Jiaochu

Chapter 542 Distinguished Guest
Changyin Pavilion is located behind the garden, in a remote location, and is a small theater.

Jingzhe left after bringing the people here. This small theater has been abandoned for a long time and no one usually cleans it. As soon as you enter the door, you can feel the dust flying towards your face. You can touch the spider webs every two steps. Yan Fei reached out and wiped the dust off the table. Qin Yin sat on the porch and said while panting and laughing, "Didn't the prince say that there is a distinguished guest staying in the water pavilion? Don't you want to go over and see who it is?"

Yan Fei turned his back to the door and casually looked at the small stage in front of him, "Want to escape? Once I leave, I'm afraid you'll be killed before you even leave this yard." Qin Yin smiled and said, "Your Highness will never do anything easily if he fails the first time. Besides, I'm a useless person now, and I can't run far. It's better to save some energy, maybe I can live longer."

As they were talking, a servant came over with dinner.

Two steamed buns and two dishes, one meat and one vegetable. It can’t be said to be rich nor shabby. At least there is meat.

……

When it was getting dark, Yan Fei knocked Qin Yin unconscious, hid behind the curtain of the stage, and then left Changyin Pavilion. On the way, he grabbed a servant to lead the way to the Water Pavilion.

When they arrived near the water pavilion, Yan Fei released the servant and took a look at the pavilion built by the water in front of him. Seeing that there was no one guarding the door, he walked over. As he reached the door, he paused, as if he saw an unexpected acquaintance.

The people inside also noticed him and also stood there in a daze. The basin of water in their hands shook suddenly, and Lingling's surprised face was reflected in the rippling water.

"Who are you?" Lingling asked vigilantly after being surprised.

Yan Fei then realized that he was still wearing a mask, and said politely, "I am also a guest in your house. Is your master available to see you now?" Lingdang looked at him suspiciously, asked him to wait at the door, and went into the house with the basin of water. After a while, Lingdang came out again and waved to Yan Fei, "Come in."

The light in the house shone from the door. Yan Fei walked into the light, trying his best to control his inner emotions. After entering the house and seeing that face, he almost couldn't control his emotions. He immediately shifted his attention to another person, and his inner emotions quickly adjusted. He quickly glanced at the other person, who was wearing a white shirt and didn't look very old, about thirty, about the same age as his third uncle.

This was the first time he saw the other person's true face. Although he had seen another face before, he could tell at a glance that the other person was Gongzi Yu, the prince of the previous dynasty who was rumored to be extremely talented and lived in seclusion in the mountains. His real name was Xia Yuan, his courtesy name was Zi Yu, and he was also known as Gongzi Yu.

He pretended not to know the other person and bowed.

"Since you are here, why not show your true face?" Xia Yuan said.

Yan Fei took off his mask.

He He and Ling Ling exclaimed, they didn't expect that it was an acquaintance. She was still eating a piece of cake, and she looked at Yan Fei as if he were a stranger, with a little interest but not much. She looked at him from head to toe, then her eyes returned to his face and asked him how old he was. Yan Fei twitched his mouth slightly, a little embarrassed, but still answered his age. She asked him if he had a wife, Yan Fei nodded, she looked away, and when she heard that he had a wife, she lost interest.

"Please take a seat." Xia Yuan gestured, and Yan Fei sat down on the chair on the right. "Young Master Yan, what are you doing here this time?" Yan Fei didn't like the name "Young Master Yan" and asked calmly, "I don't know what to call you, and where have I seen you before?"

She said she was a little hungry and wanted to eat noodles, so she asked He He and Ling Dang to go to the kitchen to cook a bowl of noodles. The two understood and left first, closing the door when they came out.

Xia Yuan picked up the teacup on the table and scraped it twice, saying, "General Xiaoyan, if you don't mind, you can still call me sir." Yan Fei said, "Now that you mention it, I remember that many years ago, a gentleman came to the palace. This gentleman was a famous figure at the time." Xia Yuan said, "Those who can enter the palace are naturally not ordinary people." Yan Fei said, "Sir, don't you want to know who it is?" Xia Yuan said, "I would like to hear the details." Yan Fei said, "Have you heard of Shengyin Ximu?" Xia Yuan nodded. Yan Fei asked him if he knew the other party. Xia Yuan said, "The flower is not a flower, the fog is not a fog. Young Master Yan, why should you cling to the past? Don't you have things to do now?"

"What's the matter?" she asked.

