The Fourth Lady

Just as Qingyan was about to carry out her course of action, a dignified voice was heard.

"What's the matter for this clamor here?"

However before Qingyan could even reply, Su Qingyuan's drenched body was thrown up ashore. Su Ming watched as his daughter was rescued ashore and respectfully said to the young man next to him while smiling, "Thank you for your trouble, Shizi*."

(*TN: This is a title not a name, this title is granted to the appointed successor, usually a son, of a Prince or Lord, who are usually related to the royal family - Since there's no english equivalence I've left it as is.)

Su Qingyuan glared at Xiahe who was next to her, opening her mouth in discontent as a slap flashed across Xiahe's face, "This lowly servant*, didn't you see me fall into the water?"

(*TN: equivalent to calling her bitch)

Xiahe knew that she was in the wrong herself, so she only covered her reddening cheeks as she stood to the side.

"Such beauty, how could I not be willing to save." The young man didn't put his line of sight on Su Qingyuan, but turned his head to look towards Su Ming, "I presume this must be Sire's daughter, she's grown quite elegantly."

Su Ming just realizing just how rude Su Qingyuan's action was earlier, he looked to the young man apologetically, "I apologize for having Shizi see such an embarrassment, this is my daughter Su Qingyuan." He pointed to Su Qingyuan with flattering smile. Afterwards, when he looked to Qingyan, there was clearly a bit of disdain in his eyes, "this is the daughter of my elder brother, the Dingguo* General." (*TN: his nobility rank title plus his position as general)

Qingyan completely ignored that smudge of disdain in Su Ming's eyes. She looked the to young man before her and bowed, "Please to meet you, Shizi."

"Just what happened earlier? Yuanyuan, why did you fall into the water." As he said this, Su Ming placed his sight on Su Qingyan that was to the side, that look was like as if he was about to swallow Su Qingyan whole.

"Second uncle, I was just coming to walk in the gardens with my two maids after eating, who knew I would just happen to witness big sister carelessly fall into the water." Qingyan replied looking to Su Ming while grinning, "Unfortunately, neither my servants nor I could swim." With just a few words, she was able to cleanly push away all the blame.

As Su Ming listened to Qingyan, he glared at her, then glancing at Xiahe, he impatiently said, "Hurry up and take her to go change."

"I......understood." Just as she said this, she helped Su Qingyuan, who had a poor complexion, leave."

Watching Su Qingyuan's figure from behind, the man took a few steps up next to Su Qingyan, whispering next to her ear in a low voice, "That was quite the show."

As the young man's breath reached her ears, Qingyan unconsciously took a step back, and with a face full of smiles replied, "Qingyan doesn't understand what Shizi means by this. If there's nothing else, uncle, please excuse Qingyan for leaving first." Saying this, she immediately turned to leave, with Zizhu and Baizhi, following after her.

Seeing Su Qingyan's retreating figure in the distance, Su Ming's brows tightened, he then looked to the young man still with a face full of respect, "That girl, though was raised by my wife's side, but in the end is still born from a military family so she doesn't have any manners, I hope Shizi won't take offense."

"Oh." the man's ending tone rose. And when he looked to Su Ming, his tone abruptly turned cold, "Does that mean that Sire looks down on the military?"

"I wouldn't dare to." Su Ming clearly did not expect the young man would say this."

"Hmph." Tossing his sleeve, the man turned and left.

But recalling that scene he'd just witnessed, his lips faintly smiled, thinking in his mind: that girl, was actually quite interesting.

After they'd returned to the room Baizhi, with great detail, told Huangcen and Lue what had happened. As they listened, they grasped their stomach from laughter.

"Baizhi, if in the future, should we ever end up on the streets, this storytelling talent of yours may even come in handy." Qingyan said this while softly laughing and drinking tea.

How could Baizhi not realize that Qingyan was teasing her. She replied while blushing in discontent, "Miss how could you make fun of me like that."

"How is young miss making fun of you, isn't this praising you," Zizhu said with a face full of smiles while looking at Baizhi, "If it's really like how Miss said, then Baizhi would be our benefactor."

"Zizhu!" Baizhi stamped her foot in protest, "I'm never going to mind you all ever again."

