A Seductive Gentleman Chapter 44

Chapter 44: From the Flower Reflects a Picture – Part 1

Note: So it turns out that Immortal Chi, was just a pond…I'm so sorry for the mistranslation. The character 'chi' could mean pond or be a surname. So I've changed it to Xiangu Pond, so sorry for the misunderstanding!!

Huai Yu's expression turned austere, coldly saying, "Come back."

Jun's foot immediately stopped midstep. She obediently turned around with her head hung low like she'd just accidentally discovered a huge secret, her expression screaming the look of waiting to be disciplined.

The friends close beside her didn't dare breathe too loudly. Occasionally they'd secretly glance at Huai Yu, but they only had the guts to stare at his shoes and didn't dare look at his face.

Jun faltered, "Huai Yu-gege, I didn't know you were here."

"We didn't come here on purpose!"

At this moment, Ming ChangYan finally, after trials and tribulations, got the sand out from his eyes. The tips of his eyes blushed a deep red with specks of glistening teardrops. After he was dragged by Huai Yu, his clothes were loosened, no matter how you looked at it, he didn't look decent, like he'd just been ruthlessly bullied by someone.

"I, I just wanted to place my lamp by the Xiangu Pond and walking through the small bamboo forest is closer, I didn't expect Huai Yu-gege to be here too…."

Ming ChangYan was utterly insensitive, saying, "Xiangu Pond? Great, I want to go too!"

Huai Yu asked, "What are you going there to do?"

Ming ChangYan, "I lost my Peony. She probably already took my lamp to the Xiangu Pond. If she's not able to find me, it's not certain whether or not she'll secretly go cry somewhere."

The atmosphere was extremely awkward, Ming ChangYan suddenly felt a strange and indescribable sense of shame. He let out a laugh as he pushed Huai Yu aside and walked towards Jun.

"Take me with you, it just so happens that I wanted to go as well!"

Jun secretly glanced at Huai Yu, "You're not going together with Huai Yu-gege?"

Ming ChangYan waved his hand, "He's very busy, how would he have the time to go with us. Besides, Xiangu Pond's super crowded, if he goes and gets recognized then that'll be the end of it!"

Jun hesitated for a moment, Ming ChangYan's words made a little bit of sense and thus, she bid goodbye to Huai Yu.

Except, they only walked a few steps when Huai Yu suddenly began to follow behind them. That unfathomable feeling from before had dissipated and Ming ChangYan had once again returned to his normal self. He coughed and said, "Huai Yu, you want to go too? Aren't you afraid of getting recognized?"

Huai Yu glanced at him before he suddenly took out a black, glass lens from his bosom. Ming ChangYan thought they looked extremely familiar.

He put on the glass lens, covering up half his face. The black lenses contrasted against his skin, making it look all the more snowy white, adding somewhat of a devilish charm to him.

Ming ChangYan didn't dare to look too much, shifting his eyes he thought: What's going on these days, I always seem to be pulled along by this brat.

The Xiangu Pond was packed with people, Ming ChangYan merrily said, "I told you not to come, how are we supposed to stay here for long? We're going to be carried out the moment we try to enter!"

Huai Yu suddenly tugged his sleeves, causing Ming ChangYan to wobble before turning around to look at him. Huai Yu didn't say a single word, pulling him towards another area. Ming ChangYan quickly kept pace, "Where are you going, slow down, my feet hurt!"

Sure enough, after hearing his words, Huai Yu slowed down a bit.

Ming ChangYan was wearing heeled shoes after his foot felt comfortable enough, his lips curled up. Grinning, he said, "Young Prime Minister, is this what you call robbing a woman? I haven't even greeted Jun yet, what if she comes looking for me? Hey, little Huai Yu, this shaoxia's time is precious!"

He talked continuously the whole way, when he finally finished, his stomach let out an unrestrained gurgle. Huai Yu's footsteps halted, "Are you hungry?"

Ming ChangYan rubbed his lower abdomen, "Don't tell me it's trying to sing a song instead."

Huai Yu asked, "What do you want to eat?"

Ming ChangYan looked around but couldn't help but laugh, "Young Prime Minister, there's no village or shop here, there's only a Xiangu Pond. Moreover, where did you bring me, there's not a person in sight."

