Translated by Luna (lunaris111.wordpress.com) Link to Original
Edited by therealaphye
Presently, Hua Zhu Yu was in a very awkward state. Her clothes had slipped from her shoulder, exposing half of her fair shoulder. Her fine black hair cascaded down, spreading out messily on the carpet.
Da Qi and Zhang Xi brought Hua Zhu Yu in front of Xiao Yin. Knowing resistance would only make her suspected as an assassin, she did not resist. Besides, she was no match for them at the moment.
“Lift your head!” Xiao Yin’s deep and cold voice came from above her head. Her heart was in chaos, would she be recognized?
Xiao Yin, Zhang Xi and Da Qi had seen her before, but fortunately what they saw was not her real looks.
Moreover, she deliberately dressed up tonight. Thinking of this, Hua Zhu Yu slowly looked up. A pair of bright pupils quietly looked toward the man before her who grasped upon her life and death. The broad-robed Xiao Yin was reclining on a chair in a languid attitude, the deep purple pupils emitted captivating waves of light in the candlelight, but was nevertheless unable to conceal their eerie coldness. He was staring at her!
“Assassin?” Xiao Yin stretched out an arm, his slender fingers lightly tapped on the long table beside him.
“No” Hua Zhu Yu answered. Though soft, the tone of the voice was firm.
Xiao Yin’s eyes narrowed in a smiling yet not smiling expression. His penetrating eyes trailed up Hua Zhu Yu’s fair shoulder to her slender neck and discernible delicate clavicle. He lazily asked: “Prostitute?”
Your mother is the prostitute! Hua Zhu Yu silently swore at him, yet a smile blossomed on her face, sweetly replied “Yes.”
Under Xiao Yin’s burning stare, Hua Zhu Yu felt her face heating up, fortunately her face was thickly daubed with rouge, so no one took notice of that. Her slender, jade-like hand subconsciously raised, wanting to straighten her clothes, but halted halfway. As her “present identity” was a prostitute, such an action would – without doubt – make her appear suspicious. Hua Zhu Yu unhurriedly lowered her hand. She secretly gritted her teeth.
Xiao Yin, you better pray to Heaven, that you do not fall into my hands, or else I certainly will sell you into nian nu jiao of Liang Zhou (In modern times, Liang Zhou is called Wu Wei) where they admit male prostitutes. Your looks would be absolutely popular there.
“Oh, I have to admit, your trick has actually has evoked bendianxia’s interest, but bendianxia has never touched prostitutes – especially the likes of you. In the future, you better do not do this kind of scheme again.” Those deep and tranquil purple eyes swept over her face, he casually said “But, tonight bendianxia is surprisingly somewhat in the mood for an entertainment. Bendianxia wants to see what skills you have.”
Performing for him?!
In fact, Hua Zhu Yu was very good at playing zither, playing qi, singing, dancing, horse-riding, wielding swords, and shooting. Her father had made her learn those skills. It was only that all these years, she did not have chance to show her skills to people. She only played zither or sang for herself.
She had never thought the first time she showed her skills to people would be using the identity of a prostitute and she was going to perform for the person who actually was responsible for her being a prostitute – Xiao Yin. She was really unwilling. Though unwilling, she had to do it, otherwise who would believe that she is a prostitute?
Thinking that there must be no zither in Xiao Yin’s barrack, she smiled and said “Wangye, this humble servant has none other skill than playing zither, but it is still listenable.” She wanted to see from where Xiao Yin was going to conjure up a zither.
“Playing zither?” Xiao Yin’s long and narrow eyes sparkled in candlelight, just like dazzling amethyst ”Liu Feng, go bring bendaxia’s Rao Liang”
“Yes.” a black-clothed imperial bodyguard answered.
After a moment, a zither was brought before her. She did not expect Xiao Yin really would have had a zither, furthermore, it was a precious guqin (a seven-stringed zither). Hua Zhu Yu reached out to test its sound. Sure enough, the sound was distinct, clear and lingering. She had to admit, she was already attracted to this zither. Delicate fingers gently stroked the zither’s surface. Her lucid and exquisite pupils were lustrous and they emitted breathtaking light. “Truly a good zither! It is worthy of the name Rao Liang(long resonance)!” she muttered.
“Prostitute, you also know this is a good zither?” Xiao Yin coldly said.
“In the end can you or can you not play zither. This is wangye’s hard-to-get treasure. They all say that this zither’s sound is pleasant to hear, benjianjun has never heard it. Immediately play and let wangye and all of us listen.” Da Qi shouted up.
“That being the case, then your humble servant will start playing right away. Which tune does wangye want to listen to?” she extended her slender, jade-like fingers, resting them on the strings.
How could these people of North Kingdom understand the beauty of sound? In the past, a musician called Gong Ming Yi played a tune for a cow, but the cow kept its head down, focused its attention eating grass as usual. Tonight, she too, was like that Gong Ming Yi.
“Play as you like, as long as it is not a lascivious, corny tune!” Xiao Yin said in his deep voice.
“Then, your humble servant will play: “转应曲” “. When she finished speaking, Hua Zhu Yu reached out and stroked the zither’s strings lightly.
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