stonecrandall Chapter 1219 Li Yunrui is getting anxious!
Chapter 1219 Li Yunrui is getting anxious!
Emperor Qing turned his gaze southward once more to the distant Jiangnan region, where undercurrents were now swirling.
In stark contrast to the suffocating atmosphere of the Kyoto Imperial Palace, the Jiangnan region is currently enjoying a pleasant autumn season with clear skies and crisp air.
The river was wide and the current gentle, with verdant mountains on both banks, their forests ablaze with autumn colors. An exquisitely decorated pleasure boat drifted downstream, gliding slowly on the emerald waters. The three-tiered boat featured carved beams and painted rafters, its eaves and brackets adorned with delicate gauze curtains that swayed gently in the river breeze. At the bow, a beautiful maidservant burned incense and played the zither; the melodious music mingled with the murmuring water, creating a scene of ethereal beauty.
However, a careful observer would notice that every few feet around the pleasure boat, an inconspicuous small boat quietly follows. The people on these small boats are wiry and alert, their hands resting on their weapons at their waists, constantly watching their surroundings. Further on the river, several seemingly ordinary cargo ships subtly protect the pleasure boat from the center.
This painted boat is Li Yunrui's personal vessel.
At this moment, in a cabin on the second floor of the pleasure boat, Li Yunrui was facing a bronze mirror, being attended to by two personal maids as she underwent her final makeup. The bronze mirror reflected a stunningly beautiful face, with skin as white as snow and features as exquisite as a painting. However, her eyes, as clear as autumn water, now carried a hint of undisguised complexity and unease.
Today, she wasn't wearing the magnificent palace attire befitting a princess; instead, she wore a simple, elegant moon-white dress, her hair styled simply with only a jade hairpin tucked into it at an angle. She looked more like a noblewoman from a scholarly family. This was a deliberate choice. Because she was going to see someone she could never truly understand or fathom—Gao Yao.
Thinking of this person, Li Yunrui felt an indescribable sense of irritation.
The news from Kyoto brought her both relief and growing unease. She was relieved that Hong Sixiang was indeed dead. The fact that he could kill that unfathomable old eunuch in the heavily guarded palace proved that Gao Yao's strength, or rather, the strength of his subordinates, far exceeded her expectations. This gave her more confidence in her decision to cooperate with Gao Yao.
But what troubled her was that Hong Sixiang's death would inevitably enrage Emperor Qing. Her brother, whom she both admired and feared, loved and resented, was probably brewing a furious rage in the capital. This fury would fall upon her sooner or later.
Now, the only person Li Yunrui can rely on is Gao Yao. Gao Yao's methods are unpredictable, and he is a Grandmaster himself. Gao Yao is the only person Li Yunrui can depend on right now.
Li Yunrui had speculated about Gao Yao's true intentions more than once. Did he want to use her as a springboard to seize the Qing Kingdom? Or did he have other plans, such as the legendary temple? But no matter how she probed or observed, she could never see through this man. He was frighteningly calm and frighteningly confident, as if the fate of the world was already in his grasp.
This unfathomable depth put her under unprecedented pressure. The pressure was even greater than when she faced Emperor Qing. At least, she knew Emperor Qing well enough—his joys and sorrows, his weaknesses and desires. But she knew nothing about Gao Yao.
"Your Highness, it's almost time," the personal maid whispered a reminder.
Li Yunrui snapped out of her reverie, took one last look at her makeup in the bronze mirror, and after confirming it was perfect, slowly rose. She took a deep breath, calmed the turmoil in her heart, and resumed her noble, composed, and aloof demeanor as a princess.
The painted boat docked, and a delicate little boat was already waiting beside it. With the help of a maid, Li Yunrui boarded the little boat and headed towards another, larger pleasure boat in the middle of the river.
That flower boat is the real star of the night.
As you approach, you can hear the sounds of string and wind instruments and the coquettish laughter of women emanating from the pleasure boats. Dozens of colorful lanterns hang around the boats, illuminating the river with a dazzling display of light, creating a picturesque scene. At the bow and stern, scantily clad and beautiful women move back and forth, some carrying wine jugs, others holding fruit platters, creating a lively and bustling atmosphere.
Li Yunrui frowned slightly. She had assumed that Gao Yao, having chosen this place, would dismiss everyone else and discuss important matters in private. She hadn't expected this pleasure boat to be such a... dissolute scene. Had she guessed wrong? Was Gao Yao just an ordinary man who craved pleasure?
The small boat slowly approached the pleasure boat, where servants took the rope and lowered the footboard. Li Yunrui lifted her skirt and stepped onto the deck of the pleasure boat. Her maid tried to follow, but was politely stopped by the people on the boat.
"Your Highness, the Lord requests your presence, and only you are invited."
Li Yunrui remained expressionless, nodded slightly, and walked into the cabin alone.
Passing through the bustling women in the front cabin and around a carved screen, one arrives at the rear cabin. Here, the atmosphere is completely different from the lively front cabin; it's eerily quiet. Footsteps on the thick carpet make no sound whatsoever.
The cabin door was ajar, letting in a sliver of warm light.
Li Yunrui gently pushed open the hatch and went inside.
The cabin was simply yet elegantly furnished. There was a low table, a few cushions, and several pots of orchids. An oil lamp sat on the low table, its flickering light casting a soft glow over the entire cabin.
The man she could never understand was sitting calmly in front of a low table, dressed in an ordinary blue robe, holding a cup of tea in his hands, looking down at the tea leaves floating in the cup, his expression calm and serene.
There was no decadent indulgence or extravagance as she had imagined. Instead, there was simply someone quietly drinking tea.
This scene caused Li Yunrui to pause slightly. The tension in her heart, which had always been taut, tightened even more. She would rather see Gao Yao be dissolute, rather see him indulging in wine and women, at least that would prove he had a weakness, an opportunity to exploit. But he was exactly like this, calm as a mountain, deep as the sea, leaving her with no way to attack him.
Gao Yao seemed to hear the noise, raised his head, and looked at Li Yunrui at the door. His gaze remained calm, without amazement or greed, only a faint smile, as if the visitor was not a powerful princess, but an ordinary visitor.
"You're here? Please have a seat."
His tone was casual and natural, as if he were greeting an old friend.
Li Yunrui composed herself, stepped forward, and gracefully sat down on the prayer mat opposite Gao Yao. Her posture was elegant, her back straight; even in such a private setting, she maintained the poise and grace of a princess.
Between the two of them was a low table and a flickering lamp.
After a moment of silence, Li Yunrui spoke first, her voice cold: "I have received the news from the capital. Hong Sixiang is dead, killed in the palace. Did you do it?"