Jiang Bai seemed to sense her displeasure and quickly said, "Since you've come to play the zither for us, why don't you..." He glanced at Lou Qianzong beside him and said, "Disciple, get up and let the young master sit here."
Lou Qianzong's eyebrows shot up in anger, and he shouted, "Why should I!"
Chu Nian found it hilarious and even chuckled out loud.
Lou Qianzong grew increasingly angry and demanded, "What are you laughing at?"
Jiang Bai scolded, "Don't be rude! Get up and offer the young master your seat."
Despite Lou Qianzong's arrogant demeanor, he had never truly disobeyed Jiang Bai. He immediately stood up and stood aside, fuming.
Chu Nian then sat down without any hesitation.
Everyone was quite surprised: This guy really dares to do that! You have to understand, that position is even more prestigious than the old imperial uncle's!
Especially Ye Xiao, who thought Ye Nian would sit next to him so he, as the older brother, could give the child a good talking-to. But Ye Nian looked unwilling, and then when someone offered him a seat, he actually sat down—was that the seat he should be sitting in? Once he leaves the Ye King's mansion, he really doesn't know his place anymore!
However, with so many guests present and in someone else's home, how could he possibly lash out? He could only suppress his anger.
Since Nie Feiyan had come with him, she naturally sat next to him and said gently, "It seems that the Great Sage of the Two Saints values the young master very much. You must not give the young master a hard time in the future. Perhaps the young master can be of great help to your career!"
Ye Xiao's face darkened, and he said in a deep voice, "You always speak up for him, you must have taken a liking to him!"
Nie Feiyan's face turned pale upon hearing this, and she said in a trembling voice, "Your Highness, what do you mean by that?"
Although she was indeed very fond of the young master, she could also see that he had no feelings for her. So she was still on Ye Xiao's side. Her advice was genuinely for Ye Xiao's sake. She never expected him to say such heartless things.
Chu Nian calmly sat down and turned to Jiang Bai, saying, "Have someone arrange a seat for Mr. Lou as well, right next to me."
"Alright!" Jiang Bai agreed gently, then turned and gave his uncle a wink.
In fact, when the Imperial Uncle saw Lou Qianzong get up, he quickly sent someone to get a chair, but he hesitated for a moment about where to let him sit.
The banquet was arranged with small tables, at most seating only two people. It was impossible to squeeze Lou Qianzong, Chu Nian, and Jiang Bai into one table. However, Gongsun Liang was on the other side. If Lou Qianzong and Gongsun Liang were to sit at the same table, it would greatly diminish Lou Qianzong's status. The Imperial Uncle would never dare to arrange it that way.
Now that Jiang Bai had given the signal, things were much easier for him. He quickly had the servants who had brought the chairs place them next to Chu Nian.
Lou Qianzong sensed that his master and the young man in red seemed to know each other, so he immediately composed himself, casually sat down, and suddenly remembered something, asking Chu Nian, "How did you know my surname is Lou, young master?"
Chu Nian smiled faintly and said, "Although I am not very good, I have heard of the names of the two saints of Xuan Yuan."
Lou Qianzong chuckled softly and said, "Is that so?" Then he turned to the crowd and asked, "May I ask, how many of you have heard of the Two Saints of Xuan Yuan, and who knows that one of the Two Saints of Xuan Yuan has the surname Lou?"
To be honest, the two of them had been out of the public eye for a thousand years, only having a slight interaction with the royal family's young fifteenth son a few decades ago. Of all those present, apart from Ye Xiao and his two companions who witnessed the Imperial Uncle's reverence for the Two Saints outside the Qin Pavilion that day and thus learned of their existence, no one else had ever heard of the Xuan Yuan Two Saints.
When he asked, everyone looked embarrassed.
Jiang Baiyun angrily rebuked, "Disciple, don't spoil the fun of the banquet."
Lou Qianzong wouldn't disobey Jiang Bai, so he suppressed his anger, though his face was terribly gloomy.
Jiang Bai ignored him and asked Chu Nian with a smile, "May I ask your honorable name, young master?"
Chu Nian said, "I used to have a name, but I no longer use it. I have given myself a new name."
Jiang Bai asked curiously, "Oh? What's the name?" He had secretly found out that the boy who had transmigrated was named Ye Nian, which made him think that this "Nian" was the same as the other "Nian".
He hadn't expected this woman to change her name to Ye Nian. Was she trying to hide something? He pondered this as he picked up his wine glass and took a sip.
But Chu Nian calmly replied, "Dongfang Bubai."
Jiang Bai choked on the four words as soon as he swallowed a mouthful of wine. He almost spat out the wine and then coughed several times, turning his fair and jade-like face red.
Lou Qianzong asked curiously, "Is there something wrong with this name? Famous? I've never heard of it, but Master's expression is so strange!"
Ye Xiao scolded him angrily, "You child, why did you change your name out of the blue, and even have the audacity to call yourself 'Invincible East'..."
Before he could finish speaking, Jiang Bai interrupted him, saying to Chu Nian, "Young Master, this name is excellent, and it suits you quite well now..." He glanced at Chu Nian, and although Chu Nian's youthful appearance was as extraordinary as that of an immortal, it still struck him as somewhat jarring. But he still said, "...quite fitting."
Chu Nian smiled and said, "Do you understand the meaning behind this?"
“Of course.” Jiang Bai finished speaking and then said to everyone, “From now on, the musician of this Qin House will be known as Dongfang Bubai. If anyone dares to mention even half a word of his former name, they will be punished like this!” As he spoke, he casually threw the wine cup in his hand to the ground.
However, the cup that everyone expected did not shatter. It turned to ashes before hitting the ground and fell silently, as if it had never existed.
Lou Qianzong asked, puzzled, "Why? Was there something shameful about his former name?"
Ye Xiao's face had turned as black as the bottom of a pot: Ye Nian was determined to sever ties with the Ye Royal Mansion!
Jiang Bai: "Why do you need to ask about other people's business?"
Lou Qianzong: "Why do I feel like something's not right about this?" His gaze swept back and forth between Jiang Bai and Chu Nian.
Chu Nian smiled and asked, "Mr. Lou, what do you think is wrong?"
Lou Qianzong countered, "What was your name before?"
Jiang Bai rebuked, "Qian Zong, you mustn't pry into other people's privacy like this."
Lou Qianzong snorted angrily and drank the wine in front of Chu Nian.
Jiang Bai asked, "You drank Mr. Dongfang's wine, so what did Mr. Dongfang drink?"
Chu Nian couldn't help but chuckle, and gave Jiang Bai a look: This way of addressing Mr. Dongfang suits me quite well.
Jiang Bai raised an eyebrow smugly.
The royal uncle quickly ordered more tableware to be served, and even set up a separate table in front of Lou Qianzong.
Nie Feiyan had been waiting impatiently for a while, and couldn't help but muster up her courage to interject: "Young master, your playing of the zither and your singing are both superb. Would you be so kind as to perform a piece on the spot and give us a treat for our ears?"
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