Chapter 414

【Before you and Xie Yuan step into the pavilion, looking from afar, you see a person sitting in a wheelchair, and you can't help but feel a trace of surprise—is that the Crown Prince Liu Yuan of the Sui Dynasty?】

【For a crown prince of a country to have a disabled body is truly rare in history.】

【Su Yun seems to have noticed your doubt and whispers: "The Holy Emperor of Sui, when he was still a leisure prince, had a deep affection for his former wife. It is said that after that wife passed away, he never remarried. Although Crown Prince Yuan is disabled, he has always firmly held the position of the Crown Prince."】

【"The son relies on the mother's glory."】

【You nod lightly, understanding in your heart. This situation is not strange; many ambitious monarchs in history, even with countless beauties in the harem, have always been deeply affectionate to their wives and never abandoned their wives of humble beginnings.】

【Looking at it this way, this Crown Prince Yuan, although he has been a hostage in the Sui Dynasty for many years, also enjoys a very high reputation among the people of the Sui Dynasty.】

【If he can maintain his father's favor, when he returns to the Sui Dynasty one day, perhaps he really has the opportunity to hold the divine vessel and ascend to the throne.】

【No wonder this Crown Prince Yuan is so highly valued among the nine major surnames.】

【Your group walks into the pavilion.】

【Su Yun has a look of joy on his face, steps forward quickly, and cups his hands: "Su Yun is late, I hope everyone will forgive me."】

【"Fourth sister is here too." He turns his gaze to Su Shishi, his tone carrying a bit of closeness.】

【Su Shishi stands up, bows gracefully, and says softly: "Third brother."】

【As the adopted daughter of Minister Su, she often goes to the Su Fu during festivals and is already familiar with Su Yun.】

【Seeing this, the several courtesans dare not be negligent, and they stand up one after another to salute, respectfully calling: "Young Master Yun."】

【As the grandson of Minister Su, his status in Bianjing is three points heavier than the royal crown prince.】

【The three crown princes also nod slightly to show etiquette.】

【Besides Su Yun, there are Xie Yuan, Xie Xuan, and finally you.】

【Subsequently, everyone's gaze falls involuntarily on the young man who stepped into the pavilion last among the four.】

【Liu Yuan's gaze is gentle as he looks at Xie Guan and says: "This must be Young Master Guan of the Qunfang Banquet, right?"】

【Although Xie Xuan is impatient, he still steps aside, revealing Xie Guan who is walking at the end.】

【The young man is still young, but he has a steady temperament.】

【"Xie Guan, greetings to Crown Prince Yuan."】

【Hearing this, Liu Yuan's smile deepens: "Indeed, a very elegant young man."】

【"No need to call me Crown Prince, just call me Liu Yuan. I am a few years older than you; if you are willing, calling me 'Brother Yuan' is also fine."】

【His smile is sincere, and his tone is refreshing, making one feel close to him involuntarily.】

【As soon as these words come out, Xie Xuan's face looks a bit ugly. He has met Liu Yuan several times following Su Yun, but he has never received such treatment, and he can't help but feel a bit resentful.】

【Seeing this, He Lan Zhenshu, the Crown Prince of Changsheng Heaven behind Liu Yuan, sneers, his gaze carrying a bit of sarcasm, but he doesn't say much.】

【Su Shishi has met Xie Guan and greets him with a smile, "Shishi greets Young Master Guan."】

【The other three women are seeing this legendary Xie Guan for the first time, and each has a subtle expression.】

【The woman in the colorful dress has a slight flash in her eyes, and her gaze stays on Xie Guan for a moment, with a touch of surprise in her eyes. She looks closely and sees that although Xie Guan is in plain clothes, appearing simple among the gorgeous clothes of the crowd, he has an elegant temperament, as straight and outstanding as bamboo. Even when facing Liu Yuan's praise, he is calm and unruffled.】

