Chapter 13: Attending the Banquet

Chapter 13: Attending the Banquet

After Xiao Jing left, Liu Qingci sat alone by the window for a long time.

Twilight fell, stretching his shadow long and thin.

It wasn’t until Yun Feng walked in that the silence was broken.

“Master, His Highness Prince Rui has left the mansion.”

“Mm.” Liu Qingci blinked his sore eyes and turned to ask, “Anything going on at Lanyue Pavilion?”

Prince Rui had stayed so long in Prince Yu’s rear courtyard. If Prince Yu found out, who knows what’d happen?

Of course, he’d be the one to take the fall.

Yun Feng scratched his head: “Everything’s normal at Lanyue. No sign of anything unusual.”

“Oh, right.” Yun Feng suddenly remembered, “I heard Young Master Lin went to Lanyue just now, but didn’t even get past the gate—the guards sent him packing.”

Liu Qingci was puzzled: “Who is Young Master Lin?”

Yun Feng lowered his voice mysteriously: “Young Master Lin is Prince Yu’s current favorite. Rumor has it that a few days ago, Prince Yu even gifted him a full set of celadon tea ware, making everyone in the backyard green with envy.”

He got all excited gossiping about this stuff.

Liu Qingci rubbed his forehead wearily, sighing: “Yun Feng, you’re quite well-informed.”

Yun Feng was a bit sheepish: “Master, I just wanted to keep you in the loop, that’s all.”

“By the way, Master, did His Highness Prince Rui come today to get you out of here?”

Yun Feng had been by Liu Qingci’s side since childhood. He knew his master and Prince Rui were old confidants, bound by deep friendship.

Now that his master had fallen into trouble, Prince Rui had come so quickly—he’d definitely find a way to rescue you from this mess!

Liu Qingci’s expression remained unchanged: “He did mention it.”

Yun Feng’s face lit up: “This servant knew His Highness Prince Rui would help you!”

“Then did he say what plan he had? When can you leave this Prince Yu mansion?!”

Liu Qingci: “No, he only said he was making preparations.”

Yun Feng’s face lit up even more, and he said confidently: “Since His Highness said so, then it won’t be long!”

Liu Qingci closed his eyes wearily, “In the arena of power, the sweeter the words, the deeper the schemes.”

This sentence was said too softly, so soft the wind outside whisked it away.

Yun Feng didn’t catch it: “Master, what did you say?”

Liu Qingci shook his head: “Nothing, you may leave.”

——

For days on end, the medicinal soup at Bamboo Listening Courtyard never stopped brewing.

The physician came right on time every day to change Liu Qingci’s dressings and check his pulse.

Since the best medicinal herbs were used, the wounds had mostly healed up.

But in these few days, Prince Yu had not summoned Liu Qingci again.

Liu Qingci found it odd.

These past few days had been so quiet, just like Prince Yu said that day.

As long as he took good care of himself and recovered.

On this day at noon, Yun Feng entered carrying the freshly decocted medicine, his face a bit nervous:

“Master, Eunuch Fu’an is here.”

Liu Qingci’s hand, holding the scroll, paused.

All this rest had almost made him forget, as if he were just an ordinary guest recovering from illness.

He walked out, and Fu’an was already standing in the courtyard.

Seeing him emerge, Fu’an bowed and said: “Young Master Liu, His Highness Prince Yu has ordered that you accompany him to a banquet today. The carriage is waiting outside.”

Liu Qingci: “Eunuch, please wait a moment. I’ll change my clothes.”

The banquet Prince Yu was attending, if you could even call it a banquet, was just a bunch of rich brats from the capital getting together for their usual fun.

On the surface, drinking and flaunting wealth is the least of it. To put it bluntly, all kinds of dirty business go on there.

Animal fighting and gambling are the norm. When those young masters get drunk, using people for sport is what’s truly terrifying.

For someone in Liu Qingci’s current position to go, it was said to be as an attendant, but in reality, he was no different from the beasts in cages waiting to be brought out.

Yun Feng’s hands were shaking as he tied Liu Qingci’s sash:

“Master, you’ve got to be careful…”

Then he realized how pointless those words were.

There’s no way being careful can prevent this. If those brats want to mess with someone, they don’t need a reason.

Besides, those spoiled sons had always looked down on scholars. Now that you’ve fallen from grace, they’ll probably humiliate you even more.

Liu Qingci, through the bronze mirror, could see the worry all over Yun Feng’s face.

He lowered his eyelids, his fingertips unconsciously brushing his sleeve, turning white.

“It’s fine, let’s go.”

He followed Fu’an through a series of corridors, arriving at the mansion’s vermilion gate.

A luxurious black carriage was waiting at the gate, with four servants standing with heads bowed.

Fu’an stepped up and bowed respectfully toward the carriage:

“Your Highness, Young Master Liu has arrived.”

The brocade curtain was lifted by a hand with prominent knuckles.

Xiao Yan lounged in the carriage, his dark-colored everyday robe embroidered with gold threads in subtle patterns, making his complexion look like jade.

His gaze swept casually over Liu Qingci.

It paused.

Liu Qingci’s figure was still slender, but days of recuperation had brought a slight rosiness in his complexion, shedding some of his sickly pallor.

Today he still wore a simple, clean blue robe that fit him well, accentuating his slender waistline.

Elegant and beautiful.

Xiao Yan suddenly felt that if he were to encircle that waist with his palm, there would probably still be some room left.

"Greetings, Your Highness Prince Yu."

Liu Qingci’s calm, emotionless voice interrupted Xiao Yan’s wandering thoughts.

Xiao Yan withdrew his gaze.

"Get on." His voice carried a hint of laziness, but his tone brooked no refusal.

Liu Qingci lowered his eyes in acknowledgment and stepped onto the carriage with the footstool.

The carriage was spacious and comfortable, lightly scented with ambergris fragrance.

In the center of the carriage was fixed a small carved rosewood tea table, on which sat an open snack box revealing several delicate pastries, and beside it a silver jug presumably filled with warm fine wine, faintly emitting a mellow and pure aroma.

Xiao Yan pointed to the cushion on the right side of the carriage and ordered like a lord: "Sit."

"...Thank you, Your Highness."

Liu Qingci sat rigidly on the edge of the cushion, his whole body as stiff as a jade statue.

[Ding!, Quest "Forced Attendance" released!

Quest requirement: During the journey to the banquet, force Liu Qingci, who shares the carriage, to personally serve you, with physical contact lasting at least five minutes.]

Hearing the crisp "ding" in his mind, Xiao Yan felt a headache coming on.

He called out Little K and asked, "Serve? What kind of serving?"

Little K: "✧(≖◡≖) Host, you know the drill! If there's physical contact, what other kind of 'serving' could it be?"