Isn’t a Delicate, Supple Beauty a Dream Come True? - Chapter 3

Chu Wan: “Prince An? The most famous lecherous dandy of the dynasty, Xiao Qi, also known as Xiao Wuwei?”

Her face immediately turned pale: “Why did you suddenly think to ask about him? Don’t tell me you’ve added another enemy to your list.”

It really wasn’t her fault for overthinking. Ever since Chu Gui began his revenge, the people he took an interest in were mostly those involved in the incident back then—starting from a low-ranking soldier in the border province, moving up one by one, to Lu Meng who just received a vertical mark, and finally the four remaining figures.

The number of enemies was accumulating, and their identities were becoming increasingly prestigious. If he were to add a Prince now, she wouldn’t be surprised at all; she would just be more worried.

“Lecherous? Heh, a very obvious weakness.” Chu Gui murmured softly. He picked up the porcelain pot on the table, poured himself a cup of cold tea, took a slow sip, and turned to ask: “Second Sister, how do I look? If I dressed as a woman, could I pass for one?”

Chu Wan had no idea what was going on in her brother’s head. He was a man standing a full seven feet tall; no matter how peerlessly beautiful his face was, it was impossible for him to pass as a woman flawlessly.

She said crossly: “Look in the mirror yourself! As for dressing as a woman, what kind of crazy idea are you having now? Have you ever seen a woman as tall as you?”

Chu Gui thought about his height—converted to the units of his previous life, it was about 1.78 meters. In this world of widespread malnutrition, he stood out like a crane among chickens even among men. If he really dressed as a woman, he’d be a total giantess. Tsk, that would indeed be too eye-catching.

He explained with some regret: “These past few days I hung around the Minister of the Imperial Stud. He has to wait on the Emperor at all times to help drive the imperial carriage, so he basically doesn’t live in his residence. Because of that, I made a trip to the Imperial City tonight. It’s very difficult to enter past the sixth gate, but Prince An’s dance troupe comes and goes quite freely.”

So he wanted to use him as a springboard? Chu Wan felt an unspeakable frustration in her heart.

This stubborn mule in front of her couldn’t be persuaded. He treated the heavily guarded Imperial City like his own backyard, with zero reverence for imperial power. She worried he wouldn’t be able to get in and would fall on the path of revenge, but she also worried that if he got in too easily and reached the inner court, wouldn’t the risk be even greater?

After agonizing for a long time, she finally answered truthfully: “You don’t actually need to dress as a woman. That guy swings both ways. Last year, the Southern Yong Kingdom sent him several ‘Pure Attendants’. One of them, Master Liu, is quite famous. Not only is he exceptionally beautiful, but he’s also skilled in zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting. I heard he’s very favored in the Prince’s mansion.”

Chu Gui’s eyes suddenly lit up.

Three days later, the ninth day of the ninth lunar month—the Double Ninth Festival.

This was a major day for ancestral sacrifices and blessings, as well as a perfect time for hiking and outings.

Xiao Yuan, the Heir Apparent of Prince Min, had entered the palace before dawn. He followed the Emperor through a busy morning of sacrifices to ancestors and heaven. By noon, he went to Cihui Palace to pay his respects and accompanied the Empress Dowager for a vegetarian feast.

In the afternoon, he made an appointment with several cousins to enjoy the autumn scenery in the ginkgo forest at the foot of Mount Huai.

Every autumn, when the ginkgo trees begin to put on their golden coats, this forest at Mount Huai turns into a world of pale yellow. Everywhere the eye can see looks as if it’s been paved with gold leaf—a truly breathtaking sight that draws crowds of tourists.

Xiao Yuan ordered the guards to cordoned off the area around the Tiaoyuan Pavilion. A table was set with chrysanthemum cakes and chrysanthemum wine. The guests arrived one after another, except for his cousin Xiao Qi, who had yet to show.

Just as the group finished a round of drinking games and were in the middle of a lively discussion filled with laughter and banter, Prince An finally made his grand entrance.

His voice arrived before he did.

It was a playful scolding filled with intimacy: “You rascals! Starting the drinks without waiting for me? If Yuan-er hadn’t lured me with this ten-year-old premium chrysanthemum wine, I wouldn’t have bothered coming. Aren’t the beauties in my mansion better to look at than these fallen leaves?”

Xiao Yuan turned to look. His notoriously dissolute cousin was smirking, waving a gold-flecked black-boned fan. With a few leisurely strides, he slowly entered the pavilion and took a seat.

“Who told you to come so late? First things first—drink three penalty cups before you talk!”

The person speaking was Jiang Wei. He was the concubine-born son of Chancellor Jiang Huai-ren. Relying on the Jiang Clan’s prestige—with two Dukes in the family, the Empress Dowager as his aunt, and the Empress as his elder sister—he spoke with great arrogance, even bossing around a First-Rank Prince.

Fortunately, Prince An’s soft temperament was famous in the court. Aside from a fistfight over a top-tier courtesan in his younger years, no one had ever seen him lose his temper.

Sure enough, Xiao Qi’s peach-blossom eyes crinkled. “Brother Wei, have mercy on me. Although I love fine wine, my capacity is poor. At most, I can have one cup to taste. If I overdo it and get drunk and rowdy, wouldn’t the beauty whose turn it is to attend to me tonight face a beautiful night alone? She would surely hate you to death. Not good, not good at all.”

It was true. Everyone knew there were over a hundred beautiful concubines in Prince An’s mansion, who would fight until their heads bled for the chance to attend to him at night. Since he didn’t have a formal wife to help manage them, he simply set up a rotation rule—one person per day to ensure everyone got their share of ‘rain and dew.’

By calculation, the one for tonight had likely been ‘parched’ for three months. If someone really got the Prince drunk, wouldn’t she curse the culprit to high heaven in her heart?

