It happened to be the fifteenth day of the second lunar month—the Flower Festival.
As the sun set over the western hills, many new painted pleasure boats appeared on Yan River.
They were filled with young masters and noble ladies releasing flower deity lanterns, enjoying the moonlit lake.
Great Wei had an open and liberal culture, and the capital’s security was tight. Scholars and beauties taking advantage of the festival for a night outing was considered an elegant affair.
Su Tan was escorted to the scene by sturdy servants from the pavilion, but the pleasure boat before her was not the same one from last night.
This one was dozens of times more magnificent and exquisite than the one at Fragrant Pavilion.
It seemed that Grand Commandant Shen had found the previous boat unclean after the death that occurred on it last night and had specially arranged for a new one.
Su Tan sighed softly, thinking to herself: In this world, people truly cannot be compared. The phrase “wealthy and extravagant” now had a tangible representation.
Carrying the food box, she moved gracefully under the watchful eyes of many, stepping onto the brown pinewood plank and entering the pleasure boat.
The table was already set with freshly prepared delicacies, appealing in color, aroma, and taste.
Su Tan held the food box, pondering where to place it.
A leisurely voice came from behind: “What are you sneaking around for?”
The six words sent shivers down her spine. She didn’t need to turn around to know who it was.
Su Tan had no choice but to first set the food box beside the table, then turn and kneel in reverence to the tall figure dressed in moonlight-white.
“Mei Wu pays her respects to Your Excellency.”
The young woman frowned slightly—her poor knees. Cai Wei’s medicinal ointment had been applied in vain.
Shen Xiuwang glanced at her, walked over, and casually lifted the lid of the food box with the bamboo-framed, gold-dusted folding fan in his hand.
Peering inside, he raised an eyebrow. “What kind of food did you bring?”
He hadn’t granted her permission to rise, so Su Tan had to continue kneeling as she replied, “It’s golden osmanthus, fox nut, and water chestnut pudding—a sweet soup.”
With so many eyes watching from the pavilion, the act had to be performed thoroughly.
Shen Xiuwang sat down after lifting his robe, his words startling as ever: “What kind of nonsense is this? Probably drugged again.”
Su Tan clenched her palm, swallowing the words that filled her mind.
Patience—she was most skilled at patience.
Her tone remained steady as she explained, “Your Excellency jokes. This sweet soup was merely a pretext for gathering information. The food is humble and unworthy of spoiling the Military Governor’s appetite.”
Shen Xiuwang neither agreed nor disagreed, lowering his gaze to the obedient and charming young woman kneeling on the ground.
Su Tan bowed her head slightly, her posture and manners flawless in every detail.
The attire of women from pleasure quarters was naturally enchanting and eye-catching.
Tonight, she wore a rouge-colored gauze dress embroidered with spring crabapple blossoms, her hair styled like clouds.
Nourished day and night with floral milk and secret medicinal recipes, her snow-white skin, shoulders, neck, and jade-like arms were utterly captivating.
Military Governor Shen’s gaze paused briefly before shifting to her right arm, as if noticing something missing.
He cleared his throat and casually asked, “Where’s the red dot?”
“Ah?” Su Tan looked up, slightly puzzled.
Meeting his gaze, she realized belatedly.
He was asking about the chastity seal.
“Replying to Your Excellency, I concealed it with rouge.”
If she hadn’t covered it, someone might have noticed and spread rumors.
She couldn’t bear the responsibility for tarnishing Grand Commandant Shen’s reputation for virility.
As the young woman raised her head—
Her delicate face, bright eyes, and pearly teeth, along with the cinnabar mole at the corner of her eye, were both pure and alluring. The rouge-colored dress accentuated her fresh and elegant beauty, like a lotus emerging from water.
There was not a hint of worldly coarseness about her.
Shen Xiuwang averted his gaze, his tone neither light nor heavy: “Rise. If I have to keep looking down to speak with you, my neck will ache, and you’ll be responsible.”
Su Tan: “…Mei Wu dares not.”
After rising, she stood to the side, pouring wine and serving dishes for him.
Over these eight years, Su Tan had mastered the art of serving others to perfection. Even the most demanding person could find no fault.
However, Shen Xiuwang was ultimately an anomaly.
He took a sip of wine and asked leisurely, “Did Mama Yue teach you to serve patrons like a maid?”
Su Tan paused in her movements, understanding his meaning.
Setting down the silver chopsticks, she bent over to move a nearby round stool closer and sat down beside him.
Picking up the silver chopsticks again, she picked up a piece of roasted meat and brought it to his lips, appearing extremely obedient as her red lips parted slightly. “Please enjoy, sir.”
Her slender, jade-like fingers held the silver chopsticks before him. Sitting so close, the faint, elusive fragrance from the girl drifted around him.
