Chapter 139: Qing'er? Ziyan!

As Zhu Hao finished speaking, Ziyan let out a startled gasp, then beamed with smiles and said, "Young Master Fate, we meet again. We truly share a remarkable bond!"

With that, Ziyan stepped out from behind the folding screen, gazing at Zhu Hao with a charming and captivating smile. Hearing her words, Zhu Hao abruptly sprang to his feet. He looked the young woman up and down; although she was dressed in a long purple gown and her face was veiled, Zhu Hao instantly recognized from her silhouette that the Ziyan standing before him was none other than Qing'er, the young maiden who had shared a life-or-death ordeal with him just the night before.

This sudden turn of events left Zhu Hao stunned for a long moment before he finally blurted out in astonishment, "You... you're Qing'er!"

Ziyan nodded at him and replied, "Yes, I am Qing'er. Master Bai, should I call you Master Bai, or Young Master Fate?"

Hearing this, Zhu Hao thought to himself, *Truly, where in life do we not cross paths? How is it that I am so inextricably bound to this young woman?*

Pondering this inwardly, Zhu Hao offered an awkward smile and replied with a matching counter-question, "Then, my lady, should I call you Qing'er, or Ziyan?"

At his words, the two exchanged a glance and burst into laughter. A moment later, as their laughter subsided, Ziyan spoke first, "Life wears many faces and assumes many identities. As you said, a name is merely a code. I imagine Master Bai possesses more than one name and identity. That being the case, please call me Ziyan for now, because right here and now, I am simply Ziyan!"

Hearing this, Zhu Hao wondered inwardly, *Does she know my true identity?* He immediately dismissed the thought, as he had revealed no inkling of his status as the Prince of Xin from start to finish. Concluding that Ziyan could not possibly know who he was, he brushed it off as his own overactive imagination.

Nodding in agreement, Zhu Hao said, "Lady Ziyan speaks wisely. For now, I am Master Bai, and you are Lady Ziyan. But tell me, Lady Ziyan, why are you here?"

Ziyan smiled and countered, "Why is Ziyan here? Well, why is Young Master here? Whatever brings Young Master here is precisely what brings Ziyan here!"

Realizing she was speaking in riddles, Zhu Hao thought, *Everyone has their secrets. Yes, why am I here? I, too, have reasons I cannot speak of, and surely Ziyan has her own unspoken motives.*

Deciding not to press her further on why she was at the House of Fragrant Blossoms, Zhu Hao smiled and said, "Lady Ziyan, since our affinity is so profound, let us not question where we come from or where we are headed. Today, let us speak only of romance and leisure, and nothing else. How does that sound?"

Ziyan chuckled softly and replied, "Master Bai's words are most agreeable! Since destiny has brought Master Bai to Ziyan's chambers, allow Ziyan to play a tune to celebrate our reunion. I also ask the Young Master to critique and offer your guidance!"

Ziyan about zithers, but refusing to lose face, he nodded with a smile after she finished speaking. Seeing this, Ziyan turned and walked back behind the folding screen, gracefully seating herself to pluck the strings of the six-stringed zither resting on the table. As her jade fingers danced across the strings, a mesmerizing and relaxing rhythm filled the air.

Though completely unversed in the zither, Zhu Hao was nevertheless deeply captivated by the music. Just as he was utterly entranced, a commotion outside the door abruptly shattered his reverie.

***

Zhu Hao suddenly sprang to his feet. As he rose, Ziyan ceased her playing and slowly stood up as well, cutting the music short. Stepping out from behind the screen with dainty steps, she approached Zhu Hao and parted her delicate lips to ask, "Master Bai, was Ziyan's playing displeasing to you?"

Zhu Hao shook his head slightly and replied, "The clamor outside has tainted the lady's celestial music. The hour is late, and I must take my leave."

Hearing this, Ziyan quickly urged, "Could Master Bai not stay a little longer? Allow Ziyan to play another piece for you!"

Zhu Hao shook his head once more. "The hour is late, I must bid you farewell." Without a moment's hesitation, he strode out of the inner chamber, and Ziyan made no further attempt to detain him.

The real reason for Zhu Hao's hasty departure was his sudden realization that a scorching heat was pooling in his lower abdomen, and he was on the verge of losing control. Left alone together in a secluded room under such circumstances, he feared he might commit some rash act unworthy of a gentleman, which was why he insisted on leaving.

Stepping out of the room, Zhu Hao found Wei Xiaobao still seated outside, locked in a staring contest with the maid who had earlier barred his entry. Zhu Hao could not help but find it slightly amusing that even Wei Xiaobao possessed such a childish streak.

The moment Zhu Hao pushed the door open, Wei Xiaobao spotted him. Breaking off his glaring match with the maid, Xiaobao hurried over and asked, "Your Highness, won't you stay a little longer?"

Zhu Hao shook his head slightly. "Xiaobao, the hour is late. Let us return."

