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墨書 Inktalez
Walking down the street, I was surrounded by a bustling crowd, a stark contrast to the quiet of the palace. The throngs of people swayed me back and forth, but after spending so much time in the deep confines of the inner court, I felt a surge of joy at seeing so many faces.
The Yuan dynasty poet Hu Yong once wrote in "Butterfly; A Poem on the Scenery of Jinling": "In a place where people are dense and goods are abundant, it is truly a land of transformation."
Indeed, it was not an exaggeration to describe this scene with those words.
The streets were alive with vibrant lights and the sounds of chatter. I could hardly imagine how significant "Jun Jin" had become in the eyes of the world. Everywhere I went, people were discussing the upcoming Fashion Show. Honestly, I was excited myself because I wanted to see Jun Jin reach new heights. Although Jun Jin's clothing and fabric industry was already unparalleled, I still wished to see it grow even stronger. To the world, I was merely a behind-the-scenes boss and planner. My identity made it difficult for me to show my face, and as Xie Weiying, having entered the palace as a consort, I naturally had no time to manage things personally; I lacked the ability to be in two places at once.
However, these practical reasons kept me hidden from public view and became an excuse that circulated among the common folk. My mystery stemmed from this. In the eyes of the world, Jin Shao had become a legendary figure, which left me feeling helpless. In truth, I was in a state of confusion myself; part of me hoped Brother Sima would recognize me. Although he might resent me for deceiving him, on an emotional level, I was reluctant for him to discover my identity. Just think about it—spending my life in the harem competing with a group of duplicitous women for a man who would never truly belong to me? Was that what I wanted? Whether as Xie Weiying or An Jin, I longed to live in a broader world.
As I walked along, contemplating whether my recent unusual behavior and actions were worth it, suddenly the crowd around me erupted with excitement as they rushed in one direction. The surge nearly knocked me off my feet; fortunately, Xiao Quanzi was by my side and quickly steadied me. Surprised, I grabbed a passerby and asked, "Excuse me, what’s happening up ahead?"
He looked at me incredulously and replied, "You don’t know? Tonight, Jin Shao from Jun Jin Villa is coming to Changmo Tower! Everyone is eager to catch a glimpse of him." Without waiting for further questions, he disappeared into the crowd.
Jin Shao is visiting Changmo Tower!? While it sounded intriguing, how could this young master possibly be at Changmo Tower tonight?! It was strange—Changmo Tower was as prestigious as Jiankang and Spring Garden, favored by nobles and dignitaries. It had become a symbol of wealth and status over time. However, there was a slight difference: one was a high-class brothel known for its women, while the other was a restaurant famous for its exquisite dishes. Friend Gathering Pavilion was similar but less pretentious than Changmo Tower; it welcomed all without discrimination and had an elegant layout unlike those two places that were all about flaunting wealth.
I was astonished by this unexpected appearance of a fake Jin Shao when I noticed Xiao Quanzi beside me happily licking on a candied hawthorn while looking eagerly at the crowd. His curiosity had been piqued as well. Since there was still time before the Fashion Show and nowhere else to pass the time, why not check out this impostor Jin Shao?
I have always been someone who acts on my thoughts without hesitation; soon enough, I pulled Xiao Quanzi along toward Changmo Tower. Brother Sima used to take me and Sister Dan Yi there for drinks often; however, after several visits filled with insincere people, I preferred our first meeting place—Friend Gathering Pavilion. Its lavish decor and grand atmosphere rivaled that of Friend Gathering Pavilion but came with exorbitant prices that made one gasp. Luckily, having prepared beforehand during these few days out meant that I wouldn’t miss out on seeing this fake Jin Shao due to financial constraints.
Upon arrival at Changmo Tower, I dragged Xiao Quanzi—who had never seen such sights before—upstairs to the VIP floor where I assumed this fake Jin Shao would be! The area outside was packed with people who had come from who knows where upon hearing about Wind Sound; Xiao Quanzi and I struggled through the throng just to get inside. Most of these people were commoners who couldn’t afford entry into Changmo Tower and could only wait outside. This scene reminded me of modern-day superstar appearances surrounded by frenzied fans.
