The Guyue Tower1Name of a Restaurant meaning Hanging Moon is located in the very center of the main street of the Southern Qi Imperial City. It has the best food in the Southern Qi Imperial City.
It happened to be Shen Qi"s birthday, so the these gong-zi whose hands have been tight for 20 some days already, no long was able to hold back and took upon that excuse to gather together.
Shen Qi booked the entire Guyue Tower and invited the most famous Opera crew to sing “Broken Spring”.
Soon after the play started, Qi Shu glanced out of the window unintentionally, and turned to ask Ye Xiang, “There"s still about ten and some days till your parents" memorial right?”
Ye Xiang nodded with his attention still on the two actors on the stage.
Qi Shu took another glance out the window, and thought strangely, “Liu Mo-Mo seems to be leaving the city. In the past, she went to Lingyun Temple only a day or two earlier. How come so early this year?”
"Huh?" Ye Xiang turned towards him.
Qi Shu pointed out the window, "You take a look, although it"s the w.a.n.g Manor"s carriage, but there seems to be Liu Mo-Mo"s servants among the group.
Ye Xiang moved his eyes and looked outside the window and saw a line of carriage and horses pa.s.sing by. It was the w.a.n.g Manor"s carriage and servants.
Qi Shu continued, "I heard that after the Su Manor"s Young Lady returned to the Imperial City, the Emperor summoned her and in front of the Empress Dowager she was being inappropriate and offended her. Official w.a.n.g was angry about it and called upon Liu Mo-Mo to train her in rules. Did you hear about it?"
Ye Xiang nodded.
Qi Shu was delighted to elaborate, "This Su Manor Young Lady is really something, who is the Empress Dowager? She dares put up a fight in her presence. Really is a newborn calf making little of a tiger, courage big enough to cover the sky."
Ye Xiang was without comments.
Qi Shu glanced at him, "I heard that day the Empress Dowager had summoned Xu Yun Chu. It was his first time his disobeyed a summon, it seems he also doesn"t want to marry the Su Manor Young Lady.
Ye Xiang lifted a corner of his lips, not saying anything.
Qi Shi sighed, "I initially thought that the Su Manor Young Lady was a fragrant pastry and was waiting for a show of who wins. Didn"t think that each of you were not willing to go on stage. Recently the news of Su Manor Young Lady"s big fuss in the Palace had spread, both you and Xu Yun Chu don"t want to marry her, everyone else also flinched. I think this Su Manor Young Lady will be difficult to marry off.
Ye Xiang turned slightly and gave him a slanted glance, "You seem quite interested in her."
Qi Shu blinked, "I heard that the Su Manor Young Lady is beautiful like a G.o.ddess, when not fighting, looks exactly like a proper maiden, even when fighting looks very nice as well. I"m just a little interested, but unfortunately it"ll never be my chance. My family is not highly regarded by the Emperor or have the favor of the Empress Dowager. My father and Official w.a.n.g are counterparties, and definitely no relations with the Su Manor, not say a marriage decree, let along just going to their door to ask for marriage would be difficult.
Ye Xiang let out a laugher, "Don"t forget that besides those reasons, you also have a green plum bamboo horse paired marriage arrangement since young with a cousin.
Qi Shu abruptly started coughing.
Ye Xiang turned back to watching Broken Spring.
Shen Qi perplexedly looked at Qi Shu coughing nonstop and asked with interest, "What are you guys talking about?"
Qi Shu casted a glare at Ye Xiang and snorted, "Talking about the Su Manor Young Lady."
Shen Qi hearing that also caught interest, moving closer to them and said, "Lately the rumors about the Su Manor Young Lady seems to have taken a turn, seems to be saying that her actions are very barbaric, untrained, do not know etiquettes, just inappropriate, are those true?"
"Of course, it"s true. How many pairs of eyes are watching in the Palace? The Empress Dowager"s face even turned blue. A dozen so guards were hit." Qi Shu said. "Such good martial skills, but in a lady, besides being inappropriate, it also makes one see her differently, really is the daughter of Commander General Su. A tiger dad does not have a puppy daughter.2Like father like daughter"
Shen Qi clicked his tongue, "Don"t know what the Su Manor Young Lady look like. Is she really as the rumors, beautiful like a G.o.ddess?"
Qi Shi stared at him, and then suddenly said, "Why don"t we go early to the Lingyun Temple? Just ten and some days would be Qixi3Another word for Double Seventh. Chinese Valentine., Lingyun Town will have the Double Seventh Festival. I heard that the Su Manor Young Lady is being trained by Liu Mo-Mo. Official w.a.n.g ordered her to not be able to part from Liu Mo-Mo"s side even a single step. Right now Liu Mo-Mo and the w.a.n.g Manor"s carriage and horses are heading out the city, she"s likely in the carriage as well. We can send someone to find out, if she is also there, let"s go to the Lingyun Temple earlier, we might be able to see her."
Shen Qi hearing that turned towards Ye Xiang, "There"s still ten some days. Isn"t it too early to go to Lingyun Temple? When are you going this year?"
Ye Xiang answered uninterestedly, "I"ll decide when it draws closer. I feel so lazy lately, don"t want to move."
Shen Qi nodded, "There"s still ten some days, still earlier. No rush."