Huai Yu ignored him, directly saying, "You wait here."

Ming ChangYan sat down and watched what he planned to do next. As Huai Yu walked up to the upper reaches of the Xiangu Pond, Ming ChangYan relaxed and sized up his surroundings. Huai Yu led him for a long time, walking for so long, there weren't any signs of human habitation around them. However, the scenery was truly gorgeous, the remnants of that huge snowstorm haven't completely melted yet and the bare landscape had a somber feeling to it.

He didn't know what Huai Yu was doing, squandering by the upper reaches of the river. Ming ChangYan saw him roll up his trousers appearing as if he was about to go down into the waters. When he observed this part, Ming ChangYan was alarmed, promptly standing up in exasperation, yelling, "What are you doing! Looking for an illness in the water?!"

Huai Yu turned a deaf's ear; swiping back a lock of hair, he rolled up his sleeves and fumbled around in the water looking for something.

Ming ChangYan called once and he didn't answer, the second time, it was going to get physical. It was at this moment that Huai Yu abruptly came out from the pond, Ming ChangYan hadn't opened his mouth when he saw that in the other's hand, held a carp.

Ming ChangYan, "You, you caught fish!"

Huai Yu puzzled, "Weren't you hungry."

Ming Changyan was mute, not knowing whether to laugh or to cry, "Huai Yu, this is a carp from the Xiangu Pond, people use it to make wishes. For you to just snatch one and eat it, you'd better be careful of Heaven's wrath!"

Huai Yu said, "It doesn't matter, it's all fake anyway."

Ming ChangYan was shocked.

While in his shock, Huai Yu had already picked up two sticks. Taking off the Common People's Order off his waist, he threw it into Ming ChangYan's hands, "Pull it out."

When Ming ChangYan had pulled out the Common People's Order before, he'd vomited a mouthful of blood that left a shadow inside his heart. But at this moment, when Huai Yu told him to unsheathe it, he didn't hesitate. With a swish, he pulled it out and unexpectedly didn't receive any side effects.

Ming ChangYan had a feeling of a novelty after he repeated the action multiple times, he said, "Why didn't I vomit blood this time?"

Huai Yu answered, "Because your body's recovering."

Ming ChangYan nodded his head, "That's about right, compared to me who was so weak that a breeze could blow me away, these days I feel like I've been rejuvenated." He faintly raised his head, "Why do you want me to pull out the Common People's Order?"

Huai Yu held out his hand, Ming ChangYan instantly reacted, placing the Common People's Order into his palm. The next moment, this blade that was used to command the world was used by Huai Yu to descale the carp. His technique was refined, making Ming ChangYan feel even more dumbstruck.

"Are you really the Young Prime Minister? Huai Yu, do you know what the Prime Minister of the Central Plains is supposed to do, do you not believe in Buddhism? Do you not believe in supernatural beings? You're just going to take a life like that?! And a carp that's used for blessings too!"

Huai Yu coldly said, "Those things are all scams, superstitions. You won't get bad luck from eating it."

Ming ChangYan swallowed his saliva, almost choking from this brat's exaggerated opinions. After quite a while did he say, "You really don't…believe in faith at all."

At this moment, Huai Yu already finished cleaning up the fish. Piercing into the fish with the sticks, he nimbly created a bonfire. Grasping the blade, he slowly began to roast the fish.

"If XiaoHan Temple realizes that you're holding onto the Common People's Order doing who knows what, they won't spare any effort to twist off your head."

"What can a group of useless bald monkeys do to me?"

Ming ChangYan said, "Good, good, good, Young Prime Minister you're number one!"

The two turned silent. Ming ChangYan smelled the gradually wafting scent of cooking fish and swallowed a mouthful of saliva. His gaze first landed on the fish then shifted onto Huai Yu's chest. Just now, when Huai Yu bent down to capture the fish, the amber pendant around his neck slipped out. Ming ChangYan stared at it for a bit before he asked, "Huai Yu, where did that pendant come from?"

