Great Zhou World
Agarwood shavings accumulated three inches thick in the gilded Boshan incense burner. Ambergris donated by Western merchants mixed with Lingnan lychee honey, creating a sticky, almost stagnant sweetness in the air. Suddenly, a crystal curtain was neatly lifted by a golden hook, with a crisp clang. Twelve beauties, draped in sheer silk gauze, stepped barefoot over the floor covered with delicate mother-of-pearl ornaments. The silver bells tied to their ankles swayed with each step, jingling and shattering the flickering candlelight and stirring the thick, incense-filled mist.
"Master Pei, watch your step." Hu Ji chuckled lazily as she leaned against a peony-shaped column. The gold chain around her neck gleamed coldly in the lamplight. The massive malachite ring on her fingertip reflected the gilded lanterns below, casting a few shifting, faint green specks of light on the dignified, python-emblazoned official uniform of the Censorate. Before she could finish her words, the Kucha musician behind her suddenly struck a phoenix-necked pipa, a sharp sound like ripping silk! Almost instantly, a waiter's hand slipped, spilling the grape wine from a multicolored glass cup. The dark red wine, like blood, instantly soaked the precious Persian velvet carpet, smearing along the gold-embroidered twin lotus patterns and leaving a glaring stain.
"Yun Niang!" Lord Pei called out a name anxiously, but his body had already leaned towards another enchanting beauty beside him. His hands covered with thick calluses and big joints lingered restlessly on the beauty's softest waist and arms, and there was an undisguised impatience in his turbid eyes, "I just got the news and rushed here in a hurry! You know, that beauty is exactly like the one in my heart! With our friendship, you have to give this first bite to me, your brother, right?" His breathing was heavy, and the smell of alcohol mixed with desire hit his face.
The woman known as Yunniang, slender as a willow, smiled softly upon hearing this, then nestled herself into Lord Pei's arms, becoming the perfect warm and fragrant embrace. "Lord Pei, you're joking," she said in a soft, delicate voice, dripping with the air of Jiangnan. "Auctions have their own rules, and as a frequent customer, you know them all. As long as you have enough real money in your pocket, the highest bidder wins. I... can't make the final decision." Her fingertips brushed the man's chest, causing him to flutter.
Across a beaded curtain and amidst the clamor, the room on the top floor was deathly silent, and the diamond-shaped mirror reflected two pale faces coldly.
"Sister... why? Why us?" Nangong Xiang's tiny body curled up in Nangong Xi's arms, her tender face streaked with tears, her once clear and bright eyes now filled with immense pain. At only thirteen years old, her world had been turned upside down in a single day. Genocide? Poisoning? These words, like poisoned needles, pierced her naive heart.
"Grandpa... Grandpa practices medicine and saves lives, he wouldn't even step on an ant. How could he, how could he poison the Imperial Concubine's child?" Her voice broke, thick with sobs, her small body trembling violently with fear and anger. She clung to Nangong Xi tightly, as if her sister were the only piece of driftwood in the turbulent sea, drawing a meager sense of security. In the mirror, one was crying like a fountain, the other's face was ashen. Only their tightly embrace conveyed the desperate kinship of blood thicker than water.
Nangong Xi's jawline was clenched so tightly that her teeth were practically clenched. She wanted so badly to tell her sister the depth of this injustice, to soothe the panic in her eyes. "Live well for the dead? Live strong and avenge them?" These words, which should have been spoken by the eldest sister, the words that held the family together, now weighed like a thousand pounds, stuck in Nangong Xi's throat, preventing her from uttering a single word. The overwhelming sense of grief and powerlessness threatened to consume her.
