Housekeeper of the Hundred Blossom Palace

According to Du, Xu’s father met with an accident while on a business trip, and a soldier saved him. He then invited the soldier to a banquet. The soldier’s subordinate who came with him was apparently Xu’s lover.

“Ming told me that that Dong person seemed interested in music.”

It seemed he had taken Yui Mei’s words to heart when she told him that “it might be good if you listen to music”. He had been walking around listening for the sound of lute.

However, even if he did hear the lute’s music, he would only shake his head while saying “there’s better music out there”.

Ming’s that Dong’s obsession with the lute and having an ear for music despite being a soldier might be because he was affiliated to a brothel. Du, on the other hand, thought of another possibility, apparently.

“Her lute’s sound would linger in your ear for ages, so it’s quite troublesome.”

Du commented with a wry smile, so Yui Mei frowned.

“The way you say it sounds like that person might be addicted to Miss Xu.”

Yui Mei unwittingly mumbled, and Du rubbed his chin upon hearing that.

“I see, addiction, huh, so is it possible to see it that way? It’s supposed to be merely a beautiful sound, and yet it could even charm scoundrels for some reason. That point is also quite a nuisance”, said Du.

Those who hear Xu play the lute would become immersed in its sound, and they would discover her true worth, leading to them trying to get their hands on her and possess her.

It was as if Xu was a drug that could delude people.

No, accurately speaking, those who covet what wasn’t  theirs would turn her wonderful music into their drug.

‘Wait, wait, there’s no way Miss Xu’s existence is the same as that pest opium tobacco!’

Yui Mei immediately denied her earlier thoughts.

Xu genuinely loved the lute, and she must have practiced really hard in order to gain the approval of the people she loved.

However, scum adults had trodden on feelings, instead.

It would not be odd if Xu hated the lute after all she went through in the past, thinking that it destroyed all that was dear to her.

However, the existence of her lover must have barely connected her back to her lute.

Perhaps, she might even have thought that no matter how many months passed without meeting her lover, he would find her back through the music of lute. However was Yui Mei deluding herself too much with these thoughts?

Unfortunately, Xu’s lover died, so she lost the motive for playing the lute.

But then, what if he was still alive? In that case, Xu might find the meaning of her lute once again.

However, they also had to consider whether Dong was really her lover or not.

“Lord Du, do you think Dong is Miss Xu’s lover?”

Yui Mei straightforwardly asked, and Du looked like he was having trouble answering.

“I don’t know. I don’t even know who he is. Besides, he had spent a long time in the battlefield, so his appearance must’ve changed, too. Even if he was a former aquaintance, I’m not even sure if I’ll recognize him…”

“Indeed, you have a point there.”

Yui Mei agreed with Du

Ten years had already passed since they got separated.

That period of time was more than enough for a person to change inwardly, not to mention their appearance.

There was the possibility of the guy abandoning Xu for another woman, or he could have truly died in battle. He could’ve also decided that the battlefield was where he belonged, thereby staying there for good.

There were many possibilities, and among them, the chance that “he returned because he pined for Xu since forever” was quite slim compared to the others.

Yui Mei unconsciously started to frown as she mulled over these thoughts, when Du interrupted her musings.

“Even if that Dong guy isn’t Xu’s lover, it is still necessary for him to recover his memories.”

According to Du, he couldn’t divulge the details, but apparently, there was something fishy going on in the borderlands, and he thought that Dong might’ve been involved in some kind of incident that caused him to lose his memory. 

————————————————————————–