I understood their gratitude for wanting to see Jin Shao. Over these years, Jun Jin had earned considerable wealth; surely no one expected me to hoard all that gold alone! Since it was still in its early stages, our poverty relief fund wasn’t fully developed yet; however, Little Seven mentioned that it had already helped many impoverished families—those down on their luck must have benefited from Jun Jin’s generosity.
I clenched my fists silently; I would never forgive that person who deceived others' gratitude!
Seeing my suddenly cold expression, Xiao Quanzi asked worriedly, "Young Master, are you alright? Are you feeling unwell?"
Looking at his concerned face and innocent gaze relaxed me somewhat. I smiled gently at him and said, "I'm fine; let’s go upstairs quickly—I’m hungry."
"Oh! In that case," he brightened up immediately. "Let’s hurry up!"
"Mm."
As I went upstairs, I found that half of the VIP seats had already been taken by him. What annoyed me was that he seemed to be intentionally drawing attention to himself. Why else would he choose this spot when there were so many exquisite private rooms on the third floor? I settled into a discreet corner, only to realize that several Noble Young Masters were already chatting with him, grinning widely. These Noble Young Masters usually held themselves in high regard, looking down on others; today, however, they were all bending over backward to please him.
After muttering a few curses under my breath to vent my frustration, I finally looked up and calmly assessed this so-called impersonator.
From a distance, I could see him dressed in a luxurious blue outfit, which was overly extravagant—especially since it was a new design I had just created this season! The garment featured a few bamboo patterns embroidered in black thread by the finest embroiderer, instantly elevating its status. To my surprise, this counterfeit seemed to have an eye for quality.
On either side of him stood two burly men—calling them strong was an understatement. They towered over the Noble Young Master by at least a head! One had chestnut-colored hair and the other golden hair; the one with chestnut hair even sported a scruffy beard. Their attire bore hints of ethnic and exotic styles, making them look nothing like people from Central Plains or Jin; they resembled foreigners, perhaps akin to Persians or descendants of Arabs? I mused. Good grief, I was being impersonated by foreigners! Damn it!
While they chatted freely without a care in the world, Xiao Quanzi and I diligently ordered food to fill our stomachs and took a moment to relax. I gestured for Xiao Quanzi to stay put while I stood up and walked over confidently. With a swift motion, I snapped open my fan—a pose I had practiced countless times in front of a golden mirror in the Curved Pavilion to perfect its elegance. Sure enough, when they saw my poised demeanor, they all turned to me and asked, "Young Master, is there something you need?"
I leaned closer to the impersonator and smiled politely. "May I ask if any of you gentlemen know XXX Person?" I fabricated casually.
Everyone shook their heads in unison. Acting as if I hadn't seen the impersonator at all, I feigned surprise and covered my mouth with the fan before bowing respectfully. "My apologies for the intrusion." Then I casually brushed past the impersonator.
Hehe. I chuckled inwardly; I had prepared quite the surprise for him.
Returning to my seat without a hitch, I waved for the waiter to bring me the bill—damn it, it cost me fifty taels of silver!
"Let's go," Xiao Quanzi said respectfully as he followed behind me.
The Nineteenth Layer of Hell's Itch Poison. After being poisoned by this substance, one would feel fine for half an hour but then experience an unbearable itch that would make them wish they could descend into the depths of hell again just to escape it. To think that my latest concoction would become this unfortunate impersonator's first test subject!
Just as we descended the stairs and took a few steps outside, a towering figure blocked my path. Reluctantly looking up, I saw that cool Golden Retriever again. He coldly stated, "My master's jade pendant is missing; I'd like to invite you upstairs for a discussion."
I was about to curse at him when instinctively my hand reached into my pocket. A chill ran through me as my heart sank—when did he slip the jade pendant into my pocket? Regret washed over me; what I had thought was an exquisite design now felt like a burden—I wished fervently that I had no pockets at all! Clearly, I had underestimated him; he must have taken advantage of the moment when I was distracted by poisoning him. How careless of me.
I grabbed Xiao Quanzi who was about to confront him and coldly told the Golden Retriever, "Lead the way."
Silently, I followed him upstairs. Upon arrival, I noticed that the group of Noble Young Masters who had been surrounding us earlier had somehow retreated to a corner. I tossed the jade pendant from my pocket to him and said, "Speak. What do you want?"