"Sister..." Nangong Xiang suddenly raised her head from her arms, and with tears in her eyes, she took out a book carefully wrapped in oilcloth, "This... This was secretly given to me by grandfather before he had the accident... He said that if anything unexpected happens, I must give it to you." The thin medical book, carrying the grandfather's last instructions, was also soaked with the blood and tears of the two sisters. Nangong Xi took it with trembling hands. The moment her cold fingertips touched the pages, the tears she had been holding back finally burst out, mixed with her sister's tears, and rolled down the oilcloth. Here, the most famous paradise of gentleness in the capital, "Must Have Fun", is a magnificent cage without a trace of warmth. The gorgeous clothes they were put on were just packaging to be sold at a price tomorrow.
The mother-of-pearl peony inlaid on the edge of the diamond-shaped mirror suddenly took on an eerie, dark blue hue in the dim light filtering in from the window. The distant night watchman's clappers drifted faintly through the stringed instruments, like the echo of a funeral knell. Nangong Xi paused with the tip of his rose-painted brush, smearing a half-moon of cinnabar at the end of his eyebrow like a drop of blood.
"Madam, it's time to paint your nails." The maid, expressionless, brought a jade bowl with a lotus pattern. Inside, it was filled with bright red Impatiens balsamina juice, dotted with shimmering ice crystals. The lingering sound of stringed instruments drifted in from the window, mingling with the crisp, rich aroma of newly minted camphor, lingering on her fingertips as she dipped into the flower juice. The rich crimson crimson slowly crept up her nails, forming plump, dripping beads of desperate blood.
Nangong Xi had once accompanied her grandfather into the palace, met the stunning Imperial Concubine, and learned some details about her premature birth. She had read in a rare ancient book circulated from the palace that some women's constitutions were naturally unsuitable for pregnancy, and that forcing a pregnancy would inevitably lead to premature birth or even hemorrhage. But her grandfather had sighed and said, "Xi'er, a doctor is like a parent. What woman in the world doesn't yearn to be a mother? We... cannot, and should not, deprive her of this longing. We can only do our best to ensure the safety of both mother and child." Nangong Xi felt then that the Imperial Concubine's premature birth had been foreshadowed.
But why would such a horrific disaster befall her family? If Grandpa truly wanted to harm the unborn child, why would he have used Crane's Beak Red in the labor-inducing potion? This is absurd! Crane's Beak Red kills instantly if it hits the throat. If the imperial concubine drank it, she would die instantly. How could she have waited until the birth? This is clearly... a naked frame-up!
The Nangong Mansion was enveloped in endless darkness, a deathly silence akin to the final extinguishing of a candle. In the solemn main hall, the air was as stagnant as if filled with lead. The bright yellow imperial edict, a symbol of imperial authority, struck Nangong Fu's face like a red-hot iron. His face was pale, his body trembling, yet his hands, with an almost eerie gesture of respect, held aloft a heavy rosewood box.
The lid of the casket opened slightly, and the strong, sickening smell of blood instantly dissipated the medicinal fragrance that filled the room. The white head of Nangong Fu's father, the highly respected old physician Nangong Yan, lay prominently within! His eyes were wide open, frozen in the terror and unwillingness of death. Sticky, black blood dripped from the cracks in the casket, dripping heavily onto the mirror-like tile floor, creating a dazzling, hideous speck of blood.
"Hmph, the Nangong family... aside from the women, there are only these two males left?" Wei Ran, the commander of the imperial guards who had been ordered to conduct the search and confiscation, stood clad in black armor, his sword drawn. His hawk-like gaze swept over the only remaining Nangong Fu and a frightened child huddled in a corner, having wet his pants. A cruel sneer curled his lips. "And another... a brat?" Behind him, the dense mass of imperial guards, their armor etched, had been on high alert, but now seemed unnecessary. A long-planned massacre, under the absolute pressure of imperial authority, was carried out as easily as crushing an ant. All cries and grievances were instantly drowned and sealed in the thick blood.
The candles of Xu Jin Huan burned throughout the night, one after another. "I will take my leave and await your performance tomorrow." The maid who was in charge of watching over them glanced coldly at the distraught Nangong Xi and retreated silently. The heavy door blocked out the last rays of light, plunging the desperate sisters into complete darkness.