Seeing them giggling from playing around, Qingyan thought of the person they encountered earlier.

When she was still Qilian Qingyan, she had a close friend in her childhood called Zhongli Jingshu. Jingshu could be considered Nanchen Country's unparalleled beauty. Although she was older by a few years, the two of them became close friends due to having similar interests.

And that young man was precisely her best friend's eldest son -- Murong Jingxuan.

Jingshu once mentioned in a letter that Donghe's ruler, in order to secure the throne, made the newly born Murong Jingxuan be left at the capital to be personally raised by him as a political hostage.

But she'd never thought that Murong Jingxuan would become such a frivolous man, if Jingshu learnt of this, who knew how sad she would become.

"Zizhu, bring me my qin*." Qingyan dully said this as she looked to Zizhu.

(*TN: Those ancient string instruments that's like a plank with strings)

Hearing Qingyan's words, Zizhu looked towards her in surprise.

Though Qingyan was born into nobility, she was inept in music and arts, why did she suddenly want to play the qin today?

Watching the half frozen Zizhu, as if she'd thought of something, she followed with a smile, "A few nights ago, in a dream I received the teachings of a master on this one piece. I will play it for you now, if I played it poorly, be sure not to laugh at me."

After hearing this Baizhi went with Lue to take out the qin at was stored at the bottom of the cabinet. Carefully wiping it clean, before finally lighting an incense next to the instrument. Watching them, Qingyan walked over next to the qin and sat down. She plucked the strings to test the sound, murmuring in a low voice, "What a magnificent Wutong* Guqin." (*TN: Wutong is the type of tree wood it's made from, commonly known also as the Chinese parasol tree; Guqin is the full formal name of the instrument with Gu meaning ancient or old)

As if recalling something, Qingyan began to seriously play the instrument. The ethereal tone of the of first half of this tune could make one feel as if they'd become one with the natural world, and able to feel surrounded by the birds and beasts. The sound of the second half gradually dropped deeper, and the very last low note resonated as if to tell of all the joys and sorrows in the world.

As the tune finished playing, a familiar voice sounded, "How are you able to play the tune of [Thousand Beasts and Phoenix] that's been lost from Jianghu* for more than five years?" (*TN: Pugilistic world of ancient China)

Qingyan followed the sound of the voice, and saw Murong Jingxuan holding a blade of grass in his mouth, sitting on the ledge of her window sill. The man before her had distinct facial features. His sharp and clearcut face, under the candle light, appeared exceptionally handsome. His outer appearance seemingly appear frivolous, but that look occasionally coming from his eyes, made it difficult to despise him. He was wearing an everyday purple robe, with soaring cloud patterns* embroidered in gold threads on the hem. Fastened on his waist was a wide belt with patterns of moon white mystic clouds*, and from it hung only a single jade pendant made from top quality jade.

(*TN: Both are common cloud patterns found in traditional Chinese art and clothing)

"I didn't know Shizi would visit, I apologize for not going out and welcoming you." Qingyan pressed down on the qin strings and met with Murong Jingxuan's eyes as she dryly replied.

"Hey beautiful, you still haven't answered my question." Murong Jingxuan while looking to her, teasingly said, "Is it perhaps, this Shizi looks too handsome and elegant, that you've become infatuated?" "Shizi, please don't say such impolite things that deviate from etiquette, Qingyan has yet to reach marriageable age*, if someone with an ulterior motive heard this, then wouldn't it be difficult for Qingyan." Qingyan, still with a serious expression, replied as she looked at Murong Jingxuan.

(*TN: Also means come of age, according to some sources it's 15, though Qingyan in her past life married at 13)

As he watched her appearance, in a split second he appeared in front of her, lifting up her chin, "Little lady, could it be that you've really become attracted to me."

Murong Jingxuan's frivolous words made Qingyan slap away his hand, and taking a few steps back, she berated him coldly, "Insolence!"

As he listened to Qingyan's words, Murong Jingxuan's lips raised into a smile, "Little lady, why don't you tell me why you know how to play [Thousand Beasts and Phoenix], that discontinued in Jianghu five years ago?"☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