93 Sometimes, it is your own actions that dictate your fate Part II
“Respects to the three-eyed seer.” As soon as he stepped into the palace wholly built with white jade, Chu Zhaoran came and greeted him first. Yue Nan was much valued and revered as a person from the divine valley.
“Blessings to the second prince,” Yue Nan replied. He gestured toward Ouyang Feilong who was in a scholar robe, not wearing his black mask. “This is my companion. Apologies for not informing him in advance. I hope Wangye will not take offense.”
“No, no. Not at all.” Chu Zhaoran waved his hand. “Every visitor is a guest of mine. Come, benwang has already prepared a performance to welcome you.”
Chu Zhaoran was a big, sturdy man. His voice was loud, reflective of his open and fun-loving personality. The sternness in his facial feature was softened by his golden hair, the color of his magic level. Ouyang Feilong had fought him numerous times in skirmishes at the border. However, they had never gone directly head to head, as their high ranks prevented them from acting on impulses.
Chu Zhaoran probably could not remember his face without a mask. Furthermore, his eyes now were no longer silver.
Shortly after they had taken their seats, the performance began. Bai Yu was not in the first set of performers, so Yue Nan drank and conversed with Chu Zhaoran normally, while Ouyang Feilong remained silent.
The third set of performances began as dancers dressed in red gracefully moved onto the stage. Their faces were all concealed with thin red veils, revealing only their eyes and the red flower drawn on their foreheads. It was difficult to tell the dancers apart since Yue Nan had asked the owner of the Floral House to arrange this performance for the purpose of hiding Bai Yu’s identity.
Ouyang Feilong watched the slender figure in the back row. Her movements were natural, her face concealed, but still, he knew that she was the foolish woman.
Bai Yu’s forehead was sheen with sweat from nervousness. This dance was a simple task for Bai Yu who had been taught various arts since she was a child. She was an all-around beauty, as expected from the number one beauty of Da Yang. The cause for her anxiousness was Ouyang Feilong’s and Chu Zhaoran’s golden eyes that were unblinkingly staring at her.
.....
Though those eyes were similar in color, they were vastly different in the effect they invoke. She could clearly feel worried from Ouyang Feilong, while Chu Zhaoran stared at her as if he was thinking of eating her up. Even though she was certain that she was in the back row!
“Today I have come to trouble Wangye here at the border. This cup is to you.”
Yue Nan’s voice drew the attention of the two men away from Bai Yu. She took a sigh of relief as she continued her dance. Ouyang Feilong raised his cup of wine, the same as Chu Zhaoran.
“It’s rare to see the third-eye seer coming all this way to the border. Is there something benwang can be of help with?”
“I do not dare.” A wine cup was put down gracefully. Yue Nan slightly moved, seeming that he was more interested in conversing with the host than watching the performance. “This companion of mine is fond of traveling the world. I could only meet him once in a blue moon, so I had rushed here to see him. Apologies to Wangye for not notifying in advance.
“So there’s another person other than benwang’s father who can make the seer leave the divine valley. Benwang has learned something new today.” Chu Zhaoran turned his eyes to Ouyang Feilong. The man with golden hair gave his guest an amicable smile, to which Ouyang Feilong responded with the same sentiment.
“Being welcomed by Wangye today...I have learned something new as well.”
Bai Yu hid a smile under her veil.
It seemed her deceitfulness had rubbed off on him as well.
“Then come, drink with me. Don’t be shy,” Chu Zhaoran spoke aloud. In one hand he held his cup, while the other grabbed a courtesan beside him in a lecherous touch. Ouyang Feilong and Yue Nan, too, were closely served by beautiful courtesans.
Finally, Bai Yu’s performance ended. She slowly left, making way for another show to start. On her way back to the dressing room within the palace, Bai Yu carefully broke away from the group and continued in silence.
Before the performance had started, she had told other dancers that she wanted to take a stroll within the palace. Though they were given suspicious looks from the guards and royal maids, she used the excuse of being lost. Until finally, she sensed the magic from the magic hare.
