Chapter 7: Falling into Water

After the small interlude, the Male Empress led several noble gentlemen and legitimate husbands from prominent families of Feng Ling City into the venue.

No one noticed that a young man was missing.

After everyone stood up and bowed, the banquet officially began.

Since it was a husband selection banquet, naturally the young men needed to showcase their talents. Even if not for entering the royal family, many noble ladies from prominent families were also present. Being chosen would be a good marriage prospect.

The first to take the stage was the eldest son of the Prime Minister’s family, Xu Kong Qing. At this moment, his face looked somewhat unpleasant, still embarrassed by what had just happened.

Looking at the legitimate husband of the Prime Minister’s family who had already taken his seat with him, his expression was also not good at this time. Xu Kong Qing must have told him about what had just happened.

But even though such a big scandal had occurred in their household, Xu Kong Qing had to put aside his unpleasant expression and begin his talent performance.

He had prepared a dance for this husband selection banquet. His movements were light and graceful, his actions ethereal. Although it couldn’t be considered exceptional, it had its own unique charm.

Many noble ladies in the venue couldn’t help but focus their gazes on the stage.

After finishing the dance, he lightly brushed away the sweat-dampened hair on his forehead and bowed to the Male Empress and several noble gentlemen at the head table.

The Male Empress raised his hand to gesture for him to rise, and praised with a smile, “Your dance was light and graceful. The young man from the Prime Minister’s family truly has both talent and beauty!”

After speaking, he turned his head to look at Noble Gentleman Qi sitting in a lower position, “What does Noble Gentleman Qi think?”

Noble Gentleman Qi was the father of the Second Princess and Third Princess.

After all, this was to select the principal husband for the Second Princess. The Male Empress always maintained a gentle and magnanimous appearance in front of others, so naturally he had to ask for Noble Gentleman Qi’s opinion.

Noble Gentleman Qi was from a small place and had always been timid by nature. Seeing the Male Empress inquire, he replied somewhat nervously, “The young man from the Prime Minister’s family is naturally excellent.”

Seeing this, the smile on the Male Empress’s face deepened, and his voice became even gentler: “No need to rush, let’s see the young men that follow. We must choose one that suits Little Two’s heart! Oh right, Little Three and Little Two are twins, and they’ve also reached the age to select principal husbands. Why don’t we take this opportunity to choose for both of them?”

Upon hearing his words, Noble Gentleman Qi naturally agreed with a face full of joy. He had been worrying about the Third Princess’s marriage.

The marriages of princesses generally had to be arranged by the Male Empress, or directly bestowed by the Emperor.

The noble gentlemen in the back palace couldn’t decide on the princesses’ marriages privately, at most they could only place a few small attendants by their daughters’ sides.

Xu Kong Qing’s dance had set a good start, and the other young men followed suit, taking turns to perform on stage.

There were those who played the zither, those who played the flute, those who recited poetry, and those who danced with swords…

Various talents were displayed one after another, bringing life to the Red Maple Garden.

—

Cong Bai stood behind her mistress, having received countless glances from Noble Gentleman Liu on the high platform.

Looking at Feng Bai Su, who showed no interest in the talent performances of the young men on stage, she couldn’t help but feel a headache coming on.

After thinking for a moment, she leaned close to her ear and whispered a reminder: “Your Highness, the Noble Gentleman is looking at you. You should at least pretend to pay attention.”

“Hm?”

Upon hearing her words, Feng Bai Su finally raised her head. Her peach blossom eyes, carrying seven parts drunkenness, looked even more hazy and alluring. She lazily leaned back in her chair, her slender fingers playing carelessly with a white jade wine cup.

Seeing this, Cong Bai became even more distressed, her expression growing worried.

“Your Highness, you’re not drunk, are you?”

Feng Bai Su let out a light “Mm,” but her mind was perfectly clear.

She hadn’t expected the Pear Blossom Wine to have such a strong aftereffect, and she was indeed a bit tipsy.

Catching a glimpse of Cong Bai beside her looking as if she was about to cry, she couldn’t help but chuckle lightly: “Don’t worry, I’ll definitely pick out a few young men that will satisfy my father.”

Her low laughter was like pearls rolling on a jade plate, hoarse yet seductive.

Cong Bai wasn’t actually worried about that, but rather about how her mistress became even more unrestrained when drunk.

Take now for example, she was already lying boneless in her chair, and had impatiently loosened her tightly fastened collar, revealing a large expanse of skin. She looked both erotic and alluring.

