Chapter 24.1 [TSS 2]

In this world, there were inherent distinctions between high and low stations and noble and humble backgrounds. And within each hierarchy, they were further divided. An example would be, even in a small private teahouse, there were renowned courtesans with flourishing reputations, and there were also unknown newcomers who were less esteemed than servants.

Currently, Yan Yi Ming’s status was that of a newcomer who had just joined Plum Blossom Pavilion for less than two months.

In this era, although courtesans had humble social status, regardless of gender, all possessed outstanding appearances. Ranging from a domineering woman with phoenix eyes and sword-like eyebrows to the gentle and charming Yan Yi Ming. All of their looks were exceptional.

No one expected that this usually timid and inconspicuous newcomer, whom most people barely recognized, would suddenly boldly declare that she wanted to try.

This unexpected and somewhat amusing declaration left everyone surprised. The most indignant among them was a dazzling woman, named Yu Mie. She was a prominent figure in Plum Blossom Pavilion and was known for her outstanding performances. She gained considerable popularity over time and even the owner of Plum Blossom Pavilion had to show some consideration for her. Today, she had dressed up meticulously in preparation to entertain Jian Yu Yan, but she was rudely dismissed, which naturally left her feeling embarrassed and resentful.

Upon spotting a new face she had never seen before, Yu Mei’s initial reaction was to raise her hand, intending to deliver a slap to Yan Yi Ming’s face. However, after a second thought, she burst into laughter and withdrew her hand. She placed the heavy sandalwood tray in Yan Yi Ming’s hands and with a smirk, Yu Mei said, “Then, I’ll trouble Mei-mei¹Mei-mei <妹妹> = Younger Sister. It can also be used as an intimate form of address, not necessarily just between biological siblings. with this.”

“It’s no trouble at all,” Yan Yi Ming replied. She raised her eyes and glanced at the dazzling woman before she turned to leave. The group of women watched Yan Yi Ming as she walked towards the most luxurious Soaring Swallow Hall in Plum Blossom Pavilion. Their hearts were full of mockery towards this nobody.

Even someone like Yu Mei was kicked out of the courtyard, let alone a newcomer whose name they could not even remember.

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Nkvvzl Grrzl dseele kd ytallxldv, “Mbyv’p aktbv, yqvla yzz, Kkyd Zw Zyd kp jdsod qsa bkp qzkavyvkswp dyvwal.”

Mbl vkxlzkdl sq Kkyd Zw Zyd’p nyae oyp plv vs cl zyvla vbyd Zyd Zk Ykdt kxytkdle. Fwarakpkdtzu, vbl vkxlzkdl sq vbkp nyae oyp dlyazu y ulya zyvla vbyd vbl ralhkswp nyae.

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Gde yp lmrlnvle, Kkyd Zw Zyd’p cye xsse oyp kdelle alzyvle vs Kkyd Zw’la.

Due to Jian Yu Yan and Jian Xiang’s strong opposition towards her marrying Nangong Xuan in the past, Jian Yu’er’s resentment towards Jian Yu Yan had increased slightly.

Yan Yi Ming was somewhat taken aback by what she had learned. As the current timeline was completely unfamiliar to her, she could not predict what would happen next. In addition, she found it unexpected to hear that Jian Yu’er might be harboring negative emotions as it deviated from Jian Yu’er’s original character build. She continued to ask, “Isn’t Jian Yu’er’s setting to be that of an eternally pure and kind-hearted white lotus? Did your system go wrong somewhere?”

“That’s right, according to the original plot, there shouldn’t be any issues,” Little Apple explained with some helplessness. In the original game, several male protagonists liked Jian Yu’er concurrently, so she had the privilege of choosing and was not in the position of being chosen. Now, due to the episode with Yan Yi Ming, Nangong Xuan had completely lost interest in Jian Yu’er. As a result, Jian Yu’er’s mindset had changed, and she was no longer a variable within their control. 

“However, there shouldn’t be too much deviation. Jian Yu’er is still the female protagonist and, fundamentally speaking, should be essentially immune to blackening,” Little Apple assured Yan Yi Ming.

Nangong Xuan became a thorn in Jian Yu’er’s heart, and the thorn dug deeper as time passed. However, Jian Yu Yan could not articulate the reasons why they were preventing her from marrying Nangong Xuan. As a result, the relationship between the once closely bonded brother and sister began to fracture. Later on, as the female lead who had never lacked suitors, Jian Yu’er’s relationship with another male protagonist began to rapidly bloom. It was with Jiang Yi, the male protagonist who was currently thriving in the imperial officialdom.

Just this morning, Jian Yu Yan found a folded fan beside Jian Yu’er’s pillow. A poem was written on the fan, and even the current Emperor had praised the person’s excellent penmanship. The poem showcased impeccable calligraphy and eloquent verses that expressed deep affection. With just one glance, it was clear that the poem held a profound meaning.

And yet, Jian Yu’er had placed this very folded fan at the head of her bed!

In the heat of the moment, jealousy clouded Jian Yu Yan’s judgment and he interrogated Jian Yu’er about the identity of the person who gave her the fan.

Jian Yu’er blushed as if caught in an embarrassing situation. She whined with a hint of indignation, “Why is Ge-ge⁴Ge-ge <哥哥> = Elder Brother. Can also be used as an intimate form of address, not necessarily just between biological siblings. rummaging through my belongings without my permission?”

Jian Yu Yan’s heart throbbed in frustration, and his tone lost its usual calm and tenderness, “This is a possession of a man, and yet you placed it at the head of your bed…”

But Jian Yu’er had snatched the fan back and retorted, “What does it have anything to do with Ge-ge?”

Ge-ge… He was supposed to be her Elder Brother…

But in fact, he was not her Ge-ge!

