Yamato realized that Qing Youya didn't utter a single word for his behavior, be it complaint or gratitude. He just smiled there mildly, with an obscure beautiful eyes which gave no way for people to guess what's on his mind. The boy was just like a mist, flowing naturally arousing nothing, yet obscuring everything behind it. The thing it concealed and tucked away might be dangerous wild beast, or the edge of a cliff, or the gate to hell, there's no way for anyone to know. Yamato didn't expect anything from Qing Youya either, thus he only glanced at the boy with an equally mild smile.
"You made this one Xiao Fu? It's very delicious!" Lu Zhen lowly exclaimed with his deep voice, showing admiration to one of his concubine.
"I'm glad if you like it, here, have some more," Qiong Fu picked some of the praised dish into Lu Zhen's bowl. Qiong Fu have a warm and tender temperament, very gentle and amiable towards everyone. The concubine said she loved cooking and taking care of the flower garden, she was brimming with heartwarming charm.
Yamato spotted a burn scar concealed by Qiong Fu's long fragrant sleeves.
Realizing Ren Xiu's gaze which were riveted to her arm, Qiong Fu smiled apologetically while quickly showing her burnt skin, "I was a bit clumsy with the stove several days ago."
"Xiao Fu is clumsy sometimes, which were cute," Fang Baihe teased.
"Fang Jie! Don't embarrass me in front of the honorable guest!" Qiong Fu blushed and sulked.
Everyone around the table slightly chuckled at their farce, it was truly a very picture of a good and warm family. Although a husband's love are divided, Lu Zhen seemed to gave each of his wife an equal loving treatment without partiality. The formal etiquette actually forbid concubines to sit on the same table as the husband and main wife, yet Lu Zhen ignores the propriety and hold the lunch with the whole family. They were also not ashamed of their retarded son, and instead loved him dearly. Yamato had just got to know the people, yet he already sensed a peaceful feelings from them.
After everyone finished eating, Yamato said, "I'm full, i think i will have a stroll around this town."
Fang Baihe, "Oh, how about i show you around?"
The corner of Yamato's smiling lips twitched, feeling kinda reluctant. However before he got to reject, Qiong Fu chirped sweetly, "May i tag along as well?"
It was getting harder to reject, hence Yamato have no other option but to comply, "Alright, thank you for the hospitality." He shifted his head towards Qing Lian, "How about it your highness, want to tag along?"
Unexpectedly, Qing Lian shook her head, she bowed down, "... I.. I will refuse.. I'm sorry.. I'm tired.." Qing Lian was indeed still tired, and in front of people she just knew, her bravery nullified and her overly timid behavior retracted.
"What a pity, i had wanted to stroll around with you!" Yamato pouted, "But alright, you must rest well and gain back your energy!" he stroked the girl's head, making her smile, then he shifted towards Qing Youya, "How about your highness?"
"I will trouble sister-in-law and tag along," Qing Youya smiled into a crescent.
Yamato was stupefied for awhile, he had expected Qing Youya to reject him with a smile because of the unimportance, yet rare occurrence do happen. While the iron is still hot, he bite the bullet, "Can i hug you?"
"No," it was expected.
Rare occurrence didn't last long. Extinguishing Yamato's slight hope into ashes, making him sulk, ".. Alright."
Thus after escorting Qing Lian back to her room, Yamato left. He had wanted to hold Qing Youya's hand while walking, however the boy's fake smile dared him. Once they reached the gate, they happened to found Baili Haoyue, then asked him whether he wanted to take a stroll as well. Yet his reaction surprises Yamato, as the man's handsome visage immediately bloom and shines, looking extremely happy and excited. Qing Youya had expected it, because Baili Haoyue have a hobby of making a girlfriend in every town he ever visited. However what the boy didn't expect, was Baili Haoyue's reaction the moment he laid his eyes on Fang Baihe. Although the woman only flaunted her dignified smile, it was crystal clear that Baili Haoyue froze and lost his composure, yet trying hard to look calm and normal.