She had already noticed several young men from across secretly looking over, their gazes on her mistress shy yet curious.

Cong Bai was frustrated once again!

Why was it always so difficult when she wanted to salvage her mistress’s reputation for being flirtatious?

Shen Ruo sat beside Wei Jing Mo, his cheeks slightly flushed as he complained: “Look at the Seventh Princess across from us, she’s simply wanton and unrestrained! The Male Empress and all the noble gentlemen are here, yet she behaves like this. She’s truly a flirtatious butterfly!”

Although he couldn’t help but grumble, his beautiful eyes couldn’t help but linger on Feng Bai Su.

Seeing his contradictory behavior, Wei Jing Mo also raised his eyes to look, just in time to see the woman across looking over. Her alluring peach blossom eyes were slightly narrowed, filled with rippling spring water, as if about to draw people in.

He suddenly spoke abruptly to Shen Ruo: “Cousin, it’s your turn.”

“Ah?”

Shen Ruo immediately turned his head back, indeed seeing that the young man on the high platform had come down.

He smiled at Wei Jing Mo and stood up: “Cousin, then I’ll go.”

As the eldest son of the Grand Tutor’s family, with a grandmother whose students were all over the world, Shen Ruo was known as one of the Twin Pearls of Feng Ling City along with Wei Jing Mo.

His appearance was graceful, with well-proportioned features. His skin was fair, with a lively air about his eyes and brows. Yet his whole being was also imbued with a scholarly aura.

As soon as he took the stage, the surroundings immediately quieted down. The gazes of all the noble ladies gathered on him.

Several princesses also became serious, especially the Second Princess Feng Bai Zhi, whose eyes were full of light, unconsciously becoming entranced as they fell on Shen Ruo.

Shen Ruo had prepared to showcase his skill in painting this time. After having the tools prepared on stage, he picked up the brush and began to paint.

His posture was straight, carrying a few parts of a scholar’s bearing. With his gaze slightly lowered, his delicate face was full of concentration.

In less than the time it takes to burn an incense stick, he put down his brush.

Seeing this, the palace maids attending nearby immediately stepped forward to take the scroll on the table, then slowly unrolled it in front of everyone.

It was a painting of green bamboo!

With just a few strokes, he had vividly portrayed the unyielding spirit of bamboo. The artistic conception was so profound, not at all like it came from the hand of a young man.

The eyes of the crowd couldn’t help but show a trace of admiration. The young man from the Shen family truly lived up to being personally taught and raised by the old Grand Tutor!

After Shen Ruo left the stage, everyone was still immersed in the artistic conception from earlier.

Looking up, they saw a youth in snow-white clothes take the stage. Seeing his clear and otherworldly jade-like face, everyone instantly snapped out of their reverie.

They all perked up.

Wei Jing Mo’s expression was calm as he stood there with an upright posture. His slender waist could be encircled by one’s arms.

For today’s dance, he had deliberately worn loose robes to facilitate movement.

As the drum music started, the youth’s figure began to move, graceful as a startled swan, pure as a swimming dragon. With each rise and fall, his figure appeared even more slender and delicate, yet his face remained as cold and otherworldly as an immortal banished from heaven. The gentle breeze brushed past his snow-white clothes, as if about to carry the youth away from this sullied mortal world.

Everyone’s gaze was focused on the dancing youth on the high platform, following his movements.

Feng Bai Su watched the snow-white clad youth dancing gracefully on the stage with slightly blurred vision, his figure light and elegant.

At this moment, a very faint intake of breath sounded beside her ear.

Feng Bai Su turned her head to look, and saw Feng Bai Wei beside her staring intently at the youth on stage.

She turned her head back, looking at the dancing youth on stage and thinking calmly to herself: Oh right, this is the male lead.

Then she nonchalantly withdrew her gaze, no longer paying attention to the youth on stage.

—

The banquet was already halfway through, and Feng Bai Su leaned back in her chair feeling somewhat bored, finding the tinkling drum music in her ears quite annoying.

She stood up swaying slightly, pressing her forehead with a bit of a headache.

Cong Bai behind her immediately stepped forward to support her: “Your Highness!”

Feng Bai Su pushed away her hand and strode out with long legs, her voice lazy with intoxication: “I’m going out for a walk, no need to follow.”

At this time, everyone’s gazes were captivated by the stage, and Feng Bai Su’s departure didn’t attract anyone’s attention.

After exiting through the side door of the Red Maple Garden, Feng Bai Su walked leisurely forward.

