The Pavilion on the Hill, true to its name, stood atop a higher elevation on Mount Qi, constructed as a glazed vermillion pavilion. From within the pavilion, one could gaze down at the dim, starlike lights of the hunting palace below. The mountain breeze carried the faint sound of insects, accompanying Su Shiyu as he ascended the steps.
The scene within the pavilion came into view, devoid of any waiting noble ladies, revealing only a familiar figure hunched over the stone table. Puzzled, Su Shiyu approached, "...Admiral Chu?"
No response came.
Chu Mingyun lay with his head on his arm, his face a rare picture of tranquility, as if deeply asleep, oblivious to Su Shiyu's approach. A wine jar rested beside him, more than half empty, its rich aroma filling the air. His raven-black hair, sprinkled with the frosty glow of the moon, lay across his shoulders, framing his peaceful visage. His lips, tinged with a delicate red, shimmered with moisture, pressed against the intricate lotus pattern on the sleeve of his dark blue robe. The enchanting red lotus seemed to bloom along his figure, radiating an unmatched beauty.
Su Shiyu watched him intently, silent for a long while before draping his outer robe over Chu Mingyun and carefully adjusting it around his chin. As Su Shiyu straightened up, he paused, his gaze deepening. Hesitantly, he reached out, his finger inching towards Chu Mingyun's face, stopping just short of touching.
A silent, self-deprecating smile crossed Su Shiyu's lips as he withdrew his hand, only for it to be caught. Chu Mingyun pulled Su Shiyu's hand to his cheek and slowly opened his eyes. The depths of his gaze held a tumultuous mix of emotions, yet appeared empty, like the most magnificent landscapes reflected therein. He remained expressionless, silently observing Su Shiyu.
Su Shiyu, only momentarily startled, didn't rush to pull away. Instead, he smiled softly, "Admiral Chu, do you not recognize me in this state?"
Chu Mingyun remained silent, releasing Su Shiyu's hand only to reach towards his face again. Su Shiyu slightly turned away, allowing Chu Mingyun's hand to slide effortlessly to the jade hairpin in his hair and withdraw it. His black hair cascaded down like a waterfall, silent as the dust of ten thousand steps.
Their eyes met in confusion and deepening curiosity. Chu Mingyun let go, and the jade hairpin clattered to the ground. Without warning, he leaned in and kissed Su Shiyu. The outer robe slid from his shoulders to the ground as fireflies scattered among the shadowy trees.
Chu Mingyun traced Su Shiyu's lips, his tongue parting them to mingle with the taste of wine, in a tender and entwining kiss. Su Shiyu froze, his mind blank, his eyes wide as he met Chu Mingyun's gaze, too close to discern any emotion but feeling an indescribable depth.
Chu Mingyun's soft laugh, muffled between their lips, turned into a gentle bite. A tingling sensation spread like wildfire, making Su Shiyu's heart race painfully. He abruptly came to his senses and grasped Chu Mingyun's hand on his face.
Pain shot through Chu Mingyun's wrist, causing him to loosen his grip. Seizing the moment, Su Shiyu stepped back, both panting heavily, avoiding each other's gaze.
The broken jade hairpin lay at their feet. Su Shiyu, regaining some composure, said, "You're awake now."
Chu Mingyun looked at the faint red mark on his wrist, emotionlessly responding, "I'm not drunk."
Su Shiyu offered a brief smile, changing the subject and quickly departing without waiting for a response, his steps hurried, not daring to look back.
Chu Mingyun watched Su Shiyu disappear into the night, then picked up the wine jar and drank deeply, letting the wine stain his robe. Despite finishing half the jar, the cold wine couldn't calm his restlessness. Touching his lips, he smiled faintly, realizing, "It's over."
This realization was his own, acknowledging his feelings without denial or repression. The answer was simple: he harbored feelings for Su Shiyu.
