Shen Shi Ye couldn't resist laughing. "I've never heard such shameless self-promotion. Alright, if you want to dance, then dance to your heart's content. If the dance doesn't look good, then I won't blame you, dear Master!"
Gong Yi Mo smiled in satisfaction to his response. She walked further down to another location. Now, they arrived at a spacious street with blue stone pavements. The shops were closed on both sides, and a faint cry could be heard from the distance.
Shen Shi Ye sat on the stone steps in front of someone's house and watched her. He did in fact want to enjoy this honor that even the emperor didn't have.
Gong Yi Mo pulled loose her hair before leaping into a popular sacrificial dance that honored the gods in this era called 'Congratulating the Heavens.'
The evening wind lifted her long hair as she sprang into play. Her black hair appeared supple and lustrous as her body spun in midair. Her hair and robe fluttered continuously, as if to tease the desires of her spectator.
Perhaps it was her excellent skill in martials arts that made these difficult moves look so easy, or perhaps it was her drunkenness that made this normally solemn dance suddenly appear so natural and free.
This was just a group dance presentation that Gong Yi Mo saw during the sacrificial day in the palace. Because the movements were intricate and solemn, its mysterious ancient charm caused her to embed the dance firmly in her memory.
She imitated the dance to the best of her ability. Although she recalled most of the motions, there were still a couple parts that were blurred in her memory. When she arrived at those parts, she would replace them by randomly leaping into the air. The less she cared about her moves, the happier she was in her dance.
The dance for offering sacrifice to the heavens was a sacred and solemn dance, but for Shen Shi Ye, her interpretation of this act was the most beautiful dance he had ever seen.
Gong Yi Mo began to dance more vigorously. She leapt more spiritedly each time until finally, her body refused to cooperate with her; as she spun around, her left leg actually got caught up against her right foot, causing her to fall forward!
Shen Shi Ye caught her on reflect and embraced her fully! For the first time, a young girl's fragrance and warm body seemed to fill his mind!
Gong Yi Mo looked up, causing her wine tasting breath to blow on Shen Shi Ye's face. He didn't despise it at all. The young man smiled and said, "What a drunkard! It's a good thing that you met me!"
Gong Yi Mo suddenly spoke up.
"Shen Shi Ye."
"What!"
"You... you have to be careful... your stepmother." For some reason, Gong Yi Mo clutched his arms anxiously as she said these words. "If... if one day you encounter danger... and... have nowhere to go, you... you can trust in me."
She spoke vaguely, but Shen Shi Ye seemed to understand her point. He stared at her with a pair of shining eyes and his heart was filled with immense warmth.
People can only judge others by what they see on the surface-who knows which person would be trustworthy? And yet, a girl he had only met actually asked him to believe in her.
The usually arrogant looking Shen Shi Ye's heart actually softened as he looked down at her. The boy couldn't help but reach out to pinch Gong Yi Mo's tender cheeks. No wonder she liked pinching his; it actually felt quite satisfying.
"Smelly girl! Humph... Your words, this Young Master will certainly remember them!"
"What are you two doing?!"
Just before Shen Shi Ye could bring Gong Yi Mo home to rest, an angry voice suddenly pierced through the air laced with a hint of danger. By now, the princess had already fallen asleep like a dead log on Shen Shi Ye's shoulder while her breath sprinkled against his neck.
As he looked up, he saw a scene at the end of the street of a man in a long black robe with a golden crown. The newcomer glared at him in outrage.
This man was breathing raggedly, and his slightly disheveled hair made him look fierce. Although he didn't have a servant following him around like usual, Shen Shi Ye immediately recognized him.
"Hey, isn't this the Crown Prince?" He tightened his arm around Gong Yi Mo while he showed an unfriendly smile to this uninvited guest. "It's already so late and yet the prince actually appears here. How strange."