In the deadly silence of the room, the sparse, cold stars outside the window twinkled with a faint, icy light. Nangong Xi stared intently at the dark night sky, her eyes filled with bottomless despair. A sharp, cold wind suddenly blew in, rattling the window frames and sending a shiver through her. She didn't dare close her eyes; in the endless darkness, it seemed as if she could always hear the figure of her grandfather and the voice of her father. The thought of escaping grew heavier in her heart; at the very least, she had to get Ah Xiang away from here.
The biting cold wind suddenly blew open a corner of her memory—that man in the corridor of the Ning Mansion! Regent Xiao Ziyi! His bottomless eyes, seemingly able to see through people's hearts, cast an almost predatory gaze at her when she was at her most embarrassed. That gaze, with a palpitating sense of oppression, was also... the only faint light in this boundless darkness. But serving the emperor is like serving a tiger; being a floating duckweed is not so easy. Nangong Xi still felt a little scared when she thought of that first encounter.
The next morning, just as daybreak approached, the luxurious gatehouse of "Xu Jin Huan" was no longer bustling with noise, but rather a hint of hangover laziness. Ning Yangyang practically dragged the reluctant, sleepy-eyed Xiao Yuhuan out of the carriage and shoved him to the gate.
"Go in? Absolutely not!" Xiao Yuhuan regained consciousness instantly, as if scalded. His handsome face was filled with resistance. He clung tightly to a large red lacquer pillar at the door, carved with entwined lotus flowers, as if it were his chastity arch. "Ning Yangyang, wake up! I'm the crown prince, the heir apparent to the throne. If I even set foot in a place like this, the imperial study will be flooded with impeachment memorials against me tomorrow! What's more..." He lowered his voice with a hint of sadness, "My father has lost his heir and is in mourning. How can I seek pleasure here? This is disloyalty and unfilial!" He tried to act righteous, but the four beautiful women behind him, who had been temporarily hired by Ning Yangyang to "help out," were tugging at his sleeves and robes. The scene was both comical and chaotic.
"Alright, alright! Disperse!" Ning Yangyang irritably dismissed the women amidst the frantic "maintain your persona" system notification. To conceal her identity, she too wore a draped bamboo hat, but it was clearly not as conspicuous as the one beside her. She took a deep breath, stepped forward, and grasped Xiao Yuhuan's head, which had stubbornly turned to the side, with both hands. She forcefully pulled him back to face her.
"Don't move!" she growled, and began to tie the straps of his hat properly.
The fluffy, soft silver fox fur at the collar brushed against her slender wrist, bringing a slight tickle. When the laces were wrapped around her for the third time, Xiao Yuhuan, who had been stiffening her neck, suddenly and submissively lowered it slightly without warning.
This condescending gesture suddenly shortened the distance between them. His warm breath, tinged with the morning's gentle dampness, condensed into a small puff of white mist, shattering unexpectedly against the tip of Ning Yangyang's nose. Her knuckles, gripping the jade buckle of her bamboo hat, instantly turned white with force, forcing her gaze to remain fixed on the tiny bronze clasp. The buckle's smooth surface clearly reflected his downcast eyelids, where his long, dense lashes fluttered restlessly and rapidly, like a gorgeous swallowtail butterfly trapped in an invisible spiderweb.
Putting aside his childishness, just looking at his appearance, Xiao Yuhuan is much better looking than his brother.
"It's off," he whispered suddenly, his Adam's apple rolling up and down as he spoke, carelessly brushing against the tip of her pinky finger, which she hadn't yet retracted. The warm, slightly hard touch brought a tingling sensation like an electric current.
"Host! Host! Warning! Warning! A world without CP! Be resolute!" The system's alarm sounded in Ning Yangyang's mind.
"Isn't even the official match okay?"
"As the official match in name only, you have to stick to your heart. Besides, I think Qi Yiwen's aloof master is obviously more handsome."
