Concern laced Lady Yao's voice.
She was deeply worried that her son was still single at the age of twenty - five. But when it came to matters of life and death, she would rather have her son become a monk than see him lose his life.
Moreover, it had already been six years. Sooner or later, the Emperor would surely remember him, right?
It wouldn't be too late to arrange a marriage for Song Yinghuai then.
Caiyu stopped in her tracks and pricked up her ears.
Inside the room, the man's earlobes twitched slightly. Then he chuckled softly:
"All Dharmas have no fixed form. They are neither male nor female. All women are the same. Although they appear in the female form, they are not truly female."
Lady Yao frowned. "You're talking about the Bodhisattva. That girl is a seductress. It's different."
Song Yinghuai didn't insist further. "Mother, your son has an appointment with the great master Guangzhi to discuss Buddhist scriptures. I'll take my leave first."
When Song Yinghuai came out, Caiyu was waiting outside, still with her head down and eyes averted.
It was completely different from the night when, despite her panic, she still managed to be calm and seductive in an attempt to paralyze him.
Everyone may have a good appearance, but not necessarily a kind heart.
Song Yinghuai asked, "Is your foot injury better?"
Caiyu looked up and happened to meet those eyes that seemed to see through everything. Her breath caught for a moment. "This servant... is much better."
Song Yinghuai nodded. "Since that's the case, after you've paid your respects to the old princess, go and serve in the Lotus Sound Tower."
Caiyu responded and entered the Evening Fragrance Hall.
Lady Yao gave Caiyu a long lecture, using both kindness and threats. All in all, it was just a reminder for her to remember her place and not to develop inappropriate feelings for the Prince of Yan.
If she found out that Caiyu dared to act like a seductress, she would have her beaten to death with sticks.
Caiyu sighed inwardly, thinking that it might be impossible to live up to the old princess's wishes. At the same time, she lowered her head nervously and agreed to everything Lady Yao said.
Seeing the look of panic on her face, Lady Yao's worry lessened a bit.
Such a timid girl shouldn't cause too much trouble.
She waved her hand wearily. "Go. Since you're now the chief maid in the Lotus Sound Pavilion, serve well."
The Lotus Sound Tower was named after the Avalokitesvara of the Lotus. It symbolized purity, representing the ability to emerge from the mud without being tainted and to be cleansed by the clear ripples without being vulgar, with the meaning of revealing Buddha - nature.
When Caiyu stepped into the Lotus Sound Pavilion, she found that this place was truly different from other parts of the palace.
White pigeons pecked at food on the blue bricks and red tiles. They weren't afraid of people and turned their heads to look at the new - comer, Caiyu.
The wind blew, causing the copper bells under the eaves to tremble and emit clear sounds. Every part of the pavilion made a sound.
Fragrant mist curled up, gently caressing the autumn chrysanthemums on the pottery table and slowly climbing up the statue of the Avalokitesvara with a half - smile.
Caiyu waved at the white pigeons on the brackets and hanging flower beams. The pigeons obediently landed on her hand and cooed softly in their throats. They didn't ask her for food.
A flash of light passed through Caiyu's eyes. She thought to herself, "Carrier pigeons..."
She looked at the copper bells under the eaves again. There was no longer just a view in her eyes, but also vigilance.
No matter who was trying to eavesdrop, once they landed on the bricks and tiles of the Lotus Sound Pavilion, or even used light - body skills to pass by, the copper bells here would ring one after another.
The Lotus Sound Pavilion was large, but there weren't many people, making it seem empty.
Caiyu didn't see Song Yinghuai. The rough - working maid Suier in the outer courtyard told her in a rude tone that Song Yinghuai was taking a bath in the Pure Spring and no one was allowed to disturb him.
Just because he said no one should disturb him didn't mean she would listen.
That wasn't Caiyu's style.
She knew that Suier and the others must have regarded her as a thorn in their side, which was why they gave her a cold shoulder.
But she didn't mind. She took out a silver peanut from her sleeve and stuffed it into Suier's hand. "Thank you, sister."
Suier tightened her grip on the silver peanut, and her expression softened a lot.
Caiyu got more information.
For example, Song Yinghuai almost took a bath every day from the first quarter of the Shen hour to the second quarter of the You hour.
Caiyu glanced at the clepsydra. There was still an hour until the first quarter of the You hour. That was enough time.
She returned to her newly - assigned upper room and started to dress up in front of the bronze mirror.
In a short while, the already beautiful girl became even more fragrant and delicate.
Since she had entered the Lotus Sound Pavilion, even if Song Yinghuai suspected her, she couldn't turn back.
