Qin Shi: I went astray in the Heavenly Sect

Chapter 123 Reunion with Jing Ni, Secrets of the Zhao Kingdom

"Yo!!"

"Young master, you look unfamiliar. Is this your first time here?"

"But don't worry, we have plenty of girls here, I guarantee you'll find one you like. If you know anyone here, I can take you there!"

Drunken Dream Pavilion.

As soon as Xiu Yuan entered the door, a girl came to greet him.

She wore a flowing pink dress that trailed on the ground, with two hairpins swaying in her hair. Her snow-white skin, reflected in the long dress, resembled a blushing peach blossom. Her every glance exuded a natural charm, making her an exceptionally beautiful woman.

This wasn't the first time Xiu Yuan had been to a place like this, so he didn't refuse. He had originally intended to say he was looking for someone, but then he thought that while Jing Ni was indeed here, he didn't believe she would use the name Jing Ni in this setting.

Following the aura he left within Jingni's body, he sensed her location and sent a heavenly voice transmission into her heart.

"I'm in the lobby."

Jing Ni was sitting in front of her dressing table, staring at her reflection in the mirror, seemingly lost in thought. She was startled when she heard these words.

This voice and this method immediately reminded her of the young man from the Heavenly Sect. Although she didn't know why he had come here, she dared not be negligent.

Jing Ni quickly tidied her makeup and was about to get up and go downstairs when she suddenly remembered her identity as a courtesan. If she appeared in the main hall, it would probably cause a lot of inconvenience. So she called over her maid and asked her to bring Xiu Yuan up.

"Could it be Young Master Xiuyuan?"

Soon, a maid came to Xiu Yuan's side. Looking at the little guy in front of her, the maid's eyes were full of doubt. The courtesan of Zui Meng Lou was not someone that anyone could meet. But just now, the girl had asked her to come down and greet someone.

"Red Sleeves??"

The girl in the pink dress was taken aback when she saw the maid. Although Hongxiu was a maid and not particularly outstanding in appearance, her mistress was no ordinary woman; she was the most beautiful courtesan in the Drunken Dream Pavilion.

"Sister Chuntao!!"

Seeing that the girl in the pink dress was also there, Hongxiu greeted her softly.

Xiu Yuan, upon hearing the other party reveal his identity in a single sentence, guessed the other party's purpose and then nodded.

Seeing Xiuyuan nod, Hongxiu continued, "Miss Nishang wants to see you."

Upon hearing this, Chun Tao, who was standing to the side, couldn't help but take another look at the young man in front of her. Ni Chang was the mistress of Hong Xiu and the most beautiful courtesan in Zui Meng Lou. This was the first time she had ever heard Ni Chang take the initiative to meet someone!
She knew that Ni Chang was very proud and usually met young masters from various families. There were even rumors that Ni Chang and Prince Jia had feelings for each other. Prince Jia was the eldest son of the King of Zhao and was a potential successor to the throne.

Although the little guy in front of me looks good, in this world, a pretty face is not very useful. Just like the girls in our brothel, no matter how beautiful they are, they can only obediently listen to the powerful and wealthy. Now that Ni Chang wants to see him, there must be some other reason.

"Sister Chuntao, let's go up first."

After confirming Xiu Yuan's identity, Hongxiu greeted Chuntao and then led Xiu Yuan to the fifth floor.

Xiu Yuan followed behind Hong Xiu, and when he passed Chun Tao, he nodded to show his gratitude.

Watching Xiu Yuan's retreating figure, Chun Tao's lips curled into a playful smile. Judging from his age, this young man and Ni Chang probably didn't have a romantic relationship, but that didn't stop her from gossiping.

The girls in the brothel are coveted by many, especially the top courtesan like Ni Chang. Now that such a young master has arrived, perhaps some patrons will be willing to pay a high price for this news.

With a flicker of her eyes, Chun Tao seemed to recognize someone familiar. She swayed her slender waist and greeted them with a smile once more.

"Lord Zhao, what brings you here today?"

On the fifth floor, Hongxiu whispered from outside the door, "Sister Nishang, Young Master Xiuyuan has arrived."

"Let him in!"

Before long, a voice came from inside the house. The voice was melodious and pleasant, with a woman's unique lightness and gentleness, like an oriole leaving a valley, which was extremely moving.

Standing outside the door, a strange look flashed in Xiu Yuan's eyes. This was the third time he had met Jing Ni.

However, the voices he heard were different each time.

It's hard to imagine that three different voices could come from the same person.

"Squeak~~"

Hongxiu pushed open the door and then bowed to guide her.

"Master, please!"

Xiu Yuan nodded, then stepped inside.

After Xiu Yuan entered the room, Ni Chang's voice came from behind the curtain again.

"Hongxiu, you can go down now!"

Hongxiu dared not say anything more about Ni Chang's instructions, gave a soft reply, and then turned and left.

