The Smiling, Proud Wanderer, Becomes a Disciple of Yue Buqun

Zhu Shou asked curiously, "Brother Jiang, since you have been to these places, how do you feel?"

Jiang Ning shook his head: "Not good."

Zhu Shou was stunned, thinking that the brothels Jiang Ning had visited were not high-end brothels so the experience was not good.

The brothels here were built by the lake, and there were brothels on both sides of the lake. Some literati and poets sailed across the lake in boats. From time to time, the laughter of some men and the giggles of women could be heard from the brothels on the lakeside.

There were even quite a few scholars who were lying by the lake vomiting, their faces flushed and their clothes in disarray, looking dissolute.

Zhu Shou, who had never seen such a scene before, looked at it with some surprise.

"I've heard about how prosperous this place is and how romantic these talented people are. Now I see that it's true."

Zhu Shou said as he looked around, and finally looked at Jiang Ning.

"Brother Jiang, what do you think?"

Jiang Ning looked at these brothels with a calm expression, and said softly after hearing Zhu Shou's words.

“False prosperity.”

"what?"

Jiang Ning's voice was so soft that Zhu Shou didn't hear it clearly and asked subconsciously.

Jiang Ning shook his head.

"Nothing, it's really prosperous."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Shou was not happy about the recognition. Instead, he looked at the drunk scholars by the lake.

"Some of these people are students of the Ming Dynasty. They are Juren and Jinshi. In the future, they will be officials of the Ming Dynasty and the cornerstone of the imperial court. They usually talk about morality and justice. When talking about state affairs, they talk a lot, but in reality... heh."

There was no joy on Zhu Shou's face, his voice was not loud, and there was a hint of inexplicable coldness in his tone, as if he had no good feelings towards these people.

Jiang Ning had been in the martial arts world for many years and had a very sharp insight and very good hearing. Naturally, he could hear and understand Zhu Shou's tone at this time. He couldn't help but look at Zhu Shou.

As if realizing that he had said something he shouldn't have, Zhu Shou immediately stopped talking and glanced at Jiang Ning.

Jiang Ning looked calm, as if he hadn't heard anything.

Zhu Shou secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Too many words will be lost.

He still didn't know Jiang Ning's true identity or background. If Jiang Ning was from a noble family, and he and the people behind him recognized Zhu Shou, and his remarks were known to those people, it would be very troublesome for him.

While realizing this, Zhu Shou was secretly surprised at how he could say these things to a stranger he just met.

"Brother Jiang, do you want to go in and take a look?"

Arriving outside a brothel, Zhu Shou adjusted his mentality and smiled at Jiang Ning.

The brothel they came to was very large and the most lively one. A large group of people came and went at the door. It was very noisy inside, and the laughter and noise could be heard outside.

Hearing Zhu Shou's invitation, Jiang Ning nodded.

The two then followed the crowd into the largest brothel in the capital.

The few people who were following from a distance turned green in the face when they saw Zhu Shou and Jiang Ning walk into the brothel.

As soon as I entered, the noise inside became even louder, and the place was almost entirely filled with people.

When they sat down at a place, a man came over with his back bent and served them tea.

"You two gentlemen look unfamiliar. Is this your first time here?"

The man said as he poured tea.

Zhu Shou was looking around curiously at this time and ignored him.

Jiang Ning said: "I have just arrived in the capital, this is indeed my first time here."

The man's smile widened when he heard this.

"You two gentlemen are really lucky today. There will be a poetry competition later. Whoever wins will be favored by our oiran, Miss Bai Ling."

"Oh?"

Hearing this, Zhu Shou became interested.

He hasn't heard it yet.

Jiang Ning was not surprised.

He had been to many brothels. Although he was not there to have sex, he knew the names of these brothels.

There are several types of brothels. The brothels here are high-end brothels. Generally, the courtesans in high-end brothels sell their art but not their bodies. These courtesans are not only outstanding in appearance, but also very talented and proficient in music, chess, calligraphy and painting. If you want to see these courtesans, you can't just pay to see them. If you are not a high-ranking official or a talented and wealthy man, they will not even look at you. Ordinary people can basically not see them.

The poetry competition that the man mentioned is an activity organized by the courtesan. Its purpose is to make her more famous by making those talented and romantic men compete for her. If she is lucky enough to meet a real talent and write a famous line that will be passed down through the ages, it will also make the courtesan famous throughout history.

As for who will win her favor in the end, those who understand what happens next will understand.

