Four Seasons Brocade – CH 029

Chapter 29 ☆、 A Messy Account at the Birthday Banquet (Part 2)

Tang Yin nodded. “If you do not believe me, ask Sister Gu.” Of the people present, Tang Yin thought only she and Gu Xihui had seen Chu Mao, but she did not know that Ah Wu had also seen him.

Gu Xihui blushed instantly when the girls looked at her, but she nodded.

Ah Wu was curious; why was Gu Xihui blushing?

“He’s even better-looking than Brother Tang? How is that possible?” Hu Yahe said incredulously.

“You are such an arrogant frog, a frog in a well with a limited view of the sky. How can there not be someone better looking than my brother? If you ask me, that one is the most handsome man in the world. I guarantee you’d be speechless if you saw him,” Tang Yin sighed, looking as if she wished Chu Mao were standing right in front of her for her to see.

Ah Wu could not join in the lively discussion about this topic with Tang Yin. She had always been reserved about matters of the heart. Her feelings for Tang Xiujin had only surfaced after his poems reached her ears. She was captivated by his literary talent, and later, after meeting him at the Princess’s banquet, she was struck by his handsome appearance and refined manners, and her heart was instantly won over.

Young women, being sheltered and inexperienced with men, were easily swayed, but their feelings were not deep, and their actions were never complicated. However, since Tang Xiujin married Gu Xihui, Ah Wu had remained serene and detached from worldly desires.

Now, Tang Yin and the others were discussing men and women without any restraint, making Ah Wu extremely uncomfortable, both embarrassed and shy. She desperately wanted them to change the subject, but their eyes were as bright as the sun, completely ignoring Ah Wu’s attempts to divert attention.

When Tang Yin mentioned Chu Mao, Ah Wu really wanted to say that she did not know what Tang Yin’s perspective was, that she thought Chu Mao was the most handsome man in the world.

“What? Can I not talk? Let me see him before I believe you,” Hu Yahe said, unconvinced.

“That’s easy; I will take you today,” Tang Yin said, a bold and decisive person, her spirits even stronger after drinking.

Hu Yahe, a lively and mischievous girl who thrives on chaos, exclaimed, “Fine, you said it yourself! Let’s all go take a look. I want to see if it’s really that good!”

Su Nian actually nodded in agreement.

Only Gu Xihui looked anxious. “This will not do! How can we do such a thing? What will happen if word gets out?” Gu Xihui was older and more thoughtful.

But Tang Yin, Hu Yahe, and Su Nian did not care about such things. They were the most daring and reckless; otherwise, they would not have become friends.

“If you are afraid, you do not have to go. But if word gets out, we will only come after you,” Tang Yin said domineeringly.

These words infuriated Gu Xihui; she felt completely trapped.

“Ah Xuan, are you going or not?” Tang Yin asked Ah Wu. After all, Ah Wu was young and probably did not understand much about matters of the heart, and she did not seem interested in seeing handsome men, hence Tang Yin’s question.

This time, Ah Wu was naturally on Gu Xihui’s side, but judging from Tang Yin’s attitude, it seemed they were going no matter what. Ah Wu hesitated, “I do not think that Fourth Prince is that good-looking. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder; why bother looking at him? Would it not be better to sit and chat?”

Tang Yin tugged at Ah Wu. “You little old fogey, I will only ask one question: are you going or not?” Tang Yin’s unspoken message was, “If you do not go, I will not talk to you anymore.”

Ah Wu was utterly helpless, weighing the provocation against losing Tang Yin as a friend for a long time, and finally nodded, resigned to going with Tang Yin to fool around.

“But we cannot just walk into the Fourth Prince’s Mansion like that,” Ah Wu tried to argue.

“Do not worry about that; I have a plan,” Tang Yin said smugly.

As the group boarded the carriage and left, Ah Wu realized how crazy they had been—trying to peep at a young man! Ah Wu found this extremely strange; like when she was a child, she loved dressing up and secretly tried on the Princess’s clothes—inappropriate, but incredibly rare.

It was said that what one lacked in childhood was a lifelong regret. Ah Wu was fortunate enough to have a second life, and naturally, she wanted to make up for the regrets of her past life, like fooling around with her best friend.

Therefore, Ah Wu’s heart stopped struggling.

The Prince of Qi’s mansion in the west of the capital was once the current Emperor’s residence before his ascension to the throne, now bestowed upon the Fourth Prince—Chu Mao, who had just been enfeoffed as the Prince of Qi. The Prince of Qi’s Mansion boasted the Xiangsi Garden, one of the four famous gardens in the capital, built against the backdrop of Hongchi Pond. The Tang family’s carriage stopped in Gourd Alley, near the back gate of the Prince of Qi’s residence. From there, one could see people entering and leaving the residence through the back gate.

The coachman had no idea why these young ladies had asked him to drive them here. He assumed they were going to browse the Treasure Shop and that Madam Tang always indulged Tang Yin’s whims on her birthday. She believed her daughter, though a bit willful, was intelligent and quick-witted and would not cause any trouble.

However, Madam Tang underestimated the stirrings of young girls’ hearts. Tang Yin was only nine years old, but Hu Yahe was already ten, Su Nian eleven, and Liu Hexuan and Gu Xihui were both twelve.

