The music gently brushed across the shimmering water, as beautiful as a landscape painting.
They were invited to sit by a slightly raised open-air pavilion near the painting boat, with pearl curtains hanging on the side to ensure guest privacy. The pavilions were also spaced far apart from each other, so there were few chances for the guests to meet.
This was done to avoid unnecessary awkwardness and conflicts. For example, if colleagues from the court were to meet in such a place, it wouldn’t be particularly honorable, not to mention the presence of some enemies.
In the center of these small pavilions was the painting boat. On the boat, there were women dancing with graceful waists and men playing the zither and singing with elegance.
When most of the guests had arrived, these entertaining performances were gradually withdrawn, making way for the main event.
With the sound of heavy drumbeats from the central painting boat, the highly anticipated dancers from the Western Regions walked out gracefully, their voluptuous figures, honey-toned skin, and anklets with bells on each person’s ankle. Their seductive gazes sent flirtatious signals, making them as beautiful as Persian cats.
Su Qiuge couldn’t help but swallow her saliva and continued to gaze at them.
Indeed, both men and women enjoyed watching beautiful women.
Wen Mingming seemed to have noticed her reaction and smiled, leaning closer to her and whispering, “The men from the Western Regions are blond with blue eyes, and their stature is taller and more robust than the men here. I bet they’re good performers. I came this time to choose one and bring them back to my mansion…”
Su Qiuge’s eye twitched slightly.
She didn’t know why, whether inside or outside, Wen Mingming had an extraordinary obsession with so-called blond hair and blue eyes. So what’s wrong with him?
Soon after, there were many performances. Su Qiuge watched with great interest, accompanied by a delicate maid who peeled grapes for her. Occasionally, she would lift her veil, revealing her pointed chin, and take the grapes from the maid’s hands.
Little did she know that this scene caught the attention of two people in the distance.
The young man in red leaned against the shadow of the painting boat with a sword. Another man in a green robe smiled and said to him, “Is this the little princess who abducted you? She doesn’t seem as terrifying as the rumors suggest.” The man in red had a red birthmark on his forehead, which appeared somewhat eerie in the glow of the lanterns. He only chuckled lightly upon hearing the comment and kept his gaze on the performers in the distance.
She seemed oblivious to everything, which made him raise an eyebrow slightly, his expression indiscernible between joy and anger.
Seeing this, the man in the green robe chuckled again. Then, casually picking up a plate of fruits, he raised an eyebrow and said, “Shall I give it a try?”
The man in red’s eyebrows and eyes revealed a coldness as he heard the remark. He looked at the man expressionlessly and said in a calm tone, “Don’t forget what will happen tonight.” The man in the green robe, still smiling, replied, “Understood. The real show hasn’t started yet. I’ll go and have some fun for now.”
Su Qiuge continued to eat grapes and watch the various beautiful women dancing over there. The distant flower lanterns on the water resembled a falling starry river, with graceful dance moves intertwined with classical music, creating a picturesque scene.
Suddenly, she couldn’t help but sigh and remark that this dream was not bad at all. It was like experiencing a 3D adventure. She even felt a bit reluctant to wake up.
At this moment, she noticed someone walking toward her from the other side of the pavilion. The person wore a green outfit, had a smile on their face, and possessed a pair of fox-like eyes. It was clear that they were an unruly person from a brothel, attempting to take advantage of this opportunity to reach new heights.
As the person approached, Su Qiuge accidentally swallowed the grape in her mouth and started coughing violently.
Why the hell is it Han Ming? Han Ming indeed had fox-like eyes and usually wore a smiling expression. Although she had seen him cross-dressing before, she never expected…
Su Qiuge quickly grabbed the nearby tea and took a few sips to calm herself down. Han Ming, on the other hand, thought that his graceful stride had astonished the princess, who seemed inexperienced. He felt somewhat proud, thinking that despite the rumors of her countless suitors, she was nothing special.
He smiled even more upon thinking this way.
However, in Su Qiuge’s eyes, it was like a bolt from the blue. Especially… he had a heavy scent of powder on him. Whether it was the Lover’s Eyes effect or not, Xie Xinglin, even in such a bright red attire with the blurred lines of eyeshadow typically used by women, she didn’t find it too strange. In fact, she even thought it looked quite attractive. But Han Ming’s appearance gave her a chilling feeling, especially when he approached… and came closer, placing a fruit plate in front of her.
Feeling his gaze fixed on her, Su Qiuge immediately took a big step back and sought refuge in Wen Mingming’s embrace. Meanwhile, Han Ming, who had just placed the fruit plate on the table and encountered the eerie look beneath Su Qiuge’s veil, exclaimed, “…”
Wen Mingming, unlike Su Qiuge, didn’t repel Han Ming. Instead, he sized up the well-built man in the green robe and understood his intentions. He gestured with a finger, beckoning him, “Come sit over here.”
Though Han Ming initially intended to seduce the princess, in order to save face, he walked toward Wen Mingming instead. Su Qiuge breathed a sigh of relief, albeit temporarily. However, she couldn’t help but overhear the flirtatious banter between the two, with phrases like “You feed me,” “The grapes you feed taste different, unusually sweet,” and “Do you want to feed me with your mouth?” Even with her peripheral vision, she could see the woman leaning against the man’s leg while he peeled grapes for her, wearing a radiant smile.
Su Qiuge felt regret, deep regret. She believed that she would never be able to look at Wen Mingming and Han Ming the same way again. She desperately wanted to faint and quickly wake up from this dreadful dream.
The final performance, which was said to be an extraordinary spectacle, involved elaborate preparations. Although it was a land of fireworks, what attracted many literati and artists was the fact that both the dancers and courtesans here engaged in poetic duels, depicting themes of love, flowers, snow, and moonlight. This time, the dance was a fusion of ink painting and swordplay.
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