“Why?” “It will hurt.” “Then what should we do with this?” “Keep it as a keepsake!” Feng Suige and Fu Yixiao were walking briskly through the streets of Xu Sha, one in front of the other, as they needed to hurry back to the Prince’s mansion. They were still arguing about the jade pendant.
Yixiao suddenly stopped, and Feng Suige almost bumped into her. Just as he was about to glare at her, Yixiao made a gesture for him to be quiet.
Feng Suige instinctively pricked up his ears to listen. A faint, intermittent song drifted on the wind to the street. The song was melancholic, with men and women singing in response to each other, yet it also carried a hint of sensuality. As Yixiao listened, she softly joined in, “The world is full of sorrows of time, not just you alone in desolation. When fate has passed and dreams have faded, why not get drunk under the slanting moon with hairpins askew? The night is long and sleep eludes, be careful not to speak of longing, for longing is just two words that break the heart…”
Feng Suige’s expression changed slightly. “That’s coming from the red-light district. It must be courtesans and actors rehearsing.”
“Mm,” Yixiao responded absentmindedly. “The lyrics might have come from Jinxiu. Last year in Pingling, I practiced this song too, but the melody wasn’t as beautiful as this one. It’s a pity Xueying isn’t here. If she heard this, she’d write down the entire thing when we got back…”
Before she could finish, Feng Suige rudely pulled her forward. “What’s so good about listening to brothel songs? The guests will all arrive soon, and we still need to change clothes.”
“Guests?” Yixiao asked, puzzled. “I thought the banquet was only at night.”
But Feng Suige pressed his lips together and said no more. His iron-like grip tightly held Yixiao’s wrist as he led her through the crowd.
After escorting Yixiao back to the inner quarters, Feng Suige smiled and instructed, “The new golden feather embroidered dress should have been sent in. If you don’t like too many accessories, you can match them yourself. Just don’t make it too plain. I also need to change clothes. I’ll come back to fetch you in a while.”
Yixiao agreed and took a few steps, then suddenly turned back, holding up the pendant with a smile. “Thank you,” she said. Feng Suige returned an even deeper smile, watching her skip away lightly.
As soon as she was out of sight, Feng Suige’s smile gradually faded. He had only known that she and Xia Jingshi were quite intimate before, but why did she know how to sing that brothel song?
From Jinxiu, in Pingling?
It seemed he had never paid attention to that place before…
Outside the Prince’s mansion, there was a steady stream of carriages and horses. Most of the attending officials were accompanied by their wives, some even bringing their children. Everyone was dressed in luxurious formal wear, with many wearing jewel-encrusted crowns and gold-threaded clothes, showcasing their status with pearls and gems. The scene was a dazzling display of perfumes and hairstyles, crowns and hats gathering like clouds, creating a lively atmosphere.
When Feng Suige entered the banquet hall holding Fu Yixiao’s hand, announced by the ceremonial official, the magnificent hall was already full of people, their voices and laughter filling the room. Upon seeing Feng Suige enter, the noble ladies’ and young misses’ eyes lit up with admiration. They pointed and whispered, occasionally letting out coquettish giggles, completely ignoring Fu Yixiao beside him.
As the Regent Prince, Feng Suige was naturally the object of flattery for various levels of the powerful and wealthy. Although most were sycophants, Feng Suige still responded appropriately to each one. Soon, a group of people had gathered around him. Fu Yixiao, though not fond of such occasions, still stood quietly beside him, calmly meeting the various gazes directed at her from all sides. After a quick survey, she revealed a smile, triumphant.
Amidst the greetings, a man in his fifties strode over with a powerful gait. He was not tall, with slightly graying hair and beard, and a somewhat plump build. When he smiled, several muscles bulged in his cheeks – the typical appearance of a merchant.
“Old Qin was out of town during the Prince’s grand wedding and regrettably missed the festivities. So I had to attend this birthday banquet, hahaha!” the man laughed loudly. “And this must be the Prince’s newly taken Secondary Consort?”
“How have you been lately, Elder Qin? It’s indeed been a long time,” Feng Suige smiled. Yixiao gave a slight bow. This man must be Qin Yu, who held the reins of Xu Sha’s commerce. It was well known that Qin Yu was skilled in business management and had amassed great wealth at a young age. He was the largest private financial supporter of the Xu Sha imperial army.
