Chapter Text
- Story Start -
Six months later…
Ming Yi is bored. It’s a beautiful day at Jixing Abyss, but Ji Bozai is at Yaoguang Shan training a new batch of warriors, Granny Xun is turning their home upside down for ‘spring cleaning’ and Bu Xiu and Ershiqi are on a fishing trip. Ming Yi goes to visit Zhang Tai who’s ecstatic to see her. Her husband Zheng Tiao and mother-in-law are helping to take care of the twin babies so Zhang Tai grabs the opportunity to escape for a few hours.
As the two ladies stroll through the market, they spot Meng Yangqiu a dozen feet ahead. Each time he stops by a stall, the vendor would ask him to buy a hairpin or a comb for his beloved, and he would just shake his head and walk away.
“Isn’t that Meng Yangqiu?” Zhang Tai asks. “Doesn’t he have a special someone?”
“It’s a long story,” Ming Yi replies and gives a short update on what she knows, including the time Meng Yangqiu confessed to liking Mu Tianji, but was content as long as she was happy.
“Do you think he was lying?” Zhang Tai asks, eyes wide with curiosity.
“He can’t lie,” Ming Yi says, laughing. “No, I think he believed it at that time.”
“But regrets it now,” Zhang Tai declares with a sage nod.
“I didn’t say that!”
“You don’t have to.” Zhang Tai links their arms together. “After all, you have Ji Bozai, I have Zheng Tiao, Empress Mu Tianji has Yan Xiao – oh, they’re his two best friends too!”
“Wait.” Ming Yi holds up her other hand. “I know that glint in your eyes. Don’t think of anything but your-“
“Do you know how hard is for me to even step outside now?” Zhang Tai pouts. “Can’t I have a little fun?”
“Fine, fine. What do you have planned?”
“I heard a famous troupe from Changwu Hill is performing at Moonlit Blossom this week. Oh, he’s walking away, hurry!” Zhang Tai grabs Ming Yi’s hand and starts pulling.
“Hey, slow down!”
They catch up Meng Yangqiu and persuade him to join them for the performance, assuring him it’s a respectable show that’s suitable for everyone to enjoy.
When they reach the steps of Moonlit Blossom, they’re given a warm welcome by Fu Yue who apologises for her past treatment to Ming Yi. She insists on showing them to a private upstairs balcony and even signals for two of her girls to accompany Meng Yangqiu, brushing aside his stuttering protests that he was just there to enjoy the performance.
- o -
Yan Xiao is pleased with himself. He managed to persuade Mu Tianji to take a break from royal duties to attend a performance. She works far too hard in his opinion, not that he doesn’t regret being her trusted aide and resident physician.
When the carriage they’re in draws to a stop, he peeps through the curtain and smiles.
“We’re here.”
They exit the carriage and he hops down before giving her a hand.
Mu Tianji looks at the nearest building, her round eyes going even rounder, and then around her. More than a dozen people are going up the steps and being welcomed by beautifully dressed ladies.
“Yan Xiao! We’re at Moonlit Blossom!” She grabs his sleeve.
“It’s perfectly fine,” he says, smiling at her. “Anyone can attend this performance. Do you see the two ladies over there? There’s a family with a young child too.”
“Oh. I guess you’re right.” Mu Tianji laughs a little in relief. She’s dressed down for the occasion, but the people around them still do a double take and greet her with “Your Majesty!”
“Let’s go.” Yan Xiao offers her his arm and they walk up the stairs.
“Welcome!” Fu Yue welcomes them in, eyes widening a bit in recognition before she calls for someone to show them to a private balcony. Once they’re seated before a table and served with wine and small cakes, they look around at the rapidly filling seats. Yan Xiao blinks at a familiar face.
“Isn’t that Yangqiu over there?”
“Is it?” Mu Tianji looks over at the balcony Yan Xiao indicates. “Yes, it’s him! I didn’t think he would – oh, Ming Yi and Zhang Tai are seated nearby.”
Yan Xiao’s lips quirk at how uncomfortable Meng Yangqiu looks, flanked by two pretty courtesans.
Just then, Fu Yue comes on stage, all charm and smiles. She thanks everyone for coming and hopes they will enjoy the performance. With that, she goes off and six acrobats leap onto the stage accompanied by a drum.
The show is energetic, the acrobatics flawless, and the music rousing… Yan Xiao still finds his attention divided between them and Meng Yangqiu. Then he sees Mu Tianji doing the same, her eyes flitting between the small stage below and the balcony on their left. Ming Yi and Zhang Tai look like they’re enjoying themselves, ooh-ing and ahh-ing at all the stunts and applauding with the others. Meng Yangqiu on the other hand, is sitting stiffly with hunched shoulders, gaze fixed on the stage and ignoring his two companions altogether. He only looks down to pick up his wine cup which his companions keep refilled.
“Poor Yangqiu, he looks like he wants to flee,” Mu Tianji says, leaning closer.
