Chapter 41
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Chapter 41:
Li Chunzhou took off Mi Hongbao’s jacket and asked Chihong to send it to Northern Marquis Mansion.
Then Li Chunzhou pushed open the bedroom door and saw two people inside, standing back to back and looking like they weren’t getting along.
"Why is Master Qian angry?" Li Chunzhou asked with a cheerful tone and a smile on her face.
Upon hearing her voice, Qian Chaoxin immediately turned around, pulled out a chair for Li Chunzhou, and invited her to sit down.
Li Chunzhou chatted with him for a bit, then shifted her attention to Young Master Zhao, who had been silent the whole time. She stopped smiling and calmly observed him.
Young Master Zhao was dressed in scholarly attire, wearing a blue robe with a dark waistband. He had a handsome face with bright, serious yet gentle eyes, and his hair was neatly styled in a bun. He exuded an air of elegance mixed with a hint of old-fashionedness.
Zhao Junyuan held a teacup on the table and did not meet Li Chunzhou’s gaze.
Li Chunzhou directly asked, "Is this Young Master Zhao? I asked Master Qian to find you because an old friend wanted to meet you. But before that, may I know if there are any sisters in your family?"
Zhao Junyuan listened to Li Chunzhou’s words, his expression changed, his eyes showed a clear surprise, his lips slightly parted as if he wanted to say something but stopped.
His eyes shimmered with undeniable excitement, as if waiting for an unbelievable message to come true. He was being pulled by an invisible force, his heart filled with various emotions, making him uncontrollably anticipate an almost elusive possibility.
Zhao Junyuan adjusted his nervous mood and said, "I do have an older sister, but my elder sister went missing seven years ago. My parents and I have been searching for her for many years but haven’t found her. Have you met my elder sister?"
"If I’m not mistaken, you not only have a sister, but your elder sister is probably not your biological sibling, but rather adopted by your parents, right?"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Junyuan became even more convinced that Li Chunzhou knew his elder sister. He nodded repeatedly and said, "Yes, yes! Where is she now? Can I meet her?"
Li Chunzhou got a satisfactory answer, smiled, and said, "I do know where she is and can take you to her. However, today is not the right time. How about we meet at Spring Flowers Tower tomorrow? After noon tomorrow, I will take you to meet your long-lost elder sister."
After hesitating for a moment, Zhao Junyuan finally agreed with a nod. Seeing his acceptance, Li Chunzhou started chatting with Qian Chaoxin about other trivial daily topics, ranging from astronomical phenomena and constellations to literature, art, and food.
Several times during the conversation, Zhao Junyuan wanted to ask more about his long-lost elder sister, but he felt awkward interrupting the lively discussion between the two.
Li Chunzhou noticed his emotions but continued to smile and pretended not to see it.
Because Li Chunzhou understood that keeping suspense would make Young Master Zhao more willing to see her the next day, and only by keeping him in the dark could Li Chunzhou easily sacrifice him and push him towards death.
***
When Li Chunzhou returned to her small courtyard that evening, she was feeling a bit sleepy. Qi Leyuan followed her, absentmindedly thinking about props.
As they walked, Li Chunzhou suddenly felt like someone was watching her from behind. She turned around and squinted, only to see Ming Xiang hesitating in a dark corner.
If Ming Xiang didn’t show up soon, Li Chunzhou would almost forget about her.
Li Chunzhou stopped in her tracks and thought that Ming Xiang was quite contradictory. Despite being timid, she had the courage to stop Li Chunzhou that day, willingly become her maid, and even act rashly without understanding the Dungeon rules, breaking the cage Li Chunzhou used to keep birds.
Everything Ming Xiang did seemed to carry a hint of seeking death, but when it came down to life and death, she seemed so eager to survive, which was contradictory and intriguing.
Curiously, Li Chunzhou called Ming Xiang from the corner and asked, "Ming Xiang, you’ve been looking at me. Is there something you want to tell me?"
Ming Xiang shook her head vigorously, her gaze unconsciously shifting to the small chicken at Li Chunzhou’s feet.
Li Chunzhou looked at Ming Xiang, then at Li Li, and decided to pick up Li Li and ask, "Do you want to pet it?"
