Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Not long later, a familiar voice carried over. “Heh, you sneaky old woman. I’ve given you so many silver pieces. You said that before I leave Hejian County, those two will only serve me? Just because I haven’t been here for a few days, you decided to let them serve others? Isn’t that a slap to my face?”
Before the brothel keeper could reply, a clear voice sounded out and Liu She’s eyes brightened.
Liu She and Jiang Pengji were the same: They had a face and voice fetish.
“Forget it, Zhengze. If you really want, we can always call two more girls. Why must it be them?”
When Jiang Pengji heard the familiar voice, her lips curled up in a smile. She cast a meaningful look at the girl leaning into her embrace.
Tsk, what is this called? Fate!
Toudu Feiqiu: “Eh? Are my ears failing me? I thought I heard the Feng boy’s voice.”
Aiya Jiaoteng: “Nope, I heard it too. I remember that Wuma Jun’s courtesy name is Zhengze... He’s very close to that Feng Jin. Tsk, I can feel my heart shattering. Why is Feng Jin here?”
Jiang Pengji chanced a glance at Liu She to see if there were any changes to his expression. It seemed that even when he hated Feng Jin, he did not recognize the other boy’s voice.
Outside, Wuma Jun was frowning and growing dissatisfied with Feng Jin. It was as though Feng Jin was born to oppose him. No matter what he said, Feng Jin would rebuke him and it was starting to piss him off.
The more Feng Jin was against anything he did, the more he wanted to rebel. He pushed the other boy away, ignored the keeper’s pleading eyes, and barged into the room. The girls stopped playing their music immediately, while the four men stared at each other. One could almost hear a pin drop.
Feng Jin: “...”
Wuma Jun: “...”
Jiang Pengji seemed to be unaffected and smiled. “Why did you all stop?”
The girls quickly regained themselves and began their performance. At first, Jiang Pengji could not get used to their sickly sweet singing, but their voices started to grow on her.
Even though Feng Jin and Wuma Jun did not recognize Liu She, they did recognize Jiang Pengji. It was Liu She’s only son, Liu Xi!
That was awkward.
Wuma Jun quickly brought his hands together in an apology. “Ahem—I didn’t know Liu Langjun was in here. I behaved rudely.”
Wuma Jun had wanted to win Jiang Pengji to his side, and now that he had created such a blunder, he had to quickly find a way to salvage the situation.
Feng Jin, on the other hand, felt even more awkward and uneasy.
His eyes did not deceive him, right? That kid with two girls in his embrace, smiling and teasing the girls... that was Liu Xi?
Feng Jin gave a grim smile and entered the room when Jiang Pengji beckoned him. Wuma Jun followed suit.
“Huaiyu, let me introduce you.” Jiang Pengji called out Feng Jin’s courtesy name despite the awkwardness. Of course, the other boy did not realize what was wrong and was accustomed to her calling him by his courtesy name. He was still unaware of the status of the older man before him.
Liu She: “...”
Feng Huaiyu... heh heh...
Feng Jin listened to her, respectful attention covering his face. Then, when the next sentence came out of her mouth, he felt like a weight had settled upon his shoulders. “This is my father.”
Feng Jin: “...”
Liu Xi’s father was Hejian’s Liu She, who was also Xu County’s governor, Liu Zhongqing?
So...
Feng Jin solemnly turned to look at Liu She and found the other coldly watching him.
The feeling that he got from being caught visiting a brothel by his friend’s father could be described with one phrase: Life was meaningless.
“Uncle Liu,” Feng Jin summoned his courage and greeted Liu She.
Jiang Pengji seemed to have not noticed anything amiss and continued. “Father, this is the Feng Jin I mentioned before.”
Liu She took a sip of tea without a change in his expression or posture. He hummed his acknowledgement.
Wuma Jun’s expression was a mix of happy, confusion, and fear.
He had planned to get Liu Zhongqing on his side by visiting his residence with a generous gift. He had wanted to show off his generosity, literacy talent, and logical thinking; he had wanted to charm Liu She to his side and get his support in political affairs.
The result?
The location of their first meeting: Yingchun Lou––a brothel. The people involved: Liu She and his son.
Although Dongqing’s bureaucracy was strict and did not allow their officials to be intimate with prostitutes, Liu She’s standing was different. They were in Hejian County, a mountainous region far from the emperor. No one could use the fact that he visited a brothel to oust him.
If the fact that an official visited a brothel could be used to oust them from court, then Dongqing would be without any officials by then.
“This is Huaiyu’s good friend, Wuma Jun. His courtesy name is Zhengze.”
At that moment, the only one who could still happily enjoy herself was probably Jiang Pengji. She was the only girl having the time of her life, while the other three men were awkwardly looking at each other.
Even the smooth talker, Feng Jin, remained quietly seated. His posture was ramrod straight, but in Jiang Pengji’s eyes, he looked pitiful and fearful.
When she turned her gaze to Liu She, he was exuding his imposing aura to intimidate the other boys.
“Huaiyu, do you want me to call a girl over?” Jiang Pengji asked.
Feng Jin glared at her. Are you trying to kill me?
“Huaiyu, have you settled down yet?” Liu She asked in a manner akin to how an elder would talk to the younger generation.
Feng Jin was on the verge of breaking out in a cold sweat. He was not afraid of Liu She––he was terrified that the news of him visiting a brothel would reach home.
Even though he accompanied Wuma Jun and had not done anything outrageous, no one would believe him.
Feng Jin brought his hands up in respect and said, “Feng Jin is still young and hasn’t formed a family yet.”
“No engagement?” Liu She asked, ignoring Wuma Jun.
Feng Jin calmed down when Liu She asked that. It was as though he had something to say.
“No engagement.”
In Dongqing, an unengaged sixteen-year-old boy like Feng Jin was not uncommon. He was talented and had good looks, and it was still easy for him to get engaged before he turned twenty.
On the other side, Jiang Pengji watched Liu She. She was worried that he would ask Feng Jin to marry into the Liu family––especially since Liu She’s drunken words left an impression.
“I see. If I had a daughter, I would want to become relatives by marriage with Xiande.”