Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

Since the ancient times, the Chinese people’s method of atoning themselves have always tended to be treating the guest to dinner, entertainment, or recreation, of course, Gentleman Guan is also of no exception. Ying Lu says Gentleman Guan has arranged to meet her at ‘Zhen Wei Court’ tomorrow, a little banquet, in apology.

Hearing this, I feel rather pleased, from the sounds of it, Gentleman Guan is quite the sincere man. But what is sincerity? It is a plaything that cannot be seen, nor touched, whether someone’s heart holds true sincerity or not, it cannot been seen through layers of soft meat and skin.

In this day and age, we are all best-off learning to treat sincerity as the flower in the mirror, the moon in the water, just don’t hold too much of an expectation.

I deeply understand this is Gentleman Guan’s tactic to win over Ying Lu, but what I don’t understand is, why he would come to find me that next morning? I sit in the room where servants can meet their guests, feeling very confused, really, in particularly confused.

“Ah-Lan?” Gentleman Guan’s smile is rather pleasantly amiable, “I remember Young Lady Meng calling you this that day, right?”

I stiffly nod, “Ah.”

“Ah-Lan.” Gentleman Guan’s eyes vaguely flashes an apologetic look, “Regarding the matter from the day before, I have caused great offense, I truly am……extremely ashamed.”

Deep inside, I shrug my shoulders, turns out my memory had been muddled up, that day, it was me who got hit by him, and not him that got hit by me, if not, why would it suddenly become a situation of him apologising to me? In this world, the facts are turned upside down, the truth is reversed.

Gentleman Guan then laments: “Blame me for being overly hasty that day, reaching a conclusion without figuring out the situation yet, leading to the inappropriate and rude behaviour towards Young Lady Meng, I truly am an embarrassment of a scholar, an embarrassment of a scholar ah.”

I blankly look at him without saying a word, not speaking up to accept his apology nor do I smile at ease, only leaving him alone to stiffly smile. I presume he is tired of smiling now, finally letting his smile fade, pretending to speak unintentionally: “Ah-Lan, you will be coming with Young Lady Meng too, right?”

I indifferently say: “En.”

Gentleman Guan is not at all affected, “That means you are also willing to accept my apology?”

My tone is as flat as a straight line, “En.”

“That is great then.” Gentleman Guan spreads a smile, that considerably good-looking face brimming with a smile, “Then, can I inquire something from you?”

My line of sight slides down to the table top, lowering my head to nonsensically observe the little lines on the surface of the table, “Oh.”

Gentleman Guan’s voice sounds completely free from fake intentions, only sincerity can be heard, “Tomorrow I shall be the one treating, so of course I need to attend to my guests’ likings. But towards Young Lady Meng, I know nothing, that will be too rude of me, thinking about it for a bit, Young Lady Meng and you are so close, you should be the one who knows her best, I hope you are able to help me with this favour.”

I extend my finger, sliding it across the surface of the table with disinterest, “What do you want to ask?”

Gentleman Guan immediately asks: “In fact, I’d just like to know what dishes Young Lady Meng usually likes to eat, tomorrow I will tell the cook to carefully prepare it. Oh, of course, what Ah-Lan likes to eat should also be included.”

Aiyo~ feeding me is but a free ride on Ying Lu’s car.

I halt my action upon hearing this, slowly raising my head, “You’re asking, what dishes Young Lady usually likes to eat?”

Gentleman Guan nods, “That’s right.”

I suddenly smile at him, in particularly sincerely, “What a coincidence, I just happen to know very well.”

I act distinctly different from the indifference before, passionately starting to speak, “Our young lady usually loves to eat spicy food the most, simply no spiciness, no happiness.”

Gentleman Guan seriously listens, “En, what else?”

“Our young lady loves to eat meat the most, vegetable ah, beans ah, she doesn’t like to touch at all, you must definitely not make those dishes.”

“Alright, what else?”

“Oh right, our young lady only eats lean meat, one look at fatty meat will make her absolutely disgusted.”

