Chapter 64: The Hardest Grace to Endure is a Beauty's Favor

There are quite a few secrets hidden within Ye Jingtang. Seeing Dongfang Liren's confident and reproachful demeanor, as if she already knew the truth, his heart skipped a beat, and he tentatively replied,
"I grew up since childhood in Red River Town of Liangzhou, and my late father is Shao Yuanfeng..."
Dongfang Liren's gaze turned slightly cold. "This Prince is not asking about that!"
"Could it be about what I asked yesterday regarding the *Dragon's Roar Map*? As a martial artist, I often hear storytellers rambling nonsense, so I do have a slight interest in the *Dragon's Roar Map*..."
"Are you still trying to beat around the bush?"
??
This time, Ye Jingtang was truly at a loss. Aside from those two clandestine matters, what else could Prince Jing possibly hold against him?
"Could it be about the Shao family affairs? I am merely helping my adoptive father fulfill his dying wish..."
*Crack—*
Dongfang Liren lightly patted the table.
???
Ye Jingtang was completely baffled. He walked over to the table and sat down.
"My affairs amount to just these few. What else could I possibly be hiding from Prince Jing?"
What Dongfang Liren was actually asking about was why Ye Jingtang would write poetry for her older sister, who was fond of verse!
Seeing Ye Jingtang's expression of utter innocence and his refusal to confess, a trace of annoyance flashed in Dongfang Liren's eyes. She turned her head toward the door and remained silent.
Sensing that Prince Jing was genuinely angry and utterly unable to guess her meaning, Ye Jingtang spread his hands and said,
"I truly do not know where I have gone wrong. Might as well just tell me directly. If the fault is mine, I will let Your Highness beat me to vent your anger."
*"When autumn arrives on the ninth day of the ninth month..."* Does that sound familiar?
Ye Jingtang was momentarily stunned, not expecting this to be the reason. He answered truthfully,
"The day before yesterday, while recovering at the Mingyu Tower, I ran into the female official who came to visit Your Highness. In casual conversation, we touched upon this poem... Well... it was merely an insignificant, trivial matter. How did Prince Jing come to know of it?"
As expected...
Dongfang Liren wore a displeased expression. "It is circulating within the palace, and I happened to hear of it. You are well-versed in poetry and prose, so why did you keep it from me?"
Ye Jingtang felt rather wronged by this. "Your Highness and I haven't known each other for long. The day before yesterday at the Baima Academy, when Prince Jing brought up poetry, I wanted to show off a little, but unfortunately, we ran into the Blood Bodhi. Being a martial artist, it wouldn't do for me to carelessly flaunt my literary talent before Prince Jing for no reason. Since the conversation hadn't drifted to that topic, how was I supposed to bring it up?"
?
Dongfang Liren thought about it carefully—and seemed to realize he had a point. She had never asked, so how could she blame Ye Jingtang for concealing it?
"Did you write this poem?"
"I am no scholar, how could I write such things? I merely memorized it from reading miscellaneous books in the past."
Dongfang Liren had read extensively since childhood, so she questioned with skepticism,
"What miscellaneous books? Let's hear it."
Ye Jingtang casually made something up. "Well... *Tears of the Chivalrous Heroine*. It's about a female swordsman who was forced into the deep palace and subsequently fell out of favor..."
Before he could finish a couple of sentences, he noticed that the plump little dragon embroidered on the collar of the rather foolish Dongfang Liren's robe seemed to swell a bit more!
Her previously calm gaze also revealed three parts of shame and indignation, as if she were looking at an uninhibited, loose-tongued, dissolute rake!
Ye Jingtang's words faltered as a bad premonition arose in his mind.
"Your Highness... has read this book?"
Dongfang Liren clenched her palms, fighting hard to suppress the urge to strike him, and coldly explained:

"This book was written by Wu Shengxie, a pugilistic wanderer of the previous dynasty. It tells the story of a female swordsman from Mount Yuxu who, while dispensing chivalric justice, was captured by Wu Shengxie. Through inhuman methods of torture and humiliation, she fell into the demonic path. Such a notoriously infamous miscellaneous book—even if I haven't read it, how could I not have heard of it? Ha~ I never imagined that someone who looks so upright and righteous on the surface could be so utterly depraved in private..."
