Chi Chi's happiness seemed very simple, as long as there was food and as long as it was with Xiaoyao, it would be very happy. No matter how Xiaoyao treated it, even if he mistreated it, it would still be equally happy.
Perhaps it was because it didn't know this was mistreatment and thought Xiaoyao was playing with it!
Although Xiaoyao would sometimes bully Chi Chi, he was also very fond of it. Chi Chi was something he had raised from small.
"Nangong Suxin, why do you have to be here too? It's very crowded!" the Young Miss said very unhappily. Originally, if she alone was at Xiaoyao's deputy seat, it would still be quite spacious. But Nangong Suxin, with the excuse "I want to sit here too," made it three people sitting together.
Ning Zhiyuan didn't express any opinion about this, which could be considered tacit approval.
"If you can be here, I can be here too," Nangong Suxin said indifferently.
"Sister maid, bring their dishes over here too. There's not enough food here," Xiaoyao didn't care at all about whether it was crowded or not. He only cared that there wasn't enough food here.
If it were just the three of them, the dishes would be enough. The Young Miss only needed a little food, the rest could be replaced with wine. But because of Chi Chi, it was completely insufficient.
...
"Ah, you can't do this, I can't accept such treatment," The maid was immediately startled and said frantically.
"Just do as he says!" Ning Zhiyuan's words came over, making the maid hurry to do as told. She felt a bit more at ease, because His Majesty didn't seem to mind.
Just like this, the three of them chatted while eating and drinking, and also watched the performances.
"Hei Xue, look at that person sitting not far from His Majesty..."
Below stage, Hei Xue, who was preparing to go on stage, heard Sister Hong's words. Looking in the direction Sister Hong pointed, she discovered Xiaoyao.
"Ah... He's actually here? And can sit up there! No wonder he refused, because he already had something better!" Hei Xue said in a daze.
"Yes. There aren't many people who can sit there. Even our distinguished guests are only worthy of being below. This Xiaoyao's identity is not simple," Sister Hong nodded in agreement.
"Sigh, it really is a cursed relationship. Forget it, never mind him. Let's prepare to begin," Hei Xue was somewhat helpless and prepared to focus on work first. Other matters could be left for later.
Hei Xue was preparing because she was about to appear, and she believed this performance would make the entire continent remember her. It was extremely important to her.
"Hei Xue, Hei Xue..."
When Hei Xue took the stage, the entire atmosphere changed. The previously unimportant performance now became important, attracting the attention of many people.
This was something none of the previous performances could compare to. Among the people here, Hei Xue had extremely high popularity. As soon as she appeared, she became the center of the entire world.
"Oh, it's Hei Xue! Today wasn't wasted after all!!" The Young Miss widened her eyes. Those eyes had a somewhat fiery feeling, as if she wanted to devour someone.
The Young Miss indeed wanted to devour Hei Xue, but not that kind of devouring, rather another kind. As for what specific kind of devouring, well, you understand.
"Young Miss, you know her too?" Xiaoyao asked somewhat curiously.
"Of course! She's a famous courtesan singer of the Great Tang Empire. I really like her songs. I've been to Yihong Courtyard too!" the Young Miss said. She very directly revealed that she had been to Yihong Courtyard, with the purpose of getting close to Hei Xue. It had caused quite a story back then.
"Little servant, you said 'too' just now. Do you know her?" Nangong Suxin was somewhat puzzled. Although Hei Xue's fame was high, she believed Xiaoyao shouldn't know her unless he had encountered her by chance.
"Yes, I just met her a few days ago for a wanderer mission." Xiaoyao nodded.
"Wanderer mission? Don't tell me you joined the Wanderers' Alliance to do missions." Nangong Suxin looked at Xiaoyao, feeling that was likely what he meant.
"Mm, I've been doing missions here these past few months. I can find something to do and earn some money, very good! I'm now a Level 4 Wanderer!!" Xiaoyao answered truthfully.
"You're really bored enough to do missions until you became a Level 4 Wanderer. It would take others several years to achieve this, but you completed it in just a few months!" Nangong Suxin understood Xiaoyao's efficiency, so although she said this, she wasn't very surprised. It wasn't strange that Xiaoyao could accomplish this.
"What mission were you doing with her? She should be at Yihong Courtyard. Did you go there?" Nangong Suxin suddenly thought of this question and asked.
"Of course. She was looking for accompaniment, so I went to accompany her. Thirty taels of silver in hand, mission perfectly completed, very simple!" Xiaoyao said.
"... Why would she look for a wanderer for accompaniment?" Nangong Suxin couldn't understand.
"I don't know either. Maybe she was bored." Xiaoyao replied casually.