Yet, he could not tell her the reason why.

Even when he was experiencing such intense anger, Jian Yu Yan could not bear to hurt Jian Yu’er in the slightest. Thus, he suppressed the burning rage in his heart and went to Plum Blossom Pavilion to watch a play. His friend, who had gone with him, could not stand his oppressive aura and went to another courtyard to seek other entertainment, leaving Jian Yu Yan alone in Soaring Swallow Hall, drowning his sorrows in alcohol.

Gentleman Jian, who would not mind offending others but would never let a beauty suffer, was in such a down mood that it caused the ladies to retreat three steps⁵<退避三舍> It figuratively means to give way, step back, or avoid someone or something..  

It turned out that it was really because he was just mistreated by Jian Yu’er. 

Yan Yi Ming smiled in satisfaction as she lifted her foot and walked into the Soaring Swallow Hall, a hall that only aristocrats could enter. 

On the wall in front of the hall, there was a paragraph of elegantly written characters.

Swallows soar, and silence fills the painted hall.

Leaning on a pillow, sometimes dreams turn into passing rain.

Beyond the curtains, there’s nowhere to express the feelings of spring.

Signed,

Jian Zi An.

This was Jian Yu Yan’s calligraphy. At this moment, the renowned gentleman of the capital was sipping on wine, leaning against the balustrade with the tranquil and beautiful waterside corridor of the pavilion as his backdrop. Even in the depths of winter in Jin Ling Capital, it was not too chilly. Jian Yu Yan, holding a wine jug, drank alone. The crown holding his topknot in place was a bit loose, allowing a few strands of long hair to spill out. His brocade robe was not as neat as it should be, revealing a somewhat unrestrained appearance. He should have the appearance of a libertine, but due to his tall and graceful figure and facial features more refined than a woman’s, he appeared exceptionally elegant and charming.

Upon hearing approaching footsteps, he was extremely annoyed and commanded the other party to withdraw. Although he enjoyed the company of beautiful women, he did not like such fools who did not understand how to read the situation.

However, this woman, either having not heard his words or perhaps having the intention of testing the waters, continued approaching before finally coming to a stop in front of him.

A melodious woman’s voice resembling that of a singing oriole with a soft accent from the southern region, entered the ears of Jian Yu Yan.

“Young Master, please have some tea.”

Indeed, a courtesan’s voice was far more pleasing to the ears than those of others.

However, the most abundant commodity in Plum Blossom Pavilion was beautiful women with enchanting voices. Although her voice was stunning, it failed to pique Jian Yu Yan’s interest. Moreover, she lacked tact and disrupted his peace.

Young Master Jian, who was known for his eloquence with beautiful women, was not averse to delivering sarcastic remarks that would leave the other party embarrassed. Once, a renowned courtesan wanted to capture Jian Yu Yan’s heart but she failed and ended up becoming the subject of ridicule by everyone.

Jian Yu Yan was intrigued to see the face of such a bold woman. He wondered if her appearance could rival or even surpass that of Yu Mei, the most popular figure in Plum Blossom Pavilion.

Languidly, he lifted his head and his gaze fell upon the charming visage of the woman before him. With just one glance, the wine jug in his hand fell onto the cold, hard bluestone floor, producing a crisp shattering sound.

The crisp sound of the blue porcelain breaking snapped Jian Yu Yan out of his daze. He suddenly sat up straight, staring at the woman in front of him in disbelief, unable to avert his gaze in the slightest.

Jian Yu Yan, who had seen countless people, had the accompaniment of renowned courtesans like Yu Mei, had romantic affairs with famed courtesans whom people spent a fortune just to catch a glimpse of, and was even acquainted with the top beauty of the capital, Yan Yi Ming. However, at this moment, none of them could compare to the woman before his eyes.

Her facial features were not extraordinarily beautiful, but they were enough to make Jian Yu Yan’s heart skip a beat. This was because she resembled the person he had been thinking and yearning for, but could not obtain. If not for the tiny cinnabar mole at the corner of her right eye, Jian Yu Yan might have suspected that the person before him was Jian Yu’er.

Furthermore, that cinnabar mole was also strangely familiar.

In this world, while Jian Yu’er occupied all of Jian Yu Yan’s heart and soul, there was also another lady who left a deep and vivid impression in his memory.

It was not out of love, but out of shock. She was an unforgettable presence.

Yan Yi Ming.

The Yan Yi Ming who knew the deepest secrets in his heart but scorned them. The Yan Yi Ming who manipulated two men and eventually died, leaving an indelible mark on both men. 

The cinnabar mole at the corner of the right eye of the woman before him was remarkably similar to Yan Yi Ming’s. After Yan Yi Ming’s death, Jian Yu Yan would often recall the cunning gaze of that woman. Sometimes, even he doubted how such a woman could pass away just like that.

And now, there was a woman in front of him, with features strikingly similar to Jian Yu’er’s, with a cinnabar mole, identical to Yan Yi Ming’s, perfectly blending both elements. This caused Jian Yu Yan to be unable to shift his gaze away.

Yet, Yan Yi Ming, seemingly oblivious to Jian Yu Yan’s fluctuating emotions, steadily placed the teacup on the stone table with a soft smile, beckoning him to enjoy the tea.

Jian Yu Yan slowly straightened up, his gaze fixed on Yan Yi Ming’s graceful and beautiful movements as she prepared the tea. After a long while, he leisurely leaned back against the bench again as he received the teacup from her and took a small sip.

“Good tea.”

“This is the tea that Young Master requested. Of course, it would be the best.”

“No matter how good the tea is, it cannot compare to the person who prepares it,” Jian Yu Yan’s voice was gentle. “What is your name, and why have I never seen you around before?”