Although he had threatened to visit Cui Xi constantly, the Seventh Prince Zhao Ling Xian, hadn’t stepped foot into the pleasure house once since their last meeting. In fact, he’d been taken up with national affairs as soon as he returned to his manor.
While he had left the care of the Anxi* military camp to his most capable subordinates Murong Yan and Bai Zhi Yi so he could hurry back to report to the Emperor, there wasn’t a moment to breathe. Reporting into the palace regarding the aftermath of the uprising in the West, initiating an investigation into the Gao family, handling general affairs of state handed to him by his father, the Emperor…everything had piled up high on his desk awaiting his return.
Today was actually the first time in months that he’d been able to get away for leisure, and he had chosen to spend it with his youngest brother…thus it was more by coincidence that he somehow ended up at the Hundred Flower House.
“There’s going to be a good show, A’Xian. Come watch,” the Ninth Prince, Zhao Ling Zhi chuckled, leaning over the balcony.
Ack…who knew this brat wanted to come to this shitty place?
Smiling indulgently at his youngest brother, the Seventh Prince also leaned over, noticing that there was suddenly the sound of tinkling bells. He looked down and saw a double row of veiled dancers step onto the raised platform below leading a woman completely covered from head to toe in red. The dancers were scantily clad, but the woman in the centre… Silver bells had been sewn to the edges of the long veil over her head. The material was fairly sheer, but the material covering the lower half of her face had been doubled keeping her features concealed. The long black hair was bound by a silver circlet with a tear drop shaped turquoise, veined with silver, hanging in the middle of the forehead. Red tassel earrings hung down almost to the shoulder. He could see that the woman’s eyes were heavily lined with black kohl and they were closed. Jewels seem to twinkle at the outer corner of the eyelids. The silver beaded bodice was tightly and revealingly cut, exposing the tops of creamy breasts. A silver beaded hip belt hung from wide hips tied over a multi-split skirt. If she turned or moved, her legs would be bare for all to see. He could see silver bells and fine silver chains decorating the anklets and the bracelets she was wearing. Strands of silver hung on a ring from each middle finger connecting back to the heavy silver bracelets. Her entire body tinkled as she raised her arms over her head, crossing her wrists while fanning her fingers, and shifting one hip to the side.
“Fascinating…” said the Ninth Prince, a little faintly. Zhao Ling Xian cut his little brother a look, but then the musicians entered. He noted the exotic costumes, the drums, the strange flutes. They sat and at some hidden signal began to play a hypnotic foreign tune. The wail of the flutes cut across his senses, drawing him to the rail.
The crowd’s hum shifted and the atmosphere was instantly charged with anticipation as the dancers fanned out around the woman in the centre, spreading out and then bowing at the waist pulling in towards the centre at the same time, like a huge flower open and closing.
There were gasp and shouts when the young woman at the centre raised the long veil high and started to dance. The Ninth Prince gaped: it was like nothing like he had ever seen before. The girl’s body bent in ways he hadn’t realized were possible. Hips undulated, the veil was skilfully swirled to reveal and conceal the swaying body, and the crimson skirt flared when she pirouetted, displaying bare legs and those sensuous silver covered ankles, and bare little feet.
Every man in the private booths on the balcony level was leaning out now, staring with unconcealed interest. Even the ones who had previously drawn the curtain for privacy had pulled them aside to take in the scene below.
“Do you know the dancer in the centre?” his Ninth brother called behind him, a blush rising on his fifteen-year-old cheeks. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen this dance before…”
A servant girl who stood to the back of their balcony room came forward with wine, pouring it into cups, presenting it to each prince. She was unaware of their identity as they had not bothered to register under their own names. Given the event tonight, the pleasure house was closed to the public. Entry had only been by red plaque and invitations had been sent to every single great house in the city.
