[World 5] Chapter 127

　　The three most beautiful courtesans took turns to perform their talents, and the atmosphere in Xunhuanju reached its peak.

　　Unlike other brothels, the girls in Xunhuanju can only be looked at but not touched, no matter how much money you spend.

　　Everyone in the audience felt that the trip was worthwhile, but they were also looking forward to the appearance of the last courtesan.

　　The music suddenly stopped, and flower petals rained down from the sky. The guests on the first floor all raised their heads and looked towards the third floor.

　　At this time, a woman in white came out holding a pipa. Her face was half covered, revealing only a pair of eyes full of spring water. She lowered her head slightly and walked down with light steps.

　　Every step she took attracted the hearts of everyone present.

　　Everyone wants to see the face beneath this light veil.

　　Time seemed to slow down at this moment. After an unknown amount of time, Jiang Mu sat down on the stage. She glanced gently at the audience below, and everyone held their breath, staring straight at her face and her eyes.

　　The VIPs on the second floor have a better view, and those sitting in the private room in the middle can have a clear view of the entire stage.

　　Jiang Mu's fingers fell on the pipa, she lightly gathered her fingers, and plucked the strings with her slender hands, and the music sounded like flowing water.

　　She parted her red lips and sang softly in a tender voice, her modified version of the song of lovesickness touched everyone's heartstrings.

　　After experiencing several worlds, Jiang Mu's musical attainments have reached a new level. Even a simple pipa piece can be played by her like heavenly music.

　　Her singing is different from the euphemistic and implicit style of that era. Although it sounds strange at first, it becomes astonishing as you listen to it slowly.

　　There is a hint of sadness in her clear voice, and she seems to be completely immersed in the emotion of the song and unable to extricate herself.

　　Even Murong Heng, who had listened to all kinds of classical music and had extremely discerning taste, rarely showed an expression of appreciation.

　　Murong Yan was originally still thinking about when he could go back, and at this moment his mind was all on Jiang Mu.

　　The beautiful singing voice made him unable to think about anything else. He looked at Jiang Mu on the stage and couldn't help but feel curious about this strange woman.

　　Murong Heng was even more obsessed than him. He stared at the woman on the stage in fascination and murmured, "Fourth brother, what kind of person is this woman who can play and sing such beautiful music?"

　　Murong Heng was obsessed with music, and the music of this dynasty also developed to its peak. There were nearly 5,000 musicians in the palace. Every time Murong Heng entertained court officials, he would ask the Jiaofang and the Music Department to compose new music. In his spare time, he also liked to summon musicians to play and sing in the palace.

　　Jiang Mu's song astounded him. He had never heard such music before, and the lyrics were very novel.

　　He looked at Jiang Mu with shining eyes and wished he could invite her up immediately to talk to her about music theory. He completely forgot that she was just a prostitute.

　　Upon hearing this, Murong Yan knew what his brother was thinking. His brother's greatest hobby was music, and his favorite instrument was the pipa. Apart from state affairs, he would compose music and lyrics in the palace. He would often give his poems to the Jiaofang and the Music Bureau to compose music, and then he would personally play the pipa in the palace for his concubines to listen to.

　　The concubines in his harem were all well versed in music theory and good at singing and dancing. Those who sang well or played the piano well were more likely to win his favor.

　　As a result, the concubines in the harem spent the whole day in the Jiaofang and the Music Department learning poetry and songs.

　　Judging from the emperor's appearance, the courtesan on the stage will probably be taken back to the harem by him soon.

　　Even though her status is low, it doesn't matter as long as his brother likes her.

　　You should know that the most favored concubine now, Yunpin, was just a musician in a music troupe before. Just because she had a good voice, she once sang a song when Murong Heng was playing the pipa, and she won the emperor's favor. Now she has become a noble lady in the palace, deeply loved by Murong Yan, and enjoys unlimited glory.

　　Murong Yan looked at Jiang Mu and said softly, "From the words she sang, I think she must be a beautiful woman who is good at music and has a lot of talent."

　　"The music is so lingering in the air. The music just now was so wonderful. There are so many people in my music studio, how come no one can come up with such a wonderful music? And the lyrics are so touching and sad that they break one's heart... This music should only exist in heaven. How many times can we hear it in the world? I came here at the right time today. Otherwise, I would have missed such heavenly music."

