The first time in history

"No," Jiang Ying turned to Qian Mingduo and said, "The general manager is on duty in the royal palace tonight. I will go and ask him what is going on." After Jiang Ying finished speaking, she turned around and left in a hurry.

Looking at the dashing and heroic figure from behind, Qian Mingduo shook his head and thought to himself, "He came as he said, and left as he said. He didn't even accompany me to talk about life and ideals under the tree. Sigh!"

After returning to his residence, Qian Mingduo wiped his whole body with well water and wiped the bamboo bed again. He carefully placed Browning in a gap under the bed. This time he lay on his back with his legs spread out. He suddenly remembered what Zheng Dan said to him during the day: Tonight... I will ask Zhen'er to go to the adults' residence.

"Nonsense," Qian Mingduo said in his heart, "You take me for an idiot!"

He slowly turned over, facing away from the moonlight, and immersed himself in the darkness. Gradually, sleepiness came over him, and his eyes began to feel heavy.

Finally, he closed his eyes and slowly fell asleep. In his dream, he saw a field of blooming flowers, among which two peonies were particularly beautiful. A breeze blew, and all the flowers did not move, except for the two beautiful peonies, which swayed slightly towards him.

A soft knock on the door disturbed Qian Mingduo's sweet dream. He opened his eyes and listened carefully again. He confirmed that someone was knocking on the door softly.

"Zhen'er." Qian Mingduo subconsciously thought of the maid who hugged him during the day. Did Zheng Dan really order her to come?

He walked to the door barefoot, and when there was another knock on the door, Qian Mingduo asked in a low voice: "Who?"

"Sir, it's me." A nervous and shy voice came from outside the door.

"Oh my god!" Qian Mingduo recognized that it was indeed Zhen'er's voice. For some reason, his heartbeat quickened and his breathing became rapid.

"Should I open the door? Or should I open the door?" Qian Mingduo was struggling.

"Sir." Zhen'er's voice sounded anxious.

Qian Mingduo let out a long breath, and just when he was about to open the door, he seemed to hear footsteps leaving.

"Are you leaving?" Qian Mingduo pulled the bolt and with a creaky sound, he suddenly opened the door.

A snow-white figure stood at the door. Zhen'er was covered with a white veil from head to toe. She stood there quietly, as if she had merged into the moonlight.

Qian Mingduo slowly held Zhen'er's hand, and they slowly approached each other, their breath intertwined, and the distance between their bodies gradually shortened, like two clouds attracted to each other, gently merging together.

Qian Mingduo closed the door gently, blocking the moonlight outside. In the pitch black, he turned around suddenly and threw the white veil on Zhen'er high up.

In this quiet night, they were immersed in this silent fusion, every subtle movement, every soft gasp, was full of love and attachment. There was only each other in their world, and time stopped for them.

After the pleasure, the panting lasted a long time. Zhen'er slowly stood up, and when she bent down to pick up the white gauze on the ground, Qian Mingduo felt two black spots on her snow-white hook.

"That's peony!" Qian Mingduo sat up suddenly. As he looked in surprise, the darkness on the hook completely disappeared as the white gauze fell.

"Zhen'er" had been gone for a long time, but Qian Mingduo had been sitting there blankly. He had mixed feelings in his heart, with both astonishment at Zheng Dan's identity and gratitude for her gentle treatment. This emotion was both beautiful and with a hint of subtle sadness.

"Oh..." Qian Mingduo let out a long sigh, which was a combination of helplessness towards the dislocation of reality, and endless melancholy and self-reflection.

The open door allowed the moonlight to come in uninvited, passing through the gaps in the hall, as if trying to soothe every inch of his thoughts.

In the afternoon, there were strong winds and dark clouds.

Qian Mingduo stood in front of the Xiangxi Corridor with his back to the main hall. The events of last night flashed before his eyes.

"Zhen'er." He sighed.

"Zheng Dan..." She was the beloved concubine of King Fuchai of Wu, she was the most beautiful woman in history, she was a girl who missed her hometown, she was the lover who had enjoyed herself with me last night...

Dark clouds rolled in from the horizon like rags of rotten cotton. A thunderclap sounded in the Xiangshui River not far away, followed by another.

Qian Mingduo walked up to the steps of the palace and waved his hand casually. From a big tree in front of the stone steps of the palace, a secret sentry guard jumped down.

"Do you have a raincoat to protect you from the rain?" Qian Mingduo asked.

"My Lord," the guard bowed and said, "I don't have a straw raincoat with me."

Qian Mingduo called out "Xiao Wuzi" and waved his hand. The guard on the tree turned around and instantly disappeared into the dense branches and leaves. "Go to the lobby quickly and get some raincoats. You can ask a brother who has nothing to do to come with you."

"Your Excellency really cares about his subordinates!" Xi Shi appeared behind Qian Mingduo at some point and held a light oil-paper umbrella over his head.

"Miss." Qian Mingduo smiled sideways. "The storm is coming. You should go back to the main hall!" He put his hand on Xishi's hand, ready to take the paper umbrella. Xishi smiled and said, "Are you touching my hand... or taking the umbrella?"

"Of course I caught the umbrella?" Qian Mingduo said, "It's just that... the girl's hand happened to be placed where I caught the umbrella."

Xi Shi handed the umbrella to Qian Mingduo and said softly, "It is raining. Please come to the west window of Xiangxi Corridor to talk."

It was raining heavily, and Qian Mingduo was walking on the floor of the Xiangxie Corridor, but there was no pleasant sound of the xylophone.

"I wore a pair of clogs that day," Qian Mingduo thought to himself, "I'll walk along this legendary Xiangxie Corridor and experience what it feels like."

To the west of Xiangxi Corridor is a garden full of beautiful flowers, which were specially bought from Yue. Xi Shi once told Fuchai that in her hometown, many such flowers were planted every year, and Xi Shi and her sister and brother would carry them to the city to sell every morning.

After arriving in Wu, Fuchai built a garden for Xi Shi, planting flowers from Yue, to relieve her homesickness.

Qian Mingduo walked slowly to the window and saw Xi Shi lying on the high couch in front of the window, with pink gauze curtains behind her. Xi Shi, dressed in pure red gauze, looked like a blooming rose.

Qian Mingduo stood in front of the window with his hands in his pockets, looking at the colorful flowers, and the peony on Zheng Dan's hook appeared in his mind again.

"Sir." Xi Shi said softly, "How is Sister Zheng Dan?"

"Why do you ask that, young lady?" Qian Mingduo tilted his head. "How would I know if Madam Zheng Dan is well?"

"Don't you think Miss Zheng Dan is prettier than me?"

"You two sisters are both extremely beautiful. And Miss Xi Shi's beauty... is unrivaled in ancient and modern times." Qian Mingduo said with emotion: "Thousands of years later, Miss Xi Shi was praised by later generations as the first of the four great beauties. Or it can be said that Miss Xi Shi is the most beautiful woman in ancient and modern times!"

"Sir," Xi Shi said with a sweet smile, "Why do you always talk about things thousands of years from now? Who knows what will happen thousands of years from now?"