Ruhua stepped forward and tugged on Ji Yuxian’s arm. She said gently, “Young Master, why did you stop?”
Su Jiu’s brain buzzed like disorderly hornets were swarming inside it. Husband and wife both go to a brothel and just happen to meet? Heavens! Is there anything more awkward? What to do? What to do? Feign ignorance? Pretend not to know him?
Before Su Jiu could react, the brothel-keeper stepped forward with a smile. She gave Yiyi a push.
“Young Master,” she began, “why display your affections here? There are guest rooms upstairs. Yiyi, show Young Master the way! ”
Yiyi was staring at Ji Yuxian. When she heard what the brothel-keeper said, she quickly replied, “Yes, yes!” She tugged on Su Jiu’s arm and continued walking forward. “Young Master, come with me!”
Su Jiu took the opportunity to pretend that she did not know Ji Yuxian. She looked toward the first floor as she quickly moved forward. The moment her shoulder brushed Ji Yuxian’s, she heard an alluring voice near her ear.
“What a coincidence, my wife!”
Su Jiu’s ears turned red. She didn’t dare look back. She wanted to leave as soon as possible. At that moment, a man ascended the stairs. When he glimpsed Su Jiu’s profile, his eyes flashed. In a low voice, he called out to her, “Su Jiu!”
The brothel was quite noisy, so Su Jiu did not hear him. Suddenly, somebody grabbed her arm.
“Su Jiu!”
Su Jiu looked back and started when she saw the man.
“You’re here too?”
It was almost as if everybody had agreed to meet at the Drunken Joy Pavilion on this day.
Xiao Lie wrinkled his brow. “I haven’t asked you yet. What are you doing here?”
“I…” Su Jiu didn’t know what to say. Obviously, she couldn’t tell him that she was here to learn about “consummation.”
“Come with me!”
At first, Xiao Lie had been hesitant to come to the brothel. The moment he saw Su Jiu, he decided he wanted to leave. He seized her wrist and headed down the stairs, pulling her behind him.
“Hey! Young Master, don’t leave!” Yiyi chased after them.
That day, Xiao Lie was wearing black silken robes. He was as beautiful as jade but with a cold demeanor. He glanced back at Yiyi, clearly unhappy. His eyes were icy. Yiyi felt shaken to her very core. She retreated one step, no longer daring to chase after them.
Ji Yuxian had been watching ever since Xiao Lie appeared. His eyes landed on Su Jiu and Xiao Lie’s intertwined hands. The smile on his lips seemed to reveal his interest in the matter. The brothel-keeper recognized Xiao Lie but didn’t dare speak. She carefully watched from the side.
Suddenly, the wooden door in the next room opened. Liang Zhao, wearing pastel blue robes, walked out.
“Rui! Young Master?” he exclaimed.
Xiao Lie turned back, his hand still tightly grasping Su Jiu’s wrist. His lips curved into a slight smile. “What a coincidence. Young Master Liang is here also.”
“Coincidence, indeed!” The greasy-faced Liang Zhao smiled blandly at Xiao Lie. “Originally, I’d planned on meeting Eldest Young Master Ji here. I never would’ve thought…”
Before he could finish, he noticed Ji Yuxian standing to one side. Liang Zhao was pleasantly surprised. “Ah, Eldest Young Master, you’re already here!”
He said to Xiao Lie, “Young Master Rui, allow me to introduce you. This is Eldest Young Master Ji, the head of Ji Manor.”
“Eldest Young Master, this is Young Master Rui.”
Ji Yuxian raised an eyebrow. He smiled gently. “Delighted to meet you!”
Xiao Lie nodded slightly. “Your reputation precedes you.”
“Since fate has allowed us to meet here, how about we have a drink together?” Liang Zhao looked eagerly toward Xiao Lie.
Xiao Lie, with a noble air and a mild demeanor, replied, “That won’t be necessary. If you and Eldest Young Master are here to discuss something, then I’d better stay out of your way.”
He turned, ready to leave with Su Jiu, who was still in a daze, but Liang Zhao stepped forward and blocked Xiao Lie’s path.
