Chapter 9

Beneath Jinling City, in the Qinxue Pear Garden, the pear blossoms had bloomed a few days later than the peach blossoms and were now in full splendor.
In winter, there was the Plum Garden; in spring, the Pear Garden. The Pear Garden was, in fact, an opera house within Jinling City.
It was no ordinary theater for the common folk to enjoy performances, it was a place reserved for the truly prestigious and noble. Seemingly isolated from the bustling noise of Jinling, the winding path led to a secluded spot, with purple-white pear blossoms lining the stone steps and the faint sound of trickling water in the background.
In their ears was the melodious, soft Wu dialect of the Qingyi actress singing through the floral rain; at their noses, the delicate fragrance wafting from the tea poured by the plainly dressed maid; beneath their hands, the black and white pieces dancing across the chessboard.
Prince Nan Gongye had invited Yan Yiming to listen to opera and play chess, with the added presence of a little tagalong, Yan Yiming's younger brother. However, judging by Nan Gongye's familiarity with Young Master Yan, it was clear they were regulars here. Young Master Yan took the program booklet and selected both the opera and the Dan role with practiced ease.
Ever since the Fifth Prince, Nan Gongye, learned that Yan Yiming intended to give up on his elder brother, the Crown Prince, the previously suppressed stirrings in his heart had gradually reawakened under Yan Yiming's deliberate guidance.
He had been close to Young Master Yan since childhood, so he often visited the Yan residence. Ever since his heart-to-heart conversation with Yan Yiming, he had been coming almost daily. Yan Yiming no longer deliberately avoided him as before and would even smile and chat or play with him.
He knew he liked Yan Yiming, but after truly getting to know her and seeing her no longer treat him as a child, Nan Gongye felt that he might like her even more than he had imagined.
He liked her so much that watching her hold a chess piece, whether she was frowning or lost in thought, made his heart tremble with admiration. He liked her so much that he didn’t even notice how abysmal her chess skills were at that moment.
Although Yan Yiming retained the memories of the previous Lady Yan and was naturally skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, she was inherently lazy. Lazy people never enjoyed such mentally taxing, refined competitions. For her, shaking dice and betting on high or low in a gambling den might have been more enjoyable.
After thoughtlessly losing a game, Yan Yiming pulled her younger brother, who had been standing behind her eagerly offering advice throughout the match, and said, “You take over. I’m going to rest for a bit.”
Younger Brother Yan politely declined, saying, “No need, no need, sister, please go ahead,” but he promptly took her seat and declared with a hearty laugh, “Watch me win it back for you!”
Nan Gongye felt a bit disappointed that he couldn’t play against Yan Yiming, but his disappointment quickly faded when she sat down on a nearby stone bench. With just a turn of his head, he could see her long, delicate eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings.
Yan Yiming was dressed in a jade-green misty gown with a pleated skirt patterned like scattered flowers and water mist, draped in a light, translucent green gauze. Her eyebrows were lightly traced, and a thin layer of powder adorned her face, making her already enchanting beauty even more striking. Her arms rested leisurely on the stone table, and the thin sleeves of her dress slipped down, revealing slender wrists as pale and smooth as cold jade. Against the vibrant green of the jade bracelet on her wrist, her skin appeared even more dazzlingly fair.
That bracelet was carved from a piece of top-grade jadeite presented by the governor of Liangzhou. His father, the emperor, had ordered a master jade carver to meticulously craft it into a pair of bracelets, which were later bestowed upon the empress. A few days earlier, when Nan Gongye saw Yan Yiming in this outfit, he thought the bracelet would suit her perfectly. He had gone to great lengths to persuade his mother to give it to him.
Even before placing it on Yan Yiming’s wrist, he had imagined how stunning it would look. Now, having personally fastened it around her wrist and seeing it paired with her misty green dress, he found it even more perfect than he had envisioned.
The maids brought over some lychees. Lychees were already a rare delicacy, and these were the “March Red” variety, which ripened as early as the third month. A single one of these lychees was worth half a year’s food for an ordinary family.
