Chapter 45
Graveyard of Flowers
Looking at the yellow tulip garden outside Kowloon House became an attraction for customers and foreign visitors, who soon flocked to the street. This surge in attention caused the Old Lady's business to bloom at the corner of Xue Fu Street.
The Lotus Prince continued to woo the fine woman, and the palace dismissed it. Known as a playboy Crown Prince, King Tang remarked, "Another fine jewel Xiao Ce is adding to the palace?" and didn't bother to inquire further about her identity. Even after the palace was engulfed in smoke and fire, Xiao Ce went to his father to explain and saved the head of Liang's Palace Kitchen from the guillotine. He also freed the kitchen staff, who had saved Xiao Ce from embarrassment in front of the fine lady by delivering the smoking turkey on fire to their dinner table.
Day after day, the Old Lady and Chu Qiao were surprised to see Kowloon House devoid of the yellow tulip garden. Instead, a red carpet was spread on the ground, while carpenters worked on-site, constructing a grand imperial design around its premises.
Two royal guards stood at the entrance. Chu Qiao's eyebrows wrinkled as she realized who was behind all of this. She asked, "What is this?"
Without looking at her, one of the royal guards replied, "The Crown Prince has blocked the entire street today. No customers or people are allowed except palace servants and His Highness."
Chu Qiao heard this and felt a twinge of irritation.
"Will the Crown Prince come to Kowloon House and be our guest today?" she asked.
The Old Lady, having guessed the reason, instructed the kitchen chef, "This is an expensive visit. Don't delay; go to the market and prepare the best dish we can offer."
Chu Qiao, murmuring and showing her displeasure, obeyed the Old Lady's order. "Did I leave any footwear that night, and now this foxy Prince is coming for a visit? As far as I know, I only took a turkey, that's it."
While the fine lady rushed to the market, she bumped into a familiar face. Upset and somewhat tired, her basket full of goods flew into the air and scattered on the ground.
The familiar face, anxious, picked up the goods from the ground without looking at the fine woman.
Somehow, Chu Qiao was stunned to see his fresh face, cold eyes, and athletic build. Her world suddenly seemed to slow down.
The man continued his efforts. Afterward, he helped the fine woman to her feet, and they both stood, avoiding each other's gaze.
The man squinted and broke the silence, saying, "My fault, I must be blind today," before looking away from her. Chu Qiao, not upset, didn't even hear what he said.
She took the basket from him, her eyes never leaving the man.
The man seemed to be in a hurry and bid her goodbye. A cold breeze passed between them as Chu Qiao remained speechless, watching him walk away.
Chu Qiao walked straight to the kitchen and began cooking. She slowly sliced an onion, but her mind wandered, her thoughts fixated on the cold eyes of the man she had just encountered in the market.
Suddenly, she was startled by the sound of a drumroll, disrupting her reverie. Chu Qiao rolled her eyes and glanced through the small kitchen window. She knew she was right.
Xiao Ce, who had claimed the day and every corner of Xue Fu Street, announced his grand entrance.
Two white horses adorned with gold reins stood at the front, while a flashy red palanquin glittering with gold was parked on the street, still a distance from Kowloon House. The air was filled with an intoxicating fragrance, bringing the street to life.
Xiao Ce stepped down from his grand palanquin and walked on the red carpet. His finest Liang maidservants scattered flower petals along the street, and the petals fell from his face and robes as he made his heavenly procession down the small Xue Fu street.
Upon reaching the main entrance, the Prince surveyed the transformed Kowloon House and commented, "Hmm… this is quite nice."
"Welcome to Kowloon Noodle House, Your Highness," said the Old Lady, to which Xiao Ce responded with a foxy smile.
Kowloon Noodle House had been transformed into a miniature palace, matching his Jinwu Palace. Instead of small tables and chairs, a grand presidential table and a throne-like chair had been set up, with jade cups brought in from Xiao Ce's palace.