Ming Xiang glanced at Li Chunzhou’s face, hesitated, reached out her hand towards Qi Leyuan, but before she could touch him, Qi Leyuan extended his wings and flapped them on her hand.
Ming Xiang quickly pulled back her hand with a swish, and said rapidly, "I have something to attend to, I must go!"
Li Chunzhou exclaimed, looking puzzled at Qi Leyuan, "Why is Ming Xiang so scared of you?"
Qi Leyuan chuckled mischievously, making a devious sound, "Haha, who knows, maybe she is afraid of birds with sharp beaks. The other day, when I casually chirped a few times, you have no idea how fast she ran, grabbing the birdcage and running away swiftly."
Li Chunzhou: …
The next morning, Li Chunzhou was awoken by the sound of knocking on the door outside her room.
With only a few summer clothes, Li Chunzhou put on two of them haphazardly, with her hair still loose, she went to open the door. When she saw Xu Yanqu’s familiar face, she exclaimed in joy, "Brother Yan! Why are you here? Come in, come in!"
Xu Yanqu held a folding fan, dressed in a costume of a martial artist, likely just coming down from the stage. With a smile still on his face, he softly said to Li Chunzhou as he entered, "Lady Chun, regarding the matter of the sorcerer by the Emperor’s side, I have gathered some information, but unfortunately I couldn’t help you arrange a meeting with him…"
"Really?! That’s great! Brother Yan, please tell me about it," Li Chunzhou hugged Xu Yanqu’s arm and kindly asked him to share.
Xu Yanqu’s cheeks turned red unconsciously, he met Li Chunzhou’s gaze for a moment, then quickly looked away.
Growing up together, Li Chunzhou was used to discussing various topics intimately with Xu Yanqu. But seeing his reaction, Li Chunzhou realized and let go of his hand, staring at him blankly.
They were so familiar that with just a glance, Li Chunzhou could sense Xu Yanqu’s hidden feelings, but they remained silent for a moment, neither of them breaking the silence.
In a world full of men, Xu Yanqu was the only one Li Chunzhou treated with a sincere attitude and did not want to deceive, so she couldn’t bear to disappoint his feelings and pretended not to notice.
Years of understanding, knowing each other inside out, and Xu Yanqu’s gentle and caring nature set him apart from others.
Xu Yanqu felt a mix of disappointment and resignation in his heart. He calmed his emotions and slowly told Li Chunzhou the information he heard from Third Prince, "The new head of the Astronomical Bureau by the King’s side is named Jian Hou. He was said to be a student at the Imperial College before suddenly advising the King as a sorcerer, claiming he could fulfill the King’s desires."
In Daliang, there was actually no clear distinction between sorcerers and warlocks. Anyone knowledgeable in astrology, fortune-telling, health, etc., was generally called a sorcerer or warlock.
However, there were differences that could be distinguished between the two. Sorcerers excelled in alchemy, drawing symbols, and health practices, often favored by the Emperor. Warlocks, on the other hand, were more skilled in divination, Feng Shui, and physiognomy.
Li Chunzhou knew that Jian Hou was using the authority of this world to advance the development of the Dungeon because he couldn’t use his skills and systems. She pretended not to understand and asked, "What is his purpose in doing this?"
Xu Yanqu lowered his voice and said, "The Third Prince doesn’t want to discuss it in detail, but from his expression, it seems to be related to the throne. The sorcerer suggested to the Emperor to find the three princes who have been missing."
The current Emperor is indulgent and incompetent, relying on Prime Minister Gu to secure his position as the ruler of the land. Therefore, information from the palace, even by the Emperor’s side, is freely passed on to various external powers by the palace servants.
It’s no surprise that the three princes each have their own spies in the palace.
Various thoughts flashed through Li Chunzhou’s mind as she looked at Xu Yanqu and said, "Thank you, Brother Yan! Brother Yan is so kind! But how can I repay you?"
Xu Yanqu gazed at her with clear eyes and thought that she didn’t need to repay him. He was willing to do this for her, even if she didn’t like him. He still wanted to be her friend and was willing to do anything for her.
But he couldn’t bring himself to say these words.
