Chapter 3.1: The Duke of Eternal Peace
Not only was she not out of breath in the slightest, she even went on to calmly pour herself a cup of tea and took a sip from it.
“Qing Yu, you’re really quite resilient.” His lips stiff, Qing Bei made this statement unreservedly.
“Mm. I’m alright.” Qing Yu did not give too big a reaction as afterall such a kind of body constitution is highly sought after by women, something that she had already deeply experienced in her past life. This body’s original self was more eye catching than her in her past life and the body still hadn’t fully developed yet. Wait for another two years when her features fully bloom, that would then be the time it would become truly terrifying.
Just when Qing Bei was about to say something else, he suddenly heard a chorus of cheers erupting from below.
Looking down through the half opened window, there was an troop of soldiers approaching in a grand march from a distance away, the sound of hooves exceptionally in sync.
The one person in the lead, was about forty years of age, his facial features handsome and striking, filled with a insightful and mature charm, which greatly attracted the eyes of many a middle aged woman among the crowd.
He was a man subservient only to one, and stood above all others, the Duke of Eternal Peace who was sworn to brotherhood with the Blue Wave’s Emperor, Yan Su.
“Respects to the Duke of Eternal Peace on his glorious return.”
Someone took the lead to shout those words aloud, and the citizens on the street then all fell to their knees thereafter, where at a glance, a sea of black haired heads lowered could be seen.
“Ha, this ostentatious display is almost catching up to that of the Emperor’s already.” Qing Yu clicked her tongue, to say with indifference.
Yan Su was often not in the capital city and the Duke Manor’s affairs were mostly left in the hands of his spouse, the Duchess. Objectively speaking, he treated every one of his children rather well, and did not show all that much special favouritism but was unable to look after them all the time, with the exception of Yan Xi Cheng who followed him at his side that enjoyed a bit more of his favour.
Qing Bei had suddenly become a cripple who had to rely on a wheelchair and Qing Yu who was always such an innocent and jovial child had turned to become so highly timid and passive. In the end, he could not be completely absolved of responsibility for that as if it was not for his silent acquiescence, how could that woman possibly dare to reach her hands so far?
That was a debt that must not be left unpursued.
It could be because her gaze had been too fiery hot when even with that distance between them, Yan Su still felt it, but when he looked up, he was not able to see the owner of that gaze.
Yan Su’s army slowly came in closer from afar and the young man riding on a reddish brown warhorse right behind him was Yan Xi Cheng, handsome and masculine looking, his brows and eyes righteous. His repute and standing in the capital city was also rather good and he was well liked by the people.
Just as everyone tilted their head up to peer at the man seated upon the towering warhorse, a group of men came walking over from further up front, carrying several luxurious sedan chairs behind them.
“Duke of Eternal Peace, General Yan, you’ve returned at last. His Majesty has been waiting in the palace and I came here to request for your Highness to quickly bring your family to the palace!” A pale beardless middle aged man dressed in the red clothes of an official said as he greeted with a bow.
Yan Su’s expression turned slightly startled. Although he was puzzled why His Majesty was summoning him into the palace so anxiously, he did not speak about it but went on to pass down his orders to his lieutenants behind him, before climbing onto the sedan chairs with Yan Xi Cheng immediately.
After Yan Su and the convoy had gone far away, the rest of the army then split up two ways, one half making their way to the Eternal Peace Duke’s Manor, and the other half following behind as they marched towards the Imperial Palace.
The citizens were left bewildered and baffled, as they all huddled their heads together in excited discussion.
“The Duke of Eternal Peace is being summoned straight into the palace immediately upon his return, could something big have happened?”
“Having just tidied up the situation at the borders, are we going into war again?”
“Don’t make such wild guesses. But even if it’s a war we are not afraid. When has the Duke of Eternal Peace ever suffered a defeat?”
“That’s true…..”
Qing Yu retracted her gaze and saw the youth sitting opposite her had his brows knitted up in worry, not knowing what he was thinking. She immediately reached out with her hand and flicked her finger hard upon his forehead as she said: “Come back already.”