"But I'm sure she was very surprised. She originally thought you were a martial artist who didn't understand musical instruments, but it turned out you understood them very well, better than most people!" Nangong Suxin could guess this situation. Even though Xiaoyao hadn't said it, she could imagine it. Because most people would think this way, and if she hadn't heard Xiaoyao's "Righteous Melody" that one time, she would have thought the same.
Hei Xue first sang one song on stage, a light and simple piece to get everyone into the mood for listening, then prepared to begin the formal performance.
She stood on stage in a daze for a while, seemingly cultivating emotion. This made everyone accompany her in silence, with all attention focused on her, completely still.
Just then, Hei Xue suddenly looked toward Xiaoyao. This made many people feel strange, why was she looking at that young man? Could she have had something with him?
Ning Zhiyuan was also very puzzled. Could Hei Xue also have a relationship with Xiaoyao? This really couldn't be seen. This young man actually had such a vast garden of romantic prospects.
"Your Majesty, this humble woman has an unreasonable request," Hei Xue looked toward Ning Zhiyuan and bowed.
"..." Ning Zhiyuan paused. You were just looking at that boy Xiaoyao, and now you have an unreasonable request. This is probably related to that boy.
Ning Zhiyuan raised his hand and said, "Please speak."
"Could I have Mr. Xiaoyao provide accompaniment," Hei Xue said.
Indeed, it was for this young man. But accompaniment? That means this boy can also play musical instruments?
"I don't have any problem with this. I'd also like to hear Xiaoyao's accompaniment. However, this depends on his own wishes." Ning Zhiyuan looked at Xiaoyao and said. He really wanted to ask: What exactly can't you do.
If it were someone else, and Ning Zhiyuan wanted to see it, and they had this talent, they would definitely immediately go up and perform, especially in such an occasion. Not only could they please Ning Zhiyuan, but they could also display their talent to everyone. What wouldn't they be willing to do.
Unless they couldn't do it, otherwise they would definitely go up.
"I don't want to. Today I came to eat at a banquet, not to perform. During rest time, I absolutely won't work," Xiaoyao answered directly.
This was Xiaoyao's principle. When working, he would definitely be very serious and responsible. But when resting, he would also thoroughly rest and wouldn't do anything.
"..." Everyone fell silent, thinking to themselves: Could it be that he can't provide accompaniment, so he found such an excuse?
At this moment, Sister Hong breathed a sigh of relief. She seemed to not want Xiaoyao to provide accompaniment. From when Hei Xue first made the request, she had looked somewhat worried.
But why didn't she want this? She had heard of Xiaoyao's ability. If Xiaoyao's accompaniment was added, Hei Xue's singing would forever remain in people's hearts, never to be erased.
"What a pity. Your flute playing is perfect. I don't know if I'll have another chance to hear it in the future..." Hei Xue said with some regret.
"If there's fate, naturally you'll hear it." Xiaoyao replied with a smile.
Fate again! Don't always use such excuses. If there isn't any, then there isn't - don't give people false hope. The Young Miss beside him glared at Xiaoyao. She knew that when Xiaoyao said such things, it was usually when he wanted to refuse someone.
"Fate..." Hei Xue looked at Xiaoyao. These two words sounded different in her ears. Previously, it was because she believed in fortune telling that she had issued the mission and met Xiaoyao, this destined person.
But she didn't know what kind of fate this was, romantic fate, hostile fate, or cursed fate.
"Gentle smile..."
Hei Xue slowly began singing a song. This was a song no one had ever heard before. In the entire world, only her voice existed, that's right, there was no accompaniment. She was singing a cappella.
As she sang, that enchanting voice made people intoxicated. That dreamlike melody made people feel as if in a dream. At this moment, everyone seemed to lose themselves between heaven and earth, forgetting everything.
In everyone's hearts, there was only Hei Xue's singing voice, nothing else.
This was the charm of Hei Xue's voice, combined with a special melody that gradually led people into dreams...
So beautiful, it was truly too wonderful.
At this moment, the entire world seemed to have only this singing voice, making people forget their identity, forget where they were, forget time, forget everything...
Everyone's eyes began to grow hazy, except for a very small portion of people, perhaps they were immune, or perhaps for other reasons. Xiaoyao was one of them.
"Why do I feel this tune is somewhat familiar?" Xiaoyao was somewhat puzzled. He could be certain he had never heard this song before, but why did he feel this melody was somewhat familiar? And he felt there was something wrong with this song.
"Young Miss, time to drink!" Xiaoyao saw that the Young Miss beside him had also become entranced and said casually.
"..." The Young Miss actually didn't respond.
(End of Chapter)