Chapter 69
Book 7 Chap 2 – Guest from afar
Under everyone’s gaze, Li Yuan, who was dressed in grand robes and looks about 25 or 26 years old, stepped into the hall suavely under the accompaniment of Zhao Mu’s attendant.
Undeniably he is a very good looking man, fresh but with character. He has broad shoulders, slender waist, long legs, standing straight and tall with a long sword hanging from his waist, giving one the impression that he’s well versed in both scholarly pursuits and martial arts.
His eyes were alert and lively; obviously this is an intelligent person and not someone to be belittled.
Xiang Shaolong’s heart started pounding.
He has so many things to worry about that he’s not even sure himself.
The worst thing is that he may be able to tell from just one look that he is not the horse fanatic Dong Kuang, by then he can forget about leaving the Marquis residence alive.
Secondly is his relations.h.i.+p with Zhao Mu. If Li Yuan is the person sent by Chu’s Lord Chunshen to secretly liaise with Zhao Mu, then Zhao Mu will immediately realize the trap that Xiang Shaolong has set for him.
Besides, if Li Yuan knows that the Chu envoy still has not reached Handan, he’ll definitely guess that something happened along the way and this will arouse his and Zhao Mu’s suspicion.
Any one of these problems is enough to make their whole group perish.
Hai! How did someone like this end up appearing out of nowhere?
Li Yuan stepped into the hall, listening as Zhao Mu spoke to him and at the same time suavely acknowledging the guests seated on both sides with a slight smile.
Xiang Shaolong wished that Li Yuan would never finish his walk.
Ji Yanran is was alert and had long noticed that his expression seemed strange so she said with a smile, "Mister Dong! The State of Chu is really filled with talents. Not only has it produced a horse expert like you, there’s also the extraordinary Mister Li Yuan who is famed for his intellect and swordsmans.h.i.+p. His younger sister Li Yanyan is the latest beloved concubine of the King of Chu and I heard that she’s now pregnant. If she can bear a son, he will become the Crown Prince of Chu, so now everyone thinks that his future is limitless."
Xiang Shaolong understood that it’s because of the maids behind hindering them, she deliberately used such a method to drop hints on Li Yuan’s background. She went to Chu before arriving in Handan, so naturally she knows about the latest news from Chu.
But he felt that when she mentioned Li Yuan’s name, her expression looked a little unnatural.
When Li Yuan saw Ji Yanran, his eyes immediately brightened and he came to their table and politely greeting Xiang Shaolong, "How do you do, Mister Dong! We may both be from Chu, but I did not expect that we only have the chance to meet here in Handan, which is a thousand miles away."
Xiang Shaolong was slightly relieved that the most urgent problem is solved so he rose and returned the greeting.
Zhao Mu suddenly made a strange look at him, then looked at Li Yuan with a flash of murderous intent in his eyes.
Li Yuan was not too concerned about Xiang Shaolong as his gaze turned towards Ji Yanran, immediately filled with a captivating light as he said, "Miss Ji left without a word, giving me much grief."
He lowered his voice so that other than Zhao Mu and Xiang Shaolong, other guests still thought that he was making polite talk.
Another load was off Xiang Shaolong’s mind as he realized that this Li Yuan is actually hara.s.sing Ji Yanran and it seems that they were once together in Chu, otherwise Li Yuan would not have spoken with such jealousy. It seems that this Li Yuan is a born romantic, otherwise why would be run after her through mountains and lakes all the way from Chu. Once he thought of this, he feels troubled again. Ever since Zhao Ya betrayed him, he no longer has the blind faith he used to have towards women. This Li Yuan is an outstanding person and so pa.s.sionate about love, how would he know if he would be able to s.n.a.t.c.h Ji Yanran away from his hands. If this really turns out to be the case, the blow to him will be even harder than the one Zhao Ya gave him.
After Ji Yanran stole a peek at Xiang Shaolong, she replied with a smile, "Mister Li, you’re too harsh with your words, how can Yanran bear it."
Zhao Mu said with a smile, "So you two are old acquaintances, now that everyone is in Handan, why worry that there’ll be no time to catch up. Why don’t Mister Li join my table and enjoy the performances by the song and dance courtesans."
Li Yuan smiled suavely and after giving Ji Yanran a meaningful look, followed Zhao Mu and seated himself between Zhao Mu and Zhao Ya.
Ji Yanran seems to have been moved that Li Yuan ran after her all the way to Handan. She lowered her pretty face, her eyes looking lost.
Xiang Shaolong started feeling even more uncomfortable.
The music started, a group of over a hundred song and dance courtesans came to the middle of the hall and started singing and dancing with their colorful outfit flitting in the air, giving both auditory and sensory entertainment.
"Hey!"
Xiang Shaolong was slightly startled, only to see Ji Yanran looking at him deeply with the corner of her eyes, filled with her love and longing.
At this time the dancers have blocked the view from the direction of Li Yuan, Zhao Mu and Zhao Ya and everyone else were concentrating on enjoying the performance. The music also helped to cover their conversation so that others can’t hear them. It is indeed a good opportunity to talk secrets.
Xiang Shaolong revealed a slightly unnatural smile.
Ji Yanran rolled her eyes at him and said, "Can you not show me such a lack of confidence? You don’t know how much I’ve been missing you!"
Xiang Shaolong was secretly thinking that this is called ‘once bitten, twice shy’. He asked quietly, "Where are you staying?"
Ji Yanran quickly told him and added, "Don’t look for me, let me look for you. Lord Longyang has always suspected that there’s something going on between us so there’s still people watching me even here."
Xiang Shaolong knows that she is smart beyond others and has excellent ways of accomplis.h.i.+ng things so he’s not worried that she will slip up. He nodded his head in agreement.
Ji Yanran suddenly stopped talking and recollected herself.
Xiang Shaolong was alert and immediately pretended to be totally engrossed with the performance.
It turned out that the dancers have now gathered to the middle of the hall into a small circle inside a larger circle, curving and flexing their bodies into various attractive poses, so the line of sight between Xiang Shaolong and Zhao Mu is now unblocked.
Zhao Ya is obviously quite interested in Li Yuan, constantly trying to make him talk. Xiang Shaolong was secretly livid on seeing it but even he does not know why he still has such feelings of jealousy towards her.
Li Yuan conversed with her politely but most of the time he was looking at Ji Yanran.
The Marquis of Pingshan, Han Chuang is obviously interested in Ji Yanran as well, looking at her intensely from time to time, as if he wants to eat her up.
All of those who had thought of wooing this world famous Learned Lady felt inept once they saw the appearance of Li Yuan and gave up the idea of wooing her. Besides,