Chapter 54: Liufei Yan (2)

"Make him stand aside; I haven’t finished questioning him yet!" Ye Lanyu declared bluntly, her words both shocking and somehow expected.

"Miss Lanyu, Lord Ye also instructed you to wait a moment. They are just as eager as you to find out what’s going on," the guard added.

"I don’t care about your orders..." Ye Lanyu still refused, for in her heart, Ye Lang was the most important, and everyone else could stand aside.

"Ye Lanyu, just listen with everyone else. We all want to know, and a few more moments won’t make a difference," the Seventh Princess frowned, tugging on Ye Lanyu’s sleeve.

"Fine, together then! But hurry up!" With that, Ye Lanyu grabbed the young girl’s hand and dashed toward the emperor’s side. If not for her identity, she would surely have been stopped countless times along the way.

...

When Ye Lanyu and the others reached Ye Chengtian and the emperor, and the emperor directly inquired about the delicate young girl’s identity, and when she herself gave her name, all the men present were left dumbfounded, disbelief written across their faces.

How could this be? How could she be her? She didn’t resemble her in the least.

"You say you’re Liu Feiyan? Impossible, absolutely impossible!" the emperor and Ye Chengtian exclaimed in unison, echoing the sentiments of all the men present.

"Why is it impossible?" Ye Lanyu and the Seventh Princess asked, bewildered.

"Liu Feiyan is the star courtesan of Flower Moon Pavilion this year—a symbol of seductive charm, captivating most of the men in the capital. How could she be this demure young girl?" the emperor explained.

"That’s just rumor, isn’t it? None of you have actually seen her..."

"Who says we haven’t seen her, we..." Ye Chengtian began.

"Ahem!" The emperor coughed sharply, cutting him off.

"Father! (Your Majesty!) You all..." Ye Chengtian quickly corrected himself, "Well, we haven’t actually seen her, but the information is absolutely reliable. Just look at this Liu Feiyan—pure and innocent, not a hint of seduction. And she can’t be more than seventeen or eighteen. The Liu Feiyan we know must be at least twenty-five or twenty-six."

"Maybe it’s just a coincidence of names," someone suggested.

"No, I am indeed the enchanting Liu Feiyan you speak of. That’s simply how I present myself when performing at Flower Moon Pavilion for you men. Don’t you all prefer that sort of woman? And I’m not as old as twenty-five or twenty-six—actually, I’m younger than Thirteen. I just look older with makeup," Liu Feiyan replied with a soft laugh.

"Young lady, don’t try to fool us. If Liu Feiyan had this side to her, we would know. She’s trailed by admirers everywhere, and no teenage girl could exude such mature allure," the emperor and the others remained unconvinced.

"Flower Moon Pavilion is the grandest brothel in the capital—I grew up there. Do you think I wouldn’t have such a side? As for my appearance now, it’s because Thirteen said he didn’t like that look, so I cleaned myself up to accompany him..." Liu Feiyan pouted playfully, her words carrying an ambiguous undertone.

"What did you say?! My brother wanted you to accompany him? If you so much as touch him, I’ll kill you!" Ye Lanyu snapped. She could not accept her brother consorting with a courtesan.

Yet, the way she spoke, it was as if Ye Lang were a girl and Liu Feiyan the would-be predator.

"Miss Ye, don’t misunderstand. He only asked me to help him train Xiaoyan," Liu Feiyan replied, a complex emotion flickering in her eyes.

"Good. In the future, stay away from my brother!" Ye Lanyu showed no hint of sympathy or pity. To protect Ye Lang, she would hurt anyone without hesitation.

"How did you end up with him? Did he go to Flower Moon Pavilion again?" the Seventh Princess seized on the key point.

"Enough, isn’t this what you all want to know—where he’s been and what he’s done? As Her Highness guessed, after thirteen years, he did return to Flower Moon Pavilion. From over twenty days ago until three days ago, he was at my private residence with Xiaoyan," Liu Feiyan replied, a touch of emotion in her voice at the mention of thirteen years.

At that, Ye Lanyu and the Seventh Princess exchanged glances, a thought flashing through their minds—had she met him thirteen years ago?

But at this moment, neither dwelled on it. Perhaps they felt it was unimportant.

Meanwhile, the emperor and Ye Chengtian were thinking: No wonder we couldn’t find him—he went to Flower Moon Pavilion! That scoundrel, going there without even telling us—we could have gone together...

"Why did he take Zhen Xiaoyan to your place?" the others asked, unable to comprehend Ye Lang’s motives.

"To teach Xiaoyan the manners befitting a lady, to give her some poise. Before, her condition was simply tragic," Liu Feiyan smiled, recalling the situation with amusement.

The first time she saw Zhen Xiaoyan, she thought it impossible, but the outcome had surprised her.

"She did need to learn those things. But why did Ye Lang take her to Flower Moon Pavilion? Couldn’t anyone teach her? Why choose your place?" the Seventh Princess pressed.

"Many people could have done it, perhaps you as well. But to accomplish it in such a short time, only two places could manage: the palace, and the brothel. That’s what Thirteen said," Liu Feiyan replied with a smile.

At this, the emperor’s expression grew faintly awkward. That little rascal, equating the imperial palace with a brothel!

Yet there was truth in the words. Only those two unique places could swiftly cultivate a lady’s poise—or at least the outward semblance of it. And to do it so quickly, not just any palace or brothel would suffice.

If a brothel could transform this delicate girl into a symbol of seduction, then its effectiveness was clear. As for the palace—well, that was another matter altogether, far more complicated.

"If he knew the palace could do it too, why didn’t he come here? It’s not as if he couldn’t enter," the Seventh Princess asked, still unable to understand why Ye Lang chose the brothel over the palace.