"Xiao Chengzi, today I’ve brought a surprise for your master. Is your master up?" Lu Chen stepped down from the carriage first, and Xiao Chengzi keenly noticed that there was actually another person inside the carriage.
With just one glance, Xiao Chengzi didn’t see clearly. Lu Chen entered the mansion, while followers and the coachman could only wait in the outer courtyard and were not allowed into the inner courtyard. Even those who took over the carriage and drove it were people from the Prince Jing Mansion, so there couldn’t be any followers in Lu Chen’s carriage.
Xiao Chengzi was a bit curious, but being just a servant, he could only suppress his questions and bowed to Lu Chen.
After Lu Chen got off, Gu Chengyu also stepped down from the carriage. Only then did he realize that the coachman had been changed, and even Ming Yan was not on the carriage shafts. It must have been when the carriage stopped earlier that the coachman was switched, but he hadn’t noticed as he had been deep in his thoughts.
Lu Chen pointed at Gu Chengyu and said to Xiao Chengzi with a smile, "This is Mr. Gu Chengyu. Go and report to the Prince."
Upon hearing it was Gu Chengyu, Xiao Chengzi nodded understandingly.
"This servant has t Mr. Gu!" Xiao Chengzi saluted Gu Chengyu, who quickly called to exempt the courtesy, definitely acknowledging that this was one of Prince Jing’s close eunuchs.
Gu Chengyu and the others didn’t wait long before Xiao Chengzi returned to invite them to the Prince Jing’s study.
When Gu Chengyu alighted from the carriage, he did not scrutinize the Prince Jing Mansion excessively, as looking around might leave a bad impression. Although this grand Prince Jing Mansion appeared sowhat empty with not many servants walking around.
But it would be a mistake to think there were no people at all. Gu Chengyu had already sensed several presences around them, watching them. So presences were fluctuating, while others were very steady; these should be the Hidden Guards.
Needless to say, the Prince Jing Mansion was grand and magnificent. Everywhere one looked, there were pavilions and terraces, gardens in full bloom, rockeries, streams, and even a lake in the middle. Gu Chengyu followed Xiao Chengzi into a small courtyard, which he figured was where Prince Jing usually rested.
As Gu Chengyu walked, he looked at the polished bluestone tiles on the ground, guessing they might have arrived, as Xiao Chengzi had already slowed his steps.
"Your Highness, Mr. Lu and Mr. Gu have arrived." Xiao Chengzi’s sowhat sharp and gentle voice sounded, and Gu Chengyu stood behind Lu Chen. As long as he crossed this door, he would see Prince Jing in person.
Gu Chengyu was indeed curious about Prince Jing. According to Old Master Guo’s observation and analysis, Prince Jing was definitely not soone who would quietly recuperate. Even if it appeared so on the surface, he would surely be constantly active in private.
"Co in!" A deep and slightly weak voice ca through.
Gu Chengyu thought that just from listening to the voice, he would think the person was plagued by long illness and was not physically robust.
"This minister, Lu Chen, greets Prince Jing!"
"Student Gu Chengyu greets Prince Jing!"
Since he had already been given a title, even though he hadn’t yet gone to his enfeoffnt, addressing him as Prince Jing was appropriate.
Prince Jing looked at the two kneeling below and turned his gaze to the sky-blue figure at the back. This person was slender, but his posture was very upright. Even while performing a kneeling salute, his movents were very graceful, appearing quite pleasing to the eye.
"Stand up quickly! You’re here at my place, why still so reserved? Lu Chen, this is so unlike you! Is this Gu Chengyu, the Gu Huiyuan? I’ve long heard of your na but have never seen you before. Now my wish is finally fulfilled."
Lu Chen smiled and stood up. In front of outsiders, Lu Chen would definitely respect Prince Jing. No matter how casual in private, in front of others, he couldn’t lack the formalities. The royal family’s majesty must not be offended.
Gu Chengyu also stood up, and upon hearing these words, he hurriedly said modestly, "Your Highness overpraises ; I don’t deserve such praise from you."
Prince Jing invited the two to sit, and after so pleasantries, Gu Chengyu finally took a glance at Prince Jing.
This was a young man in his twenties, wearing a slate-green round-neck robe, a casual outfit. His handso face appeared sowhat pale, and his body looked quite frail. Gu Chengyu didn’t scrutinize too closely, only glimpsed briefly before turning his gaze to a corner of the study.
Gu Chengyu didn’t dare to look closely, but Prince Jing scrutinized Gu Chengyu from head to toe.
This was a quiet and frail-looking youth, whose appearance indeed matched the rumors - a handso man even more beautiful than Pan An.
Prince Jing ordered Xiao Chengzi to fetch Gu Chengyu’s lyric, "I’ve been pondering Mr. Gu’s lyric for a while, but unfortunately, I couldn’t grasp it. Since you’re here today, I must ask you to clarify my confusion."
"Your Highness speaks too highly. The lyric has a format; once I write down the structure later, you won’t have any doubts."
Gu Chengyu didn’t intend to hide the lyric’s format. Once one composes enough lyrics, scholars can figure out so patterns. This lyric is actually similar to composing poetry; one just needs to apply the format.
"That would be excellent! When bored, I enjoy mulling over these. Otherwise, with nothing to do all day, it gets rather dull."
As he spoke, the voice grew progressively lower, almost to a murmur, making one feel a deep sense of loneliness.
Gu Chengyu glanced at Prince Jing, noting the loneliness and self-mockery on his face.
If Gu Chengyu hadn’t seen Old Master Guo’s handwritten notes, he might have been deceived by him.
Prince Jing portrayed the image of a chronically ill, unvalued by the emperor, defeated figure impeccably.
However, having only seen a part of Old Master Guo’s words, Gu Chengyu felt it was not his place to judge hastily.
Whether or not Prince Jing was as idle as he claid, there was genuinely no need to fake this self-mocking, lonely expression.
Gu Chengyu even deed himself fortunate he hadn’t deviated. Growing up in such an environnt, one would typically beco useless.
This was a topic Gu Chengyu found hard to respond to; after all, it was their first eting, and Prince Jing was still a prince. What need was there for him to show pity?
Lu Chen, on the other hand, was different. The two were friends, so he picked up the conversation.
"If you drink your dicine on ti every day and don’t think too much, your illness will naturally recover."
Prince Jing gave a bitter smile upon hearing this, wanting to retort but saw Gu Chengyu’s misty eyes looking at him, realizing an outsider was present today.
"Ahem! I’m not here to talk about such matters today. I’ve neglected my guests. Mr. Gu, I’ve heard your lyrics can be set to music. The harmony of qin and se at Tianxiang Pavilion that day—unfortunately, I didn’t hear it. Today, I must have the honor of witnessing it."
When Prince Jing spoke of this, he was quite enthusiastic. It was clear he truly enjoyed this.
However, this excitent seed to trigger discomfort in his body. His face changed, as if he were suppressing sothing. Eventually, his face turned a bit red, and he couldn’t help but cover his mouth with a handkerchief, coughing a few tis.
"Your Highness, are you alright?" Xiao Chengzi rushed into the study upon hearing several consecutive coughs.
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