It was supposed to be a lively place with sounds of music and revelry, but it had turned into a quiet gathering for appreciating music and tea.
Jiamin Junzhu sat silently in a corner, while Hua Liuli reclined on a soft couch, attended to by beautiful maidservants. The other girls, seeing the two Junzhus not speaking, also remained silent, pretending to enjoy the music while holding their teacups.
Miss Yao sneered, "They say even ghosts would be seduced under the peony flowers, but Fushou Junzhu's health is not good. It's better for her to stay indoors."
Hua Liuli, who had closed her eyes to rest, opened them.
"If one's health is not good, then it's important to go out and see more. When your mood improves, your health naturally gets better," Seeing Hua Liuli open her eyes, Jiamin Junzhu felt a tightness in her heart and grabbed her cousin's wrist, signaling her not to speak any further, "As the saying goes, beauty is nourishing. Junzhu, with your delicate constitution, it's beneficial for your body and mind to look at beautiful people."
Miss Yao couldn't believe that Jiamin Junzhu would go to such lengths to defend Hua Liuli. Who was her true sister? Why was she siding with others instead?
Hua Liuli noticed Jiamin Junzhu's nervousness and slowly sat up, smiling. "Sister Jiamin, you truly live up to being a Junzhu. You indeed have a broad knowledge."
"Heh," Jiamin Junzhu forced a dry laugh, feeling the bitterness of telling lies with her eyes wide open. Who could understand?
"I suddenly remembered some matters at home. I bid farewell," Miss Yao glanced at Jiamin Junzhu, pretending to leave.
She was already angry, so Jiamin Junzhu should come and coax her, right?
"Take care on your way," Jiamin Junzhu breathed a sigh of relief. If her cousin left, she wouldn't have to worry about her angering Hua Liuli anymore.
"You..." Miss Yao was truly furious this time. She turned around and walked away.
"Miss Yao, take care," Hua Liuli waved her hand with a smile.
"Hua Liuli, don't get too pleased!" Miss Yao pointed at Hua Liuli, "In a few days, it will be the day of the examination results. I want to see how well your brother performs."
After throwing down those words, Miss Yao left, leaving Jiamin Junzhu and the other girls feeling awkward.
"Fushou Junzhu, my cousin can be a bit unruly, but..." Jiamin Junzhu couldn't bring herself to say it. Her cousin didn't mean any harm, but she mocked Hua Liuli's brother's ranks and exam results.
Jiamin Junzhu glanced at Hua Liuli in silence and rubbed her forehead. It was always someone else who helped smooth things over for her. How could she handle such matters? But Hua Liuli was someone who held grudges and her smiles hid knives. Who knew when she would suddenly seek revenge?
"It's alright. Your cousin is straightforward, I believe she means no harm," Hua Liuli smiled and said, "Why don't you all join me in appreciating the music?"
Jiamin silently glanced at Hua Liuli. She couldn't trust a word this young lady said.
Seeing the noble young ladies finally intending to enjoy her music, the musician focused and began playing a difficult piece.
As the most famous musician in Jin Ling Garden, he took pride not only in his face but also in his musical skills which enchanted countless women and young ladies.
"This tea is not as good as the one we usually go to."
"It's not a proper teahouse, after all."
The musician's fingers trembled slightly, playing a wrong note. Even though he was a well-known musician in the whole capital, the ladies were more concerned about the quality of the tea?
"I don't drink tea, so I don't know which one is good or bad," Hua Liuli said, "Why don't we ask the attendant here to bring a different kind of tea for you all?"
"The tea here, no matter how good it is, has its limitations. Junzhu, there's no need to trouble yourself," the young girl sitting next to Jiamin Junzhu, with a pleasant appearance, was Tian Shan, the legitimate daughter of the Tian family and Tian Ruidong's younger sister.
Tian Shan placed her teacup back on the table and looked at Hua Liuli curiously, "Junzhu, you grew up at the border. Can you tell us about the scenery there? Is it like what's described in poems, with vast deserts and lonely smoke?"
Hua Liuli shook her head, "Qinghan Prefecture has rugged terrain and steep mountains. In summer, there are many snakes, insects, and rodents. If you step outside during summer nights, you'll be covered in mosquito bites."
"Is it that terrifying?" the girls, who grew up in luxury, couldn't fully imagine such harsh living conditions.
"But there is an advantage to this—it's easily defendable. The local people are strong-willed. Sometimes when enemies attack, men of age immediately take up the responsibility to patrol the city. With their help, we've caught spies sent by the Jinpo Kingdom several times," Hua Liuli sighed, "However, due to the inconvenient transportation and harsh climate, frequent conflicts occur. The merchants of Great Jin do not like to trade with the locals, so the people there haven't had a good life for a long time."
The young girls listened attentively, holding their breath, wanting Hua Liuli to continue.
"In recent years, my father led troops to suppress the bandits blocking the roads, and gradually, merchants started coming for trade. Life has improved somewhat," Hua Liuli noticed that the musician had made several mistakes. She turned her head and looked at him with a smile that seemed friendly but harbored knives, "Are you also interested in the border stories, musician?"
"I was momentarily captivated. Please forgive me, esteemed guests," the musician stood up and walked to Hua Liuli, bowing before her.
He wore a loose white robe, and when he bent down, his collarbone was faintly visible.
"I heard that eleven years ago, Qinghan Prefecture suffered from natural disasters, and several roads leading to Qinghan Prefecture were blocked by collapsed mountains," Jiamin Junzhu remembered this incident because her father, Yao Fuma, personally served as the official in charge of escorting supplies. After returning from Qinghan Prefecture, he was gloomy for nearly half a month and started saving a lot of money.
