The prince is more stable

Chapter 287 Many Suitors
The relationship between Zhao Xiaoqian and Niao Niao is a bit complicated.

On the surface, they loved each other. Every time Niaoniao acted affectionately in front of him, Zhao Xiaoqian would have the illusion that this girl seemed to be really in love with him.

However, every time Zhao Xiaoqian always felt something was wrong, just like when he was hanging out in nightclubs in his previous life, and under the influence of alcohol, he thought everything was real.

Under the lights and shadows of the feasting and revelry, a beautiful woman hugged him and expressed her love for him. But when he sobered up, it was already dawn and there was no news from the woman. Everything that happened last night was like a dream, which was gone when he woke up, leaving him with only emptiness in his heart.

This is the feeling that Niaoniao gave Zhao Xiaoqian.

Everyone in the world can clearly feel whether the other person's love is real or not, except for those who love you like a dog.

This was also the beginning of Zhao Xiaoqian's suspicion of Niao Niao.

She acted so realistically that Zhao Xiaoqian, a man who had lived two lifetimes, almost lost himself in love. Fortunately, he had lived two lifetimes and had seen the appearance of prostitutes in his previous life, so he did not fall for her in the end.

In this life, Zhao Xiaoqian is of such status and position. When a beautiful woman sincerely says that she likes him, Zhao Xiaoqian has to be cautious. First of all, he has to know whether there is any other conspiracy hidden behind the false love.

When a beautiful woman expresses her love for an ordinary man, she may just be trying to deceive him for his money and feelings.

But this woman said she loved a nobleman who was a duke of a county, held power, and knew many secrets of the court and the army. In addition to deceiving him of his money and feelings, didn't she want to cheat him of something else?
That's why he ordered the Imperial City Bureau to secretly monitor her.

Unexpectedly, the Imperial City Bureau actually found something.

To be honest, Zhao Xiaoqian was a little disappointed at that moment. He was nineteen years old, the crown prince of the King of Chu, of high status, handsome, talented, with a good personality and full functional abilities, yet his bed legs would creak for half an hour at night...

With so many advantages, he couldn't win her true love, and he had to plot behind her back. Is she blind?

The imagined self: riding a horse and leaning on a sloping bridge, with red sleeves waving all over the building.

My real self: This is a fat sheep, I’m going to try to get something out of him.

"She deliberately approached me, what is her conspiracy?" Zhao Xiaoqian muttered to himself, as if asking himself and the people around him.

The only person around him was Wei Jie.

Wei Jie thought for a moment and said, "I suspect this woman may be connected to the mastermind behind the ambush in the canyon. Could she be another pawn he has planted in Bianjing?"

Zhao Xiaoqian shook his head. "No, this woman should have nothing to do with that man. That's not his character. He's an extremely cautious person and would never so brazenly drop a chess piece like this and leave such a conspicuous trace."

Wei Jie clenched his fist and said, "It's useless to think so much. Why not just arrest her and send her to Bingjingwu to interrogate her? I'm sure she'll confess everything."

Zhao Xiaoqian glanced at her and said, "What if she's also a death warrior? We can't alert her before we're sure of her motives and intentions. What we need to do now is to see what she really wants."

"How can one determine her intentions?"

Zhao Xiaoqian raised his thumb and pointed at himself, saying, "Of course, I'm the one who went into the tiger's den alone and investigated it myself."

Wei Jie's cheek twitched slightly.

Are you thinking of entering a tiger's den? I'm embarrassed to point it out to you...

It was almost evening when the two of them arrived at the gate of Zuihuayin under the escort of the imperial guards.

At this hour, the brothel's business was at its peak. There were crowds of carriages and horses in front of Zuihuayin's door, and countless well-dressed talented men and scholars walked into the brothel, waving folding fans and looking elegant and unrestrained.

Zhao Xiaoqian, Wei Jie, Chen Shou and others also followed him in.

Walking into Zuihuayin Tower, it is a completely different scene.

Talented scholars lined up in a long queue and paid ten taels of silver for tea to a maid.

Paying the money is not enough, it is just a ticket.

A little girl who looked like a maid stood at the stairs, blocking everyone's way.

Of course, the little maidservant was not asking for a beating, but was asking questions on behalf of the courtesan.

Tonight's theme is "Lantern Festival." You are asked to write a poem on the Lantern Festival, highlighting the metaphor of "lights."

