Chapter Fifteen: Butterfly Clothes Fluttering with Flowing Light Colors

  In the imperial garden, waiting for the sunset in the western mountains, Yun Yang seemed to feel that Qing Chen was about to leave alone, and he followed her closely, step by step. The setting sun cast a soft glow on his long hair, which was as white as snow, and both people and horses were reluctant to part ways.

  Ye Tianlie leaned against Zhuixiang's body, waiting for them to bid farewell. However, two eunuchs rode horses from the direction of the Chengming Hall and approached. After dismounting, they saluted Ye Tianlie and said to Qingchen: "The Emperor has a decree, that a fine steed meeting its master is a rare fate. Today, this Cloud Galloping Treasure Horse will be bestowed upon Feng Jiejie."

  You dust heard the words with great joy, and hastily led the edict to thank for the grace. As soon as the eunuch who transmitted the edict left, she immediately hugged Yun Cheng and laughed heartily. Ye Tianxi smiled and said: "Now we can finally return to the city, if we walk late again, Father Emperor will summon us to Mingqing Hall for a banquet, it's going to be troublesome."

  The two of them left the imperial garden from the north gate and headed in the direction of Tiandu. Before long, the sound of horse hooves came from behind, and a group of people caught up with them. They walked to their front, reined in their horses, and a gentle voice called out: "Is that the twelfth brother?"

  Yitian Hui turned around and looked back, immediately laughing: "So it's the imperial sister-in-law, you're also returning from the Imperial Garden?"

  The crown princess smiled and nodded at him as she rode on a yellow horse, her elegant and refined lady's skirt hanging quietly by her side. Her gentle and beautiful temperament made her look like a perfect match for the crown prince. Beside her stood a lovely young girl with bright eyebrows and eyes, wearing a purple riding suit and deerskin boots, carrying a silver bow on her back. She looked up at the night sky and laughed crisply, saying: "Your Highness, what good things did you hunt today?"

  Ye Tian Liao said: "Today didn't go hunting, only rode a few laps on horseback, how come I just didn't see you guys in the arena?"

  The girl giggled and whispered: "I and the crown princess saw the imperial carriage sneak away from afar."

  The crown princess frowned and said: "You saw the emperor and ran to the East Garden, now you dare to speak in front of the Twelve Halls."

  That girl was apparently familiar with Ye Tianlie and the others, and said without any reserve: "The Twelfth Prince isn't someone who hasn't snuck around under the Emperor's nose before." She smiled as she looked over at Qingchen, and when she saw Yun Chen, her eyes widened in surprise.

  Ye Tianxiao smiled and said, "You missed a lively scene. Princess Huxin was defeated by Qingchen in a horse riding competition today, and Father Emperor rewarded Qingchen with Yunbi." Then he turned to Qingchen and said, "This is the Crown Prince's consort, and this is Seventh Brother's cousin Yin Caiqian. Haven't you met her before?"

  Qingchen bowed, and the crown prince's consort nodded with a smile. Yin Caiqian looked at Qingchen and Yunfeng up and down in surprise, then suddenly said: "Ah! You're the beauty hidden in Prince Zhan's mansion?" Everyone was stunned, and she laughed, saying: "Auntie Jing said it was true, I went to Prince Zhan's mansion a few days ago, but you were out and we didn't meet. My brother said that Prince Zhan has been in a bad mood lately, so I shouldn't go there often and cause trouble. I've been anxious to see you."

  "You seem lively and lovely, I couldn't help but smile: 'I've also heard the Seventh Prince mention you, what a coincidence, we meet here today!' As they spoke, they walked together, already seeing the city gate in the distance. Yin Caiqian said: 'It's been a long time since I went to the Zhan Wang Fu, let's go bother Sister Jing!'"

  The crown princess spoke softly: "You all go, it's been so long since the crown prince came out, I have to return to the East Palace first."

  "Who knows, Seventh Brother might return to the Sacred Palace tonight and still want to talk about Yun Yang's matter. I won't accompany you to get scolded." He raised his voice: "I have an appointment with someone, I'll leave first!"

