[Six Dynasties Cloud Dragon Chant] [To be continued]

Chapter 1

Gao Zhishang, grinning mischievously, entered the tavern without a trace of seriousness. The little Hu Ji curled her lips, revealing a hint of coquettish anger mixed with seven parts joy; her blue eyes were like the sea.

Gao Zhishang quickly leaned in and kissed the back of her jade-like ear. Hu Ji's pretty face flushed red, and she stomped on his foot angrily, muttering, "You're going to die! Father's still behind us..." Her voice trailed off.

Gao Zhishang tucked a hairpin into her sleeve, whispering affectionately, " Wife , this is for you."

Hu Ji rolled her eyes at him and walked away with the wooden tray.

"Where's Old Feng?" Gao Zhishang chased after her, asking, "Has he arrived yet?"

Hu Ji replied without turning her head, "East wing."

"I'm going to take care of some business first, I'll come find you later."

"Go away."

Watching the two young people flirting, Cheng Zongyang rubbed his nose expressionlessly. Before losing weight, this little rascal Gao Zhishang was obese, practically a ball of flesh. When the boy reached Hamichi, the old orc used some kind of potent drug, turning the little brat from a ball of flesh into a stick. He looked even worse than before; his once round face became gaunt, and his squinty eyes, instead of growing larger, became long and narrow, with a pair of darting, mischievous pupils. It was truly baffling how that Hu woman named Yi Moyun could have taken a liking to this little rascal.

In Cheng Zongyang's opinion, Gao Zhishang and this Hu woman were quite a good match—they were close in age and their personalities were somewhat compatible. They could easily become a couple. However, Gao Zhishang was much more realistic than himself. He was just playing around; he had never considered taking the Hu woman into his household. As the son of the powerful Grand Commandant of Song, even if Gao Zhishang took a tavern girl as a concubine, it would likely attract criticism, let alone Yi Moyun, a foreign Hu woman from Han China.

This matter was none of his concern; let the little brat worry about it himself. But Gao Zhishang's attitude was to eat and drink everything clean, wipe his mouth, and run away—considering that he was Gao Zhishang's nominal teacher, it was probably his responsibility to instill proper moral values in this little brat.

Since arriving in Han Kingdom, he had had too many headaches, so he didn't care about this one. Cheng Zongyang composed himself and led Gao Zhishang to the east wing.

Feng Zidu was lying lazily on the mat, one hand supporting his chin, the other crossed, his right hand holding three dice, tossing them one by one. Hearing the voice, he looked up and immediately beamed with joy. "Old Zhen! Come here! Take a look at my dice, what do you think?"

Gao Zhishang took them and weighed them in his hand. "Ivory?" He then exclaimed in surprise, "No! These dice are mixed with silver sand!"

Feng Zidu clapped his hands and laughed, "I knew you knew your stuff! If it were anyone else, maybe one in ten thousand would recognize it."

Gao Zhishang immediately perked up. "Where did they come from? Mixed silver sand is hard to come by. It's said that dice made with mixed silver sand can be nurtured with spirit. After being refined for a year or two, they can communicate with their owner's mind and hit the target nine times out of ten. You can't get one of these for less than several hundred thousand coins."

Feng Zidu said dismissively, "There are plenty of dice that can be nurtured with spirit, what's so valuable about them?"

“You don’t understand,” Gao Zhishang said. “Other dice are easily recognizable. Well-preserved mixed silver sand looks exactly like ivory, making it difficult to distinguish. However, preserving this stuff is extremely expensive; ordinary people simply can’t afford it.”

Feng Zidu chuckled. “Zhen Houdao is an alias, isn’t it? Those who know mixed silver sand are either rich or noble, prominent families even in our Han Kingdom—I haven’t heard of the Zhen family.”

Gao Zhishang took off his shoes, sat down on the mat, and said casually, “What’s there to ask about? With that kind of free time, can’t you do something more productive?”

Feng Zidu drawled, “Fine. If you don’t want to tell me, I won’t force you; I know you have your reasons—” He Patting Gao Zhishang on the shoulder with a knowing look, Feng Zidu said in a complaining tone, "You military families have so many rules."

Seeing Gao Zhishang's astonished expression, Feng Zidu chuckled softly, "Your waist token was personally issued by General Huo. Do you think I didn't know? Since you've gotten in through General Huo's connections, we're family. Besides, your companions, could they hide it from others, but not from me? Afraid of leaks, you even invited the Imperial Guards from the Song Kingdom. Wow, your old man has quite the influence." Feng Zidu patted his chest, "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. I won't tell anyone. If anyone asks, I'll cover for you!"

What was all this about? Cheng Zongyang finally understood. Feng Zidu mistook Gao Zhishang for a member of a Han Kingdom military family, assuming his elders had changed his name and sent him to the army to toughen him up. Feng Zidu gave him a knowing look and generously offered to cover for Gao Zhishang's identity.

Since Feng Zidu understood, Gao Zhishang didn't say much and simply said, "Old Feng, I need your help with something."

Feng Zidu readily agreed, "Speak!"

"Take a look at this first," Gao Zhishang said, placing an exquisitely carved lacquer box on the table.

Feng Zidu showed some curiosity, "What is it?"

Gao Zhishang opened the lacquer box, carefully peeling back the brocade to reveal a shimmering object inside.

Feng Zidu's eyes lit up, exclaiming, "This is... a crystal cup?"

The two cups were brought out by Cheng Zongyang from the Taiquan Ancient Array; they were the most common transparent plastic cups of later times, except for a slightly more refined craftsmanship, they were otherwise unremarkable. But in the Six Dynasties, such transparent plastic cups were absolutely rare treasures.

Feng Zidu exclaimed in amazement, “Such pure blue crystal is rare… Look at this craftsmanship! Amazing! Not a single flaw! Exquisite artistry!”

Gao Zhishang unveiled the brocade, and Feng Zidu practically collapsed onto the table, exclaiming, “I’m not seeing things, am I?! There’s pink crystal in this world!”

Two cups, one sky blue and one pink, lay quietly in the lacquer box. The transparent cups reflected the gorgeous colors of the brocade, their luster flowing. To anyone but Cheng Zongyang, they were simply priceless treasures!

Gao Zhishang took the cups out and placed them side by side on the lacquer table. Feng Zidu stared, his head circling the table before cautiously speaking, “They look a bit like glass cups from the West, but the glass cups in the palace aren’t this clear… So thin, can they even be used?” Feng Zidu suddenly widened his eyes, “Oh my god!”

Feng Zidu cried out in pain as Gao Zhishang accidentally bumped into the cups, causing the pink one to fall. Feng Zidu's heart nearly leaped out of his throat, his face filled with terror, fearing that this rare and priceless treasure would shatter right before his eyes.

But to his surprise, the glass cup bounced on the table, spun around, and then struck several sides without a scratch.

The high-IQ man clapped his hands and laughed, "That really scared you! Haha, this is called soft crystal jade, and there's only one pair in the world! Old Feng, you've never seen anything like it before, have you?"

Feng Zidu's face turned from pale to ashen, one hand clutching his chest. After a long while, he let out a long sigh, "You little rascal, you really scared me to death… Let me see! Let me see!"

Feng Zidu held the cup, examining it from left to right, then held it up to the light to see his reflection, constantly marveling at it. The

man with the high IQ boasted, "There's only one pair of these soft crystal jade cups in the world; the blue one is male, and the pink one is female. Regardless of the cold winter or scorching summer, the cups remain warm and smooth like jade. Drinking from these cups can prolong life."

Feng Zidu exclaimed, "Truly a treasure! I, Feng Zidu, have truly seen something amazing today!"

“Brother Feng is General Huo’s confidant, what kind of treasures hasn’t he seen? My master said that Brother Feng is a man of outstanding talent, and you wouldn’t be interested in ordinary gifts, except for these cups.”

“What?” Feng Zidu exclaimed, “For me? That’s too precious!”

Gao Zhishang said casually, “Why should we be so polite, we’re brothers? Take them.”

“No! No! It’s too precious.”

Cheng Zongyang laughed, “My apprentice and Brother Feng have known each other for a while, this is just a small gift, why should Brother Feng refuse?”

“And this is…”

Gao Zhishang said, “My master, the young master of the Cheng family.”

“The owner of Youyetai?” Feng Zidu slammed his hand on the table and said, “No wonder you have such generosity! I’ve long admired the name of the young master Cheng!”

Gao Zhishang put the cups away, and the three of them sat down again.

“My master wants to find an opportunity to serve the Han court,” Gao Zhishang winked. “Do you understand?”

“Enter the court?” Feng Zidu hesitated for a moment, then gave a wry smile. “We’re family, so I’ll be honest with you: if you had come to me two months earlier, I can’t guarantee a high-ranking position, but anything below 400 shi is a matter of a word. Even 2000 shi, as long as you’re willing to spend the money, I have connections.”

Cheng Zongyang asked, “What’s the problem now?”

Feng Zidu sighed. “The Empress Dowager has returned power to the emperor. Now, all official positions in the court are decided by the emperor. General Huo is staying home on the grounds of illness to avoid suspicion. There are many things I can’t easily get involved in.”

Gao Zhishang poured wine for everyone and then said, “My master doesn’t care about the salary; having an official position makes things easier.”

Feng Zidu thought carefully for a while. “Young Master Cheng, are you in business?”

Cheng Zongyang replied, “My family does have some business.”

“It’s even more difficult for merchants,” Feng Zidu said. “If it’s a military post, I have some connections. But merchants are among the seven categories of exiles, and once they join the army, they can only be sent to the frontier. To stay in the palace, one must be from a respectable family.”

A respectable family member is a commoner with a clean family background. In the Han Kingdom, merchants, along with artisans, doctors, and shamans, are outside the category of respectable families. Cheng Zongyang had heard about this before and said, “I am not originally from the Han Kingdom. I wonder if the Han Kingdom has any guest ministers?”

Feng Zidu replied, “Yes. But most are honorary positions, not very useful.”

“Can they attend court?”

“Of course not. Unless the emperor issues a special decree.”

Cheng Zongyang was greatly disappointed. He had originally planned to spend money to find a way to obtain the status of a guest minister to get closer to the Han court. If even attending court was impossible, such a status was useless.

Feng Zidu hesitated for a long time, then looked again at the wooden box containing the soft crystal jade cup. Finally, he made up his mind, stood up, glanced outside, closed the door, and sat back down, lowering his voice to say, "If we're talking about connections, it's not impossible..."

"Brother Feng, please speak freely

," Feng Zidu's voice lowered even further. "Just don't spread this around, and especially don't mention that I told you—"

Cheng Zongyang nodded knowingly.

Feng Zidu spoke in a voice only the two of them could hear: "On the west side of the South Palace, there's an official residence called the West Residence... The person in charge there is surnamed Xu. The highest rank is Marquis of Guannei, with a gold seal and purple ribbon, hereditary, worth five million coins; military ranks like Tiger General or Feathered Forest Guard General are worth ten million coins; official positions with a rank of two thousand shi are worth twenty million coins, and four hundred shi are worth four million coins."

Although Feng Zidu's voice was soft, Cheng Zongyang was shocked. What he meant was that the West Residence not only sold ranks but also civil and military official positions. He himself was a businessman, but he had never imagined that business could go this far.

In the Han Dynasty, the highest rank of nobility was King, but only those of the Liu family could be Kings. The highest rank an ordinary person could obtain was Marquis, who could actually possess a fief and appoint his own officials. Marquis within the Passes was second only to Marquis, but did not have a real fief. Tiger-like Gentlemen and Feathered Forest Gentlemen were mid-level officers in the Emperor's Imperial Guard, mostly sons of nobles. Two thousand shi was equivalent to a prefect of a commandery, costing twenty million coins, or ten thousand gold coins.

Cheng Zongyang asked, "Two thousand shi, is that a real position?"

"A real position requires spending more money. And you can only serve one term."

A term of office for Han officials was usually three years. Ten thousand gold coins for three years as a prefect, even with some additional fees, was still much cheaper than he had imagined. Just as

Cheng Zongyang was about to speak, the door opened softly, and the little Hu woman, Yi Moyun, entered carrying a braised carp. Her pretty face was stern, but when Cheng Zongyang looked down, he noticed that she had changed her hairpin, the very one Gao Zhishang had given her. Gao Zhishang didn't have much money, and the hairpin wasn't anything fancy, but she clearly liked it very much. Wearing it on her head added a touch of charm.

When the young woman served the dishes, Gao Zhishang kept exchanging glances with her, only behaving herself after Cheng Zongyang glared at her fiercely.

After the young woman left, Feng Zidu instructed her again, "Don't let this slip out. Don't say I leaked the information."

Feng Zidu was so cautious and repeatedly warned her, Gao Zhishang couldn't help but laugh and say, "Brother Feng, who is that Xu guy? Give me a hint so I'll know what's going on."

"Absolutely! Absolutely! Don't tell anyone, especially not your old man." Feng Zidu whispered, "We're brothers, it's fine to tell you: Xu Huang is the Emperor's most trusted inner court official—understand?"

Cheng Zongyang suddenly realized. The Empress Dowager had already returned power to the Emperor; who else but the Emperor could sell official positions? This so-called Western Residence was actually the Emperor's secret channel for selling official positions and amassing wealth. But the Emperor reigns over the Han Dynasty and is the nominal ruler of six dynasties, possessing all the wealth of the land. Why would he need to amass wealth?

