The world of film and television starts from the flow of money

The clamorous, boiling waves, carrying the sweet scents of cosmetics and the stench of wine and meat, surged and rolled beneath the shimmering, colorful glass lanterns.

Yi Huawei sat upright at the center of this whirlpool of extravagance, his posture as calm and steadfast as a mountain. His slender fingers held a plain porcelain teacup, the rim lightly touching his lips, his gaze seemingly captivated by the dancing Hu woman on the central stage.

The dancer's figure was as graceful as a snake, her toes touching the ground as she spun rapidly, her colorful skirt fluttering like blooming petals, and her golden bells jingling with the intense drumbeats, drawing cheers and whistles from the surrounding patrons, almost lifting the roof off the building.

However, Yi Huawei's spiritual sense had already formed an invisible giant net, silently covering the entire Drunken Dream Pavilion. The bustling noise of the crowd was precisely dissected and filtered by his ears: the lewd comments of the wealthy merchant at the next table about the fragrance of the woman in his arms, the hushed discussions of the martial arts practitioners in the corner about "a new batch of good stuff," the head guard's reprimand of a drunkard in a corner, the hurried footsteps of the servants... even the deliberately suppressed sounds of stringed instruments escaping from the cracks in the doors of the private rooms on the second floor could not escape his spiritual sense. His perception was like precise mercury, flowing through every crevice, analyzing every breath of air, every fluctuation of energy.

Sitting next to Yi Huawei, Shan Meixian felt like she was sitting on pins and needles. Cui Lü's voluptuous, hot body was almost pressed against her arm, and the strong scent of rose powder made her feel like she was suffocating. That hand, painted with bright red nail polish, once again tried to put its arm around her shoulder and urge her to drink.

"Young master~ Don't just look, try this 'Rouge Intoxication' from Drunken Dream Pavilion, I warmed it myself..."

Cui Lü's voice was so sweet it could drip honey.

Shan Meixian's body tensed instantly, like a bowstring. Her fingers, hidden in her sleeve, curled instinctively, her nails almost digging into her palms. She forcibly suppressed the urge to slap it away, slightly turning her body and skillfully using her shoulder to deflect the hand. Her voice was deliberately lowered, carrying a hint of barely perceptible stiffness:

"Thank you, young lady, but I... I can do it myself."

She quickly grabbed the wine glass in front of her, tilted her head back and gulped it down. The spicy liquid slid down her throat, and the burning sensation actually calmed her chaotic mind slightly. Her gaze unconsciously fell on Yi Huawei.

Just then, Cuizhu timidly offered a delicate hibiscus cake from the other side, her voice barely audible: "Young master... this... isn't greasy..."

The girl's delicate face showed a hint of ingratiation and nervousness, her eyes darting away. Shan Meixian sighed inwardly; the girl's shyness didn't seem fake, which eased her tense nerves a little. She whispered "Thank you," took the pastries, but simply placed them on a plate.

Out of the corner of her eye, she kept her eyes fixed on Yi Huawei. She noticed that Yi Huawei's gaze seemed to casually sweep over the twirling dancers on the stage, but his focus was too "calm," too calm for someone who was not appreciating beauty.

She noticed that Yi Huawei seemed to treat Cui Xiang differently—when Cui Lu tried to approach, she was silently rejected; when Cui Wei chattered, she was ignored; only when Cui Xiang quietly poured wine did Yi Huawei's fingertip tap the table very briefly, as if in tacit approval. This gentle and composed young woman's wine-pouring movements were fluid and graceful, neither deliberately aloof nor overly obsequious, carrying a unique scholarly air that stood out as a serene contrast to the clamor. Shan Meixian's heart stirred slightly: Could it be that the young master prefers Cui Xiang's type?

Yi Huawei's hand, holding the cup, paused almost imperceptibly for a fraction of a second. Shan Meixian's heart skipped a beat! Although her senses were greatly diminished by the noisy environment and the distractions around her, making it impossible for her to hear the source, a faint, yet chilling, chilling aura suddenly swept across Yi Huawei's previously restrained, ancient aura!
Amidst the clamor, Yi Huawei's intuition precisely detected fragments of a deliberately hushed conversation within a tightly closed private room on the second floor:

A barely audible, yet laced with contempt and impatience, cold snort rang out, tinged with a heavy Tiele accent: "Hmph!"

Immediately afterward, a slick, obsequious voice, deliberately lowered, rang out, like a venomous snake slithering across withered leaves: "...Rest assured, Chief Ren, with my Baling Gang brothers 'looking after' the Three Gorges waterway day and night, those 'fresh goods' will definitely be safely delivered to the border and into the hands of the Turkic nobleman. It's just that the price... well, the nobleman's..."

Yi Huawei's gaze "casually" returned from the stage, as if he had only been attracted by a dancer's difficult backbend, and he naturally raised his wine glass and took a sip. In that instant of raising his glass, his spiritual sense had silently penetrated the heavy rosewood partition and gilded screen of the private room, clearly "reflecting" the scene inside into his sea of ​​consciousness.