"I was only four years old at that time, so I don't remember many things clearly," Hua Liuli shook her head, "We came here today to listen to music. What's the point of talking about these things?"
She turned her head and saw the musician still standing in front of her. She waved her hand, "Musician, please continue playing."
The musician glanced at Hua Liuli and silently returned to his original position.
The group ate fruits and snacks while staring at the musician for nearly half an hour, feeling a bit bored. But since the two Junzhus didn't leave, they had to force themselves to stay attentive.
"Musician, what's your name?"
"My ancestors committed a serious crime, and for three generations, we have been slaves without a surname," the musician took the opportunity to pause his playing. If he continued, his fingers would suffer, "The people in the neighborhood call me Yunhan."
"Yunhan..." Hua Liuli pondered for a moment and looked at the musician with a pensive gaze.
The musician slowly lifted his head, his beautiful eyes meeting Hua Liuli's gaze.
"This name sounds a bit cold," Hua Liuli thought for a while, finally expressing her inner feelings.
The slight smile on the musician's face, "The esteemed guest is right. I also feel that the word 'cold' in my name is not good."
Jiamin Junzhu seriously doubted whether Hua Liuli knew how to make someone happy. Why were her words so choke-inducing? It was ridiculous to compete with her for someone like this.
"No, what I meant was that this name, like the musician, is like the pure white clouds untainted by dust on the summit, although cold at high places, it is also extremely pure," Hua Liuli stood up and walked to the musician, casually plucking a few strings. Her movements were casual but carried a hint of freedom, "The musician's skill is outstanding, and with such exceptional looks, there is no need for self-deprecation."
She leaned slightly closer to the musician and, just when the girls thought she would do something to the musician, she suddenly stood up straight, took out a handkerchief, and lightly coughed a few times while covering her mouth, "I'm sorry, I'm not feeling well and can't stay outside for long. Musician, please rest in your room as well."
Yurong approached and held Hua Liuli's arm, while Yuan Yi handed a bag of pearls to the musician, "My master's outings are unpredictable. It would be best for the young musician not to entertain other guests for a while, so as not to inconvenience my master when she wants to see you."
The musician accepted the pearls and casually placed them on the table. He bowed to Hua Liuli, "Then I will await the esteemed guest's return here."
His posture was elegant, like an immortal untouched by the mortal world, making people want to keep him in the mortal world while also wanting him to continue being an exalted immortal.
If it were an ordinary young girl, she would have been captivated by such elegance.
But the girls present were different. They had already seen the Fifth Prince, who had reached the pinnacle of elegance in speech and behavior. Men like Yunhan from the streets could only make them take a second look; far from being stunning.
When Hua Liuli mentioned that she was leaving, Jiamin Junzhu quickly stood up, "There are matters at home, so I should leave too."
If she didn't leave, did she have to stay here and compete with Hua Liuli for men?
The group left Jin Ling Garden. Jiamin Junzhu hadn't even had a chance to breathe a sigh of relief when she locked eyes with Du Xiuying, who was standing across the street.
Although Du Xiuying's expression was calm, Jiamin Junzhu could be sure that beneath her calm facade hid anger.
"Young Lady Du," Hua Liuli spotted Du Xiuying and waved at her with a smile, "What a coincidence."
Du Xiuying nodded with a smile and walked over to them, bowing, "Greetings, Fushou Junzhu."
"No need for such formalities, Young Lady Du," Hua Liuli reached out to support Du Xiuying, who carried a faint fragrance of books and ink, which smelled pleasant.
"Courtesy must be maintained," Du Xiuying turned and exchanged greetings with the other girls. Then her gaze fell on Jiamin Junzhu.
The sounds of music and laughter occasionally drifted from Jin Ling Garden behind them, making the atmosphere between them even quieter.
"Is it fun inside?" Du Xiuying looked at Jiamin Junzhu expressionlessly.
Jiamin Junzhu shook her head, "It's not that interesting."
"If you like going, I can't stop you," Du Xiuying turned her head and glanced at Hua Liuli, "Fushou Junzhu is physically weak and younger than you. Please don't bring her to such places in the future."
"What does that have to do with me?" Jiamin Junzhu scoffed, "Her legs are attached to her body, not min. Can I control her?" She wasn't responsible for her life, was she?
"Young Lady Du, this matter has nothing to do with Jiamin Junzhu. It was my own decision to come here," Hua Liuli said softly.
"I know," Du Xiuying didn't take Hua Liuli's words seriously. Jiamin Junzhu had a bad temper, she can see that Fushou Junzhu was just covering for her.
If it weren't for Jiamin Junzhu bringing Fushou Junzhu here, how could she have found this place?
With these thoughts in mind, Du Xiuying warned Jiamin Junzhu with a stern look, asking her to stay out of trouble.
Jiamin Junzhu: "..."
She may have been reckless in her words and actions in the past, but it didn't mean that she was the instigator of all bad things, right? Do people still value reason in this world?
But she couldn't be bothered to argue with her cousin, Du Xiuying. Since childhood, her cousin had always been using pompous words that gave her a headache.
Tian Shan and the other girl sensed that something was wrong and quickly found an excuse to get on their carriage and leave. They were also afraid of Du Xiuying.
Jiamin Junzhu watched the two sisters leave in a hurry and once again doubted the fragile friendship between them.
They had promised to be lifelong friends, but when faced with difficulties, they ran without looking back?