“Yeah.” Yan Xiao pushes down a familiar twinge of protectiveness at his best friend.
For Heaven’s sake, Meng Yangqiu is a grown man and perfectly capable of taking care of himself. Yan Xiao should just enjoy this outing. The past six months have flown by in a blink. His daytime hours are taken up by governing Jixing Abyss alongside Mu Tianji and teaching medicine to a small group of students, his nights blissful with Mu Tianji in his arms.
A few minutes later, Yan Xiao sees the two courtesans leave, looking rather put out. Meng Yangqiu looks like he’s preparing to stand up only for two more courtesans sit on either side of him. Meng Yangqiu gives a pleading look at Ming Yi and Zhang Tai, but they’re too engrossed in the performance to notice.
“Another two.” Mu Tianji is staring at them with slightly narrowed eyes. “They’re sitting too close to him.”
Yan Xiao opens his mouth and then closes it again, forehead crinkling. He and Mu Tianji are Meng Yangqiu’s best friends. They should be snickering at the predicament he’s in and making plans to tease him about it later. Yet for some reason, Yan Xiao isn’t amused. Neither is Mu Tianji, judging from the two little lines between her eyebrows.
“It’s their job,” he adds, wincing at how lame he sounds.
“I know.”
The acrobats end their act and leave the stage to loud applause. A lady with a guzhin comes on next, followed by an attendant who sets down a stool and a small table for her. The music she plays is intricate, her fingers moving over the strings with skill and dexterity. Yan Xiao can play a little too, but again, he finds himself staring at Meng Yangqiu more than the stage. One of the courtesans place a delicate hand on Meng Yangqiu’s arm. He looks down, but doesn’t shake it off.
“Why is she - Yangqiu doesn’t like strangers touching him,” Mu Tianji says at once. “Only us… and maybe Ji Bozai and young Chen Xi.”
Yan Xiao nods in agreement. It’s something not many people realise even now, given how friendly Meng Yangqiu is.
“He can always tell them off,” he says.
Mu Tianji’s only reply is a raised eyebrow. Yan Xiao has to bite back the instinctive need to apologise.
“He won’t. He’s too polite. I-” Mu Tianji sets her cup down with a sharp ‘clack’ when the girl’s hand travels up to Meng Yangqiu’s shoulder. She exhales forcefully when the girl leans closer to him as if whispering in his ear.
Despite his own irritation, Yan Xiao can’t help but enjoy the look of outrage of Mu Tianji’s sweet face – he’s not seen that expression in quite a while.
Meng Yangqiu looks alarmed when the other girl does the same, sticking her hand to his other shoulder. He turns from one to the other and says something with a forced looking smile. The two girls laugh and back down a bit.
“See? He told them off.” Yan Xiao feels a weird mix of relief and smugness.
“Good,” Mu Tianji says with a resolute nod. “He doesn't like that.”
It’s a good thing there’s generous room between the chairs on the balcony with how much they’re talking.
“I remember he used to say a man should never touch a woman without her permission.” Yan Xiao recalls a past memory. “You got a papercut when you were six. He ran off to get a physician. When he came back, he saw-”
“He saw you holding my hand and me trying to pull away, crying,” Mu Tianji finishes, eyes soft with remembrance.
“Yes. He slapped my arm hard and berated me for touching you while the physician treated your cut.” Yan Xiao chuckles and doesn’t realise how fond he sounds.
“He was so sincere and respectful, even then.”
“I daresay he’s the only man whom I don’t mind touching you.” Yan Xiao cringes the instant the words leave his mouth, especially when Mu Tianji starts laughing.
The performance finishes. Amid loud applause, they see Fu Yue going over to Meng Yangqiu. She bows to him while gesturing for both girls to follow her. Meng Yangqiu’s look of relief is unmistakable, but it’s also short-lived. Fu Yue motions for a young man to come over before leaving. Now, Meng Yangqiu looks as shocked as Yan Xiao feels… and as Mu Tianji looks.
“I… didn’t realise they have male courtesans at Moonlit Blossom,” Mu Tianji says somewhat faintly.
“Neither did I.”
The young man is beautiful, clad in the same almost translucent robes as the other courtesans. He smiles at Meng Yangqiu and pours him wine, passing him a cup and practically caressing his hands while doing so. Meng Yangqiu almost drops his cup. So does Yan Xiao.
“So bold,” he growls, unaware of the dainty cake he’s squashing between his fingers and Mu Tianji’s startled look at the falling crumbs.
“Here.”
Yan Xiao turns to see Mu Tianji holding out her handkerchief and gesturing to his hand.
“Ah. Thanks.” Yan Xiao brushes off the cake remnants and wipes his hand.
They watch with narrowed eyes as the male courtesan attempts to feed Meng Yangqiu some grapes only to be rebuffed.
“Can’t he see-“ Mu Tianji huffs and turns to Yan Xiao. “Yangqiu is the only man I don’t mind touching you.”
Yan Xiao stares at her in shock.
- Chapter End –