【Seventh Miss Li of the Li family was originally leaning against the railing with her arms crossed, but now she stands up straight. Her gaze scrapes Xie Guan from head to toe like a knife three times, and finally, she releases her crossed arms, her expression softening a bit; at least the one chosen by the family is not a "crooked melon or cracked date."】

【The one with the most peculiar expression in the pavilion is the woman in the green dress playing the zither.】

【Her fingertips pause, and the zither strings tremble suddenly, like a flying bird skimming the water, and then forced to return to calm.】

【Attracting the attention of a few people.】

【The woman in the green dress lowers her eyes and stares at the tail of the zither, but her ear tips are stained with a faint red.】

【The atmosphere in the pavilion changes quietly because of Xie Guan's arrival; everyone has different thoughts, but they all have to admit that although this young man is dressed simply, he has an eye-catching temperament.】

【Su Yun introduces everyone in the pavilion to you one by one.】

【The woman playing the zither is the courtesan—Song Tingting. She did not attend the Qunfang Banquet and grew up in Qimo Chunfang since childhood. According to Xie Yuan, this woman has an extraordinary background; although she is in Qimo Chunfang, she is a free person. When she sees you, she actually reveals a trace of shyness, which makes you feel a bit puzzled, after all, you should be meeting for the first time.】

【The woman in the colorful dress is the courtesan skilled at raising birds mentioned by Xie Yuan, named—Cai Huang.】

【It is rumored that when she sings, she can attract a scene of a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix. Her brows and eyes are smiling, and her gaze carries a bit of exploration.】

【The last woman dressed as a man is introduced by Su Yun with a bit of embarrassment: "This is Seventh Miss of the Li family."】

【Hearing this, you are slightly surprised in your heart, not expecting to see the woman you are engaged to here.】

【Li Qinlan just raises her hand to cup her fists and ignores you.】

【Xie Yuan's gaze sweeps over the courtesans in the pavilion, and he sighs in his heart that this trip was not in vain.】

【Originally, this trip was for a gathering among the lush bamboo, with incense burning by the bamboo stream, gurgling streams, flowing water and wine cups, and reciting poetry—how happy!】

【Unfortunately, now that there is an uninvited guest like Li Qinlan, everyone failed to act according to the plan for a while.】

【Especially since Li Qinlan just said firmly that she "has her own way to make Xie Guan retreat," making the atmosphere a bit subtle.】

【Liu Yuan smiles slightly, breaks the silence, and says: "Just before Young Master Guan arrived, we were discussing 'the fish in the lake, how do you know the joy of fish'."】

【Su Shishi's gaze is full of emotion, "I wonder what Young Master Guan thinks about this?"】

【Hearing this, your gaze falls on the fish in the lake. You see several carp swimming leisurely, occasionally poking their heads out, stirring up ripples, and spreading layers of circles.】

【All the courtesans look at you, and the woman in the green dress also stops playing the zither.】

【You smile, "The pond fish cannot see the sky outside the mirror, how can we know the joy of fish. The floating light hangs high in the void, looking at each other across the water, laughing at the officials."】

【"Accumulate a spoonful to form a river, accumulate fine dust to reach the peak, how much heaven and earth are one with me."】

【"If you don't think, the Kunpeng is carefree; if you think, the Kunpeng is not carefree, and the fish in the lake are the same."】

【As soon as these words come out, everyone in the pavilion shows a thoughtful look.】

【A flash of approval crosses Liu Yuan's eyes, and he claps his hands and laughs: "Young Master Guan's words have truly spoken the truth of 'fish joy,' and there are a few words of Taoism in it."】

【Kong Du lets out a cold snort from his nose; the Buddhist school hates the Taoist school with stinky noses the most.】

【Hearing this, Li Qinlan raises her eyebrows.】

【Song Tingting lowers her head and smiles lightly, her fingertips plucking the zither strings lightly.】

【Su Yun also takes his seat, his face full of smiles.】

【Xie Guan was the person he praised many times, just from the answer just now, he knows that Xie Guan's conversation is extraordinary and not a vulgar person, and he also feels honored.】