He said in a hushed voice, “I know why you came to Drunken Joy Pavilion today. It would be better for you to get dragged into a meal with me than come up with another excuse to avoid me. Don’t you agree? You can consider this a favor. I’ll be the one to anger the one you’ve come to meet.”
Xiao Lie narrowed his eyes and looked with increased speculation at Liang Zhao. He flashed a little smile. “It would be rude to reject an invitation.”
Xiao Lie was indeed at the Drunken Joy Pavilion for a meeting, but it was a meeting he’d prefer to avoid. He was supposed to meet with his uncle, Prince Chuxiang, the lord of a vassal state and ruler of Diannan City. His youngest son had been raised in Shengjing City. The Emperor had kept the boy there, claiming to like him. In reality, the boy was a hostage. Now that Xiao Lie’s cousin was grown up, it was time for him to return to Diannan. But the Emperor refused.
That day, Prince Chuxiang wanted to meet Xiao Lie. He was going to ask Xiao Lie to say a few words to the Emperor on his behalf. If Xiao Lie spoke with his father, the Emperor, he would surely anger him. But Prince Chuxiang was his uncle, so he did not want to turn him down. Xiao Lie was caught between a rock and a hard place, and, somehow, Liang Zhao knew all about it! By the look of things, the idle Young Master Liang Zhao was not as useless as Xiao Lie had imagined.
Xiao Lie turned back to speak with his guards. “Go tell my uncle that Young Master Liang has blocked me.”
Liang Zhao’s improper behavior was infamous in Shengjing City. He had orchestrated more than a few surprising antics, so it was plausible that he would insist on Xiao Lie joining him for a drink.
The guard nodded his head. “Yes! ”
“This way, Young Master.”
Liang Zhao respectfully stood aside, allowing Xiao Lie to walk in front of him. Su Jiu followed Xiao Lie. She tried to wriggle her wrist free from his grip.
“Go by yourself. I still have things to do,” she said in a low voice.
Xiao Lie glanced at her. “Where do you think you’re going? Come with me! ”
With that, Xiao Lie dragged Su Jiu into the room. She almost fell into his back. She gritted her teeth. I never should have left Ji Manor.
Inside the room Ji Yuxian, Liang Zhao, and another man waited. This man, around forty years of age, had a jolly figure and a gold tooth. He wore a jade ring around his thumb. His face was cunning and sly. From the looks of it, he was probably a merchant.
Xiao Lie pulled Su Jiu into the seat next to him, directly opposite Ji Yuxian. The room was spacious and elegantly decorated. Two servant girls dressed in pink stood behind them. The girls stepped forward to fill their cups with wine.
“It’s a rare occurrence for us all to be gathered here today. A toast to all present!” Liang Zhao said as he raised his glass with a smile. His eyes landed on Su Jiu.
“You’re too polite, Young Master! I’m flattered.”
The man with the gold tooth smiled and downed the wine. Then, Ji Yuxian and Xiao Lie raised their glasses to each another and sipped.
Ruhua sat beside Ji Yuxian. Rather than letting the servant girls do it, she lifted the wine jug and refilled Ji Yuxian’s glass. Her hands, fair and slender, moved gracefully. Her elegant, beautiful face was as rosy as the clouds at dusk and dawn. A hint of shyness about her was revealed. What a breathtaking beauty she was!
Liang Zhao put down his wine glass and looked at Ruhua, smiling. “I’ve come to the Drunken Joy Pavilion countless times. Every time I invite Miss Ruhua over, she makes excuses not to come. Yet, she was quite gentle with Eldest Young Master today! I’m rather envious.”
“You flatter me, Young Master Liang. Ruhua is not worth your attention,” Ruhua said with downcast eyes.
“Miss Ruhua, why don’t you explain something to me. In what ways am I inferior to Young Master Ji?”
Liang Zhao’s smile remained unchanged, but his eyes betrayed a hint of sadness. Ruhua glanced at Ji Yuxian, who didn’t seem to care very much about the conversation.
She responded with a constant, gentle smile, “Both Young Masters Ji and Liang are dragons and phoenixes among men. But Young Master Liang is a nobleman, and I wouldn’t dare covet a man of such status.”
“And what if I happen to like you?” asked Liang Zhao with a grin.
