The first time in history

Chapter 136: The Top Card of Wanhua Pavilion

Qian Mingduo understood what Liu Jingxue meant. How could you, the dignified owner of Moyi Tower, take her away just like that? Qian Mingduo gritted his teeth and nodded slowly.

He turned around and carried Liu Jingxue back to the bamboo house, and gently placed her on the place where she had just been lying on her side. Liu Jingxue kept looking at him with a smile. Qian Mingduo lay on his side opposite her again.

They just stared at each other silently. One was a prince of great status, and the other was the owner of the most mysterious organization in the martial arts world.

The last ray of sunset faded away. The bamboo house was completely dark, with only Liu Jingxue's skin, exposed outside her black robe, as white as snow, visible.

Qian Mingduo couldn't help but kiss her lightly on the lips. Liu Jingxue's face couldn't help but turn red.

But she still looked at him so calmly.

Qian Mingduo sat up slowly, and it took him a lot of determination to sit up.

He made up his mind to walk to the door. He looked up at the dark bamboo forest and said softly, "Sister Jingxue, how can I find you?"

"Five miles south of the city, Liujiazhuang."

They never mentioned a word about the copper mine from beginning to end. But they all knew it very well. Ruichen put his nameplate at the entrance of the mine, which meant that he could control the fate of the copper mine and the fate of Moyi Building.

The fact that Liu Jingxue was able to meet Ruichen was enough to show that she had accepted Ruichen's idea, because she knew what she could provide to Ruichen and what Ruichen could do for her.

There is no need for much talk between wise people.

Rui Yuhuan walked slowly along the small lake in the Imperial Garden with his hands behind his back. He would walk along the small lake every day after dinner.

There are already some chirping sounds of insects in the grass by the lake, which indicates that the hot summer is coming.

"It's time to prepare to go to the palace in the north to live for some time!" Rui Yuhuan turned around and the chief eunuch Quanfu came over immediately and stood by with a bow.

"The weather is getting hot. It's time to go to the north and live for a few days." Rui Yuhuan looked up at the moonless sky.

"Your Majesty, which princes are accompanying you? Which ladies are accompanying you?" Quan Fu asked softly.

Rui Yuhuan thought for a moment, "Let's ask Concubine Shu and Concubine Yi to go. Concubine Shu is not feeling well, so let her go to the north to relax and recuperate for a few days. The princes...don't go, let them stay in the capital!"

"As ordered!" Quan Fan asked softly, "Whose palace will Your Majesty visit tonight?"

"Move all the memorials to Jingxinzhai. I need to review them tonight." Rui Yuhuan said, and turned to walk towards Jingxinzhai.

There is a couplet in front of the Wanhua Pavilion. The first line reads: Thousands of subtle fragrances fill the elegant pavilion. The second line reads: The charming flower-like pavilion is reflected in the pavilion.

There were so many beautiful ladies in the pavilion, all with various styles, which attracted scholars, talented people, high-ranking officials and nobles to linger.

Dalong did not prohibit officials from staying in brothels, but strictly prohibited officials from entering and leaving in official uniforms. Therefore, places like Wanhua Pavilion were not only populated by court officials, but also many rich children. After all, this was one of the best brothels in the capital, and the women there were all very beautiful.

The top performer in the pavilion is named "Ruyi". She only sells her art but not her body. She gets 20 taels of silver for accompanying guests to a banquet. She gets 10 taels of silver for singing a Suzhou Pingtan.

Today's two guests are horse traders from Beidi. They sold 500 horses and 300 foals at the mule and horse market outside the city yesterday. Their purses are bulging, not with silver, but with gold.

They will be returning to Beidi tomorrow, but they have come here today specifically to have a drink with Miss Ruyi and listen to the Suzhou Pingtan, which they cannot understand.

The nine jars of Huadiao wine were finished, and the two guests' eyes were already blurry and their figures were swaying slightly.

Ruyi was sitting in front of the window, singing "Night Mooring at Maple Bridge".

"Brother, do you... do you understand what Miss Ruyi is singing?" asked the big man with a red face and black beard, who was as strong as an ox.