Corridors of the white jade palace were all made of jade. Coolness both from the jade and the weather, combined with the light fabric of her dress, forced Bai Yu to hasten her pace. Still, even while rushing her steps, she remained silent and evaded being noticed. Since most of the people were gathered at the banquet, a few maids in the palace were made even fewer.
The problem was that the security remained the same. Bai Yu felt the need for an invisible cloak now more than ever.
The woman in noticeably red clothes sighed, lamenting her foolishness. The color of this dress made her fully surrender to the word ‘fool’ that Ouyang Feilong often called her. However, there was no turning back anymore. She had to press on with utmost caution.
The magic current led Bai Yu to a room. There were two magicless soldiers standing guard at the door. Bai Yu used her power to suck out their strength until they fainted, then she ran into the room.
A spacious bedroom that was luxuriously decorated appeared to the eyes of the intruder. Bai Yu did not waste her time admiring the decor. She solely focused on finding the hare as her eyes scanned the room. The corner of her lips turned up into a smile as soon as she noticed the hare in a large cage near the bed, covered under a red cloth. Bai Yu darted toward it, intending to carry the hare along with the cage and leave as soon as possible before Ouyang Feilong could no longer distract Chu Zhaoran.
Bai Yu tightened her grip on the cage as she hurriedly turned around. Suddenly, the world seemed to spin, upend, and then the sight in front of her changed.
The image of the magic hare in her hand turned into a handsome face and golden hair.
Bai Yu blinked, trying to reclaim her wits again. Her back was pressed onto a soft mattress, her smaller body was caged by the larger one of the owner of this room, who she had thought was enjoying wine and women in the banquet. Her wrists were restrained above her head, not a single chance of fleeing.
Chu Zhaoran pulled the veil from her face. His hand touched her chin before his low voice said in a smooth tone. “From the wine and now comes a woman. The Floral House truly knows benwang’s taste.”
Bai Yu smiled in the face of the situation. Her acting skill was used instantly as soon as she could compose herself. Her lips, red with rouge, bloomed into a smile. “If you hold me like this then how am I going to serve you, prince?”
“Guniang don’t be alarmed. Benwang is a man that knows how to treat beauties.” His large hand let her free, though his body was still straddling over hers.
Bai Yu moved slowly, seductively. She intended to create a space between her and Chu Zhaoran but ended up rubbing their body against each other...Think of it as an acting scene!
“I’ve been waiting here to serve Wangye. But I was just dancing until a while ago, I’m afraid my sweat will turn you away.” Her voice was dripping sweet. She extended her hand to caress along the man’s jawline.
Chu Zhaoran held her hand against his face. His golden eyes glittered with smiles as he bent down to nuzzle her neck. “That doesn’t matter at all. Even with sweat, the number one beauty of Da Yang still excites benwang to no end.”
Bai Yu’s eyes widened. She gathered magic in her hand and pushed against his chest with all her strength.
He knew her identity!
“Don’t waste your magic, Miss Bai. Benwang has already seen through you.”
Her red magic was stopped by his golden one. Both her wrists were easily restrained with one hand again. “You too, should have seen through benwang as soon as you entered this room?”
Bai Yu kept her silent as she waited to see his intention. Chu Zhaoran’s golden eyes were greatly different from Ouyang Feilong’s. Right now, Bai Yu could only see amusement reflected in them.
He turned his gaze toward a wall, and Bai Yu followed it, curious.
A painting of beauty was hung on the wall next to the door. Bai Yu was focusing on the hare’s magic current when she entered the room, so she did not turn around to observe the surroundings. She had not known that a painting of her was in this room!
“If Miss Bai wants benwang’s magic hare, you only need to say it.”
“Surely, Wangye jests.”
“Benwang knows how important that hare is, but benwang is willing to give it to the beautiful Miss Bai Yu.”
Bai Yu smiled. Now she knew what he wanted. “And what do I have to give in exchange?”
Chu Zhaoran smiled. His hand stroked along the delicate face of the woman beneath him.
“Be benwang’s consort.”
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