  You dusted off your anger and watched him leave with a triumphant smile, Yin Caiqian pouted and laughed: "The crown prince's wife is anxious when she doesn't see the crown prince for a day, but the twelfth prince has never been idle, let's not bother them!"

  The two of them rode their horses forward, chatting and laughing along the way. When they arrived at the Zhan Wang Fu, Qing Chen followed the eunuch in charge of the horses to stable Yun Cong, while Yin Cai Qian tossed the reins to a servant and called out towards the interior: "Jiang Shu!"

  Jing Hui smiled and came out: "I knew it was you, always making a big fuss when entering the door, there are guests in the house."

  Yin Caiqian stuck out her tongue and looked inside, and behind Jing Hui stepped out a beautiful woman with a bright and beautiful appearance. She was wearing a crimson silver silk cheongsam with a jade-colored cloud-patterned gauze on the outside, and a delicate step shake was inserted into her flying fairy bun. Her eyebrows were fine and long, and the ripples in her eyes seemed to be hiding many complex expressions, as if she was frowning and smiling at the same time, as if she was clear and charming, with a softness that also had a dazzling light.

  She smiled and greeted Yin Caiqian, but unexpectedly, Yin Caiqian's expression turned cold, her original smile instantly disappearing. She said indifferently: "So it was Feng Xiuyi here, in that case, I'll take my leave first."

  Jing Hui saw her being rude and gave her a slightly disapproving look, shaking his head lightly.

  Feng Luan flew back, but didn't mind, and smiled at Yin Caiqian: "Look at this dress, it's just returned from the Imperial Garden. As soon as I saw me, I left. Isn't it still angry about that pheasant during the spring hunt last time?"

  Yin Caiqian raised an eyebrow and stared at her, saying: "Who's getting angry over that little thing? The wolf didn't say it was mine, you openly and fairly hunted it down, that's a good skill of yours. However, there are some people you'd better keep your distance from!"

  Feng Luan flew over as usual with a bright smile, and Jing Hui slightly increased her tone: "Cai Qian!"

  Yin Caiqian coldly snorted: "I'm leaving!" Qing Chen was just walking towards her, seeing her gloomy face, and before he could even call out to her, she quickly walked away from the mansion.

  Jing Hui couldn't help but furrow her brow, while Feng Luan Fei seemed to have put the matter aside and was now gazing at Qing Chen. Qing Chen walked closer and quietly cast a glance at her. Jing Hui didn't have time to attend to Yin Cai Qian's temper, so she turned her head and smiled softly, saying: "Qing Chen, I've been waiting for your return. This is Imperial Preceptor Feng Luan Fei."

  You looked dazed, no wonder you had a feeling of déjà vu when looking at her, it turned out that she and "Feng Qinchun" indeed shared some similarities in their eyebrows and eyes. Jing Hui said: "You go inside and chat, I still have a few things to entrust the servants to do, I'll come over later."

  Qing Chen invited Feng Luan to her own room, where Feng Luan saw the painting on the wall and looked around at the decorations. She vaguely felt that Qing Chen had a special status in the Zhan Wang Fu, turned around and smiled: "Feng girl, forgive me for asking, is there a phoenix butterfly tattoo on your body?"

  You dusted off today, wearing a stacked cuff riding suit for the convenience of horseback riding, with the collar covering the skin under her neck. She hesitated slightly and nodded: "Yes."

  Feng Luan flew to see her say this, kneeling in front of the bed, stretching out her hand to untie her own collar, gently pulling it down to reveal her clavicle, a white-based silver butterfly tattoo fluttering on her skin.

  At first glance, she couldn't help but be stunned, the butterfly's wings lingering with a soft, shining silver light that seemed to gently tug at her heart. A strange feeling quietly arose, so slow yet clear, as if it were a part of her own body. Fragments of thoughts continuously surged forth, vaguely and fleetingly intersecting in her mind, disappearing when she tried to grasp them, leaving no trace behind. For a moment, she was speechless.