"Second brother, I also don't understand... It seems that Miss Ruyi didn't even open her mouth. Who... Who knows what she is singing!" The short and fat man with a bald head and a round face said, "It's not as good as our Beidi pastoral songs."

"Well, you have to pay me ten taels of silver." The eunuch held a jar of Shaodaozi and put it on the table with a bang. "This is the Shaodaozi you asked for. We don't have this kind of wine in Wanhua Pavilion. I bought it from the street market."

The red-faced man opened the jar, bent down to smell it, and poured three full bowls. "This kind of wine is... this is the kind of wine that we grassland men should drink." More wine was spilled on the table than poured into the bowls.

"Miss Ruyi," the round-faced fat man pointed at the wine bowl, "Come, drink with us two brothers. What you just drank was not wine at all, it was just like... vinegar."

Ruyi gently put down the pipa and walked to the table gracefully. She held the cup with three fingers and picked up the wine bowl. She said lightly: "Two gentlemen, please hold up the wine. Ruyi toasts you." After that, she drank it all in one gulp.

"This is not the sour wine we drank just now." The red-faced man said in surprise: "This is... this is strong liquor, it is... it is Shaodaozi."

"Ruyi will drink first as a sign of respect." Ruyi put down the wine bowl gracefully and sat down slowly. "Why don't you two gentlemen drink? This is the Shaodaozi you ordered."

Although Ruyi does not sell her body in front of the elegant scholars, she is able to reveal an irresistible charm and coquettishness in her elegance.

In front of dignitaries, Ruyi used her beautiful eyes to convey her charm to everyone.

In front of the rough and wealthy man, Ruyi behaved dignified and elegant.

She did this because she knew they would like it.

"Drink...drink." The round-faced fat man picked up the wine bowl and clinked it with the red-faced big man's bowl, and both of them drank it all in one gulp.

Three people, three jars of Huadiao wine each. After three bowls of Shaodao wine, Ruyi's eyes became brighter.

The round-faced fat man was staggering. If Ruyi hadn't held him up, he would have fallen under the table. He touched Ruyi's hand and looked at her with lustful eyes, "Miss Ruyi, you are so beautiful!"

"Miss Ruyi is so pretty!" The red-faced man shook his head vigorously. "But you didn't sing well just now, but... it wasn't bad either." He winked at the round-faced fat man. "We just couldn't understand it at all."

Ruyi smiled calmly, "Since you gentlemen said that my singing is not good, then... why don't you sing a song for Ruyi to listen to."

The red-faced man stood up shakily and took off his robe, revealing his strong chest. "I'll sing for you."

"Bashang Grassland, the homeland of the Northern Di people. Green grass, cattle and sheep..."

"Second brother." The round-faced fat man staggered to the red-faced big man and patted his bare chest. "The Khan is recruiting warriors from the grassland. After we go back, how about we...join the army together?"

The red-faced man shouted wildly: "Okay! Big brother and I... will join the army together to recover our Northern Di."

“Shh…” The round-faced fat man covered his mouth. “This kind of important matter cannot…cannot be known to outsiders.” The fat man walked to Ruyi’s side with three steps and three staggers, and said in a low voice: “My Khan has already conspired with your third prince. When the time comes, we will cooperate inside and outside, ha, ha, ha…”

"When we meet next time, it will be the time when we... the Northern Di invade your capital." The fat man smiled lewdly, "By then... I will sleep with you, Miss Ruyi. Ha, ha, ha..."

"Bashang Grassland, the homeland of the Northern Di people. The green grass, the cattle and sheep..." The red-faced man and the fat man walked out of the Wanhua Pavilion arm in arm, humming the Northern Di pastoral song, and staggered around the corner. They pretended to be careless, turned around and looked around, and when they were sure that there was no one around, they left quickly like rabbits.

Only after their figures completely disappeared from sight did the turtle servant of Wanhua Pavilion quietly appear from under a dark eaves. He silently looked in the direction where the two had left, with an elusive look in his eyes.