"Let's go, let's go home," the street was bustling with people, so Du Xiuying didn't say anything else. She pulled Jiamin Junzhu onto her carriage, preventing her from running around.
"Junzhu," before Du Xiuying got on the carriage, she said to Hua Liuli, "Return to your estate early, it's getting dark."
"Alright, Young Lady Du," Hua Liuli smiled innocently.
Seeing her innocent smile, Du Xiuying couldn't help but feel a sense of "others' sisters are better" in her heart.
"Cousin, it wasn't me who brought her here. When I arrived, she was already inside."
"Don't make up stories, why don't you say that she was also competing with you for men?"
"Yes, she was competing with me for men."
"Hmph," Du Xiuying couldn't help but laugh in frustration, "Yao Jiamin, I don't use foul language, but don't push me to make an exception."
Jiamin Junzhu: "..."
The thing she regretted the most in her life was provoking Hua Liuli. Ever since she provoked her, she had never had a peaceful day.
They were truly incompatible.
Watching Du Xiuying's carriage disappear into the distance, Hua Liuli's lips curved into a smile, "The girls in the capital are interesting."
"Junzhu, what do you think of that musician?" Yurong asked softly.
"He doesn't have the elegance of the Fifth Prince, nor the appearance and grace of the Crown Prince," Hua Liuli shook her head with a sigh, "After getting used to seeing extraordinary beauty, everyone else becomes ordinary and mundane."
"Junzhu should calm down. It's impossible for those princes to become your male pets," Yuan Yi honestly reminded her.
"You make a valid point. It's just that everyone has their flaws. It's easy to go from frugality to luxury, but difficult to go from luxury to frugality," Hua Liuli felt a lack of interest in that musician, "If the Crown Prince weren't so good-looking, I wouldn't be so picky."
"Fushou Junzhu?"
Hua Liuli frowned. She was only appreciating the Crown Prince's beauty, how come she started hallucinating that he was calling out to her?
The Crown Prince saw Hua Liuli standing at the entrance of a pleasure quarter and asked, "What are you doing here?" He dismounted from his horse and glanced at the signboard hanging at the main entrance of the pleasure quarter and thought she happened to pass by.
"I heard there's a talented musician inside, so I came to take a look," Hua Liuli didn't hide her intentions from the Crown Prince.
"A musician?" The Crown Prince smelled a different fragrance emanating from Hua Liuli, a scent that was unusual and mixed with some pungent powder, probably unintentionally picked up from someone else.
"Junzhu... Do you have such an interest as well?" the Crown Prince knew that some noble ladies in the capital had a hobby of keeping male pets, but Hua Liuli didn't seem like that kind of person.
Could it be that someone had influenced her?
"Just curious to take a look," Hua Liuli didn't care about it, "Why is Your Royal Highness here so late?"
"Benwang was accompanying the officials from the Ministry of Rites to deliver an imperial edict," the Crown Prince explained, "The men and women in this kind of place aren't clean, and the scent is heavy, not good for your health. Junzhu, you should avoid coming to this kind of place in the future."
Hua Liuli contemplated for a moment. Did the Crown Prince mean that she should find an innocent commoner man?
She looked up at the Crown Prince and nodded slowly, "Your Royal Highness, I understand your intention."
Watching Hua Liuli's pensive expression, the Crown Prince felt uncomfortable. No matter what he thought, he felt a sense of unease. After escorting Hua Liuli back to her estate, he still felt a tightness in his heart.
"Your Majesty, which consort's palace will you go to rest tonight?" Zhao Sancai asked in a low voice. It had been five days since His Majesty visited the harem and several consorts came to inquire about it. As an eunuch without any roots, he had no idea about His Majesty's thoughts.
"Zhen remember that Consort Lin's brother seems to have returned to the capital?" Emperor Changlong asked Zhao Sancai.
"Is Your Majesty referring to Lin Zhou, the Prefect of Yongzhou?"
"That's the one."
"Your Majesty, Lin Zhou has already been transferred back to the capital, but there are no suitable vacancies in the capital at the moment, so he is temporarily idle at home."
"Then Zhen will go to Lin Fei's place tonight. Zhen will discuss the arrangement of Lin Zhou with her," Emperor Changlong was about to go to Consort Lin's place when a eunuch came to report that the Crown Prince wanted to see him. He stopped in his tracks and had the eunuch bring the Crown Prince in.
"Coming to see Zhen so late, is there something wrong again?" Emperor Changlong saw the Crown Prince's hurried footsteps and kindly asked him to sit down before speaking.
"Father Emperor, today when Erchen was returning to the palace, Erchen noticed that some pleasure establishments were brightly lit up, with continuous music and sounds. It felt a bit inappropriate to Erchen," the Crown Prince said with a worried expression, "Under Father Emperor's governance, Great Jin has become more prosperous and the people live in peace and prosperity. But as their living standards improve, the common people are becoming more and more indulgent in pleasure-seeking. The pleasure establishments are bustling every night, which is not conducive to the long-term stability and prosperity of Great Jin."
"Of course, appropriate entertainment is necessary," the Crown Prince added when Emperor Changlong fell into thought, "In a short while, envoys from various countries will arrive in Great Jin. If they get the impression that the people of Great Jin are only indulging in pleasure, it will damage our reputation. It might be better to take advantage of this time to investigate these pleasure establishments, check if there are any cases of forced prostitution, officials lingering in fireworks places, killings of servants in brothels, secret brothels, and other phenomena, and then have them regulated and managed."