As Su Shiyu hurried down the stone steps, his mind was a whirlwind of the recent events, the cool mountain breeze failing to soothe his heated body. His usual composure was shattered, unable to even glance back.
Lost in his thoughts, he barely noticed Lu Qinghe approaching until she exclaimed in surprise, "Admiral Su...?"
Su Shiyu managed a hasty smile, "My apologies," and continued past her without pause.
Lu Qinghe, puzzled by Su Shiyu's unusual behavior, watched him depart, unable to comprehend why the usually composed censor was so disconcerted. However, she didn't dwell on it for long and, taking a deep breath, she ascended the steps to the pavilion.
There, she found the man still seated, his posture relaxed against the stone table, lost in thought. He looked up at the sound of her approach, his brow slightly furrowing, "Who are you?"
"I am Lu Qinghe, daughter of the Minister of Justice, Lu Shi," she replied with a proper bow.
"Do you need something?" Chu Mingyun asked, his attention returning to the white robe he picked up from the ground, carefully dusting it off.
"Not really," Lu Qinghe mustered her courage and relayed her rehearsed words, "Admiral, you're drinking alone late at night; is something troubling you?"
"There is something, but it's not troubling," Chu Mingyun, examining the robe and catching a whiff of a calming scent, chuckled softly, "Just now, I was resting on the stone table, and upon opening my eyes, I saw the one I was thinking of. It cleared my thoughts, turning all my worries into joy."
"The one you were thinking of... Could it be the person dear to your heart?" Lu Qinghe glanced around the pavilion.
"Indeed," he affirmed.
"Would you mind sharing who it is with me?" she ventured.
Chu Mingyun, draping the robe over his shoulders with a soft laugh, held the embroidered edge between his fingers. Lifting his gaze, he smiled, "Didn't you see him when you came up?"
Lu Qinghe was taken aback, then realized whose robe he was wearing. Recalling their first encounter, she realized she had overlooked his smiling gaze, directed entirely at the white robe's owner.
Her gaze involuntarily fell on his loosely fastened robe, and in a flash, she connected the dots about their relationship as mentioned by Lu Shi. A sudden realization made her cheeks burn with embarrassment.
Back in her room, Lu Qinghe struggled to calm her racing thoughts. A tumult of emotions churned within her, and despite her efforts to steady her breath, the encounters on the mountain path and in the pavilion replayed in her mind: Su Shiyu's hurried steps and flushed face under the bright moonlight, Chu Mingyun wearing Su Shiyu's robe, their secluded meeting under the moon with wine, the scattered jade pieces, and the water stains on his robe...
Lu Qinghe's heart fluttered, her face heating up at the thought, "Admiral Su is truly... more than meets the eye!"
Then, considering Su Shiyu's eagerness to leave and Chu Mingyun's solitary figure in the pavilion, she felt a pang of sympathy for Chu Mingyun, left with only a robe for company.
Her maid, observing her fluctuating moods, wondered if she should inform her father of her mistress's apparent distress. Lu Qinghe, covering her face, sighed deeply, "After the fleeting moments of romance, all that's left is emptiness. Admiral Chu is truly pitiable!"
The maid was baffled.
Lowering her hands, Lu Qinghe looked at her maid, "Don't you think Admiral Su and Admiral Chu are quite suited for each other?"
"What do you mean?" the maid asked, confused.
Lu Qinghe, earnestly, "As people of the martial world, we shouldn't conform to societal norms. I've made up my mind. If I truly admire him, I should help him escape this sorrowful relationship and find true happiness."
The maid was speechless, not knowing how to respond to her mistress's sudden resolve.
YOU ARE READING
Jun You Ji Fou
Romance"Shiyu, my heart does not lie." With these words of deep passion, Chu Mingyun inserts his hand back into his sleeve and pinches himself. Su Shiyu's smile deepens all of a sudden. He squints his eyes and gently parts his mouth to say, "Are you sick?"...
