Untouchable Lovers

Chapter 100: Chapter 95: The Two Liu Ziyues

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Uh, yesterday I came up with a Buddhist name on the fly, but upon reflection, I found it too similar to Tian Rujing, so I changed it to Jiran, my apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Today, while discussing with a friend which name to use, she offered her opinion and then said, “You even won’t spare the monks…”

Me: I… I didn’t really do anything to him… ><

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Having been introduced by Wang Yizhi, Chu Yu paid closer attention to Jiran. He had a handsome and extraordinary appearance, with a demeanor that was pure and otherworldly. A tiny dot of bright vermilion cinnabar adorned his forehead, the size of a grain of rice. His white monk’s robe was not the pristine white of snow but an aged, faded white that hung loosely on his frame, yet it exuded an effortless grace.

The reason he had been overlooked at first was mainly because he stood next to Wang Yizhi, and his demeanor was subdued and restrained, which overshadowed his presence.

After Wang Yizhi left without much delay, Chu Yu faced the stranger Jiran but didn’t feel uncomfortable. Although it was their first meeting, there seemed to be a calming and stabilizing force about Jiran.

She turned to introduce Jiran to Liu Ziyue, who had just caught up from behind, and then Jiran began to show them around the temple.

The temple occupied a vast area. The tall tower they had seen from a distance was at its heart, with a hall at the fore of the courtyard, surrounded by layers of galleries and with vibrant, exquisite murals on the walls.

After the tour, Jiran escorted them out of the temple. Chu Yu walked side by side with Jiran at the front of the group and suddenly asked, “Does Brother Yizhi often come here?”

Jiran smiled, as though a delicate white lotus quietly bloomed, “Yizhi has a wealth of knowledge and experiences; my interactions with him bring great insights into both Buddhist teachings and worldly matters.”

Chu Yu smiled faintly, “I am occupied today, but I will come again to seek guidance. I hope that when the time comes, Master Jiran won’t turn me away.”

After bidding farewell to Jiran, it was time to start the return journey. Chu Yu walked about twenty meters and couldn’t resist looking back. Jiran stood on the temple’s steps, hands together in prayer, while a stream of worshippers passed by, some hopeful and some devout, some dressed in finery and some weary from travel.

With his eyes lowered, Jiran seemed to see nothing, yet seemed to see everything.

Chu Yu stopped, lost in thought as she watched Jiran’s figure amongst the crowd, until Liu Ziyue came back, resting a hand on her shoulder and asking, “Sister, are you interested in that bald head? If you are, I can issue a decree tomorrow…”

Chu Yu found this both amusing and distressing, and it took some persuasion to dissuade Liu Ziyue from acting on the thought and adding blasphemy against a person of the cloth to Princess Shan Yin’s list of achievements.

The return trip went smoothly. The four traveled on a moored boat on the Qinhuai River, which flowed through Jiankang City, saving considerable walking effort. Upon arrival, they first returned to the Princess Mansion, and then Liu Ziyue and the attendants continued back to the palace.

After seeing off Liu Ziyue, Chu Yu slowly made her way back to her bedroom, where, to her surprise, another “Liu Ziyue” stood, but with less menace and more tranquility in his bearing. These subtle differences were only noticeable up close in good lighting; in the dim room, at first glance, he was the spitting image of Liu Ziyue.

Seeing Chu Yu return, this “Liu Ziyue” smiled and asked, “Has the Princess returned?” He slowly walked to a corner of the room, took a towel from his bosom and dipped it into a basin of water, then gently wiped his face with the wet towel. After a few wipes, he revealed his true face.

This “Liu Ziyue” was actually Rong Zhi in disguise.

Although Chu Yu and Liu Ziyue had secretly climbed over the wall to venture out, it’s better to be safe than sorry. To prevent any unforeseen circumstances, Rong Zhi dressed in similar clothing and used a medicinal concoction to alter his appearance to sit in Chu Yu’s room, positioned where people outside could see him. The room’s darkness covered up any imperfections in the disguise. Throughout the day, the royal guard commander who was escorting Liu Ziyue passed by the entrance several times without realizing their monarch had been swapped.

Upon seeing Rong Zhi, Chu Yu hesitated. She hadn’t wanted to involve Rong Zhi in this matter, but in her mansion, he was the only one skilled in the art of disguise. So, regardless of her trepidations, she had sought out Rong Zhi the day before to express her request.