"You make a valid point," Emperor Changlong nodded after pondering for a moment, "Arrange for people to handle this matter tomorrow."
Great Jin has enjoyed good weather and the commoners have been living in peace and prosperity in recent years, but excessive indulgence in pleasure poses hidden risks for the future.
No matter when, one must not lose the sense of crisis and the spirit of striving upward.
Drip, drip, drip.
Countless pearls fell to the ground, making a crisp sound.
Yunhan ignored the pearls bouncing and rolling on the ground and stood in front of a large bronze mirror. He gently touched his cheek and asked the servant by his side, "Do I look unattractive?"
"Young Master, your appearance is unparalleled in the world, unmatched by anyone," the servant held the tray high, not daring to look up at Yunhan.
The tray was empty, with a few scattered pearls around it.
Yunhan waved his hand and knocked over the tray, his face looking extremely displeased. Ever since he appeared in the Jin Ling Garden, he had attracted countless women's infatuation. A few days ago, two noble ladies even turned against each other because of him.
But the young lady's reaction today was simply a great humiliation to him.
"Send someone to find out what usual hobbies Hua Liuli and Yao Jiamin indulge in," Yun Han's anger gradually dissipated, and he casually played with the silk purse in the tray, "Women all like sweet words and vows of love. I want them to regret their actions today."
"Young Master, Master meant for you to get closer to Jiamin Junzhu. Why..."
"What do you understand?" Yunhan interrupted the servant's words and sneered, "Human nature is inherently cheap. If someone discovers that the person who used to pursue them suddenly becomes interested in someone else, their feelings will become even more intense."
"Nubi doesn't understand," the servant's shoulders trembled slightly, he was afraid.
"Of course, you wouldn't understand," Yunhan's eyes were as cold as the accumulated snow in December, "Women... for the sake of love, they can give up everything."
"Young Master, before leaving, Hua Liuli didn't allow you to entertain anyone else, which means you are already special to her. Maybe she acted coldly because there were other people present," the servant said, "Nubi believes in you, Young Master."
"Good boy," Yunhan patted the servant's head. The servant looked up at him, revealing a neck without an Adam's apple.
The Crown Prince had a dream, a dream where he raised a little white kitten. This kitten was extremely beautiful, even its meow was more pleasant than other cats.
However, this kitten was particularly mischievous. It would go pick flowers today and pick fruits tomorrow, it even almost got taken away by someone.
The Crown Prince scolded the person who tried to snatch his kitten angrily. Still feeling unsatisfied, he returned to the palace and made an exquisite cage for the little kitten.
The little kitten lay in the cage, looking at him with big eyes and meowing pitifully.
The Crown Prince's heart softened all of a sudden. He wanted to hold the little kitten in his arms and help groom its fur.
"Who let you go after other flowers?"
The little kitten stared at him with innocent big eyes.
"Will you run after someone else?"
The little kitten tilted its fluffy head and scratched the cage with its paw.
"Sigh," Although the little kitten made no promises, the Crown Prince still opened the cage without any principles and let the kitten out.
Watching the little kitten strutting around in front of him, the Crown Prince picked it up and kissed its ear, "You are a naughty little kitten."
"Your Royal Highness, Your Royal Highness."
The Crown Prince opened his eyes and saw a eunuch kneeling beside his bed with a concerned expression, "Were you dreaming, Your Royal Highness?"
"It's nothing," the Crown Prince sat up, "Benwang just dreamt that someone was trying to snatch my kitten."
The young eunuch looked perplexed: Kitten?
What kitten?
There were no kittens in the Eastern Palace.
"Help Benwang change my clothes."
"It's still early. Your Royal Highness can sleep a little longer."
"No, Benwang has something to attend to today."
Just as the sun rose, the chief steward of the Jin Ling Garden heard a commotion downstairs. She was a bit annoyed and opened the door to step out into the corridor, "What's all the noise about? We haven't opened the doors to welcome guests yet."
As she looked downstairs and saw that most of the people there were wearing official robes of the Ministry of Justice and yamen constable uniforms, she was taken aback and quickly squeezed out a smile as she trotted downstairs, "Gentlemen, may I ask what the matter is?"
"Creating a harmonious capital is everyone's responsibility," a yamen constable handed a notice to the chief steward, "Recently, the yamen has received numerous anonymous reports about illegal activities in some pleasure establishments, such as illegal trafficking of people and mistreatment of servants. In response to these reports, the Jingzhao Prefecture and the Ministry of Justice will conduct a thorough investigation. Once discovered, severe punishments will be imposed."
"Officials, our establishment is a legitimate pleasure establishment. The musicians and dancers here are all legitimate performers, we would never engage in any illegal activities," the chief steward quickly scanned the notice, her heart pounding, "Please, gentlemen, investigate with discernment."
She hastily took out a stack of silver bills from her sleeve and handed them to the yamen constables, "Gentlemen, perhaps you haven't had breakfast yet. Please have some morning tea..."
"Chief Steward, there's no need to be nervous. We are only conducting a thorough investigation according to the laws of Great Jin. If your establishment has not engaged in any illegal activities, we will not trouble you," the yamen constable said with a serious expression, not even glancing at the silver bills.
"Carry on with the investigation."
A deep, pleasant male voice reached the steward's ears. She followed the sound and saw a tall and extraordinarily handsome man standing at the entrance.
She couldn't believe that there could be a man in this world who was more attractive than Yunhan?!
Even though she was accustomed to seeing various beautiful men and women, she couldn't help but take a few more extra glances at him.
