This Junzhu is excellent, but it’s a pity about her second brother…
During the Mei family’s entertainment gatherings, Mei Yao invited female guests regardless of their status as legitimate or illegitimate daughters, but most had unmarried brothers. She had her own ulterior motives—arranging for the noble ladies to visit Phoenix Mountain for blessings during the Shangsi Festival, believing that young masters from various households would surely come, drawn by the allure.
Since things had “ended badly” with that man, it wouldn’t be appropriate to provoke him again. Instead, she would lure him to take the initiative, preferably making him a little jealous. She also wanted to test the extent of his affection for her.
Phoenix Mountain lay in the eastern suburbs of the city, shrouded in morning clouds and sheltered by lush trees, with an aura of spiritual energy. On the mountain stood the Qixia Temple, a place where the royal family and nobility came to pray and perform rituals. Surrounded by mountain springs and ancient trees, the temple was secluded and serene, bustling with activity during festivals and grand gatherings.
On the day of the purification ritual, the spring sunlight was radiant, and Mei Yao dressed herself exquisitely. Her long black hair was styled into a cloud-like bun, adorned with a gold filigree and jade butterfly hairpin with pearl tassels at her forehead. With every soft word she spoke, the pearl strands swayed gracefully, enhancing her lotus-like jade face with a delicate charm.
She wore a peony-pink embroidered gauze dress with a goose-crown red shawl, beneath which was a chest-high crimson snow-embroidered skirt adorned with butterflies and flowers. Over it was a fine gauze overskirt in the same color, misty and ethereal, making each step seem like a lotus blooming. A belt of the same hue cinched her slender waist, adorned with jade ornaments and tassels, with two jade bells at each end that chimed softly with her graceful steps.
With such a breathtaking appearance, anyone who saw her would praise her as a celestial beauty, exquisite and unparalleled!
Before the majestic palace-style mountain gate, carriages adorned with jewels and horses draped in finery had already gathered. Several young Daoist acolytes held orchid leaves, sprinkling petal-infused water on those entering the mountain to pray, wishing them freedom from illness and misfortune.
As Mei Yao stepped out of her carriage, her appearance immediately drew the attention of the festival-goers.
“Sister Mei!”
A cheerful and affectionate voice called out. Mei Yao turned to see a figure darting out from the colorful crowd like a little yellow oriole. Dressed in a goose-yellow spring blouse with a soft silver gauze lily skirt, her figure was light and graceful—it was Little Feitang. She approached with a curtsy, her almond-shaped eyes sparkling as she said, “Sister Mei, you look so beautiful, even more stunning than at the Peach Blossom Banquet!”
Mei Yao thought to herself that this was only natural. At the Peach Blossom Banquet, her heart had been as still as water, but today she had put in every effort to show off her charm.
She took Little Feitang’s hand and said, “No need for formalities! I’m late and kept you waiting—I’m truly sorry!”
As she spoke, the other noble ladies arrived. Among the group, Mei Yao held the highest status, so everyone paid their respects and followed her up the winding mountain path.
Lu Wan picked up the earlier conversation, saying, “Since Junzhu arrived in the capital, even the spring flowers have lost their color! Rumors of Junzhu’s beauty are spreading throughout the capital. My brother told me that many young masters from noble families have come today, drawn by your fame! Little Feitang, have your two brothers come?”
Lu Wan’s words carried a hidden agenda, but Mei Yao only smiled without responding.
Little Feitang said, “With my second brother’s temperament, he’s probably at home avoiding the commotion. As for my eldest brother… he might come.”
She had learned from her aunt, Lu Shi, that Consort Yi intended to match her cousin Shen Xiuyan with Yan Rong, hoping to arrange a meeting under the pretense of praying for blessings. She didn’t know her eldest brother’s feelings on the matter and thought it best not to say more.
Hearing that Yan Yu wasn’t coming, Lu Wan felt a pang of disappointment but couldn’t help asking, “General Yan has stayed in the capital longer this time than in previous years. Will he be returning to the northwest?”
Hearing this, Little Feitang let out a light snort and puffed out her cheeks indignantly, saying, “He’s the only one in the whole family whose actions are completely unpredictable. He always comes back suddenly and leaves just as abruptly. Who knows if he’ll still be in the mansion when we wake up tomorrow!”