　　Murong Heng became more and more excited as he spoke.

　　Murong Yan knew that he was having a seizure. He would be like this every time there was a new and good song.

　　Murong Yan: "My Royal Brother is absolutely right."

　　Murong Heng sighed and said hesitantly, "Fourth brother, do you think I should invite her up?"

　　Murong Yan also wanted to know what kind of person this woman was. Although he was not as obsessed with music as Murong Heng, everyone in the Da'an Dynasty loved music, and he was no exception.

　　"If your Majesty likes it, I will bring the person up to you right away."

　　Murong Heng shook his head. He was on a secret visit today and it was not convenient for him to act too high-profile in such a place.

　　While the two were talking, Jiang Mu stood up and handed the pipa to the maid beside her. She stood gracefully on the stage and bowed elegantly. Her posture was so charming and graceful that it made people fascinated.

　　However, she did not satisfy everyone's curiosity and left the stage after the song ended.

　　Murong Heng looked at Jiang Mu's graceful back and said to the guard beside him, "Go and invite that girl over and tell her that it's Prince Cheng's mansion that invites her."

　　Murong Yan: "…"

　　After Murong Heng finished speaking, he looked at Murong Yan and smiled, "Fourth brother, I'll borrow your name for a while."

　　Murong Yan sighed and said helplessly: "Royal brother."

　　"Okay, okay, I owe you one." Murong Heng said with a smile.

　　Even if Murong Yan was unwilling in his heart, there was nothing he could do. This was the difference between a monarch and his subjects.

　　However, what was unexpected was that after the guard went there, he came back and said that the other party was unwilling to come. Even if he said that it was Prince Cheng who invited him, he directly refused and said that he would not meet guests in private.

　　Murong Heng was not angry at all after hearing this, he smiled and said: "In that case, let's go over there."

　　Murong Yan: "Brother, I'm afraid this is inappropriate."

　　"What's wrong with that? If they don't want to meet in private, then I'll take the initiative to meet them. That's fine, right?"

　　Murong Heng had to meet the woman from before. He wanted to ask her how certain parts of the song were played, and also the lyrics. He listened to it once but didn't remember all of it. If he could get the lyrics and study them, he would definitely be able to discover the mystery.

　　Murong Heng opened the door and was about to look for Jiang Mu, but he didn't know that all the people who wanted to see Jiang Mu like him had already rushed over. The VIPs in the private rooms on the second floor all sent people to invite him, but were all rejected. The guests on the first floor were all shouting for Jiang Mu to come out and sing another song.

　　This was the first time Murong Heng encountered such a situation. He frowned and looked towards the room on the third floor where Jiang Mu was. The door was already crowded with people.

　　He has to go through many obstacles to get through.

　　"Emperor... Second Brother, why don't we forget about it today and come back another day.

　　Murong Yan felt that he might not see him today.

　　Murong Heng looked at the guests who were shouting "Miss Xunhuan" and "Miss Xunhuan". His brows were getting tighter and tighter. He smiled coldly and said in a deep voice: "I have to see her even if I can't."

　　There is no one he wants to meet that he cannot meet. As he is the emperor, there is nothing he cannot get.

　　The harder it is to see, the more he wants to see it.

　　Murong Heng raised his eyes and glanced at the third floor. He leaped up and stepped onto the railing in three or two steps. He was as light as a swallow. He took a few steps in the air, stepped on the colorful strips hanging in the air to gain leverage, and easily flew to the third floor opposite.

　　Someone in the crowd saw him and exclaimed.

　　"Look at that man!"

　　Murong Heng suddenly became the focus. Several officials, the ones that Murong Heng had seen outside before, turned pale suddenly when they saw Murong Heng. They were so scared that they couldn't speak. They originally wanted to meet this mysterious girl seeking pleasure, but they didn't expect to see the current emperor here.

　　Several people stared with their eyes wide open, and after confirming that they were not mistaken, they immediately lowered their heads, without caring about anything else, and shouted to their servants to leave in a panic.

　　Murong Yan didn't expect Murong Heng to be so persistent. After thinking about it, he went back to the private room on the second floor to wait for Murong Heng.

　　At this time, Huanruo from Prince Cheng's Mansion was still waiting for Murong Yan to come back for dinner.

　　She waited until it was dark and asked people to check the door several times, but they said the prince had not returned yet.