It was supposed to be a lively place with sounds of music and revelry, but it had turned into a quiet gathering for appreciating music and tea.
Jiamin Junzhu sat silently in a corner, while Hua Liuli reclined on a soft couch, attended to by beautiful maidservants. The other girls, seeing the two Junzhus not speaking, also remained silent, pretending to enjoy the music while holding their teacups.
Miss Yao sneered, "They say even ghosts would be seduced under the peony flowers, but Fushou Junzhu's health is not good. It's better for her to stay indoors."
Hua Liuli, who had closed her eyes to rest, opened them.
"If one's health is not good, then it's important to go out and see more. When your mood improves, your health naturally gets better," Seeing Hua Liuli open her eyes, Jiamin Junzhu felt a tightness in her heart and grabbed her cousin's wrist, signaling her not to speak any further, "As the saying goes, beauty is nourishing. Junzhu, with your delicate constitution, it's beneficial for your body and mind to look at beautiful people."
Miss Yao couldn't believe that Jiamin Junzhu would go to such lengths to defend Hua Liuli. Who was her true sister? Why was she siding with others instead?
Hua Liuli noticed Jiamin Junzhu's nervousness and slowly sat up, smiling. "Sister Jiamin, you truly live up to being a Junzhu. You indeed have a broad knowledge."
"Heh," Jiamin Junzhu forced a dry laugh, feeling the bitterness of telling lies with her eyes wide open. Who could understand?
"I suddenly remembered some matters at home. I bid farewell," Miss Yao glanced at Jiamin Junzhu, pretending to leave.
She was already angry, so Jiamin Junzhu should come and coax her, right?
"Take care on your way," Jiamin Junzhu breathed a sigh of relief. If her cousin left, she wouldn't have to worry about her angering Hua Liuli anymore.
"You..." Miss Yao was truly furious this time. She turned around and walked away.
"Miss Yao, take care," Hua Liuli waved her hand with a smile.
"Hua Liuli, don't get too pleased!" Miss Yao pointed at Hua Liuli, "In a few days, it will be the day of the examination results. I want to see how well your brother performs."
After throwing down those words, Miss Yao left, leaving Jiamin Junzhu and the other girls feeling awkward.
"Fushou Junzhu, my cousin can be a bit unruly, but..." Jiamin Junzhu couldn't bring herself to say it. Her cousin didn't mean any harm, but she mocked Hua Liuli's brother's ranks and exam results.
Jiamin Junzhu glanced at Hua Liuli in silence and rubbed her forehead. It was always someone else who helped smooth things over for her. How could she handle such matters? But Hua Liuli was someone who held grudges and her smiles hid knives. Who knew when she would suddenly seek revenge?
"It's alright. Your cousin is straightforward, I believe she means no harm," Hua Liuli smiled and said, "Why don't you all join me in appreciating the music?"
Jiamin silently glanced at Hua Liuli. She couldn't trust a word this young lady said.
Seeing the noble young ladies finally intending to enjoy her music, the musician focused and began playing a difficult piece.
As the most famous musician in Jin Ling Garden, he took pride not only in his face but also in his musical skills which enchanted countless women and young ladies.
"This tea is not as good as the one we usually go to."
"It's not a proper teahouse, after all."
The musician's fingers trembled slightly, playing a wrong note. Even though he was a well-known musician in the whole capital, the ladies were more concerned about the quality of the tea?
"I don't drink tea, so I don't know which one is good or bad," Hua Liuli said, "Why don't we ask the attendant here to bring a different kind of tea for you all?"
"The tea here, no matter how good it is, has its limitations. Junzhu, there's no need to trouble yourself," the young girl sitting next to Jiamin Junzhu, with a pleasant appearance, was Tian Shan, the legitimate daughter of the Tian family and Tian Ruidong's younger sister.
Tian Shan placed her teacup back on the table and looked at Hua Liuli curiously, "Junzhu, you grew up at the border. Can you tell us about the scenery there? Is it like what's described in poems, with vast deserts and lonely smoke?"
Hua Liuli shook her head, "Qinghan Prefecture has rugged terrain and steep mountains. In summer, there are many snakes, insects, and rodents. If you step outside during summer nights, you'll be covered in mosquito bites."
"Is it that terrifying?" the girls, who grew up in luxury, couldn't fully imagine such harsh living conditions.
"But there is an advantage to this—it's easily defendable. The local people are strong-willed. Sometimes when enemies attack, men of age immediately take up the responsibility to patrol the city. With their help, we've caught spies sent by the Jinpo Kingdom several times," Hua Liuli sighed, "However, due to the inconvenient transportation and harsh climate, frequent conflicts occur. The merchants of Great Jin do not like to trade with the locals, so the people there haven't had a good life for a long time."
The young girls listened attentively, holding their breath, wanting Hua Liuli to continue.
"In recent years, my father led troops to suppress the bandits blocking the roads, and gradually, merchants started coming for trade. Life has improved somewhat," Hua Liuli noticed that the musician had made several mistakes. She turned her head and looked at him with a smile that seemed friendly but harbored knives, "Are you also interested in the border stories, musician?"
"I was momentarily captivated. Please forgive me, esteemed guests," the musician stood up and walked to Hua Liuli, bowing before her.
He wore a loose white robe, and when he bent down, his collarbone was faintly visible.
"I heard that eleven years ago, Qinghan Prefecture suffered from natural disasters, and several roads leading to Qinghan Prefecture were blocked by collapsed mountains," Jiamin Junzhu remembered this incident because her father, Yao Fuma, personally served as the official in charge of escorting supplies. After returning from Qinghan Prefecture, he was gloomy for nearly half a month and started saving a lot of money.