Take last year’s late spring, for example. Early in the morning, she had taken a small sachet she had embroidered herself to give to her second brother, only to be told that he had left for the Great Northwest with his deputy general before dawn. Leaving without even saying goodbye, after she had stayed up all night embroidering that sachet for him!
She cried in anger, but after her tears dried, her heart ached for him. Though he was also born of the principal wife, he had never known stability since childhood. Following their father, all he had known were the winds and sands of the Northwest, the deserts, the weapons, the battles, the beacon fires, the bloodshed, and the fierce enemies… Their mother’s tenderness had hardly ever reached him. His temperament was cold and rigid, completely different from their eldest brother’s gentle warmth.
Yet the sense of security he gave her was unmatched by anyone else. When the scoundrel from Prince Li’s household repeatedly harassed her, he simply killed the man. At the time, Li Qi knelt and begged for mercy, swearing he would never dare again, but her second brother covered her eyes and said lightly, “I have no time to watch you reform yourself. It’s simpler to end it now!”
The outside world only knew her second brother as cold, ruthless, and merciless, but she understood that if there truly was someone who could enter his heart, he would never let her suffer the slightest grievance. She would be the happiest woman alive.
Thinking this, Little Feitang looked at Mei Yao again. She felt that this Junzhu before her was quite good—beautiful in appearance and gentle in temperament. It was just a pity that her second brother was blind to it.
Tang Yunxi, the legitimate daughter of Duke Wei’s Mansion, teased, “Look at Little Feitang, her little mouth is pouted so high you could hang an oil bottle on it! Your two brothers, one a scholar and the other a warrior, are both talents capable of aiding the world, and they both dote on you so much. That’s what truly makes people envious!”
Yu Wan, a cousin of the Fifth Prince Li Mao, laughed and said, “That’s both good and not so good. With such pearls and jade before you, who knows what kind of young man could ever catch Little Feitang’s eye!”
“You two sisters are teasing me again!” Little Feitang whined, clinging to Mei Yao’s arm as if tattling.
Mei Yao smiled and said, “Prince Ping’s two sons are indeed outstanding among their peers. However, our Great Qi has no shortage of talented men, each with their own merits. The husband our Little Feitang will marry in the future is sure to be a dragon among men, one in ten thousand!”
The group chatted and laughed as they meandered up the mountain. Along the way, they saw crimson canopies stretching like rainbows, emerald curtains extending endlessly, peonies wafting their fragrance, and scenic rocks and pavilions complementing each other delightfully. As they reached the winding stream for the floating wine cups, the scene grew even livelier. Banquets were set along the water’s edge, with wine cups exchanged in toasts. Elegant scholars in high hats and flowing robes sat on sandy banks, engaged in conversation, while graceful ladies and beautiful attendants adorned with pearls and jade expressed their sentiments by the water, creating a scene of joyous harmony.
Mei Yao was not skilled at composing poetry or prose, nor had she come to flaunt her talents. She only intended to make a brief appearance before withdrawing. Moreover, having learned from the previous incident at the inner banquet, she noticed that the nobles by the water, whether married or not, looked at her with lingering affection in their eyes. She neither wanted to overshadow the brilliance of the noble young ladies nor cause unnecessary trouble. After greeting everyone, she took Feng Xiu and Shuangqi to the Taoist temple to offer incense.
The third day of the third lunar month was the day of the Queen Mother’s Peach Banquet. In the front hall, a religious ceremony was being held to pray for national peace and prosperity, and the crowd was large and congested. Mei Yao headed toward the Hall of Zhenwu through a side door. The Great Emperor Zhenwu presided over life, death, yin, and yang, and believers often prayed to him for peace, good fortune, marriage, and offspring.
At this moment, there were not many people in the hall, but Mei Yao stumbled upon a commotion.
The hall was not large, and as soon as she entered, she heard someone shouting insults: “You lewd, shameless bitch! How dare you come here! What are you praying for? To find another man to fuck you, or to pray for that bastard bastard child? I think you’re tired of living a good life!”
A sharp slap rang out, startling even Mei Yao standing outside the crowd.
The man hurling insults seemed drunk, spewing a torrent of vulgarities and obscenities while resorting to violence. Mei Yao wondered how humiliated the woman being berated must feel.