“Answering the young Lord, the Crescent Moon[1] dance normally only happens once a month. Since this particular beauty came to the pleasure house, this is the fourth time. The madam sells little Xinyue to the highest bidder for the night. It’s extremely popular. You had good luck this time to be in the capital for such a show. Xinyue’s fame has spread throughout the other cities and many young nobles travel here just to see her dance. They all hope to enjoy a night with the beauty. If you wish to bid, there is a box with bid sticks here,” the servant gestured to the bamboo container and to a brush and ink set on their table. Inside the container were thin flat bamboo sticks with a coloured ribbon attached to the end. “Very soon you should see the sticks being thrown onto the platform. However, in order for the bid to be entered, the stick must make it into the bid box…”
As the servant said this, indeed a few sticks came flying down from various balconies, zinging down into narrow pitch pots. There were four of them strategically placed around the platform. This increased the excitement as only a person with a high level of martial arts could get the stick into the pitch pot from the second-floor balcony. To do that one either had to have the skill themselves or have such a person at their disposal. Just to sink a bid into a pitch pot was a statement of wealth and power.
Such a masterful stroking of male ego…Zhao Ling Xian thought wryly.
To make things even more lively, occasionally an attendant actually ran over to spread a fan over the pot’s opening, blocking some of the entries. Bamboo sticks were scattered everywhere to shouts of anger and dismay, followed by laughter and raucous taunts, but of course this only increased the fervour and resolve of those playing the game. The atmosphere of the place was slowly rising to a boiling point.
Seeing the Ninth Prince’s confused look, the servant continued.
“Young Lord, the coloured ribbon signifies the private balcony from which the bid stick comes. Those on the floor cannot bid. If you wish to win the beauty, please write your bid…it will be announced about a quarter of a shichen*after the dance is over. This servant takes leave.”
After the explanation, the servant bowed and quietly left.
“This is quite…titillating…did the new madam come up with this??” his little brother glanced at him obliquely, knowing the pleasure house belonged to him.
The Seventh Prince narrowed his eyes, scanning the men at the rails and then turned his eyes back to the woman below.
That body…the rounded hips and pert breasts…light gold skin both concealed and then revealed by a crimson veil. Amber eyes…
Zhao Ling Xian suddenly gripped the railing hard, his breathing coming in shallow as he recognized the figure below. If his Ninth brother had been turned in his direction, he would have noticed the slightly red film that came over his eyes.
“Ninth Brother?” he breathed.
“Ehh…?” the Ninth Prince responded uncertainly.
“Cover your eyes,” he commanded.
“Ennn,” his brother said obediently and put his hands up…though he peaked surreptitiously through his fingers when he saw that Zhao Ling Xian was not looking.
That girl!
The angrier Zhao Ling Xian felt, the more aroused and frustrated he became. He nearly stepped off the railing to float down and take her away, but then restrained himself. Everyone’s eyes were on the platform. With such a public bidding war going on, if he disrupted it now there would be uproar and he would probably be exposed. But how dare she? Had he not made himself clear to her the last time? How could she be selling herself to the highest bidder?! He was going to beat her, then make love to her, and then beat her again. Aghh!
Hearing his brother’s low sound, the Ninth Prince was startled into dropping his hands. Trembling, the Seventh Prince sat back down, threw back the wine, and brought himself back under control. His rage settled into something colder.
“That little brat!” he seethed. Had she deliberately set this up knowing that he would be unable to interrupt the event? He wouldn’t risk exposing everything. He calmed very quickly. The whole process had only taken thirty seconds, so he was sure no one else had noticed, but he carefully scanned the other balconies as a precaution and across the space his gaze smashed into the velvet iron gaze of his third brother, the Crown Prince. Although he was wearing a golden mask and an unadorned robe there was no mistaking the person standing in the opposite balcony.
“Laosan* is here,” he told his younger brother.
“Yes, I just noticed that now. I didn’t actually think he would attend. He’s always been kind of cold and scholarly and never frequents pleasure houses, but I suppose this is an exception…I expect that tonight anyone who is important in the capital is already here.”
Glancing at his elder brother, Zhao Ling Zhi modestly kept his eyes on the balconies rather than the writhing dance below.
“Yes, it’s more important to know how the factions are forming…this should be evident by the traffic in the balcony rooms. Keep watch. There is more than one show going on tonight,” the Seventh Prince agreed.
His little brother turned back to him with a shrewd look.
“Are you bidding on the little dancer?” he asked, leaning back.