Qin Yu looked Yixiao up and down, nodding in approval. “Exquisite bone structure, with a hidden phoenix aura. In old Qin’s eyes, even the position of Crown Princess would suit the young Consort.” Ignoring the gasps of surprise around him, he threw back his head and laughed heartily.
Slightly taken aback, Yixiao didn’t forget to exchange a few polite words with him. Whether his words were sincere or not, the fact that Qin Yu could say such things in this setting clearly showed his status in Xu Sha’s court and society.
“Brother Feng!” a young girl’s voice called out from behind Qin Yu. Everyone turned in surprise to see a girl of about fifteen or sixteen rushing into Feng Suige’s arms, hugging him tightly. Her childish eyes were brimming with tears. “It’s all Grandfather’s fault. He insisted on taking me out to play. After we got the news, we hurried back as fast as we could, but still missed both wedding ceremonies…”
Feng Suige was startled, and Yixiao’s fingers slipped from his grasp. With all eyes on them, he could only chuckle softly, “Little Yi seems to have grown taller.”
Qin Yu sternly rebuked, “Yi’er, don’t be rude. You’re a young lady now. How can you still cling to the Prince like before? Quickly pay your respects to the Secondary Consort.”
“I’ve always hugged him like this. What’s wrong with it?” Qin Yi wrinkled her nose but obediently let go. She was about to kneel before Yixiao when Yixiao quickly caught her. Before she could speak, the ceremonial official’s resonant voice announced, “His Majesty the King has arrived!”
The courtiers immediately knelt, chanting in unison: “Long live the King, long live, long, long live…”
Feng Qishan arrived right on time. Following him were two noblewomen dressed as palace consorts. One wore three phoenix-shaped jade hairpins with dozens of pearl strings hanging from them. The other had several golden flowers in her hair, with various precious gems set in their centers. Both women were graceful in appearance but wore expressions of utter arrogance.
As Feng Qishan’s entourage entered the main hall, Yixiao stood out starkly among the sea of bowing backs. He slowly came to a stop, narrowing his eyes as he stared at Fu Yixiao.
The leader of the palace guards shouted, “How dare you! His Majesty has arrived. Kneel quickly to welcome him!” Feng Suige turned back in shock, reaching out to pull her down, but Yixiao lightly dodged his hand and said clearly, “He is not my lord. Why should I kneel?”
The palace consort with golden flowers in her hair glinted in her eyes as she smiled maliciously, “We’ve long heard that the Prince married a Secondary Consort who doesn’t know the rules. Today we finally get to see for ourselves.” Feng Qishan also sneered, “I’ve already experienced it firsthand.”
Feng Suige, both anxious and angry, hissed, “What are you doing?” Yixiao pretended not to hear him. “When the King of Xu Sha arrives, Yixiao does not kneel. But if it were my aunt-in-law visiting, Yixiao would certainly show proper courtesy.”
A flash of surprise broke through Feng Qishan’s icy expression, disappearing as quickly as it came. He said in a deep voice, “Your ability to stand here safely is already a great concession from me. Don’t push your luck.”
Yixiao widened her eyes, feigning ignorance as she asked, “Forgive Yixiao’s ignorance, but may I ask if it was the King speaking just now, or my aunt-in-law?”
Feng Qishan stared at her coldly for a moment. “What if it was both?” She smiled mischievously, “If it’s both, Yixiao would still only bow to the aunt-in-law, not to the King.” As she spoke, she placed her hands together at her chest and gave a slight curtsy.
Feng Qishan snorted but couldn’t do anything about her. He shifted his gaze away from her and said in a deep voice, “All of you may rise and be seated.”
Immediately, the hall was filled with the rustling of clothes and low murmurs of conversation. Feng Suige felt slightly relieved but was still angry. He approached her and said in a low voice, “What are you doing? I’ve already had several conflicts with Father King because of you. It’s just a simple act of kneeling. Do you have to make such a scene?”
Fu Yixiao smiled calmly, “Yixiao believes she has done nothing wrong. If someone shows me an inch of respect, I return afoot. That’s all there is to it.”