She pushed through the crowd and saw a man around thirty years old, dressed in a water-blue brocade gown embroidered with gold thread. The robe was adorned with elegant and delicate orchid patterns, and around his waist was a gold filigree openwork belt inlaid with jade, from which hung a single tasseled yellow jadeite revolving heart pendant. Judging by his attire, he was undoubtedly a nobleman from some influential household. His face was flushed crimson, eyes wide with rage, and in his right hand, he clutched a gilded dagger, its tip pointed at a woman kneeling on the ground, trembling uncontrollably. A bright red slap mark stood out starkly on her pale face. Her maid, terrified, kowtowed repeatedly, pleading for her life!
The servants beside the man seemed to want to intervene, but seeing their master’s furious state and the dagger in his hand, they could only watch anxiously, too afraid to speak.
Perhaps the woman’s silence only fueled the man’s pent-up anger. He stepped forward and kicked her in the shoulder, sending her sprawling to the ground, shouting, “Now you’re silent? Weren’t you screaming loudly enough in his bed? Go on, scream again!”
“My lord, please say no more! This concubine will die to appease your wrath!”
Driven to desperation, the woman scrambled up and lunged toward a stone pedestal in front of the Zhenwu Hall, only to be yanked back by a strong hand!
A dignified man in a moon-white robe strode out from the crowd. After handing the rescued woman to her maid for support, he turned coldly toward the enraged man and said, “What is Prince Rong doing? This is the sacred Zhenwu Hall—are you not afraid of blaspheming the gods?”
Prince Rong, Li Shizhen, tightened his grip on the dagger, tilting his chin arrogantly as he glared at the newcomer. He sneered, “Since you know this isn’t your Court of Judicial Review, what gives you the right to meddle? This is my family affair. Step aside now, or my blade won’t recognize you!”
With that, he brandished the dagger and tried to drag the woman, who was weeping nearby, snarling, “You shameless slut! Get back here now!”
The man in white stepped forward, raising a hand and raising his voice in a stern command, “Prince Rong! With the gods above and the people watching, how dare you cause trouble armed with a blade! Even if this isn’t a court of law, it’s no place for your recklessness. If you do not cease immediately, I will have you dealt with according to the law!”
“Yan Rong! Stop putting on airs in front of me! A mere third-rank official, and you think you can police even my piss and shit? Since you refuse to step aside, let’s see how you fare against my blade!”
With that, he lunged at Yan Rong! Emboldened by alcohol, Li Shizhen paid no heed to the consequences, terrifying his servants, who rushed forward to stop him, crying, “You mustn’t, my lord! Injuring an imperial official is a grave crime!”
Li Shizhen was beyond listening. After two failed attempts to stab Yan Rong, he grew even angrier and swung the dagger at the servant trying to restrain him. The sharp blade sliced the servant’s arm, drawing blood instantly. The servant clutched his arm, groaning in pain!
Yan Rong could only dodge repeatedly, frustration boiling inside him as he regretted not bringing guards today. The onlookers, seeing the situation escalate, scattered in panic.
Mei Yao retreated beneath an old tree and glanced at Shuangqi. Shuangqi snapped off two thumb-thick branches and, with a flick of his wrist, sent one flying toward Li Shizhen’s dagger-holding hand and the other toward his calf. The dagger clattered to the ground just as Li Shizhen fell flat on his face!
“Ouch—who? Who the hell ambushed me?”
Li Shizhen lay sprawled on the ground, howling in pain.
His two servants, seeing the dagger fall, hurried over to support him. Two other young men in fine robes and a Taoist priest in a blue robe belatedly rushed over, half supporting and half urging him, “My lord, why did you run off here in the middle of drinking? We’ve been searching everywhere for you! Please stop this commotion—the banquet over there is still waiting for you. Come with us quickly!”
Li Shizhen was dazed from the fall and only noticed the young lady standing beneath the ancient tree after being helped up.
It was love at first sight! He prided himself on having seen countless women and encountered every kind of beauty, but this particular charm was unlike any other. Delicate and enchanting, yet her gaze carried a hint of cool aloofness—both captivating and deadly, making him unable to look away.
Yan Rong followed Li Shizhen’s infatuated gaze and also noticed the person under the ancient tree.
What a face of jade-like bone and snow-white skin, with features as lovely as a lotus blossom. She stood there quietly, yet her presence seemed to dim the brilliance of the bright spring day.
Yan Rong watched for a few moments before noticing the two maidservants beside her. His memory was sharp, and he recognized one of them as the young lady who had delivered lanterns to his residence that day. An inexplicable feeling stirred within him.