Most women in the Azure Cloud Realm were timid and shy. Even noble ladies raised with boundless affection would at most dare to debate a few words in public, but nothing more.
Mingyi was different. Not only did she dare to fight with men and publicly denounce heartless scoundrels on the streets, she even dared to cast curses on people.
She actually dared to cast a Love Curse on Ji Bozhai!
Situ Ling found it utterly fascinating. What would someone like Ji Bozhai—with his profound Essence Power and cunning mind—look like under the influence of a Love Curse?
He glanced over just in time to see Ji Bozhai seated in a beast-drawn carriage, his features sharp as if carved, radiant like the sun. His crimson sleeves draped lazily over the armrest of the seat.
Passersby of all ages and genders couldn’t help but turn their heads for a second look. After being stared at one too many times, an air of impatience inevitably crept into his expression.
"My lord, how can you help me judge whether the fabric suits me if you won’t even come down?" Mingyi emerged from another shop but didn’t immediately board the carriage. Instead, she stood beside it, tilting her head up to pout at him coquettishly.
The impatience on Ji Bozhai’s face vanished instantly, replaced by a glimmer of amusement in his dark eyes. He lazily shifted his posture, propping his chin on his hand as he turned toward her. "Your taste is naturally better than mine."
"That’s not the point. All these things are meant for you, my lord. Only what pleases you is truly the best." She puckered her lips and lightly stamped her foot. "Come down, please~"
The silver-red hem of her dress swayed with her movements, each ripple sending waves of allure straight to the heart.
Eyes brimming with amusement, Ji Bozhai sighed and vaulted over the seat to land beside her. Mingyi immediately looped her arm through his, pulling him toward the next shop.
Behind them, the beast-drawn carriage rolled slowly along, its rear rack already piled high with stacks of red-lacquered boxes—each layer towering as tall as two people.
This level of pampering was ostentatious to the extreme, so much so that the people of Star Yearn City couldn’t pretend not to notice.
"She’s just a nameless Dancing Girl without status. What’s there to flaunt?"
"Tsk, Lord Ji hasn’t taken anyone else into his residence lately except her. He even brings her to banquets at Gong Wang’s manor from time to time."
"She’s pretty, sure, but what’s the use of looks alone? She’s utterly lacking in talent."
Whispers rose like dust, laced with sour notes that swirled through the air. But the two in the Lord of Flowing Radiance’s carriage paid no heed. By day, they brewed tea and admired flowers; by night, they indulged in passion, living a life of unbridled joy.
For several days in a row, dark circles had begun to form under Mingyi’s eyes. Yawning, she sat before her bronze mirror, applying powder with great dissatisfaction as she muttered, "So tired."
Granny Xun grinned until her eyes nearly disappeared. "The young lord is vigorous and spirited—naturally, he’ll be a handful. But the city’s selection trials are entering their final stages now. He’ll have to oversee them for a few days, so you’ll have some time to rest."
The Six Cities Tournament determined whether each city would contribute or receive resources for the year, so every city took it seriously. By late spring, they began selecting Fighters to prepare for the following year’s competition.
Star Yearn City already had a formidable Fighter like Ji Bozhai, but the tournament had numerous events, requiring five or six more to stand alongside him.
Though Granny Xun was an ordinary woman without Essence Power, she was deeply interested in the Six Cities Tournament. As she spoke, her eyebrows lifted with excitement.
Yet Mingyi in the mirror didn’t even bat an eyelid. She simply switched to another eyebrow pencil and continued shaping her brows. "If my lord isn’t back for lunch today, should we go to Huabiezhi for a treat?"The old maidservant snapped out of her thoughts, remembering that Mingyi was just a girl from a remote village who probably didn't even know what the Six Cities Tournament was about, let alone cared about it.
So she didn't bring it up again: "Of course you may go. The master specifically instructed that the young lady must be accompanied by a Luan-Bird Carriage and four servants. This old servant will make the arrangements now."
Mingyi watched her leave, then hooked her shoe tip under the dressing table drawer to open it, pulling out the half-finished map.
Dan Er had only asked for a map of the Ji residence, and she had already sketched the general layout, even marking the old house in the Blue Tile District. It should suffice for the task.
Rolling up the paper and tucking it into her sleeve, she stood and walked out.
The streets of Star Yearn City had already begun to buzz with tension. Numerous Fighters came and went, and bursts of Essence Power occasionally flickered above the streets, weighing heavily on people's hearts.
Mingyi passed by them without so much as a glance, sitting in the beast-drawn carriage with a round fan, sipping tea.
The Luan bird pulling the carriage had been personally subdued by Ji Bozhai as his Following Beast. Its striking appearance, coupled with its radiant aura, drew attention, and before long, they were stopped.
"May we ask which esteemed person rides in this carriage?" came the excited voices of several women outside.
Mingyi crouched slightly, lifting the carriage curtain with her silk fan as she smiled politely. "This is the Ji family's carriage. I merely have the honor of riding in it."
At the sight of her, the three or four girls outside immediately stiffened, stepping back. Some wore mocking expressions, while others curled their lips in disdain.
"So it's you. We've long heard of you, but seeing you today... well, you're nothing special," Tianji said, covering half her face with her sleeve, her willow-like brows furrowing. "Knowing full well this is a crucial time for selections, how dare you flaunt yourself in the master's carriage?"
A girl of fifteen or sixteen, her words were sharp.
Mingyi's smile faded as she fanned herself, eyeing Tianji up and down. "My apologies for delaying your efforts to curry favor."
"What nonsense are you spouting?" Tianji's face darkened, and the other girls chimed in. "Country folk truly don't understand decorum. We've legitimately received Phoenix Tail Flowers—don't speak of currying favor. Who knows? We might even enter the Ji residence one day and outrank you."
The Phoenix Tail Flower was an unwritten rule. During selection periods, the Da Si of major cities would send these flowers to noble-born common girls. Carrying one signified they represented the city's ruling family, entitled to arrange lodgings and meals for Fighters and move about freely.
In essence, these girls were used to win over Fighters in advance, all for the city lord's benefit.
Mingyi had always found this custom absurd and pitied these girls—until today, when she encountered a few who reveled in it, even flaunting their status.
Her expression remained indifferent. "Master Ji is quite particular."
Particular indeed—he wanted a waist as slender as willow, yet strength enough to carry him; foolishly naive, yet perceptive enough to read his moods; kind-hearted, yet willing to aid him in underhanded schemes.
Not a role just anyone could fill.
Yet somehow, her words struck a nerve. The girls outside immediately flared up. "You really think you're something special? Just a pretty face, nothing more than an embroidered pillow! At best, you're a plaything for the master's leisure. Do you even understand Fighters? Do you know anything about the Six Cities Tournament?"
"Exactly. In the coming months, you probably won't even have anything to talk about with the master. Unlike us—we can keep up with whatever he says.""Looks are fleeting, like flowers plucked from their stems. Only grass with roots can stay evergreen. I hope the young lady will consider this carefully!"
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