The Phoenix Perches on the Peony

Blurb Prince Mu Chuyu of Qi had only heard that the peonies of Qinghe were unrivaled under heaven. He had no idea that Cui Danze, wearing a golden mask and brilliant red robes, would dance with his sword among peonies as radiant as the morning clouds, or that beneath the mask he was even more breathtakingly beautiful than the flowers. Yet this Cui family nobleman, whose grace was beyond compare, was content to wear plain clothes and work at the Magnolia Inn, rolling up his sleeves to pour wine for guests and tallying the day's earnings on an abacus. He ran the Magnolia Inn by himself, tying up his hair and rolling up his trouser legs to catch fish in the river, then cooking in the kitchen. He lived freely and carelessly. "The person I marry must be faithful to me alone. Lady Yin isn't good enough for me." "I'm naturally beautiful. If women lust after me and get wicked ideas, why should I have to cover my face?" "Though I'm a man, even the top martial arts graduate this year would be no match for me." Cui Danze of the Qinghe Cui family was down on his luck, yet still unconventional and haughty. Even Mu Chuyu, born into the imperial family, couldn't help falling for him. Cui Danze hated the imperial family more than anything. After his mother died unjustly, he swore never to set foot in the capital again. But Mu Chuyu insisted on pursuing him. Only after accepting her red-bean bracelet did he discover that Mu Chuyu was the younger sister of the very Emperor Tianyou he despised most. Even if she was born of the dragon and phoenix, he would still throw her out. Mu Chuyu was a woman who stood above all others, yet fell in love with the son of a criminal who had angered the emperor. Cui Danze was proud and fierce as a peony in full bloom, yet for her he stayed in the capital, the city he liked least. "A phoenix will only perch on a parasol tree." Mu Chuyu, that phoenix, perched on a peony. Coming soon: A Banquet's Journey. Add it to your collection~~ "Ji Yanqing, you lied to me again!" That year, at the Frostflower Banquet, Yong Prince Mu Yan had just returned to the capital when she happened upon Ji Yanqing, the illegitimate son of the Ji family, being bullied. They were trying to offer him to Mu Ai, the useless younger sister of the Crown Princess, to have her violate him. Unable to bear it, she agreed to Ji Yanqing's plea for help and married him as a side consort in her princely residence. At a family banquet in the residence, Ji Yanqing sat beside her and secretly scratched her hand. "Yun Ji, do you like what I'm wearing today?" At a palace banquet one night, Mu Yan worried he might get lost in the palace, only to find Ji Yanqing nestled in the arms of Mu Ai, who had long been at odds with her. They shared tender smiles and an intimate pose. At a banquet in the Eastern Palace, Ji Yanqing drank the poisoned wine in her place and told her, "The Crown Princess is tyrannical. She must be replaced." Mu Yan had never understood whether Ji Yanqing's feelings for her were genuine or feigned. ** "The riverbank is thick with fragrant orchids. Your Highness, would you care to pick one?" On the swing in the residence's garden, Ji Yanqing hooked an arm around her neck, smiling like an orchid. Later, Mu Yan gripped his throat in fury and demanded, "Ji Yanqing, you're a spy the Crown Princess planted in my residence, aren't you?" "I am." His expression was gentle, but his words cut to the bone. Ji Yanqing: At first, all I wanted was to sit alone in the wild, feast, and return singing. Later, I understood that only when peace reigns across the land and all the people can walk along singing will I be safe. Travel a long and winding road to attend a dazzling banquet in this world, where I alone decide whether I live or die. Theme: Dare to pursue your dreams. Those who love each other are always kindred spirits.