Chapter 76: White-Robed Imperial Guard

“Come, this is Lan Yan City’s sweetest jade flower wine. Try some.”

As the servant poured out a whole cup, the fragrance of wine dissolved into the air and floated into everyone’s olfactory systems. Feng Ji Xing held up his chalice, grinning. “Let us all drink three cups each, and then it shall be time to watch the performance of the Upper Sunset Festival.”

Lin Mu Yu was surprised, a performance?

He raised his chalice and downed it in one gulp. It was as if a sweetness sliding down his throat, without the usual heady heat of liquor.

Tang Xiao Xi downed hers as well. “I’m going to go prepare now, then.”

“Prepare what?” Lin Mu Yu stared at her.

Tang Xiao Xi pushed herself up to a standing with the support of his shoulder. She smiled coyly. “You’ll know in a while.”

……

Feng Ji Xing, Lin Mu Yu, Chu Huai Sheng, Qin Lei, and Chu Yao sat in the banquet hall. After finis.h.i.+ng two more cups each, a few servants carried a ba.s.s drum out before them. Lin Mu Yu grinned, “Is this to be a Sun Dance?”

Feng Ji Xing snickered. “No, it’s a Long Sleeve Dance.”

“Oh?”

“Ah Yu, look to your right and you’ll know.” Feng Ji Xing said.

Ah Yu turned his head, just in time to catch Tang Xiao Xi walking out in a new outfit, a bright vermillion as always, but with long and flowing wide sleeves, and a skin-tight body, showing off Tang Xiao Xi’s miniscule waist and outstanding outline. There was an indescribable beauty to it.

She gently released her fire fox fighting spirit, leaping gracefully up on the brum. Her body was already extremely light, and with the support of the fire fox, she was almost floating. Lin Mu Yu was riveted, and couldn’t help saying, “The Lithe Body Dancing on the Palm… must be something like this, right?”

 Chu Huai Sheng laughed. “Lithe Body Dancing on the Palm? Ah Yu, you are quite brilliant. This line encapsulates it perfectly.”

“I only borrowed it,” he said.

(TL: “Lithe Body Dancing on the Palm”:  is a line made famous by an erotic novel starring a character named Zhao Yan Fei called Fei Yan Wai Chuan)

……

At this moment, Tang Xiao Xi stepped out in long her long sleeved gown. “This is my newly learned Long Sleeve Dance. It’s not perfect yet, and I’m not sure if Xiao Yin’s Autumn Goose ballad will go with it. Xiao Yin, let’s begin?”

From behind the pearl screen, a delicate voice responded, “Okay, let’s start.”

A harmonious tone began playing. With the delicate grace of a fairy, Tang Xiao Xi began swaying and dancing atop the drum, as if she were a nymph. The zither’s music was melodious and mellifluent, diving and flowing perfectly with Tang Xiao Xi’s every motion, her swan-like grace. The rhythm suddenly picked up the pace, there was a sound of horses and armies from all four corners of the room. The audience’s heartbeats hastened in synchronicity, and Tang Xiao Xi’s feet blazed atop the drum, making it sound as if a war drum was being played.

The zither abruptly stopped, bringing the music to a halt.

Tang Xiao Xi was already kneeling on top of the drum, her two hands held in front of her, looking pleased with herself.

……

Lin Mu Yu, Feng Ji Xing, and the others were all speechlessly staring, and so Qin Lei hurriedly clapped his hands in thunderous applause and cheered. “Her Highness and the Princess’ zither dance was a match made in heaven!”

Tang Xiao Xi chuckled, lightly hopping down from the drum. She lifted the pearl curtain. “Xiao Yin, come out and eat!”

Lin Mu Yu awaited to see who would come out. Who in the world could play such a shockingly delicate yet heart-wrenching verse? It had to be someone from outside?

At this moment, a young girl wearing a deep blue cloak stepped out hugging her jade zither. Lin Mu Yu’s mouth dropped. This beautiful face… he had seen it somewhere else before… but where?

Qin Yin walked out with Tang Xiao Xi’s support, and set down her zither. She noticed the young man looking at her and then- “You? How is it you…”

“You two know each other?” Tang Xiao Xi’s eyes widened.

Lin Mu Yu had the same expression as Xiao Xi, but then he suddenly remembered the thousand golden yin coins. “Pretty lady, you still owe me a diamond coin. I couldn’t find you anywhere.”

Everyone was shocked into silence. No one knew that the two had seen each other before.

“What’s going on here?” Tang Xiao Xi asked.

Qin Yin remembered that night when she had been bitten by the venomous dragon snake, it had been Lin Mu Yu who saved her, but he had also seen her naked while saving her. At the memory, her face flushed a deep scarlet. She stuttered, “So… so… the person who saved me that day in the Dragon Seeker Forest was you…”

The penny dropped for Feng Ji Xing, and he burst out guffawing. “What a coincidence! This world is too small. So that night was Ah Yu who saved Your Highness. I should have guessed!”

Tang Xiao Xi’s eyes widened. “Ah? Xiao Yin, was it really Mu Mu who saved you from the venom that night?”

Lin Mu Yu realized that Xiao Yin wasn’t just anyone. He weakly asked, “Can I ask… just who is Miss Xiao Yin?”

Tang Xiao Xi laughed, enunciating clearly, “Qin Yin… is the current and great Guang Ming w.a.n.g Emperor’s daughter, Her Highness the Empire’s Elder Princess.”

Weng...

Lin Mu Yu’s mind was blank, his face flas.h.i.+ng green and purple, squirming and uncomfortable. “No… no wonder I couldn’t find her that day I went to 1 Tong Tian Street.”