“Perhaps,” the Seventh Prince muttered, his face turning black.
“I’ve never seen you like this before...Maybe you are spending too much time with that little Cosmetics Goddess? Rumours in the city say that you’ve taken her as a lover. Why at a time like this? Your brain is getting soft,” the younger prince made a face, tapping the side of his older brother’s face with his fan. “You know that very soon Laosan will want to know your attitude toward him. What are you going to do then?”
“Careful… Father Emperor is still alive…what are you trying to say?”
The Seventh Prince glared at his little brother, but he definitely wasn’t wrong. Even though his brother was young, he was still an Imperial Prince, and reading people was a skill they’d all learned. It was just lucky that he wasn’t an enemy.
For his Ninth Brother to have observed all his own thoughts and to give out such a warning meant that he had not controlled his reactions as well as he had thought. If it was obvious to his Ninth brother, then the Crown Prince would have noticed.
It’s true…the lines are being drawn. Soon I won’t be able to keep myself out of the battle for the throne…
He looked back over the rail and indeed the Crown Prince was still regarding him thoughtfully, lips twisted in a smirk.
Not good, the Seventh Prince thought to himself, suddenly noticing something held in the Crown Prince’s hand.
“Brother!! Laosan is going to bid!” the Ninth Prince cried out in astonishment.
Not good at all, he thought watching as the Crown Prince skilfully sank the bamboo stick into a pitch pot. In fact, it punctured the fan that had been spread to block it. Lips curving into a smile, the Crown Prince raised his glance challengingly at his brother from across the way.
Do you dare? The Crown Prince’s smile seemed to say.
A series of conflicting thoughts skittered through the Seventh Prince’s head. Obviously, it was a challenge– but loyalty, discretion, power, desire, competition…all these things had to be balanced in his current position. He stared at his older brother and then titled his head smiling back. Although he had stayed neutral towards Laosan as Crown Prince, it did not mean he would give up anything to his brother, and that girl down on the platform, writhing to the wail of the flutes, could belong only to him.
Fine…that’s good too*…
He laughed out loud and nonchalantly picked up the brush, drawing it purposefully through the ink. He made a few swift, forceful strokes, then threw the brush back down with a clack. A moment later, a bamboo stick with a blue ribbon zinged with deadly accuracy into the pitch pot down below.
The Crown Prince’s smile widened. Challenge accepted. Tread carefully brother. But the tension had been diffused. With a bright roar of laughter, the Seventh Prince had turned this into a just a casual amusement between brothers.
So what? We can play if you want*, the Seventh Prince thought, smiling back coolly.
After that, the air erupted with bamboo sticks flying everywhere, some turned by the fans blocking the way. The air was so thick with sticks that even a hapless serving girl was struck in the head to the groans and curses of the rich guests above her.
Blissfully unaware of the drama unfolding above her head, Cui Xi came up onto her toes to do a final twirl, finally flinging her veil into the crowd with a laugh. A symbol crashed and she threw her head back, arms gracefully posed above her, with her back bent so far that her long hair pooled on the ground. The crowd roared. Breathing hard, she was lifted onto the shoulders of Jian and Dun. As she was carried out, giddy and triumphant, she kicked her little feet gleefully making the silver bells jingle. Anyone on the floor who tried to touch her was viciously beaten back with a metal studded club.
When she finally arrived at the underground room, she stripped her costume off and hurriedly changed into her normal robes with Xiao Yu’s help. Then Xiao Hei escorted her up the secret stairs into the third floor hallway. The madam had already prepared her substitute so no one should have troubled her, but trouble was already waiting in her room.
As soon as she entered, the Seventh Prince grabbed her and kissed her so forcefully that her lips were swollen and red when he released her, but he had only done so to allow her to breathe, then he was carrying her to the bed.
“Get out!” he yelled at Xiao Hei and Xiao Yu and they backed out rather helplessly.
Initially, he had intended to watch the entertainment, send his brother off, and then visit with her. He’d had every intention of acting like a gentleman after their last meeting had ended so awkwardly, but watching her dance like that in front of every man in the city had driven him to madness. He knew that he was feeling out of control, but the moment he saw her, something snapped. Why in the name of the gods was she so aggravating?