"Long time no see eh, Xiao Yueyue! Oh no! that was rude of me, you are now general Baili right, forgive me i was just too excited to finally meet you again!" Fang Baihe giggled. It surprised both Yamato and Qing Youya as she addressed him with a nickname near to insult.
Baili Haoyue clearly avoided her narrowed crescent eyes while slighly exuding cold sweat, ".. Yes, it's good to see Jiejie again as well.." his pale complexion really tell the opposite.
Although Fang Baihe realized his anxiety, she didn't stop and kept amusing herself, "Oh come on, don't be so formal for old time sake! Come, let's go, i'll show you all around." and the woman in purple leads.
Qing Youya assumed that Fang Baihe was Baili Haoyue's previous lover in this town, however Yamato has a different insight.
The town was bustling with people. Merchant, worker, tourist, children, everyone was so lively in the well-ordered neat landscape. Lu Zhen do know how to manage a city and made it prosper, gaining him the love and respect from his people.
Fang Baihe showed them things of the town from a famous reputable restaurant, a big tailor house, a distinguished daoist temple, to even the most ordinary peasant's marketplace. On the way, many people greeted Fang Baihe and Qiong Fu with respect and sincere admiration. Until they passed the red light district.
They really intended to just walk past it, until a beautiful frivolous looking women yelled Fang Baihe's name from the second floor of a luxurious edifice. The moment that woman yelled, more and more woman seemed to snuck themselves out of the building. Not only that particular prostitution house, the girls from the neighboring building also started to snuck their heads out to catch an admiring glimpse of Fang Baihe.
It took Yamato and Qing Youya by surprise.
Why is this concubine so popular in the red light district?? Was she a former prostitute? But that does not explain this popularity.
Were what swirling in Qing Youya's mind.
Yamato catch a glimpse of a flinched Baili Haoyue. The man avoided the scene by shifting his face away.
As the capital's renowned playboy, turning his head away from a building full of beauties was a preposterous phenomenon for Baili Haoyue, hence leaving Qing Youya in perplexing bewilderment. He began to conceive that the relationship between the concubine and the general wasn't so simple. In his previous life, after they reached Zhuxin and greeted Lu Zhen formally, they immediately continued their journey due to Qing Lian whom had refused to be in the presence of people she wasn't familiar with. However the current Qing Lian seemed to gather some courage from Ren Xiu's abnormal influence as the biggest irregular. Because the crown princess should have died.
Now the supposed to have died crown princess bowed to Qing Youya's eye level, she approached the secretly vigilant boy and whispered, "Is Fang Baihe one of general Fang Wei's daughter?"
Qing Youya couldn't comprehend what she was hinting at, hence he just answered honestly, ".. Yes."
When the reply exited Qing Youya's mouth, Yamato immediately covered his lips, concealing the smirk which were on the brink of bursting.
Taking note of the weird reaction, Qing Youya felt quite confused yet he only smiled as usual, "What's the matter sister-in-law?"
Yamato tried to suppress his smile by hardening his expression flat, he shot Qing Youya a seemingly serious glance, "Do you really want to know?"
Still smiling, he nodded.
The boy was suddenly dragged away to a quiet corner stealthily, though still maintaining his vigilance, it didn't spare him from being puzzled. Ren Xiu squatted beside him, with her serious face she looked astoundingly gorgeous and gallant, until she suddenly burst out laughing heartily with reason unknown. It only made the puzzled Qing Youya even more bewildered in a dumbstruck.
This madman definitely has a few screw loose. The boy thought with a fake smile.
"Hahahaha... Im sorry, im sorry.. It was just.. Hahahaha! It's so hilarious!" Yamato continued to laugh, the things he had just figured out was simply too funny for his humour.
His laugh slowly receded as he wiped the crocidile tear which formed on the corner of his eyes, he heaved a deep sigh then faced Qing Youya with a calm smile, "Do his highness know what a red light district and sex is?"
