Chapter 80: Visiting a Brothel Requires an Honored Guest Invitation? Miss Yurou
The North Street was a river of light and vice.
On both sides of the road, red lanterns hung high from the eaves of two-story pavilions. At every entrance, scantily clad women and eager touts called out to passersby, their voices weaving a net of seduction.
But Xiao Yifeng ignored them all. His gaze was fixed on the end of the long street, where a magnificent, towering structure loomed over the lesser establishments like a queen looking down on her subjects.
It occupied a massive plot of land, exuding an aura of grandeur that separated it from the vulgarity of the street.
Xiao Yifeng approached the building. Above the main entrance, a plaque inscribed with vigorous calligraphy read: Qingyuan.
This place was different. It lacked the heavy, cloying scent of cheap rouge and the desperate hustle of the other brothels. The women standing at the door were not exposing their skin to attract attention; instead, they were dressed in elegant, modest robes. Their demeanor was serene and aloof, resembling well-bred ladies from noble families rather than courtesans.
When they saw Xiao Yifeng approach, they didn't swarm him with fake enthusiasm. instead, a woman with superior beauty and light makeup stepped forward, blocking his path with a polite smile.
"Young Master, may I ask if you possess a honored guest invitation for our Qingyuan?"
"Invitation?" Xiao Yifeng raised an eyebrow. "Does one need a special invitation just to enter a brothel these days?"
"Yes, Young Master," the woman replied, her tone remaining courteous despite his lack of credentials. "Qingyuan only serves distinguished guests. We must verify a guest's identity and status before granting entry."
"Look at this country bumpkin," a sneering voice cut in from behind. "He wants to enter Qingyuan without even weighing his own purse first. Do you really think this is a place where mere money is enough?"
A carriage had just pulled up, and a plump, middle-aged man jumped down. He looked at Xiao Yifeng with undisguised disdain, his eyes scanning Xiao Yifeng’s simple attire.
Xiao Yifeng glanced sideways at the fat man but didn't get angry. He turned back to the hostess. "May I ask if there is a Miss Yurou in your esteemed establishment?"
"Hah! Truly a bumpkin!" the fat man spat, laughing loudly. "He doesn't even know that tonight is Miss Yurou's debut ceremony, yet he still tries to pretend he knows the way of the wind and moon?"
The fat man strode forward, pulled out a crimson invitation card, and waved it arrogantly. A servant immediately bowed and ushered him inside with great respect.
Xiao Yifeng’s expression shifted slightly.
Tonight is her debut?
That meant tonight was the night she would be auctioned off. It was a coincidence, but a fortunate one. If he had come a day later, he might have missed his chance.
"I absolutely must enter tonight," Xiao Yifeng murmured.
He looked at the hostess and smiled. "I don't have an invitation. But I wonder... does this qualify me to enter?"
He extended his right hand.
Hum.
The air around his hand distorted. Countless strands of invisible Sword Qi materialized, swirling around his fingers like miniature dragons. The sharp, chilling aura made the air temperature drop instantly.
The hostess’s beautiful eyes widened in shock. She realized immediately that the young man standing before her was not a mortal, but a Cultivator.
She hurriedly bowed, her posture becoming deeply respectful. "Of course, Immortal Master! Please, forgive my lack of vision. Follow me."
Xiao Yifeng smiled faintly and followed her inside. As he expected, in this world, strength was the ultimate proof of status.
Stepping across the threshold, Xiao Yifeng discovered that Qingyuan was truly a "cave heaven"—there was far more to it than met the eye.
The front building was merely a façade. Behind it lay a sprawling complex of courtyards, gardens, and auxiliary towers. The scale was immense.
The guide led Xiao Yifeng to a beautiful woman in her thirties who appeared to be the manager. After whispering a few words in her ear, the older woman’s eyes lit up. She hurried over, curtsying gracefully.
"This slave is Liao Hong. If the Immortal Master doesn't mind, you may call me Sister Hong. Since you are a Cultivator, you are naturally our most honored guest."
Liao Hong smiled professionally, her eyes assessing him. "May I ask the Young Master’s esteemed name? Do you have a familiar girl you wish to see? or perhaps you have a specific preference?"
"I am here for Yurou," Xiao Yifeng said directly. "I heard tonight is her debut."