"I was only four years old at that time, so I don't remember many things clearly," Hua Liuli shook her head, "We came here today to listen to music. What's the point of talking about these things?"
She turned her head and saw the musician still standing in front of her. She waved her hand, "Musician, please continue playing."
The musician glanced at Hua Liuli and silently returned to his original position.
The group ate fruits and snacks while staring at the musician for nearly half an hour, feeling a bit bored. But since the two Junzhus didn't leave, they had to force themselves to stay attentive.
"Musician, what's your name?"
"My ancestors committed a serious crime, and for three generations, we have been slaves without a surname," the musician took the opportunity to pause his playing. If he continued, his fingers would suffer, "The people in the neighborhood call me Yunhan."
"Yunhan..." Hua Liuli pondered for a moment and looked at the musician with a pensive gaze.
The musician slowly lifted his head, his beautiful eyes meeting Hua Liuli's gaze.
"This name sounds a bit cold," Hua Liuli thought for a while, finally expressing her inner feelings.
The slight smile on the musician's face, "The esteemed guest is right. I also feel that the word 'cold' in my name is not good."
Jiamin Junzhu seriously doubted whether Hua Liuli knew how to make someone happy. Why were her words so choke-inducing? It was ridiculous to compete with her for someone like this.
"No, what I meant was that this name, like the musician, is like the pure white clouds untainted by dust on the summit, although cold at high places, it is also extremely pure," Hua Liuli stood up and walked to the musician, casually plucking a few strings. Her movements were casual but carried a hint of freedom, "The musician's skill is outstanding, and with such exceptional looks, there is no need for self-deprecation."
She leaned slightly closer to the musician and, just when the girls thought she would do something to the musician, she suddenly stood up straight, took out a handkerchief, and lightly coughed a few times while covering her mouth, "I'm sorry, I'm not feeling well and can't stay outside for long. Musician, please rest in your room as well."
Yurong approached and held Hua Liuli's arm, while Yuan Yi handed a bag of pearls to the musician, "My master's outings are unpredictable. It would be best for the young musician not to entertain other guests for a while, so as not to inconvenience my master when she wants to see you."
The musician accepted the pearls and casually placed them on the table. He bowed to Hua Liuli, "Then I will await the esteemed guest's return here."
His posture was elegant, like an immortal untouched by the mortal world, making people want to keep him in the mortal world while also wanting him to continue being an exalted immortal.
If it were an ordinary young girl, she would have been captivated by such elegance.
But the girls present were different. They had already seen the Fifth Prince, who had reached the pinnacle of elegance in speech and behavior. Men like Yunhan from the streets could only make them take a second look; far from being stunning.
When Hua Liuli mentioned that she was leaving, Jiamin Junzhu quickly stood up, "There are matters at home, so I should leave too."
If she didn't leave, did she have to stay here and compete with Hua Liuli for men?
The group left Jin Ling Garden. Jiamin Junzhu hadn't even had a chance to breathe a sigh of relief when she locked eyes with Du Xiuying, who was standing across the street.
Although Du Xiuying's expression was calm, Jiamin Junzhu could be sure that beneath her calm facade hid anger.
"Young Lady Du," Hua Liuli spotted Du Xiuying and waved at her with a smile, "What a coincidence."
Du Xiuying nodded with a smile and walked over to them, bowing, "Greetings, Fushou Junzhu."
"No need for such formalities, Young Lady Du," Hua Liuli reached out to support Du Xiuying, who carried a faint fragrance of books and ink, which smelled pleasant.
"Courtesy must be maintained," Du Xiuying turned and exchanged greetings with the other girls. Then her gaze fell on Jiamin Junzhu.
The sounds of music and laughter occasionally drifted from Jin Ling Garden behind them, making the atmosphere between them even quieter.
"Is it fun inside?" Du Xiuying looked at Jiamin Junzhu expressionlessly.
Jiamin Junzhu shook her head, "It's not that interesting."
"If you like going, I can't stop you," Du Xiuying turned her head and glanced at Hua Liuli, "Fushou Junzhu is physically weak and younger than you. Please don't bring her to such places in the future."
"What does that have to do with me?" Jiamin Junzhu scoffed, "Her legs are attached to her body, not min. Can I control her?" She wasn't responsible for her life, was she?
"Young Lady Du, this matter has nothing to do with Jiamin Junzhu. It was my own decision to come here," Hua Liuli said softly.
"I know," Du Xiuying didn't take Hua Liuli's words seriously. Jiamin Junzhu had a bad temper, she can see that Fushou Junzhu was just covering for her.
If it weren't for Jiamin Junzhu bringing Fushou Junzhu here, how could she have found this place?
With these thoughts in mind, Du Xiuying warned Jiamin Junzhu with a stern look, asking her to stay out of trouble.
Jiamin Junzhu: "..."
She may have been reckless in her words and actions in the past, but it didn't mean that she was the instigator of all bad things, right? Do people still value reason in this world?
But she couldn't be bothered to argue with her cousin, Du Xiuying. Since childhood, her cousin had always been using pompous words that gave her a headache.
Tian Shan and the other girl sensed that something was wrong and quickly found an excuse to get on their carriage and leave. They were also afraid of Du Xiuying.
Jiamin Junzhu watched the two sisters leave in a hurry and once again doubted the fragile friendship between them.
They had promised to be lifelong friends, but when faced with difficulties, they ran without looking back?