Gao Zhishang, without any hesitation, said, "Don't tease me, Brother Feng. If it were the Emperor's intention, why would he be so secretive? It's business anyway; how can you make money being so cautious?"

"You idiot. He's keeping an eye on the Empress Dowager and General Huo."

Gao Zhishang suddenly realized. "Oh, Brother Feng, you know about this? Have you broken a taboo?"

Feng Zi said irritably, "Of course! If it weren't for you, would I have said anything? I'd keep it buried deep inside my heart for life, I'd rather die than tell anyone."

The Emperor secretly established the Western Residence behind the Empress Dowager and General Huo's back, selling official positions and amassing wealth, yet General Huo's confidants knew everything. Just thinking about it makes you realize how deep this murky water runs. Having obtained the information he wanted, Cheng Zongyang hesitated for a moment before rising and bowing, saying, "Thank you, Brother Feng. You two continue your conversation; I'll take my leave now."

Feng Zidu stood up somewhat unexpectedly, but Gao Zhishang stopped him, "My master has some matters to attend to. Let's have a good time today, brothers! Oh, and here are some little trinkets."

Gao Zhishang said, taking out an exquisite wallet containing a bamboo-made, lacquered, gold-painted business card and a stack of beautifully printed stationery with strange monograms.

Feng Zidu became interested, "What is this?" "

A VIP card for the Cheng Clan Chamber of Commerce. With this card, Brother Feng, any restaurant or establishment under the Cheng Clan Chamber of Commerce will offer VIP treatment."

"Youyetai too?"

"Of course. With this card, you can have whoever you want accompany you; I guarantee you'll be satisfied!"

Feng Zidu was overjoyed, "Good brother!"

"Keep these banknotes safe too," Gao Zhishang said with a grin, "They're worth much more than the VIP card."

"Really?" Feng Zidu was skeptical.

"Whenever Brother Feng needs money, take the banknotes to the properties under the Cheng Clan Chamber of Commerce," the high-IQ man whispered. "One banknote can be exchanged for 100,000 coins."

Feng Zidu was taken aback. One bill was worth 100,000 coins, and there were at least ten of them in the stack, totaling over a million coins. That young master Cheng was indeed a generous man.

"Good brother!" Feng Zidu said generously, "I appreciate your kindness. From now on, your business is my business!"

"I'll need your help a lot in the future. Come, let's drink!"

...

Cheng Zongyang did indeed have business to attend to. After leaving the tavern, he immediately went to his rented house near Jinshi. A scholar was in the room. Seeing Cheng Zongyang enter, the scholar quickly stood up and bowed, "Young Master Cheng."

Cheng Zongyang returned the bow without showing any emotion, "Please sit down, sir."

Poppy Girl chuckled, "Mr. Mao is a rare master of painting."

The scholar repeatedly said, "I dare not, I dare not."

The two sat down politely as host and guest, and then someone served tea. Cheng Zongyang was surprised to see that the person serving the tea was Yanxiang. Yanxiang timidly whispered, "Please enjoy your tea, Master..."

Cheng Zongyang glanced at Poppy Girl, who avoided his gaze, a slight smile playing on her lips. She then turned slightly and whispered almost inaudibly in Cheng Zongyang's ear, "If there weren't guests, I would have had her serve tea to Master with care..."

Cheng Zongyang glared at her irritably, then composed himself and sized up the scholar before him.

The scholar wore a blue robe, had a lean face, and a long beard. Although his eyes were narrow, they were quite expressive. Sitting before him, he wore a faint, obsequious smile.

An hour earlier, Cheng Zongyang had encountered this scholar being chased by a group of servants on the road and had intervened. He had learned that the scholar was a painter who had recently arrived in Luoyang. He had come to see the Marquis of Xiangyi but had mistakenly entered the Xiangcheng Lord's Gate and been driven out by the servants.

Cheng Zongyang took notice upon hearing that the man was a painter, especially since he was connected to the Marquis of Xiangyi. However, he had already arranged to meet Feng Zidu and couldn't break his promise, so he had Poppy, who was secretly accompanying him, invite him to his residence for temporary accommodation.

The painter, penniless and desperate in Luoyang, readily accepted the invitation. By now, he had washed the blood from his nose and brushed off the dust, looking somewhat less disheveled.

Cheng Zongyang said, "I just heard my maid mention that your surname is Mao. May I ask your esteemed name?"

The scholar replied, "My name is Mao Yanshou, and I make my living by painting."

Cheng Zongyang found the name somewhat familiar and casually said, "So you're Mr. Mao... Wait! You're Mao Yanshou!"

Mao Yanshou looked bewildered, wondering why this young master had such a strange expression on his face, staring intently at him. He cautiously asked, "Where have you heard of my humble name, sir?"

Of course, he had!

"His beauty could not be captured in a painting, and Mao Yanshou was unjustly killed"—this was the name that changed the fate of Wang Zhaojun, one of the Four Beauties of ancient China , though he was an ugly supporting character.

Cheng Zongyang wanted to ask him if he had ever seen Wang Zhaojun, but he swallowed the words back. He chuckled, "Mr. Mao is renowned throughout the land for his skill in painting beauties, and I, Cheng, have long admired him. It is truly an honor to meet you today!"

Mao Yanshou hurriedly replied, "My humble name would not dare to offend your ears."

"You are too modest, sir," Cheng Zongyang said sincerely. "With your talent, you could easily become a court painter." Although this fellow had a terrible reputation, his painting skills were unparalleled; even after being beheaded, he was still considered the best.

Mao Yanshou, whose painting skills were just beginning to develop, was an unknown figure. Hearing Cheng Zongyang's praise, he was

both surprised and delighted, and quickly replied, "I dare not, I dare not." After a few polite exchanges, Cheng Zongyang said, "Please forgive my abruptness, but may I ask why you went to the Marquis of Xiangyi's residence, only to be humiliated by such a humble person?"

Mao Yanshou replied, "Young master, I dare not conceal the truth. I have been traveling for many years and have only been back in Luoyang for a few days when I was robbed of all my money. Left with no other choice, I had to seek refuge with the powerful." He smiled bitterly, "In name, I seek service, but in reality, I beg for food."

"Do you have any prior acquaintance with the Marquis of Xiangyi?"

"It was only a brief encounter."

"On the way, I saw the scroll you were carrying, sir. I suppose you've come to present it. May I have a look?"

Mao Yanshou asked, a hint of embarrassment in his voice. "It's just a mediocre piece, I wouldn't dare offend your eyes, young master."

Cheng Zongyang smiled at him, then suddenly asked, "On the ninth day of the eighth month, were you in Shangtang, sir?"

Mao Yanshou's expression changed slightly, and he stammered, "This... I... I don't quite remember."

Cheng Zongyang understood immediately, so he stopped beating around the bush and ordered a servant to bring out a scroll, which he then spread out on the table, saying, "This painting must be yours, sir, right?"

Mao Yanshou glanced at it and exclaimed, "How did this painting come to be in your possession, young master?"

"Sir probably doesn't know that this woman died tragically a few days ago."

"Ah!" Mao Yanshou was shocked.

Cheng Zongyang said calmly, "Not only this woman. The merchant who sold cinnabar has also been beheaded."

Mao Yanshou stared in disbelief.

"There were twelve guests who stayed at the inn that day, including you, sir. Among them was a scholar, whom you probably remember, who died in the fire at the academy on the night of August 14th; a one-eyed boxer, who was killed by bandits at Shixiao on August 15th; and a pickpocket who stole your belongings, who died in Shangtang on August 10th. Three porters drowned in Yique on August 16th. The woman named Yanyu was killed with the merchant at the inn in Yanshi."

Mao Yanshou's face changed drastically. "They...they...how...how could this be..."

Cheng Zongyang sighed. "If you hadn't shown yourself, it would have been fine. Who knew you would walk right into their trap? Now that you've revealed yourself to the servants of the Marquis of Xiangyi's mansion, it won't be easy for you to remain unscathed." Mao

Yanshou was stunned, and beads of sweat the size of soybeans appeared on his forehead.

Cheng Zongyang looked up at him and slowly asked, "What exactly happened at the Shangtang Changxing Inn on the ninth day?"

Mao Yanshou opened his mouth, but his tongue seemed tied in knots, and he couldn't utter a single word.

Cheng Zongyang took out a purse and, with a "whoosh," poured the coins inside onto the table. The glittering coins rolled around on the table, and a few fell onto Mao Yanshou's lap.

"Just tell me, and all these coins are yours."

Mao Yanshou's face turned from pale to ashen. Suddenly, a thought struck him, and he rushed to Cheng Zongyang, his voice trembling as he pleaded, "I dare not take these coins! I only beg you, young master, to save my life!"

Cheng Zongyang said, "You seem to understand. Right now, the only one who can save your life is me. How about this? My Cheng Clan Merchant Guild is short of a painter. You can join my guild. Consider this your settling-in fee, two thousand coins per month from now on. How does that sound?"

Mao Yanshou stammered, "Thank you, young master... thank you, young master..."

Cheng Zongyang smiled, "Still calling me young master?"

"Master!"

"Very good." Cheng Zongyang said, "Put them away."

Mao Yanshou wiped the cold sweat from his brow and picked up the scattered gold coins one by one. Perhaps it was the gold coins in his hands that gave him confidence, for the fear on his face gradually faded, replaced by a hint of surprise.

"It's easier to change mountains and rivers than to change a person's nature." Cheng Zongyang sighed inwardly. This Mao Yanshou had been so greedy back then that he dared to paint Wang Zhaojun, one of the Four Beauties of ancient China, ugly, causing the emperor to miss out on such a beauty and, in a fit of rage, have him beheaded and his body displayed in the marketplace. The same thing was happening in this life. Dealing with this guy still required money.

After Mao Yanshou finished collecting the coins, a look of joy appeared on his face. Cheng Zongyang asked, "Who exactly was that nobleman at the Changxing Inn in Shangtang on the ninth day of the eighth month?"

Mao Yanshou no longer concealed his identity and immediately replied, "It was the Marquis of Xiangyi."

Cheng Zongyang's suspicions grew. That middle-aged man surnamed Tang was clearly a subordinate of Lu Buyi, the Marquis of Yingyang. If it was Lu Ji who was in Shangtang at the time, why would Lu Buyi kill him to silence him?

"When the Marquis of Xiangyi travels, he is surrounded by hundreds of attendants. How could he possibly enter a humble inn?"

Mao Yanshou asked cautiously. "I also find this strange."

Given the Marquis of Xiangyi's power, there's no reason for him to go to a low-class inn, unless... someone he wants to see is inside.

"Do you remember the people who were in the inn that day?"

Mao Yanshou said, "I've studied painting for many years, and the first thing I practiced was my eye. I wouldn't dare say I'm meticulous, but I can remember most people and scenes after a single glance."

Cheng Zongyang felt as if a gold ingot had fallen from the sky and was overjoyed. He quickly asked, "Who were they?"

Mao Yanshou smiled and said, "I've drawn a picture of what happened that day. Master, you'll know it at a glance."

He felt that the gold ingots he had just spent were well worth it! Cheng Zongyang quickly asked, "Where is it?"

"It's this painting." Mao Yanshou took out the scroll he carried with him, unwrapped the thin felt covering it, and placed the scroll on the table.

Chapter Two

The scroll was made of a long white silk scroll, showing that Mao Yanshou had invested a considerable amount of money in it, choosing extremely fine silk—he intended to use this painting to serve the Marquis of Xiangyi, so naturally he wanted it to be of the highest quality.

The mystery was about to be revealed, and Cheng Zongyang involuntarily held his breath, watching Mao Yanshou slowly unroll the scroll.

The first figure on the scroll was a scholar carrying a wooden bucket with several zithers on it, looking travel-worn, stepping into the inn. Compared to the portrait Mao Yanshou had painted for Yanyu at the inn, this scroll was even more refined, the figures lifelike.

Mao Yanshou said, "This scholar entered the inn last; he said he's a student from the academy."

Cheng Zongyang silently studied the scroll. The first person: Yu Fengwen from Yuntai Academy.

Next was a one-eyed, burly man, shirtless, sitting by the door, a bucket beside him, sharpening a long knife. Although the burly man had a ferocious appearance, he was all smiles in the painting.

Mao Yanshou said, "This man is a boxing master, returning home to get married, hence his joyful expression."

The second person: Du Huai from the Chengnan Martial Arts School.

On the steps next to the burly man, a blind old man, hunched over, was carrying a huqin (a two-stringed bowed instrument) in one hand and a bamboo cane in the other, groping his way down the steps.

"This is a Hu (a term for a foreigner), and we can't understand his language," Mao Yanshou said. "Although he can't see, his hearing is excellent. Just call him and give him a copper coin, and he'll play a tune."

Cheng Zongyang nodded. The third person: the blind old man playing the huqin in Jinshi.

Next was the scene in the inn's courtyard, the details of which matched the ruins of the fire that he and Lu Jing had seen that day perfectly. It was clear that the inn's courtyard wasn't very large; on one side was a livestock shed, on the other a simple dormitory, and directly opposite the gate were two main rooms. Seeing his keen observation, Mao Yanshou chuckled sheepishly, "I'm good at painting figures, but not so much at landscapes. Please forgive my poor skills, Master."

Cheng Zongyang said, "Not bad." The perspective of the buildings in the painting had slight flaws, but every stone and tile was meticulously crafted, and there was nothing to criticize.

Suddenly, Cheng Zongyang's eyes lit up. Two figures he had never seen before appeared in the painting. They were holding earthenware bowls, tilting their heads back, and drinking water in large gulps.

Cheng Zongyang remained silent, staring at the slowly unfolding scroll. The third figure was a lean, sturdy man with a full, curly beard—it was Shi Manzi, whom he had met that day. The three were together, with a carrying pole on the wall beside them and several large baskets at their feet. Inside were several tightly wrapped bags and a pile of finished lacquerware.

Mao Yanshou pointed out, "These are three porters..."

The fourth person: Shi Manzi. The fifth and sixth people were the Niu brothers, Niu Lao Si and Niu Lao Qi, whom he had never met before, who drowned in Yique.

Mao Yanshou continued, "They were invited by this young manager Chen."

In the painting, a young man with a pale face was smiling and saying something; his face was that of the young merchant whose head had been chopped off in the Yanshi Inn. Opposite him was a pretty girl with a high bun , covering her mouth and laughing heartily.

Yanxiang, who was standing next to him, saw this and her eyes immediately reddened. She clearly recognized the person in the painting.

Cheng Zongyang silently counted in his mind: the seventh person: Chen Feng; the eighth person: Yanyu.

"These two are staying in the upper room. That painting was commissioned by young manager Chen."

Cheng Zongyang suddenly pointed to an old man sweeping in the courtyard, "Who is this person?"

"He is the owner of the inn," Mao Yanshou said, unrolling the scroll as he pointed, "These are the people from the inn. A couple with a son and a daughter, and an old man who does odd jobs."

Cheng Zongyang looked closely but did not find anything unusual. It makes no sense that Marquis Lü Ji of Xiangyi's target wasn't the guests, but this family who made a living by running a foot inn.

The next scene made Cheng Zongyang involuntarily frown. Next to the livestock shed was a wooden fence containing several fat, black pigs, instinctively reminding him of the pungent stench he'd smelled while searching the ashes.

Beside the fence was an open space enclosed by straw mats, where a man was furtively hiding, only his head peeking out.

Mao Yanshou's tone was filled with hatred, "It's that thief! I could tell at a glance he wasn't a good person, who knew he'd steal my travel money in the middle of the night when I wasn't looking!"

The ninth person: Pickpocket Sai Lu.

Cheng Zongyang glanced at Yanxiang, who quickly averted her gaze.

Cheng Zongyang suddenly laughed, "This dormitory is quite nice."

The figures in the painting are all in different poses, each capturing a fleeting moment of movement. Although the scene is still, it makes the viewer feel as if they are there and can be heard. Next, one can see a man sitting upright indoors, with silk spread on a table in front of him, calmly wielding his brush. On the table are brushes, inkstones, paints, and an incense burner, emitting a sweet fragrance, making him look like a celestial being. Clearly, when it was his turn, Mao Yanshou had put a lot of effort into beautifying himself.

Mao Yanshou chuckled twice, "Young Master Chen gave me five silver coins to paint a portrait of that young lady. This is what I was doing the painting that day."

The tenth person: Mao Yanshou.

Cheng Zongyang asked, "What about the other two?"

"Those two didn't go out much. So I painted them indoors."

The upper room in the scroll faces the door that Yu Fengwen entered through, and this is the last part of the inn. The painting depicts two people playing chess, one an old man with a long beard and the other a young man with scars on his face.

Cheng Zongyang observed the two individuals he had been searching for with meticulous care. The boy, around fifteen or sixteen years old, had a large, bluish scar on his face, stretching from his left eyebrow to below his eye, making him unappealing at first glance. The old man opposite him had a slightly furrowed brow, seemingly carrying a hint of worry. Cheng Zongyang's heart stirred slightly. Although the old man wore a dark gray turban, he didn't seem like an ordinary servant. If this wasn't an interpretation by Mao Yanshou, but rather a capture of a fleeting moment of expression, then this master-servant pair was quite intriguing.

Could he be the person the Marquis of Xiangyi was looking for? Yan Junping, who had vanished without a trace carrying a great treasure?

The twelve guests and the five servants who ran the inn—all seventeen figures from the Changxing inn that day had appeared in the painting. However, the scroll was only unrolled less than a third of the way, and the silk still rolled up on the scroll was quite thick.

Cheng Zongyang was surprised. "Is there more?"

Mao Yanshou smiled obsequiously. "These are just the beginning. I'm presenting a painting to the Marquis of Xiangyi, so of course I wouldn't just paint these unrelated idlers."

Cheng Zongyang's spirits lifted. "The Marquis of Xiangyi is in the next scene?"

Mao Yanshou was clearly confident in his painting skills. He said, "Please look, Master."

The silk painting was in the form of a long scroll. Next, a procession of carriages passed by the inn. Although there were far fewer people than the Marquis of Xiangyi's procession he had seen in Beiman, it consisted entirely of carriages and horses, with no attendants on foot. Dozens of riders surrounded two carriages, each rider as fierce as a tiger. Whether it was due to Mao Yanshou's painting style or because he had seen the assassins under the Marquis of Xiangyi's command, the riders exuded a murderous aura and seemed to leap out of the painting.

Then the carriages stopped beside the inn, the curtains were rolled up, revealing a fat man with disheveled hair—it was none other than the Marquis of Xiangyi, Lü Ji, whom he had seen in Beiman!

Cheng Zongyang carefully examined the painting, secretly admiring Mao Yanshou's skill, which was even more exquisite than he had imagined. With just a few strokes, he had vividly captured the arrogant demeanor of the Marquis of Xiangyi.

Beside the carriage stood a man with a handsome mustache, whom Cheng Zongyang remembered seeing in Beiman, named Qin Gong, a confidant of the Marquis of Xiangyi. He was bowing and speaking to Lü Ji, who leaned against the carriage window, his face filled with arrogance.

In the painting, a group of attendants rushed into the inn, followed by the carriage speeding into the courtyard. The remaining riders dispersed into the woods on both sides of the road, concealing themselves. Everyone in the inn, from the owner to the guests, was brought out and knelt in a row under the eaves.

"What happened?"

"I don't know either," Mao Yanshou said. "That night, a group of people broke into the shop, saying that the Marquis of Xiangyi had arrived and demanding that everyone come out to kneel and greet him. Some

even searched the rooms to see if there were any spies." Cheng Zongyang saw several men wearing familiar iron masks in the painting, clearly assassins under the Marquis of Xiangyi. These men, as the Marquis of Xiangyi's personal guards, were sometimes sent to assassinate rivals or even act as spies, so they rarely showed their true faces when they were with Lü Ji.

As Cheng Zongyang was looking down, Mao Yanshou stopped and said awkwardly in a low voice, "Please ask the others to leave..."

Cheng Zongyang was puzzled, but still ordered, "You may leave."

Poppy Girl and Yanxiang withdrew upon hearing this, and Mao Yanshou continued to unfold the scroll. In the painting, Lü Ji was being helped down from the carriage by a group of beautiful women. Each of these women was stunningly beautiful, and Mao Yanshou's brushstrokes revealed alluring postures, adding a touch of brilliance to the painting.

Cheng Zongyang's gaze, however, was drawn to the scene at Lü Ji's feet. It took him a long time to look up at Mao Yanshou.

Mao Yanshou coughed awkwardly, "That's exactly what happened that day; I dare not depict it

carelessly..." At Lü Ji's feet lay a beautiful female body. The woman wore a strange leather hood over her head, obscuring her face. An iron chain encircled her neck. She was being pulled along by a masked assassin, kneeling on all fours beside the carriage, using her body as a stepping stone for Lü Ji. She was completely naked. Her waist was bent under Lü Ji's weight, her rounded buttocks protruding backward, a cluster of colorful peacock feathers adorning her hips.

Cheng Zongyang continued to look down. Attendants brought over a brocade couch. Marquis Xiangyi, Lü Ji, leaned against the couch, and another woman appeared before him. This woman also wore a mask, but now wore a light veil, revealing her fair and delicate body. Before her, a bodyguard reached out and lifted the light veil, his hand slipping between her legs to fondle her private parts in front of the Marquis of Xiangyi. Another woman lay prone beside the couch, her snow-white buttocks adorned with peacock feathers facing the brocade bed. Lü Ji laughed heartily, seemingly overjoyed.

Although it was merely a painting on silk, Mao Yanshou's depiction of the figures was incredibly impactful, almost like watching a blockbuster film. Cheng Zongyang asked, "What is Lü Ji doing?"

"That night, even now, thinking about it feels like a dream..."

Mao Yanshou said cautiously, "The Marquis of Xiangyi sat down in the courtyard, and his entourage closed the inn's door and lit lanterns. The Marquis of Xiangyi seemed to be in a good mood, and ordered someone to bring out this woman so that everyone in the inn could see what she looked like."

"She looks good,"

Mao Yanshou said. "To be honest, Master, I am skilled at painting figures, and I have seen countless beauties, but the beauty of these two women is truly unparalleled in my life. Although I haven't seen their faces, every inch of their skin is exquisitely beautiful."

"Who are they?"

"I heard others calling them lowly maids, so they are probably prostitutes in the manor. I don't know why these two women offended their master and were brought here to be humiliated."

"Is that so?"

Mao Yanshou chuckled dryly, "Master, you'll see when you look again."

Mao Yanshou then used all his skill to paint the scene vividly. Two stunningly beautiful prostitutes, led by masked assassins, were forced to expose their private parts one by one to the crowd. The scholars, boxers, porters, merchants, pickpockets, and others kneeling under the eaves displayed expressions ranging from blank to surprised to excited.

Although the women's expressions were not visible, their postures revealed that they had been thoroughly trained and tamed. Everyone around them, regardless of wealth or status, was impeccably dressed; only these two were left naked for all to see. The concubine beside the Marquis of Xiangyi even spat on their buttocks, relentlessly humiliating them.

Cheng Zongyang suddenly pointed at the Marquis of Xiangyi in the painting and asked, "What did he say?"

Mao Yanshou paused for a moment, then said, "The Marquis of Xiangyi seemed to be waiting for someone, but that person never came. The Marquis of Xiangyi was a little angry and sneered, 'A pheasant wants to become a phoenix? Even if she really becomes a phoenix, she'll still be nothing more than a lowly slave of my Lü family!' Then..."

Mao Yanshou stammered, "Then he ordered that those two prostitutes be brought to entertain the guests..."

Cheng Zongyang looked down, and the painting turned into a series of erotic pictures. The two women lay naked in a simple courtyard, having sex with men in turn in front of a group of men and women. Boxers, three porters, merchants, pickpockets, waiters... all enjoyed their bodies for free without spending a penny. Even through the painting, Cheng Zongyang seemed to be able to feel the alluring beauty of the two women. Including Old Man Sun and his servant, there were a total of seventeen people in the painting, all of whom seemed to have gone mad under the temptation

of beauty . Cheng Zongyang noticed that the only ones not involved were the blind old man playing the erhu, the young maid in the shop, and Yan Yu. Even the old woman in the shop, under the influence of the beautiful woman, was touching the smooth bodies of the two prostitutes. 　　Mao Yanshou stopped again and said with a forced smile, "You don't need to watch the rest, right?" 　　Cheng Zongyang didn't say anything, but took the scroll and unfolded it himself. 　　A wooden bucket, about half a person's height, appeared in the painting. It was being carried from a cart by a death warrior wearing an iron mask and placed horizontally at the feet of the Marquis of Xiangyi.

Mao Yanshou glanced fearfully at the head of the household and whispered, "The Marquis of Xiangyi waited in vain, lost his temper, and gave that Qin-surname slave a severe dressing-down. The slave, all smiles, had a wooden bucket brought over... There's really no need to look below..."

Cheng Zongyang looked down expressionlessly, his brows twitching violently.

The Marquis of Xiangyi's anger turned to joy, and with a kick, the bucket rolled away. The straw rope holding the bucket together was loose, and the assassin stepped on it. The bucket rolled several feet, the straw rope reaching its end. The old woman inside the shop opened the wooden gate, and the bucket crashed into the pigpen next to the latrine. The un-glued bucket body immediately disintegrated, and a section of flesh rolled out.

Cheng Zongyang's face turned extremely ugly. The body was only a short section; the hands and legs were nowhere to be seen, only a bare torso remained. Unlike the two prostitutes, the woman was not wearing a mask, only her eyes were tightly closed. Although her body was mutilated and she was no longer a young girl, her face was still incredibly beautiful, rendered with remarkable realism by Mao Yanshou, making her a rare beauty.

The latrine was a muddy mess, trampled by several black pigs. A piece of snow-white flesh rolled out of the bucket, like a beautiful jade falling into the mud. The mud, mixed with sewage, pig urine, and excrement, clung to the woman's body, making her utterly filthy.

The Marquis of Xiangyi, disheveled, walked to the fence, watching and laughing loudly. The woman's eyes were closed, her mouth gaping in pain, her once smooth flesh covered in filth, squeezed between several black pigs, struggling and writhing in the mud.

Cheng Zongyang said coldly, "Can't she open her eyes?"

Mao Yanshou whispered, "Yes."

"What about her tongue?"

"This humble servant doesn't know..."

Cheng Zongyang stared at the woman in the painting, now only her torso, his heart churning like a raging storm. After a long while, he finally uttered two words, "Human pig!"

Cheng Zongyang didn't look any further. He rolled up the scroll, stood up with his hands behind his back, and looked at the whitewashed wall, trying to calm himself. Ever since he heard that the Empress Dowager of the Han Dynasty was surnamed Lü and her given name was Zhi, he immediately thought of Consort Qi, whom she had turned into a human pig. Lü Zhi's methods for dealing with rivals were arguably the most cruel and vicious in history. Even after two thousand years, they still sent chills down one's spine. He never expected that such a tragedy would still occur in the Six Dynasties period. Moreover, this woman who had been turned into a human pig was still alive, and he might even see her with his own eyes.

Seeing the mutilated woman, Cheng Zongyang understood what had happened that night at the foot restaurant in Shangtang. If I'm not mistaken, that human pig was likely the work of Empress Dowager Lü Zhi, and her identity was most likely that of a former emperor's favorite concubine. The Marquis of Xiangyi, with unbridled audacity, took her to the inn in Shangtang and humiliated her in front of a group of guests of varying statuses. The Marquis of Xiangyi, Lü Ji, was known for his arrogance and domineering nature,

so it wasn't surprising that he would do such a thing. Lü Buyi, being cautious by nature, upon learning of this, immediately dispatched assassins to wipe out the entire family of the innkeeper, Old Man Sun. Therefore, the incident in Shangtang occurred on the ninth day of the eighth month, but the inn fire happened a day later. Presumably, Lü Buyi only learned of his brother's actions the next day and tried to rectify the situation. However, the guests who had stayed at the inn that day had already dispersed. This matter involved palace secrets and the privacy of the Lü family; if leaked, it would be a huge scandal. Even with his high position and power, Lü Buyi couldn't investigate through official channels, so he had no choice but to find the Bao family of Yangquan, who resided in Luoyang, and secretly investigate, killing and silencing witnesses along the way.

Ironically, Mao Yanshou, though fully aware of what he witnessed that night, was completely oblivious to the implications behind it. Having his travel expenses stolen by Sai Lu at the inn, and driven to desperation, he actually tried to use this painting to curry favor with the Marquis of Xiangyi, hoping to climb the social ladder, unaware that he was courting death.

Cheng Zongyang, looking at this highly skilled but morally questionable painter, sincerely said, "You're truly lucky; you chose the wrong path."

Mao Yanshou, hearing that almost all the guests at the inn had been murdered that night, realized he had been blinded by greed and acted recklessly. A wave of fear washed over him, and he forced a smile, saying, "If it weren't for the master, I would be nothing but bones. I beg the master's protection..."

"Sir, please stay here for now. Just tell me what to do. Poppy, take good care of Mr. Mao."

Poppy Girl replied sweetly, "Yes."

Cheng Zongyang glanced at the painting with disgust, preparing to have Poppy Girl seal it away, when suddenly his brow furrowed, as if he had just remembered something.

He hurriedly unrolled the scroll and examined it inch by inch from beginning to end. After a moment, he looked up. "Where are the scarred boy and the old servant?"

From the moment the two prostitutes began their revelry with the crowd, the master and servant disappeared from the scroll. Neither the scene of rampant lust in the courtyard nor the scene of the Marquis of Xiangyi laughing and joking by the latrine showed the two of them.

Mao Yanshou said, "I'm also wondering. It seems that the two of them left quietly. When we left the inn the next day, we didn't see them either."

Cheng Zongyang said, "According to your drawing, the inn is surrounded by the Marquis of Xiangyi's men. How could the two of them have left halfway?"

Mao Yanshou smiled bitterly, "I don't know about that." He rolled his eyes a few times, "Perhaps they left with the Marquis of Xiangyi's caravan..." As he spoke, his voice lowered, clearly not even believing it himself. The

more Cheng Zongyang thought about it, the more suspicious it seemed. The twelve guests who stayed at the inn that day had all been found one after another, but the master and servant were the only ones. The guests who stayed at the inn that day knew of their existence, but so far, they had not found a single useful clue. Aside from staying at the inn that day, their identity, origin, and whereabouts were completely unknown.

Cheng Zongyang, who had been following Lu Jing on their search these past few days, had come to the realization that anyone living in society, even if they only pass through by chance, will leave traces, like a wild goose leaving its footprints in the snow. If no clues are found, there's only one possibility: someone is deliberately hiding something.

So, what exactly are this master and servant concealing?

…

Lu Jing and Si Mingxin carefully examined the scroll, while Mao Yanshou sat obediently to one side. Just now, a casual glance from that cold-blooded man had seemingly frozen Mao Yanshou's blood; he didn't dare even breathe.

When they first saw Yan Yu's portrait, Cheng Zongyang and Lu Jing only thought the painter's brushstrokes were quite fluid. But upon seeing the scroll, they were immediately impressed by Mao Yanshou's painting skills. The likes of Yu Fengwen and Du Huai, whom they had met before, were depicted with remarkable lifelikeness, demonstrating the unscrupulous painter's exceptional observation and technique.

Cheng Zongyang couldn't help but sigh. If they had found Mao Yanshou first, they could have simply looked at the painting to find him, instead of having to run around like this with Lu Wu. They had almost found everyone when they finally encountered Mao Yanshou, wasting a lot of effort.

As the scroll was slowly unfurled, even Lu Jing's expression changed when he saw the human pig depicted in the painting. Only Si Mingxin remained expressionless, though his fingers tightened slightly.

After a long while, the two put down the scroll. Cheng Zongyang pointed to the old servant in the painting and asked, "Do Fourth Brother and Fifth Brother remember this person?"

Lu Jing shook his head. "Never seen him before." "

I don't know if it's because I've been looking at him for so long, but I feel like I've seen him before—" Cheng Zongyang was still not giving up. "Fourth Brother, is this really not Yan Junping?"

Si Mingxin said with certainty, "No." "

Definitely not. I've never seen this person before." Lu Jing turned his head and said, "You said Lü Ji seemed to be waiting for someone?"

Mao Yanshou quickly said, "This humble servant just felt that Lord Lü seemed to be waiting for someone."

"Did he say anything else?"

"This humble servant can't remember."

"If Lü Ji really is waiting for someone, then who is he waiting for?"

Cheng Zongyang had thought about this question repeatedly, but he really couldn't figure out why someone of the status of Marquis of Xiangyi would meet someone in a low-class inn in the middle of nowhere, and it seemed that he hadn't even met them yet.

Lu Jing said, "Those few ..."If the women are from the palace, this Marquis of Xiangyi is far too audacious. Even if the Empress Dowager holds immense power, once this leak gets out, it won't be easy to clean up the mess. "

Cheng Zongyang suddenly asked, "The Southern Palace or the Northern Palace?"

Everyone turned to look at Cheng Zongyang.

"If those women are from the Northern Palace, then what about this handkerchief?" Cheng Zongyang took out a handkerchief, on which the four characters "Jade Hall Front Hall" were clearly visible.

"Has Mr. Mao seen this handkerchief before?"

Mao Yanshou's face turned pale with fright. He had originally thought those women were nothing more than the Marquis of Xiangyi's concubines, absurd but ultimately just frivolous and vulgar. Only after hearing his master's words did he realize that this matter involved palace secrets. Those women were likely concubines of the late emperor, or even possibly from the Southern Palace, and close to the current emperor. Regardless of the possibility, he, the one in the know, was already ninety percent dead.

"This humble one...this humble one...has never...never seen it before."

"Take a closer look. "

Mao Yanshou looked at it carefully for a few moments, then shook his head vigorously.

Seeing that he couldn't get any information, Cheng Zongyang said to Mao Yanshou, "You may leave now." Mao

Yanshou, feeling relieved, quickly replied, "Yes. I'll take my leave."

After Mao Yanshou left, Lu Jing said, "That Tang fellow came to urge us again."

"What did Fifth Brother say?"

"I told him that one of them seems to have gone to another prefecture, and we'll have news in three to five days at the earliest."

Cheng Zongyang smiled and said, "Why not tell him about the scarred youth and the old servant, saying they're missing, and ask him to help look for them too?"

Lu Jing raised an eyebrow, "That won't do. It would ruin the reputation of our Yangquan Bao family."

"What idea do you have, Fifth Brother?"

"If the two escaped midway, the old servant's cultivation level won't be too bad. At least level five or above. Such a master wouldn't be unknown in Luoyang." "Lu Jing said, 'Have that guy surnamed Mao draw a separate portrait of the two of them. I'll have someone ask him.'

'Okay.' Cheng Zongyang said, 'Fifth Brother, go find someone to inquire about these two's identities. What about Fourth Brother?'

Si Mingxin said, 'He's going to the palace.'

Lu Jing laughed, 'Fourth Brother miscalculated this time. He put your item in a box and went to the palace with Lü Buyi, but he hasn't taken it out yet.'

Cheng Zongyang was startled, 'Won't someone find out?' That camera is one of a kind in the world; once it's lost, there's nowhere to buy another one.

'Fourth Brother left a restriction on the box. If someone opens it, this place will find out.'

Cheng Zongyang said, 'Then we have to get it back quickly!'

Si Mingxin stood up and said, 'I'll go.'

'Wait a minute! Fourth Brother, are you just going to barge in like this?'" "

The walls of the North Palace, where the Empress Dowager resides, are towering, and soldiers guard the palace 24 hours a day. Even with Si Mingxin's skills, sneaking in unnoticed wouldn't be easy.

" "Don't worry," Lu Jingdao said, "Fourth Brother took a stroll outside the palace this afternoon and found a way."

"A way?" Cheng Zongyang's eyes lit up. "I'll go too!" 　　As dusk fell, a curfew was in effect in the city, and the streets were deserted except for a few soldiers guarding the intersections. A carriage emerged from an alley, bearing a pass flag that Cheng Zongyang had purchased at great expense. The soldiers patrolling the curfew verified the flag and waved for passage.

The 　　carriage did not head towards the palace but instead turned right, entering the main road between the North and South Palaces. The South and North Palaces of Luoyang were several miles apart, with government offices and gardens scattered in between. The carriage traveled along the road for a short while before a massive arched bridge appeared overhead. To facilitate the emperor's travel between the two palaces and to avoid disturbing the people, the emperor had ordered the construction of this covered walkway connecting the two palaces after the completion of the South Palace. 　　The covered walkway began at the Chongde Hall in the center of the South Palace, crossed the Xuanwu Gate to the north, entered the Zhuque Gate of the North Palace, and led directly to the Deyang Hall in the center of the North Palace. The entire covered walkway was ten zhang wide and seven li long; although it appeared as a long bridge from the outside, it was divided into three levels inside. In the center was the imperial road for the emperor, with side passageways for officials and attendants. 　　As the carriage passed beneath the bridge, two figures darted out, clinging to the inner side of the arch like geckos. The two palaces were heavily guarded; even if one could scale the walls, it was difficult to escape the watchful eyes of the guards. The arch of this covered walkway was six zhang (approximately 10 meters) above the ground, and the bridge itself was similarly heavily guarded, with a soldier standing guard every ten paces on either side. But to an expert like Simingxin, this covered walkway was its biggest weakness. 　　The arch was made of smooth, polished bluestone, and being an inner arch, it was impossible to climb. However, Simingxin had walked under the bridge that afternoon and easily found several inconspicuous spots where he could use them for leverage. 　　The two climbed one after the other under the smooth stone arch, quickly reaching the bottom of the covered walkway. Simingxin pressed himself against a pillar for a moment, then silently climbed upwards, all the way to the eaves above the covered walkway, his body as lithe as a leopard. He flipped over and hid under the eaves. 　　Cheng Zongyang carefully held his breath and climbed up the corridor pillars little by little. Five steps to his left and right, there was a soldier of the Imperial Guard. The slightest movement would be immediately discovered. Cheng Zongyang finally climbed to the eaves and saw Si Mingxin grab onto the roof tile with one hand, then leap onto the eaves. Cheng Zongyang followed suit and climbed up the eaves. 　　After hiding under the eaves, Cheng Zongyang noticed that the eaves above the corridor bridge were three-tiered, with the eaves alone reaching a height of two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters), and the eaves were more than one zhang (approximately 3.3 meters) above the bridge surface. At such a height, even if he made a noise, the soldiers below might not hear it. 　　Cheng Zongyang breathed a sigh of relief and gestured to Si Mingxin that he was ready. Si Mingxin nodded, and the two hid between the first and second tiers of eaves, passing through the covered passageway without incident, and arrived at the Deyang Hall in the center of the North Palace. 　　Under the moonlight, the palace... Silence fell. Gazing at the layers of palaces below, the towering buildings on either side, the massive watchtowers, and the various mythical beast patterns, Cheng Zongyang felt a sense of dreamlike disbelief—had he really arrived at the former center of power of the Han Kingdom so easily? It was easier than buying a ticket for a visit. Of course, he knew in his heart that without this covered walkway, without an expert like Si Mingxin leading the way, he might not even have been able to climb the bridge arches. 　　This was Cheng Zongyang's first time seeing the interior of the Han Palace. Looking around from under the eaves, he saw vast stretches of palaces shrouded in darkness, seemingly uninhabited. Occasionally, a few candles were lit, but they were also hidden by heavy curtains, only a faint glimmer of light visible. 　　Si Mingxin, however, seemed to know the way well, heading north without hesitation. Fortunately, he wasn't going very fast, stopping frequently to avoid the palace guards, allowing Cheng Zongyang to keep up. 　　Cheng Zongyang whispered, "Fourth Brother, have you been here before?" 　　Si Mingxin replied, "The restrictions." Cheng 　　Zongyang suddenly realized that Si Mingxin didn't know the palace's layout, but rather sensed the camera's location through a left-behind barrier. 　　The vast palace was eerily silent, which puzzled Cheng Zongyang. It was said that the Han palace alone had no fewer than ten thousand maids; were they all in the Southern Palace where the emperor resided? Such a large palace, so empty—one might mistake it for an abandoned, desolate palace. 　　The two walked and stopped intermittently, and half an hour later, a massive palace came into view. The entire palace was built on a two-zhang-high white marble platform, stretching over forty zhang from east to west, with flying eaves and bracket sets, exuding a magnificent aura. The towering pillars were painted vermilion, carved with gilded dragon and phoenix patterns. Above the palace gate, a plaque bore three large characters, each taller than a person: Yong'an Palace.

Cheng Zongyang had been worried about getting lost, but seeing the palace put his mind at ease. Although he wasn't familiar with the Han Palace, he had heard of this Empress Dowager's residence. The two emerged from behind a pavilion, then their eyes widened, and they both stopped in their tracks. Below the platform, two groups of attendants stood silently. At the head of the groups were two light carriages, their banners bearing the names of the Marquis of Xiangyi and the Marquis of Yingyang, respectively.

Cheng Zongyang and Si Mingxin exchanged a glance, both showing surprise. Lü Ji and Lü Buyi had entered the palace to pay their respects to the Empress Dowager that morning, yet they hadn't left yet. What could they be discussing for so long?

Chapter 3

Si Mingxin glanced around briefly, then retreated, circled to the other side of the pavilion, and slipped towards the pond and garden to the west of the palace.

The pond and garden were adjacent to the palace, with emerald green water swirling around the white marble platform, reflecting the pale moonlight. The two carefully concealed themselves under the willow trees beside the pond and stealthily made their way towards Yong'an Palace. Suddenly, Si Mingxin froze, turning to look into the pond.

Cheng Zongyang also sensed something amiss, turning back to look and nearly crying out in surprise. Under the moonlight, a cluster of emerald green leaves slowly unfurled. Initially only a foot in size, it expanded to the size of a cartwheel, becoming a lotus leaf several feet in diameter. Unfortunately, the flowering season was over, leaving only the remaining lotus stems, the lotus pods at the top of which were large enough for one person to encircle. Even though Cheng Zongyang was accustomed to seeing all sorts of enormous flowers and plants in the Southern Wilderness, he was still taken aback to see such a huge lotus leaf in the Han Palace, especially unfolding at night.

The two were relieved and moved even more cautiously. There were no soldiers guarding Yong'an Palace, and several eunuchs remained at the palace gate. The two circled around to the back of the hall. Si Mingxin did not immediately rush to the first hall, but first sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and listened intently to the sounds around him.

A quarter of an hour later, Si Mingxin opened his eyes, confirming that there were no patrolling guards within two miles. He pointed to a corner of the palace and then darted forward.

Yong'an Palace was enormous, nearly 150 meters long; even if someone was inside, it would be impossible for them to hear any sounds from outside. Si Mingxin stretched out his body with all his might, leaping onto the platform like a blurry shadow. Then, he lightly touched the pillar with his toes, rising straight up. Using the middle as leverage, he reached out and grabbed the eaves. Cheng Zongyang smiled wryly. Si Mingxin's leaping across rooftops seemed simple, but to do it so silently, jumping up a seven- or eight-zhang-high palace—he truly lacked that skill.

Si Mingxin ignored him, curled up, and disappeared into the eaves. Cheng Zongyang steeled himself, took a deep breath, and made sure his internal energy was flowing smoothly so he wouldn't give up halfway, run out of breath halfway up, and fall half-dead. Only then did he leap onto the platform, then soar up, skimming along the pillars.

The pillar was so thick it would take three or four people to encircle it. Its surface was impeccably smooth, and to make matters worse, because it was located at the back of the hall, it lacked any carvings of dragons or phoenixes, offering virtually no foothold. Cheng Zongyang had already reached his limit, leaping two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters) in one breath. He had no choice but to grip his dagger, preparing to stab the pillar and use the momentum to jump further. This was a last resort, a desperate measure given the pillar's height; he knew he would need at least five or six stabs to reach the eaves. By daybreak, these knife marks would be obvious.

Just then, Si Mingxin emerged from under the eaves, then silently tossed a rope. Cheng Zongyang quickly grabbed the rope and scrambled up.

Si Mingxin had already cut a gap under the eaves large enough for one person to crawl through, its location extremely well-hidden. Unless one used a long ladder to climb under the eaves and carefully observed, it would be completely invisible.

Si Mingxin gestured that the camera was inside the hall, then without hesitation, crawled inside.

Cheng Zongyang grinned. When it comes to decisiveness, you have to look to Fourth Brother. He doesn't even need to catch his breath, moving through the palace as if it were flat ground. Nothing can stump him.

...

In the hall, people were vaguely talking when suddenly a voice rose sharply, "...So what!"

Cheng Zongyang focused his ears, and the previously muffled voice immediately became clear. A man said generously, "Brother, please forgive me for disagreeing with your words!"

"Haha, how could our Lü family produce such a pedantic and worthless scholar like you!"

Lü Buyi retorted without any politeness, "A gentleman upholds righteousness! How can you treat human life so lightly?"

Lü Ji roared, "You idiot! Someone has a knife to our Lü family's neck, are you still going to stick your head out and let them cut you? Do you want to try? Come on! Let me cut you once!"

"Shut up!" a woman shouted sharply.

The hall was quiet for a moment. Lü Ji said, "Sister, I'm furious—it's all my fault that Fourth Brother is so stupid!"

Lü Buyi said painfully, "Sister, our Lü family has been known as the Empress Dowager's family for generations. Many empress dowagers have participated in government affairs. In terms of the length of time we have governed the country, it is not much shorter than that of the Liu family. The Great Way prevails, and the world belongs to all. How can we govern the world with our own selfish desires?"

Cheng Zongyang narrowed his eyes and cautiously looked down.

A woman dressed in black palace attire sat on the throne, with tree-shaped bronze palace lanterns lit beside her. Her appearance was dignified, and her jade cheeks were as cold as ice. At first glance, she did not seem stunning, but the more you looked, the more charming she became. Her phoenix eyes seemed to speak, mixed with kindness and cruelty, gentleness and fierceness, composure and decisiveness, magnanimity and coldness and meanness... Cheng Zongyang had never thought that someone could mix so many different emotions together and hide them behind a cold expression.

Behind her stood several maids, some young, others with white hair. Two men sat before her: a stout man, the Marquis of Xiangyi, Lü Ji, whom she had met before; and a refined man, the very one mentioned earlier as the one who advocated "the world belongs to all," most likely the learned Marquis of Yingyang, Lü Buyi.

Lü Zhi said calmly, "Buyi, are you still resentful of me?"

"Your subject wouldn't dare."

"Tell me immediately what Aji did at Shangtang. He did a good job." The Empress Dowager said in a flat tone, "Aji did wrong. Do you know why I specifically asked you to take action?"

Lü Buyi was silent for a moment. "Your subject doesn't know."

"I'll say it once, and you'd better remember it." Lü Zhi said, word by word, "The Han dynasty has its own system, inherently a mixture of hegemonic and benevolent rule; how can it rely solely on benevolent governance!"

Lü Zhi's voice wasn't loud, but every word was crystal clear, her clear voice echoing in the hall for a long time.

"Do you understand?"

Lü Buyi remained silent.

"You want to be a good person. Very well. But what our Lü family needs now are useful people," Lü Zhi said coldly. "If you were born into another family, it wouldn't matter if you were a useless good person. But our father and elder brother died at someone's hands, and our family only has two male heirs left in this generation. Our father and brother's great revenge is still unavenged, and family and national affairs are like walking on thin ice. How can you expect to be a good person in peace?"

Lü Ji interjected, "Sister is right! If it weren't for you, would you be where you are today? Now you want to have your own fun, but on what grounds?"

"Shut up!" Empress Lü Zhi snapped, then softened her tone. "I only have two younger brothers. After our father and brothers passed away, the three of us siblings have relied on each other for survival—Buyi, the reason I sent you to help Aji with the aftermath is so that you brothers wouldn't become estranged. Brothers united can move mountains. As long as we siblings support each other, no matter how big the storm, your elder sister is not afraid."

Lü Buyi lowered his head. "Your subject understands."

Empress Lü Zhi sighed and said gently, "Alright. You must be tired after a day in the palace. Go back."

"Yes. Your subject takes his leave."

As soon as Lü Buyi left, Lü Ji couldn't wait to say, "Elder sister! You saw it, that boy is two-faced! He pretends to be a good person all day, but he's reluctant to kill someone. He's long forgotten how I took a sword for him to save his life!"

Lü Zhi looked at him quietly, then said, "Aji, no matter how much you dislike or doubt him, he is still your only younger brother."

Lü Ji said resentfully, "He was the one who disliked me first."

"That's because you went too far! How many officials have you secretly killed these past few years? Just because they said a few things you didn't like

"Those traitors harbor evil intentions! They're always finding fault with me, but who doesn't know what they're really up to? Aren't they just trying to force your elder sister to return power to you and curry favor with that brat Liu Ao?"

Lü Zhi rebuked sharply, "How dare you call him Liu Ao!"

Lü Ji snorted and reluctantly shut his mouth.

Lü Zhi rubbed her forehead, looking tired, with a slight headache.

Lü Ji whispered, "Sister, don't be angry. I'll be more careful from now on."

Lü Zhi sighed, "Bu Yi wholeheartedly wants to be a gentleman, while you are recklessly unrestrained. I wish I could crush you two brothers into pieces and then split you into two... You should learn more from your nephew, Ju Jun."

Lü Ji said disdainfully, "That young brat?"

Lü Zhi said, "He is much better than you brothers."

Lü Ji pouted, "You're just biased towards your elder brother."

Lü Zhi shook her head helplessly, "I don't have the energy to say anything more to you. Don't forget the few things I discussed today."

"Don't worry, sister," Lü Ji said, "Let's leave aside the other minor matters. The important ones are: the King of Zhao's desire to establish a crown prince, the matter of the emperor, and the matter of inquiring about that old scoundrel. I will handle these matters."

"Alright. You should go back too."

Lü Ji said with a grin, "Sister, it's late. I'll stay in the palace tonight and not go back."

Lü Zhi glared at him, "Whatever."

Si Mingxin's voice rang in his ears, "You go first. Keep an eye on him."

Cheng Zongyang nodded. The wooden box containing the camera was inside the hall. He knew he didn't have the ability to sneak into the hall, retrieve the item, and leave from the seven or eight zhang high roof. Lü Ji's entourage was magnificent, so following him wasn't difficult.

...

Several beautiful maids carrying lanterns walked in succession in front, with the eunuch Qin Gong following closely behind the carriage, and several trusted guards behind. Lü Ji leaned lazily against the carriage, casually giving an order. The entourage passed through the palace walls as if it were his own garden, moving freely without hindrance.

Wherever the carriage stopped, the eunuchs and palace attendants on night duty would rush forward and prostrate themselves in greeting, even the guards left in the shadows were no exception. The Marquis of Xiangyi's imposing presence in the palace gave Cheng Zongyang an advantage, allowing him to easily evade the guards.

The carriages left Yong'an Palace, heading south through Jingfu Hall, Anchang Hall, Yanxiu Hall… As the carriages passed, the once dark palaces were gradually illuminated by candlelight. Palace maids and eunuchs bustled about, some running in and out, others hurrying to keep up with the procession. A constant stream of people came to pay their respects to the Marquis of Xiangyi, and soon the procession swelled to over a hundred people.

The carriages stopped before Yingchun Hall. The eunuchs, having already received word, rushed out to greet him, prostrating themselves and shrilly, "This servant greets Your Highness."

Qin Gong said from the side, "It's late; Your Highness has come to relax and perhaps rest in the hall."

The eunuch replied, "This servant has already instructed the Empress to prepare and dress; she will come to serve Your Highness shortly."

Lü Ji changed into a soft palanquin, carried into the hall by several eunuchs who had come from various palaces to attend to him. The eunuchs of Yingchun Palace, bowing low, led the palanquin directly into the sleeping quarters.

The palaces of the Han Kingdom were extremely magnificent; Yingchun Palace was considered a small hall within the palace complex, but the sleeping quarters were still three zhang high and five zhang long and wide. Two rows of round pillars inside were carved with various images of immortals and clouds. In the center was a brocade couch about ten feet in size, surrounded by gauze curtains.

Lü Ji showed no signs of awkwardness, sitting on the couch like a master. The accompanying maids placed a brocade cushion behind him and a small table beside him for him to lean on, then brought melons, fruits, and wine.

Dozens of people suddenly flooded into the previously empty hall, yet it still felt crowded. Lü Ji leaned against the couch, surrounded by six or seven beautiful maids. Two guards stood watch beside the couch, below whom were the slave supervisor Qin Gong and several prominent court attendants and eunuchs. The maids and servants who had accompanied Lü Ji into the palace were also inside, standing haphazardly among the eunuchs and attendants who had come from other palaces to serve him.

A short while later, a beautiful woman in fine clothes was brought into the palace by an attendant. She gracefully bowed and said in a sweet voice, "This humble servant, Consort Dong Yuan, greets Your Majesty. May Your Majesty be blessed."

Lü Ji was teasing a pretty young maid, who exclaimed softly, "Consort? How amazing..."

Lü Ji seemed quite fond of her, and upon hearing this, he laughed heartily.

Qin Gong laughed, "The rank of Consort Zhao is equivalent to that of the Prime Minister, and her title is comparable to that of a prince. This Consort Dong was once greatly favored by the late Emperor. Unfortunately, she was short-lived; she entered the palace only a few months before the late Emperor passed away."

A maid asked, "Why did the late Emperor favor her? Was it because she was beautiful?"

A eunuch chuckled in a hoarse voice, "The late Emperor favored her brother. Because both siblings had concubines, they entered the palace and received favor."

The maid asked, puzzled, "What are concubines?"

Lü Ji laughed loudly, "Zhu Anshi found this girl somewhere; she's so naive and doesn't understand matters of the heart."

Cheng Zongyang's heart skipped a beat. Everyone knew of the feud between Zhu Anshi and Lü Ji, yet Zhu Anshi secretly sent a beautiful woman to Lü Ji, who accepted it without hesitation. Was it a private reconciliation between the two, or was there another hidden story?

A eunuch let out a series of shrill, eerie laughs and said to the beautiful woman beside him, "Consort Dong, the Marquis's little maid doesn't know what 'Hou Mei' is. Please, Your Highness,

undress so that the Marquis's little maid can have a look." Before Consort Dong could respond, a eunuch who was currying favor with the Marquis of Xiangyi stepped forward and took her arm. The eunuch who served in the Yingchun Palace knelt down, personally untied Consort Dong's sash, and stripped off her lower garment, exposing her fair and beautiful lower body. Then he led her to the bed, made her bend over, and stick out her snowy buttocks.

The beautiful woman blushed, but dared not utter a word. Although she was the mistress of this palace, she was now lying naked before the bed in front of all the servants in the palace. The eunuch who was nominally serving her was like a half-mistress, diligently parting the flesh of his mistress's buttocks to reveal a tender red opening between her buttocks for the Marquis of Xiangyi and his little maid to see.

A eunuch picked up an ivory chopstick from the table, dipped it in some wine, and placed it inside Consort Dong's anus. The beautiful woman slightly furrowed her brows; between her snow-white buttocks, her red, moist anus, like a tender little mouth, held the ivory chopstick. The crimson anal flesh wriggled, swallowing the ivory chopstick little by little into her anus.

A maid behind her laughed and tapped the chopstick with a round fan, causing the white chopstick to slide halfway in, inserting straight into the beautiful woman's tender anus. Consort Dong let out a soft cry, her anus tightening, gripping the chopstick tightly.

The maidservant covered her mouth and laughed, then after a long while said, "It's so small there, how can it fit?"

Lü Ji laughed heartily, "You'll know once I insert it."

The eunuch shrieked, "Please, Your Highness, serve the Marquis in bed."

"Yes..." Consort Dong replied shyly, then climbed onto the bed, spread her legs, and straddled Lü Ji's waist with her back to him. She raised her snowy buttocks while guiding the Marquis's penis between her buttocks, slowly sitting down and vigorously stroking it.

Qin Gong laughed, "It's been a few days, and Consort Dong's charm has only increased. That ass is even more beautiful."

The eunuch, full of flattery, said, "The Marquis was only a teenager when he first came to Yingchun Palace. This servant watched from the side and saw that the Marquis was already exceptionally brave and heroic at such a young age. Unfortunately, Consort Dong was blind to his

greatness and dared to talk back to the Marquis. This servant secretly went to report to the Empress Dowager, and within two days, Consort Dong personally invited the Marquis to come and apologize to him." Another eunuch said, "Fortunately, Consort Dong was sensible and knew her place, otherwise she would have been sent to Yongxiang Palace like those lowly servants long ago."

"The late emperor's most favored concubines, except for Consort Dong, were all sent to the Yongxiang Palace, weren't they? If it weren't for the Empress Dowager's benevolence, sending doctors and medicines daily, those lowly servants would be reduced to dust by now,"

Qin Gong said. "This is also Consort Dong's way of repaying kindness. When the late emperor passed away, Consort Dong's brother committed suicide by poison. If it weren't for the Marquis taking Consort Dong's parents to his estate to care for them, they would probably be dust by now."

Everyone praised the Marquis's benevolence, and even Consort Dong forced a smile, saying, "Thank you, Marquis..."

Cheng Zongyang mingled in the crowd, silently observing coldly. Hearing that the Marquis of Xiangyi was staying overnight in the palace, the eunuchs and servants from various palaces rushed to serve him. He had been following far behind, but seeing the procession growing longer and more chaotic, he simply knocked out a servant of similar build, changed into his clothes, and mingled into the entourage. The eunuchs were all focused on currying favor with the Marquis of Xiangyi, and none of them noticed the stranger in the procession. Moreover, there were no fewer than ten thousand eunuchs and servants in the palace, so no one would care about the addition of an unfamiliar face. Thus, Cheng Zongyang followed them into the Yingchun Palace with an air of nonchalance.

Seeing the late emperor's favored concubine, a high-ranking official, being defiled on the bed, the surrounding eunuchs were unfazed, even fawning over her with obsequious smiles. If one didn't know better, they might think Lü Ji was the true master of this harem.

The Marquis of Xiangyi certainly didn't take a concubine left behind by the late emperor seriously, and even his maids treated the beautiful woman like a plaything. They giggled as they parted Consort Dong's buttocks, watching their master's penis enter and exit her anus, while simultaneously fondling her body, kneading her breasts and caressing her genitals, wantonly playing with her, and frequently mocking and teasing her about her shame. Consort Dong not only dared not refuse, but also forced a smile, allowing them to fondle her body. 　　The eunuchs in the hall showered the emperor with flattery, while whispers rippled through the room. Cheng Zongyang's ears twitched as he overheard someone say, "I went to the Yongxiang Palace the other day and saw Consort Tian..." 　　"Is Consort Tian still alive?" 　　"Almost as good as dead..." 　　"I heard it was the Marquis who ordered it..." 　　"...to lock her in a pigpen and feed her with the black pigs that were presented as tribute..." 　　"Tsk tsk, I'm afraid the Empress Dowager doesn't know yet?" 　　"If the Empress Dowager knew the Marquis had stood up for her, she'd be overjoyed..." 　　These eunuchs were all veterans of the palace, and Cheng Zongyang gleaned much from their brief conversation. 　　The late emperor had many favorites, and after his death, over two hundred palace women held official titles. Although these concubines had all held their positions and enjoyed a period of glory, their status plummeted after the late emperor's passing. Concubines with children could still rise in status through their sons, receiving the title of Empress Dowager and accompanying their sons to their fiefdoms to enjoy honor. The late emperor had only one son, raised by the Empress Dowager. The other concubines had no children. Although they held the titles of Zhaoyi and Jieyu, in the Northern Palace controlled by the Empress Dowager, they were less than servants. After all, servants could be released from the palace and marry into good families, becoming mistresses. These concubines, however, had no future and could only quietly die in the palace, never to see the outside world again. 　　The Empress Dowager had long harbored resentment towards these concubines who had once competed for her favor. As soon as the late emperor passed away, she banished the most favored Zhaoyi, Jieyu, and Guiren to the Yongxiang Palace. Fortunately, Consort Dong had not been in the palace long and had not offended the Empress Dowager. Even so, she lived in fear like the other concubines, always watching the Empress Dowager's expression. The Empress 　　Dowager's father and brothers had died early, and after assuming power, she doted on her two younger brothers. Lü Ji, relying on the Empress Dowager's favor, had unrestricted access to the palace. The emperor resided in the Southern Palace, and aside from paying his respects to the Empress Dowager every few days, he never entered the Northern Palace. Lü Ji practically became the young master of the Northern Palace. 　　Spoiled since childhood, Lü Ji was utterly unruly and naturally held the concubines, locked away in the deep palace and deprived of sunlight, in utter contempt. Later, upon learning that many of these concubines had offended their elder sisters, he became even more ruthless. 　　When Lü Ji was twelve, Consort Feng of Anfu Palace complained to the Empress Dowager that the Marquis of Xiangyi had barged into the palace and spoken inappropriately. The Empress Dowager said nothing, but ordered Consort Feng to be imprisoned in the Yongxiang Palace. At the same time, she gave the Marquis of Xiangyi a part-time position as the Yongxiang Palace Supervisor, ordering him to inspect the Yongxiang Palace. 　　The Marquis of Xiangyi went to the Yongxiang Palace and didn't leave until the next day, smugly. Later, someone in the palace saw the Marquis of Xiangyi's servant showing off a newly made writing brush, boasting that the soft bristles were made from Consort Feng's pubic hair. 　　When the late emperor died young, his concubines were also in their prime. Even though the Empress Dowager had been ruling for several years, the oldest was only in her early twenties, and the youngest was only seventeen or eighteen. From then on, no concubine in the palace dared to disobey the Marquis of Xiangyi. Since the Marquis of Xiangyi took over the Yongxiang Palace, he treated these concubines like servants, and whenever he felt like it, he would defile them regardless of age. 　　Consort Jiang of Hehuan Palace was beautiful and older than the Empress Dowager, two years older than her, old enough to be the Marquis of Xiangyi's aunt. However, when the eunuchs from other palaces went to Hehuan Palace, they saw Consort Jiang lying naked on the carpet, her white buttocks raised, being violated from behind by a child. When she saw outsiders enter, she only covered her face in shame. 　　Noble Lady Song of Jingfu Palace had always been friendly with the Empress Dowager, and her residence was next to the Empress Dowager's Yong'an Palace, so she had enjoyed a few years of peace. However, she was later exposed by a eunuch for speaking ill of the Empress Dowager to the late Emperor. The Marquis of Xiangyi, enraged by this, immediately led his men into Jingfu Palace, dragged Consort Song onto the floor, stripped her naked, and raped her. Unable to bear the humiliation, Consort Song hanged herself that very day. Upon learning this, the Empress Dowager, using resentment as a pretext, had Consort Song's entire family executed. 　　Some strong-willed concubines, unwilling to endure the humiliation, also committed suicide, but after the extermination of more than ten families, even those who dared to seek death were extinct. Now, of the concubines left by the late Emperor, only a few dozen were banished to the Yongxiang Palace; the rest were scattered throughout various palaces, forced to rely on Lady Lü for survival. 　　... 　　The candlelight flickered red in the palace, and laughter and merriment filled the air. The two attendants standing beside the couch remained expressionless, seemingly oblivious to the lewd scene unfolding before them. Suddenly, one of them raised an eyebrow. "Someone's here." 　　Only then did Cheng Zongyang notice that the two assassins were eunuchs. No wonder Lü Ji was so uninhibited in front of them. He wondered if they were sent by the Empress Dowager to protect Lü Ji, or if they were eunuchs kept by the Lü family themselves. 　　Lü Ji, engrossed in his game, said without looking up, "Who cares who they are? Throw them all out." 　　The attendant replied, "It's Lord Xiangcheng." 　　The laughter and chatter in the hall fell silent instantly. Then, the maids around Lü Ji, like startled birds, hurriedly grabbed their clothes and left the brocade couch, their faces pale with fright. Even the arrogant and unrestrained Lü Ji turned pale. He threw the little maid he was carrying onto the couch, pushed away the beautiful woman on top of him, and frantically put on his clothes. The little 　　maid, seeing the women around her scatter, was at a loss. Qin Gong stepped forward, grabbed her, and hurriedly hid behind the hall. 　　Cheng Zongyang watched as the people in the hall were in a state of panic, like startled birds. He was puzzled when, a moment later, the hall doors were suddenly pushed open. A group of servants rushed in, and in the middle was a woman with her hair styled in a high bun. Although her jade-like face was taut, her almond-shaped eyes and peach-blossom cheeks radiated beauty, and her eyes revealed a captivating, almost foxy allure. 　　The woman sneered, "Oh, so the Marquis isn't home in the middle of the night? So you're here." 　　Lü Ji smiled ingratiatingly, "I was just talking with my sister, and I got a little hungry. The servants said Consort Dong makes excellent soup noodles, so I came to have some."

Consort Dong, her hair disheveled, timidly said, "This servant greets Lord Xiangcheng..."

A sharp "slap" rang

out as Lord Xiangcheng slapped Consort Dong across the face, shouting, "Drag her away! Give this slut a good lesson!" A burly maidservant grabbed Consort Dong's hair and dragged her to the ground. Several more maidservants rushed forward and hurriedly dragged her outside the hall.

"Beat her! Beat her well!" Lü Ji echoed, then forced a smile, "Madam, please calm down, Madam, please calm down."

Lord Xiangcheng curled his lips and said in a seductive voice, "I heard the Marquis has acquired a new little beauty. Where is she? Let this servant see her."

Lü Ji said, "Don't listen to the nonsense of those below. What little beauty? There's nothing to it."

Lord Xiangcheng sneered, grabbed a servant's ear, and pulled him in front of Lü Ji. The fawning smile on Lü Ji's face immediately froze.

The servant cried out, "My lord, spare me! I have an eighty-year-old mother to support, and my whole family depends on me for survival..."

Lü Ji paused for a moment, then laughed heartily, "Well done! Well done! If you hadn't mentioned it to Madam, I would have almost forgotten. Guards, a generous reward awaits!"

Lü Ji dismissed the servant and quickly explained to Lord Xiangcheng, "Zhu Anshi... Madam, do you remember him? A famous chivalrous man from Luoyang. He had a slight grudge against me before, and this time he sent someone to bring a woman, saying she was his adopted daughter, to serve me. I said that wouldn't do! If anyone should serve, it should be Madam. But these past two days have been so busy, you see, I completely forgot about it. Madam, don't worry, I'll send her to your residence at dawn. Madam can do whatever she wants with her, I won't say a word."

Cheng Zongyang felt that this trip was truly worthwhile; he never expected that the fearless Lord Xiangyi, Lü Ji, was actually afraid of his wife. Looking further to the side, all the eunuchs and servants in the hall held their breath, their eyes fixed on their toes, not daring to even lift their heads. It seemed this Lady Xiangcheng had quite a reputation in the palace. No wonder even the Sun family was so arrogant.

Cheng Zongyang secretly glanced at Lady Xiangcheng, but unexpectedly, she turned her head, and their eyes met. Her alluring face, though slightly angry, still exuded charm, almost making him whistle.

Lady Xiangcheng frowned slightly; how could such an impolite servant dare to look her in the eye! She looked at everyone's faces, not seeing the pretty girl, and her expression relaxed slightly.

Lu Ji cautiously asked, "Has Madam seen my elder sister?"

"Just now," Xiangcheng Jun said coldly. "My elder sister said she wanted me to keep a close eye on you, lest you cause any more trouble." "

Madam, you've worked hard! Madam, you've worked hard!"

"Where's Qin Gong? Did he run away with your little beauty?"

"Madam, what are you saying? He didn't come. If Madam needs anything, I'll send someone to fetch him immediately."

"No need." Xiangcheng Jun turned and left, ordering, "Take all the servants who came with the Marquis away and interrogate them carefully."

The accompanying maids responded in unison, "Yes, madam!"

The remaining servants looked at each other, then looked at their master with pleading eyes.

"What are you still standing there for?" Lu Ji roared with a fierce face, "Go now! Whatever Madam asks you, you must say! No hiding anything!"

The crowd responded in unison, "We understand."

Chapter Four

The eunuchs and palace attendants in the hall carefully retreated, keeping their distance from the entourage brought by Xiangyi Marquis, lest they suffer undeserved disaster. Cheng Zongyang also stepped back, but the moment he moved, a maid grabbed him. The strong woman had her hair in a high bun, her face full of fierce features; she was clearly a burly woman with the strength to fight. Although there was a difference between men and women, Cheng Zongyang immediately thought of the Second Master.

The strong woman shouted sharply, "Don't try to fool me!"

Cheng Zongyang quickly said, "Elder sister, you've mistaken me for someone else. I'm from the palace."

"You little punk! You think I won't recognize you just because you changed your clothes?" The strong woman disdained to argue with him and turned to say, "Lord Marquis, what do you think we should do?"

Lü Ji said in a deep voice, "You lying scoundrel! Take him away! Hand him over to the Madam for punishment."

The surrounding eunuchs and servants all looked at him with pity. If the Lord of Xiangcheng found anything out, this kid would be lucky to escape with his life.

Cheng Zongyang's mouth gaped open wide enough to fit an egg. He, this easily exposed imposter, had actually become the real deal! If his fourth and fifth brothers saw this, they'd probably laugh themselves silly.

Gazing at the towering gate towers outside the palace, Cheng Zongyang never imagined that he would emerge so openly from the Vermilion Bird Gate, directly south of the North Palace, posing as a palace eunuch and serving as a follower of the Marquis of Xiangyi. However, his treatment was hardly better than that of prisoners. The servants treated them like thieves, keeping a close watch on them the entire way. As soon as they left the palace gates, they were shoved into a carriage, practically bound hand and foot and put in shackles.

The carriage was pitch black, and although crowded, no one dared to speak. Cheng Zongyang nudged the person next to him with his elbow and whispered, "Where are we going?"

"Who knows? If we're lucky, the madam will interrogate us and kick us out. If we're unlucky..." The man shuddered and dared not continue.

Cheng Zongyang was also filled with unease. He had originally planned to escape as soon as he left the palace, but now that he had the opportunity to enter the Marquis of Xiangyi's residence, it would be a waste not to go in. "The Xiangcheng Lord's house isn't a den of dragons or tigers, what's wrong with going there?"

Cheng Zongyang made up his mind, then thought of Si Mingxin. He wondered how his fourth brother was doing in the palace, whether he had retrieved the camera. He had been in Yingchun Palace for quite some time; his fourth brother should have succeeded and come to meet him long ago, but why hadn't he made a move? A sense of unease arose in Cheng Zongyang's heart. Inside Yong'an Palace, the Empress Dowager was one thing, but the name Lü Zhi alone was terrifying enough. And the maids behind her, especially the ordinary-looking middle-aged woman and the white-haired old woman, all seemed to possess an invisible aura of menace, giving off a sense of inexplicable danger… However, with his fourth brother's skills, even in the most dangerous situation, escaping alone wouldn't be difficult. Although Cheng Zongyang didn't want to admit it, if any danger arose, he would definitely be a burden.

Cheng Zongyang closed his eyes, recalling the conversation he had overheard in Yong'an Palace.

"The Han dynasty has its own system, a mixture of hegemonic and benevolent rule; how can it rely solely on benevolent governance?" Empress Lü's words sounded very familiar. This woman's insight was remarkable; no wonder she could keep the emperor firmly under her thumb.

The King of Zhao's desire to establish a crown prince was a matter for the emperor, a matter for the old scoundrel—who was the old scoundrel? If it were Yue Fei, it would sound much more plausible. Speaking of which, did that scoundrel Yue Fei harm the Han dynasty back then? That's a question for Fifth Brother; who knows, a bomb might just pop out one day and blow him to smithereens… The King of Zhao's desire to establish a crown prince was also strange. The emperor had only just taken control of the court; wasn't establishing a crown prince a bit too early? Besides, even if a crown prince were established, what did it have to do with a vassal king?

Cheng Zongyang was lost in thought until the carriage stopped, bringing him back to his senses. The followers who had been acting under the guise of the Marquis of Xiangyi all tucked their tails between their legs, obediently dismounting and standing in a row.

The carriage stopped in a courtyard. Cheng Zongyang glanced at it; under the moonlight, the high, dark blue walls stretched as far as the eye could see, with two watchtowers towering into the clouds beyond. He remembered those two watchtowers vividly from when he passed by the next day, and recognized them immediately. This was the residence of the Lord of Xiangcheng, just across the road from the Marquis of Xiangyi's mansion.

Several maids were already guarding the courtyard, pointing at the group and saying, "You four, come here!"

"You, you, you, come with me."

"Who is the driver? Step forward."

"Who is in charge of the clothing?"

The attendants were quickly divided into several groups and taken away for interrogation. Cheng Zongyang was also taken to a house along with two other attendants. The two attendants behind him were very well-behaved and stopped as soon as they reached the house. Cheng Zongyang took two steps forward, but by the time he realized something was wrong and turned back, it was too late.

The pretty maid glanced at him. "Is there something you need to say urgently? Then come first."

The two entered the room, and the maid sat down on her own. Then she asked, "Name?"

"Cheng... Houdao."

"How long have you been following the Marquis?"

Cheng Zongyang answered honestly, "Not long ago."

"What do you do?"

"Nothing much, just follow the Marquis and do some manual labor."

"Manual labor?" The maid snorted contemptuously. "When did the Marquis enter the palace?"

He knew this himself and didn't need to hide it for Lü Ji. "He entered the palace this morning."

"Besides Yingchun Palace, where else did you go?"

"Nothing. Just Yong'an Palace."

"Who are the maids the Marquis usually close to?"

"I don't know. I just arrived, and I don't know anyone."

"How did the Marquis bring you into the palace?"

Cheng Zongyang smiled innocently. "I don't know either. They told me to follow, so I followed."

"Did they make you change into the clothes you're wearing?"

Cheng Zongyang looked down at his clothes. "Yes."

"What's the Marquis planning, dressing you up as a servant and sending you to the palace?" The maidservant's pretty face hardened, and she snapped coldly, "Don't tell me you don't know!"

"I...I really don't know."

"Where are they taking you?" the maidservant threatened, "If you say you don't know again, I'll throw you into the river and make you dig sand until you die!"

He hadn't infiltrated the Xiangcheng Lord's mansion to dig sand. The problem was, apart from Yong'an Palace and later Yingchun Hall, he knew nothing about the palace's architecture. Cheng Zongyang had no choice but to choose the place he'd heard of most, and said with a forced smile, "Yong...Yongxiang."

The maidservant paused, then giggled, "To Yongxiang? Hahahaha..." The maidservant laughed as she curiously examined him, and after a long while, she hardened her face, "Go ahead, wait outside."

The other two attendants were called in one after another, and when they came out, they were pale and ashen-faced. By the time these attendants were brought back together, it was already midnight.

Several maids conversed for a moment, then the maid who had interrogated him earlier came over and pointed to a few people, ordering, "Send them to dig river sand."

These servants, deemed disloyal to their mistress, wailed and howled. Several strong women stepped forward and, without a word, took them away.

"The rest, find a place to lock them up for the night, and send them away tomorrow."

Cheng Zongyang was led to an empty room with the others. The door slammed shut, followed by the sound of chains clicking as they locked. Having been through most of the night and had a close call, no one was in the mood for conversation. They found places to sit or lie down, and soon began snoring loudly.

Cheng Zongyang leaned against the window, breathing evenly, and tried to push it open. As expected, the window was fixed in place, and the only exit was locked tightly, with servants guarding the outside. It seemed he would have to stay there for the night.

Cheng Zongyang cleared his mind, closed his eyes, and began to regulate his breathing, drifting off to sleep. As

dawn broke, the sound of chains rattling came from outside. Then someone opened the door and shouted, "Come out, all of you!"

The maidservant from the previous night called out names one by one. Those whose names were called felt as if they had been granted a pardon, quickly kowtowing to thank their mistress for her kindness before fleeing like their backsides were on fire. Just

as the maidservant was halfway through calling out names, a young girl approached and said, "Sister Hongyu, a new batch of sorghum has arrived in the storeroom. Madam says she wants to brew wine, but the workshop is short-handed. She asked you to send a few people to help out for a few days."

Hongyu glanced at everyone. "Cheng Houdao, you go help."

"Huh?" Cheng Zongyang was dumbfounded. He had spent a million yesterday trying to find a way to get an official position, and before he could even buy it, he'd become a servant?

Hongyu said to the girl, "He's the Marquis's attendant. He's a bit simple-minded, but he's quite strong. Since the manor is short-handed, let's keep him for a few days. Take him to the steward to get a waist token." Then she turned back and scolded, "What are you still standing there for? Go quickly!"

Emerging from the steward's office, Cheng Zongyang held the newly issued waist token, a bitter smile on his face. He didn't know if it was because his acting skills had improved dramatically after a few days of training with Lu Jing, or if his luck had just run out, but somehow he had actually managed to infiltrate the Xiangcheng Lord's manor and become a genuine servant, Cheng Houdao. If he were to take this waist token back, wouldn't he utterly disgrace the entire Cheng Clan Merchant Guild?

"Cheng Houdao! What are you daydreaming about again?"

"Oh," Cheng Zongyang looked up, looking blank

, and said, "I don't know." The girl, who had been standing with her hands on her hips, was amused by his words and laughed. "What an idiot. Grab the shovel! All you have to do is put the sorghum on the steamer and collect the steamed sorghum in the basket. Got it?"

"Oh."

The girl rolled her eyes and said to the people in the workshop, "I'm leaving the man to you. I'm not going to worry about him anymore."

Dozens of steamers were lined up in the workshop, each the size of an adult's outstretched arms. Several brewing craftsmen were running around frantically, too busy to even turn around, and no one chatted with him. They just shouted at him to hurry up and add the ingredients when the time was right. Cheng Zongyang only had to swing the shovel and exert some strength, so it didn't take much effort.

The dozens of large pots were burning brightly, and once the pots were opened, the entire workshop was like a steamer. Soon, Cheng Zongyang was drenched in sweat, so he took off his shirt and wielded his shovel bare-chested.

It was nearing noon,

and Cheng Zongyang was just about to make an excuse to urinate and leave when a commotion erupted outside. Someone said, "Madam, the winery is this way." Then, a group of maids escorted a seductive woman into the winery. Before Cheng Zongyang could even see clearly, someone tugged at him from behind and whispered, "Kneel down!"

Cheng Zongyang turned around and saw that all the craftsmen in the winery were kneeling on the ground, except for him, who was still standing upright. Kneeling would be too humiliating! If he threw down his shovel, laughed loudly, and went out, would he be arrested immediately?