Qin Yin giggled. “I do live in 1 Tong Tian Street’s Ze Tian Palace. It’s your fault you couldn’t find it, and I couldn’t give you the thousand golden yin.”

Qin Lei was more naive. “Ah Yu, what is this business with the thousand golden yin?”

Lin Mu Yu wanted to die. Asking for a thousand golden yin from the Empire’s princess as a fee for rescuing her life; unless he wanted to die.... He raised his chalice, grinning shamelessly. “Nothing. Let’s drink this cup and then we’ll be even, let the past stay in the past!”

Feng Ji Xing already figured it out, his face a combination of shock and disgust. “Ah Yu, you’re really… you really follow through to your word, don’t you?”

Lin Mu Yu wanted nothing more than to throw himself into a pit and disappear.

Qin Yin noticed Lin Mu Yu’s awkward expression. She stood up, and walked round to their table with her cup. She sat down in a kneeling position, raised her chalice, and flashed a winning, sweet smile. “No matter what, you saved my life that night. This cup is my grat.i.tude for you, thank you.”

The beautiful princess suddenly sitting there caused Lin Mu Yu momentary bewilderment. He quickly raised his cup. “I’m only an alchemist, saving people is what I ought to do. Meeting Your Highness that day was also fate. Your Highness doesn’t need to thank me, this embara.s.ses me.”

Qin Yin giggled, looking radiantly young. “Then since Commander Feng calls you Ah Yu, can I can I can you Ah Yu as well?”

“Certainly, Your Highness.”

“Okay.”

Qin Yin downed her cup in one fell swoop, showing off her extremely attractive elongated snow white neck.

Lin Mu Yu raised his cup as well, downing his. His emotions were jumbled. He didn’t think that he would ever be so near to the master of this world. The Empire’s princess was sitting right in front of him. He could literally smell her fragrance. The feeling was curious. The dream of so many for so long… and he was the one who was living it!

Tang Xiao Xi c.o.c.ked her head, examining Lin Mu Yu’s flushed face. “Mu Mu, you must be nervous. Don’t worry, Xiao Yin won’t bite.”

“R-right,” he said.

Qin Yin stood up, and with light steps, floated back to her own seat. “Today’s Upper Sunset Festival, I should have been at Ze Tian Palace with my Emperor Father. And yet, Xiao Xi has been so convincing, so I came. And I’m glad I did, because I was able to see Xiao Xi’s Long Sleeve Dance, as well as my savior Lin Mu Yu. This joy is ineffable.”

Chu Yao stood up, bowing the Empire’s lady bow. “Your Highness, being able to meet you today is the work of destiny. I would like to be so bold as to ask Your Highness to do Ah Yu and myself justice.”

“Oh?” Qin Yin looked at her. “Chu Yao jie jie, what’s the matter?”

Chu Yao described everything that happened in Silver Fir City.

Qin Yin was reeling after she finished listening. She had grown up in the depths of Ze Tian Palace, and had no idea of the cruelty of the outside world. Her pretty face was splashed with surprise, but it slowly colored with fury. She hit the table with a fist, the G.o.d Binding Lock martial spirit materializing behind her. “That’s disgusting! Killing people for a Medicine G.o.d Index. How could a b.a.s.t.a.r.d like Hua Tian become Silver Fir City’ protector?”

Feng Ji Xing cupped his fist. “Your Highness, I have already sent people to investigate this matter. Not before long, I will have collected sufficient evidence to prove Ah Yu and Ah Yao’s innocence.”

Qin Yin nodded, finally smiling. “Chu Yao jie jie,” she said, “Commander Feng will definitely be able to help you with this. And even if he can’t, I will personally make sure to clear your good names.”

“My utmost grat.i.tude to Your Highness!” Chu Yao beamed.

……

After three rounds, Feng Ji Xing, Chu Huai Sheng, Qin Lei, and the others were already tipsy. Even the gorgeous ladies Qin Yin, Tang Xiao Xi, and Chu Yao had flushed cheeks.

Feng Ji Xing used the opportunity to cup his fist and say, “Your Highness Yin, I have something that I’m not sure if I can say or not say.”

“Commander Feng, say away,” Qin Yin beamed winsomely at the bowl of grapes in front of her.

Feng Ji Xing said, “Ah Yu is currently Holy Level 59. He’s on the verge of breaking through into Heaven Realm, and is also considered one of the top fighters today. He’s currently a trainer at the Temple. I would like to recommend Ah Yu for a position inside the Imperial Defense Army, to be an imperial guard. Would this be okay with Your Highness?”

“An Imperial guard?”

Qin Yin opened her mouth, then stopped. It was a few seconds before she said, “Commander Feng, members of the imperial guard are personally selected by my Emperor Father. I don’t usually have a say in these matters.”

“If so, then forget I said anything!” Feng Ji Xing laughed merrily.

Lin Mu Yu asked, “Imperial guard… are the a.s.signments better than at the Temple?”

Chu Huai Sheng burst out laughing. He looked over at the naive boy. “Ah Yu, the entire Ze Tian Palace is the very core center of where security should be highest, and it’s up to the Imperial guards to do so. The Imperial guards also have a chance of being promoted to White-Robed Imperial Guards, to take on the immeasurable honor of personally being an imperial bodyguard of the Emperor himself. As of now, there are only six White-Robed Imperial Guards: Qu Chu, Lei Hong, Du Hai, Qin Lei, Yao Yuan, and Feng Ji Xing. Every single one is a legendary figure. If you’d be able to join the imperial army, that’d be great!”

Lin Mu Yu had a lightbulb moment. So sitting at this table were two White-Robed Imperial Guards! Feng Ji Xing and Qin Lei… were of the same rank as Qu Chu and Lei Hong!