Qi Shu was disappointed, "It"s early, but still can go out earlier to have some fun, I"ve been suffocating in the Imperial City."
Ye Xiang turned his head towards him, reminding, "Isn"t your father having you memorize some books? With the Golden Autumn Exam drawing close, if you were to run off ten some days earlier to have fun at the Lingyun Temple, won"t your father break your leg?"
Qi Shu hearing that sucked in a breath of frighten air, "Right, I forgot about that."
Ye Xiang turned away again.
Shen Qi patted Qi Shu"s shoulder, "Us few, only you are of age, cram hard, get first place on the Golden Autumn exam, shed some light on our face, let others know that us prodigals don"t only know how to fight, we are good in both literature and martial.
Qi Shu sighed, "No playing around."
Shen Qi laughed, "If you want to see the Su Manor Young Lady, there"s many chances, she"s now returned to the Imperial City, won"t just leave again."
Qi Shu nodded, "That"s right."
During the time they chatted, the w.a.n.g Manor"s group had long left the city, no glimpse of them in sight.
On the stage, Broken Spring was being performed, the Dragon and Phoenix"s performance was great, applauds sounded throughout the Guyue Tower.
After two cups of tea, a pageboy made his way to Ye Xiang"s side and said something in his ear.
After hearing, Ye Xiang"s eyebrow raised and then he motioned for the pageboy to retreat. He turned towards Qi Shu, Shen Qi, and the others, "That lion I adopted suddenly fainted, I have to go back to the manor to take a look, you guys stay here."
A few of them was struck, "Why did the lion faint."
Ye Xiang shook her head.
"Likely because it"s too hot, lions are hairy, so probably it had a heatstroke." Shen Qi looked at him, "You can just have someone get a veterinarian to take a look, don"t need you to go back. This opera is just half way in, today I risked getting in trouble by requesting Broken Spring to be performed. If let those from the Censorate4High-level supervisory agency hear something of it and know that we"ve been listing to banned opera, they"d likely report my father. Won"t it be a loss if you don"t finish watching it?"
"You guys watch, the show can find opportunities to listen to again, there"s only this one lion that"s is pleasing to my eyes." Ye Xiang said.
Shen Qi heard so and agreed, they all nodded.
Ye Xiang left the Guyue Tower.
The pageboy waited outside the building, seeing Ye Xiang come out, he was quick to guide the horse over.
Ye Xiang got onto the horse.
Guyue Tower was two streets away from the Rong-an w.a.n.g-fu5Duke Manor. Ye Xiang rode his horse through the street and returned to the manor quickly.
Once entering the door of the manor, a servant who carried a parcel in his arms, respectfully waiting at the entrance, saw Ye Xiang return and quickly saluted.
Ye Xiang took a glance at him and asked, "What did Mo-Mo send? So urgent to give to me?"
The servant responded, "Mo-Mo instructed to hand it to Shi-zi personally, let Shi-zi return back to his quarters before opening the parcel." Pausing for a moment before continuing, "Mo-Mo also has some words she tells me to tell Shi-zi."
Ye Xiang nodded upon hearing and walked towards the inner quarter.
The servant quickly followed him.
Coming to a courtyard and into a room, Ye Xiang pointed to the table. The servant set the parcel onto the table.
Ye Xiang watched him, seeing that he was not going to speak, reached his hands out to open the parcel. After seeing what"s inside the parcel he was blank for a moment and then let out a laugh, "What has Mo-Mo made?"
The servant immediately answered, "This is a Lucky Robe6blessed robe6 that Mo-Mo has prepared for Shi-zi. She asks Shi-zi7Ye Xiang"s Son of Duke t.i.tle to take good care of it so it can be worn on your wedding."
Ye Xiang was speechless for a moment, stretched his hands to take the robe out, a glamourous, bright red brocade robe, fine and brilliant that was a perfect fit for him. Taking two glimpse and said, "This doesn"t seem to be Mo-Mo"s embroidery work."
The servant immediately said, "Mo Mo is old and was afraid of not being able to finish it in time by Shi-zi"s birthday to give it to you as a gift. While just happen to be teaching the Su Manor Young Lady these few days, so asked the Young Lady to help her finish embroidering.
Ye Xiang was stunned.
The servant continued, "Mo-Mo said, if she was to embroider it by herself, would probably need 3 months to finish. With Lady Su together, working day and night had only used 20 days to finish embroidering it. Lady Su"s hands that are use to holding swords is not any short in embroidery work. Clever hearted and with skillful hands, even the world"s best embroiderer can not compare.
Ye Xiang put down the robe, raising an eyebrow, "This is what Mo-Mo want you to tell me? What else did Mo-Mo say?"
The servant shook his head, "Mo-Mo does not have anything else to say, only told Shi-zi to take good care of it. She and Lady Su is heading to the Lingyun Temple early. Lady Su is awfully tired so wants to go to have some fun at the Double Seventh Festival."
Ye Xiang was quiet for a moment and gestured to the servant. The servant went out of the room and left the Rong-an w.a.n.g-fu8Duke Manor.
I can not help but do an extra chapter because things are finally picking up. =)
If I get 3 new comments I will post another extra chapter by Monday. Otherwise, see everyone next Friday!