“Put me down!” she hissed at him.
“No,” he said.
She bit him on the arm, but he didn’t flinch. Instead, he threw her onto the bed covering her body with his own.
“Who gave you permission to show your body to anyone but me?” he growled into her neck, almost nuzzling her. “What a bold little cat!”
Ah. So, he is angry, she thought to herself. As he was here, he had obviously already figured out that she was not the one being sold, but that someone else would take her place. But the simmering possessiveness, sexual frustration, and the inability to interfere during the bidding…this was what was boiling over.
“I’ve done nothing to you! Let me go!” she shoved against his chest. He let up, but only to turn her over, and pull her over his lap. He had twisted one of her arms behind her back with one hand and the other groped at her skirts. She turned her head, staring at him in horror.
His hand hovered for a moment as he appeared confounded by her modern underwear, then he shrugged and yanked them down.
“Stop!” she cried, realizing too late that he was serious. She kicked and struggled, but he pulled her robes higher, right up past her waist. He tightened his grip on her arm and she winced. She was panting and still kicking when he suddenly brushed his hand against her naked flesh. She froze.
“Such a cute bottom,” he whispered, stroking.
She shivered with fear, but her face flushed.
“Don’t touch me!” she hissed, her voice lashing at him. “I’m not your plaything. Why must you treat me like this?”
He drew a finger very lightly down one side, the tip brushing against her very intimately. Her hips bucked involuntarily, and he laughed in delight.
“No!” she cried.
“I wish you could see your face right now,” he mused. “You are so enticing...your eyes are wet and cloudy with fear and yet you’re aroused, aren’t you? Your cheeks are red, your mouth is open, and you’re still panting. I want to hear you panting like that. That sound…that sound makes me want you even more.”
He stroked again, this time down the other side over her bottom and onto her thigh. She arched.
“Nnnngh!” she cried, biting down on her lip. “Stop!”
“Ahhh, that’s right, my little cat…did you forget that I’m your master?”
She squirmed away from his hand, struggling as hard as she could.
“I’m going to punish you tonight,” he continued, and slapped her bottom.
Cui Xi started to scream, but then cut herself off. Screaming would only encourage him. Gritting her teeth, she decided she would not give him the satisfaction. Instead, she glared murderously at him. He only grinned back.
“You’re a monster!”
Rosy red colour bloomed across her skin as he smacked her bottom again.
“Nnnngh!” she bit her lip again, refusing to cry out. She let herself lie limp, while angry tears threatened to slip down her face.
In the struggle, her skirts had been pulled far above her waist and his hands paused again as he noticed the tattoo on her. She had forgotten about it and how it looked on her current body, but she recognized immediately what he must be reacting to. She shivered as he traced it with his fingers, fascinated, carefully caressing the twisting red swirls that danced across her lower back.
“What is this?” he asked, bending down and brushing his lips against her tailbone. She shivered again, but then felt relief as Zhao Ling Xian’s anger had completely vanished from his tone. His mood had changed quite abruptly, and he only calmly commented “What a strange mark…”
After an awkward pause, he turned her in his arms so that her head was tilted up. She stared up at him trying to gather her scattered wits. Her chest was still heaving, and he buried his nose at her neck breathing in her scent, combing his fingers gently through her hair and fiddling with the hairpin. She jerked back.
“It- it’s not what you think,” she said quickly.
She knew that a tattoo in Tiansheng was normally the mark of a criminal or a slave. Criminals were tattooed or branded on the face. Slaves, particularly those in the pleasure house, were often tattooed on the shoulder or wrist. Some of the barbarian tribes tattooed their members, but the location and the form of the red loops could not really be explained. To him, its placement was probably rather lewd.
“What am I supposed to think? Hmmmn?” he asked, looking at her almost gently. Then, he released her and sat up, rubbing a finger across his eyebrow with a sigh.
Dammit! What the hell am I doing? He had been angry enough to want to beat her with a belt, but her reaction to his caresses had been altogether too dangerous. He’d almost ended up making love to her. KYAAH, he groaned inwardly. He opened his mouth to apologize to her, but at that moment they heard voices in the hallway and a shout.
