Xuanqing Guard

If there’s any place filled with laughter and joy all year round, it’s definitely the Flower House.

The sleek and glamorous Flower House satisfies the direct desires of ordinary people almost perfectly. Especially since they introduced songstress ranks, it’s turned fleshly business into "poetic elegance," and people can even openly debate and critique it.

Don’t ever think that only men visit the Flower House. There are female guests here too—just much fewer than men. They usually don’t enter through the main hall, but slip in through the back door, playing in side lounges made just for them. As for what they do, it’s pretty much the same as the men in the main hall, only with the roles switched around.

At the entrance, the madam is still the same as always, wrinkles on her face deep enough to trap a fly when she smiles. Rumor has it she was a courtesan herself back in her youth.

"Oh! Lord Shen, Lord Zhang, Lord Gan! Please, come right in!"

Shen Hao was pretty much a regular at the Hong’en Hall. His first impression today was that there were way more people at the door than usual—a bunch of young men dressed plainly as scholars, looking both excited and anxious, eyes darting around expectantly. There’s quite a few like this, crowded around the entrance.

Shen Hao, out of professional habit, glanced at them a bit more, but was tugged by Gan Lin: "Forget it, let’s get inside."

"Who are those people?"

"Penniless."

"Huh?" Shen Hao couldn’t understand what the door people had to do with being broke and peering around.

"Those guys are the broke idiots waiting for Ning Ziye. None of them have money to get in, so they just circle outside, hoping to catch a glimpse of Ning Ziye from afar. They’re obsessed."

Shen Hao took a moment to process before he finally got it. He thought to himself, this Ning Ziye must be quite popular. Sometimes the two worlds really do have things in common, which made him grin to himself.

The madam led the way ahead, sideways as always, never stopping her flattery, basically saying that Hong’en Hall had been expecting Shen Hao for ages, and now with Ning Ziye in town, they’d reserved the best private room just for him, and soon Lian Xiang would join him. She finished off with, "If Lord Shen leaves us another calligraphic treasure tonight, that’d be just splendid."

Shen Hao smiled, but didn’t respond. His poetry wasn’t really his own creation—just inherited from some ancestor in another world—but it wasn’t something he’d dish out just because someone asked. He had to be in the mood.

Once inside Hong’en Hall, the madam led Shen Hao and his two companions straight upstairs. Not to the top-floor Warm Pavilion, since the top level isn’t as convenient for viewing the main hall performances. So their room was set on the second floor, just slightly offset but facing the stage below.

This spot wasn’t the best, but definitely counted as very good. Walking through the door, you could see the stage downstairs easily.

As soon as they sat down, attendants came to settle them in. Tea, dried fruit, and, knowing what was up, brought a set of bone tiles for gambling.

"Come on, Shen, let’s play a couple rounds." Gan Lin grabbed the tiles, his fingers flipping them so fast they rattled loudly.

"Brother Gan, my Cultivation’s way higher than yours now. Aren’t you afraid you’ll lose again gambling with me?"

"Afraid my ass! Look, kid, check this out!" Gan Lin smugly pulled out a palm-sized Magic Disc and slapped it on the table with a smack.

"Is that... a Sensing Disc? For detecting True Qi?"

"Good eye!" Gan Lin laughed. "With this, let’s see you try cheating again! Come on, let’s get a few games in before the food arrives!"

Zhang Qian next to them was itching to play as well.

Only Shen Hao found it hilarious inside; he didn’t say much, just nodded and joined in. True, he couldn’t avoid the Magic Disc’s detection. But as long as he took the tiles and wrapped them tightly in his True Qi without leaking it, the Sensing Disc couldn’t pick up anything fishy. That trick demands exquisite control over True Qi, but just because others can’t do it doesn’t mean Shen Hao can’t.

So, after half an hour, Gan Lin and Zhang Qian’s faces were numb.

Lost again!

Luckily it wasn’t long—altogether they only lost a bit over two thousand to Shen, but honestly, the result was pretty depressing, since not once in those rounds did either of them win—it was a total sweep!

"You cheated!"

"No way." Shen Hao quickly stuffed the silver notes in his Storage Bag, sipping tea from the table.

"You totally cheated! No way your tile skill could beat both of us every round!"

Shen Hao just chuckled and kept his mouth shut. He definitely cheated, but they couldn’t feel it, and the disc didn’t detect it either. He’d warned them they’d lose, but they ignored it, and him winning just over two thousand was him being merciful.

Gan Lin was pissed about losing money, but Zhang Qian was much more laid back. After cursing Shen Hao a couple times, he swore again that he’d never gamble with him, joking that if they didn’t have enough money when they leave later, Shen Hao would have to make up the difference since he’d cleaned out their pockets anyway.

But Shen Hao didn’t bother with them.

Just as the dishes arrived, a waft of fragrance drifted in as the songstresses fluttered in like orioles and swallows, each finding their seat.

There were some new faces—the "new girls" Zhang Qian had mentioned before. Shen Hao glanced at them twice, thinking maybe it’d been too long since he hung out in the brothel scene, as even Hong’en Hall’s standards seemed to have changed.

Used to be Hong’en Hall went for the slim type, but now these two new girls were very much plump and curvy, obviously capable, and their eyes shone with raw desire. Honestly, their look was much more straightforward.

"Ha, Shen, you gotta wait a bit longer, looks like Miss Lian Xiang won’t come down for a while yet. Want to eat a bowl first?" Gan Lin, arm around one of the girls, teased Shen Hao cheerfully.

Shen Hao really wasn’t in a hurry; he picked up his chopsticks and dug in, since he was actually a little hungry.

The new songstresses serving Zhang Qian and Gan Lin secretly peeked at Shen Hao, who sat at the head of the table. Before coming, they’d heard tales of the notorious Shen Shaxing, so their hearts were anxious and curious. Meeting him now, aside from his handsomeness and youth, there wasn’t much else to see. Rumor had it he was a brilliant talent—if only he’d favor them, maybe he’d compose a song for one of them?

Dreams are necessary—what if they come true?

But once Lian Xiang entered, dressed in a white long gown, with light makeup and clean aura, the two dreaming new songstresses had to snap out of it.

"You haven’t come by in ages! What’s this—getting tired of the old and chasing the new?" Lian Xiang walked right up and sat next to Shen Hao, snugly pressed against him, lips slightly pouting in protest.

"I haven’t even tasted the food yet, how could I be tired of you? Unless you let me try you first?"

"Hmph! Haven’t tried me yet? I bet you only came chasing after Ms. Zi Yi!"

Shen Hao laughed it off, saying no, then went back to shoveling his food. Lian Xiang beamed, picking out dishes for him while whispering in his ear. The atmosphere was odd but harmoniously cozy, unlike the blushing couples at the other side of the table, who were red-faced for reasons unknown.