allonlinenovel Chapter 266 Brothel
Chapter 266 Brothel
As the saying goes, "drink until you're completely drunk," Nianyao hadn't drunk so heartily, gotten so thoroughly drunk, or slept so soundly in a long time.
When Nianyao woke up, her head was still groggy. She turned her head and saw someone sitting at the table reading a book. He was dressed in a moon-white robe and looked gentle and quiet.
Nianyao said, "Luo An, I want to drink water."
The man put down his book, poured a glass of water, and walked to the bedside. He was backlit, so his face was blurry and not very clear.
Nianyao propped herself up to sit up, rubbing her temples: "Luo An, what time is it?"
The man sat on the edge of the bed and handed her a cup: "Noon."
Nianyao looked up in surprise: "It's you?"
Xu Sheng smiled and said, "It's me."
Nianyao looked around. The room was exquisitely furnished. There was a guqin by the window, and a large desk with writing brushes, ink, paper and inkstone on the side. Landscape paintings were painted on the walls... Whose boudoir is this?
Xu Sheng explained, "This is the Hundred Flowers Pavilion."
Nianyao took the cup, drank the full glass of water, and only then did her mind begin to clear: they had spent the night in a brothel.
Nianyao looked down at her undergarments and subconsciously pulled the blanket up.
Xu Sheng smiled and said, "You only realize you need to pull the covers up now? Too late. Yesterday you were crying and begging for your parents, refusing to let go, and you were covered in tears and snot."
I had no choice but to borrow the courtesan's house to carry you upstairs to bathe and change your clothes. Oh, you're so heavy, my arms are still sore..."
Nianyao grew increasingly terrified as she listened, her eyes widening. She was truly drunk and had no recollection of anything.
Xu Sheng gave her no hope at all: "People of the martial world don't care about such things, you don't need to worry about it."
Nianyao was carefree and didn't care about details, but this wasn't exactly a minor issue. She slid down like a snake, covered herself completely with the blanket, and stared at the pink canopy ceiling for a while.
Xu Sheng looked at her quietly and didn't try to scare her any further.
The room was quiet for a while, until Nianyao's stomach rumbled. She said calmly, "I'm hungry."
Xu Sheng was somewhat surprised that she had recovered so quickly: "I'll have someone send some food over."
Xu Sheng casually tossed a set of clothes onto the bed, then turned and left.
Nianyao picked up the clothes and realized they were men's clothing. Just as she finished dressing, a maid brought in water to help her wash up. Once she was ready, someone brought in food.
The schedule was tight, but perfectly arranged. This time, it wasn't extravagant: four dishes, a soup, two bowls, and a small bucket of rice. Xu Sheng entered only after the maid had finished setting everything out and left.
Nianyao filled her own bowl and started eating. The rice was soft, smooth, and sweet.
While shoveling rice into her mouth, Nianyao kept praising, "Delicious, delicious! Everything tastes good when you're hungry."
Xu Sheng sat opposite Nian Yao and slowly served rice: "This is rice made from tribute rice, Silver Pearl Rice."
Nianyao was extremely supportive: "Thanks to Your Highness."
Xu Sheng couldn't help but remind him, "Eat slowly, there's more."
Nianyao didn't care at all: "People of the martial world don't care about trivial matters."
Xu Sheng laughed and said, "You seem to have a pretty good outlook on things."
Nianyao ate two bowls in a row, pushed the bowls forward, leaned back, and patted her stomach, saying, "I'm so full. I haven't eaten this much in a long time."
It felt so good to have a full meal. It seemed like ages since I'd had such a carefree day. Nianyao wiped her eyes and unconsciously shifted her gaze to Xu Sheng.
Xu Sheng and Luo An are very similar, unhurried and composed, even their handling of chopsticks is more elegant than others. If they really were brothers, no one would doubt it at all.
Although it's true that money talks in brothels, Xu Sheng didn't act like a customer at all at Baihua Brothel, and even ate tribute rice there?
Nianyao suddenly asked, "Do you own the Hundred Flowers Pavilion?"
Xu Sheng shook his head: "Of course not. The history of this Hundred Flowers Pavilion is older than me. It is said that your father-in-law once visited here. This is the third floor, look out the window."
