Chapter 115: People Part Ways and Flowers Fall (Part 6)

In mid-June, Chuxiu celebrated her eighteenth birthday. At her insistence, the Yun residence did not hold a grand celebration, opting instead for a simple family meal. Naturally, Shen Yu was absent; after all, in the eyes of outsiders, they had already had a falling out.

Chuxiu knew Shen Yu would not forget her birthday. In years past, he would send expensive jewelry or rare trinkets seldom seen by young ladies, but this year, she understood she would receive no birthday gift from him.

Seven days after her birthday, Chuxiu sent a formal note to Prince Mu, expressing her desire to pay him a visit. The message was sent in the morning, and a reply arrived by afternoon. Prince Mu was cautious, yet he showed great enthusiasm and hospitality toward the prospect of meeting Chuxiu, immediately clearing part of his schedule to set the meeting for the following afternoon. Although an afternoon visit was unconventional, neither was a person constrained by rigid etiquette, so there were no objections.

After lunch the next day, Chuxiu specifically chose an outfit that was dignified. Though it was white, it was a shade that was striking, appropriate, and opulent. It was made of Snow Ridge silk embroidered with white peonies, with a subtle layer of pale pink mist gauze trailing along the hem. This garment had been crafted by ten embroiderers from the Yun Brocade Workshop, who had labored day and night for over half a year. It was delivered just before her birthday by Yun Feng, the nephew of the head steward, Yun Zhong.

Chuxiu understood Yun Feng’s intention and, considering it her birthday gift, accepted it with a smile.

She had never cared for gold or silver ornaments, and for this meeting with Prince Mu, she did not dress up intentionally. She simply tucked a single jade hairpin into her hair; beyond that, she wore no other adornments.

Arriving discreetly at the Prince Mu residence by carriage, Prince Mu, Nie Peihan, was already waiting at the gate to welcome her personally. Chuxiu peeked through a corner of the carriage curtain. She found that this Prince Mu—famed throughout Southern Xi for his military prowess, and rumored to be sinister, ruthless, and cruel—was unexpectedly young and... familiar?

Before she could process this, the carriage came to a slow stop. Chuxiu stepped out, eyes fixed ahead, and offered a graceful bow to the black-clad figure at the gates: "Lady Yun Chuxiu greets Prince Mu."

"Madam Chuxiu is too polite," Prince Mu replied, his voice crisp and courteous, yet unable to mask a sense of cold detachment. Just hearing these few words, Chuxiu had already imagined what this fearsome Prince Mu would look like.

Yet, when she raised her head to meet his gaze, she was shocked. And she was clearly not the only one; the man before her was equally stunned.

As their eyes locked, almost simultaneously, both Chuxiu and Prince Mu exclaimed, "It’s you?!" After a moment, they both laughed softly.

In the end, it was Prince Mu who gestured for her to enter: "This is not the place for conversation. Please, Madam."

Chuxiu did not stand on ceremony. She stepped into the residence and accompanied Prince Mu to his private study.

As soon as the servants placed the tea sets and withdrew, Prince Mu smiled at Chuxiu: "Miss Hanchu, it has been a long time."

"Young Master Nan Qi, I trust you have been well," Chuxiu replied with a soft smile, looking at the peerlessly graceful Prince Mu before her. With his upturned phoenix eyes, bewitching features, and an androgynous beauty—even the color of his attire was identical to when they first met—he was a sight to behold. Outsiders likely had no idea that the ruthless and decisive Prince Mu possessed such a captivating charm.

He was also an old acquaintance of Chuxiu’s. That, however, was a long story...

When she was fourteen, she was already "the number one beauty of Southern Xi," Hanchu, whose talent was renowned. Mother Feng had arranged for her to travel to Northern Xi to teach her craft to courtesans there—the only time she had ever left the capital of Southern Xi. While it was billed as "teaching," it was merely a gimmick to build her reputation, as she was about to reach the age to be registered and auction off her first night.

Due to Mother Feng’s careful arrangements, Hanchu was already the subject of intense discussion before she even reached the imperial capital of Northern Xi. On the day she appeared at the Yihong Pavilion, more than half the men in the city turned out to catch a glimpse of the "number one beauty of Southern Xi." Based on the highest bid, Chen Xuan—the then-heir to the Prince of Zhen of Northern Xi, now the Emperor Shengrui of Northern Xuan—won the opportunity to see her.

She remembered that evening clearly. Chuxiu was about to change clothes to meet Chen Xuan when she discovered a peerless man in black hiding in her room. She was terrified, and just then, Chen Xuan entered. Before Chuxiu could even see what Chen Xuan looked like, several assassins burst through the door, nearly killing her in the process.

At the time, Chuxiu thought the assassins had been arranged by the man in black. To her surprise, after Chen Xuan was attacked, the man in black jumped out to save them. Seeing that she was in danger, he decisively rescued her, left behind the words "I am Nan Qi, my apologies," and leaped out the window to pursue the assassins and rescue Chen Xuan.

Although it was only a fleeting encounter, and the circumstances of their meeting were absurd, they had left a deep impression on each other. After all, how many people in the world possessed such peerless grace as Chuxiu and Prince Mu? Naturally, they were unforgettable to one another.

At the