I can only beat noobs.

Chapter 157 Wonderful Man
Chen Ming cupped his hands in greeting and said politely, "Greetings, Fifth Young Master."

Pan Dingqian waved his hand, "We're all family, no need to be so polite. Come on, I've made a reservation at Tianxiang Restaurant tonight, I'll take you there to celebrate."

As he spoke, he pulled Chen Ming away, turning back to Zhao Xiyan and saying, "Don't worry, junior sister, we're just going for a drink. I'll keep an eye on him tonight and make sure he doesn't spend the night at Tianxiang Tower."

"They're your friends, right? Come on over. I'll introduce you to a few of my friends too."

He was referring to Feng Siyuan and the other two.

Feng Siyuan and the other two were somewhat flattered and quickly replied, "Greetings, Fifth Young Master."

"Xiao Xuan, you shouldn't go. If your father finds out, he'll break your legs. You should take your martial uncle back..."

And so, Chen Ming was pulled onto a carriage by Pan Dingqian without really understanding what was going on. Also traveling with him were Feng Siyuan, Zhou Weihao, and Gu Yuantao.

This son of the Grand Commander of the Six Doors is quite the social butterfly.

After he got into the carriage, he laughed heartily, "Thanks to you, I've made a fortune this time. I can finally go to Tianxiang Tower to see Miss Peony."

Chen Ming naturally couldn't let the conversation fall flat. "I've long heard that Miss Peony is incredibly beautiful and I've always wanted to see her. Thanks to the Fifth Young Master, I'm finally able to witness her beauty."

"No need to be so formal. Just call me Fifth Brother, like Xiyan does."

Inside the carriage, it was mainly the two of them chatting.

Feng Siyuan and Zhou Weihao had frequented brothels before, but now they sat properly, not daring to interrupt.

Even among scions of prominent families, there are different social classes.

Pan Dingqian's father was not only a first-rank expert, but also a first-rank governor of the Six Doors, in charge of a prefecture and a powerful regional official.

It's no exaggeration to say that in Jiangzhou, Pan Dingqian was the number one son of a high-ranking official.

Feng Siyuan and Zhou Weihao were insignificant compared to him.

Having grown up in this environment, they are very sensitive to things like social status. Their family background is not good enough to befriend this man.

Pan Dingqian only asked them to get on the carriage because of Chen Ming's influence.

They are aware of this.

……

By the time the carriage arrived at Tianxiang Tower, it was already dusk.

Pan Dingqian led them inside as if he were coming home.

"The Fifth Young Master has arrived."

"Since you haven't visited these past few days, Miss Xue Ning has fallen ill..."

"Fifth Young Master..."

A group of pimps and girls swarmed around them.

It is clear that he was indeed a regular customer of Tianxianglou.

Soon, a still-attractive woman arrived at the sound of the commotion. Before she even appeared, her voice preceded her, "Fifth Young Master, you are truly heartless! You said you wouldn't come and then you just left. My poor Xue Ning, she's been so worried about you that she's lost her appetite and fallen ill..."

Pan Dingqian said, "Aunt He, you've come at the right time. I'll pay back all the money I owed today."

As he spoke, he took out a stack of silver notes from his pocket.

The beautiful woman said helplessly, "Don't I know what kind of person the Fifth Young Master is? He's nothing but a little money..."

Pan Dingqian shook his head. "One thing at a time. If you don't settle the money clearly, I won't come again."

"Fine, fine, I'm scared of you, my ancestor."

The beautiful woman then called over an accountant.

In the end, nearly half of the stack of silver notes in Pan Dingqian's hand was gone. Heaven knows how much money he owed at Tianxianglou.

No wonder brothels are called money pits; once you start spending money there, it's truly unstoppable.

Chen Ming overheard the conversation among the other guests and learned that Pan Dingqian used to be a regular at Tianxianglou and had a girlfriend named Xue Ning.

Until three months ago, Pan Dingqian ran into a rival at Tianxianglou and was mocked for not paying for his pleasure as the son of a governor.

From then on, Pan Dingqian never set foot in Tianxianglou again.

Today, after making a fortune, the first thing he did was come over and settle all his previous debts.

