novelraw Chapter 809 - 787: Chunfeng House
Chapter 809 - 787: Chunfeng House
Xie Jue and Fang Chuning brazenly went out for a stroll, without bringing anyone, not even the Shadow Guards. The Shadow Guards had all been dispatched by Xie Jue, as Sannan’s affairs were rather complex and Xie Jue needed a lot of information. Ever since the Shadow Guards arrived in Mudan City, they hadn’t had a break. Fang Chuning took Xie Jue to Chunfeng House, the largest flower house in Mudan City.
Xie Jue, "..."
He just knew Fang Chuning wouldn’t take him to any good place, and ended up bringing him to a flower house!
"Ting Feng, don’t be so reserved. Our biggest flower house in the Capital City is owned by the Empress herself. Before the Emperor ascended the throne, he was a frequent visitor. Lin Xiao and Zhang Boxin were also esteemed guests. The girls there are not only outstanding in appearance but also skilled in playing instruments and singing. They are particularly perceptive and well-versed in music, chess, calligraphy, poetry, wine, and tea. It’s a favorite spot for literati and poets."
"Sounds like you’re a regular visitor too!"
"Of course... not!" Fang Chuning’s words took a turn. Smiling, he said, "Precisely because I’ve never been, I wanted to broaden my horizons."
Xie Jue listened to his nonsense, unclear about his mindset, and actually followed him into Chunfeng House.
Inside Chunfeng House, laughter was in the air, it was extremely lively. There was a very large stage in the center, and when Fang Chuning and Xie Jue entered, the girls on stage were dancing. The dancers wore colorful dance costumes, revealing their fair and delicate waists, adorned with pearls and jade, their skin as snowy as winter. Their eyes were like peaches and plums; their dance was charming and vivid, their expressive eyes eliciting applause and cheers from the entire house. The balconies on the first, second, and third floors were filled with enthusiastic onlookers. At the climax of the dance, a giant colorful ball in the center was pierced by a longsword, and petals fluttered down beautifully.
Fang Chuning pulled Xie Jue up to the third floor, choosing the best spot to watch. The customs in Sannan were the same as in Beining, and the style of the flower houses was no different. Fang Chuning watched freely, indifferent to the gaze of others or what gossip there might be. Having mingled in the Mudan Building in the Capital City, he could feel at ease in any flower house.
"The girls in Sannan live up to their reputation. Petite and graceful, like willow branches swaying in the wind, they have a unique charm of their own," Fang Chuning said softly. In Ningzhou, they often encountered beauties from the north, who were mostly tall, athletic, and straightforward. The women in Sannan, even when laughing and scolding, spoke with a softness, appearing both seductive and gentle, eliciting a strong desire to protect.
Xie Jue frowned slightly, his gaze landed on the decadent music, the exotic dances, and the entranced guests either reciting poems while drunk or dancing with the dancers. It was a scene of national peace and enjoyment.
"Do you think it’s nice?" Xie Jue asked.
Xie Jue didn’t feel displeased; he simply found it hard to appreciate such extravagance, feeling somewhat uneasy and embarrassed, lacking Fang Chuning’s composure.
"Not nice?"
"When you danced in a red dress among the Beiman, you were more enchanting than them."
Fang Chuning, "..."
That was a downright black history, why bring it up?
Xie Jue noticed his frozen smile and realized he’d misspoken, but was surprised that Fang Chuning wasn’t the slightest bit uncomfortable. "Indeed, for that dance, I practiced for over a month, just to win your smile."
"If you like, why not go down and compete with them?"
"I’d rather not. My dance is meant for Ting Feng alone."
Xie Jue chuckled, seeing Fang Chuning in a good mood, led him to a private room to watch quietly. Although Xie Jue originally intended to sit among the common seating, in such places, information was more valuable than the girls. Many came here not for pleasure, but for power. However, considering their special status, the reputation wouldn’t be good if the Beining Prince Yan visited brothels shortly after arriving in Mudan City.
Han Ziqi had been having them watched, and learned they went to Chunfeng House, which greatly surprised him. It was unexpected that Xie Jue would go to such a place.
"But, did they go to the wrong place?" Han Ziqi raised an eyebrow and got up to head to Chunfeng House.
Inside Chunfeng House, Fang Chuning and Xie Jue were rather at ease. A young and beautiful girl was playing the pipa, singing Sannan tunes, while another young girl served them drinks, vividly explaining Sannan customs, social affairs, and the current trends in the Capital City, which at present featured the Beining Mission.
The girl had a soft waist, discerning that Xie Jue and Fang Chuning had outstanding looks and extraordinary demeanor, she was very attentive, continuously trying to lean into Fang Chuning’s arms. These girls, used to the comings and goings in the flower house, had sharper eyes than anyone else. Fang Chuning, always appreciative of beauty, hinted twice, so the girls understood their limits and didn’t get too presumptive. Yet, their eyes were still subtly trying to charm him. Fang Chuning laughed, gesturing towards Xie Jue, indicating the girls go entice him instead.
The girl glanced uneasily at Xie Jue and shook her head. She was sensible enough to choose someone like Fang Chuning, who seemed charming and affectionate, rather than someone like Xie Jue, who appeared aloof and out of touch with worldly affairs.
The girl knew her place, and Fang Chuning was naturally generous, giving a gold ingot. The two girls were overjoyed. The pipa-playing girl asked what pipa tune they wanted to hear, anything she didn’t know she could learn on the spot. If they wanted to hear the lute or flute, that was fine, too.
Fang Chuning playfully teased, "How about the erhu?"
"...I can learn it."
Fang Chuning laughed. These girls, rolling in the dust of the world, as long as their hearts stayed clear and they weren’t solely focused on men’s affections, aiming for silver coins instead, they were mostly smart and perceptive. They were the best at reading between the lines, very talkative, and quite informed, even chatting a bit about the current hottest topic, the Beining Mission.
Xie Jue asked, "Do you think the Beining Mission’s talks could lead to war?"
"No, everyone says there’s absolutely no chance of war," the girls said in their soft, very pleasant voices.
Fang Chuning was quite curious, "Oh, why do you say there’s no chance of war?"
"We, merchant women, don’t understand the situation. We just hear that all the high officials say Beining and Sannan won’t go to war. The Beining Emperor just ascended, and Sannan is peaceful and prosperous, unable to stir up any conflict. The troop increase at the border is just a show of force," the pipa-playing girl stopped playing and chatted with them. "I also secretly heard a piece of news, saying that the Beining Mission’s Prince Yan is one of our people from Sannan."
"Oh, and where did you hear this from?"
The girl half-hugged her pipa and half-covered her face, showing a bit of a playful look, "It’s hard to say, you know. With people coming and going in Chunfeng House, you forget who said it."
Xie Jue and Fang Chuning didn’t believe such statements, but they didn’t force the issue either.
As Xie Jue expected, there wasn’t a sense of urgency for imminent war across Sannan. The people believed Sannan was wealthy and conflict-free. Even if they ventured to attack the twelve provinces, in the eyes of Sannan’s people, any issue could be resolved with money and wouldn’t lead to chaos.