Big Boss – Chapter 20

Looking quiet good

Ye Youqing carefully placed the jade carving away and when she returned to her seat, she almost had a smile on her face, looking forward to seeing the congratulatory gifts at tomorrow’s birthday banquet. So, all she had to do now was wait.

She leisurely started eating her lunch, and when she looked up again, she found the surroundings to be almost empty.

She caught hold of a young lady next to her whose family she didn’t know, and asked with a smile, “Where did everyone go?”

The young lady was surprised for a moment, then pointed outside, saying, “The Emperor has arranged a wrestling match in the garden. After everyone finished their meal, they all went there to see the excitement.”

Wrestling was a popular pastime among the emperors in the Qi Dynasty, as Ye Youqing had read in historical records. It was said that they always enjoyed watching wrestling matches and there were several held every year, each time with keen interest.

She nodded and gracefully rose, heading towards the bustling area.

The young lady was right. She took a few steps and saw a sea of people. A middle-aged man in lavish attire sat atop a high seat, his scarlet silk robe adding to his imposing presence. Flanking him were a row of eunuchs, shielding him from the harsh afternoon sun.

In front of the Emperor stood a group of ministers, including Duke Liang engaging in conversation with others. On the other side, a few tables were set up with a couple of elegantly dressed women seated.

Among them, the most captivating woman raised her eyes and glanced in the direction of Ye Youqing.

A name flashed through Ye Youqing’s mind: Zhou Ziqiu.

No matter how many descriptions one hears, nothing compares to seeing it in person. The renowned beauty of Bianjing from years past was not just a legend. Ye Youqing thought, a woman nearing thirty may be considered young in modern times, but in ancient times, it was different.

And this Zhou Ziqiu had truly perfected the art of mature beauty.

Zhou Ziqiu continued to gaze at her until the Emperor beckoned her over. Zhou Ziqiu then smiled gracefully, rose like a willow, and took a seat beside the Emperor.

Ye Youqing observed them. After the chaos of the rebellion seven years ago, Zhou Ziqiu was implicated and sent to the cold palace for a full five years. For an ordinary woman, it would have been enough to drive them mad.

Yet she was a miracle, emerging from hell still bearing the appearance of a celestial being.

But one cannot help but wonder how many scars lie beneath this beautiful facade.

Ye Youqing shifted her gaze back, and in a daze, she found herself surrounded by young gentlemen and ladies, the excited crowd pushing her to the front. On a velvet carpet in front of her stood two burly men, their muscles bulging like buns under thin short robes.

At a command from the eunuchs, the two men charged at each other fiercely, eliciting a thunderous roar of cheers from the surrounding crowd.

The woman beside her seemed startled, shrinking back suddenly and covering her ears with her hands. Ye Youqing then noticed that she was standing next to the round-faced girl who had a good relationship with Ye Chengzhu.

She had a gentle appearance, with round eyes and cheeks that seemed to be filled with food at all times. Perhaps feeling frightened at the moment, her face had turned slightly red, resembling a red apple.

She quietly apologized, then looked up to meet Ye Youqing’s gaze before hastily turning away.

Ye Youqing paid no mind to how Ye Chengzhu and others might have spoken ill of her. She enjoyed watching the wrestling match, clapping and cheering enthusiastically from time to time.

During a break in the match, she faintly caught a glimpse of Ci Ke’s figure, but she quickly disappeared into the crowd.

The struggle between the two men on the field intensified, almost hitting each other with every move. The sheer power and aggression made Ye Youqing’s heart race. Suddenly, without warning, the two men tumbled down uncontrollably, rolling towards one side.

The crowd gasped in shock, but no one noticed that they were rolling towards a tall lampstand meant for hanging lanterns. As the two collided, the lampstand tilted and fell over.

Just as it moved towards Ye Youqing’s side, Ye Youqing sensed something was wrong and instinctively took a few steps back, causing the person behind her to stumble and fall.

She was agile enough, but the round-faced girl beside her was not. At that moment, she stood frozen underneath, about to be struck on the forehead by the heavy bronze lampstand.

In a critical moment, Ye Youqing swiftly reached out, grabbing the girl’s arm and pulling her towards herself. In the next instant, a loud crash echoed, as the heavy lampstand hit the ground, leaving a noticeable dent in the flagstones.

The round-faced girl shuddered violently as the lampstand narrowly missed hitting her back. If she hadn’t dodged in time, the consequences would have been dire.

The commotion quickly caught the attention of those around, and several eunuchs rushed over in a panic to lift the lampstand. They then knelt before the Emperor in the distance, repeatedly apologizing, “Your Majesty, please forgive us for our negligence. We almost injured this young lady. Please do not blame her for what happened!”

The once passionate atmosphere on the field was suddenly shrouded in chaos, with someone yelling and the surrounding crowd quickly dispersing, leaving Ye Youqing and the girl in a cleared space.

Ye Youqing maintained the posture of pulling the round-faced girl for a moment before slowly releasing her grip.

Two maids appeared from somewhere, comforting the visibly shocked girl for a while before assisting her to leave. As they passed by Ye Youqing, a very faint ‘thank you’ drifted over.

“Thank you, Ah You.”

Ye Youqing nodded with a smile, but as she did so, her neck suddenly stiffened halfway through the motion, her smile fading.

“Ah You?” Such an affectionate term, could it be that the two of them knew each other from before?