“That’s fine, I got it, what else?”

“Also, also.” I try hard to rotate my dull looking eyes, trying to show how bright I am, “Mm, also, also, also our young lady hates hates hates hates hates longjing tea the most, you must definitely, definitely definitely not bring out that stuff!” I repeatedly stress, my eyes restless.

Gentleman Guan’s eyes suddenly flashes, half lowering his eyes as he smilingly asks, “En, what you said just now are all what Young Lady Meng likes, right?”

“Yes, of course it is! As long as you listen to me, there will be no wrong!” Having said that, I even finish with a heavy nod at him.

Gentleman Guan’s face instantly brightens up, “Indeed, Ah-Lan is the one who knows Young Lady Meng the best.”

I give a simple and honest smile, “Of course, you absolutely mustn’t remember wrong.”

Gentleman Guan looks at me meaningfully, “Ah-Lan can rest a hundred hearts assure, I will definitely not remember ‘wrong’.”

I also deliberately half squint my eyes at him, “It will naturally be best if Gentleman does not remember wrong.”

Gentleman Guan’s smile becomes even more meaningful, whilst my smile becomes even more, even more meaningful.

When what’s true is false, what’s false is the true, when what’s false is true, what’s true is false.

Gentleman Guan, I believe this meal will definitely be extremely……

Fun.

Ying Lu and I leave the estate when it was nearing lunchtime, we both sit together in the slowly swaying sedan, Ying Lu would occasionally raise the little curtain to look outside, and I dutifully hold the green bean cake, focused and monotonically repeating the action of chewing.

Ying Lu rolls her eyes at me, “Ah-Lan, I’ve found that you really are a good eater.”

I stick out my tongue to lick the cake crumbs from the side of my lips, “My mother said, eating well is a blessing.

“I’ve also found that you are always like ‘my mother said, my mother said’, truly foolish to death.” Ying Lu leans in towards me and says that in ridicule, “Ah-Lan, what kind of a person was your mother?”

I furrow my brows, after a moment of thinking, I say: “Forgot.”

Ying Lu raises her brows: “What?”

“Forgot.” I eat the last piece of the cake, “Young Lady, are you really not eating any?”

Ying Lu very weakly leans back against the wall, “Still eating, eat more and you’ll even forget who you are, I don’t wish to be unable to recognise who Brother and Little Uncle is in future.”

I lower my head, blinking my eyes that were brimming with laughter, not eating, don’t you have no energy to throw up later.

When we arrive at Zhen Wei Court, Gentleman Guan is waiting at the doors, upon seeing us, he immediately welcomes, speaking with a friendly smile: “Young Lady Meng, you’re here.”

Ying Lu slightly coldly says: “En.”

Gentleman Guan remains very respectful, “Please follow me, Manager Cui has also just arrive.” He allows us to walk in first, in an extremely gentlemanly manner, but then knocks into me with one moment of carelessness.

“Ah, apologies, apologies.” Gentleman Guan hurriedly apologises to me. I sound an “oh” sound and then quietly follow after Ying Lu, passing by the ordinary private rooms that were slightly noisy, and finally enter an exquisitely elegant private room. Inside the private room, Manager Cui has his back facing us as he admires the ink painting on the wall, upon hearing the sound of the doors opening, he turns around, smiling at Ying Lu: “Young Lady Meng, you’re here.”

Ying Lu returns the smile, saying: “En, Manager Cui has waited for long.”

Manager Cui warmly say: “I too, have arrived not so long ago. Many thanks to Young Lady Meng for willing to accept this meal today, giving Guan Yue an opportunity to atone himself.”

Gentleman Guan looks at Ying Lu guiltily upon hearing this, “Young Lady Meng, I am truly sorry for my past deed, I shall hereby atone for my wrongdoing.”

Hearing these words, Ying Lu also speaks in a kind manner: “Since it has already passed, no need to mention it.”

“Yes yes yes, Young Lady Meng’s words are correct.” Manager Cui hurriedly interjects, “Young Lady Meng, please take a seat.”