Ruhua stepped forward and tugged on Ji Yuxian’s arm. She said gently, “Young Master, why did you stop?”
Su Jiu’s brain buzzed like disorderly hornets were swarming inside it. Husband and wife both go to a brothel and just happen to meet? Heavens! Is there anything more awkward? What to do? What to do? Feign ignorance? Pretend not to know him?
Before Su Jiu could react, the brothel-keeper stepped forward with a smile. She gave Yiyi a push.
“Young Master,” she began, “why display your affections here? There are guest rooms upstairs. Yiyi, show Young Master the way! ”
Yiyi was staring at Ji Yuxian. When she heard what the brothel-keeper said, she quickly replied, “Yes, yes!” She tugged on Su Jiu’s arm and continued walking forward. “Young Master, come with me!”
Su Jiu took the opportunity to pretend that she did not know Ji Yuxian. She looked toward the first floor as she quickly moved forward. The moment her shoulder brushed Ji Yuxian’s, she heard an alluring voice near her ear.
“What a coincidence, my wife!”
Su Jiu’s ears turned red. She didn’t dare look back. She wanted to leave as soon as possible. At that moment, a man ascended the stairs. When he glimpsed Su Jiu’s profile, his eyes flashed. In a low voice, he called out to her, “Su Jiu!”
The brothel was quite noisy, so Su Jiu did not hear him. Suddenly, somebody grabbed her arm.
“Su Jiu!”
Su Jiu looked back and started when she saw the man.
“You’re here too?”
It was almost as if everybody had agreed to meet at the Drunken Joy Pavilion on this day.
Xiao Lie wrinkled his brow. “I haven’t asked you yet. What are you doing here?”
“I…” Su Jiu didn’t know what to say. Obviously, she couldn’t tell him that she was here to learn about “consummation.”
“Come with me!”
At first, Xiao Lie had been hesitant to come to the brothel. The moment he saw Su Jiu, he decided he wanted to leave. He seized her wrist and headed down the stairs, pulling her behind him.
“Hey! Young Master, don’t leave!” Yiyi chased after them.
That day, Xiao Lie was wearing black silken robes. He was as beautiful as jade but with a cold demeanor. He glanced back at Yiyi, clearly unhappy. His eyes were icy. Yiyi felt shaken to her very core. She retreated one step, no longer daring to chase after them.
Ji Yuxian had been watching ever since Xiao Lie appeared. His eyes landed on Su Jiu and Xiao Lie’s intertwined hands. The smile on his lips seemed to reveal his interest in the matter. The brothel-keeper recognized Xiao Lie but didn’t dare speak. She carefully watched from the side.
Suddenly, the wooden door in the next room opened. Liang Zhao, wearing pastel blue robes, walked out.
“Rui! Young Master?” he exclaimed.
Xiao Lie turned back, his hand still tightly grasping Su Jiu’s wrist. His lips curved into a slight smile. “What a coincidence. Young Master Liang is here also.”
“Coincidence, indeed!” The greasy-faced Liang Zhao smiled blandly at Xiao Lie. “Originally, I’d planned on meeting Eldest Young Master Ji here. I never would’ve thought…”
Before he could finish, he noticed Ji Yuxian standing to one side. Liang Zhao was pleasantly surprised. “Ah, Eldest Young Master, you’re already here!”
He said to Xiao Lie, “Young Master Rui, allow me to introduce you. This is Eldest Young Master Ji, the head of Ji Manor.”
“Eldest Young Master, this is Young Master Rui.”
Ji Yuxian raised an eyebrow. He smiled gently. “Delighted to meet you!”
Xiao Lie nodded slightly. “Your reputation precedes you.”
“Since fate has allowed us to meet here, how about we have a drink together?” Liang Zhao looked eagerly toward Xiao Lie.
Xiao Lie, with a noble air and a mild demeanor, replied, “That won’t be necessary. If you and Eldest Young Master are here to discuss something, then I’d better stay out of your way.”
He turned, ready to leave with Su Jiu, who was still in a daze, but Liang Zhao stepped forward and blocked Xiao Lie’s path.