The pavilion erupted in laughter. Xiao Yuan winked and said, “Sixth Brother, since we’re here to enjoy autumn, why didn’t you bring a beauty along? The Young Marquis of the Marquis Xingchang residence has just arrived in the Upper Capital; he’s heard the fame of the Kingdom of Ten Thousand Flowers but hasn’t seen it yet.”

Xiao Qi scanned the group, giving a slight nod to the unfamiliar Young Marquis. He “shua”-ed open his folding fan, fanning himself gently, and said with a look of self-pride: “Sigh, it’s hard. There are so many beauties, but only one of me. If I bring this one, that one gets upset. So who should I bring and who should I leave behind? They say the kindness of a beauty is heavy; I truly find it hard to disappoint them.”

After speaking, he stopped fanning and rested his chin on his hand on the stone table, frowning slightly—a perfect picture of a deep-seated, romantic rogue.

The young nobles all started heckling. Just as Xiao Yuan was about to tease him some more, Xiong Liang, the head of the Prince An Mansion guards, bowed and requested: “Your Highness, a commoner has come to offer a gift. Should he be summoned?”

Before Xiao Qi could respond, Xiao Yuan couldn’t help but ask curiously: “A gift? Gold, silver, jade, or fine food and wine? If it’s nothing rare, don’t bring it here to embarrass yourself.”

Xiong Liang was a bit sheepish, hesitant to speak. But thinking of the person’s words and fearing he might actually delay his master’s ‘good business,’ he replied: “Uh, it’s none of those. As for whether it’s rare… would the Heir Apparent like to take a look?”

As he spoke, he glanced at his Prince’s expression.

Seeing a posture of silent acquiescence with half-closed eyes, he grew bold. With a wave of his hand, he had the gift brought up.

A gold-lacquered tray was placed on the table, holding two items.

A small bundle of willow branches with the leaves stripped off, wrapped around an exquisite silk pillow.

The group peered at it, looking at each other in confusion. What was the meaning of this? Was this person mocking Prince An for being a all show and no substance?

Was there really someone bold enough for that?

Xiao Qi’s face darkened slightly, and he straightened his posture. “Interesting. Bring him up. Let’s see what kind of ‘deity’ this is.”

“Understood.” Xiong Liang responded and turned to leave the Tiaoyuan Pavilion.

Xiao Yuan pulled out a drinking game stick and poked at the pillow, confirming it was indeed just an ordinary square silk pillow. He couldn’t for the life of him figure out the significance of such a gift.

A moment later, Xiong Liang’s gruff voice rang out: “This way… You must kowtow upon seeing the Prince. Do not lift your head to look directly unless summoned.”

A clear male voice responded: “Understood.”

Just two words, unhurried yet carrying a hint of neither-haughty-nor-humble freedom. Everyone’s curiosity peaked as they looked toward the voice, wondering what kind of character could match such a voice.

Behind the broad-shouldered guard, a slender, elegant figure in red gradually came into view. An open red umbrella obscured his face, making it impossible to see his features for the moment.

A light autumn breeze rose, and the falling leaves in the ginkgo forest were like butterflies dancing around a flower stamen. The person came as if riding the wind; the thin red robes rippled, wrapping a slender waist into an incredible curve.

A slender hand with distinct joints lightly held the umbrella handle. Against the backdrop of yellow and red, the whiteness of the skin was heart-stirring. Moving with the rhythm of his steps, it rose and fell before his chest—it felt as if he wasn’t holding an umbrella, but the breath of everyone present.

Before his true face was even seen, he already possessed the air of a celestial being.

The newcomer reached the outside of the pavilion and began to close the umbrella. Once it was tucked by his side, he sat upright on his knees, head bowed deeply: “This humble subject pays respects to His Highness Prince An.”

His face was still hidden. His hair, black as a waterfall, was tied into a high ponytail without any crown or ornament, only a bright cluster of cornel berries tucked in to suit the occasion.

Xiao Yuan was dying to see this person’s face. But since this was aimed at the Prince, he couldn’t very well overstep his bounds. He could only stare at his cousin, who was waving his fan and sipping wine, leaving the person hanging for quite a while before finally speaking.

“Your gift is certainly unique. What is the meaning of it?”

“That is not a gift, merely a brief introduction. The gift… is me.”

Was this a guest-advisor looking to recommend himself? The curiosity of the crowd in the pavilion dampened slightly; they felt this scene wasn’t that strange, they just didn’t know what the ‘brief introduction’ meant.

Xiao Qi thought the same and replied dismissively: “Explain these two items. Furthermore, tell me what your strengths are that would qualify you to be a guest in my mansion?”

The person prostrate below the steps seemed to let out a light laugh and said clearly: “Your Highness misunderstands. I do not wish to enter the mansion as a guest-advisor. I have simply long heard that the Prince cherishes and loves ‘flowers.’ This lowly one has been drifting alone for a long time. Though I possess the delicate frame, I am willing to ‘recommend myself to your pillow’ in order to find a place of refuge. I beg for the Prince’s pity.”

As soon as these words came out, the pavilion fell silent for a moment, followed by a burst of buzzing whispers.

That Prince An was lecherous and swung both ways was no secret, but the trend of ‘Southern Wind’ had only risen in the last twenty years—a scene that only happens in prosperous times.

Those willing to submit themselves to other men were usually the male prostitutes of the pleasure quarters. Even if they truly wanted to use this to climb the social ladder, they would mostly be somewhat discreet to avoid degrading their status as scholars.

One who sought a bed so openly and without reservation like the person before them was a first in the history of the founding of the dynasty—truly a novel sight.

Xiao Qi was silent for a moment, then burst out laughing:

“Lift your head.”