"I certainly haven't disrupted anyone's routine," Shili Changkong said as he sat aside, sipped a cup of tea, and smiled, "What if I inadvertently troubled a beauty."
"This woman is no ordinary person; watch out that you don't capsize in a ditch," Xu Zimei cautioned, saying no more.
After about three minutes or so, the old madam came over with a smile and said to Xu Zimei, "Young Master, Miss Baiyu says if you don't mind, could you please visit her boudoir?"
"Let's go," Xu Zimei said with a smile to Shili Changkong.
Then, the two men went upstairs amidst the envious glances from everyone.
Shili Changkong did not follow Xu Zimei inside but stood guard outside the door.
When Xu Zimei opened the door, a serene fragrance wafted out from inside, somewhat akin to a blend of roses' richness and peonies' freshness.
The room was divided into an inner chamber and an outer hall, and Xu Zimei sauntered in nonchalantly.
The outer hall was simply furnished, with pink walls adorned with many feminine trinkets.
Colorful clothes covered the surroundings, and from the inner chamber, there came the melodious sound of a zither, as soothing as a stream babbling under a small bridge, refreshing the mind and spirit.
A delicate Washed Silk Veil of pink at the entrance between the outer and inner chambers obscured the view, but Xu Zimei could vaguely see through the veil, a graceful figure sitting inside, playing the zither.
"These women, always so keen on formality," chuckled Xu Zimei as he walked in.
He lifted the Washed Silk Veil and entered the inner chamber.
The room was clearly a lady's boudoir, with a soft pink bed, and to the left by the window stood a vanity table.
Directly in front of Xu Zimei was a table made of sandalwood, and the woman sat on the opposite side, her delicate hands playing the zither, her eyes smiling as she watched Xu Zimei arrive.
The zither music stopped, and the woman covered her mouth and laughed, "Young Master, you really are quite amusing. When meeting others, they get captivated by my beauty,
yet when you came in, the first thing you did was look around my room."
"Some things I look at with my eyes, some people, however, I observe with my heart," said Xu Zimei with a smile and then began to take in the woman before him.
She wore a white dress embroidered with flowers, tightly wrapping her bosom, and covered with a white gauze outer layer.
Her appearance somewhat resembled the women from the Western Region, all her features exceptionally delicate.
Arched eyebrows, a particularly high nose bridge, those large black eyes, and cherry lips.
Her hair cascaded down her back, simply tied with a pink silk ribbon into a butterfly knot.
"What do you think of my zither playing?" Ji Baiyu asked with a smile.
"Your service attitude isn't very good, not even offering me water," Xu Zimei sat down on the floor, poured himself a cup of tea, and then slowly asked, "Can you play those songs of war and heroes? The kind that really get the blood boiling. As for these tender and graceful tunes you play, I can't appreciate them, so I'm in no position to discuss their quality."
Ji Baiyu looked at Xu Zimei very seriously for a moment, her lips pursing slightly as she said, "Young Master, you really are different from others."
"What's so different? It's the same mouth, two eyes; I don't have three heads and six arms, do I?" Xu Zimei replied with a laugh.
"Your Highness, you possess a unique temperament that isn't simply charm but rather feels quite distinctive and individualistic," Ji Baiyu pondered before speaking.
"That's not it; I just prefer not to follow others," Xu Zimei responded with a smile, shaking his head.
"What do you think of me, Your Highness?" Ji Baiyu asked.
"What do you mean?" Xu Zimei countered.
"I am but a courtesan; do you think me fickle and look down upon me?" Ji Baiyu spoke with a fallen expression.
Her voice was soft and frail, and her forlorn demeanor irresistibly invoked a desire to embrace and protect her.
"How could I," Xu Zimei put down the teacup he was holding, looked at Ji Baiyu with a smile, and continued, "If I were to look down on the founder of Cloud Mist Pavilion, one of the twenty-four Sword Immortals, Sword Dancing Immortal, then there would be no one in this world who could catch my eye."
There was a momentary pause in Ji Baiyu's expression, then she smiled and said, "So you've known all along!"
She straightened up, no longer the picture of pity as before, instead, she appeared quite at ease and confident.
"I should have played along with your performance, but I chose to ignore it instead," Xu Zimei said with a smile.
"May I know why Your Highness sought me out?" Ji Baiyu asked, "If Cloud Mist Pavilion has offended Your Highness in any way, please feel free to speak openly."
Xu Zimei laughed silently, picked up the teacup, took a sip, let out a long breath, and exclaimed, "Good tea."
"If Your Highness likes it, I can send some to you. This tea is fried with a unique secret recipe of mine; it's not something you can taste just anywhere," Ji Baiyu replied with a smile.
"Is that so?" Xu Zimei's eyes were filled with reminiscence as he slowly spoke, "I remember, a long time ago, I seem to have tasted this tea.
It was in a place called Linyun City on the Northern Continent.
Isn't it curious that there was also a small family there with the Ji surname, just like yours? I heard that this family descended from Emperor Feiyu, only to have fallen from grace."
Xu Zimei clicked his tongue, his tone full of regret.
However, Ji Baiyu beside him changed complexion dramatically, staring tensely at Xu Zimei, her body trembling slightly.
Her face turned somewhat pale as she forced a smile and said, "What are you trying to say, Your Highness?"
"Nothing much, I just find it quite a coincidence. I heard that a few decades ago, that family was suddenly exterminated; the entire family, hundreds of them, all died in battle," Xu Zimei spoke with regret, "Later, there were rumors that the daughter of the Ji Family Head, bearing the legacy of the past Emperor Feiyu, managed to escape.
How can there be such coincidences in this world? That girl who escaped was also named Ji Baiyu, it seems."
As the words left Xu Zimei's mouth, Ji Baiyu's complexion instantaneously shifted dramatically.
"Thump, thump, thump," four Vein Gates on her body burst open, the overwhelming power of the Empty Vein Realm erupted, and her Spiritual Energy encircled her like a flying dragon.
"What's the matter? It's just a story; is there any need to be so nervous?" Xu Zimei asked with a calm smile.
"Who exactly are you?" Ji Baiyu's voice trembled as she stared fixedly at Xu Zimei.
"My father is the Deputy Sect Master of True Martial Holy Sect, so in a sense, I suppose you could consider me a 'second-generation official'," Xu Zimei replied with a light smile.
"True Martial Holy Sect?" Suddenly, an ancient voice sounded from behind Xu Zimei.
Suddenly, an old man dressed in a black robe appeared silently behind Xu Zimei.
"Young man, what are you here for?" After some contemplation, the old man then looked at Xu Zimei, gradually increasing the pressure surrounding him.
"I didn't expect you to still be alive," Xu Zimei looked at the old man, seemingly unaffected by the increasing pressure of the old man's aura.