All of his palace kitchen staff were present, and for the first time, his exclusive home-grown tea leaves had been taken out of the palace under strict clearance.
The Prince settled into his chair, his foxy but calm eyes scanning the room. He clapped his hands, and the kitchen staff served his home-grown tea.
A nearby musician began playing the zither near the presidential table, Xiao Ce's typical style of courtship, which had captivated many women in his palace. However, Chu Qiao remained unaffected. Xiao Ce had yet to speak a word of his intentions, merely enjoying the atmosphere and the musician's melodies. He turned to the Old Lady and said, "I presume you know why I blocked the entire street just to see her."
The Old Lady bowed with clasped hands, her manner suggesting this was not her first time meeting the Prince. She replied, "We apologize for any inconvenience, Your Highness, and we are grateful for the yellow tulip garden you sent to our humble Kowloon House."
"Due to the transformation and high volume of customers, we were unable to respond to your summons. We understand that we must face punishment for this."
Suddenly, Chu Qiao heard what the Old Lady said. She had prepared herself for such a situation and was ready to escape, but then thought about the street kids and the poor people she cared for. How could she leave them behind?
Xiao Ce wasted no time and said to the Old Lady, "Very well, I am a democratic Prince. I listen to explanations, and if I find them reasonable, I grant second chances. However, do not abuse my kindness, or this Kowloon House will be reduced to ashes."
Although the Prince's words were more severe than he intended, he needed to maintain a stern facade to ensure the fine woman obeyed and attended the three-night banquet at his Jinwu Palace, which would begin tonight. Attendance could not be refused.
Chu Qiao did not come out to meet him, and soon, the Prince grew bored. He eventually stood and walked out of the Kowloon House.
Before the Prince's entourage left, another servant discreetly handed the Old Lady a bag of gold, compensation for the expensive meal and the time taken from them. The Old Lady remarked, "The Prince is very generous. I will make sure we attend tonight's first banquet."
Chu Qiao, relieved, could finally relax and continue her fantasies.
The first night of the banquet went smoothly, and Chu Qiao attended out of respect for the Old Lady. Xiao Ce, shifting from his usual aggressive flirtations, adopted a more laid-back approach.
From a distance, he watched her like the apple of his eye, hoping his stolen glances, secret blinks, and foxy winks would make her fall for him. As he drank wine and socialized, he occasionally showed her that he was entertaining other beautiful women, even flaunting his concubines while curling his hair around his ears to catch her attention.
Chu Qiao, oblivious to his signals, silently enjoyed the night. She laughed and drank, but this time made sure she could handle the spirit wine better than the last time, when she had passed out drooling at a high-society nightclub.
When it was time to leave, she made sure she hadn't left any of her footwear behind. She didn't want the Foxy Prince coming to retrieve it and blocking Xue Fu Street again.
In her elegant red Hanfu dress, courtesy of the Old Lady, and with her hair styled in a peacock-like signature look, she stepped into the palanquin and instructed the royal escort to take her back to her residence.
A man waited on the street but hid when the royal palanquin passed by. He waited for the fine woman to get out. Watching her, he saw her stumble, already drunk, but she managed to steady herself. His excitement calmed, and with cold, squinting eyes, he left the street.
The next day, the man returned to help the Old Lady, but Chu Qiao was unusually quiet, savoring each moment in his presence. She hadn't told the Old Lady about their encounter at the marketplace.
The man sensed a change in her behavior. Though anxious inside, he remained calm on the outside. After a few moments, he bid farewell again. This time, Chu Qiao smiled at him for the first time, giving him the sweetest look.
The man, feeling somewhat compelled to respond, returned her smile with a cold glance. His expression remained blank, leaving her with a feeling of emptiness as he departed.
Chu Qiao attended the second night of the banquet, but Xiao Ce continued to give her only passing glances and brief eye contact. She didn't care much about it.
