After a long moment, Lin Ruoxuan finally finished tidying his clothes. Turning back around, he felt embarrassed about snapping at Ji Ruxue and explained, “Actually, it is nothing. I am simply not accustomed to others helping me organize my desk. Your Highness, you do not mind, do you?”
“Sir is joking. How could I possibly mind?” Ji Ruxue smiled.
Lin Ruoxuan attempted to make amends by adding, “By the way, the weather has been lovely lately. How about I take you out for some fun another day?”
“That sounds good.”
The capital of the Dayuan Dynasty was the most prosperous city in the world, and Juanlian Alley at the East Gate was the most bustling and hedonistic pleasure den in the empire. As long as one had silver, any kind of beauty or indulgence could be found there.
On this warm spring day, Lin Ruoxuan and Ji Ruxue, both dressed in commoner’s attire, walked boldly into Juanlian Alley.
“Master, come on in!”
“Come over here and have some fun!”
“What a handsome young brother! I will not even charge you any silver!”
“Sir, why did you bring me to a place like this?” Ji Ruxue asked, frowning tightly as he looked at the alluring figures waving silk handkerchiefs from the balconies above.
“You will see in a moment,” Lin Ruoxuan said, acting mysterious.
“Oh.” Ji Ruxue was clearly reluctant but still followed Lin Ruoxuan inside.
Before long, the two arrived deep in the alley. Lin Ruoxuan stopped outside a courtyard. Sounds of string instruments and laughter drifted from within. Above the thick, dark-red gate hung a green silk banner labeled “Yutao House.”
On the white walls, a few branches of pink peach blossoms stretched out, looking lush and vibrant, their faint, sweet fragrance lingering in the air.
“Although it is a house of pleasure, the name Yutao House is quite elegant. ‘In this doorway, on this day last year, a face and peach blossoms glowed with the same crimson hue,'” Lin Ruoxuan recited, shaking his head rhythmically.
Before he could finish the poem, two stout, middle-aged men walked out, laughing. “Boss Zhang, this Yutao House truly lives up to its reputation. Those two young male escorts today had such white, firm backsides. They looked just like honey peaches.”
“Indeed, indeed. They are jade peaches, after all,” the other agreed.
Lin Ruoxuan stood silent.
He suddenly regretted bringing Ji Ruxue here. Even though he had come for legitimate business and wanted to broaden Ji Ruxue’s horizons regarding the lives of commoners, this place was too much. He did not want to corrupt the young man.
He hesitated and said, “A-Xue, why do you not head back first?”
Ji Ruxue’s expression darkened. He clearly despised this place, but he flatly rejected Lin Ruoxuan’s suggestion. “No, I will stay with you, Sir.”
Lin Ruoxuan did not understand what the boy was thinking and was about to persuade him further when a figure suddenly swirled out, enveloped in a fragrant breeze. “Oh my, is this Chief Eunuch Lin? No wonder I heard the magpies singing this morning; it turns out you were coming to visit!”
The person who appeared was a flamboyant man in his thirties. He was not short, yet he wore a gaudy, bright-green silk shirt. His face was covered in a thick layer of white lead powder, and his lips were painted red, looking as if he had just devoured a child. Lin Ruoxuan instinctively took a step back.
He felt a bit of fear.
The flamboyant man, however, was oblivious. He rushed forward to hook his arm into Lin Ruoxuan’s and lamented, “Chief, you have not been here in years! I have missed you so much!”
Lin Ruoxuan swallowed hard and said stiffly, “Let go of me first, and let us talk properly, all right?”
“Chief,” the man pouted, refusing to let go. Ji Ruxue stepped forward with a dark face and forcibly yanked the man’s hand off.
The man let out a pained cry, but, experienced in the ways of pleasure houses, he immediately put on a flattering smile. “Oh my, and which young master is this? So very handsome!”
Ji Ruxue frowned, but before he could speak, the man turned back to Lin Ruoxuan. “Chief, did you hear that I recently acquired some fresh goods, and your interest was piqued? Do not worry, I have two new ones that have not been touched yet. One is thirteen, the other fourteen. They are so tender they could drip water!”
Lin Ruoxuan could practically feel the blade-like gaze Ji Ruxue was drilling into his back. He felt goosebumps rise on his skin. He thought, Damn it, does this Yutao House belong to the original Lin Wan’er? Is the little Black Lotus having flashbacks to his traumatic past?
Ji Ruxue gritted his teeth, trying his best to hold back, but finally failed. “Did you not say you had already kicked this habit?”
“I am not,” Lin Ruoxuan stammered.