Now, those hands that constantly captivated Nan Gongye were leisurely peeling the crimson lychees. After peeling one, she placed the white flesh into her mouth, her pearly white teeth nibbling at the fruit before spitting out the hard seed.
Nan Gongye’s focus on the chess game wavered. He felt as though he had been bewitched by Yan Yiming, for even her simple act of eating lychees seemed like a silent temptation to him. He wanted to grasp her hands and see if they were as soft and boneless as he imagined. He wanted to taste her lips and see if they were as tender and sweet as he envisioned.
Young Master Yan was completely focused on the game, not distracted in the slightest. Even Yan Yiming noticed that Nan Gongye, who had been playing swiftly earlier, was now in a somewhat passive position. A momentary lapse of attention allowed Young Master Yan to seize an opening, ruthlessly capturing many of the black stones on the board.
In a place where no one else could hear, Little A shook her head regretfully. “Truly, he's still young, his concentration is far too weak.”
“If his concentration were too strong, how would I play this game?” Yan Yiming chuckled softly, picking up another lychee and leisurely peeling it.
With Young Master Yan gaining the upper hand and feeling quite pleased with himself, Nan Gongye couldn't help but feel frustrated. Forcing himself not to glance at Yan Yiming, his handsome face finally showed a hint of seriousness. He reached into the chess box, picked up a piece, and was about to place it when his lips suddenly felt a cool touch. Looking down, he saw Yan Yiming's delicate, pale fingers holding a plump, white lychee.
“Ah, open wide,” Yan Yiming said with a smile on her exquisite face, feeding the peeled lychee to his lips.
Nan Gongye's fingers, holding the chess piece, tightened abruptly. In his momentary daze, his thoughts became a tangled mess. He stared blankly at Yan Yiming, but his rationality seemed to slip away as he unconsciously opened his mouth and accepted the lychee.
Perhaps he bit down too hastily, his lips and teeth accidentally brushing against Yan Yiming's fingers before she could withdraw them.
Instantly, the sweetness of the lychee filled his mouth, but it was nothing compared to the sensation of her cool fingers against his lips, a touch that sent a sudden blaze through him.
The thought flashed through Nan Gongye's mind, and he immediately looked up at her, only to find that Yan Yiming had already swiftly peeled another lychee. The same fingers that had just touched him now held the fruit as she placed it into her own mouth. Noticing his gaze, she smiled playfully and asked, “Is it sweet?”
Nan Gongye stared at her fingers, now glistening with lychee juice, and his ears suddenly flushed red.
Little A couldn't bear to watch any longer, covering her eyes.
[Host, this is just too cruel. In the 21st century, this Fifth Prince would still be a minor...]
Meanwhile, the Crown Prince, having left the palace, headed straight to the residence of the Fifth Prince, Nan Gongye. The Fifth Prince was still young, and since his elder brother had not yet married, his household had neither wives nor concubines.
The Crown Prince's sudden arrival, coupled with the Fifth Prince's absence, sent the servants into a fluster as they knelt in reverence. Nan Gongxuan waved his hand, signaling them to rise, and then inquired about Nan Gongye, who had been missing for days. “Where is Ye'er?”
“Your Highness, the Fifth Prince left early this morning and has not returned since.”
Nan Gongxuan wasn't particularly surprised. Striding confidently toward Nan Gongye's study, he asked, “Do you know where he went?”
“Your Highness, he said he was going to the residence of the Duke of Ding.”
The Duke of Ding's residence?
He must have gone to see that Yan boy again.
Nan Gongxuan smiled. Back when he had chosen the Yan child to be Ye'er's study companion, he never expected the two to grow so close over the years. Since Ye'er was at the Yan residence, and he himself had planned to visit the ailing Yan Yiming, he might as well drop by the Yan family as well.
Casually picking up the calligraphy copy on Nan Gongye's desk, he noticed a portrait of a beauty hidden beneath it.
It was called a portrait of a beauty because the woman in the painting had a graceful figure, but strictly speaking, it was rather laughable. While Jian Yuyan, the top young master of Jinling City, was renowned for his excellent painting skills, his younger brother Nan Gongye seemed unable to capture the beauty he envisioned. Nan Gongxuan studied the portrait for a long while but couldn't recognize which young lady it was supposed to be.