"Let's go, let's go home," the street was bustling with people, so Du Xiuying didn't say anything else. She pulled Jiamin Junzhu onto her carriage, preventing her from running around.
"Junzhu," before Du Xiuying got on the carriage, she said to Hua Liuli, "Return to your estate early, it's getting dark."
"Alright, Young Lady Du," Hua Liuli smiled innocently.
Seeing her innocent smile, Du Xiuying couldn't help but feel a sense of "others' sisters are better" in her heart.
"Cousin, it wasn't me who brought her here. When I arrived, she was already inside."
"Don't make up stories, why don't you say that she was also competing with you for men?"
"Yes, she was competing with me for men."
"Hmph," Du Xiuying couldn't help but laugh in frustration, "Yao Jiamin, I don't use foul language, but don't push me to make an exception."
Jiamin Junzhu: "..."
The thing she regretted the most in her life was provoking Hua Liuli. Ever since she provoked her, she had never had a peaceful day.
They were truly incompatible.
Watching Du Xiuying's carriage disappear into the distance, Hua Liuli's lips curved into a smile, "The girls in the capital are interesting."
"Junzhu, what do you think of that musician?" Yurong asked softly.
"He doesn't have the elegance of the Fifth Prince, nor the appearance and grace of the Crown Prince," Hua Liuli shook her head with a sigh, "After getting used to seeing extraordinary beauty, everyone else becomes ordinary and mundane."
"Junzhu should calm down. It's impossible for those princes to become your male pets," Yuan Yi honestly reminded her.
"You make a valid point. It's just that everyone has their flaws. It's easy to go from frugality to luxury, but difficult to go from luxury to frugality," Hua Liuli felt a lack of interest in that musician, "If the Crown Prince weren't so good-looking, I wouldn't be so picky."
"Fushou Junzhu?"
Hua Liuli frowned. She was only appreciating the Crown Prince's beauty, how come she started hallucinating that he was calling out to her?
The Crown Prince saw Hua Liuli standing at the entrance of a pleasure quarter and asked, "What are you doing here?" He dismounted from his horse and glanced at the signboard hanging at the main entrance of the pleasure quarter and thought she happened to pass by.
"I heard there's a talented musician inside, so I came to take a look," Hua Liuli didn't hide her intentions from the Crown Prince.
"A musician?" The Crown Prince smelled a different fragrance emanating from Hua Liuli, a scent that was unusual and mixed with some pungent powder, probably unintentionally picked up from someone else.
"Junzhu... Do you have such an interest as well?" the Crown Prince knew that some noble ladies in the capital had a hobby of keeping male pets, but Hua Liuli didn't seem like that kind of person.
Could it be that someone had influenced her?
"Just curious to take a look," Hua Liuli didn't care about it, "Why is Your Royal Highness here so late?"
"Benwang was accompanying the officials from the Ministry of Rites to deliver an imperial edict," the Crown Prince explained, "The men and women in this kind of place aren't clean, and the scent is heavy, not good for your health. Junzhu, you should avoid coming to this kind of place in the future."
Hua Liuli contemplated for a moment. Did the Crown Prince mean that she should find an innocent commoner man?
She looked up at the Crown Prince and nodded slowly, "Your Royal Highness, I understand your intention."
Watching Hua Liuli's pensive expression, the Crown Prince felt uncomfortable. No matter what he thought, he felt a sense of unease. After escorting Hua Liuli back to her estate, he still felt a tightness in his heart.
"Your Majesty, which consort's palace will you go to rest tonight?" Zhao Sancai asked in a low voice. It had been five days since His Majesty visited the harem and several consorts came to inquire about it. As an eunuch without any roots, he had no idea about His Majesty's thoughts.
"Zhen remember that Consort Lin's brother seems to have returned to the capital?" Emperor Changlong asked Zhao Sancai.
"Is Your Majesty referring to Lin Zhou, the Prefect of Yongzhou?"
"That's the one."
"Your Majesty, Lin Zhou has already been transferred back to the capital, but there are no suitable vacancies in the capital at the moment, so he is temporarily idle at home."
"Then Zhen will go to Lin Fei's place tonight. Zhen will discuss the arrangement of Lin Zhou with her," Emperor Changlong was about to go to Consort Lin's place when a eunuch came to report that the Crown Prince wanted to see him. He stopped in his tracks and had the eunuch bring the Crown Prince in.
"Coming to see Zhen so late, is there something wrong again?" Emperor Changlong saw the Crown Prince's hurried footsteps and kindly asked him to sit down before speaking.
"Father Emperor, today when Erchen was returning to the palace, Erchen noticed that some pleasure establishments were brightly lit up, with continuous music and sounds. It felt a bit inappropriate to Erchen," the Crown Prince said with a worried expression, "Under Father Emperor's governance, Great Jin has become more prosperous and the people live in peace and prosperity. But as their living standards improve, the common people are becoming more and more indulgent in pleasure-seeking. The pleasure establishments are bustling every night, which is not conducive to the long-term stability and prosperity of Great Jin."
"Of course, appropriate entertainment is necessary," the Crown Prince added when Emperor Changlong fell into thought, "In a short while, envoys from various countries will arrive in Great Jin. If they get the impression that the people of Great Jin are only indulging in pleasure, it will damage our reputation. It might be better to take advantage of this time to investigate these pleasure establishments, check if there are any cases of forced prostitution, officials lingering in fireworks places, killings of servants in brothels, secret brothels, and other phenomena, and then have them regulated and managed."
