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Chapter 148 - Like Minds
The proprietor of the Sand-Scouring Waves was a graceful and demure woman. She stood there, beautiful and elegant.
She looked young, nothing like the popular image of a gaudy old procuress. Despite her youth, she wasn’t the least bit insipid when dealing with guests. She was well-spoken, and she smiled charmingly.
“Young Master Yuan, have you brought friends with you?” When she saw Yuan Luoyu, she greeted him with a smile and curtsy. A faint, elegant fragrance wafted into the air, soothing the heart.
Huang Qianjun instantly burst into laughter. He could tell at a glance that Yuan Luoyu was a frequent customer. With an old hand like him around, they could see what the brothel really had to offer.
Of course, they wouldn’t need to worry about deception or trickery, either. This worked out perfectly.
Yuan Luoyu coughed dryly. “Madam Fangqiu, this time, I’ve brought a highly distinguished guest with me. You mustn’t be the least bit negligent, or I, Yuan Luoyu, will be the first to hold you accountable!”
This declaration wasn’t the least bit polite. However, it came from the mouth of Yuan Luoyu, one of the highest-status young masters in the entire city. Who dared doubt the weight of his words?
The proprietress, Madam Fangxiu, hurriedly nodded. “Young Master Yuan, please rest assured.”
Her eyes sparkled like water, and her gaze immediately landed on Su Yi. She could tell that when Yuan Luoyu interacted with him, he felt a bit ill at ease, and that his expression was awed. How could she possibly miss that he was the “highly distinguished guest” Yuan Luoyu spoke of?
But Madam Fangxiu was too considerate to pry. When prominent figures visited a brothel, there was no greater taboo than asking about their identities and backgrounds.
“Young Master Yuan, I’ll have to trouble you and your two honored guests to follow me.” Madam Fangxiu led the way into the Sand-Scouring Waves personally.
“Master Su, if you please.” Yuan Luoyu hurriedly clasped his fist and gestured ahead. When she saw this, Madam Fangxiu was stunned. Even more than before, she dared not be negligent.
When they entered the Sand-Scouring Waves, they were greeted by a chorus of female voices, like a flock of orioles and swallows. It wasn’t loud or lively in here at all.
The main atrium was huge, luxurious, and ordinate. Atop the distant jade platform, a group of young, beautiful musicians sang and played various instruments. The sound of flute music filled the air.
When Huang Qianjun entered, he didn’t know where to look first. But then, young women dressed as vibrantly as flowers and butterflies appeared to wait on them, one per guest.
Each had perfectly applied make-up and wore differently-styled dresses and skirts. They were graceful and light on their feet, and their gentle fragrance wafted into the air. This was the picture of prosperity; beauties surrounded them on all sides.
This place is on a far, far higher level than the brothels of Guangling City! Huang Qianjun sighed to himself. He already felt his blood surging.
Yuan Luoyu was calm by comparison, and he followed Madam Fangxiu with the practiced ease of someone in familiar territory.
One beautiful young woman after another recognized the second young master of the Yuan Family, and they approached with amorous looks in their eyes until he finally waved, dispersing the crowd.
Tonight, he was hosting Master Su. How could he allow serving girls of that level to wait upon such a distinguished guest? Wouldn’t that reflect badly on him, Yuan Luoyu?
After passing through a curved hallway, the commotion faded away, replaced with a serene atmosphere.
Huang Qianjun couldn’t help but ask, “Young Master Yuan, where are we going?”
Yuan Luoyu flashed him a mysterious smile. “You’ll know when we get there.”
Su Yi’s expression hadn’t wavered once since entering the Sand-Scouring Waves. He just walked with his hands behind his back, calm and at ease. He’d yet to say even a single word.
This inevitably put enormous pressure on Yuan Luoyu. Master Su’s standards are undoubtedly high. What do I do if he doesn’t take an interest in any of the women here?
Just as this possibility occurred to him, the scenery changed up ahead. A pavilion built above a lotus pond came into view. It had an antiquated charm, and the lamps cast flickering shadows.