【Song Tingting plays a piece for everyone, the lake breeze blows lightly, carrying a bit of comfort, and the atmosphere in the pavilion gradually enters the best state.】

【Liu Yuan beats the chopsticks and sings, his expression free and easy, without the restraint of the crown prince's status, as if he were just a literati who indulges in mountains and rivers.】

【Seeing this, the monk Kong Du has a look of obsession on his bewitching face.】

【The zither music gradually stops, the lingering sound curling, as if it is lingering in the pavilion beams and cannot go away.】

【Although Li Qinlan is unwilling, she is pulled to sit down by Su Shishi.】

【Cai Huang stands up gracefully, "I would like to help everyone have fun and sing a song."】

【Xie Yuan immediately claps and cheers.】

【However, what the woman in the colorful dress sings is not an ordinary song, but imitating the bird calls and insect chirps of the early morning with ventriloquism.】

【Her voice is sometimes as crisp as an oriole coming out of the valley, sometimes as melodious as a lark crying in spring, making one feel as if they are in the mountain forest at dawn, feeling peaceful.】

【The last bird call is long and clear, not like the sound of an ordinary bird, as if a hundred birds are singing to the phoenix.】

【Your heart moves, you look back, and you see a group of birds on the lake surface circling and flying around the pavilion.】

【Xie Yuan is full of surprise, pointing at the birds and saying: "Look! Egrets, gulls, oriental white cranes, spoonbills... there are more than a dozen kinds of birds!"】

【Everyone in the pavilion is attracted by this strange scene and stands up to watch.】

【Su Yun smiles slightly, "These birds all came because of the sound."】

【Xie Xuan's eyes can no longer hide his surprise.】

【Liu Yuan praises: "Miss Cai Huang is truly well-deserved; this skill can be called the sound of heaven!"】

【After Cai Huang finishes singing, the flock of birds circling on the lake still doesn't disperse; she is slightly proud, and her eyes glance at you.】

【The flock of birds gradually disperses, only a pair of birds with colorful tail feathers and slender bodies, their abdomens covered with five-colored fluff, fly into the pavilion gracefully, attracting attention.】

【Xie Yuan's face is surprised, and he can't help but blurt out, "Zhaoming Luan!"】

【Cai Huang has a trace of surprise on her face, "I didn't expect Young Master Yuan to be so knowledgeable and able to recognize such a divine bird."】

【Xie Yuan is a bit embarrassed; he just likes the "Records of Scenery" from various places, especially the "Travel Notes of Xu Xian" written by the Great Master, which he almost knows by heart and puts under his pillow at night.】

【Xie Xuan also speaks, with disbelief on his face, "Could this be the divine bird from the legend of the Su Beihai?"】

【"It is said that Zhaoming Luan was transformed by an ancient god. Because he felt pity for the difficulty of distinguishing good from evil and loyalty from treachery in the world, he transformed into a bird and descended to the mortal world. It lives in the Su Beihai all year round. Whenever there is a great disaster in the world, it will flap its wings for nine days, circle above the sky, and make a clear and long cry to show the will of heaven."】

【Cai Huang nods slightly, "This bird was obtained by my grandfather by chance in the past. After five generations of raising, we finally bred this nest of rare things, one male and one female, in pairs."】

【You are slightly surprised in your heart, and you have a bit more curiosity about Cai Huang's background. Obviously a courtesan, but she doesn't need to attend the Qunfang Banquet, and she can also take pleasure in raising birds, which is obviously extraordinary.】

【The two Zhaoming Luans fly around the pavilion, their wings shining with colorful light, like a legendary phoenix descending, making one dizzy.】

【Liu Yuan's eyes are bright, and he sighs secretly in his heart, a flash of deep meaning in his eyes, and whispers: "The divine bird appears in the world; could it mean that there will be a great disaster in the world?"】