Qing Youya widened his eyes at the sudden question, however he quickly assumed a childish shy facade to avoid suspicion of looking unnaturaly too mature for his age, "Ah, what is sister-in-law asking.. I might be young but i also received this education," he avoid eye contact, displaying perfect childish embarrassment.
"... Alright," Yamato put his hand beside his mouth, "Then, do you know what a cut sleeve is?"
*cut sleeve: a story about a homosexual emperor. Often used to call a homosexual.
From this sentence alone, Qing Youya already have a few deduction regarding Fang Baihe and Baili Haoyue, however he choose to continue acting curious in order to get the detailed information, "U-um, i know. What of it?"
"You see, Fang Baihe is a cut sleeve, she is bent.
"And she's no ordinary cut sleeve. I feel bad for saying this but, she's a notorious hell raiser. An insatiable woman who had bedded countless woman. Those girls coming out excitedly from the prostitution house the moment they heard Fang Baihe's name, you could guess what had happened between them.
"And i believe you are also mature enough not to tease a man's pride.. Because i think, Fang Baihe had humiliated Haoyue ge in the past.. Though i don't know the reason why, but it seems like a quite deep wound for him," because the man couldn't even retaliate when addressed by a mocking nickname, this is also why Yamato had wanted to laugh but restrained.
Qing Youya displayed a shy facade while slowly retaining his calm face, appearing as though he innocently comprehend what Ren Xiu had just explained. His deduction was on point, however the part where Fang Baihe had bedded countless women exceeded his expectation.
The world is big, i guess there's exist women crazier than Ren Xiu.
".. Hmm, Haoyue ge has many girlfriends.. Maybe one of them was stolen by aunty Fang?" the prince tried to act smart for his age, deducting something yet not sounding too vulgar. Although in his mind, he was sure that Baili Haoyue's submissive behavior must've been caused by some greater humiliation in the adult's world which the ten year old him shouldn't speak about.
"Wait, he has many girlfriends?" Yamato was surprised, he didn't know that Baili Haoyue was also a notorious playboy himself.
"Yes.. People call him.. Playboy?"
"... Oh.. Hahahahahahaha!! Then it is even funnier! The possible case of humiliation became wider! Hahahaha! Oh! Cough cough- yes.. Cough-" Yamato choked on his own spit. If Baili Haoyue was a playboy, then the humiliation must've been a bone crushing experience. The girl he seduced might've chosen Fang Baihe. The girl he liked might have been bedded by Fang Baihe. His technique in bed might have been compared to Fang Baihe and lost. The number of girls shouting his name might have lost to the number of girls shouting Fang Baihe's name. He might have even seduced Fang Baihe unknowingly and was bashed by the girls he previously seduced for it. In any way, it must not be something nice, and he might even experience it all many times, causing the woman to be his living trauma.
Although Yamato had realized the concubine's lustful glance at the beginning, he didn't suspect further because she was already married to a man. What made him recognize Fang Baihe's true identity, were the fact that she was Fang Wei's daughter. Previously when Yamato were kicked in the face by a rich man to save a slave, he invited three people for a drink in a tavern. There he gossiped about many things. Yamato didn't waste the occasion and talked about the cities he need to pass to reach goddess mountain in a light manner.
The rich man were from a merchant family and would sometimes do business and travel from town to town. The slave were a man who often chatted with beggars and gossips badly about nobility. The other random man he dragged were an information seller in disguise of a drunkard vagabond. There they all have a nice exciting talk that might profit each other. On one topic, they talked about general Fang Wei's daughter whom was a family disgrace, she was an insatiable notorious cut sleeve who were disowned by her family. But even so, she didn't seem to care and lived her life with countless rich women who were more than willing to financially support her, she was wild and unstoppable, and she travel from town to town, tasting different kinds of girls. The informant also approved the gossip as truth. This was why Yamato didn't suspect Fang Baihe, until he saw what happened on the red light district.