Chapter 86 (1/2)

Chapter 86: Male Phoenix seeking Female Phoenix

The moment Jun Huang walked out, everyone in the room s.h.i.+fted their focus to her. Her face was barely visible under the veil, but her uncovered eyes were lively and brilliant. The dangling ornament on her head chimed as she moved, and her silk dress added a touch of otherworldly beauty to her.

Jun Huang was nervous, but she knew she had to remain calm. She took a deep breath and slowly made her way to the stage on the first floor. On the stage was a chair and a table for the zither. She gingerly placed the phoenix tail zither on the table before looking over at the crowds surrounding the stage.

Her eyes alone were enough to enchant the audience. They found themselves unable to look away from her. Jun Huang's expression remained aloof, as if all she beheld were but fleeting clouds. Silk curtains fluttered in the winds as red petals fell from above her. The room was filled with the fragrance of flowers.

Jun Huang lowered her eyes and tested the strings before she started playing a song. The room was silent save for the performance, and Jun Huang was the sole focus of everyone present.

The clear sound made by the zither was bright like a spring, refres.h.i.+ng to the ears. No one could resist the charm. The song Feng seeking Huang1 was an extraordinary piece of music. Some audience started tearing up and their makeup was smeared.

Jun Huang's head was low, her hair covering the side of her face. When wind blew, her hair was brought into the air and the face veil wavered, but no one was able to get a good look at her face. Her performance was intoxicating. The audience was entranced.

The music stopped. Someone started clapping first. Then, as if woken up from a dream, the other members of the audience followed suit. The clapping was so loud it reached the sky. Jun Huang stood up to bow at the crowd before she got off stage with the zither. Before she could get far, however, a young man who looked to be from a rich family blocked her way.

Jun Huang met his gaze with steely eyes. The man paused before taking out a piece of fine white jade. He handed it to Jun Huang. ”Are you willing to leave with this gentleman? Are you willing to leave this chaotic place packed with greedy men? Would you play the zither for me alone?”

He was but a naive man who believed he could keep someone by his side with money.

Jun Huang bowed at him with grace and said, ”The song this woman played is Feng seeking Huang, not Feng holding Huang Captive2. If there's nothing else you want with me, this woman will take her leave.” She walked away and went upstairs.

Qi Chen and Qi Yun had witnessed everything from the hallway on the second floor. Qi Chen sighed inwardly. If there was one unparalleled beauty in the world, it would be this woman. Her eyes alone were enough to leave an impression on him.

Jun Huang's eyes darted up briefly and she saw that Qi Chen was staring at her. She smiled. Her eyes were even more brilliant in the candlelight.

Her smile lights up the whole room, Qi Chen thought. There are tens of thousands of beautiful women in the imperial city, but no one is as alluring as this pair of eyes. Jun Huang's purple dress danced in the wind. She was like a fairy who accidentally fell to the mortal world. It was time for her to return to the heavens. She felt no love for the mortals, but no mortals could escape her pull.

Qi Chen felt compelled to stop her from leaving. Only when he was about to utter the first word did he wake up from the dream he had weaved for himself. He broke out into cold sweat. He had almost acted out of character! As a royal prince, he had been taught to control his body and mind, to not covet anything that didn't belong to him.

The t.i.tle of the crown prince hadn't been his, though, and he had made it his.

Qi Chen quirked up his lips and shook his head. He was a man with great ambitions. How could he let himself be influenced by women? No woman was worth giving up his pursuit for.

Qi Yun had seen Jun Huang as well. He was able to recognize her immediately since he had seen her in women's clothes before. He too, however, was transfixed by her beautiful eyes.

His gaze was fixed on Jun Huang. She had given Qi Chen a smile while she gave him nothing. Qi Yun couldn't help feeling jealous.

Jun Huang was stopped by the procuress of the brothel Autumn House on the stairs. The procuress didn't want to offend Jun Huang since the leading courtesans were chosen by the public. She gave her a servile smile. ”Didn't you say that you were going to perform two songs?”

Jun Huang looked up at her and coughed. ”This woman has not been feeling well. I hope mama3 and the gentlemen here can forgive me.”

People came to the brothel to care for the women. They weren't going to push Jun Huang. They told her to rest and not overtax herself. The procuress was even more worried. The leading courtesan was Autumn House's golden goose that laid golden eggs. Nothing could happen to her. The procuress rushed to get a doctor, but Jun Huang stopped her.

”This woman is simply tired because of a lack of sleep last night,” said Jun Huang. ”I'll be fine after some rest.”

The procuress let out a sigh and patted herself on the chest. ”Good. Go rest then.”

Jun Huang bowed at her before continuing going upstairs. She breathed out slowly. She was lucky that no one suspected her ident.i.ty.