Chen Ming thought this Fifth Young Master was truly a remarkable person.

Pan Dingqian paid back all the money he owed in public today, feeling triumphant. He said to Aunt He, "My friend of mine has made it onto the list of successful candidates today, and we're here to celebrate. He's always admired Miss Peony. Is Miss Peony free tonight?"

"The Fifth Young Master has spoken. Even if we're busy, we have to make time for him. Someone, take the Fifth Young Master and the others to the National Beauty Garden."

……

Tianxiang Tower is very large, and the most popular girls each have their own courtyard. Guose Garden is the largest of these courtyards, with pavilions, terraces, rockeries, and flowing water, making it very elegant.

Chen Ming realized that Pan Dingqian wanted to see Miss Peony, but he already had a lover at Tianxiang Tower, so he came over under the pretext of celebrating for her.

Shortly after they sat down, the friends Pan Dingqian had mentioned arrived. There were two men and one woman.

One of them was named Xiang Fukang, who looked like a rich young master.

The other one was named Shi Sikai. He was simply dressed, with large hands and feet, and rarely smiled. After sitting down, he only focused on eating.

The last woman was named Qin Xiaomei. She was dressed in men's clothing and was quite pretty.

When Pan Dingqian introduced them, he said that these three were his sworn siblings.

Xiang Fukang was very talkative, and soon he warmed up the atmosphere at the table. After he arrived, Feng Siyuan and Zhou Weihao, who had been sitting quietly to the side, started chatting with him.

As for Qin Xiaomei, she wasn't very talkative either. After sitting down, she just kept drinking, one glass after another, as if she had come there specifically to drink. This was in stark contrast to Shi Sikai, who kept his head down eating and didn't touch a drop of alcohol.

She wasn't interested in anyone else, only occasionally glancing at Chen Ming with a hint of curiosity.

After waiting for half an hour, the Peony Maiden still did not appear.

Pan Dingqian didn't urge him, as if it were a matter of course.

Looking at Feng Siyuan and Zhou Weihao, there was no impatience on their faces, but rather anticipation.

It seems that it's quite normal for top courtesans to put on airs.

As Chen Ming was thinking, he suddenly heard a heartfelt cry from outside, "Pan Lang—" He saw an extremely beautiful woman lift the hem of her skirt and run in quickly. When she saw Pan Dingqian, she suddenly stopped, as if she was mesmerized, and tears streamed down her face.

He guessed that this woman must be Xue Ning, and indeed she was very beautiful, on par with Xiao Zhuyun in terms of looks.

Moreover, he had no trace of worldliness about him, and you couldn't tell at all that he was a person from the world of prostitution.

At this moment, Pan Dingqian stood up, and Xue Ning finally moved. Like a swallow returning to its nest, she rushed into his arms and began to sob softly.

Pan Dingqian lifted her chin, his eyes filled with heartache, "Xue'er, you've lost weight."

These words made her cry even harder.

He's obviously a scumbag.

……

After a while, Pan Dingqian calmed the man down and, once seated, introduced Chen Ming and the others.

Xue Ning sat down next to him, becoming dignified, and greeted Chen Ming and the others.

The courtesan of Tianxiang Pavilion was also a master at enlivening the atmosphere; her presence made the banquet even more harmonious.

Another quarter of an hour passed.

Chen Ming was getting a little impatient. In his previous life, he had never waited this long for his ex-girlfriend. It had been almost two hours.

Just then, an arrogant voice suddenly rang out from outside, "Who do you think you are, daring to stop me?"

With a loud bang, several men forced their way in.

The leader, dressed in all black, possessed an extraordinary air and an arrogant expression. "Oh, isn't this the fifth son of the Pan family? Here at Tianxiang Restaurant again, eating, drinking, and freeloading?"

Pan Dingqian slammed his cup down and said unhappily, "Qin San'er, don't you know the rules? I've booked the entire Guose Garden tonight. If you know what's good for you, get out of here."

Qin San'er?
Chen Ming had already guessed who this young man in black was: Qin Changyuan, the third young master of the Qin family. He was one of the Five Talented Men of Jiangzhou and ranked third on the Qingyun List.

