Fragrant Fullness Tower
Near sunset, Yun Yin drove Yan Wanning in a carriage to Fragrant Fullness Tower, the most renowned establishment in Ningguan City.
Yan Wanning took Xiao He's hand as she stepped down from the carriage. She looked up at the grandly decorated Fragrant Fullness Tower, with its many diners coming and going, and remembered that there was also a renowned Fragrant Fullness Tower in the Capital. She wondered whether they had the same owner.
"Princess Consort, the prince is waiting for you in a private room. I'll take you upstairs."
"Mm."
Yun Yin led Yan Wanning into Fragrant Fullness Tower and up to a private room on the third floor. He opened the door and said, "The prince is inside. Please go in, Princess Consort."
Yan Wanning nodded and entered with Xiao He. As soon as she stepped inside, she saw three unfamiliar men and two women besides Si Yunqi; one of the women was An Yingying. When Si Yunqi saw the bright and lovely young woman, warmth flowed into his eyes. "Come here."
Yan Wanning smiled and nodded to An Yingying, then lifted her skirts and slowly approached Si Yunqi. The other five people in the room rose and paid their respects. "Greetings, Princess Consort."
Si Yunqi pulled her down to sit beside him and asked gently, "Are you hungry?"
Yan Wanning nodded and said softly, "A little." Hearing this, Si Yunqi calmly attended to her as she ate, under their astonished gazes. His expression was so unexpectedly gentle that they all stared in surprise.
Their gazes made Yan Wanning's face grow hot. Though she had gradually grown used to Si Yunqi looking after her from time to time, she still felt embarrassed with people watching. Her little hand quietly caught hold of his sleeve.
Si Yunqi, who was peeling shrimp, gave them a cool glance. "If you've eaten your fill, you can leave."
"No... not yet," the man in the dark green brocade robe hurriedly said, waving his hands.
The man in the black brocade robe beside An Yingying calmly withdrew his gaze and picked up a slice of boiled pork with his chopsticks, placing it in her bowl. An Yingying looked at him as though she had seen a ghost. What madness has gotten into this fellow today?
An Yingying saw that the normally aloof Prince Anbei had shown a gentle, doting side to his own princess consort. The ease with which he did it suggested this was not the first time; it could not have been an act. And though Yan Wanning was shy, she did not look surprised. It was clear this was how the two of them usually interacted. Then An Yingying thought of how delicate and beautiful Yan Wanning was, and it no longer seemed strange.
Perhaps this was... the tender side of a tough man?
When they had nearly finished eating, Si Yunqi introduced her to the others. The man in dark green rose, cupped his fists, and said, "I am Shi Jinyan, a military physician in the Anbei Army."
"Gu Qingshi," said the man in the black brocade robe beside An Yingying.
"Qin Shaoheng," said the man in the moon-white robe, who had remained silent all this time.
Yan Wanning nodded to them, then rose and politely curtsied. "Hello."
The woman in the corner, who was lazily leaning against Qin Shaoheng, covered her mouth and smiled. With a slender, jade-like hand, she hooked up a loose strand of hair by her ear and swept a languid glance over them, instantly looking so bewitching she could steal a person's soul.
The woman winked at her. Yan Wanning's face reddened, and she gave her a gentle smile.
"Princess Consort, you truly have beauty fit for a kingdom. Even your elder sister here has fallen for you."
Qin Shaoheng frowned and quietly tightened his arm around her waist. "Behave," he said softly.
The woman gave him a soft huff, then turned her enchanting eyes on Yan Wanning. "Liyue."
Yan Wanning did not understand at first, but then realized that was her name.
"Sister Liyue," she called softly. Si Yunqi frowned and interrupted them. "Let them take you out to have some fun first. I'll come find you in a little while, all right?" he said to Yan Wanning.
Knowing he had business to attend to, she obediently nodded, then followed Liyue and An Yingying out.
"There are plenty of fun places in Fragrant Fullness Tower. Your elder sister will show you both the sights today." Taking one of them by each hand, Liyue led them to a spot surrounded by diners and easily pushed her way through the crowd into the circle.
Inside, people were throwing flying knives into a wall covered in writing. An Yingying, who rarely went out, found it novel, and so did Yan Wanning. She asked Liyue, "Sister Liyue, what game is this?"
"This is called Flying Knife Cutting, a little pastime here at Fragrant Fullness Tower. It costs five copper coins a try. Anyone interested can take a flying knife and throw it at the wall. The names of all sorts of dishes from Flower Fullness Tower are written on it, and if you hit one, you get a dish worth more than five copper coins for free."
As soon as Liyue finished speaking, she tossed out five copper coins, picked up a flying knife, and threw it. Swift, precise, and fierce, it struck the name of the dish in the very center of the wall: "spicy aromatic fresh fish." Applause immediately rang out from the crowd.
The person in charge seemed to know Liyue and respectfully bowed to her. "Miss Liyue, what can I do for you?"
"Get back to work. I only brought my friends to have a look," Liyue said, waving her hand.
All three women had striking bearing. Even though Yan Wanning and An Yingying wore veils, a single glance was enough to tell that their status and looks were extraordinary. Liyue, who wore no veil, drew even more attention with her charming, alluring face. Hers was a bold, unrestrained beauty, yet it carried a hint of cool aloofness, so no one dared approach her.
Yan Wanning and An Yingying were both gentle and quiet by nature, but after Liyue dragged them around for a wild round of fun, their suppressed wild sides slowly began to emerge. They were covered in sweat but thoroughly delighted.