Zhao Xiaoqian smacked his lips, feeling that the word sounded familiar.

It’s the Lantern Festival again, and there are lights again. Isn’t this the line I once wrote: “When I look back, the person is there, in the dim light”?

I don't know if the courtesan Niao Niao is secretly flattering me or is really my fan. Even the questions she asks to the talented and romantic men are to cater to me.

As expected, some in the crowd were dissatisfied. One talented scholar in the queue shouted in dissatisfaction, "Since the Lantern Festival poem by Zhao Jungong, 'Where the Lights Are Fading', has been published, all other poems in the world have been abandoned. Isn't this embarrassing for us?"

Countless people echoed this sentiment, feeling that the questions asked by the courtesan today were unfair.

But no matter how the talented men protested, the little maidservant still blocked the stairs, showing no intention of compromising.

There was an uproar in the brothel, and Zhao Xiaoqian stood in the hall stunned.

Is it so difficult to get a drink at a courtesan's house these days? Money isn't enough; you also need talent to see an oiran. Even if you do meet one, you can't do much. You can only chat with her about literature and poetry, listen to her play a few tunes, and then get up and see her off.

So...what are these people trying to achieve?

Suddenly I felt that my past life was better. When I talked to beautiful women about articles and poems, she would only say, "Sir, please respect yourself. I sell my body, not my art."

Zhao Xiaoqian and the other two approached the stairs. The little maidservant obviously knew Zhao Xiaoqian. Her face changed when she saw him, and she turned sideways to invite him upstairs.

However, before the maid could say anything, a burly man appeared from the bottom of the stairs and stopped Zhao Xiaoqian. He said in a stern voice, "You are breaking the rules. You can't go up without the permission of the courtesan."

The talented scholars next to him immediately accused Zhao Xiaoqian, and there was a burst of curses behind him.

Zhao Xiaoqian looked at the burly man in astonishment. From the way he was dressed, he knew that he was a thug or a security guard in a brothel.

Then he pointed at his nose and said jokingly, "You don't know me? Are you new here?"

The strong man was already a little impatient: "What?"

Zhao Xiaoqian suddenly realized: "He really is new here..."

Then he turned around and said, "Chen Shou, teach him a lesson. Let him remember my face."

Chen Shou took a step forward, raised his hand and gave a powerful blow, sending the strong man flying.

The talented scholars behind him were in an uproar and looked at Zhao Xiaoqian in amazement.

Zhao Xiaoqian sneered, "I'm here to see the courtesan, and I need to line up and write poems like them? What a joke!"

The maid ran to the strong man, whispered a few words, then with a look of panic on her face, she led Zhao Xiaoqian upstairs respectfully.

The strong man fell to the ground, looking like he was ready to fight to the death. However, after hearing what the maid said, he opened his eyes wide in horror, his face full of panic and trepidation, but he no longer showed any resentment.

In the elegant pavilion, Niao Niao knelt beside Zhao Xiaoqian and fed him a round purple grape. Zhao Xiaoqian rested his head on her well-proportioned thighs, half-closed his eyes, and pouted after chewing. Niao Niao hurriedly stretched out her palm, and Zhao Xiaoqian spat a few grape seeds into her palm with a "poof".

"The prince is also willful. Why would he bother with the people below? If you wanted to come, you could have sent a servant to inform Niao Niao in advance. Niao Niao would have asked the shopkeeper to welcome you personally. How could you let the prince encounter anything that would spoil his fun?"

Zhao Xiaoqian half-closed his eyes and smiled, "I never thought it would be so difficult to see a courtesan like you. Not only do I have to pay money, but I also have to write poetry..."

Niao Niao covered her mouth with her hands and chuckled softly: "Not only that, there are several rounds of poetry writing. What I saw downstairs was the first round. After the screening, there will be a second round, a third round, and finally the only winner will be able to meet me."

Zhao Xiaoqian was stunned: "I just wanted to have a drink with a girl, but they made such a fuss. What do they want?"

Niao Niao rolled her eyes at him and said, "It's easy to have a drink with a girl, but it's not easy to have a drink with an Oiran."

"It means that the prince doesn't take me seriously, but others want to see me but can't."

Zhao Xiaoqian murmured, "It wasn't this hard to apply for a job in my previous life."

(End of this chapter)