　　She sent someone to ask whether the carriage that brought the prince to the palace had returned, but who knew that the carriage had already returned.

　　Huanruo was angry and anxious, not knowing what had happened. At this time, the maid that Huanruo sent to ask the gatekeeper came back to report that she heard from people at Mingyueju that the prince had gone to the newly opened brothel, Xunhuanju.

　　Huanruo's face turned pale and she stood at the door for a long time. The maid advised her to go back to the house, but she didn't say a word and her face looked very scary.

　　After a long time, perhaps she felt cold, so she turned back to the house. Seeing the table full of dishes, she got angry for no apparent reason and pushed all the dishes to the ground with her hand.

　　The dishes were broken all over the floor.

　　The maids were all terrified.

　　…..

　　Murong Yan was getting anxious, so he asked the servant to go back to the palace and tell Huan Ruo that he was delayed by something and could not come back, and asked her to eat first.

　　Huanruo had already smashed all the dishes on the table. When she heard that Murong Yan had sent someone to say that they were delayed due to something, she showed no strange expression. After sending the servant away, she sneered twice.

　　The maids didn't dare to make a sound, and the room was eerily quiet.

　　Mingyueju was also very quiet today. Jiang Mu went out frequently recently, saying that she was going back to the general's mansion, but she always took Xue Teng alone. The other maids were very bored staying in the palace. They were somewhat dissatisfied with the fact that Xue Teng had won Jiang Mu's trust and favor as soon as she arrived.

　　But there was nothing they could do, because Xue Teng was given to Jiang Mu by General Jiang. Besides, Xue Teng's cold and aloof look made the maids very afraid of her and they dared not provoke her.

　　It was not until late at night that they received news that Jiang Mu had stayed in the general's mansion and would not be back until the next morning.

　　Murong Yan waited in the private room on the second floor for an hour before Murong Heng came back.

　　Seeing Murong Heng's overjoyed look, Murong Yan was a little curious and asked, "Why is my brother so happy?"

　　"That girl who is looking for pleasure is really a wonderful person. She is my soulmate. It is hard to find a soulmate. It is really a blessing in this world."

　　Murong Heng was in a very good mood. Jiang Mu had just given Murong Heng the lyrics and music of the song "Xiang Si Yin" that she played and sang without any reservation. She also talked with him about music theory. Jiang Mu's attainments in music amazed him. He had never seen a woman with such profound knowledge. Not only was she proficient in various musical instruments, but she could also remember the whole song after listening to it once. Murong Heng played several songs of her own composition for Jiang Mu.

　　As long as Jiang Mu listens to it once, she can play it out perfectly.

　　The look in Murong Heng's eyes when he looked at Jiang Mu could be described as excitement and obsession.

　　Even though he haven't seen her true face yet, it doesn't matter anymore.

　　Her talent alone was enough to make him admire her.

　　Murong Heng and Jiang Mu were so engrossed in their conversation that they forgot about time. If Jiang Mu hadn't looked tired and her voice hadn't sounded a little weary, reminding Murong Heng that it was getting late, Murong Heng would have continued chatting with her about everything from poetry to the philosophy of life.

　　"Brother, have you seen her appearance?" Murong Yan asked.

　　Murong Heng glared at Murong Yan, "Fourth brother, you are so vulgar. I told you about Miss Xun Huan's talent and sentiment, but you only thought about her appearance. With such talent, it doesn't matter if she is not beautiful. What's more, Miss Xun Huan's eyes are already fascinating and unforgettable."

　　Murong Yan could only say that the pair of eyes he had just seen were indeed fascinating.

　　How could a woman with such a pair of eyes be ugly? Moreover, since she is said to be the leader of the four most beautiful courtesans, she must be an unparalleled beauty.

　　Murong Yan couldn't help but feel annoyed when he thought of this. Why would he have such fantasies about other women? There should only be Huan Ruo in his heart.

　　…..

　　It was already late at night when Murong Yan returned to the palace. He went straight to Qiuya Pavilion. However, before he entered Huanruo's bedroom, he was stopped by Qiuya Pavilion's maid, who said that the concubine had already gone to bed.

　　He had just seen a light in the room, and knew that Huanruo must not have fallen asleep. She must be angry because she didn't want to see him.

　　Murong Yan was in a hurry to go in, looking coldly at the maid blocking the way, "Why don't you get out of the way?"

