"Creeeak...!"
A wooden door in the west wing on the top floor of the Thousand Beauties Pavilion slowly opened.
Two maids carried out an antique paulownia-wood zither, set it up beside the corridor's wooden railing, then laid out a cool bamboo mat and a meditation cushion.
Then, amid the guests' cheers and shouts, a graceful figure slowly emerged from the room.
The clamor in the pavilion abruptly died away, then erupted once more.
"Lady Su has come out!"
Countless gazes from every floor converged on her.
A figure clad in moon-white appeared.
The woman was tall and graceful, her robes falling like flowing clouds. A plain sash lightly cinched her waist, making her figure look all the more slender and delicate.
A gauzy veil of smoky purple covered her face, revealing only her eyes and brows.
Her eyes were like autumn waters, clear and luminous, their corners slightly lifted, with a hint of seduction peeking through her languid air.
Half her dark hair was pinned up with a white jade hairpin set at an angle, while the rest fell beside her neck, accentuating skin fairer than snow.
She moved with light, lotus-like steps, her skirts gently rippling as an unspoken allure drifted from her.
Seductive, innocent, and touched with mystery, she instantly captured everyone's gaze.
Though the veil still prevented them from seeing her face in full.
Her exquisite gait and perfect figure alone made the guests' hearts give an involuntary, violent lurch.
What a ravishing beauty!
Even Gu Chenfeng, tempered by countless trials, briefly lost himself at the sight of her.
Under everyone's eyes, the woman stepped gracefully forward and sat on the cushion. With a light flick of her long sleeve, a jade-like finger plucked a string.
"Ding...!"
The clear, melodious note echoed through the pavilion.
The Thousand Beauties Pavilion, moments ago boiling with voices, instantly fell so quiet that a falling needle could have been heard.
"Allow this humble woman to offer you a tune."
Lady Su's voice was as crisp and pleasing as the zither, lingering among the rafters.
Everyone in the pavilion seemed to have been struck by an immobilizing spell.
They simply gazed at her figure in a trance, as devout as pilgrims worshipping at a shrine.
Gu Chenfeng looked at her through the window railing, his gaze also going blank for an instant.
The next moment, however, his expression changed.
There's something uncanny about this woman!
From the moment she appeared to the moment she plucked that string.
Throughout it all, she seemed to have taken command of the emotions and minds of everyone in the Thousand Beauties Pavilion.
This is... hypnosis!
Gu Chenfeng inwardly tensed.
Had he not cultivated the Heaven-Opening Creation Art, giving him Spiritual Power beyond that of ordinary people and strong resistance to such methods, he would have fallen victim too.
He had roughly guessed her intentions.
Rather than expose her aloud, Gu Chenfeng played along with her performance.
He, too, pretended to stare vacantly at Lady Su.
At that moment, her autumn-water eyes swept over the pavilion from above.
Her gaze lingered a little longer on the private room opposite, where Gu Chenfeng and Ouyang Cai sat.
Then the curling strains of the zither seeped into every corner like misty rain...
Lady Su's skill with the zither was indeed superb. Even Gu Chenfeng, judging with a modern man's sensibilities, found it astonishing.
The others were naturally even more entranced.
The entire Thousand Beauties Pavilion was immersed in the melodious music, its atmosphere harmonious.
Yet Gu Chenfeng keenly detected something amiss.
First, he sensed the Lifebound Gu in the crystal bottle grow restless and speak of its own accord.
"Master, save me!"
Then a strand concealed beneath the zither's notes.
An exceedingly subtle ripple of Spiritual Power slipped into his mind.
Hmm...?
Gu Chenfeng's pupils quivered slightly, and his gaze seemed to grow even more unfocused.
As the music continued, that strand of Spiritual Power was like an invisible thread.
It gradually took control of Gu Chenfeng's body.
He stared blankly at Lady Su as she played, unconsciously reaching into his sleeve to take out the crystal bottle.
Then he slowly twisted its tightly fastened stopper.
At that moment, a trace of nervousness rose in Lady Su's bright, clear eyes.
Outside a fourth-floor window of the Thousand Beauties Pavilion, a pair of eyes hidden in the darkness.
They faintly detected something unusual and were about to act.
At the same time, as the crystal bottle's stopper loosened.
The gu insect glowing with white light shot eagerly out of the opening, letting out an excited hiss.
"Master, I'm back!"
But the next instant, two fingers clamped onto the gu insect's body like lightning.
"Hiss!"