"Shut up! Refuse to mention that person, okay? I was just... just dazzled by this beauty up close! It's a physiological reaction! It's not love! Absolutely not!" Ning Yangyang roared in her heart in defense, but her hands moved a little faster. She tied the last knot casually and took a step back to distance herself.
The auction hall was already packed, the air thick with perfume, cosmetics, and a subtle excitement. Though most of the guests wore masks or veils, Ning Yangyang instantly recognized the figure sitting in the corner, dressed in a dark, patterned uniform—her haunting, perverted brother, Xiao Ziyi! The man in black standing beside him was the one she had seen at the Ning Mansion the previous day. The others bidding were merely wealthy and powerful officials, their names and official titles annotated in the system, their eyes filled with greed for their prey.
Ning Yangyang clenched her fists. She was determined to obtain the Nangong sisters' indentures today! With the indentures, she would at least have the upper hand in terms of moral rights.
On the high platform, Yun Niang, dressed in gorgeous attire, smiled gracefully, her eyes sparkling. She surveyed the assembled crowd—what she saw was a clashing of silver. "The Nangong sisters, both talented and beautiful, start at one hundred taels!"
"Two hundred taels!" Xiao Ziyi's black-clad attendant's voice was low, yet piercing with a chilling coldness that instantly silenced the clamor within. Everyone looked in the direction of the voice, their gazes meeting the attendant's expressionless face and the imposing, though indistinct, black-clad man behind him. The chatter abruptly ceased, and many instinctively shrank back, not daring to bid further. No matter how beautiful a woman was, it wasn't worth offending this evil star.
Ning Yangyang sneered inwardly. As expected! This was the moment she had been waiting for. She cleared her throat, her voice deliberately raised, with a nonchalant air of arrogance: "The rule is that the highest bidder wins, right? Okay! Whether this brother or the gentleman behind you bids," she paused, her eyes provocatively sweeping in Xiao Ziyi's direction, "I'll match his price, plus—one tael of silver!"
This almost playful way of raising the price caused an uproar in the room. Xiao Ziyi's lips, hidden behind his mask, seemed to curl up a tiny curve. He didn't rush to speak, but simply adjusted his sitting position slightly and leisurely peered through the gaps in the crowd, observing with interest his little white rabbit, who had suddenly become a crowd-pleaser, and her cousin, who was fidgeting next to her and trying hard to hide in his bamboo hat.
Without Xiao Ziyi's words, how could Yun Niang dare to hammer? The atmosphere was tense. Ning Yangyang pounded the table impatiently, "Hey, Boss Yun! Are you selling or not? What are you dithering about? I'll add another two thousand taels! For two people! One price, deal!" Eager to get the heroine out of this situation, her tone was filled with unquestionable urgency.
"Two thousand taels?" Yun Niang looked in astonishment at the buyer, whose voice was clear and clearly female. Her hand, holding up the tassels to clap the price, froze in mid-air. "This... lady? You..." Her eyes wandered over Ning Yangyang, filled with suspicion. "As a woman, what are you thinking of buying such a beautiful woman?"
"It's just a special hobby, isn't it? What's your business?" Ning Yangyang stiffened her neck and forced herself to remain calm, but her eyes involuntarily darted towards the room on the top floor, where red candlelight flickered. Behind the blurred railings, a figure seemed to be swaying.
At that moment, a familiar, cold, pine-scented scent enveloped her from behind. Ning Yangyang's back stiffened. She knew who it was without even turning around.
"Heh," a low, playful chuckle echoed in her ear, its warm breath brushing against her earlobe. "I remember when my sister moved into my humble abode yesterday, she had nothing but three little turtles." Xiao Ziyi had silently come up behind her, his hand out in an intimate gesture, as if tidying up a few unruly strands of hair beneath her bamboo hat. His movements were gentle, yet his fingertips felt icy cold. Each word of his slow, measured words was like a needle coated in honey, piercing Ning Yangyang's nerves with pinpoint accuracy. "These two thousand taels today... I wonder where my sister is going to get them from? Hmm?"
