changed to Huang Yang kneeling in front of her. Qu Qing Ju examined him closely. His face was clean and seemed very obedient. She smiled suddenly: "Stand up. The taijian in this yard need a leader. In the future, you will be in charge of these taijian. As to what you need to do, you just have to understand inside." After her words, she saw this Huang Yang kneel down again to thank her. Qu Qing Ju looked once at Mu Jin: "Mu Jin has served many years at my side. If there is anything you do not understand, you will ask her."

Huang Yang confirmed and bowed to Mu Jin. Mu Jin returned the greeting and laughed: "Wang fei has selected you because you were obedient. You should try to live up to wang fei's hope."

"Please don't worry, Mu Jin guniang. Nu will be careful in service of wang fei." Huang Yang didn't say any superfluous words. It could be seen that wang fei didn't like listening to useless things. Seeing the situation, Mu Jin nodded inside. He didn't seem to be of any great use, but at least had a good eye for detail and wasn't so dumb. What wang fei had just said, it was to make declare that all the servants in the neiyuan would be under her charge. She had no way of reciprocating except take note of every small thing and always putting wang fei first.

Huang Yang hadn't thought that he would receive wang fei's attentions and he was ecstatic on the inside. To say nothing of bowing to Mu Jin, if he had to kowtow a few times, he would do it willingly. After retreating, his face finally revealed his state of excitement. Turning his head back to look at wang fei on the bridge, he thought, who said wang fei was a wood-like person, he didn't think there was a woman in the wang fu that could outcompete wang fei niangniang.[4]

Seeing Huang Yang retreat, Qu Qing Ju sighed and leaned in boredom on a post on the bridge. She suddenly heard a serene stream of flute music from far away. The sound was both full of worry and like the cries of a woman. She looked in the direction of the flute and asked suspiciously: "Why is there flute music at this time?"

The faces of Mu Jin and the others changed slightly but nobody spoke.

Seeing the situation, Qu Qing Ju smiled and said: "Or is it that I am forbidden from knowing this?"

"Wang fei, over there is Cui You Yuan.[5] Supposedly, a huakui[6] that one of the officials gave to wang ye is living there." Mu Jin, seeing wang fei didn't seem affected, continued onwards, "Nubi heard this huakui called Yun Qing is famous in the capital. She's skilled in the zither, go, calligraphy and painting. Wang ye frequently visits her but Yun Qing guniang's personality is very virtuous, so she is still a guniang."

The meaning was that wang ye hadn't managed to get a taste of this huakui yet? Qu Qing Ju laughed and her interest in the flute halved. If she was really noble and virtuous, who would let another gift her into this wang fu and then put out this attitude? Seeing but not touching was an eternally-successful skill of all beautiful women.

She clapped her hands and then Qu Qing Ju held Yin Liu's hand: "Let's go elsewhere."

They hadn't walked a few steps before seeing an unfamiliar little taijian run over. Upon seeing Qu Qing Ju, he made a full bow: "Nucai Xiao Gan Zi greets wang fei. Wang ye has commanded nucai to tell wang fei he is coming over to zhengyuan for the noon meal."

"Ben wang fei knows," It took a few seconds for Qu Qing Ju's brains to remember that this Xiao Gan Zi was one of the frequently used taijian of Duan Wang. She nodded to confirm her understanding, "Wang ye has returned already?"

Xiao Gan Zi answered: "Back already, but hasn't entered the fu yet when he met the Royal Highness Cheng Wang[7] so he let nucai send a message. It will probably be a while before his return."

It was like that then. The sounds of the flute Cui You Yuan, did they appeared due to Duan Wang's presence? That time would have been the time that Duan Wang was returning, the flute sounds were too much of a coincidence.

It was so sad that nobody was there to admire such beautiful sounds, why didn't she go take some pleasure from it?

"Since wang ye wouldn't be returning very quickly, then let the kitchen prepare the noon meal. Somebody go to Cui You Yuan and inform them that ben wang fei likes Yun Qing guniang's flute and will visit shortly." Qu Qing Ju touched the butterflies in flight of the buyao in her hair and smile happily.

Xiao Gan Ji stood in shock for a beat before bowing and leaving, turning towards Cui You Yuan. Even though wang ye had some minor interest in that women living in Cui You Yuan, but as somebody who had served at wang ye's for many years, he understood that a small insignificant huakui wasn't as important as wang fei.

Entering Cui You Yuan, he saw Yun Qing guniang who was playing the flute under the grape trellis. He didn't pay attention to the other's music. Walking forward, Xiao Gan Zi stated: "Yun Qing guniang, wang fei enjoyed your flute. In a short while, she will be deign to arrive, so please prepare."

The sounds of the flute instantly stopped. Yu Qing looked coldly at Xiao Gan Zi and faintly said: "My place here is much too small, it isn't worthy for wang fei to lower herself to come."

Hearing this, Xiao Gan Zi laughed strangely: "Whether your place is good or not, I do not know, but it is an honor that wang fei wants to come. You only have to prepare. Or does wang fei have to report to you?" Just a plaything, did she really think she was of importance? This entire wang fu, unless it was the few used by wang ye, who dared to talk back to him this way? She was just too shameless and ignorant.

Yun Qin saw Xiao Gan Zi sweep away, her youthful face turning colors, unspeakably grotesque.

[1] 姨娘: title used to refer to normal concubines/qieshi

[2] 玉如意: ruyi(如意) is a carved talisman, usually in an S-shape.

[3] 继: means to continue. It also refers to the new wife after the old, original, one died.

[4] 娘娘: suffix which should only be applied to the empress or imperial concubines.

[5] 翠幽苑: cui(翠) green jade, you(幽) is serene, secluded or hidden away, yuan(苑) is park or yard.

[6] 花魁: the word oiran, courtesans in Japan, comes from the word 花魁. It refers to the top or best entertainer of a pleasure house.

[7] 诚王: the Prince of Cheng (诚). Cheng means honest, sincere, true.