TRT – Chapter 24 Xi Niang’s Point of View (Part 3)

Yes.

I suddenly felt like laughing.

I had to help her!

With clumsy, hurried movements, I dragged both of them up. The three of us collapsed together in the pavilion, exhausted. Qingqing was fortunate not to have fainted, but she had swallowed a lot of water and caught a chill. She shivered violently while vomiting. Miss Minmin busied herself helping her breathe steadily, her expression unreadable.

After some time, Qingqing finally regained her senses, hugging her shoulders and shivering nonstop. Though it was summer, Autumn Leaf City lay in the west, and nights here were bitterly cold—especially after being soaked in water… Seeing this, Miss Minmin pulled Qingqing into her arms and said with a soft laugh:

“Qingqing, remember when I told you about winter swimming? This must be what it feels like. And look, we even got a free trial—so worth it! And afterwards, a beauty falls into my arms as a bonus. I’ve made a fortune!”

The way she said it, with that earnest look of “taking advantage,” made both Qingqing and me want to laugh and cry at the same time. Coughing and smiling bitterly in the night wind, we somehow began to feel warmer. This person… no matter how life pressed her down, she would always smile, wouldn’t she?

“Xiniang,” she suddenly turned to me, her eyes still sparkling. “Hurry and call the manor physician to wait where we live. You don’t need to follow me—find a place to change clothes, then rush to the banquet hall as fast as you can. Don’t let those gossipy women seize a handle on you!”

… Gossipy women? The way she said it was harsh, and I froze.

“But, Miss, what about you? How can you move Qingqing alone? If you take her to the outer court, change clothes, redo your makeup, and rush back to the hall—forget making it in time for the start, you may not even make it before the banquet ends! At this moment, the one at risk of being seized upon isn’t me—it’s you!”

“Don’t worry, I have my own way~” She smiled sweetly. She hadn’t done anything, but that confident expression alone was enough to set everyone’s hearts at ease.

“…All right! Please be careful yourself, Miss!”

I rose and hurried away. I hadn’t gone far when I heard a faint sigh behind me:

“If it weren’t me drowning, would you not come out? Bastard…”

Huh? Who was Miss talking to? I turned back in confusion, but saw no one. I had no time to think it over, so I pressed on quickly. Yet faintly, I seemed to hear Miss Minmin’s low growl again:

“If you still won’t come out, I’ll jump in myself!”

I couldn’t help glancing back again. But now I was too far, and the night too dark. Vaguely, I thought I saw a tall man standing behind Miss… but when I rubbed my eyes, it seemed only to be the shadow of trees…

I carried out Miss’s instructions swiftly, dried myself, then rushed anxiously into the banquet hall. The banquet had already begun! Luxurious couches and carved hardwood banquet tables stretched in neat rows into the courtyard. Green gauze, red robes, blue lanterns, crimson candles—courtyard full of glittering ladies, everywhere high-ranking nobles. The fragrance of wine and dishes, the dazzling songs and dances. Yet who here would know—or care—that just behind all this splendor, two weak women had almost lost their lives?

From afar, I saw that Miss Minmin’s table was set at the far end—completely empty. She hadn’t arrived yet? Panic seized me, and I quickly ran over to stand respectfully in place, not daring to lift my eyes toward Prince Luo or the Fourth Prince at the main seat. As time ticked on, more and more questioning, sharp gazes fell upon me, and my torment grew heavier and heavier. What should I do? What if Miss doesn’t come? If the worst happens, then I’ll stake my little life and tell the truth before the madams!

When a dance ended and the music gradually died down, silence briefly fell over the hall. My heart clenched sharply. Of course—this was the moment everyone had been waiting for!

“Master~” The Ninth Madam rose gracefully, her smile alluring yet innocent. “We heard you’ve taken in the number one talented lady of the realm! Her beauty, her talent—rare in a hundred years! All the sisters are envious and eager for a glimpse. Why keep her hidden away?”

At once, voices chimed in to echo her.

Prince Luo’s expression remained calm, as if watching a play. He said lightly: “How could I hoard such a treasure? I already instructed Minmin to attend. At this moment, I too wonder why she hasn’t arrived yet.” As he spoke, he cast a seemingly casual glance at the Fourth Prince.

The Fourth Prince smiled with courtesy and replied: “She was already sent here last night. Since she hasn’t come yet… perhaps only Prince Luo knows the reason.”

Snickers rippled through the crowd.

Seeing the Fourth Prince brush it aside, the Ninth Madam pressed further. She clapped her hands and laughed: “Ah! I see now—Miss Minmin must still be used to life as the top courtesan of Cangchun House. Unless she’s begged and coaxed, she won’t show herself! No doubt the Fourth Prince spoils her too much out of his love for beauty, hmm?”

Her words froze the entire hall, the air suddenly heavy.

To call her Miss Minmin was to deny any connection to Prince Luo.
To remind everyone she was merely an entertainer of Cangchun House was to belittle her identity.
While seeming to make excuses for her, she simultaneously mocked Minmin’s pampered temperament and ridiculed the Fourth Prince. Arrogance, sheer arrogance!

