NOVPUB
Chapter 104: Chapter 104: Please Invite Miss Zhan to Join Me for a Play and Drinks!
Qin Shuang looked at the excited and yearning expression on Zhan Xuerou’s face and could only help her upstairs.
"Rou’er, slow down a bit."
"Mother, don’t worry, I’m much better now!"
One by one, they went upstairs, where the Shopkeeper had already arranged for the dishes to be served.
Zhan Xuerou, panting for breath, reached the fifth floor.
When she saw that the entire fifth floor was reserved by Zhan Beicang just for her birthday celebration, her blood surged with excitement.
This was the life a legitimate daughter of the Zhan Family should be enjoying.
Unlike the Zhan Family who disliked opulence, she adored it immensely.
On the fifth floor’s stage, the performers were already made up backstage, ready to perform.
Zhan Xuerou was thrilled; she had long heard of the famed theatrical star Little White Dove, and today she was here specifically for him.
In a moment, she would be able to hear Little White Dove sing just for her!
Looking over all of Ding’an City, which lady of nobility could enjoy such treatment!
...
On the other side, the sedan carrying Zhan Lan came to a stop, and she stepped out to be led into a courtyard.
Someone pulled off the blindfold from Zhan Lan’s eyes.
Zhan Lan shielded her eyes from the suddenly bright light, and what met her gaze was a garden-style courtyard.
The furnishings of the courtyard were extremely exquisite.
The brightly lit courtyard, with its flowerbeds, rockeries, pavilions, and towers, offered a beautiful view at every turn.
The owner of the courtyard seemed to be a person who led an opulent yet tasteful lifestyle.
"Please, Miss, the owner is waiting for you at the top floor!" the voice of the man in black remained ice-cold, betraying no emotion.
Zhan Lan followed him, bypassing the garden to arrive in front of a tall building.
Identifying the six-story building instantly, she realized it was Wangjiang Building.
However, this did not look like the main entrance to Wangjiang Building, more like a back door.
What kind of family could have direct access to Wangjiang Building?
The six-story building was no challenge for a martial artist like her, and soon Zhan Lan easily reached the top floor.
Zhan Lan had never been to the sixth floor of Wangjiang Building.
Because it had never been open to the public.
Thus, her confusion deepened; the person who was using Chu Yin to blackmail her was surely not after money.
"Go inside first, our master will arrive shortly!" said the man in black, expressionless as ever.
Zhan Lan didn’t reply but rather walked into the room.
The interior was incredibly luxurious, easily ten times the size of her own room.
Walking on the soft carpet, Zhan Lan inadvertently pushed open another door and was greeted by an observation terrace large enough to accommodate a hundred people.
Stepping onto the terrace, she looked out to see the brightly lit Ding’an City laid out before her.
The entire imperial city, Wangjiang River, and distant mountains came into view, and as she looked up, she saw the vast sky full of stars within reach.
A breeze wafted by, and Zhan Lan immediately felt her spirits lift, overlooking the townsfolk below, each busy with their activities.
Enjoying the riverside nightlife.
"You’re here!"
Suddenly, Zhan Lan heard a familiar voice.
It carried a nonchalant indifference, yet also an authority that made people wary.
Zhan Lan glanced back and saw Mu Yan wearing a long robe with purple patterns.
With a jade crown on his head, under the flickering candlelight, his handsome face was illuminated as if he were an exiled immortal from the heavens.
Under the night sky, Mu Yan watched the breeze lift Zhan Lan’s hair, her red dress fluttering with the wind, her beautiful eyes misted over, a touch of surprise on her face as her red lips parted slightly, as if she were inviting him over.
He looked awkwardly up at the bright moon and said, "You’re quite bold, woman, to just come along with someone like that!"
Zhan Lan curled the corners of her mouth. She hadn’t come willingly. She feared that if she hadn’t come, Mu Yan’s men would have knocked her out and tied her up.
They all looked like fierce and malevolent gods. 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝒑𝙪𝒃.𝒄𝒐𝙢
She smiled slightly and looked at Mu Yan, "I wonder why Lord Mu has asked me to come here?"
Mu Yan stepped closer, his hand lightly resting on the railing, "You owe me two favors now, it’s not too much to ask for you to come, is it?"
Zhan Lan thought about the note Chu Yin had written before coming here.
She straightened the stray hairs blown by the wind and said, "So Lord Mu saved Chu Yin. In that case, I indeed owe Lord Mu two favors."
Mu Yan nodded with a touch of arrogance, "Then we should take our time to consider how to repay them. After all, last time Miss Zhan wouldn’t even apply medicine for me, and now there’s still a scar on my back!"
His tone was slightly reproachful, and Zhan Lan actually heard another implication in his words.
"Men bear scars from the battlefield as a mark of honor in my eyes," Zhan Lan said with a smile.
A flicker of surprise crossed Mu Yan’s eyes, followed by a light chuckle, "You clever girl, say more if you can."
Zhan Lan smiled silently, gazing out at the scenery outside Wangjiang Building, lost in thought.
After a moment, she looked at Mu Yan and said, "Lord Mu didn’t find me today just to enjoy the view, did he?"
Mu Yan raised an eyebrow, "This Seal Keeper is utterly bored, it’s very dull to watch the scenery alone, so I asked Miss Zhan to join me for a drama and drinks!"
Zhan Lan tilted her head and looked at him; this man was strange, their relationship wasn’t so good that they should be watching dramas and drinking together.
"What’s the matter? Miss Zhan is unwilling?" Mu Yan’s expression turned slightly cold.
Zhan Lan quickly waved her hands, "How could that be? It’s an honor to be invited by the Seal Keeper for drinks and drama."
She was not the type to be ungrateful, and Mu Yan didn’t seem like the type who would invite just anyone to watch dramas and drink.
Hearing Zhan Lan’s words, the corners of Mu Yan’s lips lightly curled up.
Servants came in and out, and soon a table full of dishes was served.
The fragrance of the dishes wafted over, and Zhan Lan swallowed involuntarily.
She was filled with annoyance from her encounter with Zhan Beicang earlier and hadn’t eaten lunch; now she realized she was ravenous.
"Miss Zhan, please sit!" Mu Yan’s voice softened a bit, but his face wore a customary aloofness.
Zhan Lan sat across from Mu Yan, quickly scanning the delicious dishes on the table – Buddha Jumps Wall, Braised Shark’s Fin, Braised Deer Tendon, Stir-fried Phoenix Tongue, Stuffed Pork, Cherry Meat, Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix, braised duck, Chicken Jump...
Each dish was of a quality fit for a palace banquet, and for a moment, Zhan Lan didn’t know where to start.
Her gaze landed on a bottle of wine on the table, and her pupils dilated with astonishment. The wine before her was none other than Lidu Wine, which she had longed for in her previous life.
Unfortunately, Lidu Wine was only found within the court of Eastern Wei, and even when she was the empress, she had only tasted it once during a state banquet.
Such fine wine, where did Mu Yan find it!
Mu Yan seemed quite pleased with Zhan Lan’s reaction.
He picked up his chopsticks and said, "Eat, the chef made too much, have some more."
Zhan Lan had always carried a silver needle with her, having learned her lesson in her past life, she no longer trusted anyone easily.
Even though Mu Yan had helped her, she couldn’t fully trust or confide in him.
But, she couldn’t test for poison in front of Mu Yan, so she made a quick decision.
Suddenly pointing to the sky, she exclaimed excitedly, "A shooting star!"
The moment Mu Yan looked up, she swallowed the antidote pill Alchemist Qi had given her.
One must always be wary, she couldn’t afford to make another mistake.
...