The man cooed, “Oh, young master, you are mistaken! Let me tell you, once someone gets a taste for this, it is not so easy to quit! If you do not believe me, I will pick out the very best for you today. Once you taste that experience…”
Ji Ruxue’s face was as dark as the bottom of a pot. He yanked hard on Lin Ruoxuan’s sleeve. “We are leaving.”
“Wait, I am not leaving!” Lin Ruoxuan felt as if his feet had taken root; he would not leave if his life depended on it.
Ji Ruxue’s voice rose sharply. “Do you really want to stay?”
Lin Ruoxuan was on the verge of tears. He hurriedly said, “Boss Su, I am not here for fun today. I am here to find someone. Is Shangguan Xian in?”
Boss Su paused for a moment, looking Lin Ruoxuan up and down. “The Chief has changed his tastes today? Shangguan Xian is already twenty-five, not fifteen. That is just an old, tough vegetable leaf; there is nothing to chew on!”
Lin Ruoxuan suppressed the urge to bash the man’s head in. He said coldly, “Does this Chief need Boss Su to instruct me on my own tastes?”
His demeanor turned icy, and Boss Su immediately cowered, shrinking his neck in fear. “This lowly one would not dare! This way, Chief, please.”
“It is good that you understand,” Lin Ruoxuan scoffed and walked inside. However, his arm felt a slight tug; Ji Ruxue was still gripping his wrist, standing at the entrance and refusing to move.
With so many eyes around, Lin Ruoxuan could not explain. He had to bite the bullet and say, “How about this, A-Xue? Wait for me here. It will not take long, at most an hour.”
“You want me to wait here for you?” Ji Ruxue endured the frustration and finally let out a smile through gritted teeth. “Fine by me. I will go in and open my eyes to this world as well.”
Seeing that smile, Lin Ruoxuan felt awkward. The little Black Lotus clearly hated this place. If he had known, he would not have brought him.
Boss Su led them to the backyard and bowed carefully. “Shangguan Xian lives in the room where A-Rou used to stay. I know the Chief does not like being followed, so I will not make a nuisance of myself. Besides, I am sure the Chief is familiar with A-Rou’s old room.”
Ji Ruxue’s mood was at its absolute worst. He shot a chilling glare at Boss Su. “Get lost.”
“Yes, yes.” Boss Su trembled, losing all his flamboyance, and scurried away like a frightened rabbit.
Lin Ruoxuan took a deep breath and tugged lightly on Ji Ruxue’s sleeve. “Let us go.”
Ji Ruxue let out a cold huff and reluctantly followed him inside.
Once they entered the backyard, Lin Ruoxuan regretted it instantly. Who could have known that Yutao House’s business was this large? It was a maze of Suzhou-style gardens, bridges, and flowing water, with at least twenty or thirty small cabins hidden among the peach trees. How was he supposed to find this Shangguan Xian?
Seeing him look troubled, Ji Ruxue did not offer any suggestions as he usually would. Instead, he stood with his arms crossed, watching coldly.
Lin Ruoxuan had no choice but to grab a passing man. “Brother, hold on a moment. I am looking for someone.”
“You call someone like me ‘brother’?” The man was about twenty-five or twenty-six, wearing a thin layer of makeup. His eyes looked haggard, and his clothes were very plain; it seemed his business was not going well. He looked Lin Ruoxuan up and down, appearing slightly amused.
Lin Ruoxuan said awkwardly, “Just a habit. Then, little brother, I wanted to ask which room Shangguan Xian lives in?”
The man raised an eyebrow. “I am Shangguan Xian, but I do not want to entertain guests today.”
“You are Shangguan Xian?” Lin Ruoxuan’s eyes lit up. “The green mountains do not change!”
“The green waters flow forever.” Shangguan Xian raised an eyebrow and lowered his voice. “Are you here to buy information?”
“Exactly,” Lin Ruoxuan nodded.
“Please follow me.” Shangguan Xian smiled.
Ji Ruxue’s expression slowly relaxed, and he could not help but ask in a low voice, “Sir, you came to buy information? Why not use the Eastern Depot’s network?”
“Using both approaches covers more ground,” Lin Ruoxuan replied.
Shangguan Xian led them to an inconspicuous cabin. “Please, come in.”
The interior was simple and old, but kept very clean. The two sat down, and Shangguan Xian poured two cups of hot tea. “May I ask for the honored names of my two guests? And what kind of information are you looking to buy?”
“My surname is Mu, his is Li,” Lin Ruoxuan paused before saying, “I want to buy information on several medicinal herbs.”
“What herbs?”
“Skeleton Grass from the Northern Desert, Mermaid Tears from the Southern Seas, and the Twin-Lotus from the Western Regions.”
Shangguan Xian pondered for a moment before speaking slowly. “I have never heard of Mermaid Tears or the Twin-Lotus. However, I do know a thing or two about the Northern Desert Skeleton Grass.”
