Xiu Ran was simply unwilling to believe in Murong Jingxuan's words, and he more or less didn't have any good feelings towards that kind of idiot young miss.
"How about we make a bet?" Murong Jingxuan amusingly said as looked at Xiu Ran's skeptical expression.
Xiu Ran was the shopkeeper of Julongzhai only in name, but as the political hostage from Nanchen, his heart was still thoroughly loyal towards Nanchen. Murong Jingxuan* would constantly received information regarding Nanchen from Xiu Ran.
(*TN: This is my own interjection, since author just used the pronoun 'he' here, thus making the wording kind of confusing.)
Even the death of Qilian Qingyan, he heard from the mouth of Xiu Ran.
"What bet? I'm certainly not interested." Xiu Ran picked up a small teacup and began to taste the tea, however when he looked to Murong Jingxuan, he was expressionless.
"How about you come with me to Bogu Hall? I just happen to need something from that Cui Hanqun." Murong Jingxuan mischievously smiled as he slapped the table, "On the way I can have you meet that Su's fourth miss."
"Che." Xiu Ran wrinkled his brows, "I already said I'm not interested in that Su's fourth miss, why are you making me come with you?"
Murong Jingxuan shook his head, "You'll know when the time comes."
Seeing Murong Jingxuan's expression, Xiu Ran already knew that he wasn't able to turn down his demand. After all, he was currently living in Murong Jingxuan's manor. Although Murong Jingxuan was a Prince* with a different surname, in order to have him under his control, Xuanyuan Hong bestowed him a manor in Diqiu.
(*TN: The original phrase was more along the lines of him being bestowed the same title as a Prince despite having a different surname from the royal family. He's technically a political hostage, but holds the same title as a Prince.)
Nevertheless, if it wasn't for the previous Empress constantly protecting him, he wouldn't have been able to live this long. But in the end, the beauty had passed.
Xiu Ran ultimately still went with Murong Jingxuan to Bogu Hall. Although you could see the entirety of Bogu Hall from the corner building of Julongzhai, if you were to travel by foot, then it was indeed separated by no less than two streets.
When they arrived at Bogu Hall, it was precisely break time. Seeing Murong Jingxuan, all the girls carried a love struck expression. This made Xiu Ran really uncomfortable.
He had always hated this kind of attention.
"Isn't that Murong Shizi? Why did he come to Bogu Hall?" A girl quietly whispered, "Murong Shizi is known as a flower on the outside*, but looking at it now, he does seem to have some capital."
(*TN: It's an idiom meaning that a person is beautiful and pleasing to the eyes on the outside but isn't dutiful)
"Don't you know? Murong Shizi is the most handsome man in Donghe, and the man next to him, Xiu Ran, is said to be Nanchen's most handsome man." Another girl chimed in quietly.
When Cui Hanqun saw Murong Jingxuan, he handed him the thing in hand, "Shizi, this is the thing you wanted."
Murong Jingxuan looked at the case that Cui Hanqun handed over, while smiling, "Thank you, young master Cui."
If Cui Hanqun was Bogu Hall's little tyrant, than Murong Jingxuan was definitely the big tyrant of Diqiu. However, this was probably something that Xuanyuan Hong was happy to see.
Xiu Ran automatically ignored all the lovestruck gazes, but he still felt someone watching him from behind this whole time. When he turned back to look, he just happened to see that green clad girl from earlier measuring him up and down. However, her gaze was not like that of the others, full of reverence and infatuation, but was calm and undisturbed like the stagnant waters.
She lifted her head, welcoming his gaze, and her lips carried a faint smile. She never thought that she would meet the illegitimate* son of Nanchen's Wuan Marquis, Xiu Ran, here. She still remembered that time when, in order to protect him, she specially made the vermillion bird take on the alias Liu Shang and entered Donghe as an imperial musician, just to protect him.