The only detail that caught his attention was a tiny red mole at the outer corner of the woman's right eye, even though her facial features were indistinct.
A red mole.
Yan Yiming's strikingly beautiful face suddenly surfaced in his mind, her slightly upturned eyes and that charming red mole at the corner of her eye.
Though Yan Yiming was the first to come to mind, Nan Gongxuan never considered that the beauty in Nan Gongye's painting could be her. Instead, he wondered whether the red mole on this unknown beauty's eye could be as captivating as Yan Yiming's.
Since Nan Gongye was not at home, Nan Gongxuan didn't linger and proceeded to the Ding Duke's residence.
The Crown Prince's arrival had been announced in advance, and the entire Yan family, from the elderly Duke down to the two-year-old great-grandson, was shocked and hurried out to greet him.
Nan Gongxuan personally helped the old Duke to his feet. After the family had paid their respects in the main hall, he realized that Yan Yiming seemed to be absent.
The Duchess noticed the Crown Prince's expression and quickly explained, “A’Ming has been ill for many days and only recently recovered enough to get out of bed. Today, the Fifth Prince visited and invited her to the Pear Garden to enjoy an opera. Qi'er took her along, hoping it would help lift her spirits. They should be back soon.”
So she really had been ill?
Nan Gongxuan was taken aback.
He had assumed Yan Yiming was feigning illness, but only upon arriving did he learn she had truly been unwell. Recalling her pale face that day, he suddenly felt a pang of guilt.
The Duchess knew well how much her granddaughter adored the Crown Prince. It was rare for the Crown Prince to show Yan Yiming any favor, and now he had come specifically to visit. If he left, Yan Yiming would surely be disappointed upon her return. Caring deeply for her granddaughter, the Duchess tentatively suggested, “It's getting late, Your Highness. Since you're here, why not stay for dinner? It may not compare to the imperial chefs, but consider it a taste of something different.”
Learning that Yan Yiming had truly been ill, Nan Gongxuan felt a wave of compassion. He realized it had been a long time since he last saw her and found himself missing her. When the Duchess extended the invitation, he did not refuse.
By the time Yan Yiming returned, night had fallen. As soon as she entered the residence, a young maid, beaming with joy, escorted her toward the main hall. “Miss, you're finally back! The Crown Prince has been waiting for you for quite some time...”
Young Master Yan's face suddenly paled, and he hurriedly turned to look at Yan Yiming. But she had already dashed ahead toward the main hall, a delighted smile spreading across her lips where he couldn't see.
Outside, the maids announced that the young lady and young master had returned and were heading to the main hall. Nan Gongxuan felt an inexplicable sense of anticipation and lifted his gaze. A woman of exquisite beauty stepped inside, bathed in moonlight, her stunning features accentuated by the flickering candlelight that highlighted the tiny red mole, adding a touch of allure to her face.
She approached steadily, bowed gracefully, and addressed him with a calm “Your Highness.” Her familiar appearance was there, but when she looked up, her expression lacked the joy he had expected.
Nan Gongxuan suddenly realized he disliked the way Yan Yiming was looking at him.
The air seemed to freeze for a moment, leaving even the Dowager Duchess somewhat bewildered. The Duchess , flustered and unsure of what to do, hurriedly stepped forward to remind Yan Yiming, “Why don't you pour some tea for His Highness the Crown Prince?”
Yan Yiming obediently nodded, her movements flowing smoothly as she poured the tea. She stepped forward to hand the teacup to Nan Gongxuan, and as she extended her hand, her sleeve failed to conceal her slender wrist, revealing a dazzling emerald jade bracelet.
Nan Gongxuan’s gaze fixed on Yan Yiming’s wrist. Suddenly, he reached out and firmly grasped her wrist. The hot tea fell from her hand, soaking her skirt, but Nan Gongxuan showed no intention of letting go. His furious voice rang out coldly in her ear, “Who gave you this bracelet?”