【He Lan Zhenshu, the Crown Prince of Changsheng Heaven, has a look of greed in his eyes. The northern grassland has always revered divine birds. Seeing these two Zhaoming Luans, his heart has long been restless and unable to hold back.】

【He suddenly opens his big hand, trying to catch one of them, but in an instant, the two Zhaoming Luans appear in another place like phantoms, lightly avoiding his capture.】

【Seeing this, Cai Huang covers her lips and smiles, "Crown Prince He Lan, since this Zhaoming Luan is called a divine bird, it naturally has the ability of a divine bird. Its speed is so fast that even a martial arts Primordial Spirit expert can hardly reach it."】

【He Lan Zhenshu, as a martial arts practitioner, tried several times, and the result was indeed as Cai Huang said, it was difficult to reach the two Zhaoming Luans.】

【Cai Huang pauses for a moment and continues: "And this bird has a noble temperament and is unwilling to fall into the hands of ordinary people, only willing to live in the phoenix tree. If someone forces it to be caught, it will die rather than submit and starve to death. Although my grandfather and I have been favored to be able to raise and protect them, we have only dared to feed them from afar and have never dared to hope to be close to them."】

【A flash of strange color crosses her eyes, "It's strange today; they actually took the initiative to spread their wings and fly out."】

【Hearing this, He Lan Zhenshu can only sit down helplessly, but the greed in his eyes has not diminished.】

【Cai Huang doesn't care; Zhaoming Luan can be called divine speed, let alone He Lan Zhenshu, I'm afraid it would be futile even if the Shenyin Division of Qi came.】

【Su Yun laughs loudly, "It's truly an eye-opener today."】

【"It is rumored that Zhaoming Luan is one male and one female. The male bird prefers those who are truly true and kind, and the female bird has a soft spot for those who are evil. The two are inseparable. If the male bird chooses a master, the female bird will resolutely hit a stone and die; conversely, if the female bird chooses, the male bird will do the same."】

【Hearing this, Li Qinlan has a look of curiosity in her eyes, and her gaze follows the pair of Zhaoming Luans flying in the air without falling.】

【Cai Huang nods slightly, "Young Master Yun is right. It is said that when the Master went to sea, a Zhaoming Luan suddenly appeared on the bow of the boat. The male bird folded its wings and landed on the bamboo slips, while the female bird cried three times in sorrow and hit the reef in the sea."】

【Hearing this, everyone nods in agreement. The Master is the supreme sage of Confucianism, with noble character, and it is natural for him to be favored by the male bird.】

【Only the Buddha Son Kong Du has a flash of disdain in his eyes, and he sneers in a low voice, "The Master is just a hypocritical person."】

【Although his voice is light, everyone in the pavilion hears it.】

【Liu Yuan frowns slightly, seemingly displeased. After all, this place is in Bianjing, Qi, and discussing the Master can be big or small, especially since Su Yun is the grandson of Minister Su, but he doesn't say much.】

【Li Qinlan suddenly asks curiously: "What if two birds choose one master together?"】

【Su Yun is choked by this question and is speechless for a while, "Both 'evil' and 'truly true and kind'? How can there be such a person in this world?"】

【Cai Huang smiles slightly, "There are indeed records in ancient books that if two Zhaoming Luans choose one master together, this person must be a born saint, gathering truth, kindness, and holiness in one."】

【Hearing this, although everyone feels novel, they don't delve into it, just treating it as a legend.】

【Xie Yuan looks up at the divine bird in the sky, its feathers flowing with five-colored brilliance in the sun, its cry clear and moving, and he can't help but feel infinite longing for traveling the world.】

【He mutters in a low voice: "Reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles. If you are trapped at home, how can you have the opportunity to see such divine objects?"】

【Just as he is feeling emotional, Xie Yuan suddenly lets out a light cry.】

【"Hmm? ——"】

【In his line of sight, the two divine birds are flying low, seemingly heading in his direction.】

(End of chapter)