After pouring the tea, the man asked the two men if they wanted some girls to come over to accompany them for drinking. Seeing that Jiang Ning had no such intention and he was not looking for girls, Zhu Shou refused.

"Brother Jiang, what's wrong? Do you think it's too noisy here?"

After the man left, Zhu Shou was still looking around, feeling very curious. But when he turned around, he saw that Jiang Ning had no expression on his face, as if nothing here made him happy.

Zhu Shou had never seen Jiang Ning smile since he came in.

"This is not."

Jiang Ning shook his head.

"What happened?"

Zhu Shou asked curiously.

Jiang Ning was about to speak when a loud shout suddenly broke out in the hall, attracting the attention of the two men.

Jiang Ning and Zhu Shou turned around and found a beautiful woman appearing on the second floor. It was this woman's appearance that caused everyone to make the noise.

The woman was so beautiful that even Zhu Shou's eyes lit up.

However, Jiang Ning was not interested in this. He just took a look and turned back. However, when he turned back, he caught a glimpse of someone in the crowd and paused.

He actually saw the middle-aged man who was riding a horse on the street yesterday.

It was the Lord Zhang that Chen Qingyuan mentioned.

Enemy road is narrow.

"Brother Jiang..."

After the initial surprise, Zhu Shou reacted and turned around to speak to Jiang Ning, but when he saw Jiang Ning's expression at this time, he was surprised. He followed Jiang Ning's gaze and saw the middle-aged man.

After seeing the middle-aged man, Zhu Shou's face turned visibly colder.

Chapter 418: Sad Zhu Shou

Chapter 418: Sad Zhu Shou

Both of them saw the middle-aged man.

The middle-aged man still didn't notice it at this time. He went upstairs to the second floor surrounded by several people without even looking at Jiang Ning and Zhu Shou.

"Brother Jiang, what are you thinking about?"

Zhu Shou turned around and found Jiang Ning looking around, his eyes paying more attention to the women here, but there was no interest in them in his eyes, nor did he have the desire that a man would have when seeing a woman.

Hearing Zhu Shou's words, Jiang Ning withdrew his gaze.

"I wonder how many people here are here involuntarily, being forced."

Zhu Shou was stunned.

The people Jiang Ning is referring to are easy to understand. They are the prostitutes in the brothel.

But it was precisely because of his understanding that Zhu Shou became even more puzzled.

Is this what Jiang Ning is thinking about?

"Brother Jiang, do you think they are not willing?"

Zhu Shou asked.

Jiang Ning shook his head.

There is a reason why the brothel industry has existed from ancient times to the present. Naturally, there are many voluntary women among them, but he was thinking about those who were unwilling, just like those he met in Xiangyang City.

However, Jiang Ning did not say anything. Zhu Shou was very curious. He looked at the brothel girls around him unconsciously and then pointed at one of them.

"come here."

The brothel girl was startled and came over immediately.

"Sir, what's the matter?"

Zhu Shou asked directly: "Did you enter the brothel voluntarily?"

The brothel girl who was asked was stunned for a moment, then she rolled her eyes and turned away slowly.

Zhu Shou didn't get an answer, so he asked other brothel girls, but the responses he got were either eye rolls or they were too lazy to pay attention to him. One or two kind-hearted girls gently reminded him to see a doctor if his brain was broken.

"Sir, do you need a girl to drink with you? Or should I ask a few girls to accompany you?"

Seeing this, a servant from the brothel not far away ran over and asked.

Now everyone in the hall was paying attention to the courtesan who appeared. They caught Zhu Shou and started questioning her. The brothel servants wanted to have Zhu Shou kicked out, but after seeing Zhu Shou's clothes, they thought that Zhu Shou was of some importance, so they had to come over to comfort him.

After hearing the servant's words, Zhu Shou also calmed down.

The servant breathed a sigh of relief and left. Zhu Shou looked towards Jiang Ning opposite him.

"Brother Jiang, they didn't say they were forced."

At this moment, Jiang Ning looked at Zhu Shou with surprise in his eyes.

He didn't know what to say about the other party's actions just now.

Now when Zhu Shou asked him, Jiang Ning seemed to be able to see a clear stupidity in his eyes.

Of course, Jiang Ning would not think that Zhu Shou was really that stupid. The other party must have never been to such a place.

However, the fact that he can ask questions like this means that he either has a problem with his brain or his status is too high, which makes him lack the normal way of dealing with things.