Without another word, Wei Xiaobao rose and followed behind Zhu Hao. Pushing open the door to the outer parlor, Zhu Hao caught sight of the noisy interlopers who had interrupted his musical appreciation just moments before: two men and a woman. The woman stood blocking the two men, her back turned to the door of Ziyan's chamber.

At a glance, Zhu Hao understood the situation entirely—evidently, these two men had attempted to barge into Ziyan's room, while the woman was blocking their path. Irritated that these two had ruined his mood for music, he took a couple of steps forward to get a clear look at them. As the door opened, the two men also ceased their argument with the woman and turned their gaze toward Zhu Hao.

To Zhu Hao's surprise, he recognized both of them. They were none other than Qian Qianyi and Hong Chengchou, two of the leading contenders for the title of Top Courtesan that Wei Xiaobao had mentioned earlier.

As Zhu Hao recognized them, Qian Qianyi and Hong Chengchou likewise recognized Zhu Hao, freezing in sheer shock. Without a word, Zhu Hao merely let out a cold snort and turned to leave.

Realizing that the person inside the room was none other than Zhu Hao, and recalling their unruly behavior just now, the two men broke out in a cold sweat. Too terrified to cause any more trouble, they turned tail and scurried away in disgrace. Truly, even the finest beauties in the world meant nothing if one lacked the life to enjoy them.

After Zhu Hao departed, the maid who had originally escorted him into Ziyan's chambers walked slowly into the inner room and asked, "Mistress, did you fail?"

Ziyan gave a soft sigh, shook her head in silence, and the maid continued, "With your celestial music and your celestial tea, no man can possibly resist. What on earth went wrong? Could it be that this Prince of Xin is not a real man?"

***

Ziyan frowned slightly and rebuked, "Nonsense! Had those two fools outside not caused a stir, I would have already succeeded! They cannot even wipe their own dirty backsides, yet they dare come here to harass me. Since they are so eager to die, this young mistress shall grant their wish. Go notify Uncle Wang and have him secretly deliver Qian Qianyi's ledger to the Imperial Commissioner's temporary residence!"

The maid was startled and stammered, "Mistress, Qian Qianyi is a man of the Master's! If you do this, won't you be clashing with the Master..."

Before the maid could finish, Ziyan cut her off, "I told you to go, so go. Enough idle chatter; I will explain things to my adoptive father myself! Now hurry and find Uncle Wang!"

After the maid left, Ziyan called toward the outer room, "Aunty Qiu, you may come in."

At her words, a gracefully aging matron in her thirties entered the room, dropped to her knees before Ziyan, and said, "Forgive me, Mistress. Qiuyun has failed in my duty and ruined your grand plan. Please punish me!"

Had Wei Xiaobao been present to witness this, his jaw would surely have dropped, for this very Qiuyun kneeling before Ziyan was none other than the proprietress of the entire House of Fragrant Blossoms.

Gazing down at the kneeling woman, Ziyan sighed lightly and said, "Aunty Qiu, this is hardly your fault. Those two lustful fools simply lost their minds. How are the preparations for tomorrow's courtesan selection coming along?"

Qiuyun replied hurriedly, "Rest assured, Mistress, everything is proceeding as planned. But Mistress, do you truly intend to take the stage yourself? Perhaps I should have another maiden stand in for you instead? After all..."

Ziyan shook her head slightly. "Rest assured, Aunty Qiu, there will be no accidents. Besides, how can one catch a tiger cub without entering the tiger's lair? I refuse to believe this Zhu Youjian can slip through my grasp!"

Naturally, Zhu Hao remained entirely unaware of the events that transpired at the House of Fragrant Blossoms after his departure. However, upon returning to his official residence, he was presented with a handwritten volume of commentaries and evaluations on the examination papers of this year's Zhejiang provincial examination scholars. To his astonishment, the author of this manuscript was none other than Qian Qianyi, a discovery that struck Zhu Hao as rather fascinating.

Instinctively sensing that this volume was no ordinary text, Zhu Hao opened the book and began to read. The very first page contained the evaluation of Cheng Sanjin, which read: "Cheng Sanjin of the Cheng family is of a gentle and benevolent disposition, quick-witted, dignified in bearing, and possessing talent fit for great responsibilities..." The entire page was filled with lavish praise, running to a full fifty-six characters.

Such glowing remarks filled Zhu Hao with quiet wonder. If Cheng Sanjin truly matched the glowing description in this book, then his position as the top scorer of the provincial examination was richly deserved. Yet, the contents of this ledger painted a picture entirely opposite to the description of Cheng Sanjin provided by Qin Hui—they were practically two completely different people. Why was there such a vast discrepancy? Zhu Hao racked his brain in vain for an answer.

First, Zhu Hao refused to believe that Qin Hui would deceive him, especially given the absolute reliability of the system's 100-percent loyalty rating. This meant that Qian Qianyi's written evaluations were entirely fabrication. But why would Qian Qianyi write a commentary that could easily subject him to public ridicule, and why would he keep such a document preserved? Zhu Hao simply could not comprehend it. Furthermore, who had delivered this volume to his residence, and what was their true purpose?