The First Jasmine - Chapter 105
Chapter 105 - Yao Ji
Both of them were sharp-eared, bright-eyed, and exceptionally skilled, so the old man's low murmurs naturally reached their ears the moment they walked a few steps away. Ye Li glanced sideways at Mo Xiuyao and smiled faintly, "Your identity has been seen through, Your Highness." Mo Xiuyao smiled calmly, "It's nothing. I used to come here often in the past, though I didn't expect that old gentleman to recognize me." Mo Xiuyao's life could be said to have the year he turned seventeen as a dividing line, after which his existence was completely split into two entirely opposite directions. Unless one was intimately acquainted with him, it was truly difficult to connect the two persons together. Ye Li lowered her head to look at the newly painted lantern in her hand that still emitted a faint fragrance of ink, a slight, gentle smile curving the corners of her lips.
Carrying their lanterns, the two of them strolled leisurely along the street just like many young men and women. Although their uncommon looks and bearing drew many curious and envious gazes, it was clearly a far more pleasant mood compared to the probing and calculating stares found among the palace and high-ranking nobility. As she walked, Ye Li curiously inspected the various small stalls lining both sides of the street. The items sold upon them were not necessarily all that fine, consisting mostly of everyday goods used by ordinary commoners. Though plain and unadorned, they gave people a sense of being closer and more natural. Smiling, Mo Xiuyao pulled Ye Li to a halt before a stall selling jewelry, rouge, and facial powders. Naturally, there were no precious or fine treasures on the tiny display stand. The middle-income couple tending the stall could also tell that the man and woman before them were clearly out of the ordinary; although they might not necessarily take a fancy to their goods, they still peddled them enthusiastically.
Mo Xiuyao picked up a simple and elegant pearl hair hairpin, held it up to measure against Ye Li, then ultimately shook his head and put it back down.
A slender, jade-white hand picked the hair hairpin back up. Meeting Mo Xiuyao's eyes, Ye Li raised an eyebrow and smiled, "What is it?"
Mo Xiuyao let out a light sigh and said, "This hairpin would only be overshadowed and rendered dull by A-Li; A-Li is suited for the most dazzling pearls. A few days ago, I ordered some night-pearls at Fenghua Pavilion. Tomorrow, shall we go together to see what style you'd like them made into?" Ye Li twirled the plain hairpin in her hand, inspected it, and smiled, "Even if you aren't afraid of me squandering your family fortune, I'm afraid the noble ladies and elite maidens of the capital will use their glares to murder me." The jewelry of Fenghua Pavilion was famously expensive throughout Chu Capital, and even for those aristocratic young misses, merely owning a couple of pieces was already worth boasting about. But while others didn't know, Ye Li herself was well aware that ever since her grand wedding, almost all the jewelry she used had been ordered from Fenghua Pavilion. No wonder that despite Ye Li rarely going out—and trying her best to choose seemingly low-key ornaments whenever she did—quite a few people still cast their gazes upon the accessories she wore.
"If buying a few pieces of jewelry could squander the family fortune, it would only mean our family foundations are far too thin," Mo Xiuyao smiled. He took the hairpin from Ye Li's hand, gently pinned it into her hair, and murmured softly, "I hope that everything A-Li receives is the best."
Ye Li smiled faintly, "What one likes is the best. If you don't like it, even the finest things are worthless."
A faint smile flashed through Mo Xiuyao's eyes as he asked in a low voice, "Then does A-Li like this?" Was it simply asking if she liked it, or did he mean this hair hairpin or something else entirely? Ye Li's pretty face flushed slightly; turning her face away, she murmured softly, "It's not bad." Paying the money and listening to the stall-owning couple spout flattering remarks, neither of them paid it any mind as they turned and walked away hand in hand. As they walked, Mo Xiuyao turned his head sideways to look at the woman beside him. The unremarkable pearl hair hairpin seemed to emit a captivating luster amidst her ink-black hair.
