Amidst the bustling street, a tall, slender figure stood out. The young man looked around anxiously, unable to find the familiar figure. He grabbed a kind-looking old man nearby and asked in a voice with a distinct regional accent, gesturing with his hands occasionally:
"Sir, I don't know if you've seen a man who looks to be around twenty years old, probably..."
The old man was focused on following the procession of floats when he was suddenly pulled aside by a stranger who kept asking him questions. He couldn't help but feel impatient.
"Oh dear, today is the fifteenth of August, the flower-carrying troupes are arriving in the capital, the streets are bustling with people, where can one find..."
The complaining stopped abruptly. The old man blinked and carefully examined the young man who had asked him the question. I was about twenty years old, dressed in a light purple robe with dark patterns embroidered on the background, and a blue cloth was tied around my head. Perhaps due to anxiety, my fair cheeks were flushed, and my watery eyes were now looking at me with a mixture of anxiety and expectation.
Who on earth could have wandered here? The old man stared at me with his mouth agape, momentarily speechless.
As soon as the old man stopped, people behind him pushed forward, and a group of people bumped into each other. The young man seemed not to have expected that he had caused such a commotion, and subconsciously took a step back, which caused him to bump into someone again. By sheer coincidence, the bamboo book basket behind him got caught on the person's robe.
"Who is this? They've ruined my clothes!" A young man in brocade robes was clutching his left sleeve, shouting angrily. Behind me were several servants, clearly children of a wealthy family. The young man, who had been shouting enthusiastically, paused when he saw the flustered look on the person before him. His expression changed, a slightly frivolous smile appearing on his face. I slowly stepped forward, using my folded fan to lift the person's chin, carefully observing the beauty's wide-eyed expression.
"Whose lost beauty is this? That fragrance is almost bewitching!" The young master slowly closed the distance between them. Sensing the danger, the young man instinctively tried to back away, but several servants blocked his path from behind, even grabbing his raised wrist. I am a man of impeccable manners, raised in remote towns and villages; when have I ever seen such a dissolute fellow? I instinctively glanced left and right. But the people around me, upon seeing the young master, seemed to have encountered a plague, quickening their pace and walking forward, not a single person stepping forward to intervene.
In the mighty capital, right under the emperor's nose, his subjects actually disregard such trivial matters. It's simply... utterly infuriating!
"You... what do you want?" Unable to break free from the iron grip, the young man grew anxious and looked at the young master nervously.
"Simple, if you can turn my clothes back to normal, I'll let you go."
"It's already broken, how am I supposed to put it back to normal? You madman, you're just trying to cause trouble, I..."
"What? You ruined my clothes, and I haven't even said anything yet, and you're already trying to run away? This gold-embroidered garment of mine was a gift from the Prefect of Suzhou, and it was made by the best embroiderers in Suzhou. As for the price, you can think about it yourself. Judging from your appearance, you're a scholar, so I'm too lazy to ask you to pay for it. Why don't you embroider it back to its original state yourself, and I'll let it go."
"Without needles or wires, how can I embroider?"
“That’s easy. I have plenty of gold and silver threads in my manor. If you come back to my manor with me, I won’t be afraid you’ll run away.”
The young man wasn't stupid; hearing the young master's words, he knew he was being deceived. "I have no relatives or friends here. My only childhood friend who came to the capital with me for the imperial examinations is now missing and his whereabouts are unknown. I'm in the capital; if I get lost, where will anyone find me? This young master doesn't seem like a good person; if he comes with me, he might not come back."
Seeing the beauty's troubled expression and her silent demeanor, the young master, eager to seize what was within his grasp, decided to act quickly. He subtly signaled to the two servants behind him, who understood immediately. They grabbed the young man's arms and tried to drag him away. The young man was both angry and anxious, struggling constantly. But I was just a scholar, utterly weak, and how could I possibly break free from those two burly brutes?
Just as this unbelievable thing was about to happen in broad daylight, a lazy voice rang out at the critical moment:
"What is Prince Duan up to now?"
Upon hearing this voice, the arrogant young master's face darkened. Although he looked indignant, there was also an unbearable sense of suppressed anger. I turned my head and glanced resentfully at the man opposite me.
The man raised an eyebrow, fanning himself with his fan, a smile playing on his lips as he observed everything. I was accompanied only by one attendant, who was armed with a sword. Anyone with manners knew that in the royal city, those who could freely carry swords were undoubtedly military officers of the fourth rank or higher. The man before me, therefore, was certainly a member of the royal family or nobility.
The man called Prince Duan waved his hand, signaling for people to make way. I slowly walked to his side, covered my face with my sleeve, and lowered my voice, saying:
"You're not going to meddle with this too, are you?"
"Why should I care about you?" The man chuckled softly, casually retorting. Just as I was about to turn away, my eyes inadvertently met those of the handsome young man. Those eyes, filled with a flustered yet innocent look, were so clear and captivating that they stirred my heart. Looking at the young man, his bearing was ethereal; though a scholar, he possessed none of the air of pedantry, embodying the refined elegance of a well-read person—a rare beauty indeed.
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