Chapter 17 The Present at School III


    Xiu Ran was simply unwilling to believe in Murong Jingxuan''s words, and he more or less didn''t have


    any good feelings towards that kind of idiot young miss.


    "How about we make a bet?" Murong Jingxuan amusingly said as looked at Xiu Ran''s skeptical


    expression.


    Xiu Ran was the shopkeeper of Julongzhai only in name, but as the political hostage from Nanchen, his


    heart was still thoroughly loyal towards Nanchen. Murong Jingxuan* would constantly received


    information regarding Nanchen from Xiu Ran.


    (*TN: This is my own interjection, since author just used the pronoun ''he'' here, thus making the wording


    kind of confusing.)


    Even the death of Qilian Qingyan, he heard from the mouth of Xiu Ran.


    "What bet? I''m certainly not interested." Xiu Ran picked up a small teacup and began to taste the tea,


    however when he looked to Murong Jingxuan, he was expressionless.


    "How about youe with me to Bogu Hall? I just happen to need something from that Cui Hanqun."


    Murong Jingxuan mischievously smiled as he pped the table, "On the way I can have you meet that


    Su''s fourth miss."


    "Che." Xiu Ran wrinkled his brows, "I already said I''m not interested in that Su''s fourth miss, why are


    you making mee with you?"


    Murong Jingxuan shook his head, "You''ll know when the timees."


    Seeing Murong Jingxuan''s expression, Xiu Ran already knew that he wasn''t able to turn down his


    demand. After all, he was currently living in Murong Jingxuan''s manor. Although Murong Jingxuan was


    a Prince* with a different surname, in order to have him under his control, Xuanyuan Hong bestowed


    him a manor in Diqiu.


    (*TN: The original phrase was more along the lines of him being bestowed the same title as a Prince


    despite having a different surname from the royal family. He''s technically a political hostage, but holds


    the same title as a Prince.)


    Nevertheless, if it wasn''t for the previous Empress constantly protecting him, he wouldn''t have been


    able to live this long. But in the end, the beauty had passed.


    Xiu Ran ultimately still went with Murong Jingxuan to Bogu Hall. Although you could see the entirety of


    Bogu Hall from the corner building of Julongzhai, if you were to travel by foot, then it was indeed


    separated by no less than two streets.


    When they arrived at Bogu Hall, it was precisely break time. Seeing Murong Jingxuan, all the girls


    carried a love struck expression. This made Xiu Ran really ufortable.


    He had always hated this kind of attention.


    "Isn''t that Murong Shizi? Why did hee to Bogu Hall?" A girl quietly whispered, "Murong Shizi is


    known as a flower on the outside*, but looking at it now, he does seem to have some capital."


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    (*TN: It''s an idiom meaning that a person is beautiful and pleasing to the eyes on the outside but isn''t


    dutiful)


    "Don''t you know? Murong Shizi is the most handsome man in Donghe, and the man next to him, Xiu


    Ran, is said to be Nanchen''s most handsome man." Another girl chimed in quietly.


    When Cui Hanqun saw Murong Jingxuan, he handed him the thing in hand, "Shizi, this is the thing you


    wanted."


    Murong Jingxuan looked at the case that Cui Hanqun handed over, while smiling, "Thank you, young


    master Cui."


    If Cui Hanqun was Bogu Hall''s little tyrant, than Murong Jingxuan was definitely the big tyrant of Diqiu.


    However, this was probably something that Xuanyuan Hong was happy to see.


    Xiu Ran automatically ignored all the lovestruck gazes, but he still felt someone watching him from


    behind this whole time. When he turned back to look, he just happened to see that green d girl from


    earlier measuring him up and down. However, her gaze was not like that of the others, full of reverence


    and infatuation, but was calm and undisturbed like the stagnant waters.


    She lifted her head, weing his gaze, and her lips carried a faint smile. She never thought that she


    would meet the illegitimate* son of Nanchen''s Wuan Marquis, Xiu Ran, here. She still remembered that


    time when, in order to protect him, she specially made the vermillion bird take on the alias Liu Shang


    and entered Donghe as an imperial musician, just to protect him.


