cold clothes

"Why take them back to the palace?"

"Doesn't Your Majesty like them? Bring them into the palace and they can play the zither and sing for you every day."

"Tch, I don't need it. Watching singing and dancing occasionally is fine, but that's enough." Those who indulge in pleasure are all useless fools, and he wouldn't stoop to associating with fools. Of course, Zhao Qun didn't say the last part aloud.

Zhao Yin smiled but didn't say anything.

The song and dance performance at Fengxiang Pavilion was the grand finale. In previous years, the upper-class patrons would vote for their favorite courtesan, writing her name on a slip of paper to show their appreciation for her skills, and this year was no exception. However, with the Third Prince and the Fifth Prince present this year (the focus being on the Third Prince), the refined and cultured nobles and talented men would have to be careful with their votes.

A letter was handed to the Third Prince's desk, and everyone eagerly awaited to see whose name he would write, as this would be a great honor for the courtesan. Zhao Qun didn't really care about it, and even felt somewhat disgusted by it, so he perfunctorily wrote "Yun Qiu".

After he finished writing, he glanced at Zhao Yin and asked with interest, "Fifth Brother also wrote about Yun Qiu. Do you like this one? If Fifth Brother likes it, you can bring her into the palace, no, you should bring her to the villa."

“I only know this name.” Zhao Yin answered honestly in response to the Third Prince’s teasing.

Zhao Qun laughed: "Hahaha, as expected of you."

As a result, the powerful and influential wrote Yunqiu, and those with literary talent were inspired to write eloquent and unrestrained poems.

Unsurprisingly, Yun Qiu won first place in this year's Double Ninth Festival.

Just then, the leader Yunqiu sent someone to invite the second son of the Duke's mansion for a chat.

Amidst the Third Prince's "Besides Qingchun, there's also Yunqiu, you're quite the ladies' man" gaze and the envious, jealous, and hateful stares of the crowd, the Second Prince Wang Shu lightly went to see his beloved.

The lights were dazzling, and the moonlight was cool and clear. Wang Yiqing was stunned by Yun Qiu's beauty the moment he saw her. Even though he had thought she was a stunning beauty before, after gaining the favor of the Third Prince, Yun Qiu became even more breathtakingly beautiful.

Wang Yiqing was somewhat stunned, his heart pounding like a drum. "What business does the courtesan Yunqiu have with me?"

"Ah..." Yun Qiu sighed, her dark brows furrowed with worry, her delicate breath making her appear quite endearing. "Young Master, actually, it's about Qing Chun..."

"Qingchun? What happened to her?"

"Oh, she's sick and can't perform tonight. She feels guilty for breaking her promise to you, so she specifically asked me to come and find you."

"Oh, I see. Then Yunqiu, the courtesan, told her for me not to worry about it and that her health is the most important thing," Wang Yiqing said.

"Does the young master not wish to see her?"

Seeing that she was ill, Wang Yiqing thought coldly, "It's not a big deal for her to be sick now. I was hoping to catch the Third Prince's eye, but I didn't expect her to fall ill. So what difference does it make whether I see her or not?" However, he said it more tactfully: "Since she is unwell, I won't disturb her while she is recuperating."

"But Qingchun really wants to see you. She practiced hard for a month for today's performance, all to show you her most beautiful self. But now... Young master, just to fulfill Qingchun's deep affection, go and see her."

Yun Qiu pleaded pitifully. Seeing such a beautiful woman begging him, Wang Yiqing wavered. Besides, Qingchun was also a rare beauty, so he agreed.

"That's wonderful, but Madam Hu doesn't allow Qingchun to receive guests while she's ill. She says that Yunqiu invited you, young master, is that alright?" Yunqiu smiled broadly.

That would be perfect. Wang Yiqing thought drunkenly, becoming the patron of two courtesans, he was probably the only one in the entire capital who could do that.

This was the first time Wang Yiqing had cautiously sneaked into Fengxiang Tower, with Yun Qiu leading the way, like a fairy in a painting bewitching his soul.