"What is going on over there?" Ye Li cast her gaze forward into the distance. There were sounds of bustling noise over that way, and the crowds were mostly surging in that direction, presenting a dense, rolling tide of humanity at a single glance. Mo Xiuyao lightly raised an eyebrow and smiled, "There's probably some lively spectacle going on. Let's go take a look and find out." Handing the two lanterns to the personal guard following closely behind, Mo Xiuyao took Ye Li's hand and walked toward the destination of the human stream. Ye Li looked back at the unfamiliar guard carrying the two lanterns, frowned slightly, and said, "I almost forgot; I haven't seen A-Jin at all since we came back." A-Jin had always been taciturn, mostly pushing the wheelchair with a blank expression whenever he followed beside Mo Xiuyao. Now that Mo Xiuyao's legs were fine, A-Jin seemed to have been forgotten by everyone.
Mo Xiuyao looked back and smiled, "I assigned him to handle other matters. He has also grown up; he can't just follow by my side as a mere guard forever." Ye Li nodded; A-Jin was Head Steward Mo's biological nephew. Head Steward Mo had worked himself to the bone for the estate all his life and remained without children, and A-Jin's parents had also died for the Prince of Ding's Estate, so it was only right that Mo Xiuyao showed A-Jin some extra care.
Only after squeezing into the crowd did they see that a stage had been erected at the street corner, adorned with colorful silks that made it look bright and eye-catching. There was no one on the stage yet, but the crowd below was clearly brimming with passion and excitement. Ye Li looked at the middle-aged man beside her, whose face was flushed red with excitement, and asked softly, "What is going on here?" The middle-aged man turned his head and, upon seeing a woman of striking beauty and extraordinary bearing standing beside him, was momentarily stunned. Even so, he replied in an amiable tone, "The capital's number one courtesan, Lady Yao Ji, is going to ascend the stage to perform a dance here, and she's going to toss an embroidered ball to..." Halfway through, he seemed to recall that the person standing before him was a refined beauty, causing his face to flush red, and his subsequent words trailed off vaguely. Although it wasn't stated clearly, it didn't prevent Ye Li from understanding. Startled for a moment, Ye Li turned her head back to look at Mo Xiuyao in puzzlement and asked, "What he said... Could that Yao Ji be the very same Yao Ji I know?"
"It seems so," Mo Xiuyao smiled calmly.
Ye Li frowned. Although she had only met Yao Ji twice, she had quite a favorable impression of that woman. Come to think of it, Yao Ji was not only a dancer but also the owner of the capital's premier establishment, the Allure House (Qingcheng Fang). Although dancers belonged to the lowly class of entertainers, Yao Ji's personal wealth was likely on par with some of the wealthy merchants in the capital. A woman like this clearly had no need whatsoever to choose a patron or recruit a husband through tossing an embroidered ball. Moreover, she chose to set the location here; although there were plenty of people here, most of them were ordinary commoners. If Yao Ji wanted to leave the demimonde and marry an ordinary person to live a normal life, she certainly shouldn't have made such a high-profile spectacle of it. Seeing her frown, Mo Xiuyao smiled faintly and said in a deep voice, "It is rumored that Yao Ji has a very close relationship with Mu Yang. Next month, Mu Yang is scheduled to marry the granddaughter of Grand Secretary Sun of the Ministry of Rites. I wonder if this has anything to do with that?"