Once the three of them were seated, tacitly forming an equilateral triangle, Gentleman Guan smiles at Ying Lu, lightly clapping his hands, and says to the youngster waiting at the side: “Serve the dishes.”

I see his face smiling with certainty, and cannot help but feel a great amount of interest in my chest. I meet his eyes without any avoidance, then suddenly wickedly smile at him, a second later, immediately restoring my emotionless face.

Gentleman Guan’s face was evidently taken aback for a moment, but very quickly disdain and contempt is revealed in his eyes, the corners of his lips hooking up into a sneer, but when his eyes sweeps past me and lands onto Ying Lu, it is once again filled with utmost sincerity, “I have told the cook to make some famous dishes today, just that I’m not sure if it will match Young Lady – your taste.”

Ying Lu’s smile is a little formal, “En, alright.”

Gentleman Guan does not mind Ying Lu’s coldness, taking the initiative to find a topic of conversation to pump up the atmosphere, Manager Cui also follows his words to get Ying Lu to converse with them, truly what we call a peacekeeper. And I stand at the side watching these few people’s interaction, deep down, secretly anticipating the ‘deliciousness’ that is immediately about to be served up.

The dishes are gradually placed on the table, I carefully take a look at those dishes, only seeing the big and small plates on the table filled with ‘plain and pleasant looking’ food. Boiled white cabbage, steamed tofu, fatty meat with bean sprouts, stir fried lettuce and garlic……

I deeply smile from the bottom of my heart, Gentleman Guan, you have indeed not left me disappointed.

Ying Lu’s face transitions from not minding when the first dish is served, to half her face turning dark when all dishes were out, “Gentleman Guan, this is……a vegetable feast? This is what you specially asked Zhen Wei Court to prepare for me?”

Manager Cui’s expression also looks a little unnatural, he freezes for a long while before facing Gentleman Guan, “Guan Yue, this……”

Only then, does Gentleman Guan realise something isn’t right, turning to Ying Lu, he asks: “I, this, Young Lady Meng, aren’t these the dishes you like to eat most?”

Ying Lu furrows her brows in displeasure, then after taking a look at that plate of white and glossy fat meat and beansprouts, she once again smiles very brightly, just that her voice sounds a little like she is gnashing her teeth, “Gentleman Guan is right, of course I love these dishes the most. Not only do I love them, I simply cannot live without them!”

Gentleman Guan is surprised by the sarcasm in her words, then raises his head to face me, “You……”

I ignore his look of sudden realisation, continuing to play my part as the statue-like maid. The look in Gentleman Guan’s eyes is already so sharp it could cut of a line of branches, his eyes filled with fury, yet his lips are still dryly smiling as he says: “Young Lady Meng may not know, us people, should pay more attention to taking care of our health, as for taking care of our health, of course we must deal with vegetables a lot more, hoho, hoho.”

Manager Cui also goes with the flow, saying: “Guan Yue’s words are correct, words are correct, health is most important ah, vegetables are good, let us eat more.”

Ying Lu’s smile doesn’t reach her eyes, “En, that is correct, next time when Brother treats people to a meal, he should also prepare a table of vegetables, let people eat their fill, and take great care of their health.” She casually picks up the teacup and takes a sip of the tea, but once it enters her mouth, her expression turns strange, finally struggling to swallow it down, the smile on her face turning even colder, “Sure enough, these really are, all, my, fa-, -vou-, -rites!”

Both Gentleman Guan and Manager Cui’s face is overcome with awkwardness, but could only put on a smile. Meanwhile I watch the entire scene with extreme joy, Gentleman Guan, I said Ying Lu loves to eat spicy food, loves meat, doesn’t like vegetables, hates longjing tea, but why did you do the complete opposite?

One can see from this, that measuring the stature of an honest person with one’s own narrow-mindedness, is an act of stupidity.

As I stand here with no expression on my face, whilst taking pleasure in other people’s misfortune, I raise my head to be met with Gentleman Guan’s slightly strange look and smile. I sensitively become aware that something isn’t right, but clearly this awareness hit me too late.

