Chapter 58 - 57 Grandpa Takes You to See the Lanterns 3

Zhao Junyao looked at the densely packed crowd, feeling conflicted. Go? I dislike being touched. Not go? But she looks so expectant and pitiful. "My lord... shall we not go?" Xia Ruqing finally snapped out of her daze, tugging at his sleeve. Damn it, damn it! In my excitement, I completely disregarded everything else and failed to consider the Emperor’s feelings. He’s always fond of tranquility; how could he endure such a noisy crowd? Chances are he’s never been jostled by people in his entire life! I’m just a minor Honored Lady; where did I get the audacity to make the Emperor suffer like this for me! As she was thinking, Xia Ruqing was suddenly bumped. "OUCH!" She cried out in pain and stumbled forward. Just as she was about to fall, Zhao Junyao quickly steadied her. The two of them turned to see several gorgeously dressed women accompanied by maids, presumably from wealthy families. They looked at Xia Ruqing with displeasure. "What are you doing blocking the way? If you’re not going, let others pass!" "Exactly!" "You’re an eyesore! Hurry up and move aside!" Before they could finish speaking, the women caught sight of Zhao Junyao standing to the side. And then... Xia Ruqing witnessed the fastest change of expression in history. When those women left, their faces were still flushed with shyness. Xia Ruqing felt embarrassed. "My lord... let’s just not go!" Zhao Junyao asked, "What’s wrong?" "Nothing, I just don’t want to go anymore!" "Because of them?" Xia Ruqing fell silent. Firstly, she felt she wasn’t articulate enough; being insulted without knowing how to retort was quite embarrassing. Secondly, she had simply lost interest. It was too crowded; she didn’t want to go. Xia Ruqing fiddled with her handkerchief, head bowed, saying nothing. Zhao Junyao’s lips curled into a smile as he pulled her closer. "Let’s go. I’ll brave the crowd with you!" He had seen plenty of arrogant and haughty women before; he wasn’t so petty as to concern himself with those few. But she was unhappy, and he wanted to cheer her up. ... The tall wooden scaffold was thronged with people. Fortunately, the shopkeeper kept his assistants maintaining order, so there was still some semblance of it. Xia Ruqing and Zhao Junyao each received a dart and approached the scaffold. The group of women from before had also just received their darts and were chattering about the prizes hanging from the scaffold, hesitating over which one to choose. "Hey, look! The Gentleman in White is here too..." "His clothes are simple, but at a glance, you can tell... he’s a young master from a prominent family." "How do you know?" "Hmm... just a feeling. I can’t really explain it!" Within a few sentences, all the women were blushing. They had never seen a man so handsome, whose every gesture exuded an aura that utterly captivated them. Nearby, Zhao Junyao asked, "Which one do you like? Tell me." Xia Ruqing looked around, a little hesitant. After quite some time, only a few people had managed to hit the bolts of cloth and calligraphy scrolls hanging at the very bottom. None of the prizes on the upper tiers had been hit; it was presumably very difficult. Moreover, the wind had picked up, causing the ropes to sway and making it even harder. After a moment’s thought, Xia Ruqing pointed to a calligraphy scroll on the lowest tier and said, "I like that one!" Zhao Junyao followed her finger, and then... his face darkened. This is a blatant insult to my abilities! Does she think I’m that incapable? Xia Ruqing was a master at reading expressions. Noticing the change in atmosphere, she quickly amended, "I like the fan on the second tier even more!" Zhao Junyao: "..." At that moment, those women approached, a Hong Yun blush blooming on their faces. "Young Master, this humble girl fancies the hairpin on the very top tier. Might I trouble you to try and win it for me?" Zhao Junyao turned his head. "Oh?" Another girl hurried over, blushing demurely. "Young Master, I like the Jade Pendant next to the hairpin!" "Mhm!" Zhao Junyao nodded. Did he just agree? Xia Ruqing was somewhat taken aback. The Emperor belongs to the entire Chu Dynasty; the Emperor belongs to the whole Harem, she silently chanted to herself three hundred times. Only then did she manage to suppress the irritation in her heart. There’s nothing I can do; after all, my status is low! Zhao Junyao’s lips curved upwards as he asked again, "What else do you like? Tell me all at once!" Another girl looked surprised. "Each person only gets one dart. Young Master, surely you don’t intend to give yours to me?" As she spoke, the look of a lovestruck maiden on her face was impossible to hide. The way she batted her eyelashes... What a coquettish tramp! Xia Ruqing rolled her eyes internally. However, she had to admit she was impressed. The Emperor is indeed the Emperor, flirting with several women at once. This is truly an eye-opener! Nevertheless... I still don’t quite understand. The Emperor isn’t lacking in women! Why is he acting so out of character today? Hearing the girl’s words, Zhao Junyao simply smiled without speaking. With his slender fingers, he gently picked up two small darts, aiming for the top tier of the wooden rack. He narrowed his eyes slightly, his expression serious. It was growing darker now, and his tall figure stood out. As he looked up, the sharp, well-defined contour of his profile was visible, gleaming faintly in the dim light. Perfect, beyond reproach. Xia Ruqing was relatively composed, merely looking infatuated. As for the other women, they were completely smitten. Their hearts pounded as if about to leap from their throats, faces flushed, all pretense of modesty long forgotten, as if flung to Java. "Young Master, the agate bracelet on the very top is so beautiful..." another girl cooed affectingly. Xia Ruqing: "..." I’m getting goosebumps all over! Can you please stop being so nauseating? she complained internally. Zhao Junyao, however, remained remarkably tolerant, a faint smile still playing on his lips as he looked on from the side. At this smile, it wasn’t just the few women before him; even young ladies and married women further away gazed at him, their faces flushed with shyness. Xia Ruqing recognized those looks. It’s just like the fans of a 21st-century celebrity, isn’t it? All that adoration and infatuation... At this moment, Zhao Junyao narrowed his eyes and, in an instant, let the darts fly. A WHOOSH cut through the air beside her. Before Xia Ruqing could react, she heard the sound of objects falling! The crowd gasped in amazement. "Young Master!" "Heavens! The entire top row came down! How did this young master do it?" Hearing this, Xia Ruqing quickly looked up. Indeed, the gold and jade jewelry on the top tier of the wooden rack were all gone. They now lay on the cotton blanket, the darts steadily piercing the strings they had hung from. The shopkeeper, though wincing at the loss, ran an old, reputable shop. Words spoken were promises made; he couldn’t very well go back on them and refuse to give out the prizes. He forced a stiff smile, picked up the items, and presented them personally, not forgetting to offer some flattery. "This young master truly possesses remarkable skill! This humble one is full of admiration, truly full of admiration!" With that, he managed a smile that looked uglier than tears. This is a noble young master, someone I absolutely cannot afford to offend! Zhao Junyao didn’t even glance at him, merely waving his hand for Li Shengan to accept the items. At this, the group of women instantly swarmed forward. "Who could have imagined the young master to be so formidable, hitting all of them with just two darts!" "Young Master..." Xia Ruqing was instantly squeezed to the side. If Little Zhuzi hadn’t steadied her, she might have been knocked over. However, unsteady on her feet, she still twisted her ankle.