Chapter 52: The Madcap

Chapter 52: The Madcap

Hui Chun Tower is the largest brothel in Yong Chun City, the capital of Southern Chu, not only impressive from the outside with its carved beams and painted rafters but also offering a dizzying array of services inside to meet the diverse needs of its clients.

The tower is divided into east and west sections; the west houses beautiful courtesans, while the east is home to exquisite young men favored by the distinguished nobles of the capital with special tastes.

The tyrant arrived at Hui Chun Tower early, following a simple map in his hand. The tower was sparsely populated at that hour, filled only with the overpowering scent of makeup.

The rich fragrance that hit him made Xie Xuan Yuan cough repeatedly, eventually forcing him to cover his nose and start observing the interior of the building with a critical yet curious eye.

However, it didn't take long for him to frown in disdain, his heart sinking.

Though the tyrant had no interest in composing poetry or appreciating the moon, having grown up in the palace, he still had his own sense of aesthetics. By his standards, the building, both inside and out, was decorated in an excessively gaudy manner, a level of vulgarity he had seldom seen. It seemed to him that the regular patrons of this place couldn't have very refined tastes.

But Empress Lu was always dressed in modest, elegant attire, with delicate and refined makeup, perfectly matching the tyrant's aesthetic preferences. If such a person were indeed hiding in this building, it would truly be a case of "a lotus unsoiled by mud"...

Although it wasn't the traditional business hours for Hui Chun Tower, Xie Xuan Yuan's appearance, with his rosy lips and white teeth, and his poised and noble demeanor, quickly drew the attention of the girls inside.

His rare combination of looks and stature made it difficult to determine whether he was a new resident of the east wing or just a visitor looking for entertainment...

If he were one of the beautiful young men from the east wing, he was a bit too old and not delicate enough. Yet, as a visitor, he was too exquisitely handsome. Entering a brothel, it's hard to say whether he would benefit more, or the "technicians" serving him would.

Perhaps finding Xie Xuan Yuan too challenging a guest, no one immediately approached him. The men and women of Hui Chun Tower, idle and accustomed to the dust of life, hid behind beaded curtains, stealing glances at him while quietly gossiping.

In the end, it was the madam of Hui Chun Tower who couldn't stand it any longer. She came downstairs with a thud to stop the tyrant, who was about to turn and leave, greeting him warmly yet with a hint of probing:

"It's still early, and you've been waiting. Please forgive any lack of hospitality. You seem new here; do you have acquaintances in the tower? Are you here today for tea, to enjoy the flower wine, or to stay the night?"

Xie Xuan Yuan, having never been to such a place before, maintained a proud and indifferent facade, but was actually clueless inside. Now suddenly bombarded with a series of brothel jargon from Southern Chu, he was immediately out of his depth.

He turned around blankly, looking down at the madam without understanding the terms she used. His lips parted, and he finally answered seriously, "No trouble, I'm just here to find someone."

"Finding someone" means one thing outside a brothel but quite another inside.

Hearing this, the madam immediately put on a knowing smile and warmly said, "You've come to the right place to find someone. Our tower has all types of beauties, slim or plump. May I know if you prefer a qing or a hong attendant?"

This question hit right into Xie Xuan Yuan's area of ignorance. His brows furrowed tighter, and a hint of unease flashed through his amber eyes. He wondered what riddles the woman reeking of makeup was playing with him. What was the deep meaning behind "qing" and "hong" attendants?

Having fled the Southern Chu royal palace in a hurry to find Empress Lu, he didn't bring much silver with him and was unfamiliar with the capital of Southern Chu. Revealing his ignorance too soon would make him an easy target.

Thus, Xie Xuan Yuan buried his emerging unease, scanning Hui Chun Tower with a critical eye. Ignoring the previous conversation, he asked, "Do you have someone here who comes from a noble family, with a beautiful and elegant appearance, skilled in dressing as a woman?"

His specific requirements made even the previously welcoming madam's face turn a shade of green, internally cursing the visitor's peculiar tastes.

Boys from noble families forced into the dust are rare to begin with, and even in Hui Chun Tower, there were only two or three. Such talents, who grew up immersed in poetry and painting, were treasured by her as cash cows, not to be demeaned by dressing in women's clothing to entertain questionable clients.