　　The maid was startled. She was already nervous about stopping the prince, and now her legs went weak and she retreated immediately.

　　Murong Yan walked in, pushed open the door, and saw Huanruo lying on the bed. He went over and coaxed her with soft words.

　　Huan Ruo opened her eyes, stared at Murong Yan, and said calmly: "Where did the prince go last night? Why did you take so long to come back?"

　　Murong Yan naturally couldn't tell the truth, so he could only say: "I was discussing something with my brother and accidentally delayed the time. My brother invited me to have dinner, so I couldn't refuse."

　　Huan Ruo smiled coldly, "Really?"

　　Murong Yan was embarrassed by her reaction, "Ruo'er, what's wrong with you?"

　　"Nothing, I'm not feeling well today, Your Highness should go sleep somewhere else."

　　Murong Yan looked unhappy, but still said, "Why is Ruo'er feeling unwell? Do you want to ask the imperial physician to come and see her?"

　　Huan Ruo closed her eyes, "No need, Your Majesty, please go sleep somewhere else."

　　Murong Yan: "…"

　　He looked at Huanruo quietly for a while, and felt a little annoyed. He only thought about her, but was treated like this.

　　He shook his sleeves and strode away.

　　Murong Yan stood at the door of Qiuya Pavilion, hesitated for a moment, then turned and went to the study.

　　That night, Murong Yan had a dream.

　　In his dream, he actually saw a veiled girl seeking pleasure.

　　He was standing in the audience at Xunhuanju. On the stage, Miss Xunhuan was holding a pipa, singing and plucking the strings. Her eyes were gentle and charming, revealing a seductive look, and she was looking at him the whole time.

　　It seemed that he was the only guest in Xunhuan Curry, and he was the only audience of Xunhuan Girl.

　　The girl who was seeking pleasure started to dance while she was singing. The pipa she was holding disappeared. She walked slowly towards him, her eyes were charming and full of teasing.

　　Murong Yan's heart was in turmoil, and for some reason, he felt a little flustered.

　　Until the pleasure-seeking girl came closer and closer to him, even putting her fingers on his face, looking at him infatuatedly and touching his face.

　　Murong Yan suddenly felt that the woman in front of him looked familiar.

　　Especially those eyes.

　　He stared at her intently, but she slowly approached him, leaned over on the stage, and put her face close to his through the veil.

　　At this moment, Murong Yan woke up from his dream.

　　He opened his eyes, his eyes were deep, his body was hot, and he seemed to have reacted.

　　He gasped and lifted the quilt in disbelief.

　　He was wearing a single shirt and long pants under the quilt, and the thin material could not cover anything.

　　His face became more and more uglier. He stood up suddenly and frowned.

　　Why did he have such a dream?

　　…..

　　Murong Yan was restless the whole day. After entering the palace, he was invited to the Zichen Hall by the eunuch beside Murong Heng, where Murong Heng was reviewing memorials.

　　Hearing the report, Murong Heng looked up at Murong Yan and said with a smile: "You are here, wait for me for a while, and we will leave after I finish reading these memorials."

　　Murong Yan thought of something, but still asked, "Where are you going, brother?"

　　Murong Heng: "Where we went yesterday, we will go today."

　　Murong Yan's mind was a little complicated. Thinking of that dream, his expression became strange, "My royal brother is going again?"

　　Murong Heng: "Yes, yesterday I made an appointment with Miss Xun Huan to meet again today. We had a great chat yesterday and there is still a lot to say. Today I will bring the new music I composed a few days ago for her to appreciate."

　　Murong Yan: "...Does my royal brother admire that pleasure-seeking girl so much?"

　　Murong Heng: "Of course, don't you think she is extremely talented and rare in the world? No, you didn't talk to her yesterday, you don't know how smart she is. Today you just happen to go with me, so I can let you know that this girl who is looking in the pleasure house is a rare and wonderful person in the world."

　　Murong Yan hesitated.

　　"What? You don't want to go?" Murong Heng saw his hesitation, "If you don't want to go, forget it. I can go alone."

　　Murong Yan heard this and suddenly said, "I'd better go with my brother."

　　"What? Didn't you not want to go just now?" Murong Heng smiled, put down the pen in his hand, and sorted out the memorials he had reviewed.

　　Murong Yan said, "I am worried about my brother going alone."