The person behind him grew anxious and tugged at him again. Cheng Zongyang cursed inwardly, but finally knelt down. To be honest, he often did this, but usually, when he knelt, there was a beautiful woman's buttocks in front of him. "Kneeling like this, it's been a while since I practiced.

" A delicate voice said, "Get up. Don't delay the cooking time."

The craftsmen all stood up, and Cheng Zongyang also got up, picked up his shovel, and continued his strenuous work. Xiangcheng Jun walked through the workshop, listening to the maid's explanation. Suddenly, she stopped, her beautiful eyes gleaming with a bewitching light.

Beside her, a strong man was shirtless, wielding a shovel to turn over the steamed sorghum. Through the white steam, she could see his taut skin, glistening with oil, his broad shoulders and strong physique, his chest thick and powerful, especially his abdominal muscles, each one clearly defined, constantly bending and taut with his movements, as if he had inexhaustible strength... Xiangcheng Jun couldn't help but reach out and touch his abdominal muscles. The man stopped, turned his head, and gave her a surprised look.

A pale hand touched his abs briefly before quickly withdrawing. Xiangcheng Jun turned and walked on nonchalantly, his jade-like cheeks growing increasingly red in the strong smell of alcohol.

...

"Cheng Houdao! Come here!"

Cheng Zongyang looked up at the maid named Hongyu, then put down his bowl, wiped his mouth, and got up to go over. "Eating."

Hongyu, overwhelmed by his alcohol fumes, covered her nose and said, "Don't eat. Come with me."

Hongyu led him away from the wine shop and into the mansion. Along the way, houses and buildings stretched endlessly, and exotic flowers and trees filled the air. Cheng Zongyang had seen Jia Shixian's Rear Garden before; it was not only wealthy but also quite elegant. This Xiangcheng Jun mansion, however, was overwhelmingly opulent. The carved beams and painted rafters were a given, the pillars were painted gold, and all the windows were intricately carved with openwork patterns, decorated with blue interlocking floral designs depicting clouds, immortals, and various mythical beasts.

The scenery on both sides grew increasingly secluded. Suddenly, Hongyu circled around the artificial hill and vanished. Cheng Zongyang quickly followed, but there was no one there; the pretty maid had simply disappeared.

Just as he was wondering what was going on, a slender hand parted the flowers, and Hongyu said, "Fool, this way."

Behind the flowers was a hidden cave entrance, and Cheng Zongyang followed Hongyu through it. The scenery changed again; green willows lined the surroundings, winding streams flowed, and stone bridges spanned the river—it was a secluded garden within the mansion.

Hongyu led him across the bridges and through the houses, finally stopping in front of a refined pavilion. "Remember, don't ask anything. Just do what I tell you to do, understand?"

"Yes."

Hongyu led him into the pavilion, pushed a shelf filled with rare antiques, revealing a hidden door behind it. "Go in. There's a ladder inside; just follow the path straight ahead."

"Oh."

Cheng Zongyang didn't ask any more questions and went straight through the door. Inside was a downward staircase leading to a stone-paved passageway. Oil lamps were lit on either side of the passageway, seemingly waiting for someone to enter. Cheng Zongyang walked along the passageway for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn before seeing a staircase leading to the ground.

Peeking out from the opening, the first thing he saw was a pair of beautiful, jade-like feet. A bewitching beauty leaned against a couch, draped in a bright red silk shawl. Her alabaster skin shone brilliantly against the red fabric; her snow-white skin and flower-like face, her eyes sparkling with spring, were none other than Xiangcheng Jun.

Xiangcheng Jun gazed at him intently, from his face down to his feet, then smiled with satisfaction and ordered, "Take off your upper garment."

Cheng Zongyang chuckled憨厚ly, unbuttoned his clothes, and casually rolled up his waist pouch, placing it aside.

Xiangcheng Jun's beautiful eyes were fixed on his chest and abdomen, completely oblivious to what lay beneath the servant's blue robe.

Lady Xiangcheng rose from the couch, gracefully approached him, and commanded, "Close your eyes."

Cheng Zongyang closed his eyes, then felt a cool sensation on his abdomen. He cautiously opened his eyes and saw Lady Xiangcheng pressing her jade-like cheek against his stomach, rubbing his strong, muscular abs with an expression of ecstasy.

Cheng Zongyang said, "I haven't bathed yet."

"Don't bathe..." Lady Xiangcheng murmured, "This is the smell of a man..."

He had worked hard all morning at the wine shop, covered in sweat, and with the smell of alcohol, the odor was unimaginable. The alluring woman, however, was completely captivated. Her delicate cheek pressed against his taut abs, her breath growing increasingly hot. Then, she impatiently pulled down Cheng Zongyang's trousers, her exquisite red lips quickly opening to take his penis into her mouth. The intense masculine scent assaulted her senses, causing her to involuntarily close her eyes, letting out a satisfied moan.

Xiangcheng Jun seemed to want to swallow all of Cheng Zongyang's masculinity, eagerly sucking on his penis until her tongue ached and went numb.

She looked at him with seductive eyes, her red lips glistening with an alluring sheen, and asked in a soft, sweet voice, "Have you ever been with a woman?"

Cheng Zongyang replied in a dazed tone, "I've been to brothels with them. So expensive. Ten copper coins."

"Really?"

Cheng Zongyang nodded seriously. "I made her cry and scream. It was worth it. She wants me to go again, but I don't want to spend another ten copper coins."

Xiangcheng Jun laughed, saying sweetly, "Silly boy, do you think I'm beautiful?"

To be honest, this woman was indeed a beauty, her eyes full of allure, every movement exuding charm. Her skin beneath the red silk was fair and radiant, making one want to touch it.

Cheng Zongyang grinned, "Beautiful."

Xiangcheng Jun chuckled, "I don't want your money. Just treat me like a woman in a brothel, like you did that day—if you can make me cry and scream, I'll give you ten more copper coins."

"Really?"

Xiangcheng Jun winked, "I definitely won't lie to you."

Cheng Zongyang chuckled, then pounced on her.

Xiangcheng Jun laughed, "You impatient lecher, the bed's over there... Ouch! Ah... Ah! Ah ah!"

Cheng Zongyang spread her legs and thrust into her honey pot. Xiangcheng Jun's honey pot was already soaking wet, and he managed to penetrate more than halfway in one go. Then, with a powerful thrust, his glans pressed directly against her clitoris.

Xiangcheng Jun was rendered speechless by his forceful, all-in thrust. Little did she know that this was just the beginning; the man's large penis, inside her, thrust in and out about two hundred times without stopping. Lady Xiangcheng was so overwhelmed by his sudden display of power that her eyes rolled back. She felt as if several thick, hard penises were simultaneously pounding into her honeypot; one hadn't even been pulled out before another was already inside. The dense and powerful thrusts sent waves of tingling pleasure through her entire honeypot, and a wave of dizziness washed over her, almost causing her to faint.

When the penis was finally withdrawn, Lady Xiangcheng lay limp on the ground, panting and trembling. This round of thrusting, though brief, had almost made her lose her mind.

The man chuckled, then stripped off her red silk robe, leaving her naked before him. Lady Xiangcheng was weak all over, and now, being ripped naked by the rude servant, she had no intention of stopping him.

Suddenly, she felt a tightness in her chest as a pair of hands grasped her breasts. "So big..."

Lady Xiangcheng cried out softly, thrusting her breasts forward.

Cheng Zongyang secretly admired the woman. She appeared alluring and delicate, yet her body was smooth and full. Her breasts were truly magnificent, two plump, round orbs, heavy and firm, and incredibly elastic. Even lying on the ground, they remained erect,

showing no sign of sagging. Just as Xiangcheng Jun was about to teach this fool how to caress his breasts, his nipples suddenly tightened. He forcefully grabbed them and pulled them upwards. Xiangcheng Jun winced in pain, about to reprimand him, when a strange tremor ran through his nipples. He was kneading and pulling while simultaneously twisting his fingers around them. His fingers seemed to carry a tingling electric current, traveling from his nipples all the way to the inside of his breasts.

Xiangcheng Jun's cheeks flushed crimson as he watched his tender nipples being pinched flat and twisted between his fingers, his snow-white breasts being stretched and deformed. She winced in pain, yet still wanted him to continue kneading her, her jade-like legs involuntarily clamping together.

Finally, when he released her, Xiangcheng Jun breathed a sigh of relief and said coquettishly, "No wonder everyone says you're a fool, how could you use so much force? You've pinched my nipples until they're swollen..."

The man scratched his head, "Didn't you tell me to treat you like a woman from a brothel? That's what I did last time."

Xiangcheng Jun chuckled, "Fool... Hey, what are you doing?"

"That's how women in brothels do it," the man said, spreading her legs wide to reveal her soft, lustrous vulva. "She asked me if I'd ever seen a woman before. I said no. That's how she taught me, saying this is called a 'big slut'."

"Oh!" Xiangcheng Jun said coquettishly, "You fool, you can't say that."

"Then what should I say?" "

This is called a vulva."

Cheng Zongyang touched her tender honey hole. "And this?"

"This is called a labia. Look, doesn't it look like pretty lips? It can open and close."

Xiangcheng Jun's skin was as white and lustrous as porcelain. Now, her body lay horizontally, her two smooth, white legs spread wide, one revealing her lustrous vulva, the other with her slender, orchid-like fingers, gently pointing at her private parts, exuding a seductive charm.

Her vulva was full and soft, plump and pleasing to the eye. Her white mons pubis was round and swollen, with glossy black pubic hair that clung to her skin, soft and smooth. Her labia were wide open, revealing moist, luscious flesh inside, as red as rouge, glistening with honey-like fluid. A light touch of a finger would cause it to drip down her labia.

"And here?"

Xiangcheng Jun chuckled, "This is called the clitoral pearl..." Suddenly, her face changed, and she screamed, "Ouch! No!"

Tears welled up in Xiangcheng Jun's beautiful eyes as she shrieked, "Ah! I'm going to kill you! It hurts... Ugh!"

Xiangcheng Jun covered her genitals, biting her lip in pain. After a long while, she gritted her teeth and said, "What did you do?"

Cheng Zongyang smiled innocently, "I saw it was covered, so I peeled it open."

Xiangcheng Jun looked down at her genitals and saw that most of the tender flesh around her clitoral pearl had been peeled away. The clitoral pearl, which had only been partially exposed, had swelled up considerably, like a lustrous agate bead, embedded at the tip of her labia.

"Ah!" Xiangcheng Jun cried out in surprise as the man suddenly blew a breath onto her genitals. Her newly exposed, incredibly sensitive clitoris felt as if it had been forcefully flicked, bringing an indescribable pain.

"Get away!" Xiangcheng Jun covered her genitals with one hand, glaring at him angrily.

The man said, "Just a pinch. It feels good."

"Don't touch me!"

Xiangcheng Jun's clitoris was suddenly pulled out, and the pain was indeed intense. If anyone else had caused her such pain, she would have already ordered them dragged out and killed. But she was somewhat reluctant to do it to this fool. However, her initial lust had faded considerably; she needed to wait for the pain in her lower body to subside before proceeding.

Xiangcheng Jun hardened her face. "Remember, you are not allowed to tell anyone about what happened today—if you dare utter a single word, I will exterminate your entire family!"

"Okay."

"Go ahead."

Cheng Zongyang thought to himself: If you can't even handle this little bit of pain, what will you be like if I just do something to you a couple of times later?

Since Lord Xiangcheng had already ordered him to leave, Cheng Zongyang didn't persist. He picked up his clothes, then looked down in surprise. The pouch inside was warm to the touch, inexplicably hot. Suddenly, he shuddered, every hair on his body standing on end.

Without a word, Cheng Zongyang grabbed his clothes and leaped into the passageway. He didn't bother to put his clothes back on, but hurriedly opened the pouch and pulled out a small object.

It was a piece of clear yellow amber, with a drop of blood in the center radiating a dazzling luster, burning hot in his hand.

Su Daji! This vixen had actually come to the Han Kingdom, and was even in Lord Xiangcheng's residence!

Cheng Zongyang's face was as cold as ice. Among his most pressing threats, Jian Yuji and the vixen Su Daji were roughly equal. In terms of grudges, Su Daji was far superior. She was also a target he had to eliminate at all costs. He didn't know why Su Daji had come to the Han Kingdom, but he knew that this time, he absolutely could not let this vixen go!

Without any warning, Su Daji suddenly appeared, and so close to him, completely catching Cheng Zongyang off guard. However, the strange sensation in his dantian hadn't been cleared yet, making it unwise to fight her. But with this amber as a warning, he could eventually catch her red-handed.

Cheng Zongyang flew along the passageway, but before he reached the middle, he suddenly stopped. In just a dozen steps, the previously scorching amber in his hand had returned to normal temperature.

Cheng Zongyang frowned. This amber contained a drop of Su Daji's blood; it would heat up as a warning whenever Su Daji appeared within a mile of him. The problem was that the amber's temperature just now indicated that Su Daji was very close; even if she only flashed by, she wouldn't have left the amber's warning range so quickly.

Cheng Zongyang raised the amber, his brows slowly furrowing.

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[This post was edited by as0000067 on 2014-07-13 18:23]

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