    (*TN: Same meaning as concubine-born in this context)


    Qingyan didn''t go among the other girls to approach him. Instead, after seeing at Xiu Ran, she once


    again cast her gaze back onto the textbook as if nothing had happened.


    Xiu Ran, seeing her gaze, seemingly was reminded of Qilian Qingyan in the past. During that time he


    was chosen as the political hostage, it was thete Empress that dispatched someone to protect him


    along the way. And that person was currently the imperial musician of Donghe, Liu Shang.


    "Beautiful, are you not interested in me?"


    When Su Qingyan heard Murong Jingxuan''s voice, she couldn''t help but to furrow her brows. She just


    knew that for him toe to Bogu Hall at this time, it wasn''t for anything good.


    As soon as Murong Jingxuan spoke, the sound of whispers surrounded them.


    It was probably about the rumors of her purity again.


    Su Qingyan looked up towards Murong Jingxuan with a smile, "I''d already heard that Murong Shizi is


    quite the womanizer, but looking at it now it, it''s obviously true."


    Murong Jingxuan apparently didn''t realize the true meaning behind Qingyan''s words. Just when he was


    thinking of replying, her voice sounded again, "Everyone probably doesn''t know, but this Murong Shizi


    often frequents brothels. Moreover, it''s Diqiu''s widely famous Yi Honglou*, ah....."


    (*TN: Literally it means ''red house'', but more urately, while it is synonymous to a pleasure house, its


    also ce where you can eat, drink, and be entertained by women)


    Qingyan continued as she feigned a look of pity, "The girls there are all wholeheartedly longing for your


    Highness. And now, you''ve cast aside those girls toe to Bogu Hall to flirt."


    At Qingyan''s words, Murong Jingxuan stared at her speechlessly. He certainly was Yi Brothel''s


    frequent guest, but this was because of that damn old man. If he didn''t regrly waste his time at Yi


    Honglou, then how could he build a foundation here. Although this was a rather refreshing way to put it.


    "Did I hit the mark on a sensitive topic for Shizi?" Qingyanpletely didn''t give him the opportunity to


    talk.


    "Ah." Murong Jingxuan reluctantly shook his head. A bewitching smile appeared on his lips, "I didn''t


    know that you were watching me that closely. If you''re interested in me, I''ll be sure to properly cherish


    you." His tone was extremely ambiguous, causing the crowd of girls to re at Su Qingyan in jealousy.


    Su Qingyan didn''t expect that Murong Jingxuan was shameless to this extent. Still carrying a smile on


    her face, she said, "Murong Shizi, I''ve yet to reach marriageable age, if someone with ulterior motives


    hears this, then wouldn''t this be damaging to my reputation." Lightly bending her knees, she bowed to


    Murong Jingxuan, "I hope Shizi will be cautious with words from now on."


    Seeing her like that, Murong Jingxuan didn''t tease her any further. As he was leaving, he let out a


    radiant smile towards the crowd, causing the surrounding girls to be lovestruck.


    Luo Yixin walked up next to Qingyan and whispered in a small voice, clearly reflecting the concern in


    her tone, "Qingyan, how did you end up attracting that Murong Shizi, he''s not someone you can easily


    provoke."


    Su Qingyan furrowed her brows, seemingly not hearing Luo Yixin''s words. That Murong Jingxuan,


    despite breaking into her bedroom multiple times, he still had the nerve toe to Bogu Hall and leave


    her with such a difficult problem.


    Ah, Su Qingyan bitterly smiled. If only she could obtain the blood jade and create a jade flute, thus


    have control over the ''Pavilion of Thousand Beasts'', then she wouldn''t have to suffer such humiliation.


    But she still had the opportunity to slowly recover, right?


    "Su Qingyan, you shameless slut, not only seducing other men, but how dare you try to seduce Murong


    Shizi." A girl dressed in pink walked up before her and said harshly. Just when she was about to give


    Qingyan a p on the face, her hand suddenly turned dark purple as she started to sense the pain.


    Su Qingyan looked to the girl in pink and gently touched her bracelet. Looking up to her, she smiled,


    "Miss Wei, before stretching out your hand to hit someone, it''s best if you check whether you''re


    qualified to."