He said in a hushed voice, “I know why you came to Drunken Joy Pavilion today. It would be better for you to get dragged into a meal with me than come up with another excuse to avoid me. Don’t you agree? You can consider this a favor. I’ll be the one to anger the one you’ve come to meet.”
Xiao Lie narrowed his eyes and looked with increased speculation at Liang Zhao. He flashed a little smile. “It would be rude to reject an invitation.”
Xiao Lie was indeed at the Drunken Joy Pavilion for a meeting, but it was a meeting he’d prefer to avoid. He was supposed to meet with his uncle, Prince Chuxiang, the lord of a vassal state and ruler of Diannan City. His youngest son had been raised in Shengjing City. The Emperor had kept the boy there, claiming to like him. In reality, the boy was a hostage. Now that Xiao Lie’s cousin was grown up, it was time for him to return to Diannan. But the Emperor refused.
That day, Prince Chuxiang wanted to meet Xiao Lie. He was going to ask Xiao Lie to say a few words to the Emperor on his behalf. If Xiao Lie spoke with his father, the Emperor, he would surely anger him. But Prince Chuxiang was his uncle, so he did not want to turn him down. Xiao Lie was caught between a rock and a hard place, and, somehow, Liang Zhao knew all about it! By the look of things, the idle Young Master Liang Zhao was not as useless as Xiao Lie had imagined.
Xiao Lie turned back to speak with his guards. “Go tell my uncle that Young Master Liang has blocked me.”
Liang Zhao’s improper behavior was infamous in Shengjing City. He had orchestrated more than a few surprising antics, so it was plausible that he would insist on Xiao Lie joining him for a drink.
The guard nodded his head. “Yes! ”
“This way, Young Master.”
Liang Zhao respectfully stood aside, allowing Xiao Lie to walk in front of him. Su Jiu followed Xiao Lie. She tried to wriggle her wrist free from his grip.
“Go by yourself. I still have things to do,” she said in a low voice.
Xiao Lie glanced at her. “Where do you think you’re going? Come with me! ”
With that, Xiao Lie dragged Su Jiu into the room. She almost fell into his back. She gritted her teeth. I never should have left Ji Manor.
Inside the room Ji Yuxian, Liang Zhao, and another man waited. This man, around forty years of age, had a jolly figure and a gold tooth. He wore a jade ring around his thumb. His face was cunning and sly. From the looks of it, he was probably a merchant.
Xiao Lie pulled Su Jiu into the seat next to him, directly opposite Ji Yuxian. The room was spacious and elegantly decorated. Two servant girls dressed in pink stood behind them. The girls stepped forward to fill their cups with wine.
“It’s a rare occurrence for us all to be gathered here today. A toast to all present!” Liang Zhao said as he raised his glass with a smile. His eyes landed on Su Jiu.
“You’re too polite, Young Master! I’m flattered.”
The man with the gold tooth smiled and downed the wine. Then, Ji Yuxian and Xiao Lie raised their glasses to each another and sipped.
Ruhua sat beside Ji Yuxian. Rather than letting the servant girls do it, she lifted the wine jug and refilled Ji Yuxian’s glass. Her hands, fair and slender, moved gracefully. Her elegant, beautiful face was as rosy as the clouds at dusk and dawn. A hint of shyness about her was revealed. What a breathtaking beauty she was!
Liang Zhao put down his wine glass and looked at Ruhua, smiling. “I’ve come to the Drunken Joy Pavilion countless times. Every time I invite Miss Ruhua over, she makes excuses not to come. Yet, she was quite gentle with Eldest Young Master today! I’m rather envious.”
“You flatter me, Young Master Liang. Ruhua is not worth your attention,” Ruhua said with downcast eyes.
“Miss Ruhua, why don’t you explain something to me. In what ways am I inferior to Young Master Ji?”
Liang Zhao’s smile remained unchanged, but his eyes betrayed a hint of sadness. Ruhua glanced at Ji Yuxian, who didn’t seem to care very much about the conversation.
She responded with a constant, gentle smile, “Both Young Masters Ji and Liang are dragons and phoenixes among men. But Young Master Liang is a nobleman, and I wouldn’t dare covet a man of such status.”
“And what if I happen to like you?” asked Liang Zhao with a grin.
