The Silly Alchemist

“Move, I’m not done questioning her yet!” yelled Ye Lanyu angrily. Such a reply to the emperor’s orders was shocking… but expected from her. 

“Miss Lanyu, Chancellor Ye had also asked of you to be patient, the emperor and him would like to know the answers to the same query,” continued the guard. 

“That’s none of my concern…” rejected Ye Lanyu. Her priority now was Ye Lang. 

“Ye Lanyu, I think we should do that. Everyone wants to know the truth too, it’s just a slight delay,” the seventh princess tugged on Lanyu’s sleeves, brows furrowed. 

“Fine! Alright! Come on!” as soon as she gave a prompt reply, Ye Lanyu pulled the girl along in a flurry towards the emperor’s seat. Many people would’ve stopped her if she weren’t Ye Lanyu.

…

When everyone summoned had gathered around the emperor, he started to ask questions about the girl’s identity. Jaw fell as soon as she told him her name. 

Unbelievable! H-how was this possible? It was her? 

“You say you’re THE Liu Feiyan? That’s ridiculous, impossible!” the emperor and Ye Chengtian exclaimed in unison, unable to hide their shock. Every man in the audience agreed. 

“Why? Why do you say it’s impossible?” the seventh princess and Ye Lanyu couldn’t understand their shock. 

“Liu Feiyan is the Romantic Floor’s top billing courtesan of the year, she’s the icon of seduction, she has conquered the hearts of many men in this kingdom! How could she look her, this pure, innocent girl?!” explained the emperor. 

“That must be a myth then, you can’t say for sure… You’ve never seen her...”

“Hey! We have seen her before, we…” defended Ye Chengtian. 

“Cough cough!” the emperor quickly coughed to interrupt him. 

“Father! You…” 

Ye Chengtian quickly recomposed himself, “Well, uh. We’ve been around in this kingdom for a long time now and there’s technically nothing we haven’t seen. But I assure you, that piece of information is trustable. This Liu Feiyan looks so pure and innocent, not a hint of that seductress aura she is well known for. Plus, she looks too young! The real Liu Feiyan should be around twenty-five or twenty-six years old now.” 

“Then… maybe they share the same name?”

“No, I really am that Liu Feiyan you’re talking about now. Whenever I perform in the Romantic Floor, I’ve always had makeup on to suit my customers. Don’t all men fancy women like that? And, I’m really not that old, I’m even younger than the thirteenth prince! It’s just that my makeup makes me look mature,” answered Liu Feiyan with a soft smile. 

“Little girl, please don’t tell lies. If Liu Feiyan looked like this, the whole of the kingdom would’ve already known. Many people follow her daily life. You’re just a young girl, how could you even play the part of a seductress?” the emperor was genuinely not convinced by her words. 

“The Romantic Floor is the kingdom’s best brothel, I grew up there. It would make sense if I had such a side of me. Plus I look like this now because... of the thirteenth prince. He wanted me to look more natural so I washed away my makeup to be with him…” pouted Liu Feiyan coquettishly. That sounded ambiguous. 

“What the hell are you saying?! My brother wants you to be with him?! Well, I’ve got some bad news for you, I’ll kill you if you touch him!” raged Ye Lanyu. She couldn’t quite accept the news that her brother had associations with a courtesan. 

This was twisted. Her words made it seem like Ye Lang was a girl and Liu Feiyan was a bloody pervert! 

“Miss Ye, you have misunderstood my words. He just wanted me to help train Zhen Xiaoyan,” Liu Feiyan mumbled her reply, she looked a little conflicted. 

“Glad you understand. Stay away from my brother!” Ye Lanyu had no capacity to show empathy. Every inch of her body told her to protect her brother no matter what it took, even if it required her to harm someone else. 

“Why was he with you, Miss Feiyan? Did he visit the Romantic Floor again?” asked the seventh princess. Right, that was the key! 

“Alright, this would provide an answer to all your queries. Yes, the thirteenth prince did visit the Romantic Floor once again after thirteen long years. He had been there for the past twenty days until three days ago. He was with Zhen Xiaoyan in my backyard!” answered Liu Feiyan. It had been a good thirteen years since his first visit. That was such a long time ago.

Hearing that, there was only one thought that flashed through the minds of the seventh princess and Ye Lanyu. Could it be that Ye Lang had already met her thirteen years ago? 

But now wasn’t the time for this, that was not the most pressing concern. 

On the other hand, a unison thought had popped into the minds of the emperor and Ye Chengtian. No wonder they couldn’t grasp his whereabouts, he was at the Romantic Floor! Dumb child, if only he told them his location, they could’ve visited it together...

“Why did he bring Zhen Xiaoyan to the Romantic Floor?” the main question still lingered. Many in the audience leaned forward, eager for an answer. 

“He wanted her to have aristocratic manners and etiquette lessons from me. He was trying to boost her elegance. Before this, she was a total mess!” smiled Liu Feiyan, thinking back to the times Xiaoyan flailed around. 

“...” the emperor was a little offended by that reply. How dare that boy associate elegance with a brothel! 

Ye Lang did have a point, to cultivate Xiaoyan’s qualities in such a short time, there were only two places to turn to-- either the palace or the brothel. And not any regular palace or brothel either. 

If the Romantic Floor could make the innocent looking girl in front of them a seductress of the century, it was definitely powerful enough for such a purpose! The palace, on the other hand, was way too unpredictable and complicated. 

“He knew that the palace was also a choice. Why was he so adamant on going to the Romantic Floor instead? He knows he’s welcomed to the palace anytime,” the seventh princess still couldn’t understand Ye Lang reasoning behind his choice.