Under the sunlight, brilliant colors reflected from the amber, it dazzled his eyes. It looked as if it contained the cold moonlight while also resembling the fall of autumn leaves. Ming ChangYan approached it with curiosity, leaning in he wondered, “This stone isn't really found in the Central Plains."

Huai Yu said, "An old friend gave it to me."

Ming ChangYan's heart stopped, casually saying, "Oh…a man?"

"Woman."

He pursed his lips, feeling a bit sullen.

Ming ChangYan didn't speak and felt that the atmosphere was extremely uncomfortable. Even if he wanted to speak, he didn't know what to say.

After a short period of time, Huai Yu said, "Can you eat fish?"

Ming ChangYan reached out and tore off a tiny piece, dully chewing it in his mouth he said, "There's not much flavor."

Huai Yu nodded his head, "Let it cook for a bit longer."

After restraining himself for so long, Ming ChangYan asked, "That woman, ah, I mean the woman who gave you the pendant, am I familiar with them?"

Huai Yu suddenly moved his hand, his eyes falling into the other's gaze. Ming ChangYan felt intimidated, recoiling back a step, "What, I'm just asking, you don't have to answer."

"Familiar."

When Ming ChangYan heard this, he asked again, "When did she give it to you?"

"Sixteen years ago."

After he heard this, Ming ChangYan thought: Ha, childhood sweethearts.

"Ah, where's she now? At this age, she must've already gotten married right?"

Huai Yu turned the shaft of the blade, "She died."

Ming ChangYan paused.

Huai Yu gazed at him, "She got married a few years prior."

Ming ChangYan said, "Wasn't she your childhood sweetheart?"

Huai Yu asked, "Childhood sweetheart?"

Ming ChangYan grinned, "Affectionate and sharing the same feelings, you grew up together, yet you didn't take her as your wife."

Huai Yu said, "We were strangers that met by chance."

Ming ChangYan suddenly reached out and took the amber into his hands, after fiddling with it for a bit, he said, "My hometown produced an abundance of these precious stones. Whoever was able to find them in the forest, whoever got the blessing of the moon."

Huai Yu tore off a piece of the fish, using it to block Ming ChangYan's mouth.

Unexpectedly, Ming ChangYan was utterly terrified and promptly spit out the piece of meat. Huai Yu asked, "Does it taste bad?"

Ming ChangYan shook his head, after a long time, he felt embarrassed as he said, "I don't know how to eat fish."

To have someone who doesn't know how to eat fish, eat fish, is truly painful. Ming ChangYan was someone who didn't know how to pick out the bones in fish, no matter how much he ate, in the end, he could only taste it a little before spitting it out right after. Especially this sort of carp, they were practically his sworn-enemy. The bones were both small and thin, just putting it in his mouth was like walking towards the Gates of Hell, his throat reflexively felt a stab of pain.

Huai Yu noticed his unusual complexion, reaching out he tore off a piece of the fish and began to silently pick out the bones.

"Since you're Tokhara, why don't you know how to eat fish?"

Ming ChangYan argued, "Who said that people who live by the sea have to know how to eat fish? When I was small, I looked for river snails!"

Huai Yu raised his head and gazed at him.

Ming ChangYan seemed to recall an old affair, quickly saying, "It's true! Behind the palace, there was a very small hill with many brooks on top of it and lots of river snails at the bottom. I won't brag but I was the best at finding river snails in all of Tokhara. If there ever was a contest, this shaoxia would easily take first place!"

When Huai Yu heard this, he let out a faint laugh.

Ming ChangYan continued, "Once when I was nine, I once followed my mother to the Central Plain's palace. At first, I didn't really want to come but she tricked me by saying that river snails at the Central Plains were bigger than the ones at Tokhara."

"And then you came?" Huai Yu handed the piece of fish that was deboned to him.

"I came! The moment I came I was fooled! Where in the imperial palace have you seen river snails? There were only tortoises!"

Huai Yu didn't reply. Ming ChangYan continued to recall past events when he finished, they had already finished eating the fish. This time, he didn't eat a single piece of bone.

Afterward, Ming ChangYan released another lamp and made a wish. When Huai Yu asked what he wished for, he didn't answer. As retaliation, he had someone drag him back to take his medicine.

After a year, Ming ChangYan's body had been slowly recuperating.