  Feng Luan flew over and said, "I heard that on that day, the Ninth Prince saw the phoenix butterfly on your body and almost mistook you for Xian Wu's sister. I wonder if that phoenix butterfly is the same as the one on my body?"

  You sank into silence for a moment, stretched out your hand and slowly pulled down your clothes, revealing a piece of jade-white skin in front of Feng Luan. The small and delicate collarbone slightly protruded, with the same silver butterfly painted on it, its slender wings fluttering as if floating among snow-colored flowers.

  Phoenix Luan flew closer, gazing intently at the silver butterfly, her eyes flashing with a mix of shock and delight. She couldn't believe it, lifting her head to grasp Qingchen's arm, trembling as she spoke: "It's the same tattoo, you're actually my sister, the daughter of the Phoenix family! Do you know how many years we've been searching for you?"

  You seem uninterested in this suddenly prominent family, smiling: "I think it's probably just a coincidence, the Phoenix Butterfly tattoo is not difficult to draw."

  "Feng Luan flew over and said, 'It can't be this coincidental. Such a phoenix butterfly cannot be replicated. The Mo Yun Mountain's Yao Sand and Zhu Xian Qing's brushwork are unparalleled in the world, and there can't be another one like it. And look at the antennae of the butterfly, they seem to be silver but are actually adorned with dark gold dots. This kind of marking is only found on the bodies of Feng family daughters.'"

  She lowered her head and looked down, not noticing this point even herself. She reached out to touch the collar of her clothes, slowly pulling it up, as if using this action to clear her mind, then shook her head and said: "If I were to say that I am a daughter of the Feng family, it would be even less likely to be me, I have never seen my parents."

  A faint surprise flashed in Luan Fei's eyes, and she seemed to be somewhat puzzled by her excuse. She said: "Sister was kidnapped by the evil slave of our household when she was young, Father has been searching for so many years without any news, I thought you had long since left this world, it's not strange that you don't remember things from before."

  Your eyebrows and eyes are calm: "I really don't have any impression of anything, so it's not easy to make a conclusion."

  The phoenix flew quietly for a while, seemingly pondering the meaning behind her words. This clearly had a hint of rejection to it; how could she not hear that?

  You quietly watched the phoenix fly, with a delicate eyebrow and a crystal nose, cherry lips. She slightly turned her head, and beside her, a copper mirror reflected her own shadow, which was almost identical to herself, leaving her heart increasingly bewildered.

  Luan Fei also looked at the copper mirror, as if she had been looking for a long time. She said: "It looks very similar, doesn't it?"

  You can't deny the fact in front of you, and absent-mindedly murmured "uh-huh".

  "Then there's Xian Wu, my sister and I looked very alike when we were young. I used to follow her everywhere, even wearing the same clothes as her. People often couldn't tell us apart. I also learned how to dance from her, she was very good at it, and people would be mesmerized by her performances." She paused, a look of melancholy on her face, her beautiful eyes slightly furrowed, as if recalling something: "But Xian Wu is no longer with us. That year, on the Yan Yu platform, she danced 'Tapping Song' for the Ninth Prince, but before she finished, she suddenly fell to the ground and never woke up again. She left us at her most beautiful moment, and none of us can forget her."

  "You comforted him by saying: 'A person who has died cannot come back to life. Although she is gone, it must be her wish that the living do not grieve too much.'"

  "Feng Luan flew softly and said: 'After Mother Xian's death, she fell ill in bed. She also missed another daughter for a lifetime, grieving for over a decade. Now her old illness has recurred, and she doesn't have much time left. Whether it's true or false, can you see her one last time?'"

  You softened in your heart, and suddenly thought of when you could see your mother again. The hearts of mothers and daughters under the sky are all the same, how can they bear to ignore a mother who has been worried about her daughter for a lifetime? After thinking for a moment, she finally nodded slightly: "Okay, let's not talk about other things, I'll go with you to see Madam."

  Phoenix saw her nod and smiled brightly as he grasped her hand: "It's too late today, tomorrow I'll send someone to pick you up."

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