Chapter 137: The Flowery Courtesan Is Mocked

Chapter 137: The Courtesans of Guanhua Troupe Are Mocked

"Please don't be upset with them, young masters. The three of you are distinguished guests—don't lower yourselves." After Si Lu and Qing Yi left, the teahouse attendant tried to console Qin Jiao and He Zhao.

"Oh, how so?" The attendant clearly had more to say, and He Zhao, intrigued, immediately rewarded him with a gold ingot. "Do tell."

The attendant, delighted by the reward, smiled even more obsequiously: "Honored guests, you may not know this, but those two just now both come from the famous Guanhua Troupe in Lingbei's northern region. That troupe runs a male brothel business. The one who first argued with you was called Qing Yi, formerly the troupe's star performer, later bought out of the troupe by a patron who, I hear, dotes on him greatly.

The other, Si Lu, joined the troupe three years ago and has since become its new star. But though he's a star, what respectable family would want someone from such establishments? So you three needn't bother with them. Just think of it as a rotten leaf blown by the wind—toss it away. Arguing with them would only demean your standing."

"Yes, honored guests, don't be angry. Men like them, who leech off other men, aren't worth your anger." After the attendant spoke, Lu Ming chimed in as well.

Perhaps to curry favor with Qin Jiao and He Zhao, he subtly disparaged Qing Yi and Si Lu. Qin Jiao found this distasteful—Qing Yi's words had been unpleasant, but Lu Ming's remarks were equally unappealing.

He Zhao clearly picked up on the insinuation in Lu Ming's words and sneered: "You're quick to chime in." Then he turned to Qin Jiao and Luo Yue: "Let's go. This place is full of bad vibes; we're not staying."

With that, He Zhao draped an arm around Qin Jiao's shoulder to leave, and the attendant rushed over to see them off: "My name is Lü Wei. If you ever return to Fengwu Tower, just ask for me, and I'll introduce you to the finest Linggu Stones."

At the mention of Linggu Stones, Lu Ming also piped up in self-recommendation: "In all of Lingbei, no one knows the Fortune Cave better than me, Lu Ming. Honored guests—"

"Enough, no need to follow us!" Luo Yue brushed them aside impatiently.

With his cold expression and the longsword in his arms, Luo Yue looked pretty intimidating, and neither Lu Ming nor Lü Wei dared approach further.

"Blame those two male prostitutes from the Guanhua Troupe! If not for them, I'd have landed a big sale today!"

Attendants at Fengwu Tower earned commissions on Linggu Stone sales, and today Lü Wei had sold none. He would have to refund four hundred eighty of the five hundred taels He Zhao had given.

"What a pain!" Lu Ming couldn't help cursing either.

The onlookers around them whispered among themselves, murmuring all kinds of comments.

Just then, an old man in the crowd stepped forward with a bamboo pole. The pole was long, its body carved with Buddhist scriptures, and at the bottom was tied a sharp iron hook shaped like an eagle's claw. From years of being submerged in water, one end of the pole had gone slightly white, and the iron hook gleamed brightly.

As the old man walked, his foot suddenly twisted, and the bamboo pole tilted, the sharp hook nearly gouging out Lu Ming's eye.

"Cao Gui, are you blind?! Your corpse grapple nearly took out my eye!"

Cao Gui said nothing, only giving Lu Ming a dark, gloomy look—as if Lu Ming weren't a living man but a corpse he was about to haul up.

That look sent a shiver down Lu Ming's spine. He thought to himself, this old bastard really makes his money off the dead—his eyes are like a water ghost's, cold and lifeless!

"Forget it, I won't bother with you. I'm off to get rich!" Lu Ming shot Cao Gui a glare. "Once I sell this Linggu Stone today, I'll be rich for life. You can keep hauling corpses till you die!"

Cao Gui still said nothing, only staring expressionlessly at Lu Ming before picking up the big red rooster beside him and stepping onto his bamboo raft.