Prince Luo said nothing. The Fourth Prince merely smiled and continued sipping his wine.

The silence was dreadful. Cold sweat broke out on my back.

The quiet stretched until people grew restless, whispering low.

Then Prince Luo’s gaze fell casually on me.
“Xiniang, where is your young lady?”

In an instant, my mind tightened to the breaking point! But that clarity made me decisive. Gritting my teeth, I stepped out, knelt, and cried loudly:

“Replying to Master—Miss Minmin is late because—”

“Xiniang!” A familiar voice cut me off.

I turned in shock. Miss Minmin was standing outside the hall!

Gasps filled the banquet! She had neither changed clothes nor redone her makeup—she hadn’t even dried her hair! Her long gauzy skirt clung wetly to her skin, her hair plastered in damp strands against her face…

I froze, stiff as a board. Miss Minmin’s weary eyes fixed firmly on me, and she slowly beckoned. “Come, help me.”

I rushed forward, and the instant I grasped her hand, I flinched—it was burning hot!

I looked at her with worry, but she only squeezed my hand lightly to reassure me. Then she walked straight into the banquet. Her soaked shoes left wet footprints with every step. Around us, women’s laughter and whispers drifted…

Miss Minmin kept her gaze steady, walking right to the center. She nodded slightly toward the two men at the head table.

Prince Luo stared at her deeply, saying nothing.

The Fourth Prince lowered his head and drank, saying nothing.

Yes—what could he say? Why had things turned out like this? Everyone at the banquet knew the truth. This was a play, and the protagonist’s reaction would decide its ending. Now everyone was coldly watching: would she sob and wail to make a complaint, or would she swallow the insult and step down quietly?

“What’s this? Miss Minmin kept us waiting so long, only to dress up like this? Is this the latest fashion? Then we truly are ignorant!” Ninth Madam sneered maliciously at the bedraggled Miss Minmin.

The stifled giggles burst into open laughter.

Amid the laughter, Miss Minmin said nothing. Suddenly she straightened up, spine firm, chin slightly lifted, her gaze sweeping the room coldly. In that instant, the look in her eyes was untouchable, like a goddess! A commanding aura radiated from her entire body—so sharp, so powerful—that she was no longer the fragile girl of moments ago. Whoever her eyes fell upon froze, dumbstruck, falling silent. How could a mere courtesan possess such presence? For that moment, standing in the very center, drenched and disheveled, she looked like a triumphant general surveying the world! She shone so brilliantly that none could look away.

Ninth Madam instinctively took a step back. I secretly shook my head—the difference in aura between the two was far too great! I had thought this Miss Minmin was too naïve, too meek, only knowing how to endure. But now… in this battle, the outcome was far from certain.

The First Madam, however, remained composed. She gently clapped her hands and said:

“Miss Minmin is indeed no ordinary person. Today we have truly seen it! I’ve long heard that your singing and dancing are unparalleled under heaven, and your literary and artistic talents are unmatched! To be honest, though our Luo Prince’s manor may not have someone as remarkable as you, we have many young ladies well-versed in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and not a few skilled in song and dance. Being young, they naturally don’t want to admit inferiority. Rather than competing in secret, why not have an open contest today? Although I don’t know what misfortune befell you to end up in this state, surely with your talents, such a small setback won’t trouble you?”

Nonsense, yet she made it sound perfectly reasonable. Indeed, as the one who managed the entire household of the Prince’s manor, the First Madam was no simple figure. The faces of the gathered women began to glow with confidence. Normally they might not dare say such things, but today, Minmin had no brothel musicians to back her, no stage designed for her, and she looked like a drowned chicken besides. How could she possibly win?

Miss Minmin listened quietly to the First Madam’s challenge, lowering her eyes without a word.

The banquet fell silent. The night breeze drifted by. For others it was a romantic lift of skirts and sleeves; for Minmin it was bone-chilling cold. Her delicate body trembled in the darkness, her hand clutching mine grew hotter and hotter—yet she still stood ramrod straight.

Suddenly, the long-silent Fifth Madam spoke slowly:

“A game of chess requires patience. Miss Minmin is not in good condition tonight. I can wait until another day.”

With that, she fell silent, ignoring the furious glares from the other ladies.

Sixteenth Miss, who was always close to Fifth Madam, timidly spoke up as well:

“N-needlework also can’t be judged in a short while. The gentlemen watching… would find it boring. I-I think… better not.”

She was too young, unlike the calm Fifth Madam. Flustered, she darted a glance at the First Madam, then lowered her head in fright.

The other ladies, finding their own side weakened by these two, had nowhere to vent their anger. They all turned their venomous eyes on Miss Minmin.

“…Fine,” Minmin said, lowering her head.

Heavens! Even her voice was hoarse with fever! This wouldn’t do! I anxiously held her up, but she discreetly brushed me off.

“Then let’s begin with dance, shall we?”