Business that comes knocking can't be turned away. With an eye for quality, the patrons of the pleasure quarters could tell at a glance that Xie Xuan Yuan came from a good background and wasn't short of money. To please this new patron, the madam patiently gathered a group of boys around fifteen or sixteen, forcing them into women's clothes and fabricated backgrounds, to "serve" the exceptionally handsome young master in the room.

When six or seven boys dressed as girls lined up in front of him upon entering, Xie Xuan Yuan realized just how absurdly mistaken he had been about the nature of Hui Chun Tower.

Hui Chun Tower was clearly a brothel catering to both men and women, indifferent to the preferences of its patrons!

This was all because Southern Chu people value face and speak in roundabout ways, inventing all sorts of incomprehensible brothel slang, leading him to be bamboozled into entering Hui Chun Tower!

Seeing the heavily made-up youths about to approach him for a massage, the tyrant was so frightened that his heart raced, almost reflexively retreating backwards.

Not to mention that these youths in drag were all garishly made-up, far from Empress Lu's natural elegance. Now that Xie Xuan Yuan was a married man, how could he indulge in such frivolity behind Empress Lu's back?

The madam waiting outside saw her carefully selected beautiful boys being unceremoniously sent out of the room in the blink of an eye, initially puzzled.

But upon entering and seeing Xie Xuan Yuan with flushed cheeks nervously clutching his nearly torn robe, she realized she had overestimated this beautiful young gentleman.

She had thought he was feigning innocence on purpose, only to discover he was genuinely pure. He was already this embarrassed without anything happening; what would happen if something did?

Using her experience and mixing Southern Chu dialect with brothel jargon, she quickly deduced that this beautiful young man was not from the imperial city, only focused on finding the cross-dressing beauty he described as unparalleled in beauty. Yet, he could barely provide any details about the man's name or residence.

Perhaps the sight of the young man catching his breath on the concubine couch, looking stunningly beautiful, darkened the madam's eyes and tightened her throat, quickly leading her thoughts astray.

She pretended to go out and inquire about the cross-dressing man's whereabouts in the vicinity for Xie Xuan Yuan, but actually secretly had the door locked from outside and took out some aphrodisiac incense...

……

The window paper was punctured, and strands of smoke mixed with aphrodisiacs flowed into the room through the holes.

In a brothel filled with the smell of cosmetics and overpowering sweet incense, the distinct scent of the aphrodisiac smoke was almost undetectable. But Xie Xuan Yuan recognized a similar fragrance!

He had once instructed the chief eunuch, Zhou Shao, to secretly add ingredients to the incense, determined to make things happen with Empress Lu. Though the secret formula for the palace's aphrodisiac incense was undoubtedly superior, the ingredients used were similar, making the scents alike.

Almost as soon as the fragrance began to spread in the room, the tyrant realized he had been tricked. He covered his mouth and nose with his sleeve, silently stood up, and after inspecting around the window, quickly found the incense pipe continuously blowing the aphrodisiac smoke into the room.

Having suffered from this aphrodisiac smoke before, spending three whole days unable to sit comfortably, the tyrant now absolutely loathed these tactics. He discreetly blocked the thin pipe with a silk handkerchief, causing the smoke meant to flow into the room to backflow.

Soon after, a thud was heard from outside the window as the person who had been blowing the smoke into the room choked on a large amount of it and collapsed, life uncertain.

After dealing with the person trying to harm him with the smoke, Xie Xuan Yuan was still shaken. He didn't dare stay any longer in Hui Chun Tower, decisively smashing the window and jumping onto the corridor to escape.

The commotion had already attracted the attention of the brothel's enforcers, who closely followed behind him.

The madam of Hui Chun Tower, motivated solely by profit, saw in Xie Xuan Yuan an exceptional appearance and vulnerability. Already contemplating using methods to detain him and force him into servitude for profit, how could she willingly let him escape?

With the main entrance securely blocked, Xie Xuan Yuan had no choice but to find an alternative exit. Though the discovery of the narcotic smoke was timely, allowing him some ability to move, any excessive movement would inevitably affect the dragon seed within him.