This little episode passed quickly, and the crowd, seeing there was nothing more to watch, dispersed.

As the moon set and the sun rose, time passed quietly, and the Fengwu River returned to its usual calm, awaiting only the opening of the Fortune Cave, when the stone panners and corpse retrievers would begin another day...

-

"I'd meant to bring you out to clear your head, but instead we ran into all this spoiling the mood. What a letdown."

Coming out of Fengwu Tower, He Zhao had been complaining about Qing Yi's provocation for a while, and Qin Jiao had been consoling him all along: "It's not ruined. Seeing all kinds of people and situations is also a way to unwind."

"I guess that's the only way to comfort myself."

He Zhao gestured toward the restaurant ahead as he spoke: "Come on, let's have hotpot tonight! Lingbei's hotpot is spicy, numbing, and fragrant—after one meal, you'll forget every worry."

Qin Jiao played along enthusiastically: "Then let's hurry! I can't wait!"

He Zhao was thrilled: "Quick, quick! Run like a cheetah!"

Qin Jiao dutifully quickened his pace a few steps: "Charge!"

Luo Yue, following behind, helplessly rubbed his forehead: "Young master, slow down a bit... calm yourselves..."

Inside the restaurant, the attendant brought out a nine-grid hotpot filled with tempting bright red chili peppers. As the little stove heated it, the crimson pot overflowed with rich aroma, filling the entire private room with mouthwatering fragrance.

He Zhao also ordered a jug of Lingbei's famous wine, Lychee Drunk. The sweet lychee wine paired with the spicy hotpot tantalized the taste buds endlessly. Qin Jiao ate until his face flushed red, fine beads of sweat forming on the tip of his nose.

Midway through their meal, a pigeon flew over to the open windowsill. Qin Jiao assumed it was just an ordinary bird, and He Zhao even started planning to poach it, until Luo Yue walked over and retrieved a short note from its leg.

"This is the golden-feathered messenger pigeon from the prince's manor," Luo Yue regretfully told He Zhao. "Don't get any ideas—it's not for eating."

"Fine." He Zhao spread his hands, then poured himself another large cup of Lychee Drunk and downed it in one go, in a manner that could only be called bold.

Qin Jiao noticed he'd already drunk over a dozen cups and couldn't help advising: "Drink less. Gulping it down so fast will get you drunk easily."

But He Zhao waved it off carelessly: "No chance. My tolerance is as deep as the sea. And now that Xiao Baiyu's finally gone and no one's policing me, Little Qin Jiao, you're not allowed to stop me."

Qin Jiao thought about how Xiao Baiyu used to rein He Zhao in and didn't press further, only telling him to drink more slowly.

Beside them, Luo Yue had already released the golden-feathered pigeon. "Young master, you should open this one."

Luo Yue handed the note to Qin Jiao. He didn't need to guess—this note wasn't addressed to him.

Sure enough, after reading it, Qin Jiao first blushed inexplicably for a moment, then feigned composure and said: Xie Nai and Luo Bei have already set out from the capital. They'll reach Lingbei in at most four days.

He Zhao clicked his tongue at the news: "Once he's here, he'll have you on a short leash. We won't be able to enjoy ourselves freely."

Earlier, when he'd learned Xie Nai hadn't come to Lingbei with Qin Jiao, He Zhao had been delighted for a good while. But who'd have thought the Prince of Lingnan was such a clingy one—they hadn't even had a few days of freedom before he came rushing after.

Qin Jiao looked at He Zhao and smiled very gently: "Not only is the prince coming, but Divine Doctor Xiao is returning with him too." Qin Jiao said the words He Zhao least wanted to hear in the softest voice.

Sure enough, when He Zhao heard that, the Lychee Drunk in his hand sloshed over. "What now—can't His Majesty keep him a few more days?"

He Zhao couldn't help rolling his eyes. He felt a phantom ache in his lower back and inner thighs—what was that about?

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