The private room was luxuriously furnished, yet it exuded a sense of oppression. Seated at the head of the table was an exceptionally burly man with a bushy beard, a rugged face as if cleaved by a knife and axe, and piercing, tiger-like eyes. His temples bulged high, indicating extremely profound external martial arts skills. He wore a fur coat in the style of the northern frontier, the open collar revealing his strong, bronze-colored chest muscles, radiating a ferocious aura like that of a wild beast.

Across from him sat a young man in fine clothes, his face pale and bearing the frivolity of years of excessive drinking and womanizing, but his eyes darted around, gleaming with a shrewd, worldly, and hypocritical flattery. A map lay open on the table, its winding lines clearly depicting the Yangtze River's Three Gorges waterway, and beside it sat a thick ledger.

The conversation continued, and it was crystal clear to Yi Huawei.

The burly man spoke in a rough, impatient voice, his Tiele accent thick: "The price is negotiable! Your lord is always generous and won't treat you, a local bully, unfairly! But Commander Lin is pressing hard! The newly built warships, refined iron, and top-grade tung oil must be delivered to Poyang Lake on time! You have to guarantee that the waterways of my Iron Cavalry Society will be unobstructed! Those elusive women from the Yin Gui Sect have been keeping a close eye on things lately, Young Master Xiang, you better not cause me any trouble!"

The young man in brocade robes wore a fawning smile, but a barely perceptible glint of ruthlessness flashed in his eyes. His voice was smooth and laced: "Of course! Of course! With Chief Ren dominating the Yangtze River, who dares to run wild on your territory? The Yin Gui Sect's intelligence network in the Jianghuai region has been somewhat restless lately, but..."

He lowered his voice, a hint of smugness in it: "Hehe, with 'Miaofeng' watching from the shadows, they can't cause any big trouble. On the other hand, Lord Xiao is full of praise for those 'lambs' that you've recently 'offered' to him, Chief Ren! It's said that Master Changzhen's 'Charming Maiden Technique' has improved again!"

The burly man snorted heavily, full of disdain: "Xiao Xian? Hmph, he's nothing but a clay idol your Xiang family propped up! He can enjoy his womanizing, I don't care! You, Xiang Yushan, just keep your 'gentle nest' in check and don't let those noblewomen's husbands cause trouble and ruin my important plans! Also, Master Anlong and Lord Yuwen, this year's 'profit sharing' needs an extra 10%! In this world, the price for bribing officials has gone up!" In an instant, countless fragments of information rapidly connected, collided, and recombined in Yi Huawei's vast sea of ​​consciousness, outlining a shocking dark network in Baling and even the Yangtze River basin:
The Baling Gang, or rather the Xiang family, manipulated Xiao Xian and used the brothel network to deeply collude with An Long of the Tianlian Sect and Yuwen Zhi of the Yuwen Clan; they also assisted Ren Shaoming in human trafficking and the transportation of strategic materials.

Trafficking in people (prisoners of war, virgins), supplying military funds, colluding with foreign forces, harming women, manipulating local forces, transferring huge sums of money... This city of Baling, and even this golden waterway of the Yangtze River, has become a breeding ground for these malignant tumors!
Yi Huawei's heart was filled with a chilling clarity. He slowly set down his wine glass, the bottom of which made a soft, almost inaudible "tap" as it touched the rosewood table. His expression remained calm, and even the corners of his lips seemed to have curved into a very faint, appreciative smile because of a brilliant move on stage.

However, Shan Meixian, sitting beside him, felt an invisible, chilling coldness emanate from him and spread instantly, as if the surrounding noise had frozen for a moment. Her heartstrings tightened to the limit, and all her senses were activated as she vigilantly watched every slight movement around her. She instinctively pushed away the wine glass that Cui Lü offered her again.

The private conversation seemed to have come to an end. The door to the private room creaked open, and Xiang Yushan's pale face, adorned with a fake smile, peeked out. Clearly, he had reached some kind of tacit understanding with Ren Shaoming. A sense of smug ease emanated from his brows. He straightened his slightly wrinkled brocade robe and took a step to leave.

Just then, at the corner of the stairs, a deliberately light yet undeniably alluring sound of footsteps drifted over, accompanied by a delicate fragrance of orchids and musk. A graceful figure, led by a servile pimp, slowly ascended the second-floor corridor.

The newcomer was none other than Yun Yuzhen, the leader of the Giant Kun Gang and Xiao Xian's most capable intelligence chief.