"You make a valid point," Emperor Changlong nodded after pondering for a moment, "Arrange for people to handle this matter tomorrow."
Great Jin has enjoyed good weather and the commoners have been living in peace and prosperity in recent years, but excessive indulgence in pleasure poses hidden risks for the future.
No matter when, one must not lose the sense of crisis and the spirit of striving upward.
Drip, drip, drip.
Countless pearls fell to the ground, making a crisp sound.
Yunhan ignored the pearls bouncing and rolling on the ground and stood in front of a large bronze mirror. He gently touched his cheek and asked the servant by his side, "Do I look unattractive?"
"Young Master, your appearance is unparalleled in the world, unmatched by anyone," the servant held the tray high, not daring to look up at Yunhan.
The tray was empty, with a few scattered pearls around it.
Yunhan waved his hand and knocked over the tray, his face looking extremely displeased. Ever since he appeared in the Jin Ling Garden, he had attracted countless women's infatuation. A few days ago, two noble ladies even turned against each other because of him.
But the young lady's reaction today was simply a great humiliation to him.
"Send someone to find out what usual hobbies Hua Liuli and Yao Jiamin indulge in," Yun Han's anger gradually dissipated, and he casually played with the silk purse in the tray, "Women all like sweet words and vows of love. I want them to regret their actions today."
"Young Master, Master meant for you to get closer to Jiamin Junzhu. Why..."
"What do you understand?" Yunhan interrupted the servant's words and sneered, "Human nature is inherently cheap. If someone discovers that the person who used to pursue them suddenly becomes interested in someone else, their feelings will become even more intense."
"Nubi doesn't understand," the servant's shoulders trembled slightly, he was afraid.
"Of course, you wouldn't understand," Yunhan's eyes were as cold as the accumulated snow in December, "Women... for the sake of love, they can give up everything."
"Young Master, before leaving, Hua Liuli didn't allow you to entertain anyone else, which means you are already special to her. Maybe she acted coldly because there were other people present," the servant said, "Nubi believes in you, Young Master."
"Good boy," Yunhan patted the servant's head. The servant looked up at him, revealing a neck without an Adam's apple.
The Crown Prince had a dream, a dream where he raised a little white kitten. This kitten was extremely beautiful, even its meow was more pleasant than other cats.
However, this kitten was particularly mischievous. It would go pick flowers today and pick fruits tomorrow, it even almost got taken away by someone.
The Crown Prince scolded the person who tried to snatch his kitten angrily. Still feeling unsatisfied, he returned to the palace and made an exquisite cage for the little kitten.
The little kitten lay in the cage, looking at him with big eyes and meowing pitifully.
The Crown Prince's heart softened all of a sudden. He wanted to hold the little kitten in his arms and help groom its fur.
"Who let you go after other flowers?"
The little kitten stared at him with innocent big eyes.
"Will you run after someone else?"
The little kitten tilted its fluffy head and scratched the cage with its paw.
"Sigh," Although the little kitten made no promises, the Crown Prince still opened the cage without any principles and let the kitten out.
Watching the little kitten strutting around in front of him, the Crown Prince picked it up and kissed its ear, "You are a naughty little kitten."
"Your Royal Highness, Your Royal Highness."
The Crown Prince opened his eyes and saw a eunuch kneeling beside his bed with a concerned expression, "Were you dreaming, Your Royal Highness?"
"It's nothing," the Crown Prince sat up, "Benwang just dreamt that someone was trying to snatch my kitten."
The young eunuch looked perplexed: Kitten?
What kitten?
There were no kittens in the Eastern Palace.
"Help Benwang change my clothes."
"It's still early. Your Royal Highness can sleep a little longer."
"No, Benwang has something to attend to today."
Just as the sun rose, the chief steward of the Jin Ling Garden heard a commotion downstairs. She was a bit annoyed and opened the door to step out into the corridor, "What's all the noise about? We haven't opened the doors to welcome guests yet."
As she looked downstairs and saw that most of the people there were wearing official robes of the Ministry of Justice and yamen constable uniforms, she was taken aback and quickly squeezed out a smile as she trotted downstairs, "Gentlemen, may I ask what the matter is?"
"Creating a harmonious capital is everyone's responsibility," a yamen constable handed a notice to the chief steward, "Recently, the yamen has received numerous anonymous reports about illegal activities in some pleasure establishments, such as illegal trafficking of people and mistreatment of servants. In response to these reports, the Jingzhao Prefecture and the Ministry of Justice will conduct a thorough investigation. Once discovered, severe punishments will be imposed."
"Officials, our establishment is a legitimate pleasure establishment. The musicians and dancers here are all legitimate performers, we would never engage in any illegal activities," the chief steward quickly scanned the notice, her heart pounding, "Please, gentlemen, investigate with discernment."
She hastily took out a stack of silver bills from her sleeve and handed them to the yamen constables, "Gentlemen, perhaps you haven't had breakfast yet. Please have some morning tea..."
"Chief Steward, there's no need to be nervous. We are only conducting a thorough investigation according to the laws of Great Jin. If your establishment has not engaged in any illegal activities, we will not trouble you," the yamen constable said with a serious expression, not even glancing at the silver bills.
"Carry on with the investigation."
A deep, pleasant male voice reached the steward's ears. She followed the sound and saw a tall and extraordinarily handsome man standing at the entrance.
She couldn't believe that there could be a man in this world who was more attractive than Yunhan?!
Even though she was accustomed to seeing various beautiful men and women, she couldn't help but take a few more extra glances at him.
