Yan Yi roamed around for the next few hours. She tried looking for other tea house that might actually be really up to her taste buds level. Passing through each tea houses and restaurants, even a small stall, she didn't find anything satisfactory.
If she was to grade it, Thousand Lotus Pavilion's Heaven's Paradise tea is 'just fine' while others barely passed and a lot are labeled not edible for her. ╮(╯∀╰)╭
The sun is almost setting. Yan Yi sat above a roof that let her see the busily scattered people in the street. She have long concealed her presence and no one can see her silently standing above there.
"Sigh... I should go back."
It would be just a moment to teleport away but she stopped her actions when she suddenly caught a sniff of fragrance that made her nostalgic.
It smelled fine and nothing rare, definitely it is the usual mint tea with honey. Healing and soothing would be the words Yan Yi will use to describe it.
That was not what caught Yan Yi. The blank memory inside her head suddenly whitened her sight and she could see two people sitting on a couch, enjoying tea. This memory only made Yan Yi frown, but her feet betrayed her and she already found herself standing not far away from a floating lake pavilion inside a large residence that was clearly some high noble's home.
She didn't go any nearer the floating lake pavilion where the fragrance came from. Yan Yi's eyes indifferently watch the people inside of it before disappearing in a second.
==
In the palace of Prince Ping Residence, a group of four men entered the hallways and stride their ways, clearly they were no strangers in this place. A male servant came running to meet them and bowed in reverence.
"Young master Jiang has come. The heir son has been waiting for you at WeiFeng Pavilion."
The man leading the group is a handsome young man in black robes, this is young master Jiang, Jiang Wei, the son of General Jiang who is currently stationed at the borders, and behind him are his friends and retainer.
Jiang Wei nodded at the servant and let him lead the way even if it was unnecessary. Beside him, Yun Song Xi, the man in blue robes is a refreshing pretty young man who smiled all the way to the pavilion. His mouth has never stopped spouting everything he wanted to talk about.
"Sigh, unfortunately, their Heaven's Paradise wasn't really the best. It was delicious and had a satisfactory taste at best, but I still can't forget the tea I have tried at first brother's place. Nn, nn (nodding). Thankfully, now that third brother came back, first brother won't be that stingy."
Yun Song Xi had an exaggerated sad expression on his face. In this group, it has to be said that Yun Song Xi is the noisiest one and can talk nonstop all day. Fortunately for them, second brother is there to deal with him later, but for now, Si Feng, the man in green robes is the only one who has the patience to deal with him.
Si Feng glanced at Yun Song Xi in a slight frown.
"Song Xi, do you believe that I won't increase your homework this weekend?"
Si Feng is a renowned young scholar, he is Yun Song Xi's tutor for the incoming imperial examination. Though he is too young to become his peer's teacher, everyone including the emperor has recognized his intelligence and views.
"— ...! I, I'll be silent, alright?" Yun Song Xi silently retracted his presence to prevent a hell coming to him. He is just a sixteen year old teenager and is the youngest out of them. Thus, he inwardly complained how little his authority in their group. It has always been like this since childhood. Yun Song Xi can only take back his threatening tears from falling. (╥﹏╥)
Not any longer, the view of a floating lake pavilion came into their sight. The lake itself has a beautiful scenery that many might have admired, but unfortunately for them, it is only those few selected ones who has the fortune to witness it.
Yun Song Xi, being the loudest one, couldn't stop gaping at the scenery. It isn't his first time but, is this really the same WeiFeng pavilion he had visited before? It looks more beautiful than ever!
"Waa! I have never knew that first brother has an excellent landscaping master to achieve this level of beauty in just a month!"
Even Tao Xian Qi, the bulky man in dark purple robes and stern looks, have unusually nodded in approval. The whole place is really beautiful that it could compete with those magnificent gardens in the imperial palace.
Jiang Wei lead the group into the pavilion and saw two men enjoying their tea. It wasn't that the very fragrant tea is very delicious, but the sight of their first brother immersed to the tea cup in his hands made people curious if he loves tea that much.
"Junior brothers greets first and second brothers." Jiang Wei said in salute, the other three behind him followed suit.
A man in loose purple robes with a very effeminate beautiful face smiled at them in welcome. If Yan Yi were her at the moment, she would surely recognize him as the weirdo back in the Thousand Lotus Pavilion. He is Guan Xuan is the second brother that they have been speaking about.
"Oh, it's been a while, Xiao Wei. Almost 2 years perhaps?"
"Second brother is not wrong. It's been two and a half years since I left the capital." Jiang Wei said as they sat comfortably around the round table.
"Nn, nn~ Oh, Xiao XiXi, have you grown a little? It seems you're taller than the last time we met!"
Xiao XiXi is Yun Song Xi in Guan Xuan's nickname list. And even as the noisiest one in the group, Yun Song Xi always feel stumped whenever meeting with second brother.
"Second brother, I always told you not to call me like that!" It blows a man's self esteem! And it sounds like a girl's name!
"Nn, nn~ I understand, really. Xiao XiXi is currently in puberty, rebelling is normal~"
"As if—!"
Si Feng besides just helplessly sighed while the rest ignored the usual banter between the two hyper people in their group. This only made their meetings more lively in fact.
The six of them are sworn brothers under the teaching of one master. Their master is not just an excellent martial artist but an intelligent scholar more than enough for the two consecutive emperors to listen to his advice.
He is a legendary figure for the last 50 years and is a lone old expert who is currently in seclusion away from the society due to old age.
And these sworn brothers are the second and last batch of students he have honed from childhood.
Today is their reunion with the third brother, Jiang Wei having just returned from the border after following his father there two and half years ago.
The sworn brothers had a rather peaceful afternoon. They had topics varying from their childhood stories to the current ongoing thing in the capital.
Yun Song Xi suddenly remembered an important matter. He had been curious about this ever since he overheard his father (the right prime minister) talking about his first brother's rejection to the marriage that the emperor wanted him to knot.
First brother is the young prince heir of the Ping Wang palace and is a favored nephew of the emperor. But to refuse the emperor's words were really something!
"I've heard that first brother is going to be engage with the neighboring country's second princess?" Of course, he couldn't just say that he eavesdrop about his secret rejection right?
The man called they call first brother is Hong Ren, he is a man with a handsome face that make a lot of young noble ladies swoon. He has peach blossom eyes that hooks anyone, a straight high bridge nose and thin red lips. His features were sharp yet gentle at the same time, making the onlookers not to get bored watching him all day.
His eyes sharply opened that it shook Yun Song Xi and unconsciously hid behind Si Feng. It seems that he woke up a sleeping dragon!
"I don't remember anything about this. Do you mind telling me about it then?"
"I-I just overheard father talking about it. They w-were also curious about it. I... uh, I..." The longer Yun Song Xi talk, the smaller his voice fades behind Si Feng.
Jiang Wei though had a frown on his face and shared a look with Tao Xian Qi.
"First brother, is the lady in question the second princess of the south?" Jiang Wei asks in confirmation.
Hong Ren let go of their youngest junior and sighed with a no undertone, making the rest of them curious as to what he's opinion about it. Although it is no secret that there would be a political marriage coming in the capital, it is still in the process on who would be the second princess' husband candidate.
Apparently, from Yun Song Xi's words, the emperor decided to go with their first brother.
Hong Ren drank his mint tea first before settling the porcelain cup down on the table with a crisp sound.
"I prepared this mint tea with honey to help is relax and have a peaceful afternoon. I don't think that unnecessary trivialities is a topic we should have in this kind of beautiful moments. Less nonsense, drink more tea."
With that the brothers avoided the "unnecessary trivialities" to be mentioned again today.