Xiao Ce, on the other hand, wondered why the banquet seemed to have no effect on her. He expected jealous stares but got none. Instead, the unexpected happened, Chu Qiao enjoyed the night carefree and wild, gulping down round after round of spirit wine.
Unable to restrain himself any longer, the seducer Xiao Ce broke his laid-back attitude. He approached her, took her goblet, and drank from it, his eyes locked on hers. He began his smooth talk, "Ah, this spirit wine tastes so good, but it's not for a fine woman like you. You mustn't abuse it."
Chu Qiao gave him a sleepy stare and a faint smile on her lips. She seemed to be saying something, but Xiao Ce couldn't understand her words. Suddenly, she vomited on his robes. Xiao Ce, not alarmed, had kind of expected it and maintained a calm expression. Chu Qiao held onto his shoulder and was about to fall asleep, so Xiao Ce picked her up.
In front of his banquet guests and concubines, he displayed this strange guest with the weird hairdo as the apple of his eye. All eyes were on her, and her less-than-friendly behavior sparked palace rumors.
Xiao Ce carried the drunk guest to his palace and placed her in his bed.
The Liang Palace was not as strict as the Wei Palace, where the Crown Prince could entertain guests in his royal bedchamber. It was also more private than the Wei Palace, as royal guards were not confined inside the royal bedchamber.
Xiao Ce looked at her and said, "Qiao Qiao, it seems there are things I don't know about you. What happened to you after the frozen lake where Yuwen Yue died? What did Yan Xun do to you before and after his marriage? And your failed engagement with the Wei Crown Prince, Yuan Song? I am the only one left for you. Look at you now, here in my bed. I'm the happiest man in the world."
For once, Xiao Ce showed his gentlemanly side. He removed his outer robes and changed into his sleeping clothes, holding a warm silk blanket in his hands.
He looked at her lovely face, spread the blanket over her, and then chose to sleep on the expensive carpet beside his royal bed, surrounded by pillows. The sound of her snoring, filling his fragrant royal bedchamber, became music to his ears, and he drifted off peacefully.
The next day, a bell sounded, startling Chu Qiao awake. She cried out in confusion. The Liang Prince, in his loosely tied sleeping robes, exposing his chest, was taken aback.
Xiao Ce quickly stood up, put his hands on his waist, and, still half-asleep, said, "Qiao Qiao, relax! Can't you see a Prince is trying to sleep? And you're so noisy!" he complained.
Chu Qiao touched her peacock hairdo, searching for something. Xiao Ce, amused, said, "Looking for this?" as he held up a small, cold weapon that he had taken from her hair the night before.
Chu Qiao's thoughts raced. If Xiao Ce had removed her weapon, what else had this Prince taken? Her eyes then fell on his exposed chest, and she noticed Xiao Ce's mischievous expression.
Xiao Ce secretly laughed to himself, recognizing the look of suspicion in her eyes. He turned his back to her, savoring the moment, and said with a playful smirk, "If I told you something happened between us last night, would you yield to me?"
Chu Qiao, checking herself, found that all her clothing was intact, wrapped around her like a cocoon. She dismissed his teasing, thinking it impossible for anything to have happened.
Xiao Ce, letting his guard down, removed his sleeping robes, revealing his bare chest. Chu Qiao unconsciously swallowed as she caught a glimpse. But Xiao Ce's attempt at seduction was too late, the subject was already sober.
Seeing her reaction, Xiao Ce, with a playful twinkle in his eyes, slowly put on his robes from the night before. Chu Qiao noticed the traces of vomit on them, and her memory of the previous night came flooding back.
Feeling relieved, Chu Qiao watched as Xiao Ce gently lifted her chin. "After this," he said, "tonight's banquet is canceled, and you won't be sent home to the Old Lady just yet. We have someone to meet today."
Xiao Ce smirked, and Chu Qiao shot him a stern but soft look in response, countering his flirty gaze.