Li Chunzhou was still waiting for his response.
"If one day I die…" Xu Yanqu paused, looked cautiously and hopefully at Li Chunzhou, and jokingly asked, "Lady Chun, would you miss me?"
"Of course!" Li Chunzhou looked at him in disbelief, furrowing her brow, "Why ask such a rude question?"
Xu Yanqu just smiled with raised eyebrows, watching her in silence.
As the two were chatting, Hongdou suddenly ran to the door, panting, worried that Li Chunzhou hadn’t woken up. She knocked on the door frame urgently, saying, "Miss, the Marquis is here again, we couldn’t stop him…"
Before she finished speaking, the intricately carved wooden door was pushed open by a hand with distinct knuckles. Mi Hongbao burst in, pausing when he saw Xu Yanqu next to Li Chunzhou. His gaze didn’t linger as he strode towards Li Chunzhou, both angry and affectionate as he pinched her cheek, gritting his teeth, "Lady Chun, are you afraid I’ll be locked up again?"
The security guard from the Spring Flowers Tower sent his outer robe to the Northern Marquis Mansion, still carrying a hint of ambiguous fragrance. This practically spelled out the truth – Mi Hongbao had gone to the Flower Street again.
At home, Mi Hongbao was scolded by Madame Mi.
Li Chunzhou laughed, playfully pulling away his hand from her cheek, pushing Mi Hongbao’s chest gently, her eyes full of lively and mischievous smiles.
Despite being angry, Mi Hongbao obediently placed the Lotus Root Cake in his hand on the table, glared at Li Chunzhou, wrinkled his nose, almost wanting to jump over and take a bite out of her.
After teasing her for a while, Mi Hongbao finally seemed to notice Xu Yanqu, who had been ignored on the side. He cast a rude glance at him, then withdrew his gaze, not speaking to Xu Yanqu, but confidently seated himself next to Li Chunzhou, casually playing with her hand, and asked with a smile, "Lady Chun, why are there so many irrelevant people in your house today?"
When it’s just the two of them, Mi Hongbao doesn’t act mean. But now he’s jealous, so he’s using a childish way to show he wants to be possessive of Li Chunzhou.
Besides Li Chunzhou, there are only Xu Yanqu and Li Zhexuan here. Li Zhexuan is usually quiet, so it’s obvious who Mi Hongbao is trying to impress with his actions.
Li Chunzhou tried to pull her hand away from Mi Hongbao’s grip, but she couldn’t do it even when she used force.
Mi Hongbao stared awkwardly at Xu Yanqu and Li Zhexuan, then softened his gaze when he looked at Li Chunzhou. "Bored staying inside? Come on, Lady Chun, let’s go out and have fun."
Mi Hongbao didn’t ask anyone else’s opinion, as if they didn’t exist or their thoughts didn’t matter to him at all.
Li Chunzhou was a bit upset with his behavior. She pressed her lips together and said, "I don’t want to go. You can go by yourself."
"Why?" Mi Hongbao asked stubbornly, insisting, "Because that guy is here, you don’t want to go out with me?"
Li Chunzhou unconsciously turned to look at Xu Yanqu’s expression.
Xu Yanqu had his head down, lost in thought. Li Chunzhou knew him well and remembered how he didn’t get mad when his older and younger brothers took away his favorite drum as a child. He even smiled and gave the drum to them.
Speaking nicely can be seen as being humble, but speaking harshly can be seen as being weak.
Li Chunzhou stared at Xu Yanqu, feeling irritated, gradually getting angry for no reason. She couldn’t explain why she always felt so inferior and angry every time she faced Xu Yanqu.
Many times, when she thought back afterwards, she would feel that her attitude towards him was too harsh. Just like today, even though she knew it wasn’t Xu Yanqu’s fault, as soon as she faced Xu Yanqu and saw his calm appearance, Li Chunzhou couldn’t control her temper and would get angry for him.
When facing others, Xu Yanqu always behaves in a very humble manner.
Having performed in many plays since he was young, learning to serve the ruler like a beauty serving the king, Xu Yanqu became accustomed to showing his vulnerable side to others, exposing his weaknesses to gain their sympathy and affection.