Lin Ruoxuan’s spirits lifted. “Where exactly is this Skeleton Grass?”
Shangguan Xian drawled, “According to folklore, the Skeleton Grass is a sacred herb of the Jurchen tribe, controlled by the Great Shanyu’s Consort. However, ever since the previous Great Shanyu was defeated by the Prince of Ningyuan a few years ago, the Consort disappeared with the sacred herb, and no one knows where it ended up.”
Lin Ruoxuan frowned. “Do you have any way to find out more?”
Shangguan Xian nodded and smiled, holding out his palm.
Lin Ruoxuan, prepared, placed a 5,000-tael silver note into his hand. Shangguan Xian laughed, “Chief Eunuch Lin is indeed generous.”
“You know who I am?” Lin Ruoxuan raised an eyebrow, though he realized that if this man could not identify him, he would not deserve the title of the Jianghu Encyclopedia.
Shangguan Xian got up and left the room to store the money. Ji Ruxue could not help but whisper, “You came here to find the whereabouts of those three herbs?”
Lin Ruoxuan sighed, “Yes, I still need those three.”
When he had stolen the White Jade Ginseng from the Imperial Pharmacy earlier, he had been caught by Ji Ruxue. Lin Ruoxuan had no choice but to lie, saying he was born with a weak constitution and feared he would not live long. He claimed he had accidentally obtained a precious prescription and wanted to find these rare herbs to nourish his body.
His current body was indeed frail, so Ji Ruxue accepted the explanation and even helped him successfully acquire the White Jade Ginseng.
Ji Ruxue frowned. “You are in such a rush; is something wrong with your body lately?”
Lin Ruoxuan waved his hand. “No.”
“Really?”
Lin Ruoxuan smiled, “Really. I am skilled in medicine myself; do you not think I would know if something was wrong?”
Ji Ruxue was about to say something else when voices drifted from outside the door.
First was Shangguan Xian’s surprised and delighted voice: “Why are you here? I heard you were still at Juyong Pass.”
Then came an incredibly low and pleasant voice, like a gentle breeze across a zither string: “I heard you had obtained the information, so I rushed over through the night. What, do you have guests today?”
Shangguan Xian laughed. “Today’s guests are your old acquaintances; you would never guess who.”
Lin Ruoxuan and Ji Ruxue exchanged glances. Which person could this be?
Just then, the door creaked open, and a man strode in. His hawk-like gaze swept over them, and his pupils constricted sharply. “Wan’er?”
The man was tall and lean, and despite wearing dusty white robes, his figure was elegant and graceful. However, he wore an antique silver ghost mask, which covered most of his face, leaving only a perfectly shaped chin and thin lips exposed.
Lin Ruoxuan was stunned, and the teacup in his hand shattered with a loud crash.
The reason he was stunned was not the man’s attire, but the system frantically blaring in his mind: System notification: The Male Lead has appeared!
This was Xiao Tunan? But was Xiao Tunan not still at Juyong Pass? And why was he wearing a mask?
Xiao Tunan stared at Lin Ruoxuan for a moment, then slowly turned his dark eyes toward Ji Ruxue. Upon seeing Ji Ruxue’s face, he clearly paused. “You…”
Ji Ruxue glanced lightly at the broken teacup on the floor, then raised his eyes, examining Xiao Tunan as if assessing him. “Sir, what did he call you? What ‘Wan’er’?”
Lin Ruoxuan felt completely bewildered. Before he could decide what to say, Xiao Tunan suddenly smiled. The laugh sounded bleak, filled with a hint of melancholy. “I forgot, you do not go by that name anymore. Very well. The days of the past cannot be kept. That is for the best.”
He then sat down across from Lin Ruoxuan and shamelessly scrutinized Ji Ruxue. “How time flies; the little one has grown so big.”
“Who are you to be so rude?” Ji Ruxue’s brow furrowed heavily, appearing deeply displeased by the flippant term “little one.”
“The little one has quite the pride,” Xiao Tunan smiled slightly, repeating the phrase, then poured himself a cup of tea. He sipped it leisurely, his posture perfectly elegant. “Not bad. West Lake Longjing tea from this year’s early spring, brewed with mountain spring water from Nanshan Kongyin Temple—a perfect match.”
Ji Ruxue narrowed his eyes slightly, his snow-white face devoid of expression.
Lin Ruoxuan looked at Xiao Tunan, then at Ji Ruxue, feeling like a rat caught in a bellows—being squeezed from both sides. With his head pounding, he finally had to bite the bullet and play the mediator. “Your Highness, this is your uncle, the Prince of Ningyuan, Xiao Tunan.”