There was a bamboo grove in front of the Red Maple Garden, with a very quiet and peaceful environment. A clear stream flowed down from the rockery, making crisp and melodious sounds.

Feng Bai Su sat in the pavilion, the cool breeze carrying moist air blowing against her face, dispelling some of the drunkenness from her body.

She propped her head on her hand, sitting quietly with her eyes closed.

After an unknown amount of time, a sudden “splash” of someone falling into water came from in front of the rockery, followed by a faint cry for help.

Feng Bai Su still sat in the pavilion with her head propped up, not even opening her eyes.

The cries for help from the front grew weaker and weaker, as if sinking into the water.

At this moment, a series of hurried footsteps came from behind her, and an anxious voice was carried over by the wind: “Is everything taken care of? Is he really here?”

Upon hearing this voice, Feng Bai Su slowly opened her eyes, her peach blossom eyes still carrying traces of intoxication.

She clicked her tongue lightly, quickly standing up and flashing towards the front of the rockery.

Seeing the figure already sinking in the middle of the lake, she lightly tapped the water’s surface with her toes, instantly pulling the person out.

—

When Wei Jing Mo woke up, he felt a discomfort in his stomach and couldn’t help but start coughing.

Just as he coughed a few times, a slender, fair hand covered his mouth.

His eyes couldn’t help but widen a bit, and his mind also cleared up.

Seeing the person in her arms trying to struggle, Feng Bai Su leaned close to his ear and softly shushed him, her voice low and hoarse: “Don’t move.”

After feeling the hot breath by his ear, Wei Jing Mo’s body instantly stiffened. He finally realized the current situation.

At this moment, they were on a tree, his entire body curled up in Feng Bai Su’s arms, his waist firmly locked by her palm.

Through the dense leaves in front of him, he saw through the gaps that a woman below was searching for something by the lake with palace maids.

Wei Jing Mo’s usually cold eyes flashed with confusion, his voice a bit hoarse: “What’s going on?”

Hearing his voice, Feng Bai Su withdrew her gaze and looked down at him.

Seeing him open his eyes somewhat bewilderedly, that cold aura on his body had disappeared, instead making him look silly and dazed.

She couldn’t help but chuckle lightly, “Young gentleman, you’re asking me what happened to you?”

Feng Bai Su changed her sitting position on the tree branch, but the hand around his waist remained immovable.

Wei Jing Mo looked at her alluring face, his cold ink-like eyes becoming a bit unfocused.

He had just received a note at the banquet, which said the Second Prince had urgent matters to discuss with him.

After following the palace maid out, he had only walked a few steps before his vision went black and he collapsed. When he regained consciousness, he found himself by the lake, and before he could react, someone pushed him in.

He couldn’t help but call for help, but there was no response. When he woke up again, it was now.

Feng Bai Su watched with interest as the emotions in his eyes kept changing. She even lazily leaned against the tree trunk behind her, directly placing Wei Jing Mo on her lap for convenience.

After recalling everything, Wei Jing Mo realized he was sitting on her thighs.

Such an intimate action made him panic, and he immediately wanted to get up.

However, Feng Bai Su reached out to hold him, firmly pinning him on her lap. She clicked her tongue lightly: “If you fall down, don’t expect me to save you again.”

Hearing her somewhat impatient words, Wei Jing Mo couldn’t help but bite his lip.

Seeing the coldness hidden deep in her alluring peach blossom eyes, he finally relaxed his body, putting his full weight on her legs. His snow-white fingers couldn’t help but grasp the robes at her waist.

Wei Jing Mo’s entire body was soaked through at this point, his already thin clothes clinging tightly to his body. He felt the skin where his buttocks and waist touched her was unbearably hot.

He had never been in such close contact with any woman before. Suppressing the shyness rising in his heart, he asked in a trembling voice: “When can we go down?”

Feng Bai Su glanced at him, looking at the people who hadn’t left below, and spoke somewhat carelessly: “Well, when they leave, we’ll go down.”

Seeing him lower his head, like an abandoned kitten.

Feng Bai Su thought about how this was a female-dominated world, where a man’s chastity was very important, and even being touched on the hand by a woman was a big deal.

She thought for a moment, then slowly added: “Don’t worry, only the two of us know about today’s events. When you go back, you’ll still be a pure and untouched young gentleman.”

Hearing her words, Wei Jing Mo’s long lashes trembled, and he said in a soft voice: “Thank you.”

Seeing him seemingly let out a sigh of relief, Feng Bai Su couldn’t help but sneer, her peach blossom eyes full of indifference.