Outside the window stood an osmanthus tree, its branches laden with tiny, golden blossoms, their delicate fragrance wafting into the room, soothing and delightful. Nianyao walked to the window, leaned forward slightly, and plucked a sprig of osmanthus.
Outside the window was a large courtyard, even larger than the Xi Zhai courtyard, with pavilions, towers, bridges, flowing water, and paths lined with all kinds of trees. Even the imperial gardens couldn't compare.
The outermost edge of the courtyard consisted of rows of small buildings, with maids leading various guests to different buildings. Only then could one tell that this was a brothel.
Xu Sheng said, "Such a tall osmanthus tree will take many years to grow."
Nianyao turned around and leaned against the window: "Is Baihua Tower owned by the royal family of Nanyue?"
Xu Sheng said, "To be precise, it was opened by your mother-in-law. To be even more precise, Baihualou was always royal private property, which was later destroyed in the war."
After your mother-in-law returned to Nanyue, she immediately reopened the Baihua Tower. The building we're staying in is called Guixiang Garden, and it's always been used to entertain royalty.
"To entertain guests in a brothel, what a brilliant idea!" Nianyao looked down at the osmanthus branch and remained silent for a long while.
While eating, Xu Sheng chatted casually: "Chief Xue, I really need your help."
Nianyao: "To Bohai?"
Xu Sheng said, "That's right!"
Nianyao asked, "What are you doing?"
Xu Sheng said, "Retrieve the remains!"
Nianyao exclaimed in surprise, "What?"
Xu Sheng solemnly declared, "Retrieve the remains! Retrieve the remains of a woman!"
Nianyao's eyes widened: "What did you do?"
Xu Sheng put down his bowl: "Your father-in-law, who is Luo An's father, dumped a woman's body in Bohai many years ago."
Nianyao instinctively thought, "Nonsense."
Xu Sheng raised an eyebrow.
Nianyao said, "The ocean has everything. If we really wanted to dispose of a body, it would have been completely destroyed long ago. I've been around rivers, lakes, and seas since I was a child; the monsters in the ocean can swallow a whole person whole."
Xu Sheng said, "What if..."
Nianyao interrupted, "There's no 'what if.' Anyway, you're mixing truth and falsehood in your words, and I can't tell if you know what's going on in your heart. If it's false, that goes without saying, but if it were true, if his father really wanted to dispose of the body, would you have been able to find his remains after all these years?"
Xu Sheng poked at the rice in his bowl with his chopsticks: "Chief Xue, didn't you have a fight with Luo An? Why are you still siding with him?"
Nianyao suddenly realized: "You want to sow discord? Let me tell you, we're on very good terms. An Liangchen asked him to help out in Bianjing, so I came back first. Let's go back after you've eaten your fill. Xue Chenxi is still in your shabby little house."
On the way back, both of them were preoccupied with their own thoughts and neither spoke.
The dilapidated prince's humble abode was deserted; the hunchbacked old woman who used to live there was no longer there. Instead, a middle-aged woman was breastfeeding Xue Chenxi in the courtyard.
Upon hearing the sound, Xue Chenxi turned her head and saw Nian Yao, immediately revealing a smile.
Nianyao felt a warmth in her heart and took the child in her arms: "I'm going back now, Your Highness, there's no need to see me off."
Xu Sheng was indignant: "I helped you cover up your lies, hired a wet nurse for you, treated you to drinks and meals, listened to your crying and rambling, bathed you and changed your clothes... and then you just left?"
They made her sound like a heartless man.
"Your Highness, you stay on Chongming Island for ten days to half a month at a time, eating my food, living in my house and drinking my drinks. How do you plan to account for this?"
As for your weeping and nagging, Your Highness, you probably don't know that my father allowed me to drink because I have excellent drinking manners; I just go to sleep when I'm drunk.
As for bathing and changing clothes..." Nianyao smiled enigmatically, "I'm afraid Your Highness isn't up to the task of serving others, is he?"
“It’s not that I can’t do it, it’s just that you…” Xu Sheng’s gaze swept over her from head to toe: “You’re not worth my service.”