Chapter 40: Meeting the Five Beauties Again

The night in the capital remained as vibrant and radiant as ever, brimming with the warmth of life, the tantalizing aroma of food, and the spirited bustle of the crowds. Everywhere one looked, there were diverse stalls and a cacophony of voices.

The Drunken Dream Pavilion was situated along the most prosperous street in the capital. Every day, countless dashing scholars, wealthy merchants, and high-ranking officials lingered within its walls. Today, luck was clearly on the side of Wang Yu and Zhao Kuangwei, for this was the day Ye Wanqing, the premier dancer of the Great Cang Empire, would grace the stage.

Ye Wanqing had debuted only three years ago, yet in that brief span, she had risen to become the most renowned dancer in the empire and the head performer of the Drunken Dream Pavilion. It was said that her dancing prowess could rank among the top three across all seven great dynasties. She performed in public only once a year, appearing otherwise only at exclusive events for the elite of the capital. Since the date of her annual public performance was never fixed, Wang Yu and his companions were exceptionally fortunate to have caught it.

At the very least, when Zhao Kuangwei heard she would be performing, he lost all composure, wearing a look of pure infatuation. As for their fellow student, Liu Yang, he was already drooling onto the floor.

As the group of over thirty young men and women slowly approached the pavilion, the manager’s sharp eyes caught sight of them. He immediately ushered these young masters to a quiet, well-positioned area on the upper floor with an expansive view. Among their party were scions of the four great general estates, the four major clans, the six great aristocratic families, and even a member of the imperial family. With such a gathering, even the powerful figures behind the Drunken Dream Pavilion would not dare offend them. The staff naturally scrambled to serve them with the utmost diligence.

Zhao Kuangwei, Wang Yu, Sima Qingrou, Huangfu Mingfeng, and Dongfang Jiaonü sat quietly in the front row, waiting for the performance to begin. Behind them sat the other students, and behind those were their personal bodyguards. While academy rules discouraged bringing guards inside, once outside the gates, they were expected to keep their protection close, though often hidden—much like Wang Tong had been previously.

Beside Leng Donglai, the others subconsciously moved away. Standing next to a transcendent master felt slightly awkward for them; besides, with such a formidable figure present, they felt rather redundant.

Several figures appeared in the hall below, and Wang Yu, seated above, noticed them immediately. Sensing that Wang Yu’s expression had shifted, Zhao Kuangwei followed his gaze downward.

"Brother Wang, acquaintances, I see!" Zhao Kuangwei teased, looking at the figures below.

As he spoke, those nearby—save for the aloof Huangfu Mingfeng, who remained with his eyes closed in meditation—also noticed the arrivals. Some cast curious, gossiping glances between Zhao Kuangwei and Wang Yu. Ignoring Zhao Kuangwei, Wang Yu stood and headed downstairs, paying no heed to the whispers starting up behind him.

"Ladies, what a coincidence. After yesterday’s parting, we have the fortune to meet again!" Wang Yu greeted the five women—Bai Ruolan, Beiming Qingying, Huangfu Jingya, Liu Ruyan, and Xu Qing—as he reached the floor below.

In truth, Wang Yu would have preferred not to see them. After the events of the previous day, he had yet to decide how to face Bai Ruolan. As for Beiming Qingying, who had stirred something within him, he wished to avoid further contact for the time being. It was an unspoken rule that the four general estates and the four major clans should not intermarry or maintain overly intimate ties, and with his current standing, Wang Yu knew he was not powerful enough to challenge that convention. Yet, having run into them, it would be rude not to offer a greeting. Besides, with a blabbermouth like Zhao Kuangwei around, he knew he couldn't hide anyway.

Sure enough, Zhao Kuangwei followed close behind. "I assume you ladies have also come to the Drunken Dream Pavilion to watch the dance? Might we join you?"

"Certainly! Since Young Master Zhao has invited us, how could we refuse?" Liu Ruyan replied with a playful smile, her lithe waist swaying as she stepped forward. With her acceptance, the other women—whether they minded or not—had to follow suit to save face.

"Greetings, Fourth Highness."
"Fourth Brother!"

Once upstairs, the women, with the exception of Huangfu Jingya, bowed to Huangfu Mingfeng. They were not from the same study hall, and they were, after all, outside the academy. Wang Yu, however, couldn't help but feel that the way Huangfu Jingya addressed him sounded more like "Dead Brother" than "Fourth Brother."

Huangfu Mingfeng merely opened his eyes and nodded, then returned to his reverie, showing no special regard for the beauties. It was also peculiar that such a man carried a fragrant sachet. Watching Huangfu Jingya, Wang Yu narrowed his eyes; it seemed that it wasn't just Huangfu Mingfeng who held a grudge against Concubine Dongfang’s faction—the Fourth Princess and the Fourth Prince appeared to be on less-than-friendly terms as well. Despite being siblings, their greeting had been purely perfunctory.

Their relationship was reflected in the seating arrangement. As an imperial prince, protocol dictated that Huangfu Mingfeng take the central seat, with others flanking him. Wang Yu happened to be seated next to him. When Huangfu Jingya entered, Wang Yu offered his seat to her, intending to move to Zhao Kuangwei’s spot. However, his gesture proved unnecessary; Huangfu Jingya had no intention of sitting near Huangfu Mingfeng and instead took a seat at the far right of the front row, next to Beiming Qingying. As for Zhao Kuangwei, having lost his seat to Wang Yu, he had prepared to sit in the second row, but seeing the vacancy in the front, he quickly darted back up to the first row.