“Taizi Dianxia*!” a plaintive voice was heard. It was clearly the voice of the new pleasure house madam.
“Where is that brother of mine? And where is that girl? I spent quite a bit of gold and have been cheated out of a beauty. How can I not come?” came a cool, elegant voice.
Cui Xi’s heart sank, and the Seventh Prince made a displeased sound.
Apparently, the Crown Prince of Tiansheng was coming up the hallway.
How the hell did I get tangled up with another Prince?
Before he could protest, Cui Xi shoved the Seventh Prince away and grabbed for her mask. She tied it on, pulled her dress down, and then slowly headed into the main sitting area. He snorted, rearranged his clothes, and followed her. Throwing himself down with lazy grace, he seated himself at the low table in the middle of the room. Waiting, he poured himself some tea. Without any further comment he watched her pull her robe closed so that it wasn’t baring as much as skin as before, but he noted that it wasn’t properly done up as she moved towards the door. He resisted the urge to stand up, his temper rising again. What was she doing??
“Mistress,” Xiao Yu called quietly from outside. “His Highness, the Crown Prince has arrived.”
“Let him come in,” she said.
The door opened and the Crown Prince, Zhao Ling Feng, entered while lifting his mask away from this face. He was handsome, but his features seemed to lack character as if they were a watered-down version of his younger brother’s. With surprisingly light hair pulled back and secured with a jewelled hair crown, he had a poetic, scholarly bearing that should have put one at ease, but somehow his detached gaze only made her uncomfortable.
Cui Xi made to kneel, but he caught her arms preventing her. She glanced up at him, letting her eyes widen slightly as if in surprise. Tilting her head up to look at him, a small smile lifted her lips. She noticed that his eyes were taking in the exposed skin at her throat and his actions had conveniently caused her robe to slip down and expose the top of one shoulder. She glanced down, letting a little distress flit across her face and pulled it up properly, stepping back slightly and lowering her eyes.
The Crown Prince paused as a delighted smile came onto his face, making him look almost pretty. He was still holding her arms, taking her in.
That prettiness…who does he remind me of? Something tugged at her brain, but it slipped away before she could grasp it.
The Seventh Prince clenched his jaw. He wanted to spank her again watching this little play.
“Please, no need to be so courteous. Just treat me like any guest of the pleasure house,” the Crown Prince smiled, recovering himself and letting her go. The iron velvet voice was smooth and tranquil.
“Thank you, your Highness. This lowly girl* greets the Crown Prince,” she said softly. Her tone did not encourage or discourage him. “Please,” she gestured to the seat across from the Seventh Prince. She moved to stand in a different corner of the room, but he waved her forward. Her bottom was still stinging, so she moved slowly to kneel behind the Seventh Prince, trying to avoid her sore bottom.
“Seventh Brother, is this the very skilled little Cosmetics Goddess that you favour so much?” the Crown Prince asked, looking at his brother who was sitting with a teacup raised, elbow on his knee.
“The Crown Prince overpraises Xi’er,” the Seventh Prince laughed glancing up and smirking at her. Obviously that delightful little bottom was still suffering from his early actions. It mollified his anger somewhat, though he would have to do something about that little interchange with the Crown Prince. What a provoking thing to have done! You’re playing with fire!
She smiled with her lips, but Cui Xi’s eyes regarded the Seventh Prince coldly. How dare he say her name with such casual affection! She could only think about how nice it would be to cut him into a thousand pieces.
The Crown Prince noticed the atmosphere and inwardly smiled to himself. This girl was entertaining. Not anyone could get the attention of the Seventh Prince, and it was rumoured that his deposed elder brother, the Moon Prince, had also taken an interest.
“Ah. Your name is Xi’er?” the Crown Prince asked her directly, ignoring his younger brother.
“Yes, Your Highness, my name is Cui Xi. Cui as in ‘emerald’. Xi as in ‘western’.”
The Crown Prince nodded.
“A good name.”
“Third Brother*, what do you want?” The Seventh Prince leaned back. The words were curt, but the tone was teasing. “Xi’er and I have been discussing the accounts from the cosmetics shop. If the Crown Prince has come to be entertained, I’m afraid I don’t have time today and would be happy to entertain you at the manor another day.”