She lifted her head in astonishment and saw Ci Ke retreating back into the crowd. From her posture, it seemed like in that split second, she had unconsciously raised her leg towards this direction.

Shifting her gaze once more, she noticed Zhou Ziqiu squinting her eyes at her and even the Emperor, in his high position, scrutinizing his chin in hand.

Her inconspicuous plan was ruined in an instant, and Ye Youqing cringed, her neck shrinking.

Fortunately, this little incident did not last long. After sending the girl off to rest, the wrestling match resumed, with cheers ringing out as before. This time, however, Ye Youqing dared not stand at the forefront anymore, but instead took small steps to stand beside Zhao Qingrou and Qin Xin in the family members’ section.

“Eldest Miss, you nearly scared me to death just now. If that lampstand had hit your head, it might have cost you half your life,” Qin Xin said anxiously, cradling the large bamboo basket.

“Yes, in the future, it’s best to keep a safe distance from such things,” Zhao Qingrou added, pulling Ye Youqing back a bit.

Ye Youqing nodded absentmindedly and then asked, “The round-faced girl just now, do you know who she is?”

“That’s the concubine daughter of Master Ji, named Ji An’an. Miss, have you forgotten? When you were young and studying, you used to visit the Ji family estate. Master Ji is the Imperial Tutor to the Crown Prince, highly knowledgeable. Many people used to attend his classes back then.”

“Oh.” Ye Youqing vaguely nodded. The person who called her Ah You must have had a very good relationship with her. But why had she not appeared much in the original work?

Well, she thought again, there are just too many unclear things in the original work, like Ci Ke and Zhou Ziqiu, all hidden Easter eggs.

The entertainment in the palace is truly diverse and colorful. Just after finishing the wrestling match, they began setting up the field for cuju. It wasn’t until everyone was tired that a grand banquet was arranged in a spacious hall, with a half a zhang high stage overhead. Various plays and even puppet shows were performed for amusement.

With the sound of a distant tune accompanied by melodious pipa music, people began toasting and reveling together.

If nothing unexpected happened, the play would go on all night long, with no one allowed to sleep. Ye Youqing started off somewhat interested, but eventually grew tired and drowsy, her eyelids becoming heavy.

As she was about to go see Duke Zhou, a clear and gentle male voice suddenly came from behind her, saying, “Qingqing.”

Ye Youqing was startled, her eyes sharpening as the tea in her hand spilled all over the floor.

Turning around, she saw Qin Wang’s flushed face appear as if out of thin air, floating behind her.

At the sight of this person, her mood soured even more. Ye Youqing let out a disdainful hum and turned back to prop her chin and listen to the play.

To her surprise, Qin Wang not only didn’t leave but instead called for a chair and seated himself beside her. The strong smell of alcohol emanating from him was quite overwhelming, prompting Ye Youqing to cover her delicate nose, her expression one of disgust.

“Qingqing, I don’t know what’s been going on with you lately. Perhaps you’re still upset with me,” Qin Wang said softly, pointing to the stage with his wineglass. “Do you know what they’re singing about in this play?”

Before Ye Youqing could say anything, Qin Wang continued on his own, saying, “This is a newly arranged song and dance for the Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet. It tells the story of a couple from the previous dynasty. The man was as poor as can be, yet the woman vowed to marry him no matter what. In the end, the two of them lived happily ever after, becoming a legendary love story.”

Unable to hold back, Ye Youqing burst out laughing.

“Don’t make it sound so noble. This story clearly has a second part. The man eventually rises to success, taking on several concubines and disregarding the woman completely, leading to her dying of despair,” she casually said as she played with her slender fingers.

The deep affection on Qin Wang’s face faltered momentarily.

While Ye Youqing bantered with him verbally, her mind was not idle. She was already contemplating the next events in the story. After the original owner and Qin Wang were betrothed, they finally received Qin Wang’s favor once again at the Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet. However, the malicious female supporting character appeared, feigning injury and leading Qin Wang away.

Not only that, that night she couldn’t resist her curiosity and brought tea to Qin Wang, only to overhear many things she shouldn’t have outside his room. Overwhelmed with heartache, she returned home and fell seriously ill.

Thinking about this, she couldn’t help but be curious about the appearance of Ci Ke.

As Ye Youqing was counting down in her mind, just as she formed a word, she saw the figure in front of her dissipate, and a graceful woman approached slowly.

She was dressed in a goose-yellow silk dress, the hem dragging behind her, and the thin cloak covering her shoulders was damp, as if someone had splashed water on it, swaying with each step.

“Ci Ke?” Qin Wang, noticing the situation, stood up and walked towards her, scrutinizing her from head to toe, his thick eyebrows furrowed. “Who did this to you?”

“Young General Qin, there is no need to worry. Ci Ke is just a lowly servant, a mere drop in the bucket. It’s just some cold water, nothing serious,” she said, covering her mouth and coughing, her eyes shimmering with a poignant charm that evoked pity.

Ye Youqing raised an eyebrow slightly, arms crossed as she sat in her original position, thinking to herself how well she acted.

As Ci Ke approached them, she suddenly seemed to lose strength, her body going limp and falling forward.

Qin Wang hurriedly reached out to catch her, but just as her alluring figure was about to fall into his hands, she, with a seemingly prophetic agility, veered off course halfway as if she had eyes on her back, evading him in an unimaginably nimble way.

She headed straight towards Ye Youqing, who was observing from the sidelines.