On the third day, Xiao Ce took Chu Qiao on one of his usual secret getaways, somewhere between the Wei and Liang States.
The Prince wrote a letter to the Old Lady, assuring her not to worry and promising to ferry Chu Qiao back to their residence the next day. While Emperor Tang disapproved of his son venturing between these borders, Empress Yuan had granted permission.
Little did anyone know, a scheme was brewing in the background to assassinate the Crown Prince. The current Empress, once a concubine to Xiao Ce's grandfather, had risen to her position after the first Empress was deposed.
Queen Yuan had given birth to Xiao Ce's siblings, Xiao Yu and Xiao Yun. King Tang, consumed by anger towards the First Empress, a distant cousin of Zhan Ziyu, had issued a decree against her, resulting in her fall from grace. As a result, the young crown prince grew up in the care of Concubine Yuan, now the Empress of Liang.
The Empress didn't see Chu Qiao as a threat. To her and the court, Chu Qiao was just another woman who might rise in status if Xiao Ce favored her. She was underestimated due to her low and unknown background, which is exactly how Xiao Ce preferred it.
For the past two nights, Xiao Ce had been wondering why Chu Qiao didn't seem to relate to him. It was as if they were strangers, despite their shared life-and-death experiences in the past.
Xiao Ce had learned to trust her pure-hearted intentions. She had saved him, never sought to harm him, and he had become an adviser during her struggles between duty and desire.
In public, Xiao Ce played the role of a flirtatious, vulgar lover, but in private, he was a sincere secret admirer. He kept this guise to protect her from drawing too much attention, whether his affection was genuine or not, Xiao Ce was a master of disguise.
Over the past few months, he had gathered information through Zhan Ziyu and kept close tabs on Chu Qiao. When he learned that the Xuili General was to be engaged to Prince Yuan Song, he couldn't just stand by. Using his resources, Xiao Ce schemed to frustrate the engagement and sent someone to break it off. In doing so, he believed he was saving Chu Qiao from a fate that would break her heart.
Because Xiao Ce knows and senses that Chu Qiao was somehow screaming for help while Yan Xun was shackled and locked away, bound to his sister Xiao Yu's wedding bells, he is deeply concerned. However, one thing Xiao Ce cannot control is the possibility of war breaking out between Wei and Yanbei as a result of this scheme.
He imagined the chaos that would ensue if the Wei Emperor discovered that the Crown Princess of Wei had been abducted by Yan Xun the night before his wedding. The world would be plunged into war. Chu Qiao's situation could be compared to that of a priceless hostage, held in the arms of Yuan Song. However, Xiao Ce's spies reported that Chu Qiao managed to escape, with the help of her right-hand ally, Viper, and the Xuili Deputy General, He Xiao.
Wasting no time, they helped her break free from Wei's clutches. There were even rumors that Yan Xun had coordinated the escape, though no one would ever admit the truth.
With little friction between them, Chu Qiao was beginning to like this playboy prince. She felt she had only met him a few weeks ago, but Xiao Ce had already purposely acquainted her with his concubines, shared trivial stories about his first love, and almost introduced her to his childhood friend Sun Di. She was also introduced to the Crown Prince's right-hand man, Tie Yuo. Chu Qiao felt like she knew him better than anyone else in his palace.
Attending two consecutive banquets in Jinwu Palace gave her a sense of belonging.
She became comfortable, and without fear of harsh judgment, she could express herself freely, without hesitation or confinement.
In comparison to the Wei Palace, where strict rules and royal protocols had to be followed, Jinwu Palace allowed her more freedom.
Chu Qiao gradually began to learn and follow the foxy Prince's wisdom and principles. Daring moments and small irritations between them increased, but this only deepened their bond.
Their relationship blossomed into something beautiful, a connection where both souls could express their true selves without the need to hide secrets or pursue personal ambitions and pride.