The Crown Prince laughed loudly.
“You owe me a girl! The girl who danced the Crescent Moon dance is not the girl they sent to my room. Do you mean to say you intend to deceive this Prince*?”
Aiyo, so he had won the auction! This was unexpected. Finally, the Seventh Prince snorted, and the two brothers regarded each other slyly.
“As you probably already know, it’s always a substitute. There isn’t an intent to deceive you: the girl dances, we sell someone else in her place. If Xinyue gets damaged and can’t dance, then we can’t make a profit. I’m sure you understand the principle.”
To cover her nervousness, Cui Xi had come around to pour a cup of tea for the Crown Prince, but he suddenly grabbed her wrist.
“The substitute displeases me. If you won’t give the dancer to me, then just give me this one,” he said casually pulling her into his lap and spilling the tea everywhere.
Cui Xi had cried out in pain as her bottom hit the Crown Prince’s lap, but he didn’t notice as he just thought it was surprise.
The Seventh Prince hadn’t moved, but his heart felt a little strange in his chest. His eyes narrowed slightly.
“She just runs the business and makes cosmetic products. It would be a waste of your time as she’s unskilled and ugly under that mask,” he laughed. “If you want to enjoy yourself that badly, I can have one of the pleasure house’s top beauties, Miss Lian, pay a visit to your room.”
Cui Xi breathed shallowly. She did not struggle and resisted the urge to say anything. The Crown Prince did not let go.
Her earlier provocation although directed at angering the Seventh Prince was probably what had got her into this mess with the Crown Prince. Struggling for patience, she waited to see what would happen.
The Crown Prince had moved one arm around her waist, but the other hand was now splayed against the side of her neck, caressing her skin. The long elegant fingers came around the front of her throat and pushed lightly, causing her to suck in her breath sharply and forcing her to lift her chin. The fingers were strong, and the large hand could easily crush her windpipe. Holding her throat, his other hand slipped down her robe. He rested his palm on her breast and then he started to caress her through the cloth.
Cui Xi closed her eyes and tried not to shudder.
Trying not to move her face to give the Crown Prince any hint of her feelings, she opened her eyes and silently stared at the Seventh Prince who was watching without expression. She was surprised by how calm her next words sounded.
“Your Highness, I’m afraid you will only be disappointed by my lack of accomplishment,” she said lightly, with a deliberately bashful smile.
The Crown Prince ignored her, watching his brother’s face.
“I like the way she feels…You say she’s unskilled? How interesting…I would say that she’s very skilled from the way she greeted me.”
Cui Xi was frozen…she had completely underestimated the situation and the Crown Prince had seen through her immediately…and he was deliberately using her to provoke his sibling.
Dammit…she thought, trying not to squirm.
The Seventh Prince felt a surge of anger, but he could not show it at a moment like this. His position with the Crown Prince was precarious right now. It would be best not to aggravate the situation by challenging him. Of course, it was an option to let his brother have her for the night, but since he had so openly claimed her, he would also protect her. With his brother backing him into a corner like this to try to expose a weakness- it made his lips curl into a sneer. He was not liking the Crown Prince very much tonight.
“Xi’er is one of my people*,” the Seventh Prince said simply, but his expression was firm.
Again, the two brothers regarded each other with slight smiles. A silent battle of wills seemed to ensue in a single look.
“Very well,” the Crown Prince shrugged, putting his hands down. He decided that retreating today for an advantage tomorrow was not such a bad thing. He had played with his brother enough tonight. Now was not the time to be careless.
“Since you say so, I will be going then,” he sighed.
The Crown Prince very gently shifted her off his lap, but as he did so he brushed his lips against her ear and hair and squeezed her throat one more time.
“So fragrant,” he said pleasantly. “Such a pity.”
He rose fluidly and calmly let himself out of the room, putting his mask back down.
Cui Xi felt like she’d been in the embrace of a viper and her skin was crawling. Shivering with disgust she lay down on the floor, staring at the wall.