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Fortunately, Rong Zhi did not make things difficult for her. He completely avoided mentioning the incident from a few days ago, treating her with the same composed and natural demeanor, as if nothing had happened, which greatly relieved Chu Yu.

Rong Zhi was dressed in black clothes similar to those of Liu Ziyue, marking the first time Chu Yu had ever seen him clad in anything other than white. She felt it was somewhat strange. After glancing at Rong Zhi a few times, her gaze shifted to his face, and she was surprised to discover a slight redness on Rong Zhi’s cheek, marring his pale complexion with a noticeably jarring mark.

Chu Yu frowned and asked, “What happened?” She had seen Rong Zhi’s face in good condition just yesterday, so how had it become like this today?

At first, Rong Zhi seemed slightly startled, then he suddenly realized and raised his hand to touch his cheek, smiling, “Princess need not worry. The person I had to disguise as today is unusual, and I strived for utter realism, so I used some stimulating substances. This is the result of the skin-care substance being left on too long and damaging the skin. I will prepare a medicine myself; it should recover in two or three days.”

After hearing his explanation, Chu Yu did not know how to respond. The two stood facing each other, a distance of ten feet apart, yet Chu Yu felt like she could hear Rong Zhi’s shallow breathing, resonating with her somewhat erratic heartbeat.

To speak words of comfort, would that be too intimate? To send him away, would that be too cold?

While Chu Yu was feeling apprehensive, a visitor announcement came to her rescue from the awkward situation she found herself in: Tian Rujing had come to pay a visit.

He had come?

That day, Tian Rujing had said he would think about it and then there had been no news. It seems he had finally made a decision. However, at this moment, Chu Yu was not overjoyed by his decision—

With Tian Rujing’s visit as an excuse, it felt less hurtful to have Rong Zhi leave now.

Chu Yu was feeling as if a burden had been lifted when she heard Rong Zhi chuckle softly. Turning back, she saw him placing a hand on his waist, untying his belt.

After removing his belt, Rong Zhi did not stop there, he casually began to loosen his clothes. Chu Yu, feeling a bit panicked, blurted out, “What are you undressing for?”

Rong Zhi gave her a deep look, his eyes seemingly mocking yet not mocking, “What does the Princess think I’m about to do?”

Meeting his gaze, Chu Yu realized she might have misunderstood something again. She felt somewhat annoyed, yet managed to maintain her composure. Watching Rong Zhi shed his outer robe and toss it to the ground, she waited for his next move. However, Rong Zhi, now dressed only in his inner garment, slowly walked out.

It was only after Rong Zhi had left the room that Chu Yu finally understood the reason for his actions. Last night, he had bypassed everyone unnoticed with the help of Yue Jiefei, allowing him to stage a live transformation under the Royal Guards’ watchful eyes today. If he were now to leave in an outer garment resembling Liu Ziyue’s, anyone who saw him might make a connection.

Rong Zhi was meticulous, not overlooking even the slightest detail.

Rong Zhi, wearing only his inner garment—a pure white fabric clinging to his body—made his slender figure evident. Thin clothes outlined his physique. It was around three or four in the afternoon, the bright sunlight rendered his clothes almost transparent, seemingly revealing the beautiful lines of his waist underneath. Chu Yu stared at his retreating figure, dazed for a moment, before inexplicably rushing out and pulling him back into the room, “You stay here and wait, go back later in the evening.”

Rong Zhi looked at her with an inscrutable smile, his lips slightly curled in amusement. It took a while before he slowly asked, “Isn’t the Princess supposed to discuss important matters with Tian Rujing? My presence might not be appropriate.”

Chu Yu glared at him and said, “I’ll talk somewhere else!”

She closed the door behind her, locking Rong Zhi in the room, and soon after, You Lan led Tian Rujing in. He looked very composed. As Chu Yu gazed at him, images of Jiran from the daytime flashed in her mind.

Shaking her head to dispel the illusions with a smile, Chu Yu asked You Lan to leave and turned to lead Tian Rujing to an adjoining flower hall, which was the same place she had Liu Ziyue wait today. It was most suitable for negotiations.

She did not expect Tian Rujing to compliantly accept all of her conditions. He would surely insist on certain points. Therefore, what she was about to engage in was a negotiation that could be either very intense or not intense at all.