A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace

Chapter 317 Bai Fang Pavilion

Just then, Monster suddenly came closer."Big Brother! There’s one room left, specially reserved for you!"

"Big Brother, you have no idea how worried we were when we heard you went to the Capital City!"

As he spoke, his eyes even shimmered with light.

If he were a woman, this would be the perfect scene of a handsome man and a beautiful woman in love!

Rat, disgusted, couldn’t watch anymore and sneered as he spilled the beans.

"Nonsense! Suffering and worrying? Specially reserved? Have you no shame?!"

"When we bought the courtyard, you were the one who insisted on only three rooms!"

"Just to save some silver to call more girls at the brothel!"

Rat rolled his eyes.

"In the end, it was I who held firm, and that’s how we ended up buying a courtyard with four rooms!"

After saying this, he scooted over, looking for approval with a fawning expression.

"Big Brother, little brother here always thinks of you in everything. You can’t leave us behind again!"

Tiger, scratching the back of his head, pondered for a good while before it finally dawned on him.

"Huh? Wasn’t I the one who insisted back then?"

"Rat, you and Monster were on the same side then."

"Monster wanted to go to the brothel, and you, Rat, wanted to go to the gambling den..."

The moment he finished speaking, he received four dagger-like glares from the two of them.

"Dead Tiger, you’re talking nonsense! Those girls in the brothel aren’t good-looking; at least, not as good-looking as me!"

Rat rolled his eyes.

"Not good-looking, yet you still called for two at once!"

"You!"

Monster was furious, his whole demeanor returning to normal. His voice and movements returned to normal, but his face remained strikingly handsome. Honestly, how could a grown man possess a face more beautiful than any woman’s?!

Xia Tingfeng was rather speechless looking at these three. Too lazy to waste words with them, he said directly, "Good thing you lot still have some conscience and left a place for your old man to stay!"

"Let’s go! Find a place for drinks. On such a hot day, aren’t you afraid of adding more heat by arguing?"

The moment he spoke, the three of them immediately brightened up.

"Is Big Brother treating?"

"The food in the Capital City is delicious, just a tad expensive!"

Rat, his eyebrows dancing with delight, chimed in obsequiously, "Expensive? What’s expensive about it? Can’t you see Big Brother has made it big? You smelly brat, get a move on!"

Tiger protested, "You’re the smelly brat!!"

Monster shot him a look. "Fine, fine, you’re not. Let’s go, quickly!"

The three of them, bickering and causing a ruckus, followed Xia Tingfeng out.

He had just wanted to find a place for a drink, but who knew these three fellows were still so unpromising. They insisted on visiting a flower-draped drinking hall!

Xia Tingfeng, helpless, could only follow the three of them to the most famous Bai Fang Pavilion in the Capital City.

The moment they stepped inside, the courtesans of Bai Fang Pavilion swarmed them. The other three busied themselves getting intimate with the courtesans.

As for Xia Tingfeng, after being choked by the pungent smell of cosmetics and sneezing three times in a row, he finally couldn’t bear it any longer and roared, "Get lost!"

After tossing down a bag of silver, he went into the best private room upstairs, ordered wine and food, and finally found a moment of peace.

A quarter of an hour later, the three men came upstairs, each with a few courtesans in their arms.

Xia Tingfeng was rather repulsed. "Haven’t you damn fools ever seen women before?" Latest content publıshed on novelhall.com

Tiger chuckled. "We have, but we still want to see more!"

With that, he shyly caressed the hand of the beauty in his arms, a small tent already pitched beneath his robes.

Rat glanced at his ’small tent,’ his eyes narrowed in disdain. "I say, Tiger, can’t you have a little more class? Elegance, do you understand elegance? Look at Big Brother! Aren’t you ashamed of yourself?"

"We’re here to listen to songs, not for you to act like a brute!"

Just as Rat was smugly looking down on Tiger, Monster smacked him.

"Pah! Take a look at your own!"

"Ouch! Damn you, why did you slap my family jewels? My mother is still waiting to hold her grandson!"

Monster rolled his eyes. "Your mother’s been dead for eighteen years! What the hell is she waiting for?!"

Rat retorted defiantly, "Pah! My mother is watching from the heavens! Careful, or she might come for you tonight!"

Monster was so angry his eyes were bulging. The two of them quarreled heatedly.

And Xia Tingfeng, miraculously, managed to bear it.

After all, he had truly grown accustomed to it over so many years!

After a while, the singing began, and the two finally stopped their squabbling.

Tiger appeared to be quiet, but in reality... his eyes were practically glued to the ample bosoms of the two girls singing.

Monster and Rat also wore indescribable expressions.

Monster asked, casting a flirtatious glance, "Big Brother, they’re exquisite beyond words. How about trying a couple?"

Rat scorned him. "Get lost! Do you think Big Brother is that kind of person?"

"Do you think everyone is as worthless as you?"

Monster was about to erupt in anger. "Would it kill you not to provoke me?!"

Rat snorted. "Pretty much..."

Monster: "..."

Xia Tingfeng, on the other hand, was quite at ease. The beauties of Bai Fang Pavilion were nothing special to him. He was accustomed to seeing the female singers and female dancers at palace banquets. To Xia Tingfeng, looking at them was like looking at passersby.

However, the food here was good. That crispy roast duck was truly crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Drinking wine from large bowls, eating meat in big chunks—wasn’t this the life?!

Perhaps it was from being subtly influenced during his long time in the palace, or perhaps it was innate. In any case, though his actions were rough, they weren’t coarse. His bearing was simple yet not without grace. Coupled with his resolute and handsome features, he caused those young courtesans to frequently become lost in thought, sending flirtatious glances his way one after another.

On this day, the four ’frenemy’ brothers, who loved and tormented each other, stayed out until the latter half of the night before leaving.

Unlike Xia Tingfeng, these three had no family; the world was their home. Wherever Big Brother went, they would go. Hearing that he had become an official in the Capital City, the three became even more resolved to stay. After all, without Big Brother, they wouldn’t have what they had today.

Xia Tingfeng considered. It was just right; the Emperor was going to hold the first martial arts examination this autumn. They would be selecting a Martial Champion. He’d have Tiger go and try out then. Perhaps he could even achieve some scholarly honor or official rank. As for... Monster and Rat. He would keep them by his side. Rat was suited to be a strategist; he would be useful whether there was a war or not. And Monster... he had the excellent ability to see in all directions and hear from all quarters. Yes, he had to be kept too. In short, these three might seem unreliable, but in reality, they were all talented individuals!

「In the palace」

After returning from paying respects to the Empress, Xia Ruqing had just settled down when Xiao Xizi announced, "Master, Honored Lady Du is here!"

"Hmm?" Xia Ruqing frowned. She rarely saw outsiders, and now that she was pregnant, she was even less inclined to entertain them. Xiao Xizi should have known this. Why was he being so presumptuous today?

Xiao Xizi looked quite troubled. "This servant couldn’t stop her!"

"Honored Lady Du seems... insistent on seeing you, Master. She even brought something!"

Xia Ruqing thought for a moment. That made sense. After all, if the one in charge was shameless enough, there wasn’t much a servant could do, was there?

"Let her in."

Honored Lady Du entered with a palace maid, who was carrying a sandalwood box.

"Greetings to Xia Jieyu!"

Xia Ruqing looked at her and waved her hand. "Rise."

"To what do I owe the pleasure of Honored Lady Du’s visit today?"

Ever since that incident by Taiye Pool, where the Emperor had abandoned her, she had not received his favor again.