"Yao Ji and Mu Yang?" Ye Li still remembered meeting Mu Yang two or three times; although they had never spoken, he looked like an exceptionally outstanding man from afar. Ye Li had also heard the rumors linking Yao Ji with both Mu Yang and Feng Zhiyao, but based on her understanding of Feng Zhiyao, those rumors were likely somewhat exaggerated. Yet she hadn't expected that while Feng Zhiyao's rumor was false, Mu Yang's case clearly had some genuine substance to it. Mo Xiuyao nodded and said, "Yao Ji became famous in the capital at the age of thirteen, and nearly ten years have passed since then. Over the years, if Third Master Feng and Mu Yang hadn't protected her, it wouldn't have been so easy for a frail woman like her to prop up the Allure House without being harassed by the powerful and influential. Those influential and powerful folks in the capital are no easy characters to deal with." Ye Li nodded in realization. Yao Ji's beauty could definitely rank in the top five of the capital, and more importantly, unlike the poised and dignified demeanor of ordinary young ladies of noble families, the dance-adept Yao Ji possessed another kind of bewitching, seductive charm. How could such an absolute beauty still lingering in the dust of the demimonde fail to become the object of contention among high-ranking officials, nobles, and profligate youths? Even if Yao Ji kept herself clean and self-contained, how could a powerless and uninfluential frail woman fend off those wild bees and wandering butterflies without someone assisting her?
Ye Li could not understand Yao Ji's train of thought; even if it really had to do with Mu Yang, using this kind of method to determine her own future was treating herself far too irresponsibly. If it were a martial arts competition to win a hand or a literary talent selection, they could at least test the opponent's capability; tossing an embroidered ball, however, was a complete gamble with sheer luck. Ye Li vaguely recalled that in certain television dramas she had watched in her past life, there were absurd plots where an aristocratic young miss tossed an embroidered ball only for it to be caught by a beggar. Yao Ji had specifically chosen this kind of place; even if it wouldn't be caught by a beggar, the highest probability was that it would end up with some ordinary commoner. But for an ordinary commoner to truly marry Yao Ji through a formal matchmaker and proper rites—no matter which side it was, there were actually no benefits to be gained.
"Don't worry, Mu Yang cannot possibly be unaware of news like this," Mo Xiuyao said softly.
Ye Li nodded and looked around, but regretfully saw no sign of Mu Yang. Matters between men and women were inherently difficult to sort out, and regardless of whether Mu Yang showed up here or not, no one could truly say whether he was right or wrong. After all, he was a man getting married next month; he had to answer for the Marquis of Muyang's Manor as well as take responsibility for his fiancée.
"Young lady, is this gentleman beside you your older brother or..." The man standing beside Ye Li suddenly asked in a low voice. Ye Li turned her head and realized that quite a few men around them were casting rather unkind glares at Mo Xiuyao, causing her to smile amusedly. Although Mo Xiuyao wore a mask, the half of his face exposed outside was also a rare, striking handsome sight, and coupled with his tall, upright, and extraordinary posture, standing in the crowd made him stand out like a crane among chickens—how could the surrounding men not harbor newborn hostility? Taking Mo Xiuyao's hand, Ye Li smiled faintly, "We're just watching the commotion; my husband won't step in to snatch it." The looks in everyone's eyes clearly spelled out their disbelief. Although the young woman before them was no less stunning than Lady Yao Ji, which man would ever complain about having too many beauties around? This young lady was elegant and noble, clearly a legitimate primary wife; wouldn't she be missing a seductive and charming concubine like Yao Ji so one could have beauties on both arms and enjoy supreme earthly bliss?
Mo Xiuyao was in a good mood and didn't bother haggling over these people's impoliteness. Pulling Ye Li in front of himself, he smiled at the questioning man and said, "Rest assured, I'm not here to snatch the embroidered ball. My wife is quite fierce..."
Ye Li instantly had a head full of dark lines, seamlessly reaching out to pinch him hard. Mo Xiuyao's expression remained completely normal, as though the flesh being pinched wasn't his own, and he smiled to the person opposite him, "Besides, I don't like overly seductive women; I still prefer a gentle and graceful wife like mine." The gentle and graceful wife secretly picked up a pinch of flesh at his waist and twisted it with all her might. Mo Xiuyao gave a helpless, wry smile, raised a hand to press down on Ye Li's hand, and murmured, "Wife, I truly won't ever like any other woman."
Ye Li rolled her eyes and silently let go. How did that saying go? A rogue is not terrifying; what's terrifying is when a rogue has a cultured background. When someone usually gentle and thick-skinned decides to turn shameless, nobody can withstand it.