(*TN: Same meaning as concubine-born in this context)
Qingyan didn't go among the other girls to approach him. Instead, after seeing at Xiu Ran, she once again cast her gaze back onto the textbook as if nothing had happened.
Xiu Ran, seeing her gaze, seemingly was reminded of Qilian Qingyan in the past. During that time he was chosen as the political hostage, it was the late Empress that dispatched someone to protect him along the way. And that person was currently the imperial musician of Donghe, Liu Shang.
"Beautiful, are you not interested in me?"
When Su Qingyan heard Murong Jingxuan's voice, she couldn't help but to furrow her brows. She just knew that for him to come to Bogu Hall at this time, it wasn't for anything good.
As soon as Murong Jingxuan spoke, the sound of whispers surrounded them.
It was probably about the rumors of her purity again.
Su Qingyan looked up towards Murong Jingxuan with a smile, "I'd already heard that Murong Shizi is quite the womanizer, but looking at it now it, it's obviously true."
Murong Jingxuan apparently didn't realize the true meaning behind Qingyan's words. Just when he was thinking of replying, her voice sounded again, "Everyone probably doesn't know, but this Murong Shizi often frequents brothels. Moreover, it's Diqiu's widely famous Yi Honglou*, ah....."
(*TN: Literally it means 'red house', but more accurately, while it is synonymous to a pleasure house, its also place where you can eat, drink, and be entertained by women)
Qingyan continued as she feigned a look of pity, "The girls there are all wholeheartedly longing for your Highness. And now, you've cast aside those girls to come to Bogu Hall to flirt."
At Qingyan's words, Murong Jingxuan stared at her speechlessly. He certainly was Yi Brothel's frequent guest, but this was because of that damn old man. If he didn't regularly waste his time at Yi Honglou, then how could he build a foundation here. Although this was a rather refreshing way to put it.
"Did I hit the mark on a sensitive topic for Shizi?" Qingyan completely didn't give him the opportunity to talk.
"Ah." Murong Jingxuan reluctantly shook his head. A bewitching smile appeared on his lips, "I didn't know that you were watching me that closely. If you're interested in me, I'll be sure to properly cherish you." His tone was extremely ambiguous, causing the crowd of girls to glare at Su Qingyan in jealousy.
Su Qingyan didn't expect that Murong Jingxuan was shameless to this extent. Still carrying a smile on her face, she said, "Murong Shizi, I've yet to reach marriageable age, if someone with ulterior motives hears this, then wouldn't this be damaging to my reputation." Lightly bending her knees, she bowed to Murong Jingxuan, "I hope Shizi will be cautious with words from now on."
Seeing her like that, Murong Jingxuan didn't tease her any further. As he was leaving, he let out a radiant smile towards the crowd, causing the surrounding girls to be lovestruck.
Luo Yixin walked up next to Qingyan and whispered in a small voice, clearly reflecting the concern in her tone, "Qingyan, how did you end up attracting that Murong Shizi, he's not someone you can easily provoke."
Su Qingyan furrowed her brows, seemingly not hearing Luo Yixin's words. That Murong Jingxuan, despite breaking into her bedroom multiple times, he still had the nerve to come to Bogu Hall and leave her with such a difficult problem.
Ah, Su Qingyan bitterly smiled. If only she could obtain the blood jade and create a jade flute, thus have control over the 'Pavilion of Thousand Beasts', then she wouldn't have to suffer such humiliation.
But she still had the opportunity to slowly recover, right?
"Su Qingyan, you shameless slut, not only seducing other men, but how dare you try to seduce Murong Shizi." A girl dressed in pink walked up before her and said harshly. Just when she was about to give Qingyan a slap on the face, her hand suddenly turned dark purple as she started to sense the pain.
Su Qingyan looked to the girl in pink and gently touched her bracelet. Looking up to her, she smiled, "Miss Wei, before stretching out your hand to hit someone, it's best if you check whether you're qualified to."
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