"Young Master has excellent timing," Liao Hong beamed. "Tonight is indeed Miss Yurou's 'Flower-Picking Ceremony.' It is being held in the main pavilion. I will have Xiaoqing escort you there immediately."
She signaled to a young maid named Xiaoqing, who nodded and led Xiao Yifeng through the complex to the main hall.
The main hall was a marvel of architecture. The structure was circular and cavernous, designed like a grand theater. In the center sat a massive circular stage adorned with fresh flowers.
Surrounding the stage on the ground floor were hundreds of tables and chairs, already filling up with guests. The second and third floors featured private booths with silk curtains, offering privacy and a commanding view—the seats for the honored guests.
It looked less like a brothel and more like a high-end auction house. Which, in a way, it was. The merchandise just happened to be people.
Xiao Yifeng spotted the fat man from the entrance sitting loudly at a table below.
Xiaoqing led Xiao Yifeng respectfully up to a private booth on the second floor. He sat down, offering a clear view of the stage below. Servants immediately brought fine wine and delicate appetizers.
Xiaoqing lingered, glancing at Xiao Yifeng’s handsome face with a hint of shyness. "Young Master, the ceremony won't begin for a little while. Do you require... other sisters to serve you? If you don't mind, Xiaoqing is also available."
"Thank you, Miss Xiaoqing," Xiao Yifeng said warmly. "If you don't mind, please sit and share a cup of wine with me."
He had no intention of sleeping with her, but he needed information.
Xiaoqing’s face lit up. She sat down gracefully beside him, pouring him a cup of wine.
Xiao Yifeng drank and casually steered the conversation toward Yurou.
He learned that Yurou, like Xiaoqing, had been raised in Qingyuan since childhood. Because of her exceptional beauty and talent, she had been groomed as the successor to the current top courtesan. Tonight was the auction of her "first night"—the Flower-Picking Ceremony.
Just as they were chatting, a commotion rippled through the crowd below. The guests began to shout and whistle.
"Young Master, it is starting," Xiaoqing whispered.
As her voice faded, the sound of a zither cut through the noise.
Clang...
The melody was crystal clear, elegant and sorrowful, like a lover whispering ancient secrets. The rowdy hall fell instantly silent.
In the center of the hall, the massive circular stage sank down, and a smaller, elevated platform rose from its center.
Seated on the platform was a woman of breathtaking grace. She sat before a guqin, her slender fingers dancing over the strings.
The sound was mesmerizing—like large and small pearls falling onto a jade plate.
The beauty parted her red lips and began to sing.
"Beautiful palaces and fragrant woods face the high pavilion, new attire and stunning beauty originally captivate the city. Reflected in the doorway, her delicate charm gathers..."
Her voice was soft yet penetrating, carrying a melancholic beauty that tugged at the soul. The audience sat frozen, entranced by the performance.
Xiao Yifeng stared at the woman on stage, his mind drifting back to his past life.
The lyrics she sang were from the famous Jade Tree Backyard Flowers—a poem symbolizing the sorrow of a fallen nation. But the melody... the melody was unique.
It was the Yurou Melody.
She had composed it herself.
In his previous life, while they were fleeing for their lives, Yurou had played this very tune for him and Xiao Tian to lift their spirits. Hearing it now, in this place, gave him a profound sense of dislocation.
Suddenly, the music stopped.
The melody ended abruptly, leaving the audience waking as if from a dream, their hearts aching for more.
"Excellent!"
A loud voice boomed from a private booth on the second floor, shattering the lingering atmosphere.
"Miss Yurou is truly worthy of being the next Headliner! This melody belongs only in the heavens; how many times can it be heard in the mortal world? I have never heard this tune before—tell me, which master composed it?"
The voice was arrogant and commanding.
Xiao Yifeng’s expression turned strange. He recognized that voice instantly.
It was Crown Prince Dai Yun.
The guy really has no shame, Xiao Yifeng thought. After getting slapped in the face at the palace this afternoon, he comes straight to a brothel?
He didn't realize that it was precisely because Dai Yun had been humiliated by Xiao Yifeng earlier that he was here. The Crown Prince was full of pent-up rage and fire, desperate to vent his frustrations on a woman.
Following the Prince's shout, the rest of the crowd seemed to wake up, bursting into thunderous applause, praising the song as a masterpiece of natural beauty.
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