The overwhelming pressure nearly suffocated Ning Yangyang, but she had already prepared herself. She spun around, trying to wriggle out of the narrow gap in front of Xiao Ziyi. Their bodies inevitably pressed together, their ambiguous posture in public raising eyebrows. Ning Yangyang's heart pounded like a drum, yet she forced herself to raise her chin and spoke loudly in a tone that was almost righteous and rogue:
"There's a payment method called face recognition!"
Before she finished her words, at the very moment Xiao Ziyi seemed slightly startled by her novel words, Ning Yangyang struck out like lightning! Her hand, hidden in her sleeve, was as swift as a ghost, precisely hooking the edge of the silver mask covering his face and suddenly flipping it upwards!
The mask fell off!
"I am Ning Yangyang, Princess Ningyang!" Ning Yangyang's clear voice echoed throughout the room, carrying a resolute, desperate tone. "These two thousand taels will be paid for by my brother, the current Regent, Lord Xiao Ziyi!"
Beneath the mask, Xiao Ziyi's unparalleled handsome yet icy face was exposed to countless shocked gazes. The air seemed to freeze. Ning Yangyang could clearly feel his arm around her waist tense as hard as iron. In those bottomless dark eyes, a storm was silently brewing and gathering, his piercing gaze almost threatening to torture her to death.
Xiao Ziyi had investigated the Nangong sisters' backgrounds and could say nothing of his biological sister. As for the peculiarities, that was sheer nonsense. So how did she know he'd be here, and why had she specifically antagonized him at the auction? He stared intently at the figure before him, trying to find a flaw in the features that resembled his own. He could only doubt her true identity, for he couldn't fathom her motives. They were blood-related sisters, so why would they constantly cause him trouble? Or had she been instigated by the Yang family? However, her identity should be investigated starting with the Ning Mansion. Xiao Ziyi had already made up his mind, and he didn't want to dwell on her.
Dead silence. You could hear a pin drop.
After a few breaths, the terrifying low pressure surrounding Xiao Ziyi suddenly subsided. He slowly loosened his grip on Ning Yangyang's body, even raising his hand to slowly brush away the non-existent dust from his sleeve, as if the shocking scene had never happened. His eyes swept across the pale-faced Yun Niang on the stage, then passed in the direction of the wing room on the top floor, and finally landed on Ning Yangyang's face, which was forcing calm. The corners of his lips curled up in an extremely cold arc, and his voice was not loud, but it reached her ears clearly:
"Since my sister is willing to spend so much to buy her..." He deliberately emphasized the word "generous", his eyes like knives, "then remember to hide well. If you are easily found again... and my sister wants me to pay for it on the condition that you are my sister." He didn't finish his words, leaving only a chilling ending. Then he turned around, his black robe cutting through the stagnant air, and he left with a cold air that kept strangers away.
"System, system, it's me, right? I'm the biological child, right?" Although Ning Yangyang read the PDF very carefully this time, the look in the male protagonist Xiao Ziyi's eyes just now was really scary. She had no emotional card to play, nor her life to kill. It didn't matter. She just had to get rid of Nangong Xi, this hot potato, as soon as possible.
It wasn't until the oppressive figure completely disappeared from the doorway that Ning Yangyang felt as if all her strength had been drained away, her legs giving way, and she nearly collapsed to the ground. Beside her, Xiao Yuhuan wasn't much better off, his face pale beneath his bamboo hat. As they supported each other, they could both feel the other's uncontrollable trembling.
"It's over... It's over... It's over..." Xiao Yuhuan's voice was floating, "This time... It's all over..." His reputation was ruined and his future was uncertain.
Ning Yangyang's lips trembled as she watched Yunniang frantically announce the deal on the stage, as if waking from a dream, with a look of relief. Only one thought remained in her mind: This hot potato has finally been... taken, for the time being? But Xiao Ziyi's last words were like a sword hanging over her head.
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