The Seventh Prince looked at her hollowed out expression. She had been frightened, but there was such despair on her face that it caused a bit of a pang. He watched her curl up and a tear slowly leaked down her face. He frowned. She shouldn’t be reacting quite like this.
“XiXi,” he said, reaching toward her, feeling guilty. Having her caught between himself and his brother was not what he had wanted. Why is this such a mess…?
Cui Xi covered her face.
Ever since she had come to Tiansheng there had been nothing but danger. This was nothing like the world that she had been used to and she was living on the knife’s edge. At any moment, there could be violence, physical or sexual, and there was no such thing as law enforcement. Here it was only strength and power. It was completely vicious, and she was so unused to it. Mentally, she was barely scraping by. She was exhausted. If this continued on, she might go mad.
Seeing her like this, Zhao Ling Xian could not help wanting to comfort her.
She was surprised when he very carefully pulled her into his arms and let her cry. He stroked her hair as the tears came and the sounds became very ugly.
“Alright. Don’t cry. Don’t cry” he said, but who knew that she would cry herself to sleep in his arms.
So unguarded…so much trouble.
Much later he carried her to the bed, undressed her, and then covered her with the blanket. He had called the maid for a bowl of warm water and had personally washed her face with a damp cloth. Sitting down, he watched her brow furrow restlessly.
Sighing over the wasted evening, he got up, brushing the front of his trousers. Straightening, he clasped his hands behind his back and then turned on heel, leaving her to sleep.
Hah. What am I going to do about Laosan now? he thought as he shut the door, gesturing to Murong Bo to follow.
It was very clear that the Crown Prince of Tiansheng had taken notice of his little cat, but Zhao Ling Xian wasn’t without the means to protect the things that belonged to him.
Hmph…go ahead and try me…
Noticing the mood, Murong Bo decided that he didn’t like the hard smile on his Master’s face one bit.
* 安西 – An Xi – Pacifying West.
* 新月 – Xin Yu - Crescent or new moon. It is the name both of the dance and the dancer.
* 時辰 – a period of time based on the old manner of Chinese timekeeping which divides the day into 12 periods. Thus, a shichen is two hours. I could have used the poetic wuxia conventions of “incense stick time” or “tea drinking time”, but no one actually agrees on how long that normally is…and the expressions are usually meant to denote only that some time has passed rather than anything scientific because that’s just how Chinese stories (most of which are forgivably hyperbolic) roll…
* 老三 – literally “Old Third”. Hierarchy and rank matter a great deal in ancient Chinese society. Birth order still matters in Chinese families and your mode of address to your relatives changes depending on whether you are younger/older or if the person is a different generation than you. The nuance of the address can sometimes indicate one’s attitude to the other person. In this case, Zhao Ling Xian is actually being casual here, and maybe even a bit disrespectful as he should be calling his older brother by his title of Crown Prince or at the very least ‘皇兄’ (Royal Elder Brother).
* 也好 – this amount to “whatevs”
* 有如何? 玩還可以
* 太子殿下！- Your Highness, Crown Prince!
* 小女 “This small person (female)” – Cui Xi’s mode of address is very formal. She deliberately uses very humble language in front of the Crown Prince by referring to herself in the third person.
* 三哥 – Zhao Ling Xian is being rude here. He calls the Crown Prince “Third Elder brother”. This address is normally used in (non-royal) families and denotes some level of familiarity and affection. Here it is casual in the extreme and because the implication is that Zhao Ling Xian is not close to the Crown Prince, it’s meant to be a provocation. Earlier, the Crown Prince address Zhao Ling Xian as ‘七弟’ (Seventh younger brother) but as the elder he’s within his rights to do so, but again the familiarity implies contempt as they are not that close.
* 本王 – Zhao Ling Feng uses “bengwang” here. In formal language, people of rank refer to themselves in the third person and if they have a title, then they refer to themselves by title/rank.
* 西兒是我的人 – I could have translated this as “Xi’er belongs to me,” but the original Chinese phrasing is important because the Seventh Prince conveys through nuance that she is more than just someone who works for him but without necessarily implying intimacy. I didn’t want to sexualize the sentence with “belongs to me”…though that’s not too far off for that blockhead Zhao Ling Xian \( >_<)/
