Chapter 10: The Beauty
"The memorial from the Deputy Minister of the Imperial Stud, Yang Huating, has been intercepted. Prince Cheng summoned the Right Prime Minister to his residence overnight, and the Emperor is currently searching everywhere for you."
"Hmm."
"Your Excellency just..." The tall guard carrying a sword had only spoken halfway when the young man beside him made a "shush" sound, cutting him off.
The mountain was silent, the distant temple still brightly lit—this was destined to be a sleepless night. A beauty in brocade robes strolled leisurely through the night and said, "Wen Ji, don't speak out of turn while watching a play."
The guard named Wen Ji fell silent.
"He enjoys watching plays."
Inside the room, Jiang Li was explaining to Tong'er.
"Young mistress, are you saying that was... that was Duke Su?" Tong'er asked.
Jiang Li nodded: "Indeed."
Though the Yan Dynasty had produced countless talents over its century-long history, Duke Su was now the youngest duke. It was said he was only twenty-four years old.
Duke Su, Ji Heng, was the son of Ji Mínghán, the Golden Crow General who had expanded territories alongside the previous emperor and made monumental contributions. The previous emperor, moved by his loyalty, granted him the hereditary title of Duke Su.
The Golden Crow General was exceptionally heroic and never fell from imperial favor, becoming the dream man of every young woman in Yan. Yet this great general Ji Mínghán defied expectations by marrying the daughter of a disgraced official, Yu Hongye.
Yu Hongye's father had been implicated in an embezzlement case, and upon investigation, the entire family suffered the consequences. As a concubine-born daughter of the Yu family, Yu Hongye was eventually demoted to a house of pleasure. The young Ji Mínghán met her during a social gathering with colleagues and fell in love at first sight.
Yu Hongye possessed peerless beauty and a clever, cunning nature. In truth, even as the daughter of a disgraced official, the young masters of Yanjing City eagerly vied for her favor. Later, Ji Mínghán redeemed her from the house of pleasure and married her.
Had Ji Mínghán been from an ordinary family, he might have only faced some criticism. Unfortunately, as the Golden Crow General and Duke Su, the Ji clan strongly opposed his marriage to Yu Hongye. However, Ji Mínghán was stubborn and independent in his actions, and they could do nothing to stop him.
One year after Yu Hongye and Ji Mínghán married, she gave birth to Ji Heng. When Ji Heng was one year old, the Eastern Xia invaded. Ji Mínghán led the campaign, but upon his triumphant return, he learned that Yu Hongye had succumbed to a severe illness.
No one knew exactly what had happened. It was only known that all the servants in the Ji household were replaced, and the maids who had personally attended to Yu Hongye never appeared again. Ji Mínghán severed ties with his clan, and from then on, the Duke Su's family had no maternal relatives.
After handling all affairs, Ji Mínghán disappeared, leaving behind his young son Ji Heng to be raised by his grandfather, Old General Ji. Later, the previous emperor passed away from illness, and the Hongxiao Emperor ascended the throne. Ji Heng inherited the title at a young age, becoming the youngest duke in Yan at just fourteen.
Ji Heng's father led a life full of legend, and Ji Heng himself was no less remarkable.
What the people of Yan most loved to discuss was undoubtedly Ji Heng's appearance.
It was said that Ji Heng's mother, Yu Hongye, was a renowned beauty whose every smile and frown resembled a painting, yet she was more vivid than any portrait, deserving the title "enchantress." Ji Heng inherited most of his mother's stunning beauty, capable of captivating anyone who laid eyes on him. His demeanor, however, reflected his father's coldness—a man who could become the Golden Crow General naturally possessed a resolute and unyielding temperament.Ji Heng was an individual of extreme beauty and chilling demeanor—not so much in terms of aloofness toward others, but rather due to his inherently cruel and capricious nature. One moment he might speak to you in gentle tones, and the next, without batting an eye, order you dragged out and beheaded. The common folk of Yanjing called him the "Jade-Faced Asura," yet no matter how sinister his temperament, hordes of young women still threw themselves at him.
