learn that the Nine Lotus Ice was slowly recovering. However, it would take a long time for it to return to its previous complete state, which was why he hesitated to use the Nine Lotus Ice to treat Lin Suyang's injuries immediately after bringing her to Yanliao.

Now that Jiulianbing has fully recovered, Lin Suyang's injuries can finally be healed as well, and the two grown men both breathed a sigh of relief.

“Tomorrow… I will transfer my internal energy to her,” Si Junxing said.

"I will save her myself," Han Yufeng replied.

“No, my internal energy is stronger than yours, and I can guarantee that it won’t stop. If I suddenly stop while I’m channeling the Nine Lotus Ice into her body, the consequences will be unimaginable,” Si Junxing insisted.