She bent slightly, unfastened her soaked shoes, hitched up her long skirt, and tied it loosely at her waist. When her pale bare feet stepped onto the fragrant carpet of the hall, the stark contrast was dazzling. As she moved slowly, the knot at her waist swayed, tracing alluring ripples. Beneath the lifted hem, her long legs glimmered through the damp fabric…

Standing in the center, under every gaze, she softly commanded the musicians:

“Play Guofeng.”

Guofeng was a peculiar piece: its graceful, tender melody was accompanied by powerful, resounding drums. Discordant, yet strangely evocative. It was normally used in temple rites. Could it truly serve as dance music?

As the music began, she suddenly lifted her head and gave the crowd a faint smile.

What kind of smile was this?

It was the utmost of allure, yet untouchable as if otherworldly! Her brows, her eyes, her long limbs, her waist, her fingertips, the fever-flushed cheeks—everything came alive with that smile.

Lifting one jade foot, bending gracefully to the side, her wrists turning fluidly—she was like a lazy, elegant cat, stepping noiselessly across the floor.

Her figure was slender, her limbs supple as a youth’s, yet her face was as pure and sweet as a maiden’s. She performed the most provocative movements with the most untouchable expression; her smile bewitched, while her eyes remained aloof.

Her steps grew faster, as if set ablaze, whirling across the hall like the wind! Eyes like silk, smile like a dream—even her drenched short black hair now blazed with a wild, androgynous beauty under the firelight.

No matter what clothes she wore, no matter how bedraggled she seemed, she always shone with a light others did not have. So dazzling, so unrestrainedly radiant—it made one yearn.

How many in this world could embody such contradictions in perfect harmony? Innocence and seduction, purity and temptation, nobility and ruin… a woman so vividly alive to the bone could only be called a rare enchantress.

Alas, I had not yet seen her later, commanding on the battlefield with heroic might. Otherwise I would never have used such shallow words to tarnish her. For truly, the only words that could describe her were—Heaven’s Chosen.

Chase her? Hold her? Treasure her? Adore her? Destroy her? What choice should one make—and who was qualified to choose?

As the music faded, she stopped, like leaves stilling after a breeze, like a hidden spring in the mountains. All temptation withdrawn, she seemed a barefoot spirit strolling gently through a green forest.

No one spoke. Even breathing was hushed. None dared disturb this pure, elfin woman.

What victory or defeat? In aura and in charm, not one lady present could compare! Their entranced expressions made it plain where their hearts lay. To provoke her again now would be pure humiliation.

No one noticed that Minmin’s cheeks were flushed far beyond normal. She lifted her head, smiled faintly in a daze, and collapsed softly to the ground.

Cries rang out. I saw Luo Cheng suddenly rush out from nowhere to catch the fallen Miss Minmin! Why? He never showed himself in public, never appeared alongside Prince Luo. Why did he reveal himself without hesitation now? I saw Prince Luo stride swiftly forward, saw the tangled emotions flash across his face at the moment Luo Cheng appeared! I saw the Fourth Prince rise pale-faced, only to sink back down, the wine cup slipping from his hand to the floor.

Minmin—did she know what was in these men’s hearts?

“You…? Why are you here?”

Held in Luo Cheng’s arms, Minmin’s hoarse voice questioned, eyes hazy.

“Don’t worry about that. You’re burning up, you need to rest. Why don’t you ever take care of yourself, little kitten?”

He held her tighter, tucked her restless hands back into his embrace, his scolding full of tenderness, his eyes brimming with worry.

“Summon the physician,” Prince Luo ordered in a deep voice. “Take Miss Minmin to the study to rest.”

“No! No! Put me down, I don’t want to go, I still have something to say!” Minmin struggled in Luo Cheng’s arms like a cat, her small head thrashing, hoarse sobs escaping.

Luo Cheng stopped walking. At once Minmin poked her head out from his arms.

“I still have something to say to the ladies!”

“Say what?” Ninth Madam muttered crossly, though not too loudly. The trial was over, the play had ended. The masters’ preferences were clear—they leaned toward Minmin. From Luo Cheng’s expression it was obvious that opposing her now would end badly. Besides, even Ninth Madam herself must have been secretly awed.

“I’ll just ask you one thing: do you admit defeat?”

Everyone froze, startled at her bluntness. Her words carried the stubborn tone of a child’s quarrel. At last, the suffocating tension eased. Staring at Minmin’s wide, fierce eyes, bright as some wild creature’s, Ninth Madam finally muttered uneasily:

“You do have some ability. We’ll let it be for today.”

At that, Minmin broke into a radiant, relieved smile. Her flushed cheeks made her look all the more innocently adorable. Even those around couldn’t help but smile as well.

“That’s good. Oh, and I have one last thing to say—on behalf of my maid Qingqing, who accidentally fell into the water…”

Then Minmin leaned lazily against Luo Cheng’s shoulder, smiling slyly. What she said next I only realized much later was shockingly audacious.

With an expression of outrageous arrogance, she raised a fist at the First Madam, the Third Madam, and the Ninth Madam—then suddenly extended her middle finger, and whispered: