Chapter 6
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“Brother Wang,” said You Mengzhe.
“Hmm?” Wang Tan lowered his head, deeply engrossed in a pile of small wooden plaques.
Note: Sorry wrong name from previous chapter, his name is not Wang Butou but Wang Tan.
In the dimly lit house under the candlelight, after seeing off Yu Changqing, You Mengzhe ate and lived with Wang Tan. The winter night was long, the fire in the stove burned brightly. You Mengzhe was bored, but as he looked at Wang Tan’s massive arms and legs, his well-developed male chest, and the dense thicket of black chest hair, he contemplated for a long time but couldn’t bring himself to say, “Brother, shall we dual cultivate together?” No matter how he considered it, he couldn’t say it.
“Dual….dual….” You Mengzhe thought forget it.
Wang Tan was muttering something as he carefully wiped the wooden plaques clean. He said, “Young brother, have you ever been to senior brother’s house?”
“No,” You Mengzhe shook his head blankly and asked, “Is Brother Yu’s family a bit…”
Wang Tan said, “His wife is quite fierce.”
You Mengzhe, still haunted by his memories, nodded and curiosity arose within him. He asked, “Why did Brother Yu marry her?”
“Hehehe,” Wang Tan winked at You Mengzhe.
You Mengzhe: “…”
Wang Tan continued to concentrate on the pile of small wooden cards and said, “How did you and senior brother meet?”
You Mengzhe: “We met by chance.”
“Um-hmm,” Wang Tan said, “Before, senior brother had quite a few admirers in the capital. They were all good-looking young girls. However, after he married sister-in-law, she scolded him for being a coward and drove all of them away. She even collected his salary for a whole year…”
You Mengzhe: “!!!”
While Wang Tan continued to mumble, You Mengzhe couldn’t help but think that it turned out Yu Changqing was a coward, pretending to be a righteous martial artist with a righteous appearance!
“Are we just going to stay here tonight?” You Mengzhe asked.
“Of course,” Wang Tan asked in surprise.
You Mengzhe thought that life was really boring and said, “How about we go out and find some… fun?”
“No money,” Wang Tan said with a hint of sadness, looking at the items in his hand.
“Let me treat you, come on, let’s go to the city,” You Mengzhe said.
Although Wang Tan had no money, he was very familiar with the streets and lanes of Yangzhou. He led You Mengzhe across the Seven-Lantern Bridge, into the Lantern Street. Yangzhou was illuminated with colorful lanterns, the streets were lively and bustling.
On the roadside, the lantern lights were brilliantly shining, charming young ladies whispered and giggled, exuding the unique charm of the Jiangnan region. You Mengzhe’s eyes were filled with the vibrant lantern lights, he couldn’t help but feel the grandeur of this place. Wang Tan followed You Mengzhe, pointing out various spots of interest along the way, recommending the best dumplings, the restaurants with the most exquisite banquets, and even the ones that were praised by the current emperor…..
Occasionally, young ladies on the second-floor balconies waved handkerchiefs and playfully flirted.
You Mengzhe asked, “Hua Jin Lou, what’s this place?”
Wang Tan replied, “Young brother, are you planning to treat me there?”
You Mengzhe turned to look at him, puzzled. Wang Tan grinned and said, “That’s a really nice place! But it’s also quite expensive…”
You Mengzhe saw the splendid lights of the Hua Jin Lou, with many guests inside. He said, “Let’s go in, have a drink, and listen to music!”
In Yangzhou, there were many wealthy young masters, all dressed in finery, they were having a great time in the front hall. They were invited into elegant rooms by the madam of the establishment. After standing in the hall for a while without anyone welcoming him, You Mengzhe couldn’t help but loudly say, “Hey! Where’s the shopkeeper? Where’s the servant?”
You Mengzhe didn’t know the proper etiquette and wasn’t a regular customer, so as soon as he spoke, he attracted numerous scornful glances from the others. They looked at You Mengzhe with disdain, and You Mengzhe cast a sidelong glance at them.
The madam turned around to assess You Mengzhe from head to toe. Just as she was about to take a closer look, she suddenly spotted the jade pendant hanging from You Mengzhe’s waist, and her expression changed in an instant.
“Oh my, it’s Young Master You——!” The madam exclaimed, nearly rolling over to You Mengzhe. She shrieked, “This is truly a blessing bestowed upon my humble establishment by the heavens! I don’t know what wind brought Young Master here…”
You Mengzhe: “???”
The madam immediately nodded, bowing deeply to You Mengzhe. She then invited him upstairs, giving a fierce look that made pimp turn pale. He hurriedly went to fetch a jade hammer and struck the jade chimes twice.
In an instant, all the flower girls in the building seemed to have received a command, they filed out, leaving their accompanying guests behind. They ran towards the third floor with small, quick steps.
The guests who were listening to music were all bewildered, completely unaware of what was happening.
This was a bit too enthusiastic for You Mengzhe, who was now utterly confused. He was ushered into a luxurious room on the third floor by the madam and seated on a soft couch. He asked, “How did you know my surname is You?”
The madam replied, “Young Master, I am Aunt An! Dragon Wind Cloud Tiger, Aunt An from the Tiger Clan. Our Tiger Clan manages the brothels in Yangzhou and the surrounding areas. Every establishment like Hua Jin Lou belongs to our Divine Sect…”
Upon hearing that she was the Demonic Sect member, instinctively, You Mengzhe thought about escaping to avoid being captured by the sect members. However, looking at Aunt An’s demeanor, it seemed like she wasn’t aware that he had left the sect without permission. He steadied himself and asked, “So, drinking here is free?”
Aunt An responded, “Oh my! It’s not just free! Young Master, are your funds enough to cover the expenses? Shall we check the accounts first or we can just have some fun?”
You Mengzhe said, “It’s enough. What kind of fun do you have here? Let’s not bother with the accounts; just bring out the enjoyable things.”
“Bring… bring them out?” Aunt An was momentarily puzzled, but she then signaled outside and explained with a playful smile. You Mengzhe listened with trepidation as the young ladies, in all shapes and sizes, started coming in. He was then faced with the task of choosing among the young ladies who had entered the room, which left him both anxious and terrified.
Wang Tan’s eyes widened in an instant, the room suddenly bustled with dishes being brought in, chopsticks being set, a zither being placed, and incense being lit. The overly attentive service made You Mengzhe’s whole body break out in goosebumps.
You Mengzhe said, “No… I practice a certain technique that forbids me from being near women. See, Aunt An, it’s written in the books. If I were to engage with a woman, my inner energy would go awry, and I could explode.”
“Ahh…” Aunt An nodded in understanding and then eagerly asked You Mengzhe, “Then… how about Guan’ers?”
“Guan’er?” You Mengzhe was momentarily puzzled, wondering what she meant by “Guan’er.” Then he remembered that Sun Bin had mentioned it before; it must refer to young boys. He promptly replied, “Guan’ers are fine! Bring them here.”
Aunt An waved her hand and said, “Bring twenty Guan’ers in!”
You Mengzhe said, “That’s too many… Let me take a look.”
Wang Tan, with two women in his arms, the lovely ladies snuggling against his chest, was thoroughly enjoying himself. He said, “Young brother You, my dear friend! You have exquisite taste! I’m going to the adjacent room, hehehe.”
You Mengzhe was truly reveling in this moment, he replied, “You’re welcome, take your time, Brother. Now, let me see…”
The young Guan’ers lined up, awaiting his selection. You Mengzhe scanned them, most of them were dressed in delicate blue garments, their arms like lotus stems, and they had the graceful and fragile beauty of willow trees in the wind. Few of them exhibited any masculine traits. He reluctantly picked one who had a somewhat noble appearance, there was something in his eyebrows and eyes that reminded him of a quick glance from Sun Bin under the moonlight.
“Him, then,” You Mengzhe said.
The young women had all dispersed, and Aunt An stood outside, fanning herself with her handkerchief as she listened for any orders. The young Guan’er was trembling with fear as he knelt down.
You Mengzhe: “Get up.”
The young Guan approached You Mengzhe, pouring wine and offering dishes. You Mengzhe held the young Guan’er’s chin, examining him closely, feeling somewhat intrigued.
“Come,” You Mengzhe said, and with that, he started undressing himself.
The young Guan’er, unaccustomed to such enthusiastic customer, followed suit without drinking any wine. He undressed himself, leaving only a bit of clothing on. He lay down on the bed.
You Mengzhe, having removed all his clothes except for a robe, got on top of him. He propped himself up on his elbows, and the young Guan’er lay beneath him, his eyes seductive.
You Mengzhe looked down at the young Guan’er and asked, “Aren’t you… getting excited?”
The young Guan’er, panting softly, replied, “When the Young Master enters later, this servant will naturally…”
You Mengzhe: “…..”
Young Guan’er: “??”
You Mengzhe paused and then said, “Shouldn’t it be you who enters? You can handle it yourself.”
The young Guan’er looked puzzled and asked, “Isn’t the Young Master supposed to come in?”
You Mengzhe immediately realized that he was in a difficult situation. If he continued like this, his cultivation might be affected. So, he decided it was better not to take risks.
“Young Master….” the young Guan’er hesitated: “Are you coming in?”
You Mengzhe’s mouth twitched, thinking it was better not to do anything reckless.
You Mengzhe asked: “What can you do?”
The young Guan’er said: “I can play qin.”
You Mengzhe asked: “Do you know any martial arts?”
The young Guan’er: “This…no….”
You Mengzhe immediately lost interest. He got up, put on his clothes, and casually said, “Play a tune for me.”
The young Guan’er, feeling bewildered, followed You Mengzhe’s lead, dressed himself, and with his sleeves rolled up, he brought over the dishes. He sat at the qin table and plucked the strings, creating a melodious sound. You Mengzhe remained expressionless, thinking that in this world, finding someone with martial skills for dual cultivation was more challenging than reaching the heavens.
“Your skill is not as good as mine,” You Mengzhe remarked.
The young Guan’er: “Of course, I can’t compare to Young Master’…”
You Mengzhe took a sip of wine. The dishes here were exquisite, and the wine was the finest, a top-notch vintage. He felt relaxed and said, “I’ll play a piece for you. Listen well.”
The young Guan’er: “Ah?”
“Sit here,” You Mengzhe said, as he went over and switched places with the young Guan’er. The young Guan’er found this man quite intriguing. He carefully sat down on the edge of the bed. You Mengzhe plucked the strings a few times and then began to play.
At first, the young Guan’er had a smile on his face, but as he listened, the smile faded. You Mengzhe’s playing was hard to describe; it couldn’t be called ugly, as it wasn’t as chaotic as random plucking, but it lacked harmony. It was both loud and soft, with no apparent structure. Sometimes it produced a startling sound that made one jump, while at other times, it was low and muffled, creating discomfort.
You Mengzhe stopped playing, and the young Guan’er quickly said, “Young Master, you play wonderfully!”
With a self-assured smile, You Mengzhe said, “I’ll play another piece for you.”
In an instant, the door was pushed open, and the madame’s eyes widened with a fierce expression. The young Guan’er quickly explained, “Young Master was playing.”
The madame’s demeanor stiffened, but she immediately put on a smile and said, “No wonder the music was so wonderful. Hehehe.”
You Mengzhe chuckled, “You flatter me.”
As the moon reached its zenith, You Mengzhe finished his wine and meal. He lay on the bed, and the young Guan’er helped him remove his boots, massaging his ankles gently.
Feeling incredibly comfortable, You Mengzhe decided that he would stay here in the future. He hadn’t known he had such a good place all along.
At the second of the five night watch periods (9-11pm), people outside scattered, and the music ceased. The young gentlemen who had been lodging there returned to their rooms, drunken men leaned on the shoulders of young ladies, with laughter and conversation echoing from afar. Outside Hua Jin Lou was a water alley. In early winter, the water sparkled, reflecting a sliver of the crescent moon, while more than ten small boats with black canopies bobbed up and down in the river.
The young Guan’er gently helped You Mengzhe cover himself with a silk quilt, climbed onto the bed, and was just about to close the window when suddenly, with a loud crash, someone burst in from outside.
You Mengzhe was startled, and in his fluster, he was about to reach for Heavenly Jedi Bone Piercing Needle. However, he saw the person dressed in night attire whispered softly, “I just need a place to hide!” With that, he promptly crawled under the bed.
“Thief! Catch the thief!” A voice from a distance came as someone leaped and moved agilely along the rooftops, in persue.
Outside, drums and gongs were beaten, torches outside the window whooshed past with a swoosh. Shortly after, there were two more swooshes of torches. One person retreated and hung onto the eaves, saying, “Young brother, did you see another young fellow, about your age?”
You Mengzhe waved his hand and said, “No, did you see him?” He then turned the young Guan’er’s face to make him look towards the window.
The young man, also dressed in night attire, scrutinized the puzzuled young Guan’er for a moment and said, “He’s not here. Let’s go!”
You Mengzhe swiftly closed the window with quick movements and said, “Why is it you again?”
Sun Bin crawled out from under the bed and, in passing, grabbed the young Guan’er by his collar, kicking him off the bed with a foot. He said, “I knew it was you. I saw you enter Yangzhou yesterday, and I couldn’t stop thinking about it. So, I came to find you.”
You Mengzhe asked, “What did you steal this time?”
Sun Bin wriggled into the bedding, sitting side by side with You Mengzhe on the couch, leaning against the window. He kicked off his night boots and shook out the sand inside, saying, “Ah, don’t mention it. Those guys from the Thunderbolt Hall are so persistent. I stole a few thunderfire bombs, and they chased after me relentlessly. They nearly caught up with me, what a blunder! So, how about a dual cultivation session?”
You Mengzhe gladly agreed, “Sure, I’ve been looking for a good partner.”
Sun Bin glanced around and said, “This place isn’t safe. It’s just a small inn, right? Come with me, can you?”
You Mengzhe reached out to remove Sun Bin’s night attire, saying, “Let’s focus on dual cultivation first, why all the unnecessary talk? It’s such a hassle.”
Sun Bin: “Why the rush? I’ve got something enjoyable for you! Let’s find a quiet place. This place isn’t reliable. Brother will take you to have some fun. On the 11th day of the 11th month, the Orthodox faction Alliance Master of the martial world, Zhao Feihong, is hosting a martial arts conference on Mirror Lake. Are you going or not?”
You Mengzhe’s heart skipped a beat at the thought of having some fun. A martial arts conference! It was sure to attract martial arts experts! A round of dual cultivation might greatly enhance his martial arts skills. If he could dual cultivate with the Alliance Master Zhao Feihong, then his father, You Gutian, would have no rivals in the world!
“Of course, I’ll go!” You Mengzhe asked, “Is the Alliance Master old?”
Sun Bin cast a sidelong glance at You Mengzhe, cautiously saying, “He’s old.”
You Mengzhe thought that even if he’s old, with so many noble warriors in the world, there must be plenty to see. He said, “Let me inform someone.”
You Mengzhe went outside to explain the situation to Aunt An, telling her that he and his friend had some business to attend to and asked her to pass on the message to Wang Tan. Aunt An readily agreed.
Sun Bin prepared his night attire and said to the young Guan’er, “Do you have any aphrodisiacs? Get a box, also add some fragrance to the mix.”
The young Guan’er turned to fetch it and brought over a box of aphrodisiacs. Sun Bin picked out a few from the box and then took out a round box, unscrewing it. On the box, two fish were intricately carved, one at each end, inside was fragrant oil used in the brothels. Sun Bin stuffed everything into his pocket and suddenly noticed that the young Guan’er bore a striking resemblance to himself, about three or four points alike. He couldn’t stop staring at the young Guan’er.
“What’s wrong?” You Mengzhe, dressed in only a white robe and pants, stood barefoot on the ground, looking puzzled.
Sun Bin glanced at the young Guan’er, then checked his reflection in the mirror. Afterward, he provocatively raised an eyebrow at You Mengzhe and ran his thumb across the corner of his mouth.
You Mengzhe: “?”
Sun Bin smiled and said, “You Mengzhe, I know your intentions.”
You Mengzhe: “???”
The two of them locked eyes for a moment, and Sun Bin’s eyebrows twitched again. You Mengzhe said, “Hurry up, let’s go!”
Sun Bin gestured for You Mengzhe to get on the bed, wrapped a quilt around his waist, and lifted him up, holding him at the waist. You Mengzhe said, “Let me put on some clothes…”
Sun Bin interrupted, “Forget about clothes. You’ll have to take them off later. Why make it more complicated?” With that, he hastily stuffed You Mengzhe’s belongings into the quilt, shouldered the bundle, and pushed open the window. He leaped out of Hua Jin Lou on the third floor and disappeared into the night.
“There’s water down there!” You Mengzhe exclaimed.
In mid-air, Sun Bin spun around, kicked the gourd-shaped finial of a wooden railing with one foot, breaking off a section of the wooden railing. As he landed in the waterway, he used that broken piece of wood to gain leverage and performed the “Water Surface Drifting” technique. You Mengzhe couldn’t stop marveling at the skill. Immediately, Sun Bin leaped onto the line of small black-canopied boats in the middle of the river, chose one, carried You Mengzhe into the cabin, and untied the ropes. With a long pole, he gently pushed off the center of the river, causing the black-canopied boat to glide smoothly in a circle and drift downstream.
Sun Bin casually used a long pole to hook lanterns from the riverside houses, hanging them at the front of the boat, creating a charming atmosphere onboard.
Sun Bin sat down with a mischievous smile, and You Mengzhe, still wrapped in Hua Jin Lou’s quilt, leaned against the cabin, gazing at the water. Suddenly, he remembered something and turned to ask, “By the way, what’s your name?”
Sun Bin: “……”
“You listen to me, you little brat…” Sun Bin was about to say something when they heard shouting from outside the boat.
“They’re over there!”
“We found them!”
“Don’t let them escape!”
Sun Bin immediately cursed, “F*ck!”
He rushed out of the cabin, saying, “Don’t blame me for being ruthless today!”
You Mengzhe rummaged through his belongings for a moment and then ran out of the cabin in a white robe and pants, saying, “I’ll handle it.”
Sun Bin: “I’ve got this!”
You Mengzhe: “Don’t use violence! I’ll handle it!”
Suddenly, more than twenty people in black clothing leaped out on both sides of the riverbank, all rushing towards the black-canopied boat in the middle of the river!
In the blink of an eye, Sun Bin casually used his “Flower Rain in the Sky” technique, and countless concealed weapons shot up from the ground.
You Mengzhe pressed a button on a round device in his hand, and numerous fine needles shot through the air.
The pursuers from the Thunderbolt Hall who were hit by Sun Bin’s concealed weapons screamed in mid-air and fell into the water.
The pursuers from the Thunderbolt Hall who were hit by You Mengzhe’s concealed weapon suddenly emitted a heart-wrenching scream in mid-air, “Aaaaahhh!” They howled frantically and kept struggling in the water.
Sun Bin: “…..”
Huge shoutout to @_nyanmaru_ on Discord for commissioning this! The chapter will be posted regularly, show your support for Ciacia at Kofi.
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