Jiang Wuyou's Thoughts

Chapter 11 

Such an arrogant apology left everyone stunned, but it brought a knowing smile to Du Yinyun, who was far away on the viewing platform.

Previously, she thought that Young Master He was merely incorrigible, but now it seemed that while his incorrigibility was genuine, his unworthiness was not. This brazen apology was somewhat endearing.

Seeing the faint smile on Du Yinyun's lips, Jiang Wuyou pulled her up from her seat, leading her to the edge of the platform. Leaning on the railing, they propped their chins in their hands and looked down.

This posture of leaning on the railing to gaze down was youthful and cute but not dignified. According to etiquette, it was something that only maidservants or unruly young girls would do.

Du Yinyun was already eighteen, a young lady. Moreover, the Du family had recently risen in Yinjing, and the family head Du Lie was strict. To quickly adapt to the upper class and avoid being criticized as a rough warrior, Du Yinyun's etiquette education was very rigorous.

Standing by the railing, Du Yinyun stood upright, while the twenty-something Jiang Wuyou leaned on the railing, looking more like a young girl despite her older age.

"What do you think of him, sister?"

Both of their eyes were on the scene below, but it was Jiang Wuyou who spoke first.

Du Yinyun said, "Seeing is believing, hearing is doubtful. Rumors are half true, half false, not to be fully trusted."

Jiang Wuyou laughed, "I meant Chu Fan."

Du Yinyun was taken aback, her face seemingly flushing a bit, and she stubbornly said, "I meant that too."

Jiang Wuyou, with a teasing smile, said, "You're lying."

Lying was difficult for Du Yinyun. She usually disdained lying, but she had somehow lost her head just now.

Since she was wrong, she could only follow through with it.

Du Yinyun retorted, "So are you, sister."

Jiang Wuyou, her plan succeeding, said, "'Also'? Does that mean Yinyun admits she was lying just now?"

Du Yinyun, not a match for Jiang Wuyou in this regard and being generally quiet, had to change the topic.

"Sister, how did you come to Spring Breeze Tower?"

"Voluntarily."

"Voluntarily?" Du Yinyun was a bit surprised.

The education she had received since childhood made it hard for her to imagine why a decent woman would voluntarily come to a place like Spring Breeze Tower.

"Famine. My parents sold me to a slave trader to survive. The Trader sold me to the tower owner. In the owner's courtyard, there were many children like me, taught to read, play music, and dance. Though it was hard, at least we had enough to eat."

"Later, I danced well and grew pretty, so the owner brought me to Yinjing. This is why I am where I am now."

Du Yinyun frowned. Her experience was vastly different from Jiang Wuyou's. She had been redeemed from the Jiaofang* Division by the Spring Breeze Tower owner and stayed in the tower to study music for a year before becoming a courtesan.

[T/N- Chinese division where music dance arts of sort was teached , it was particularly widespread during Tang and Song dynasties.]

"How did you get acquainted with Young Master He?" Du Yinyun didn't even know why she asked this, but once her mouth opened, "Young Master He" slipped out.

Jiang Wuyou's eyes held a playful glint as she lazily said, "After coming to Yinjing, I was quite popular. Every night, many people spent a lot of money to talk with me and watch me dance. Those people were all boring, pretending to be decent but having dirty minds."

"One night, a drunk man barged in, chased away my guests without reason, and sat down himself. That was your Young Master He."

My Young Master He?

Du Yinyun knew Jiang Wuyou's nature; the more angrily she refuted, the happier this woman would be.

So she let her talk.

"And then?" Du Yinyun asked.

Jiang Wuyou didn't rush to continue but instead sighed, "Your Young Master He is indeed different from ordinary people."

Du Yinyun's heart skipped a beat. With the military power of twelve thousand soldiers, General Wu Qing was bound to arouse suspicion. Was He Yunxiao deliberately hiding his talents? Was his usual drunken and lascivious, arrogant behavior just an act? He was said to be notorious, but had never made a big mistake.

She quickly asked, "How is he different?"

Jiang Wuyou laughed, "Others would usually speak sweet words before carefully expressing their intentions. But Young Master He is different; he directly threw his money pouch on the bed and asked me to sleep with him."

Du Yinyun's mouth opened slightly, momentarily at a loss for words.

"Of course I refused, but found him very interesting. So I gave him money to accompany me instead, but that didn't work either."

The usually cold Du Yinyun sighed, "Young Master He is indeed a unique talent."

Jiang Wuyou wholeheartedly agreed.

She said, "You saw it today too. Usually, he fawns over me, obeying my every word without any hint of a nobleman's pride. But when he decided to apologize just now, nothing I did could stop him."

Du Yinyun listened to Jiang Wuyou's words, which were full of joy, complaint, and a bit of pride, and felt a surge of bitterness.

"Sister, do you like Young Master He?"

Jiang Wuyou openly admitted, "I suppose I do."

Her candid words made Du Yinyun's heart tighten.

Mutual affection should be a good thing, so why did it make her feel so uneasy?

Jiang Wuyou continued, "What's the use of liking? He is a marquis's son, and I am a courtesan. With my status, I could only be a maid in his household. That's not as good as staying in Spring Breeze Tower."

"Besides," Jiang Wuyou glanced at Ah Hu in the distance, "working under the tower owner isn't something one can just walk away from."

These words resonated deeply with Du Yinyun.

Her understanding was far more profound than Jiang Wuyou's.

After all, Jiang Wuyou started from a lower position and was not a noble lady from a wealthy family. Whereas Du Yinyun had fallen from a high place into the mud.

Jiang Wuyou herself was conflicted.

To be precise, she had been asked by He Yunxiao to assist in winning over Du Yinyun. But now, seeing Du Yinyun gradually develop feelings for He Yunxiao, she felt somewhat unwilling.

However, she also knew that even if He Yunxiao could disregard social status and treat her sincerely, they still couldn't be together.

Her true identity was the leader of Yan's spies in Yinjing.

The enmity between Northern Yan and Southern Qi was long-standing. If her identity were revealed, it would be the end of any relationship.

She didn't want to fall too deeply.

Fine, if you want sister's help, then I'll help you.

"By the way, is your father General Du Lie?"

In Qi, the highest military position was the Right Chancellor in charge of the military. Currently, with the Right Chancellor gone, all power was held by Left Chancellor Han Wenxin. The next rank was the Grand General, a second-rank military position, held by He Yunxiao's father, He Yuanhao, and Chu Fan's father, Chu Tianzhu.

Below that was the Major General, a third-rank position.

Du Lie was a General, a fourth-rank position.

Du Lie was capable but had a bad temper and poor relations. With support, he could easily be promoted to Major General.

Du Yinyun replied, "My father is indeed Du Lie."

Jiang Wuyou nodded, "Then you are well-matched with He Yunxiao."

Du Yinyun said indifferently, "Young Master He and I are not destined."

Jiang Wuyou thought otherwise but said, "Are you free tomorrow night? Come to my room, and we can talk all night."

After the Du family's downfall, almost all of Du Yinyun's former friends abandoned her. Though one girl from the Fan family still kept in touch, things had changed, and Du Yinyun didn't want to trouble her.

Now that Jiang Wuyou, who shared a similar fate, extended an olive branch, Du Yinyun saw no reason to refuse.

"Alright," she agreed.