The room on the fifth floor was extremely spacious, and the furnishings were very exquisite. Two thin gauze curtains hung near the window, creating a charming sense of mystery.

"This humble servant, Ni Chang, greets you, young master."

With light, graceful steps, Ni Chang emerged from behind the curtain. Upon seeing Jing Ni again, a hint of amazement flashed in Xiu Yuan's eyes.

In their first two meetings, Jing Ni was dressed in her mission attire, looking capable and efficient. But this time, dressed in women's clothing, she fully displayed her feminine charm.

Xiaomeng once said that she was more suited to be a courtesan, but now that they met again, he was speechless.

She had an oval face, dark eyebrows like distant mountains shrouded in mist, eyes like autumn waters containing stars, sparkling with brilliance in every glance, a delicate and charming nose, and lips as pink and moist as a newly blooming rose, with a hint of a coy smile at the corner of her mouth.

Her long, black hair was simply tied up, with two hairpins on each side for easy fixation.

She wore a moon-white palace gown with wide sleeves that reached the ground, and the plain skirt was adorned with pearl tassels. Her tall figure allowed her to perfectly carry off this palace dress. What was even more astonishing was that her pair of fair and smooth jade feet were directly on the ground, and her every step was full of charm.

Seeing the young man before her momentarily stunned, a hint of a smile flashed in Ni Chang's eyes. She had previously thought this young man from the Heavenly Sect was indifferent to women.
"What brings you to Handan, young master?"

As she led Xiuyuan to sit down, Ni Chang picked up the teapot beside her and poured him a cup of tea.

"This is Yunhua Mountain Mist Tea, a tribute tea obtained by the Zhao royal family from the Hu merchants. Young master, you may have a taste."

Xiu Yuan picked up the teacup, took a gentle sniff, and the aroma of tea filled the air, with a faint floral fragrance in the background.

After taking a quick sip, Xiu Yuan got straight to the point and explained his purpose.

"Jade Flower Pavilion??"

Ni Chang was taken aback. There were countless brothels and dance halls in the Zhao Kingdom, with Handan being the most prominent. In this city of Handan, there were no fewer than twenty brothels and dance halls of all sizes, the three most famous being Zuimenglou, Yuhuage, and Wanhuafang. It was quite surprising that Xiu Yuan, having just arrived in Handan, wanted to inquire about Yuhuage.

After thinking for a moment, she explained, "There are no fewer than twenty brothels and dance halls in Handan City. Among them, the three most famous are Zuimenglou, Yuhuage, and Wanhuafang."

"These three places are all backed by important figures in the Zhao court. Guo Kai is behind Zui Meng Lou, Gongzi Jia is behind Yu Hua Ge, and Wan Hua Fang is related to the Queen."

"The person you are looking for is at Jade Flower Pavilion. I'm afraid I can't be of much help here."

Upon hearing the other party's words, Xiu Yuan was taken aback. Although he had some idea of ​​the number of brothels in Handan City when he came, he was still quite surprised to hear this number.

Seemingly guessing Xiu Yuan's thoughts, Ni Chang explained, "Is Young Master curious as to why there are so many brothels and dance halls in Handan City?"

Xiu Yuan nodded.

Ni Chang sighed softly, her expression slightly complicated.

"Actually, this is related to Prime Minister Guo Kai, eunuch Han Cang, and the Queen."

"Zhao Wu was already unparalleled in the world, and there were many scholars. Now, the Queen of Zhao was a courtesan who was skilled in dance and music. In addition, she was beautiful and deeply loved by the King of Zhao. It is said that this woman was presented to the King of Zhao by Guo Kai, and later he rose to power and became the prime minister of Zhao who held all the power."

"Afterwards, Han Cang catered to the king's tastes and frequently presented him with beautiful women. The king was overjoyed and appointed him as the chief eunuch. From then on, Han Cang rose to prominence."

"After that, brothels and dance halls sprang up like mushrooms after rain in Handan, overnight. The high-ranking officials and nobles in Handan followed suit, often divorcing their wives and remarrying, or taking them as concubines, which led to the scene we see today."

At this point, a bitter smile flashed across Ni Chang's eyes.

Everyone thought that entering a brothel was a way out, but they didn't know how much blood and tears were shed there, how many innocent girls were sold to this place by human traffickers, and how many suffered a fate worse than death.

There were even those who were eager to curry favor with the powerful and wealthy, who sent their daughters in, hoping that Guo Kai would take a liking to them and give them to the Prince of Zhao, so that they could rise to the top in one step.

Hearing this, Xiu Yuan narrowed his eyes slightly, and he roughly guessed why Yao Yi had written that letter to him.

"Aren't all the women in these brothels and dance halls there voluntarily?"

Ni Chang's expression darkened, then she nodded.

"My lord, you are wise!"

Xiu Yuan put down his teacup, his gaze somewhat complicated.

"This is a path to heaven, and everyone is envious. If one can be favored by a powerful person, one can rise to the top in one step. Since there is this demand, there will be a gap in the market. For profit, some people will take risks, and some will even sell their children for their career advancement."

At this point, Xiu Yuan changed the subject and asked, "Isn't there anyone in Zhao who's going to take care of this matter?"

Ni Chang was silent for a while before speaking again: "To those high-ranking officials and nobles, the girls in brothels and dance halls are nothing more than disposable goods. As long as it doesn't affect the current situation and no one causes trouble, they won't meddle in other people's business."

"Just as you said, young master, this is a road to heaven, and so many people are desperate to get in! Who would dare to complain?"

After a long pause, Xiu Yuan shook his head again.

Such is human nature. If this matter were to occur in another time and space, where mutual consent is paramount, probably no one would be willing to break the ice.

Then he seemed to remember something and turned to look at Ni Chang. Was she also harboring such thoughts while she was huddled in the Drunken Dream Pavilion?

Seeing Xiu Yuan's gaze, Ni Chang shook her head, both amused and exasperated.

"The Luo Wang did indeed have that intention in arranging for me to serve in the Drunken Dream Pavilion, but ever since the young master removed my Gu poison, I have completely given up that idea."

Xiu Yuan sat to one side, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the table. The situation in Zhao was somewhat unexpected for him.

He never expected the situation in Handan to be so chaotic, with a queen, a eunuch, and a favored minister turning the entire Zhao court into a mess.

Do you have any specific intelligence on the "Sun-Shielding" organization?

On his way here, he had killed members of the Hidden Sun Organization, and Xiu Yuan had not overlooked this potential opponent who could become an obstacle.

"Blocking out the sun?"

Upon hearing this, Ni Chang looked at Xiu Yuan again, feeling somewhat puzzled. She had heard him say that he was looking for someone, but this young man seemed to know about the major powers in Handan City.

Seeing that the other person's fingers were moving non-stop, she thought for a moment and then explained, "How should I put it? Actually, the Hidden Sun is somewhat similar to the Nightfall organization in Xinzheng. The actual person in charge of the Hidden Sun is Guo Kai. He has a close relationship with the Luo Wang. Back then, the Luo Wang supported him behind the scenes in many things. There are three experts in the Hidden Sun, namely Black Stone, Amber, and Twilight Snow."

At this point, Ni Chang paused.

"These three are generally stronger than those in the night, and their strength is similar to Baiyue Tianze, or perhaps even stronger."

"However, compared to Xinzheng, there is a Grandmaster-level combatant in Handan City whose strength surpasses mine."

Speaking of this person, a hint of apprehension flashed in Ni Chang's eyes, indicating that she had already fought against him.

"who is it?"

Xiu Yuan let out a soft "hmm" and casually asked.

Ni Chang said in a deep voice, "General Li Mu is a military man. His martial arts skills are so advanced that he is almost invulnerable to swords and spears. If he were to lead a thousand-man army, the strength he would display would make even a Grandmaster retreat."

Xiu Yuan's eyelids twitched.

Judging from what she said, she had already fought against Li Mu, who was leading troops. This girl in front of her was indeed a ruthless person.

Why provoke him?

Ni Chang gave a bitter smile. She wasn't stupid. If she hadn't been forced to, why would she have provoked this ruthless man in the military?
“Before you force the Gu worm out, I must obey your orders. Guo Kai has been causing chaos in the Zhao court, so naturally there are people who don’t like him. General Li Mu is one of them. Guo Kai once asked Luo Wang for help, wanting Luo Wang to get rid of Li Mu for him. I happened to be on a mission in Zhao, so we came into contact.”

At this point, a hint of gratitude flashed in Ni Chang's eyes. If it weren't for the person in front of her who helped her get rid of her worries, she would probably still be without freedom. Although the other party later placed a restriction on her, she still preferred the young man beside her to the Luo Wang.

Hearing this, Xiu Yuan frowned. He felt that Zhao was also in a mess, just like Han. If it weren't for Han Fei's abilities, Xinzheng would probably have been turned into a mess by the night.

However, the situation seemed even worse for the State of Zhao. If Zhao hadn't had a better foundation, it probably wouldn't have been as strong as the State of Han at this time.

"By the way, do you have any news about Lian Po's situation?"

Upon hearing Xiu Yuan mention Lian Po, Ni Chang thought for a moment and continued to explain: "The matter of Lian Po was not exactly a secret among the Zhao state's high-ranking officials. Lian Po and Li Mu supported Prince Jia's ascension to the throne, while Guo Kai and Han Cang favored Prince Qian. Thus, the two sides engaged in open and covert struggles. When Lian Po left Zhao, it was Guo Kai's scheme."

Upon hearing this, Xiu Yuan shook his head.

These two are somewhat similar to Fusu and Huhai, ultimately both being power struggles.

"Young Master, although that Young Master Jia appears humble on the surface, he is actually extremely shrewd. We must be cautious about the Jade Flower Pavilion matter."

(End of this chapter)