Her eyes were filled with disgust.
Ye Jingtang had simply blurted out the name of a random miscellaneous book, never expecting Prince Jing to actually know it. Seeing the look of contempt she cast at him like a hopeless rake, he explained with a helpless shrug,
"One must actually read a book to understand what is written in it. Although Wu Shengxie's writing has some rather delicate descriptions, it is not nearly as unseemly as Prince Jing makes it out to be..."
*Rather delicate?*
Dongfang Liren didn't even know what to say to Ye Jingtang. Even without reading this masterpiece, she had heard enough of its chaotic and messy vocabulary; she didn't even dare to imagine just how unseemly it truly was.
"You read such books that slander upright and reputable sects, and yet you still speak up to redress their grievances?"
"Your Highness has misunderstood; naturally I had to explain. From beginning to end, this book is entirely about emotions, and there is no such thing as 'inhuman methods of torture and humiliation, or a chivalrous heroine falling into depravity'..."
Seeing Ye Jingtang being so serious about it, Dongfang Liren was provoked into a laugh of sheer exasperation.
"Mount Yuxu is a Taoist temple! A Taoist nun was abducted by a martial arts scoundrel, had her purity ruined, and afterward even joined forces with the lewd scoundrel to turn against Mount Yuxu..."
Ye Jingtang hurriedly waved his hands. "That is not how it is written in the book. This matter must begin with the female swordsman of Mount Yuxu descending the mountain to uphold justice..."
Yadda, yadda, yadda...
Dongfang Liren looked in sheer disbelief at the usually pleasant Young Master Ye as he explained pornographic literature right in front of her. In the depths of her heart, she was utterly speechless—you really might have been pent up to the point of falling sick, just as Madam Wang had said!
Yet, after listening for a moment, Dongfang Liren suddenly discovered that the story was actually quite interesting, and not all that vulgar either...
After a brief moment, Dongfang Liren reined in the majestic dignity of a royal prince, furrowed her brows, and asked,
"What about the part where the female swordsman is tied up and mistreated? Using such base methods to humiliate a woman..."
Ye Jingtang found it rather difficult to explain. After thinking for a moment, he said,
"I have yet to start a family, so I am not entirely clear. However, I imagine this must be a way for a husband and wife to spice up their emotional bond. Between the affections of a man and a woman, it cannot really be called humiliation."
Dongfang Liren found these words utterly ridiculous.
"You call that no humiliation? If I strip you bare, tie you up, and subject you to frivolous indignities, would you be happy?"
"Uh..."
Ye Jingtang blinked. Although he wasn't particularly fond of that sort of dynamic, it didn't seem like something that would make him unhappy either...
?!
Seeing the look in Ye Jingtang's eyes, Dongfang Liren understood his meaning, and a look of shock surfaced deep within her gaze!
Ye Jingtang quickly raised a hand. "I am merely offering an explanation. This topic has indeed gone too far and is somewhat offensive to Your Highness. Let's drop it and discuss official business."
Dongfang Liren glared at Ye Jingtang for a moment before finally dragging the conversation back on track.
"You said that poem originated from that book? Wu Shengxie's writings are 'notoriously infamous.' If such a poem existed within them, there is no way I wouldn't have heard of it."
"I don't remember which specific volume it was either. Since this poem is somewhat taboo, it is possible it was heard purely by chance..."
Seeing that Ye Jingtang did not appear to be lying, Dongfang Liren did not press the matter further. After remaining silent for a brief moment, she instructed:
"Since you live on this street, you must contribute some effort to the imperial court. Aren't you the young master of the Shao family? This street will be handed over to you to manage. Have the Shao family figure out a way to revitalize it, with funds allocated from the Jingzhao Prefecture. If you fail to handle it well, you can bring your head to see me."
Making the Shao family act as real estate developers and take on such a major project—without needing to think, anyone could tell this was a favor born of 'nepotism.'