Initially leading by a wide margin, the tyrant had to slow down twice due to abdominal pain. By the time he found the back door of Hui Chun Tower, he was closely followed by several pursuers he could no longer shake off. With no way back, he had to run forward in desperation, only to find upon breaking open the back door that it led to a dead-end filled with firewood and miscellaneous items.

Xie Xuan Yuan was both anxious and furious, almost wanting to drag out the officials who planned the capital of Southern Chu for execution.

He criticized the capital of Southern Chu for its illogical dead-ends, vowing that if he ever conquered Southern Chu, he would demolish these chaotic constructions and have the talented Empress Lu supervise the reconstruction of the capital!

Regrettably, he was in dire straits and had to resort to drastic measures, lest he meet his end in this foreign brothel, along with the unborn child within him.

The group sent to capture Xie Xuan Yuan consisted of four or five robust men with fierce appearances. Seeing the young man gradually slowing down, bending over, and leaning weakly against the wall at the end of the alley, they knew he had likely given up his final struggle.

Such scenes were common in brothels, with a few unruly newcomers each year. No matter how defiant at arrival, after a personal "correction" session by them, realizing the futility of escape, all would comply.

If there was anything different about this young man, it was his exceptionally beautiful appearance.

While Southern Chu was not lacking in beauties, they typically had a gentle and compliant style. Xie Xuan Yuan's delicate and profound features were indeed a novelty.

Noticing Xie Xuan Yuan's show of weakness, one of the men, particularly fond of male company, couldn't help but feel tempted.

The brute nudged his companion's shoulder with a meaningful look: "Since the young lad is destined for it sooner or later, why don't we brothers have a taste today?"

The rest, accustomed to his indiscreet behavior but not sharing his preferences, could only half-heartedly persuade him, "Forget it, it'll cost us in deductions."

Disappointed by the response, the brute remained hopeful, "What's there to fear? If you don't tell and I don't tell, it's not like men can get pregnant."

Xie Xuan Yuan was initially confused by their words, but upon hearing "get pregnant," he understood their vile intentions and clenched his fists in anger.

Such scum truly deserve a thousand cuts!

In the end, the group of thugs reached a consensus. Two who were interested in the beautiful young man stayed behind, while the others temporarily withdrew, waiting to take him away together after "settling the matter."

Xie Xuan Yuan calmly watched as these people treated him like an object, arranging his fate at will, feeling as if he had returned to the days of struggling for survival in prison as a youth. Anger pushed him to an extreme clarity and calmness. He remained silent and enduring, with only his gaze growing colder.

The two burly thugs closed in step by step, while Xie Xuan Yuan retreated with each of their advances.

Though an inch shorter than Empress Lu, Xie Xuan Yuan's height was still considered tall and slender among men. The two burly thugs were not much taller than him, but their bodies were several times wider, forming a wall that seemed impenetrable as they closed in together.

Seeing one of them hastily undoing his belt with lecherous haste, while the other attempted to get closer.

Enduring his disgust, Xie Xuan Yuan said indifferently, "If you must proceed, do so one at a time. My health isn't great, and surely you wouldn't want to risk a manslaughter charge over this."

His words had the intended effect; the two no longer pressed simultaneously but maintained a distance in sequence. At this moment, Xie Xuan Yuan quietly retreated to the position he had chosen earlier...

As a vast shadow loomed, the firewood knife placed beside the stack of wood was picked up.

In a flash, the rusty blade became a deadly weapon in the hands of the tyrant, piercing through the assailant attempting to force him into submission.

Xie Xuan Yuan acted swiftly and decisively, twisting the knife several times to ensure the assailant was thoroughly incapacitated after hitting a vital spot.

With his practiced movements, blood spurted out in large quantities, creating a horrific and bloody scene. Yet, Xie Xuan Yuan didn't even blink, skillfully withdrawing the knife and turning the blood-soaked blade towards the other burly thug.

Blood splattered on his jade-white, handsome face, his expression icy, his body emanating a fierce aura. Such a scene, occurring during daylight, would be sufficiently eerie and terrifying, let alone at sunset when the sky was blood-red, making the bloodthirsty beauty appear like a demonic warrior emerging from hell.

After drawing blood, the tyrant finally regained some of his past sensation of killing as easily as slicing through vegetables.

However, according to his past experiences, to truly deter these fiends, killing just one would hardly suffice.

