Chapter 16 (1/2)

The Gua-yue Tower1 is located in the very center of the main street of the Southern Qi Imperial City. It has the best food in the Southern Qi Imperial City.

It happened to be Shen Qi’s birthday, so the these gong-zi whose hands have been tight for 20 some days already, no long was able to hold back and took upon that excuse to gather together.

Shen Qi booked the entire Gua-yue Tower and invited the most famous Opera crew to sing “Broken Spring”.

Soon after the play started, Qi Shu glanced out of the window unintentionally, and turned to ask Ye Xiang, “There’s still about ten and some days till your parents’ memorial right?”

Ye Xiang nodded with his attention still on the two actors on the stage.

Qi Shu took another glance out the window, and thought strangely, “Liu Mo-Mo seems to be leaving the city. In the past, she went to Lingyun Temple only a day or two earlier. How come so early this year?”

“Huh?” Ye Xiang turned towards him.

Qi Shu pointed out the window, “You take a look, although it’s the Wang Manor’s carriage, but there seems to be Liu Mo-Mo’s servants among the group.

Ye Xiang moved his eyes and looked outside the window and saw a line of carriage and horses passing by. It was the Wang Manor’s carriage and servants.

Qi Shu continued, “I heard that after the Su Manor’s Young Lady returned to the Imperial City, the Emperor summoned her and in front of the Empress Dowager she was being inappropriate and offended her. Official Wang was angry about it and called upon Liu Mo-Mo to train her in rules. Did you hear about it?”

Ye Xiang nodded.

Qi Shu was delighted to elaborate, “This Su Manor Young Lady is really something, who is the Empress Dowager? She dares put up a fight in her presence. Really is a newborn calf making little of a tiger, courage big enough to cover the sky.”

Ye Xiang was without comments.

Qi Shu glanced at him, “I heard that day the Empress Dowager had summoned Xu Yun Chu. It was his first time his disobeyed a summon, it seems he also doesn’t want to marry the Su Manor Young Lady.

Ye Xiang lifted a corner of his lips, not saying anything.

Qi Shi sighed, “I initially thought that the Su Manor Young Lady was a fragrant pastry and was waiting for a show of who wins. Didn’t think that each of you were not willing to go on stage. Recently the news of  Su Manor Young Lady’s big fuss in the Palace had spread, both you and Xu Yun Chu don’t want to marry her, everyone else also flinched. I think this Su Manor Young Lady will be difficult to marry off.

Ye Xiang turned slightly and gave him a slanted glance, “You seem quite interested in her.”

Qi Shu blinked, “I heard that the Su Manor Young Lady is beautiful like a goddess, when not fighting, looks exactly like a proper maiden, even when fighting looks very nice as well. I’m just a little interested, but unfortunately it’ll never be my chance. My family is not highly regarded by the Emperor or have the favor of the Empress Dowager. My father and Official Wang are counterparties, and definitely no relations with the Su Manor, not say a marriage decree, let along just going to their door to ask for marriage would be difficult.

Ye Xiang let out a laugher, “Don’t forget that besides those reasons, you also have a green plum bamboo horse paired marriage arrangement since young with a cousin.

Qi Shu abruptly started coughing.

Ye Xiang turned back to watching Broken Spring.

Shen Qi perplexedly looked at Qi Shu coughing nonstop and asked with interest, “What are you guys talking about?”

Qi Shu casted a glare at Ye Xiang and snorted, “Talking about the Su Manor Young Lady.”

Shen Qi hearing that also caught interest, moving closer to them and said, “Lately the rumors about the Su Manor Young Lady seems to have taken a turn, seems to be saying that her actions are very barbaric, untrained, do not know etiquettes, just inappropriate, are those true?”

“Of course, it’s true. How many pairs of eyes are watching in the Palace? The Empress Dowager’s face even turned blue. A dozen so guards were hit.” Qi Shu said. “Such good martial skills, but in a lady, besides being inappropriate, it also makes one see her differently, really is the daughter of Commander General Su. A tiger dad does not have a puppy daughter.2”

Shen Qi clicked his tongue, “Don’t know what the Su Manor Young Lady look like. Is she really as the rumors, beautiful like a goddess?”

Qi Shi stared at him, and then suddenly said, “Why don’t we go early to the Lingyun Temple? Just ten and some days would be Qixi3, Lingyun Town will have the Double Seventh Festival. I heard that the Su Manor Young Lady is being trained by Liu Mo-Mo. Official Wang ordered her to not be able to part from Liu Mo-Mo’s side even a single step. Right now Liu Mo-Mo and the Wang Manor’s carriage and horses are heading out the city, she’s likely in the carriage as well. We can send someone to find out, if she is also there, let’s go to the Lingyun Temple earlier, we might be able to see her.”

Shen Qi hearing that turned towards Ye Xiang, “There’s still ten some days. Isn’t it too early to go to Lingyun Temple? When are you going this year?”

Ye Xiang answered uninterestedly, “I’ll decide when it draws closer. I feel so lazy lately, don’t want to move.”

Shen Qi nodded, “There’s still ten some days, still earlier. No rush.”

Qi Shu was disappointed, “It’s early, but still can go out earlier to have some fun, I’ve been suffocating in the Imperial City.”

Ye Xiang turned his head towards him, reminding, “Isn’t your father having you memorize some books? With the Golden Autumn Exam drawing close, if you were to run off ten some days earlier to have fun at the Lingyun Temple, won’t your father break your leg?”

Qi Shu hearing that sucked in a breath of frighten air, “Right, I forgot about that.”