Ye Jingtang quickly cupped his fists in a salute. "Your Highness, rest assured. As long as the imperial court provides support, the Shao family will never let Prince Jing down."
"Qiu Tianhe has already been arranged for, but the bone-softening powder on his body cannot be undone just yet. He needs to stay at Physician Wang's place for a couple of days, and then he will settle down in Apricot Blossom Lane next to the Black Yamen. You can go visit him then."
"Then on behalf of Hero Qiu, I thank Your Highness. Ah... Sanniang has already arranged a ship, and I must set off tomorrow to negotiate some business. I'm afraid I won't return until next month. During these days, Your Highness must pay more attention to your safety..."
Leaving tomorrow... and it was already afternoon...
Dongfang Liren blinked, a complex emotion flashing through the depths of her eyes, but in the end, she still let out a cold snort.
"This Prince has plenty of guards; I don't lack someone like you."
"Heh..."
After pondering slightly, Dongfang Liren stood up and walked toward the door. "Wait here."
Not knowing what it was about, Ye Jingtang waited in the room for about a quarter of an hour before Dongfang Liren walked back in, holding a piece of silvery soft armor.
The material of the soft armor was unknown; it was as soft as brocade, yet it emitted a metallic sheen and looked quite elastic.
Dongfang Liren came over to the table, sat down, and placed the soft armor on the tabletop.
"This item can fend off arrows and hidden weapons, but it cannot stop top-tier experts. When traveling away from home, you must still look out for your own safety. I still have many matters waiting for you to handle, so go quickly and return soon."
Ye Jingtang was somewhat surprised. He picked up the soft armor and examined it curiously—it felt warm to the touch, and carried faint traces of a lingering fragrance, as if it had just been taken off her body...
*Good grief...*
No wonder he felt the plump little dragon looked even bigger just now; it turned out that underneath the python robe, she had been completely unshielded...
Unconsciously recalling the magnificent sight he had seen yesterday in the Canyang Pool, Ye Jingtang put the soft armor down and said, feeling overwhelmed by the unexpected favor,
"Your Highness, this is truly unnecessary. Such a supreme treasure—Prince Jing should wear it on your person at all times..."
Perhaps feeling a chill on her chest and some slight discomfort, Dongfang Liren crossed her arms and stood up, her bearing noble and poised.
"I have plenty of soft armors; it was simply inconvenient to go back and retrieve another, which is why I gave you this one. Do you take me for someone who disregards her own personal safety?"
Ye Jingtang thought she didn't look like it, seeing as every time an assassination occurred, this noble queen of a prince instantly transformed into a timid little coward.
Although he felt the soft armor was a bit too 'hot to handle,' Ye Jingtang genuinely needed something to protect his life while traveling. After a moment of hesitation, he still stood up and cupped his fists.
"Thank you, Your Highness, for your immense kindness."
"You are working for me, there is no need to speak of such polite pleasantries. Go quickly and return soon."
With that, Dongfang Liren turned and walked out with her arms crossed.
Ye Jingtang followed her to the mouth of the alley to see her off. Until Prince Jing boarded her carriage, a trace of the helplessness of 'a beauty's grace is the hardest to repay' lingered between his brows.
*Rumble, rumble...*
The sound of carriage wheels rang out.
Sitting by the carriage window, Dongfang Liren traveled quite a distance before lifting the curtain to look back—only to find that Ye Jingtang was still standing at the mouth of the alley watching her leave. Seeing her look back, he even waved goodbye alongside Niaoniao.
"..."
Dongfang Liren hurriedly dropped the carriage curtain. Suppressing her chaotic state of mind, she instructed her accompanying maid:
"Go find a deluxe bound edition of *Tears of the Chivalrous Heroine*, authored by Wu Shengxie. The Emperor is feeling listless in the palace and wishes to read it."
?
The maid seemed to have heard of the infamous reputation of *Tears of the Chivalrous Heroine*; it was hardly a proper book...
Yet, since the Female Emperor desired to read it, how dare she ask any more questions? She hurriedly nodded and stepped down from the carriage...