Chapter 3.2: The Duke of Eternal Peace
Qing Bei gasped and stared angrily at her. “What are you doing! ?”
“His person has left long ago and you’re still staring.” Qing Yu jeered, ignoring the cold expression on his face. “I had thought that it would be interesting, but it turned out to be so boring.” Her body then stood up from her chair, as she went walking downstairs slowly.
“Where are you going?” Qing Bei asked as he thought to himself, that he was the one who followed her out here today, and he had not once come out for so many years already, it would be safer for him to stick with her.
Qing Yu went out from the Gathering Cloud Loft by the back door and the youth following behind her was feeling puzzled why she seemed to be so familiar with this place when in the next second as they stepped out through the door, he was immediately stunned into immobility.
“Young Master Qing, you’ve finally come. You’ve made my lonesome unable to eat or sleep thinking about you all these days I did not see you.” A mushy and coquettish voice reached them, immediately followed by a strong fragrance hitting them straight on their faces. Qing Yu instinctively dodged to the side and that fragrant figure’s leaping pounce then landed upon the youth behind her, catching him in an embrace.
Qing Bei was a pure and untainted youth who had lived a life above the vices of the common populace. He had always been almost obsessed with cleanliness from a very young age and did not like to come into physical contact with people. Now that he was suddenly being hugged by a woman of completely unknown origins, whose entire body was so filled with scented powder, his handsome face began to change in various shades like a colour palette.
The hands within the sleeves then unconsciously filled up with summoned inner strength, thinking to blast the woman off him.
Having been with him for six years, how could Qing Yu not know the kid’s temperament? Lifting her brow slightly, she held the woman’s arm and pulled her off him as she said teasingly: “Little vixen is full of lies. How can you still go hug the wrong guy if you had really not been able to eat of sleep thinking about me?”
Although that woman was flamboyantly dressed up to the nines, but that face of hers was truly entrancing, her eyes filled with seductive temptation.
With her chin held in Qing Yu’s hand, the woman’s head was partially forced to look up. Not only was the woman unperplexed, two faint reddish plumes even rose up over the powder on her cheeks as she coquettishly mourned in playful protest and leaned in closer into Qing Yu’s embrace, saying: “How hateful, who asked you not to catch me~”
“Oh, so you’re blaming it on me now. Then I will not dare to come again next time.” Qing Yu said with a helpless laugh.
“Such a heart stealing thief. You don’t want to be responsible after winning me over.” The woman said with her beautiful eyes gazing at her, putting on a look of mock indignant anger.
Qing Bei was shocked beyond words.
Isn’t the Gathering Cloud Loft just a rather famous little teahouse in the capital?
Why was there an independent space set up as a pleasure house, a brothel right in its backyard! ?
It was overflowing bosoms, revealing cleavages and coquettish woman preening seductively everywhere with the lecherous patrons’ faces all shining with lust. He just could not bear to look at it anymore! !
What he found even harder to accept was the fact that Qing Yu actually seemed to frequent this place quite a lot! As a girl, how could she flirt and tease another woman like there was nothing to it? Where are her morals! ?
Qing Bei suddenly found the bright and intelligent mind he had always prided himself on was now of not much use.
“Oh, what a handsome young man we have here. That is a fresh face, is it your first time here to play~” Several women who were idle at the side already had their eye fixed on Qing Bei. With such an outstanding countenance and looking so innocent and ignorant, it made the bunch of women who were like a pack of hungry and salivating wolves feel their hearts start to itch unbearably, all about to pounce with their vicious claws.
Where could Qing Bei possibly have ever seen such a kind of battleground and he could not even react to anything at that very moment. Forgetting how to even dodge, the woman’s hands were about to caress his chest.
“How impudent.” A languid and magnetic male voice wafted over slowly from a certain distance away. It was not loud, but it caused the atmosphere to suddenly turn strangely quiet.