The surrounding onlookers finally seemed to ease their worries, unanimously casting understanding smiles toward Mo Xiuyao. Mo Xiuyao did not stand on ceremony either, smiling and nodding to acknowledge everyone's goodwill one by one.
"Ah, Lady Yao Ji has come out?!" someone exclaimed nearby. Ye Li looked back toward the stage. The stunning beauty on stage wore multicolored fairy robes, exquisite makeup, and a bewitching smile, winning gasps of astonishment from the crowd the moment she appeared. Yao Ji nodded slightly toward the audience and smiled alluringly, stirring the men below into fervent excitement as they shouted out. When Yao Ji's gaze swept past the spot where Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao stood, she paused for a fraction of a second, smiled faintly at Ye Li, and then turned back to sweep her long, flowing water-sleeves outward. The leisurely melody of music rose softly at the edge of the stage, and Yao Ji swayed her waist smoothly with the tune, dancing gracefully while fluttering her cloud-like water-sleeves, prompting yet another wave of cheers from the audience.
Ye Li frowned, sighing inwardly as she looked at the radiant, smiling woman on stage. This was no ordinary embroidered-ball tossing for Yao Ji; she was deliberately ruining her own reputation. Yao Ji's reputation in the capital wasn't bad; although rumors linked her intimately with Third Master Feng and Mu Yang, they were merely rumors, and very few people had actually seen her. Furthermore, not many people could actually get to see Yao Ji in person. But by dancing and tossing an embroidered ball in a place like this right now, after today, most men across the capital would likely know what Yao Ji actually looked like. After this stunt today, whether it was high officials and nobles wishing to take her home as a concubine or commoners wishing to take her home as a wife, their perception of her would likely drop yet another level. Looking up at the flash of sorrow and desolation on the stage-bound woman's face, Ye Li shook her head secretly—was it really because of Mu Yang?
As the tune ended, the people below the stage shouted and clamored, urging Yao Ji to hurry up and toss the embroidered ball. A middle-aged woman whose face was caked in powder and plastered with a broad smile walked onto the stage, raising a hand to signal for quiet below while smiling, "Everyone is in for a treat today! Today, Lady Yao Ji is personally tossing the embroidered ball to choose a husband. Whoever catches the embroidered ball will be Lady Yao Ji's bridegroom for tonight. This old woman wishes you all good luck right here!"
Ye Li's heart sank. She heard the procuress's words—"bridegroom for tonight"—clear as day. That meant Yao Ji wasn't truly getting married, but merely picking a patron for the night. This also meant that after tonight, Yao Ji would no longer be a pure courtesan who only sold her artistry and not her body. Looking at the stunning woman with bright, expressive eyes standing on the stage, Ye Li let out a regretful sigh. Mo Xiuyao asked in a low voice, "A-Li, what is it?"
Ye Li shook her head and said, "Lady Yao Ji's current move is far too drastic and absolute; why go this far..." If someone asked Ye Li whether she could go to such lengths for a man, Ye Li knew very well in her heart that she could never become like Yao Ji. It wasn't because of a lack of love, but rather... her love had its own bottom line. If even one's own dignity could be cast aside, such love was far too heavy for Ye Li to bear.
Mo Xiuyao leaned close to Ye Li's ear and whispered with a smile, "I will never let A-Li become like this. I will sweep away all obstacles and make A-Li the only wife of Mo Xiuyao."
Ye Li raised an eyebrow, "Your Highness is exceptionally good at saying sweet things today."
"If my wife likes it, your husband will say them to you every single day," Mo Xiuyao smiled. "Don't worry; that fellow Mu Yang might be a bit thick-headed, but he is still fairly decent as a person. He will definitely come."
Ye Li nodded. Even if he came, what of it? Mu Yang could not possibly take Yao Ji as his wife, nor could he abandon the Marquis of Muyang's Manor for Yao Ji's sake. And as for that Miss Sun, she was actually the most innocent one of all.