I don’t know why several people, that appears to have a lot of authority, would suddenly charge into the room, don’t know why those several people would point at me calling me an associate of a thief, even more so, I don’t know why a piece of highly valued ruby could suddenly be found on me.

I look at the Gentleman Guan that is continuously persuading Ying Lu to hold back, suddenly recalling that moment Gentleman Guan bumped into me when we were walking up the stairs, then recall that strange smile of his.

Guan Yue is a petty person, this is not wrong.

The owner of the ruby, just happens to be Lord Yin of the Ministry of Punishments, famous for having explosive temper and violent behaviour, they say that one time one careless slap had sent a thief to his death, and today, I am the thief that has stolen something of his.

I get tied up by those several underlings that are adept in martial arts, under Gentleman Guan and Manager Cui and Lord Yin’s persuasion, they did not use violence on me, in this chaotic moment, Ying Lu was quite grateful to him, “Gentleman Guan, this is definitely a misunderstanding, how could Ah-Lan possibly be an associate of a thief, tell him it’s not Ah-Lan!”

He gently comforts Ying Lu, “Young Lady Meng, don’t be afraid, I will think of something.”

When I was taken away, Ying Lu anxiously tears up, whilst Gentleman Guan comfortingly stays by her side like a nice mister, occasionally giving me a wicked smile. In this moment, I suddenly find it too funny, and here I thought he isn’t actually that petty, but who knew he is pettier than anyone else, I see that from the very start of this battle, he had intended to scheme against me, regardless of whether the whole vegetable incident happened or not?

Whoever said this is correct, this world is indeed one ring linked with another, very dangerous to say the least.

I have never thought, there will come a day I will enter the prison of the Ministry of Punishment, but today, I have really entered it. Those several people that brought me in did not do anything to me, only bringing me into an obscure little cell, before disappearing without a trace. I carefully think over it, the conclusion I reach, is that Gentleman Guan has thoroughly planned it all out this time, his goal to become a hero in Ying Lu’s eyes, and I am the tool that brings about the birth of this hero.

I reach up to lift a lock of my own hair to play with, my thoughts going back to the scene I encountered when I arrived just now. Several officers walked past my side, cursing under their breath, “Seriously, how did they all die in one night, how are we supposed to report back to the higher ups?!”

“It’s not like it’s your first time seeing an assassin, are they not all like that, if they don’t achieve their kill, then they kill themselves, either way, there is no one alive to dig information from. The usual ones in the past were all like that, nevermind these few that dared to sneak into the palace.”

He said, ‘dared to sneak into the palace’. I frown, which means those assassins came out of the palace? Did I miss out on something whilst I was out here?

I lean against the ice-cold wall in utter boredom, thinking to myself that this prison cell isn’t actually as horrific as people outside say it is, at least the cockroaches and rats are all asleep during the day, not coming out to roam around. On my left and right are empty cells, eh, this prison, sure is lifeless. And here I am coldly abandoned here, the light from outside gradually fades, I drift off into sleep against the wall, still faintly conscious, I question, why am I not given a blanket, it wouldn’t be good it I catch a cold now.

From thereon, my consciousness blurs, I seem to see that room filled with white, that room filled with medicine bottles, that room filled with the scent of medicinal alcohol. I reach out wanting to smash all those medicine bottles, but find that my hand would only pass through them, unable to touch.

I think this is indeed a dream, I am no longer An Ran. I am An Ke Lan, Yun Mi Kingdom’s fifth princess, An Ke Lan.

Unsure of when the ice-cold wall had been replaced with a warm chest, I instinctively want to reach out and push it away, but upon smelling that familiar clean scent, my actions comes to a halt, that person’s action is gentle but doesn’t allow for resistance as my head is brought close to his chest, I habitually reach out and tightly clench the clothing at his chest, continuing to relax and sleep, feeling at ease.

Yuwen Rui, you’re here.