Everything came to an abrupt halt.
The Lifebound Gu struggled desperately, but it was as though iron pincers held it fast.
It instinctively tried to bite the fingers with its sharp fangs.
Yet the two fingers suddenly turned gray, and a tremendous force squeezed down.
"Hiss...!"
The Lifebound Gu let out a hiss of agony.
"Ah...!"
The lingering zither music in the pavilion faltered.
Lady Su suddenly gave a pained groan as she played, her body jolting as though struck by lightning, nearly toppling over.
"Huh... what happened?"
"Why did the music stop?"
The crowd in the hall, previously entranced and glassy-eyed, snapped awake.
Everyone looked up at the top floor and saw Lady Su rise with the support of her two maids.
"My guests, I am terribly sorry. I suddenly feel a little unwell and need to rest for a moment."
As she spoke, Lady Su's eyes, like deep, secluded pools.
Looked through the fourth-floor private room's window and lingered meaningfully on a certain someone before she turned and left.
Lady Su's performance had been interrupted, leaving everyone in the pavilion wanting more.
But recalling her peerless beauty and bearing, no one had the heart to blame her. They could only feel deeply disappointed.
With his arms around two courtesans, Ouyang Cai sighed.
"What a pity. What a terrible pity. We finally got to see Lady Su play, only to be denied our fill."
Gu Chenfeng had already returned the Lifebound Gu to the crystal bottle. He smiled.
"With your Ouyang family's influence, how hard could it be to have a mere entertainer visit your residence and play a few tunes?"
Ouyang Cai shook his head repeatedly.
"Third Young Master, you're wrong there. How could someone like Lady Su bow to wealth and power?
"Over these past few months, Lady Su has turned down countless invitations from the Imperial Capital's powerful elite.
"Someone even offered ten thousand taels for a single tune, and still couldn't move her.
"I heard that not long ago, the emperor's brother-in-law sent someone to invite her to his residence, and she refused him outright.
"Lady Su is a Celestial Person. How could an ordinary entertainer compare to her?"
Admiration filled Ouyang Cai's face. The distinguished son of the Minister of Revenue actually seemed to feel somewhat ashamed of his own unworthiness.
As though Lady Su truly were a goddess beyond all profanation.
Gu Chenfeng gave a disdainful smile.
"You make this Lady Su sound so divine. Is she really some fairy who never touches the smoke and fire of the mortal world?
"When all's said and done, you're just too lousy at picking up women to win her over."
Ouyang Cai scoffed at that.
"Third Young Master, spare me the boasting. Your skills with women have improved enough lately to make me see you in a new light.
"But setting your sights on Lady Su is nothing but a fool's dream. Forget winning her over-you'd probably struggle just to meet her."
"Oh...?"
Gu Chenfeng's ears twitched slightly, and his smile turned playful.
"When did I ever say I wanted to pick her up? Am I the sort to make the first move?
"I'm more worried that Lady Su will take one look at me, mistake me for a heavenly being, and throw herself into my arms."
"Pfft..."
Ouyang Cai burst out laughing.
"Third Young Master, if Lady Su really throws herself at you, I'll eat-"
Knock, knock!
Suddenly, someone knocked on the private room's door.
"Come in."
The door opened, and a pretty maid stepped into the room.
Ouyang Cai, who had been grinning mockingly, froze.
He recognized her as one of Lady Su's maids.
After offering them a graceful bow, the maid went straight to Gu Chenfeng.
"You must be Young Master Gu Chenfeng?"
"That's me. What is it?"
Gu Chenfeng tilted his nose toward the ceiling, his face full of arrogance.
"I am Lady Su's maid. Sister Su sent me to deliver a message.
"She said she has long heard of your great name, renowned throughout the Imperial Capital. Since fate has offered this rare opportunity today, she would like to meet you alone. Please come speak with her."
At those words, a frightening silence fell over the room.
Ouyang Cai's mocking smile, in particular, swiftly froze. His eyes gradually widened, even turning a little red.
Lady Su actually sent someone to invite the Third Young Master to a private meeting!
I must have misheard.
Gu Chenfeng, however, replied calmly, "All right. Wait outside. I'll have a few more drinks with my brother first."
"Yes." The maid withdrew.
Gu Chenfeng raised his wine cup, the smile that had vanished from Ouyang Cai's face now appearing on his own.
"Brother, what were you about to say? What were you going to eat?
"I didn't quite catch it. Say it again."
Before you continue