Among the three great families of Jiangzhou, the Qin family is the most prominent, and only the eldest son of the Qin family would dare to go against Pan Dingqian, the son of the governor.

Qin Jinlin, who went to Qingfeng City to participate in Zhao Shouchang's martial arts competition, was just a minor figure.

Qin Changyuan laughed as if he had heard a joke, "Hahaha... Pan Laowu, do you think Miss Peony is your Xue Ning? You think you can just take her in like that? There are no such rules here at Guose Garden. Miss Peony is like a goddess; she decides who she wants to see. That's her rule."

After saying that, he seemed to suddenly remember something, "I forgot, you haven't been to Tianxiang Restaurant for several months. I'm afraid you don't know the rules here."

Qin Changyuan had already led his people to sit down at another table.

Upon hearing this, Pan Dingqian glanced at Xiang Fukang beside him. Seeing him nod, his expression turned somewhat unpleasant. He was a man who valued his reputation highly. Qin Changyuan's outburst made him feel he had lost face in front of Chen Ming and the others.

He was especially enraged when he heard Qin Changyuan and his henchmen laughing wildly, and he couldn't help but lash out.

"Fifth Young Master, calm down..."

At this moment, Aunt He arrived just in time and comforted Pan Dingqian, saying, "My daughter is new here and can't afford to offend anyone. I hope Fifth Young Master won't make things difficult for her."

Pan Dingqian still gave her some face and held back, not making a scene.

Suddenly, the melodious sound of a flute rang out from inside.

Everyone turned to look and saw that the door to the house had been opened at some point, and behind the white curtain sat a graceful figure.

It finally came out.

Chen Ming thought to himself, as he listened, his mind was moved by the sound of the flute, and he became immersed in it.

He seemed to see the confusion, worry, and aimless pain in a woman's heart, a desolate figure struggling through the torrent of the world, instantly swallowed up and suffocated...

I do not know how long it has been.

Chen Ming suddenly woke up and found that the sound of the flute had stopped sometime ago, and the courtyard was silent.

He felt a chill run down his spine; there was something wrong with the sound of the flute!
Isn't this a form of psychological attack?
Pan Dingqian suddenly sighed, "The young lady's flute playing is almost Taoist, making one feel as if they are hearing celestial music."

At another table, Qin Changyuan stared intently at the figure in the room, saying, "To hear Miss Peony's song today is truly a worthwhile trip."

Chen Ming looked at the others, who were also completely absorbed in the moment. He wondered if he was being too sensitive.
At that moment, the curtain moved, and that graceful figure stepped out.

What a stunning beauty.

She wore a pale yellow dress, with fair skin and an ethereal air, but her eyes were captivating and affectionate, creating a striking contrast.

This woman can ignite a strong desire in men to conquer her.

This is the second woman who has amazed Chen Ming since he transmigrated.

After the woman came out, she bowed gracefully and said, "Greetings, gentlemen."

Her gaze shifted to Xue Ning, and she said, "Greetings, Sister Xue Ning."

……

For some reason, Chen Ming felt a vague sense of familiarity with this Peony Girl. He couldn't quite place where this feeling of familiarity came from.

Then Qin Changyuan said, "According to the rules of Guose Garden, one person will be chosen from among the people in the courtyard. I wonder who you will choose tonight, young lady?"

Upon hearing this, everyone present looked at the peony girl who seemed like a fairy descended from heaven, and each person's eyes held a certain longing and hope.

Aunt He was the only one who was sweating profusely with anxiety. Choosing one side would offend the other. If a conflict broke out, it would be troublesome.

If it were any other girl, she wouldn't be worried.

But she wasn't sure about this one.

In this tense atmosphere, the Peony Girl said nothing and simply turned and left.

"Leaving now?"

Chen Ming found it strange that this courtesan was being so capricious. She could either smooth things over or choose one side at random. Even if she offended one side, it would be better than offending both sides like this.

Suddenly, a maid in green came out of the room, carrying a tray. She walked straight to his side, squatted down, and said, "Young master, please drink this cup of wine."

Chen Ming suddenly felt many sharp gazes being cast upon him, as if they were about to pierce through him.

He then realized what the glass of wine represented.

Should I drink it or not?
(End of this chapter)