He himself was also exceedingly flamboyant. Rumors held that among Yanjing's officials, not just ministers but even princes and imperial sons tread carefully in his presence. Ji Heng was profoundly cunning; to offend him was to invite a heap of trouble. He favored bright, vivid colors, which accentuated his striking appearance, and he adored beauty while despising ugliness—even the lowest night-soil carriers in his residence were fair and handsome.
Ji Heng had two passions: admiring flowers and watching operas. His estate collected rare blossoms from across the land, and he enjoyed summoning opera troupes to perform. If the performance pleased him, he rewarded them with a thousand taels of gold; if it displeased him, he had the entire troupe driven a thousand miles beyond Yanjing. The city's opera performers both adored and resented him.
Some claimed Ji Heng enjoyed opera because he harbored a taste for keeping actors—a shameful indulgence shared by many young masters of Yanjing's noble households. But when Liu Sheng, the star performer of the renowned Jixiang Opera Troupe, was crippled and thrown out of the Duke's residence—reportedly for attempting to share his bed and failing—the rumor was thoroughly debunked.
In short, Duke Su Ji Heng was an arrogant, temperamental, sinister, and terrifying peerless beauty who knew no tenderness toward the fairer sex.
A beauty with venom is still a beauty.
Tong'er had also heard of Duke Su's reputation. Eight years ago, when they arrived at this nunnery, Jiang Li was only seven years old, and Duke Su was already sixteen—a figure known throughout Yanjing. She never expected to encounter him here.
"How did you recognize him as Duke Su, miss?" Tong'er asked. "You've never seen Duke Su before."
Jiang Li smiled faintly.
How did she know Duke Su? Back when she was still Xue Fangfei, after marrying Shen Yurong and moving to Yanjing, the title of Yanjing's top beauty gradually fell upon her. As someone who adored beauty and loathed ugliness, Duke Su had naturally heard of Xue Fangfei's fame.
And what was Duke Su's assessment of Xue Fangfei? It was said that once, on the street, he caught sight of Xue Fangfei browsing a jewelry shop with Shen Yurong's sister. After a single glance, he sneered, "Beautiful, yes, but utterly soulless."
This remark circulated as a jest throughout Yanjing for quite some time, especially among noble young ladies who resented the sudden emergence of such a stunning beauty. Ji Heng had inadvertently vented their frustrations for them. Some men sympathized with Xue Fangfei but dared not openly cross Ji Heng.
Xue Fangfei herself was unbothered, but Shen Yurong fumed over it, and she ended up comforting him instead. Shen Yurong's sister and mother, however, felt Xue Fangfei had brought shame upon the Shen family and confined her to the house for three months as punishment.
Recalling it now, she still felt little anger toward Duke Su's words—in fact, she believed Ji Heng was entirely correct. Back then, to please Shen's mother and her sister-in-law after marrying Shen Yurong, she had suppressed her true nature, living cautiously and restrained. She learned to be a virtuous wife and mother but lost the vivacity and joy of her maiden days.
To love someone so deeply that you sacrifice your own self and become another person—was that not the ultimate humility, reduced to dust, devoid of a soul?Jiang Li said, "In the Yan dynasty, the only one who could grow to look like that is Duke Su. Moreover, he has a red mole at the corner of his eye."
Tong'er didn't doubt her, but asked in confusion, "But why would Duke Su come here? Is he also here to offer incense?"
Of course not.
"Perhaps he's here to admire the flowers," Jiang Li thought to herself and couldn't help but chuckle. "I never expected to witness such a good show. To have both of life's greatest pleasures fulfilled in one day—he must be in quite a good mood now."
Of course, she felt the same way herself.
The male lead is none other than Duke Su, Consort Ji! The Ji family stands at the pinnacle of beauty╮(╯▽╰)╭
(End of Chapter)
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