When she raised her eyes, the panic in them had disappeared. She got up, picked up the copper tray with the plain - silk Buddhist robe and soap beans, and headed for the Pure Spring.
The Pure Spring was at the innermost part of the Lotus Sound Pavilion. It was a hot spring dug from the ground.
Before Caiyu even reached the screen, she heard Song Yinghuai's deep and cold voice coming from the hot spring behind the screen:
"Get out!"
Caiyu was startled. She stopped in her tracks and tightened her ten fingers on the copper tray.
Was she going to fail before she even started?
Then, a delicate female voice came from behind the screen. "My lord, this servant just wants to use the newly - made soap beans to scrub your back. Please let this servant stay!"
Caiyu:...
She looked at the soap beans in the green - and - white jade incense box on the copper tray in silence.
Had she fallen into a trap?
Then, Song Yinghuai's voice rang out again. "Get out."
The voice was even calmer than the previous one, but Caiyu could sense the killing intent.
"My lord... Ah!"
Suddenly, a scream came from the hot - spring area. A figure flew over the screen and landed right at Caiyu's feet.
Caiyu looked down and happened to meet the eyes of the girl wearing a bright - red bellyband with a mandarin - duck - playing - in - water pattern.
The girl was stunned for a moment. She got up awkwardly from the ground. Seeing the bath beans and Buddhist robe on Caiyu's copper tray, a flash of anger passed through the bottom of her eyes:
"... What are you looking at! Do you think you'll succeed?"
Caiyu picked up the red silk that had scattered on the ground and slowly covered the girl with it. The bellyband was faintly visible under the red silk, making it even more alluring.
Just as the girl's anger was about to surface, she heard Caiyu's slow, soft, and charming voice:
"The secret to success lies in one's face. Your face is ugly. You're not suitable for seducing the prince, but I'm beautiful!"
"You..."
The girl's face flushed red with anger. She wanted to curse, but Caiyu walked in without even looking back, carrying the copper tray.
"I'll wait right here and see how you get thrown out!" The girl stamped her foot and gritted her teeth.
Caiyu walked around the screen. The white mist was so thick that she couldn't see clearly inside. She could only see a faint upper - body silhouette in the middle of the gurgling pool.
His back was as straight as a mountain. His bare skin glowed faintly with a wheat - colored sheen under the lamp hanging on the osmanthus tree. His arms were strong, and the wet water droplets flowed down his back and into the water, arousing people's imagination.
Caiyu swallowed silently.
With such a magnificent appearance, even without any seduction, few ordinary women could resist him.
Just after Song Yinghuai had thrown the girl out, he heard another sound behind him. He closed his eyes tightly and forced down the killing intent in his chest. He said coldly:
"I'll say it one more time. Ge -"t out.
"My lord." Caiyu interrupted him. "It's this servant."
She deliberately made her voice soft, like a tamed elk, without any hint of aggression.
The man's back in the white mist stiffened imperceptibly. Then he slowly turned around. "What are you doing here?"
Caiyu stood by the pool, squinting slightly. When she saw the front of the man in the pool, his broad shoulders, narrow waist, smooth lines, and bulging muscles made her imagination run wild.
Caiyu lowered her eyes and replied, "My lord ordered this servant that after the old princess had finished questioning, I should come to the Lotus Sound Pavilion to serve. So this servant is here to scrub your back."
This left Song Yinghuai at a loss for words. It took him a while to speak. "I don't need your service here. Get out."
Caiyu looked up in confusion. Her eyes were as pure as a mountain spirit's. "Why?"
"Men and women should avoid physical contact." Song Yinghuai explained patiently for the first time.
Ji Ming had already reported to him the information about her entering the mansion.
The identity and background registered when she entered the mansion was that she was the daughter of a blue - surnamed bodyguard in the Ping'an Escort Bureau in Yangzhou. She came from a small family, but her family was innocent.
Three years ago, her father, Mr. Lan, was escorting a shipment with the escort bureau. They lost the birthday tribute for the grand - preceptor, and the entire escort bureau was exiled three thousand miles.
Ji Ming sent someone to the Yangzhou government office to retrieve the files from that year. It was true, and there was indeed a daughter of a blue - surnamed bodyguard named Lan Caiyu.
It was said that Lan Caiyu was extremely beautiful, well - known throughout Yangzhou. Later, she was sold and no one knew where she had gone. It was likely that she had become a thin horse in Yangzhou, which matched the woman who inadvertently showed her charm at this moment.
He just didn't know whether the person who bought her was the Emperor, the Crown Prince, or other vassal kings like the Prince of Ning?