Qingchun is not Qingchun... He suddenly realized that Yunqiu seemed to be more beautiful and more attractive than Qingchun. Her flowing hair exuded a faint fragrance, making one want to pick a strand and smell it lightly.

"Young Master Wang, we're almost at Shuiguang Pavilion!" Yun Qiu's joyful voice interrupted Wang Yiqing's daydreams.

Wang Yiqing: "Oh..."

"Young Master Wang, please go in. Qingchun will be very much looking forward to seeing you," Yun Qiu said with a smile, and left behind him.

Under the moonlight, a cool breeze blew, the curtains of the Water Pavilion fluttered, and the candlelight flickered. As Qingchun's most frequent guest, Wang Yiqing went to Qingchun's room with ease. As he pushed open the door, an unexpected string melody broke, making Wang Yiqing's heart leap into his throat.

However, after looking around, he calmed down. The music flowed like water; it was a maid kneeling behind a curtain playing the guzheng and pipa. In front of him was a blank screen, reflecting a still, beautiful figure. In front of the screen was a tea table and cushions, on which his favorite Lushan Yunwu tea wafted a rich, sweet fragrance.

He smiled, flicked his sleeves, and sat down. Clearly, a magnificent performance was about to begin for him.

"A thin mist and thick clouds cast a pall over the long day; the incense burner in the golden beast-shaped burner burns out. The Double Ninth Festival has come again; on my jade pillow and in my gauze-curtained chamber, the chill of midnight seeps through."

After drinking wine by the eastern fence at dusk, a subtle fragrance lingers on my sleeves. Don't say it's not heartbreaking; the west wind rolls up the curtain, and I am thinner than the yellow chrysanthemum.

Clear, melodious words flowed from the graceful figure behind the screen, each syllable like a pearl. Accompanied by music and chanting, the figure danced lightly behind the screen with her slender sleeves, her movements graceful yet subtly skillful as she touched the screen, instantly creating a speck of ink. Wang Yiqing couldn't help but gasp silently in astonishment—"Painting with dancing sleeves! Such a sight should only exist in heaven; how often can one hear of it on earth!"

Afterwards, Wang Yiqing was completely captivated by the stunning beauty of the woman's figure, his eyes following her every move. The alluring silhouette of the woman was clearly imprinted on the screen, more tempting to Wang Yiqing than a naked body. He felt his mouth go dry and his palms sweat, losing all interest in the landscape painting that was gradually being completed on the screen.

With a gentle wave of her sleeve, the candlelight in the room was extinguished, leaving only the hazy moonlight streaming in. The maid stopped playing, turned the screen over, and then left the room without being told what to do.

"Erlang, this is the only painting I made for you. What do you think?"

"So beautiful! Qingchun, you truly are my most beloved woman!" Wang Yiqing exclaimed, his eyes shining. However, he didn't even glance at the painting. He couldn't wait to walk behind the screen to embrace the exquisite figure, but the beauty deftly spun to the other side of the screen.

Wang Yiqing couldn't resist asking, "Qingchun, do you want to play hide-and-seek?"

"No, you've already caught me," Qingchun chuckled. "It's just that I shouldn't see you right now. I'd be content even if we were separated by a screen."

“I don’t mind you being sick at all, otherwise I wouldn’t have come,” Wang Yiqing said urgently. He slowly moved to the side of the screen and saw that the beautiful figure was not moving. He immediately pounced on her from behind like a hungry wolf and hugged her slender waist.

To his surprise, Qingchun was only wearing a robe, the belt of which came off with a gentle tug. His hands roamed greedily over her smooth skin, and he buried his face in her neck and shoulders, inhaling the fragrance of her hair.

"Qingchun...you are truly a perfect woman."

“I also hope to always be perfect in front of you, but now…” Qingchun grasped Wang Yiqing’s hand, which was groping her body, and lifted it upwards.

"Erlang, I know you won't mind, right?"

Wang Yiqing was startled, because what he touched was not smooth skin, but rough bandages.