Yan Fei told him about the medicine, but did not reveal who was poisoned. He only said that he needed the medicine of cicada to bring back to save people. Xia Yuan said that cicada could only be found in winter. At this time of year, the northern border was still warm, so he might not be able to find it even after searching for a month.

"According to what you said, sir, I have to wait another four or five months before coming back." Yan Fei said.

Xia Yuan said: "It won't take that long. Right now, I need a helper for something. If Young Master Xiaoyan can help, this cold cicada will be your reward."

Hearing this, Yan Fei already knew who was the mastermind behind the scenes. He agreed for the time being and asked how he could help. Xia Yuan said the time was not right yet. He asked how long he had to wait. Xia Yuan said it would be soon and they would set off when everyone was there. Yan Fei asked where they were going, but Xia Yuan said he had asked too many questions and asked him to go back and rest.

Seeing that the other party had ordered him to leave, Yan Fei stood up and said goodbye. When he turned to leave, he heard her voice and stopped again. She asked him where he lived. Yan Fei replied that he lived in Changyin Pavilion at the back. Seeing that she had no other questions, he said goodbye and left. …

After returning to Changyin Pavilion, Yan Fei first checked the traces of dust around the curtain and found no new ones. He pulled open the curtain and saw Qin Yin was still in a coma. He raised his hand and pressed on the back of his neck and he woke up.

Qin Yin asked him if he went to the Water Pavilion, but Yan Fei ignored him. Qin Yin asked him if he wanted to know the secret behind the Changyin Pavilion, and Yan Fei asked him to tell her. Qin Yin said that the Changyin Pavilion was originally built by the Zhenbei King for his first princess when he was young. Later, the princess had a difficult delivery when she gave birth to Murong Min, and died soon after giving birth. Then the Zhenbei King married the princess' cousin, and the second princess gave birth to Murong Ze.

"In my opinion, the old prince has long had his eyes on this little cousin. I have seen both sisters, and the younger one is prettier than the older one. No wonder the old prince married her soon after his wife died. Even a hero cannot resist the temptation of beauty~"

Yan Fei didn't respond.

Qin Yin sighed again, "I will definitely not live long when I get to the capital. What a pity." He changed the subject and said with a smile, "Your third uncle and your third aunt are separated. I don't know when they will be reunited."

Yan Fei asked, "Do you know where the person is?"

Qin Yin glanced down at the ropes tied around his body and motioned to Yan Fei to untie him. Yan Fei said, "When we find the person, I will protect you from death." Qin Yin smiled and said, "What's the point of me living as a useless person?" Yan Fei knew that he wanted to know why he didn't become a useless person and his martial arts had improved a lot, so he said that he would tell him the secret when he found the person. Qin Yin asked him to tell it first, but Yan Fei said that he was bluffing and didn't know where the person was at all. Qin Yin said that provoking him was useless and asked him to think it over carefully and give him an answer tomorrow morning.

……

The next morning, a distinguished guest arrived.

Yan Fei left for a while, then came back and took Qin Yin with him.

There were two people sitting on the two armchairs in the front of the hall. Murong Ze was sitting on the left, and the person sitting on the right surprised Qin Yin.

"Why is His Royal Highness the Crown Prince here? Did he come here specially to escort me back?" Qin Yin said with a smile.

Ye Qingran was scraping the teacup without even looking at Qin Yin. He ordered someone to take the person away. Two Dragon Shadow Guards came in and took the person away. After putting down the teacup, they asked where the person was. Murong Ze led the way, and Ye Qingran took Yan Fei to the Water Pavilion.

I heard the sound of a piano before I even entered the door. Someone was playing the piano in the yard. The sound was simple and ancient, with the style of a famous musician.

"It's the master who is playing the piano." Murong Ze said, "Would your highness like to listen?" Ye Qingran nodded.

A group of people stood outside the door listening to the piano, and only came in when the music stopped.

Xia Yuan was sitting cross-legged under a tree in the yard with a guqin on his knees. When he saw someone coming, he did not stand up but bowed slightly to greet them.

Ye Qingran said: "Sir, your piano playing is extraordinary. I don't know what song you are playing. I have never heard it before."

Xia Yuan smiled slightly and said, "It's just a casual shot, not worth mentioning. Your Highness has come from afar, please come in first."

The group entered the house first and waited for a quarter of an hour. Xia Yuan appeared at the door. After coming in, he invited Ye Qingran to go upstairs to talk. Yan Fei and Murong Ze stayed downstairs.

After Ye Qingran handed the things he brought to Xia Yuan, he went downstairs and left with Yan Fei. Murong Ze sat for a while and then left.

……