Xiao Quanzi stood beside me, his eyes wide with surprise at the sudden appearance of the jade pendant on my person.
It was only then that I took a serious look at this impostor. He had a head full of messy hair (I would never admit it, but it gave off a modern dyed vibe), and his flirtatious Fox Eyes were now fixed on me with interest. I didn't want to acknowledge that my outfit seemed almost tailored for him; he wore it with an air of nobility that made it no wonder no one questioned his claim of being Jin Shao. However, what puzzled me was the sapphire blue color of his irises. He was indeed not from Jin State.
With a playful expression, he flashed me a sly smile and said, "I merely wish to invite you for a chat, young master. Why must you keep your distance?"
I glanced at the Golden Retriever following closely behind us to prevent our escape, curled my lip in disdain, and coldly replied, "Your method of hospitality is something I cannot afford. If you have nothing else, I shall take my leave."
"Is that so? I invite you up for a discussion; why pretend otherwise?" he countered.
I remained composed and asked, "What is it that you wish to discuss?"
He lounged casually in his seat, his gaze sparkling as it bore into me. I instinctively turned my head away. We maintained this silent standoff for quite some time until one of the departing Noble Young Masters came to bid him farewell—more importantly, he called him Jin Shao.
I shot him a contemptuous glance and sneered, "Are you certain you are Jin Shao?"
"What do you mean by that?" He suddenly turned to look at me, his eyes sharp like an eagle's.
I shrugged nonchalantly. "Just making conversation. Here, this is the antidote you wanted; take it for two consecutive days to recover." I knew putting on an act in front of him was futile; a gentleman takes his time for revenge. I had plenty of days ahead with him!
As I turned to leave, unexpectedly, the blond-haired man extended his arm to block my path. Unable to use my skills in this situation, I had no choice but to endure it and turned back to ask, "What do you want?!"
"What do I want?!" He smiled playfully and said, "Don't you know the consequences of offending Jin Shao can be quite severe?"
Just as I was about to unleash a torrent of insults at him for his shamelessness, a familiar male voice rang out from behind me, "That young master asks if you truly are Jin Shao?"
The impostor suddenly appeared enlightened and exclaimed, "I thought someone important had arrived; turns out it's the Vermilion Bird King under Jin Shao—the steward."
Vermilion Bird King?! I turned around to find Little Seven standing there. However, given my disguise, he likely wouldn't recognize me. Coughing lightly, I reminded myself that I was impersonating another man entirely.
"I am not worthy of such praise. My Young Master has always been reluctant to meet strangers, as everyone in the martial world knows. I just heard that someone saw my Young Master in Changmo Tower, and out of curiosity, I came to see for myself, only to find it was you." As he spoke, he dramatically patted his chest, as if genuinely startled. "You really did scare me."
Suddenly, the Vermilion Bird King’s eyes turned cold. "You certainly have the audacity to impersonate him. Unfortunately, you are not the Young Master."
"You—" The imposter suddenly grew furious but quickly regained his usual composure. "I won't hold this against you today. Full Power, Sakong, we’re leaving." With that, he jumped out the window and vanished swiftly.
I couldn't tell if it was just my imagination, but as he left, I thought I heard him gritting his teeth and muttering, "Jin Shao, again Jin Shao. I'm not playing with you!" I was certain I had never offended this person; at least not in my memory. Moreover, I didn’t recognize him. His appearance was quite distinctive; anyone who had seen him would remember.
It was only then that those present realized that the person was not Jin Shao.
Mai Qi glanced at me with indifference when he saw no one was pursuing the imposter and then turned to leave.
I watched him go, feeling a pang of guilt. Not only had I deceived him, but I had also left him to face so many alone. Silently watching him depart, I finally followed Xiao Quanzi downstairs to leave for the Fashion Show venue. By the time we reached downstairs, there were no longer any onlookers; Little Seven must have sent them away before going up. Little Seven truly lived up to being my Vermilion Bird King.
Although I had previously said I wouldn’t attend the Fashion Show, I still managed to get a few VIP tickets from him, which finally came in handy.
Experiencing its success and beauty as an outsider was something I looked forward to.
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