“A faint long dress, parting love, ten thousand mountain crags and river torrents* , the seasons pa.s.s by, frozen in place, longing year after year…” A quiet and sad voice resounded from the stage and a graceful figure ornamented in enchanting goose-yellow robes slowly walked out of the misty veil covering the backdrop, attracting the eyes of everyone present.

*TN: idiom meaning trials and tribulations of a long journey

“Master You, how is it, not bad right?” Long Xizhao observed the Empress' expression, but the Empress' eyes were still clear as a lake, with no visible change. She couldn't tell if the Empress was satisfied or not.”

“Huakui?* 

TN: huakui here refers to the 'winter plum blossom', this term is often used to describe the most stunning or most beautiful courtesan

“Huakui Liu Xu, worth a thousand taels.” Long Xiazhao affirmed.

“You have seen him before?” Hearing Long Xizhao's tone, it seemed she was familiar with this 'winter blossom'.

Long Xizhao made an awkward expression and smiled, “Don't laugh at this minister, of those who have power and rank in the imperial city, who hasn't visited this establishment before!” No matter how lowkey, there were always occasions for socializing, and as such, this pavilion was the most popular place for such socialization. As a high-ranking official, it was impossible that she had never been here before.

“So it is only to this extent.” Saying that the beauty was like the Enchanting guifei was not true, as he was not as charming or coquettish as the Enchanting guifei. To say that the beauty was soft and well-behaved was also not true as he wasn't as pure and gratifying as An guifei, and neither was he as gentle, elegant, and well-mannered as Luo Weiqing. In short, Qianhe Liyou came to the conclusion that this beauty was just an ordinary person, nothing special.

Guifei: Imperial Consort of the highest rank and is below the Empress

娘娘(niáng niang) : suffix which should only be applied to the empress or imperial concubines.

“Master You, what my Lord said is right. Everyone in Your Lord's family is much better than this. No, no no, this minister has misspoken. There should be no realm of comparability here, how could this person be compared to the palace's guifei and niangniang.” She did not say this out of flattery or to soothe the Empress' ego, but she had actually said the truth from the bottom of her heart. The Empress' had high expectations and standards, and as a result, the consorts in the palace were naturally all very stunning.

Qianhe Liyou drank a sip of the lukewarm tea, not commenting on Long Xizhao's words.

“Master, is your Lord planning on going back or staying here today? Hehe, although this huakui isn't bad, but if my Lord wants to change up the taste, this minister can make the proper arrangements.” It was really not easy to be an Imperial official, not only did they have to worry about court affairs, they also had to worry about the Empress' love life.

Qianhe Liyou looked at the huakui swaying and dancing on the stage, then looked at the other men. Then as if she was very bored, she shook his head and said: “Let's head back. Boring.”

“Yes.”

Before the singing and dancing finished, Qianhe Liyou had already gotten up, trying to exit out along the way from how she had entered. The guests she pa.s.sed didn't pay any attention to their group, their eyes glued to the stage, entranced by the huakui's performance. However, the group's sudden movement did not go unnoticed in front of the head manager's sharp eyes.

“Guests, why are you leaving, are you dissatisfied with our program?” It was the pavilion manager, Long Si who asked them. He was a young man in his twenties who was also once a peerless, majestic courtesan during his time.

He had been at the entrance welcoming guests, but when he saw these guests leaving, he had felt uneasy and rushed over to take a look.

“Long Si, my Master is not satisfied with the pavilion's programs, it was truly too disappointing.” Long Xizhao did not shy away from the problem or soften her criticisms, it was just a place for prost.i.tution. Naturally, if she had something to say, she would say it. Moreover, if her master was not satisfied then she was not satisfied either.

“This esteemed guest, the program taking place right now is for everyone to enjoy. If you don't like it, this servant can arrange for some other, personal programs. Zhaixing Pavilion is the number one courtesan pavilion in the Imperial capital. If there is no one you fancy here, you probably won't find anyone better in the other establishments around here.” Long Si's blunt tone had a touch of arrogance. All walks of life visited this pavilion and although this was a place of fireworks*, there was no other establishment in the capital that could call themselves better than Zhaixing Pavilion.

*TN: refers to brothel or place of prost.i.tution)

Zhaixing: this is a euphemism for a brothel or a courtesan establishment, it literally means 'plucking stars'

“Oh? What else is there?” Long Xizhao took care to consider the Empress' current facial expression and seeing the Empress wordlessly standing there, she had further questioned Long Si. It wasn't easy to make a trip outside of the Imperial Palace, and she also hoped that the Empress could return home in light spirits.