When they entered the pavilion, they saw clouds of incense, a red carpet, and old-fashioned inkwash paintings of orchids, bamboo, and chrysanthemums.
There were twelve serving girls already waiting for them. All of them knelt, and they each wore a form-fitting skirt of pale blue gauze. They looked meek, or bashful, or seductive, or dignified, or cute….
All of them had top-class good looks. In Young Master Huang’s estimation, although they were just servants, each was beautiful enough to play a leading role at any brothel in Guangling City!
“Welcome, honored guests!” The servants lowered their beautiful heads and got up to greet Su Yi and his companions.
When he saw this, Su Yi was mildly stunned. Then, he shook his head. Only those ‘influential authority figures’ would appreciate a move like this.
“Master Su, please, take a seat.” Yuan Luoyu laughed and gestured invitingly.
Su Yi didn’t hold back. He simply sat at the head of the table, in the seat of honor.
The two girls kneeling beside the head of the table instantly rose. One fair, unadorned hand brewed tea, while the other poured him a glass of wine.
When she saw that all of them were in their seats, Madam Fangxiu smiled. “Young Master Yuan, what arrangements would you like for tonight?”
“The usual,” said Yuan Luoyu. “No, wait. Give them the extra special treatment Father uses to entertain important guests.”
Huang Qianjun was briefly stunned, but before he could ask, Yuan Luoyu whispered an explanation. “My father will occasionally entertain guests with a taste for revelry. Of course, they only come here for fine dining and entertainment. Please don’t overthink it, Young Master Huang.”
Huang Qianjun thought to himself, If he really did do anything else, would he tell you? You’re his son!
Madam Fangxiu obviously wasn’t expecting that. She said hesitantly, “Young Master Yuan, I’m afraid that others have already reserved the girls at the top of our roster….”
She trailed off; she just saw Yuan Luoyu furrow his brow. She instantly flashed him a charming smile. “But of course, since Young Master Yuan has come to visit, we would never do anything to ruin his merriment. I’ll go make arrangements right away.”
With that, she turned and hurried away.
“I won’t lie to you, Master Su. Normally, when I come here, I dare not use my father’s name to my advantage, but tonight is different. If I don’t host you properly and my father finds out about it, he’ll skin me alive!” Yuan Luoyu laughed heartily.
Su Yi pointed at Huang Qianjun. “He’s leaving for Bloodthistle Yao Mountain with the Spiritmartial Marquis tomorrow morning. All you have to do is ensure he’s well taken care of.”
Yuan Luoyu was briefly stunned. He exclaimed, “Brother Huang, you plan to enlist? Do you know how bitter and cold life in the army is? Besides combat and training, all you can do is fritter away your days telling dirty jokes with a bunch of coarse old men. There’s no fun to speak of, and finding a woman is harder than ascending into the heavens. Are you sure you can take it?”
He worked under the Cloudlight Marquis as part of the Redscale Army, so he naturally was qualified to say such things.
“If you can endure, why can’t I?” insisted Huang Qianjun.
“Heh heh….” Yuan Luoyu grinned wickedly. “Then there’s no harm in telling you that a few old soldiers love nothing more than fresh, tender recruits such as yourself. You have to be careful! They’re all hardened killers, the type to lick the blood from their swords. If they take a fancy to you, their methods are violent and barbaric as can be…”
Huang Qianjun shuddered, and he hurriedly cut him off. “Young Master Yuan, don’t be disgusting! If anyone dares try that on me, I’ll kick his ‘hope of future descendants’ to smithereens!”
Yuan Luoyu couldn’t stop laughing. But, because Su Yi was there, he dared not be too brazen. He just silently pressed his massive hand on the nearest serving girl’s soft, delicate thigh.
Her face flushed red, but she didn’t object.
Huang Qianjun was much the same; he dared not be too unrestrained either. Or rather, he couldn’t quite relax.
The reason was simple: Su Yi’s prestige was too great.