Unexpectedly, just as he kicked aside the body blocking his path, the rough man beside him, gasping for air, was so terrified that he wet his pants. With a look of utter fear, he glanced at Xie Xuan Yuan, turned, and fled. Along with the stench of urine fading into the distance, desperate cries for help echoed: "Help! Murder! Call the authorities!"

Xie Xuan Yuan stared in disbelief at the thug he had scared away, his beautiful phoenix eyes filled with shock.

To live long enough to see everything, even the thugs from a brothel daring to report to the authorities after suffering a defeat?

The tyrant, not being from Southern Chu, was naturally unaware that due to Emperor Lu Changping's effective governance, the capital of Southern Chu had been exceptionally peaceful in recent years, with no severe crimes like murder occurring for several years.

The thugs of Hui Chun Pavilion, though seemingly desperate outlaws, were actually all bark and no bite, merely surviving on their intimidating appearance and a bully's nature.

Though the thugs were fake desperados, they were enough to scare the defenseless young men and women in the brothel. Unfortunately, the pretty boy they encountered today had a beautiful face but a heart and hands of steel.

He dared to kill someone right under the Emperor's nose without so much as a frown.

Xie Xuan Yuan, a young emperor who had climbed out of a pile of corpses, had long been accustomed to facing death with calm indifference. Killing was indeed no big deal for him.

However, the thought of the incident possibly alerting the Emperor of Southern Chu finally brought a hint of panic to his face.

But sometimes, what you fear most is exactly what happens.

Perhaps the desperate cries of the burly man were so heart-wrenching that they caught the attention of Princess Zhao Yun as she passed by.

Princess Lu Zhao Yun had just visited the palace to see her brother, who was distressed over family troubles, and was not in the best of moods. Hearing the wails on the street only added to her headache.

However, her brother had taught her to care for the people as if they were her own children. So, the Princess Zhao Yun, who had yet to have children of her own, patiently ordered her servants to bring the crying man to her for questioning.

The moment the man heard that the princess was willing to help, he immediately saw her as a savior, crying and kneeling before her palanquin.

Truly terrified by the ruthless beauty who killed without blinking, it took him a while to start speaking disjointedly: "Your Highness Princess Zhao Yun, I am Zhang San, a guard of Hui Chun Pavilion..."

Seeing him beat around the bush, the impatient palace attendant said, "Your name and residence can wait to be disclosed at the government office. Her Highness only wants to know why you were wailing in the streets."

Zhang San dared not waste any more time and got straight to the point: "I beseech Her Highness to seek justice for me! There's been a murder in Hui Chun Pavilion!"

He then spilled everything about the bloodthirsty murderer, how he not only killed his companion but also intended to kill him.

Princess Lu Zhao Yun was just as shocked as Zhang San upon hearing his story, immediately recalling the assassination attempt on her brother some time ago. Fearing that the culprit might be a fugitive assassin, she didn't hesitate to step out of her palanquin, deciding to personally lead her guards to capture the murderer.

……

Before Xie Xuan Yuan could escape, Hui Chun Pavilion was already tightly surrounded by the princess's personal guards.

As the sky darkened, the usually brightly lit Hui Chun Pavilion, now a crime scene, lost its former glow. Hiding upstairs, Xie Xuan Yuan observed the situation below through the dim light inside, seeking an opportunity to break out. However, with the crowd below growing larger and more imposing, the hope of escape seemed almost nonexistent.

Just when he was losing hope, the crowd at the entrance parted to reveal a figure exceedingly familiar to him.

Dressed in women's attire, the figure was tall and slender, their hairpin glittering in the dim candlelight inside, presenting a breathtaking beauty. No luxurious dress or expensive jewelry could outshine their natural radiance...

Xie Xuan Yuan's gaze was fixed on the figure, his long fingers clutching the fabric over his chest so tightly it felt like his heart would burst out.

That face was too familiar, recognizable even if it turned to ash.

It was none other than his spouse, Consort Lu!

Author's note:

The fake desperado: Zhang San

The real desperado: Xie Xuan Yuan

Mini-drama

Tyrant: See that beauty downstairs? That's my wife!

Consort Lu: Look closely, who is your wife!

Sorry for making everyone wait this week too.