Several girls chattered excitedly inside the carriage, peeking through the curtains at the back gate of the Prince’s Mansion. Each time someone entered or exited, they would gasp, “Ah—!” Then, seeing it was not Chu Mao, they would sigh in disappointment, “Oh—!”

As the sun began to set, Chu Mao finally returned, dressed in a long, sapphire-blue robe embroidered with begonia patterns.

In truth, Chu Mao was the master of the mansion and should have entered through the main gate, but he occasionally returned through the back. Tang Yin had only brought Ah Wu and a few others to try their luck, and unexpectedly, she had actually encountered him.

Chu Mao dismounted, a layer of bright blue gauze draped over his sapphire-blue robe, further accentuating his handsome features and refined demeanor.

He was as bright as the moon hanging in the sky, as radiant as a star in the night.

Chu Mao exuded an aura of mystery, coupled with his unapproachable noble status as a prince. Even if his appearance was only a six out of ten, in the eyes of the young girls, he would be a ten. Hu Yahe, Su Nian, and the others were all stunned. Even Liu Hexuan, who was about to be engaged, blushed. Young Ladies Hu and Su vied for the best view from behind the carriage curtain.

Ah Wu first watched with great interest as Young Lady Hu and Young Lady Su stared at him with bewildered expressions, then turned to look at Gu Xihui, whose face was as red as a monkey’s bottom. Liu Hexuan’s neck was now red as well. Only Tang Yin and Ah Wu remained relatively normal.

Perhaps because Hu Yahe and Su Nian were arguing so intensely inside the carriage, Chu Mao, who had been stepping through the gate, paused, turned his head towards the Tang family’s carriage, and gave a wink to Liu Xiang, the guard beside him.

Ah Wu, of course, did not see Chu Mao’s gesture, while Young Lady Hu and Young Lady Su, already mesmerized by the handsome man, had lost all sense of awareness.

Suddenly, Ah Wu’s eyes lit up. The curtain covering the carriage was forcefully thrown open from the outside, revealing Liu Xiang standing before it, his face dark. “Get out,” he said.

The young girls, trembling at the sight of Liu Xiang’s burly, black-faced appearance, shakily dismounted. They saw the coachman had already been restrained and gagged.

Liu Xiang looked at the row of young girls, clearly from wealthy and noble families, who were getting off one by one, and his head began to ache. He had initially assumed they were some malicious people spying on the Fourth Prince.

But when Liu Xiang saw Ah Wu, his eyes widened even more.

Unable to handle this situation, Liu Xiang could only sternly urge them to Chu Mao.

Chu Mao looked at the line of noble ladies before him. Liu Xiang did not recognize them, but Chu Mao did. He narrowed his eyes, a subtle, enigmatic smile playing on his lips.

Strangely enough, Chu Mao’s handsome, radiant face, as striking as a snow-capped mountain, was even more frightening than Liu Xiang’s ^{(a judge known for his ruthlessness and cunning)} face. Ah Wu and the others lowered their heads, not daring to look at him. Hu Ya, the weaker one, trembled in both hands and feet.

Ah Wu knew why Hu Ya and the others reacted this way. Although Chu Mao always feigned a gentle demeanor, he was actually incredibly cold and ruthless. Even the gentlest smile could not conceal his murderous aura. He probably knew this, so the corners of his mouth were always slightly upturned, attempting to soften his cold-blooded nature. Even so, he still made people feel terrified in his presence.

Of course, this was just Ah Wu’s preconceived impression of Chu Mao, tinged with personal resentment. In Su Nian and the others’ eyes, their fear and trembling were partly due to shyness, but more importantly, Chu Mao possessed an aura of unapproachability and awe, making him seem like a high and mighty immortal in the Jade Emperor’s palace, not to be desecrated.

His appearance, his figure, and his spirit—all were otherworldly, inspiring awe.

Chu Mao’s gaze swept over the noble ladies, then fixed on Ah Wu, the shortest and roundest among them, standing at the very edge. “You speak,” he said.

Ah Wu abruptly looked up, covering her mouth with her hands in shock, her large almond-shaped eyes wide and bright like the moon reflected in water.

What could she say? She would rather die than utter a word.

Chu Mao showed no anger. He said gently, “Liu Xiang, take these girls back to their homes one by one and ask their parents why their daughters are standing guard at the gates of our Prince’s Mansion.”

These words startled even the audacious Tang Yin. Everyone else quickly shook their heads and waved their hands.

If the Fourth Prince’s personal guards personally escorted them home, what would people think? They’d be accused of spying on the Fourth Prince at the back gate of the Prince’s residence—would they not lose all face?

With their reputations damaged like that, they’d have no way to survive. Although they were young, apart from Ah Wu herself, the others were all of high status. If Chu Mao took them into his household, they would undoubtedly be a great asset. Ah Wu could not help but maliciously speculate about Chu Mao. She felt utterly foolish, like they were offering themselves up as meat on a chopping block.

“I will talk, I will talk,” Tang Yin anxiously stepped forward.

Chu Mao glanced lightly at Tang Yin, who immediately fell silent. Chu Mao then looked down at Ah Wu. “You speak,” he said.