Although they were all about the same age, on an instinctive level, they saw Su Yi as their senior.
Su Yi naturally picked up on this. He couldn’t help but laugh.
People really did divide themselves into groups. Birds of a feather really did flock together.
This was true even in leisure. When people of unequal status gathered, who dared indulge without restraint? Who dared reveal that side of themselves?
Before long, Madam Fangxiu led a group of women into the pavilion.
Huang Qianjun’s eyes instantly lit up. Without exception, every last one of them was stunning, from their figures, to their faces, to their appearances. All were the cream of the cream of the crop.
Even rarer, each had their own distinctive charm. Their ranks included a fiery stunner, an aloof and icy beauty, and a girl whose pitiful demeanor tugged at the heartstrings….
Even Yuan Luoyu couldn’t help but sigh with appreciation. I certainly have nothing to complain about!
But when he looked at Su Yi, he realized that Su Yi looked just as calm as before, with no sign of emotion. He didn’t look at all tempted.
Yuan Luoyu was just about to say something when Su Yi rose. “You two have fun. I’m going to go looking for a certain someone.”
Then, he turned toward Madam Fangxiu. “Take me to see Cha Jin.”
Madam Fangxiu had been nothing but smiles, but suddenly, she started, and her expression shifted subtly. “Young Lord, Miss Cha Jin is an artful courtesan of noble and unsullied character, and she’s never accepted customers. Please understand.”
But Su Yi had already walked in front of her. He wrapped his right arm gently around her snowy white shoulders. “Let’s go.”
Had anyone else done this, everyone would have called them brazen and reckless.
After all, Madam Fangxiu was the proprietress of the Sand-Scouring Waves. Her status was right there in front of them, and her guests included no shortage of prominent figures. Who dared be rude to her?
Even the lineup of beauties was stunned.
At first, Madam Fangxiu was ashamed and angry, but when she sensed the power emanating from the hand on her shoulder, her heart sank.
She instinctively glanced up and saw a pair of distant and indifferent eyes, like the gaze of a god. An unprecedented, suffocating sense of awe rose within her, and an indescribable chill coursed through her heart. Her whole body tensed, and her hair stood on end.
“Do as you’re told, and I won’t harm a hair on your head.” As he spoke, Su Yi tugged her outside.
Madam Fangxiu was dazed and bewildered, and waves of shock coursed through her heart, to the point that she forgot to even struggle.
Rather, she dared not struggle.
Her instincts told her that if she dared resist, the young man in blue would have no scruples about killing her!
Yuan Luoyu fell briefly silent. Then, he said valiantly, “Brother Huang, Master Su told me to show you my hospitality. You choose first!”
He could tell that Su Yi had come here for other reasons. He just couldn’t help but wonder who Cha Jin was, and what she’d done to attract Su Yi’s attention.
“Uh…..” Huang Qianjun repressed his scattered thoughts, then started evaluating the line-up of beauties.
When Su Yi mentioned his desire to see Cha Jin, he instinctively assumed that there was going to be trouble tonight.
But then, he wasn’t worried about Su Yi. If anything, he felt sorry for Cha Jin. You could have offended anyone in the world. Why did it have to be Brother Su of all people?
But soon, Huang Qianjun cast Su Yi out of his mind and cleared his throat. He then pointed at four beauties in succession and laughed, “Them!”
Yuan Luoyu froze, then exclaimed, “Four of them?”
Huang Qianjun drained his glass and puffed up his chest with pride. “Just four, that’s all. That’s nothing, right?”
Yuan Luoyu’s eyebrows shot up, and he felt a hint of wicked glee. “Master Su commanded me to ensure you’re well taken care of. How could four possibly do?”
He waved over the remaining beauties. “All of you, remain here. Tonight, you’ll all wait upon my Brother Huang together!”
Huang Qianjun froze, but he wasn’t overcome with delight. On the contrary, he was a bit worried for his life. Who could possibly enjoy such an abundance?
But then, what man would admit defeat when it came to something like this?