In the highest chamber of the Flower Pavilion in Yun Jing, two peerless beauties stared intently in the direction of the Imperial Palace…
One was draped in a powder-purple off-the-shoulder gauze dress, overlaid with a sheer, thin wrap, appearing seductive and alluring, especially her proud, uplifted bosom—so high, so full, so…
She possessed pale blue eyes set in a face of breathtaking beauty, lending an air of irresistible charm to everything about her… Indeed, she was the very embodiment of seduction, the only one who could perfectly interpret that word… This woman was Yao Rao, the courtesan supreme of the Flower Pavilion, who was, in fact, the most core disciple of the Hundred Flowers Sect and the true power behind the Pavilion…
Standing beside Yao Rao was another woman, similarly slender, clad in a black gauze gown. A veil masked her face, revealing only a pair of brown eyes. Anyone meeting those eyes would feel an undeniable magic, as if their very soul was being drawn in…
Cradled in her arms was a small, snow-white tiger, its face etched with an air of languor, clearly relishing the comfort of resting in the beauty’s embrace…
“Ninth Lady, the congratulatory gift you asked me to send has been delivered…” Gazing toward the bustling Imperial Palace, Yao Rao suddenly turned to the woman in black beside her.
Judging by the address, this woman was clearly the mastermind behind the Ming Yan Tower—Jiu Feng…
“Thank you!” Jiu Feng offered without turning, speaking faintly, yet her brown eyes held a subtle tang of bitterness, a trace of sorrow, and a sliver of envy…
Noticing that Jiu Feng’s attention was elsewhere, a flicker of surprise crossed Yao Rao’s eyes. While she had heard of Jiu Feng and investigated her thoroughly—knowing she was the direct disciple of Xue Luocha, the current head of the Rakshasa Gate, and the controller behind Ming Yan Tower—Yao Rao had always viewed her as her greatest rival…
In Yao Rao’s imagination, Jiu Feng should have been someone deeply calculating, incapable of letting her true emotions show, for in their line of work, acting was paramount; one could never let others glimpse what lay within one’s mind…
Yet, for some reason, the Jiu Feng before her was not the legendary Ninth Lady who founded Ming Yan Tower, nor the most mysterious Luocha Woman of the Rakshasa Gate. Before Yao Rao now stood merely the most ordinary, the most simple, the most devoted young woman…
A woman whose eyes were filled with heartache, helplessness, and regret…
Why this expression? Why reveal it in front of her? Was it an act? But could a person’s expression be so genuine? And what purpose would she have for acting here? What benefit?
But if it wasn't an act, then why this display of feeling? Could it be…
“Ninth Lady, you love him?” Yao Rao directly posed the question she felt she would never receive an answer to…
“Mmm…” To her astonishment, Jiu Feng nodded without hesitation. This reaction left Yao Rao somewhat unsettled. She couldn't believe Jiu Feng would openly admit a secret—or perhaps gossip—that even Yao Rao herself didn't fully grasp…
“Then…” Yao Rao was about to ask if he knew, when Jiu Feng’s voice chimed in again…
“What does it feel like to love someone?”
What did it feel like to love someone? Yao Rao felt a sudden blankness. From the day she became aware, her Master had taught her how to ensnare a man, how to win his heart, how to make him utterly devoted, but she had never taught her how to love a man…
Instead, she constantly instilled the belief that love was untrustworthy, and men even more so. How would she know what loving someone felt like?
In her worldview, romance was the most ridiculous notion, something only fools indulged in. Yet here was Jiu Feng, the rival she deemed greatest in her life, asking her such a nonsensical question…
Yao Rao was dazed, lost in thought, and yet, involuntarily, a beautiful face surfaced in her mind…
A face far more striking than many women’s—a little wicked, a little wild, a little arrogant, underscored by an undeniable current of dominance…
Shaking her head, she cast that infuriating face from her thoughts, and Yao Rao replied coolly, “I don’t know. But I believe if you truly love him, you should find a way to have him, to be by his side, instead of sitting here grieving, nursing your heartache!”
Hearing Yao Rao’s words, Jiu Feng slowly turned her head, her deep, affectionate gaze locking firmly onto Yao Rao. Under that intense gaze, Yao Rao felt inexplicably uneasy, almost hesitant to meet Jiu Feng’s eyes…
“No, this is not love. To love someone is to wish them well, to wish them the happiness they deserve. Only when he is truly happy will you feel joy, will you feel satisfaction…” Jiu Feng murmured softly. Her voice felt like a strange incantation seeping into Yao Rao’s heart. Though it wasn't enough to shatter her long-held beliefs, it certainly stirred considerable ripples within her…
“But… but do you feel happy, do you feel joy, do you feel satisfaction right now?” Yao Rao asked, forcing the courage despite her rapidly accelerating heartbeat.
Jiu Feng didn't answer immediately. Her gaze drifted back toward the Imperial Palace once more. After a long pause, she finally spoke, slowly, “If he can truly be happy, then I will be happy!” Jiu Feng’s voice was firm, absolutely certain, as if this was the deepest conviction residing in her soul…
Faced with Jiu Feng’s resolute tone, Yao Rao actually lowered her head, trying to fully comprehend the weight of those words. Was love truly like this?
Was love such selfless sacrifice? Did love truly inspire such unwavering devotion?
It was at that precise moment that the sound of clashing gongs and drums resonated through the street—it was the time for the State Duke of the Southern Cloud Empire, Ye Jingyu, to wed the Princess… Both Jiu Feng and Yao Rao involuntarily turned their attention toward the source of the sound, their eyes filled with a complex tapestry of emotion…
The streets were jubilant and festive. Citizens lined both sides of the thoroughfare, their gazes fixed toward the sounds, eyes brimming with anticipation…
Meanwhile, within the confines of a residence in Yun Jing city, eight figures quickly gathered, seemingly deep in discussion about some urgent matter… (Three chapters today)