Ran Into Someone Familiar

Xiao Yuan shook off her negative mood and followed the crowd of people inside. When they got inside, they discovered that the indoors was also bustling with activity. Like a swarm of swallows, a group of young ladies who were all beautifully dressed and especially eye-catching, were clutching handkerchiefs and scanning the crowd for prospective customers.

The brothel keeper was dizzyingly busy as she tried to seat all the sons from influential families. People who had came to observe the excitement were placed on the first floor and the paying guests were situated on the second floor.

Qing Le generously started spending money and without a second thought, gave the brothel keeper a gold ingot. The brothel keeper saw that the man before her was wearing clothes that were no ordinary fare and as the guest was unafraid of spending money; a smile blossomed onto her face.

“Oh my! May the two lords please head upstairs.”

As she spoke, her hand reached out to touch Qing Le’s body. In just a glance, she noticed that these two lords were still quite young and either from rich families or the sons of a high-ranking official. She could not disappoint them.

Qing Le nimbly dodged and avoided the brothel keeper’s hand. She unhappily said, “Quickly, get the waiter to bring us some good food and wine. Make the narcissus-like beauty come out quickly so that everybody can see her!”

The brothel keeper took back her hand and embarrassedly said, “Okay, okay, okay. Everybody, don’t get anxious. Waiter, go make sure to take care of these two lords.”

“Coming! May the two lords please come this way.”

Qing Le brought Xiao Yuan with her upstairs. Xiao Yuan’s interest in having some fun grew as she observed the gorgeous decorations and pretty young ladies.

She turned her heard and saw a familiar figure walk inside. A brave looking man, who was standing tall and straight, stood out as especially dazzling in the crowd of people. By his side just so happened to be the great prince.

At the sight of them, the brothel keeper enthusiastically rushed over, “Oh my! Hello! May the great prince please come this way. For the great prince to come and participate in today’s festivities is simply an honor. I am so thankful you have graced my humble place with your presence. Come, come. Waiter, go and find the highest quality private room for them.”

“Brother Zhao, please come this way.”

Xiao Yuan’s face abruptly went bright red and she hurriedly turned her head. She grabbed Qing Le and squeezed into their private room without looking back.

The private room’s design was especially ingenious. Screens were used to separate it from the other rooms and there was also a pearl curtain layer. As the pearls swayed, she could faintly make out the beautiful, charming scenery outside.

“Quickly, bring up some good wine and food!”

Qing Le had brought more than enough money and casually tossed a silver ingot to the waiter.

The waiter hurriedly nodded their head. “Yes. This waiter will go now. May the two honored guests please wait a moment.”

Qing Le found a place to sit down and laughed carefreely, “Ha-ha! So many people came to see this beauty! If she isn’t beautiful enough, I’m going to ask for a refund of my entry money.”

When Xiao Yuan heard this, she smiled. “How could that be? There’s so many officials and noble persons here. The brothel keeper wouldn’t dare to disappoint them all. Just wait to see her.”

When Xiao Yuan’s words fell, her gaze searched for that figure but it had already vanished into the crowd. She privately muttered to herself, where could he have gone off to?

However, in a short while, a sweet, delicate sound was heard coming from a room not far away from them but rather just diagonally opposite their room.

“Oh my. Isn’t that the great prince? He hasn’t come by for a long time. Did he come today to also take a look at that beauty? Could it be that he’s forgotten Mu Dan?”

An exceptionally alluring woman walked past them. Xiao Yuan conveniently raised her eyes and as she expected, saw a figure with their back to her. She couldn’t see the figure very clearly, but Xiao Yuan was confident that the figure was him.

“Hey, isn’t this Lord Zhao. When we parted that day, I didn’t think we’d ever meet again. That day Mu Dan wasn’t watching her alcohol intake so thank you so much Lord Zhao for taking care of me. Mu Dan will toast to Lord Zhao.”

As Mu Dan spoke, she poured herself a cup of wine and placed it at by her lips before drinking it all in one shot.

“If Lady Mu Dan isn’t good with alcohol, then it’d be best for you not to drink too much. Be careful not to harm your body.”

A clear, cold voice floated into her ear and the voice irritated her so much that Xiao Yuan’s brows furrowed out of annoyance.

“Oh, don’t say that. I take it if Lord Zhao is saying this, it means he’s not willing to forgive Mu Dan.”

Mu Dan had a bashful, pitiful expression and she looked as she was close to tears but she also looked wonderfully enticing. She would from time to time give him a look.