The tender roasted meat suddenly seemed less appetizing.
Shen Xiuwang’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he opened his mouth and ate it.
“Let’s discuss serious matters. How is the investigation going?”
Throughout the meal, Su Tan reported her progress while attending to Grand Commandant Shen’s needs.
Under another’s roof, one must bow their head.
The unspoken complexity of the situation was palpable.
After feeding him a few more bites, Shen Xiuwang raised his hand to stop her.
Picking up a napkin to wipe his mouth, he said, “I didn’t expect you to be so capable. In that case, find the item as soon as possible. You have six days left.”
Finally freed from feeding this imposing figure, Su Tan set down the silver chopsticks and nodded in agreement.
Shen Xiuwan glanced at her slender waist, which seemed almost too delicate to grasp, and suddenly asked, “Have you eaten?”
Su Tan answered truthfully, “Before coming here, I had half a bowl of green rice porridge at the pavilion.”
Half a bowl? Porridge?
Shen Xiuwang tossed the napkin aside and asked casually, “As a courtesan, do you not even get enough to eat?”
Su Tan replied, “Mama Yue says men prefer slender waists, so she is strict with me.”
To become a top courtesan, every part of one’s body, from the inside out, must be exceptional.
Aside from having a stunning appearance, one’s bosom must be alluring, the waist slender, the hips full and shapely, and the legs long and graceful—every inch measured to perfection.
Moreover, one must master music, chess, calligraphy, painting, singing, dancing, wine, and tea to the highest degree.
Su Tan simply lowered her gaze and answered quietly, not wanting to provoke this lord in any way.
Suddenly, a plate of rose pastries was pushed toward her.
Today was the Flower Festival, and eating flowers was a custom. Likely, the chef had prepared this specially to please Military Governor Shen.
“Eat them. Not a single one is to be left.”
She looked up, her eyes filled with confusion.
Shen Xiuwang glared at her. “Why are you looking at me? With your bean sprout figure, how are you supposed to get things done for me?”
There were five or six pastries on the plate, each half the size of a palm. Eating them all would surely leave her uncomfortably full.
Su Tan had never been fond of sweet pastries, and her appetite was small. Yet, she dared not anger him, so she reluctantly expressed her gratitude.
Picking up one piece, she obediently brought it to her mouth.
The girl’s eating manners were very refined—neither hurried nor slow, without a single sound.
Shen Xiuwang watched her for a moment, then felt his own actions were rather pointless.
He stood up, flicked open his folding fan, and went outside the Pleasure Boat on his own to admire the lanterns and the moon.
Out of the corner of her eye, seeing the imposing figure leave, Su Tan immediately grabbed two pastries and hid them in the food box she had brought.
They were so dry and sweet they could choke a person. If she had to eat them all, how would she survive?
Outside the Pleasure Boat.
The lake shimmered gently, with Painted Pleasure Boats of various shapes dotting the water, and flower deity lanterns scattered across the lake’s surface.
Occasionally, the sounds of strings and flutes drifted over.
Tonight, Shen Xiuwang wore a moon-white robe embroidered with crane patterns. Leaning against the railing to enjoy the view, he cut a dashing and elegant figure.
In just half a moment, he had captured the admiration of young ladies on several nearby Painted Pleasure Boats.
Each of them clutched handkerchiefs or held round fans, craning their necks for a better look.
The nearest Pleasure Boat was lavishly appointed, a private procession for officials traveling incognito.
A dignified and graceful young woman, dressed in luxurious brocade and adorned with precious hairpins and golden hair ornaments, stood surrounded by a group of official daughters.
This was none other than Crown Princess Xu Yunshu.
Today was the Flower Morning Festival. She had obtained an oral decree from the Crown Prince and invited her old close friends from her boudoir days for a boat ride to admire the lanterns.
However, her spirits remained somewhat low throughout the evening, until the moon-white figure she had long yearned for appeared, and only then did a smile grace her face.
Coincidentally, fireworks were set off on the opposite shore. Under the pretext of watching the fireworks, Xu Yunshu’s gaze toward Shen Xiuwang grew increasingly fervent.
Inside the Pleasure Boat, Su Tan reluctantly finished the rose pastry and glanced at the figure outside enjoying the view.
A fleeting glimpse, ethereal as an exiled immortal.
That was, of course, provided he remained silent and refrained from killing.
The spring night was chilly, yet Grand Commandant Shen still fanned himself with a folding fan—what was he thinking?
Once the cold seeped into his body, he would likely scold her again for failing to attend to him properly.
Su Tan sighed silently. Surviving under this man’s command was truly difficult.
After hesitating for a moment, she rose, took the moon-white cloak hanging on the clothing rack, and walked out of the Pleasure Boat.