She wore a perfectly tailored, light blue outfit that accentuated her slender yet powerful waist and full bust and hips. Her movements were light and agile, clearly indicating considerable martial arts skill. Over this, she wore a nearly transparent, moon-white gauze, which, instead of diminishing her capable appearance, added a touch of alluring mystery. Her jet-black hair was styled into a neat bun, adorned only with a single kingfisher feather hairpin that swayed slightly with her steps. Her face was that of a classic Jiangnan beauty: skin as white as snow, willow-leaf eyebrows, almond-shaped eyes, and lips painted vermilion. Her eyes, in particular, were captivating, brimming with spring-like charm, as if holding two pools of autumn water capable of melting hearts. Yet, upon closer inspection, one could discern a shrewd insight into the world and a subtle, almost poisonous, ruthlessness. A perfectly placed, subtle smile played at the corners of her lips—neither overly flamboyant nor lacking in allure. As she walked, her hips swayed gracefully, exuding charm and allure, like a beautiful venomous snake slithering through the night.

Xiang Yushan paused, the two meeting face-to-face in the middle of the scarlet carpeted corridor. No words were spoken, only a brief exchange of glances. Xiang Yushan's smile deepened slightly, he nodded gently, his lips moving silently a few times. Yun Yuzhen's eyes sparkled, she gave him a charming sidelong glance, her pink lips parted slightly, and she whispered something in a low voice only the two of them could hear, followed by a few soft, bell-like laughs, carrying an unspoken understanding. Xiang Yushan stepped aside to let her pass, and Yun Yuzhen swayed gracefully towards the private room where Ren Shaoming was, the pimp discreetly remaining outside.

Yi Huawei's gaze seemingly casually swept over the swirling skirt of a dancer on stage, but in reality, he took it all in. The moment Yun Yuzhen pushed open the door to the private room, he keenly sensed that the slightly stifling and oppressive atmosphere inside, which had been somewhat heavy since Xiang Yushan's departure, suddenly changed. Even through the door and the noise, Yi Huawei's all-encompassing intuition clearly "perceived" that Ren Shaoming's heavy breathing seemed to carry a hint of pleasant relaxation, and even a low, yet intimate, chuckle could be heard, completely different from the tough and impatient tone he had shown when speaking to Xiang Yushan earlier. Yun Yuzhen's coquettish greeting then rang out, like a drop of hot oil thrown into boiling water, instantly enlivening the atmosphere.

Yi Huawei knew perfectly well that Yun Yuzhen's visit was not simply for her own amusement. She was Xiao Xian's representative, and her presence before Ren Shaoming, who represented Lin Shihong's interests, was clearly for a purpose—to coordinate relations between the two sides, relay instructions, or solidify this fragile alliance built on dirty deals. Indeed, there were intricate connections between Xiao Xian and Lin Shihong through agents like Ren Shaoming and Yun Yuzhen! This Drunken Dream Pavilion had become a hidden stash for various forces to collude.

Yi Huawei withdrew his gaze from the stage, and his slender fingers gently tapped the smooth rosewood table, producing a barely audible sound.

"liquor."

Cui Xiang, who was standing a short distance to his side, immediately responded. With graceful movements, she picked up the white jade wine pot, which was warming in hot water, and leaned slightly forward to gently and elegantly pour wine into the half-empty cup in front of Yi Huawei. Just as her fingertips were about to leave the handle, and her fair hand was only inches away from Yi Huawei's hand resting on the table—

Yi Huawei's fingers seemed to lift upwards very casually and slightly, his fingertips touching Cui Xiang's hand lightly and precisely, like a dragonfly skimming the water.

"!"

Cui Xiang's hand, which was pouring wine, suddenly froze for a moment! An indescribable, warm, and profound feeling, like the gentle warmth of spring sunshine yet as deep as an ancient well's spring, seeped silently into her skin from the point of contact, instantly flowing through her limbs and bones. It wasn't pain, nor was it teasing; rather, it was an irresistible comfort and guidance. Her whole body trembled slightly involuntarily, as if struck by an extremely subtle electric current, and a thin mist of confusion flashed through her eyes, as if her soul had been gently stirred. But this strange feeling came and went quickly; almost in the blink of an eye, her eyes regained their clarity. However, an unprecedented, inexplicable sense of closeness and a strong desire to confide, like quietly sprouting vines, entwined around her heart. When she looked at the aloof young man before her again, she felt an impulse welling up within her to approach him, to trust him, and to confide everything to him.

Yi Huawei seemed oblivious, picking up the glass of wine that Cui Xiang had just filled, but didn't drink it. He merely swirled the amber liquid in the glass casually, turning his gaze to Cui Xiang, his tone as indifferent as if discussing the weather:

"Baling is a place where waterways and land routes converge, and merchants gather here; it's quite an interesting place. Having been here for a while, you must have seen many strange and wonderful people and events from all over the country?"

Cuixiang felt her heart pounding a little fast, and she couldn't maintain her usual perfect professional smile when facing Yi Huawei's gaze. Subconsciously, she lowered her eyes, avoiding his all-seeing gaze, and her voice was softer than usual, carrying a hint of barely perceptible submissiveness:

“What you say is true, young master. Baling is a melting pot of all sorts of people, and there are indeed many interesting things happening every day… especially with noble people like Young Master Xiang,”

She paused, seemingly organizing her thoughts, or perhaps driven by a urge to speak: "He...he's a regular at our 'Listening to the Waves Pavilion'."

(End of this chapter)