“This…whether it be appearance, talent, or beauty, Zhaixing Pavilion has everything the esteemed guests are looking for. Depending on what you like, we have beauties who know poems and songs, flute, zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting. What the guests desire, they will find something they like here, things that will satisfy their deepest desires.” Long Si smiled ambiguously, his smirk hinting at the veiled meanings behind his explanation, the content of his words not subtle at all.

“I want the most special one.” It was not Long Xizhao who spoke out this time, but rather, the silent Qianhe Liyou. Hearing what this pavilion manager was boasting so arrogantly, she wanted to see it for herself.

“The most special? This guest, just what special…” Long Si didn't dare to finish the sentence and say 'hobby' because the guest in front of him had a piercing, cold eyes that immediately made him falter.

“Well then, this esteemed guest, follow me and I will take you there shortly…”

After that, Qianhe Liyou and Long Xizhao followed Manager Long Si along a corridor to the door of a room's entrance. Long Si stopped, feeling a little embarra.s.sed, and asked, “Are the two guests going in together?”

Qianhe Liyou glanced at Long Xizhao who was curiously trying to peek into what the room looked like, a hint of mirth flas.h.i.+ng in her eyes. She then spoke to Long Si: “ I will go alone. Xizhao, if I don't come out after a quarter of an hour, you can find something fun to do by yourself, have fun.”

Qianhe Liyou opened the door, briskly walking in first. Long Si did not follow after her. He merely raised his voice, directing his words into the room's interior: “Serve the guest well, don't forget to perform your duties.” He then turned and smiled at Long Xizhao again: “This guest, I don't know what your preferences are, but this servant can arrange it for you.”

“Haha, Manager Long Si, it seems you are very confident in the person's abilities inside, but I'll have you know, my Master has very high standards.”

“Master? The person who you call 'Master' must really be an amazing person. However, the person inside is also very unique and special, this servant rarely asks him to serve the guests.” After the opening of a brothel, some guests would always have some special hobbies and preferences. Although this guest didn't look like it, it seems like this person actually had this kind of taste. Even if one did not have these special tastes or preferences, one could not help but want to experience them.

Long Si smirked confidently, the corner of his mouth rising ever so slightly, a trace of cruel indifference lining those red lips.

“Tsk tsk, the more I hear you say that the more curious I become.” She was really curious as to whether the person inside could keep the Empress for that long…

At this time, Qianhe Liyou had already caught sight of the person in question, a rare look of astonishment flas.h.i.+ng in her usually unperturbed eyes.

“How did you plummet to this point?” These surprising words were blurted out, and at the same time, the other party's startled gaze met with Qianhe Liyou's own.

“Honored Guest, what do you mean by these words?” The person sitting on the bed got up, long silver hair hanging down to his back, and, even more surprisingly, this person's eyes were a pale grey, with no hint of dullness in those pearly white eyes.

“Humph, you didn't understand my meaning? Snow Fox!” Qianhe Liyou hadn't expected that a dignified fox demon would actually serve at a brothel as a male prost.i.tute, and even as the least popular type! What Qianhe Liyou had actually first seen coming into the room was not the person, but the rows of various torture instruments hanging on the wall. She didn't understand at first, but after seeing the person in the room, she understood. This person's chilling presence did not appear aloof or arrogant. On the contrary, he appeared seductive and deceptive, people couldn't help but want to trample this type of person under them. No wonder that Long Si had brought her here. How can such a person be described as anything but 'special'? People with special hobbies would probably have even more special hobbies after seeing him.

“Who are you?” The fox demon who had been identified by Qianhe Liyou widened his eyes in disbelief, his face quickly turning alarmed, looking at the woman in front of him with an incredulous gaze. He had already been here for two years, how could someone discern and penetrate his defenses to see through his true ident.i.ty? Furthermore, his true demon form had been sealed by that d.a.m.n b.a.s.t.a.r.d!

“You don't have the qualifications to know who I am, fox demon!” Qianhe Liyou was a little curious. Why was a fox demon who had cultivated for hundreds of years doing in a place like this? In fact, she wasn't originally a nosy or curious person, but this was the first non-human that she had seen here, so she had some interest and hoped to learn more.