This naturally attracted some people with protective instincts, whether it was Li Chunzhou or devoted theater-goers. Many were drawn to his side because of Xu Yanqu’s humble attitude.
Because Xu Yanqu’s show of weakness had an underlying implication – "I need others’ care and love; anyone can love me, just let me rely on you, and you can control my life as you please."
He was one of those who lacked self-awareness about being unloved, willing to step back for others repeatedly, even abandoning his own sharp edges and personality.
Since childhood, regardless of whether they disagreed, Li Chunzhou never compromised in front of Xu Yanqu because she knew Xu Yanqu would always give in to her.
The person who is favored always feels confident, over the years, Li Chunzhou has gotten used to controlling the relationship with Xu Yanqu in this way.
Deep down, she knows that Xu Yanqu’s personality is not his fault, but is closely related to his experiences from childhood to adulthood.
Xu Yanqu showed a trait of being skilled in social situations from a young age, rarely getting into conflicts. His pessimistic and negative attitude in dealing with things also made him more rational and calm than others.
In Daliang, according to societal norms, women are often expected to be in subordinate positions. Regardless of being born into prominent or ordinary families, men of the same social class often easily gain more resources, higher status, and naturally exert power over women of the same social class, suppressing them.
At the same time, these benefiting men also exclude and ostracize those who do not exhibit enough "masculine" traits, treating them cruelly.
Men and women are each trapped in different cages, with women confined in narrow and restrictive cages that do not allow them to grow, while men’s cages are spacious and wide. However, if you do not grow as big as the cage, you will be whipped by societal expectations.
Xu Yanqu naturally possesses sensitive and delicate characteristics, which are good for acting, but do not align with society’s expectations of his gender. Therefore, even his close martial brothers would mock him for portraying a woman convincingly in their performances.
Xu Yanqu grew up in this kind of environment.
And Xu Yanqu’s display of vulnerability led Li Chunzhou to feel an inexplicable sense of responsibility and protectiveness towards him.
Even though the care and concern were gentle, they still carried a sense of superiority, just like how Second Prince treated Li Chunzhou – taking care was simply a gentler way of controlling.
Li Chunzhou held Mi Hongbao’s hand back, trying to take control into her own hands. She whispered to Mi Hongbao, "A’bao, please don’t make a fuss…"
Mi Hongbao was not as friendly as before, instead he pulled Li Chunzhou into his arms. He was dressed in magnificent clothes, his thick black hair neatly combed with pear oil falling straight like a waterfall. Li Chunzhou noticed the hairpin adorned with gold and silver on his hair. Growing up in a wealthy family meant he never lacked confidence.
Mi Hongbao grinned, revealing his sharp canines, he raised his chin and asked Xu Yanqu in a challenging tone, "Hey! You, does Lady Chun have any objections about going out with me?"
His words sounded provocative and Li Chunzhou narrowed her eyes. She reached to Mi Hongbao’s waist and twisted hard.
Mi Hongbao winced as veins popped on his forehead, trying not to show pain. He firmly held Li Chunzhou’s hand with his other hand, glanced at Xu Yanqu who kept his head down. Mi Hongbao disdainfully laughed, then released Li Chunzhou’s wrist to leave.
Li Chunzhou didn’t expect Xu Yanqu to stand up for her, she was just annoyed by Mi Hongbao’s immaturity and stubbornness.
Before taking two steps, someone gently grabbed Li Chunzhou’s other hand, causing her to stop involuntarily. Mi Hongbao’s steps forward also paused.
They both turned around in surprise to see Xu Yanqu firmly holding Li Chunzhou’s hand, not exerting much force, just holding it gently.
Xu Yanqu looked at Mi Hongbao, gently but firmly said, "I don’t mind what the prince says about me, but Lady Chun doesn’t want to go with you right now… Please respect her wishes."
No one had ever dared to speak to Mi Hongbao like this before. Mi Hongbao’s handsome face turned red with anger, his eyes fixed fiercely on Xu Yanqu as if he wanted to kill.
Li Chunzhou stared at Xu Yanqu’s face in awe, never dreaming she would hear such words from Xu Yanqu.