Unlike her relationship with Yan Xun, which had been clouded by hidden agendas and ambition, her understanding with Xiao Ce felt pure. There was no secret strategy, only open and genuine interaction.
In terms of trust, her relationship with Yan Xun had already eroded over time, especially after he became consumed by revenge. Yan Xun's only focus was on his kingdom, leaving no room for anything else.
With Xiao Ce, things were different. He never hid anything from her. In front of her beautiful face, he took everything at face value, with no hidden meanings.
The Prince could only truly rest when she was around. With her presence, he let down his guard and became his true self, without needing to wear any masks.
Xiao Ce and Chu Qiao, just like in the old days, went on a tour, visiting familiar yet painful places of memory.
They visited a site near Chu Qiao's former residence, where she had lived as a lowly maidservant in the Yuwen household. Xiao Ce, who didn't particularly love tours, had grown accustomed to putting his life in danger as the master of disguise.
The two of them dressed in ordinary clothes, walking like commoners among the memorial sites of slaves.
At nightfall, after a long journey from sunrise to sundown, they finally arrived at a graveyard. Xiao Ce, always prepared, lit a small candle. The aroma filled the air, revealing the names on the gravestones.
Chu Qiao stood still, reading the names: LingXi and Zhi Xiang. Xiao Ce took out two white roses from his backpack and offered them to the graves.
Confused, Chu Qiao thought,Why would the Prince do such a humble thing?She asked him, "Who are they? Your slaves?"
Xiao Ce, confirming his suspicions, looked at her and said, "No, they were your siblings who died."
Chu Qiao, suddenly shocked, asked, "Are they?"
Xiao Ce, in his calm and steady voice, confirmed, "Yes, they were."
Chu Qiao touched their tablets, and as her memories surfaced, she held back her tears. Xiao Ce, knowing this moment would come, let her cry freely.
After some time, another figure appeared at the slave tombs, a woman wearing a faux fur cape, a white Hanfu dress made of expensive silk, and a white hood, giving her a divine-like appearance.
Xiao Ce wasn't surprised. He had arranged this meeting in advance. Finally, the reason behind Chu Qiao's failed engagement was revealed. Chu Qiao met Xiao Ba.
Xiao Ba, with tearful eyes, saw her sister. Chu Qiao, with tears welling up, embraced her. She realized that Xiao Ba had saved her from the political engagement with Yuan Song.
Chu Qiao had been on the verge of being used as a pawn, but her sister had intervened, destroying the Wei Emperor's plans on that fateful night. How had this happened?
Who could have orchestrated such a cunning act?
Perhaps the foxy Prince had the answers.
The memorial site became a reunion for the two sisters, and another part of Chu Qiao's memories was recovered. The foxy Prince, content to see them reunited, watched happily.
The rest of the story, how it all happened was a secret that Xiao Ce promised to unravel. With all his resources, he would continue to show his love for Qiao Qiao, ready to rescue her in any season.
A different kind of love...extravagant, expensive, and filled with the heartbeat of the foxy Prince.
Connect to Chapter 47: Ask for Wisdom
Look back to Chapter 43: Dinner Engagement
Author's note:
This is one of the deviations from the original to continue the story as it unfolds in the drama. The original novel involved many characters and complex scenarios, while this fan fiction focuses only on what is necessary to maintain the storyline. Chapters 39, 41, 43, 45, 47, and 49 are advanced readings, while chapters 40, 42, 44, 46, and 48 serve as retro chapters. I intentionally used an alternate writing style to present simultaneous events occurring together, allowing us to see all the characters come into the picture, especially the most awaited one, Yuwen Yue.
If the reader wishes to connect the dots for a broader understanding, they should backtrack to chapter 40, follow the even-numbered sections, then return to chapter 39 to follow the odd-numbered chapters. After doing so, you will be ready to read chapter 51. I hope you all enjoy these 10 chapters.
AC
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