After another two months, the medicine that was making him look young was gradually wearing off. Besides his height increasing, his face became all the more handsome. Luckily, it's because Peony and Fu Ling served him daily that they didn't think he was going through much of a change. In March, Zhao XiaoLan found the time to drop by the Listening Lotus Building for a bit. At this time, Ming ChangYan was currently using a needle and thread to control the lotuses for fun. The moment Zhao XiaoLan saw him, he jumped up in alarm, saying, "Yan-jiejie! How come you've gotten taller again?!"

Ming ChangYan laughed out loud, "Really, that means I've been eating well these past few days!"

Fu Ling came in carrying a bowl of sheep's milk, smiling she said, "How could she not be eating well? The Young Prime Minister comes to the Listening Lotus Building every day, even if she turns skinny, she's going to be plumped up by him."

Zhao XiaoLan said, "How come I can't grow any taller, in fact, I eat a lot too. Whatever, I won't talk about this, Yan-jiejie, do you want to come to the Flower Viewing Festival?"

The hand Ming ChangYan was using to play with the needle stopped, "Flower Viewing Festival? Which one? The one in Lin'an?"

Zhao XiaoLan said, "It's being held at the capital this year! I'm here to invite you."

After he said this, he took out a very elegant-looking letter from his bosom that was covered in fragrant little flowers.

After Zhao XiaoLan finished delivering the message, he got up and went to Yongxian Palace to pay his respects.

The Flower Viewing Festival was to be held at the end of March. Early in the morning, Ming ChangYan changed into a set of men's clothing and strutted his way to the Ninety-Nineth Temple. He had already regained over half of his cultivation and didn't need to wear a dress anymore. Hiding to avoid disasters, he jumped onto the beam of a roof, entering and exiting the palace without a single person noticing. Such a big human being was able to escape without the 13 Guardians without getting caught.

As he quickly passed by Yongxian Palace, the empress was slightly surprised. Aunt LingZhi said, "Your majesty, what's wrong?"

She set down her teacup and stood up at once, running towards the entrance to XianYue Palace. Aunt LingZhi had never seen the empress be so surprised that she forgot her manners, steadily catching up to her.

When the empress staggered her way to the entrance of Yongxian Palace, all she saw was Ming ChangYan's smeared shadow disappear at the palace corridor.

Aunt LingZhi asked, "Your majesty?"

The empress came back to her senses, saying, "Nothing, this empress saw wrong."

According to the current level Ming ChangYan's cultivation was at, even though it wasn't what it was when he was at his peak, it was still enough for him to sneak out of the imperial palace.

As a result, when he arrived at the entrance to the Ninety-Nineth Temple, his footsteps were slightly sluggish, but he still climbed up the tall building.

Before he went up, he pondered: Zhao XiaoLan probably already sent him a letter, so I'll go ask him about it. If he's going, then he could go with me, if he's not going, then I'll come down.

After the blessings ceremony concluded, the Ninety-Nineth Temple once again regained its usual cold aura. The whole time he was climbing up, not a single imperial bodyguard was in sight. This time when he's climbing the building, because of the help of his spiritual energy, it's become much more effortless. Ming ChangYan arrived at the top floor, not regarding himself as an outsider in the slightest, he pushed opened the door and went in.

Who would've imagined that he entered just in time to encounter Huai Yu changing his clothes.

At this moment, Huai Yu was only wearing a white inner robe. Noticing that Ming ChangYan had come in, his hands slightly paused before fastening up the final button.

This was translated by , any repost of this is stolen and if you steal my work I'll stab carp bones in your throat.

Flufff, gimme that fluff!!

I'm curious, did any of you guys notice references to previous chapters? I want to see how many you guys can find in this one, there's actually a lot of them.

Also, don't worry! There won't be anyone coming along trying to steal our boys for themselves, nor is there ever going to be a love triangle.

Side fact: Huai Yu's nickname by Chinese fans is 糖醋鱼; Sweet and Sour Fish (cause the Yu in Huai Yu is a pun on 鱼; fish)

Have a great weekend guys, love y'all ❤ (ɔˆз(ˆ⌣ˆc)

Chapter end