She was about to turn back to the inner chamber when the palace rewards were delivered.
YUNAO knew that the reward for dancing at the palace banquet, quickly tidied up, and felt that everything was in order, so she went out to receive the reward.
Xiang Ling happily followed behind.
She had just stepped out of the house when she raised her eyes and saw a eunuch carrying a delicate gift box, beaming as he walked into the fragrant garden.
The voice came before people approached.
"Miss, this is the reward from the Emperor. Please receive it quickly."
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for the reward."
Yunao quickly approached, kneeled in the courtyard, and received the award with a respectful expression. She soon stood up.
The eunuch smiled, handed her the gift box, and said, "Miss, why don't you open it and have a look?"
Yunao nodded slightly, accepted it with both hands, and found a pinyin lying quietly inside.
The wood of the pinyin was fine and the color was warm, as if containing a thousand years of time.
The head of the pinyin carves a phoenix that is lifelike, as if it's about to spread its wings and fly high.
The string of the pinyin is tightly stretched, emitting a faint aroma of wood.
This is an extremely rare superior musical instrument.
"Thank you, eunuch."
She put the pinyin into Xiang Ling's hand. She took a money bag from her sleeve, smiling and handing it over, "This is a token of my goodwill. Please accept it as tea."
The eunuch did not make a fuss about it; he took the money bag, gave it a discreet squeeze, and a satisfied look flickered in his eyes.
He looked at Yunao and thought to himself: Although this woman comes from the Western Regions, she is very well-mannered.
She also understands the etiquette and rules of central plains, which is quite good.
He slipped the money bag discreetly into his sleeve and was about to leave.
Suddenly, Yunao stepped closer and whispered, "Please ask the eunuch, I don't know what happened to the dance girls who came with me from Jing Country."
She doesn't know if there are any assassins like her among the dance girls, but she still wants to ask.
The eunuch looked at her and, thinking this was not something he couldn't say, decided to do the other party a favor. "Miss, don't worry. The girls who danced with you were all rewarded by the Emperor to loyal princes and ministers of the court."
Yunao understood what the eunuch meant and did not ask any further questions.
"Thank you, eunuch."
She nodded slightly in gratitude.
The eunuch saw that she did not continue to ask, and a satisfied look crossed his eyes. He thought that the other party was quite discreet.
He did not say much more and soon turned and left.
"Miss, where should I put this pinyin?"
Xiang Ling asked, holding the pinyin in her hand.
Yunao looked at it for a moment, "Put it in the room. Just find a place to put it."
Just as she finished speaking.
A harsh female voice immediately entered her ear.
"You are the Western dance girl that the Emperor awarded to the prince? You look quite nice, but your status is too lowly. How can such a lowly status serve the prince?"
Yunao slightly furrowed her brow, looked up and saw a woman walking into the courtyard from the doorway.
The woman's long hair was pulled up, with a jade hairpin slanted in, showing elegance and grace.
Her features were delicate, her skin pale as fine porcelain, and her long eyebrows, with their narrow eyes, were full of disdain and jealousy.
Yunao looked at the woman with a puzzled expression. She didn't recognize her, so she looked at Xiang Ling.
Xiang Ling, seeing the master's eyes, appropriately came closer and whispered softly, "Miss Yunao, this is Miss Wu from the neighboring evening fragrance hall, she was awarded to the prince by Her Majesty the empress."
Because she has not been to Xuanyu City yet and has not been given a title, she can only be called Miss.
Yunao instantly understood, she was coming to spy on them and make fun of her.
"It's not up to Miss Wu to decide whether I have the right. My status is irrelevant to you."
This kind of person is not worth her attention, so she said directly to Xiang Ling, "Xiang Ling, see her off."
Xiang Ling stepped forward and stood in front of Wu Lingyan, assuming a gesture of saying goodbye, "Miss Wu, please go ahead."
Wu Lingyan was so angry that she could hardly breathe. She glared at Yunao with anger and left the courtyard angrily.
Yunao did not take it to heart and turned back into the room.
After staying in the Marquis's residence for a few days, she had not seen Xuanyu City.
Xuanyu City had no intention of seeing her either, as if completely forgetting about her existence.
Her anxiety grew gradually in her heart, feeling that if this continued, she might be following in Wu Lingyan's footsteps.
At first, Wu Lingyan would come over to mock her, but seeing that Xuanyu City had not seen her or come to the fragrant garden, she lost interest in mocking her.
Of course, she did not go to her place either.
Yunao sat in the courtyard, her brows furrowed deeply, "Tongtong, do you think Xuanyu City might really have some kind of hidden illness? There aren't any normal men who don't touch women."
"Don't worry, his body is very good, there are no problems at all."
The system yawned and said lazily, "The reason he doesn't touch women is that he is too busy with his work, and there are no girls who attract him. The world's leading man has some kind of compulsive neatness in this aspect. How could ordinary women with plain looks enter his eye?"