Xiao Yuan shook her head. Ever since ancient times, men were unfaithful and kept many concubines and wives. They would keep and support many other mistresses. Everyone had already gotten used to this phenomenon.

“Little Ninth, what’s the matter?” Qing Le saw that she was lost in thought when just a moment ago, she had been fine. How had her mood changed so much in just a blink of an eye? Qing Le couldn’t keep herself from being troubled and asked, “If you dislike how stuffy it is in here, we can go outside.”

At this moment, the wine and food had coincidentally also arrived. Xiao Yuan grabbed the wine cup and poured herself some wine before finishing it in one shot. Her entire mouth was filled with a pungent flavor and it irritated her to the point of coughing.

“We’re not leaving. This place is so much fun, I wouldn’t want to leave. I also want to see how stunning is this beauty who has managed to entice the entire capital to come see her.”

Qing Le glanced at Xiao Yuan, “Are you sure you’re fine?”

Xiao Yuan nodded and put on a big smile. “Recently there’s been too many depressing matters at home. It’s so difficult for me to make a trip outside. Why should I go back home this quickly?”

Prince Qing Le narrowed her eyes. “Seeing as we’ve already come outside, we shouldn’t mention unhappy matters. Come, let’s drink.”

“Young… lord, you shouldn’t drink anymore. If you return and the princess realizes you’ve been drinking so much, you’ll be due for a scolding.”

The maidservant tried to persuade her and Hong Xiu followed suit, “Lord Ninth, you can’t drink anymore.”

Qing Le frowned and Xiao Yuan was also displeased. “You two go outside and walk around. Come back in two hours. Take this.”

Qing Le took a silver ingot from her bosom and passed it to the two maidservants.

Hong Xiu’s eyes lit up and she quickly shook her head, “Lord Ninth, this servant girl won’t speak anymore. There’s so many gossipy people here. If in case anything happens, it won’t be good if you can’t find your servant girl.”

“Lord, this servant girl agrees.”

Xiao Yuan nodded. “Then you’re not allowed to speak anymore. Sit down and watch with us.”

In her ear was Mu Dan’s delicate, alluring voice as well as another clear and cold voice. Xiao Yuan pouted and drank two more cups of wine without thinking.

Everyone’s a liar!

Big fat liars!

In a short while, sounds of cheering were heard coming from the outside. Xiao Yuan directed her line of sight to the outside. The brothel keeper was standing in front of a tall stage.

“Everyone quiet down. The goddess-like beauty will be making her appearance very soon. Following that, she will be playing a solo. After her solo, everyone can begin bidding. The highest bidder wins accompanying the beauty for her first night!”

“Oh! Oh! Goddess! Goddess!”

A wave of shouts happened again and again and the sound threatened to rupture her eardrums. Luckily in a short while, a servant girl walked onto the stage and everyone started falling quiet.

Very soon, a woman wearing a white outfit and a face veil slowly walked on, with four servant girls holding up the corners of her dress.

Her figure was lithe and graceful and on her head, crimson red tassels were diagonally stuck into her hair. She didn’t have on many head ornaments, but it was just the right amount of ornamentation. She had long, jet-black hair as bright as silk and her eyebrows were elegantly curved. Even though her face was behind by a veil, her bashful, timid eyes as well as her young, inexperienced yet seductive appearance couldn’t be fully hidden. Her gaze swept the room. The face veil only hid half of her facial features and what could be seen was exceptionally refined and beautiful.

In one glance, she could make someone unable to tear their eyes away and blood race. She easily aroused people’s desires to protect her as she seemed similar to a lost sheep. Her wrinkle-free forehead gave off the impression that she was unfamiliar with hardships and uncertainty.

It was because of this young and inexperienced appearance that the alluring Mu Dan was overthrown in one swift move. Mu Dan was beautiful, so beautiful it was almost ostentatious and her entire body carried a femme fatale aura.

However, her appeal lied in being a danger that couldn’t be contained and after a long time, it was easy to become tired of looking at her.

Xiao Yuan watched and became absent minded. Qing Le also couldn’t keep herself from smacking her lips. “Not bad. This trip wasn’t made in vain. As expected, she’s an extraordinarily beautiful woman.”

She heard lots of people taking in a sharp inhale of breath as every person observed the breathtaking beauty in front of them. Xiao Yuan couldn’t keep herself from turning her head and glancing at the room diagonal them.

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