"You mean I'm a woman of low quality?" said Yunao, her eyes narrowing.
The system embarrassedly chuckled twice, "I didn't mean you. The hostess is so beautiful, how could she be considered ordinary? I was just using an example."
Yunao's face only began to look better. She did not argue with the system.
Learning that Xuanyu City had no health problems put her at ease.
Later, she secretly observed Xuanyu City's actions.
She noticed that Xuanyu City was very busy every day, either dealing with government affairs or patrolling the border. He did not spend much time at the marquis's residence.
Even when he returned to the marquis's residence, he would rest in the front courtyard and would not come to the back courtyard.
Yunao's current identity is a dance girl in the marquis's residence. She is not allowed to go to the front courtyard without Xuanyu City's permission.
The front courtyard is where Xuanyu City handles government affairs, and the presence of women there could interfere with his work, which is why such a rule exists.
"This damn rule."
Yunao cursed under her breath.
Xuanyu City does not come to the back courtyard, and she cannot go to the front courtyard. It's impossible for her to even encounter him by chance.
Suddenly, she remembered that there was a bamboo forest in the rear garden of the marquis's residence. The environment there was quiet and secluded, and it was closest to the front courtyard, just one wall apart.
If she played the pinyin there, the sound should be able to reach the front courtyard.
On this day, Yunao learned that Xuanyu City had returned to the marquis's residence, but he did not come to the back courtyard. Instead, he was handling government affairs in the front courtyard.
Her heart fluttered, she took a goodwill sachet from the space and hung it around her waist. After dressing up, she felt very nice and didn't have any problems. She then took the pinyin to that piece of bamboo forest.
It was dusk at this moment, the sunset slanting through, casting dappled light and shadows in the bamboo forest.
Yunao was dressed in a light silk long dress, holding the pinyin, and walked slowly into the bamboo forest.
She sat on a green stone, gently plucking the strings, and a melodious tune "Pipa Journey" began to rise.
The sound of the pipa was like weeping and complaining, as if it was telling an ancient and touching story.
Xuanyu City was in the study handling official affairs when suddenly he heard a melodious pipa sound.
His brow furrowed slightly, and his expression seemed to be annoyed by the interruption.
"Go and see who is playing the pipa in the mansion."
He coldly ordered his attendant, Nanfeng, by his side.
His words fell, and he continued to handle official affairs.
Though the pipa was played well and it was extremely pleasing to the ears.
However, he did not like being disturbed while he was handling official affairs.
"Yes, my lord."
Nanfeng was Xuanyu City's personal bodyguard. Upon hearing the prince's words, he respectfully replied and then went out.
Shortly after, he came back again.
He stood in front of Xuanyu City, bowed respectfully and said: "My lord, it is the Western dance girl that the Emperor awarded to you who is playing the pipa."
Xuanyu City paused with the pen in his hand, and he also recalled that woman.
He wasn't forgotten Yunao. The reason he hadn't gone to meet her in the back courtyard was because he thought her status was sensitive, so he wanted to wait for a while.
It seems that the other party is restless now.
"Alright, let's go and take a look."
Xuanyu City put down the pen in his hand and walked out of the study.
He walked through the long corridor and came to the back courtyard.
The man opened his eyes and saw from a distance, in the bamboo forest, a woman sitting on a green stone bench, dressed in the luxurious dance skirts unique to the Western region, holding a pipa in her arms, and playing it with concentration.
Seeing her skilled fingers, the pipa sound was like weeping and complaining.
Xuanyu City's eyes flickered slightly. He had only known that her dance was extremely beautiful, but he hadn't thought that she could play the pipa so well.
"She is indeed a talented woman."
He raised the corner of his mouth slightly, very faint, very shallow, barely noticeable.
Yunao felt someone staring at her from behind, she slightly turned her head and saw Xuanyu City's figure.
She smiled faintly at the corner of her mouth, but did not turn around, continuing to sit and play the pipa.
As if she had not noticed that there was someone behind her.
Xuanyu City stood in place and listened quietly, without approaching.
Nanfeng sneaked a glance at Xuanyu City and couldn't help but murmur to himself in his heart: The prince put down his official business and specially came to the back courtyard, but why is he standing here now instead of going over?
After playing one piece, Yunao knew that the man hadn't left, and he had been standing behind her all this time.
She stood up, holding the pipa, pretending to leave after playing.
She turned around and unexpectedly met Xuanyu City's profound eyes, which seemed like an endless deep pool that could suck a person in.
Yunao's face changed, and she pretended to be scared. After realizing it, she hurriedly bowed and bent her body, her voice trembling but incredibly beautiful: "My lord, a slave girl has seen you."
Now, her identity is a dance girl in the marquis's residence, and she is not yet Xuanyu City's woman. So naturally, she should refer to herself as a slave girl.
