Chapter 425

Although the eastern and western gates of the imperial city belonged to two different factions and were far apart, under the full burst of the Da Guanren's speed, he arrived at the outer wall of Yuxiang Pavilion without much time passing.

Shi Qian's lightness kung fu might have its unique merits, but the Da Guanren was no slouch—he was also skilled in sneaking in and picking locks. A wall ten feet high could not stop him. With one stomp, he used the wall's surface for leverage, launching himself upward without even using his hands, landing lightly atop the wall. Then, after checking the direction, he leapt down, concealing his form as he moved through the darkness toward his destination.

Last night, he had stayed overnight at Yuxiang Pavilion—not merely to meet the courtesan queen, but also by walking around and asking questions, he had roughly mapped out the pavilion's layout. Most importantly, he had located Li Shishi: she lived alone in a small two-story building within the complex, somewhat isolated, which naturally suited her status as the Emperor's forbidden concubine and the crown jewel of Yuxiang Pavilion—neither too bustling nor too quiet, free of intruders.

Though it was deep night, Yuxiang Pavilion still glowed brightly, equally lively. Some slept, some stirred, some sang wildly and drank heavily, some threw off all restraint; talented scholars howled like beasts, while families cheered from above.

Nightlife could not consist of courtesans alone—it needed poetry, it needed wine. Night owls were never lacking; the romantic scholars and beauties clearly revealed their true selves only in the long night.

Wang Yan hid where lantern light could not reach, listening to many sounds along the way, until he arrived at the quiet spot where Li Shishi resided.

Of course, there were guards here, but compared to other areas, the defensive strength and patrol density were truly inadequate. After all, according to the stories, even Chai Jin and others had sneaked onto Zhao Ji's desk—that was the most secure place in the realm—so what could one say about a brothel like Yuxiang Pavilion?

Without hesitation, he climbed the pillar of the corridor bridge, scaling the building in a flash. He reached a window, gently tested the pressure—and found it could be pushed open. Without caring whose room it was, he shoved the window open and slipped inside.

A cold breeze blew in; a woman's murmurs drifted from the bed, and she instinctively pulled the quilt tighter. Before she could move further, Wang Yan swiftly and quietly shut the window. Then, moving lightly toward the bed, he checked whether this was the right person.

After all, he only knew Li Shishi was here—but which specific room among so many, he had no way of knowing; he had to feel his way.

Upon close inspection, it was merely a maid of average looks. He pressed several acupoints on her body—not to take advantage, but to make her sleep deeper.

Having done this, Wang Yan moved from room to room, searching. Of course, he wasn't groping blindly. Those facing the sun were usually preferred. So he only needed to check the southern rooms on the second floor.

There were only a few rooms total; soon, he reached the last room on the far east side.

He gently pushed open the door, then turned to close it behind him. He glanced around, stepped forward, and approached the maid dozing over the table—likewise, he made her sleep even deeper.

The space was large, with a maid guarding it—there was no other place it could be.

Having found the bedroom, he no longer concealed himself—he opened the door normally and entered. Yet the sound of opening and closing the door did not wake the beautiful woman sleeping on the bed.

He stepped close to the bed, silently studying her: a beauty with half-exposed shoulders curled sideways, her brows slightly furrowed in sleep, as if troubled by her dreams. Even with her frown, she remained irresistibly beautiful in slumber.

Seeing her thus, the Da Guanren sat beside the bed, motionless, simply watching her quietly.

A person feels when watched—even in sleep, discomfort arises. Li Shishi sensed being observed, waking from her dream, yet kept her eyes shut, for she already sensed someone beside her. She pondered: Who was this? What did he want? Why wasn't he acting? Was he targeting Zhao Ji? At the same time, she recalled: Had she offended anyone lately, drawing such a powerful man?

Her heart inevitably quickened its beat.

Wang Yan, of course, sensed it—he was sharp-witted and quick-thinking. He spoke softly: "If you're awake, get up."

A sudden voice broke the silence; Li Shishi trembled slightly, opening her bright eyes to see the shadowy figure in the dark. As the candle flame flickered, casting dim yellow light, she saw the black bear-pelt robe, met those deep eyes, opened her mouth wide—but did not scream, her large eyes filled with shock and doubt: "You?"

"You know me? Did the Emperor tell you?" The words were a question, but the tone was certain.

"Yes." Li Shishi sat up, clutching the quilt to shield her body: "I've never had any connection with the Da Guanren. Why have you come here in the dead of night?"

"You are beautiful, Wang Yan could not sleep, so I came."

…This was too direct. Li Shishi had no reply for a moment. After a long pause, she softly spoke: "I am the Emperor's woman. Aren't you afraid he'll find out?"

"Will you tell the Emperor?"

Meeting the Da Guanren's admiring gaze, Li Shishi truly could not say "yes." She fell silent again: "What do you intend?"

"Why don't you call me Da Guanren anymore?"

Li Shishi said nothing, only tightened her grip on the quilt shielding her body.

The Da Guanren shook his head and smiled: "Lady, no need to be tense. I truly covet your beauty, but I am no lecher—I have no intention of forcing you. Rest assured. Tonight, I came only to meet you, to chat awhile."

"How is Huamei?" Seeing the Da Guanren's puzzled look, Li Shishi pointed outside: "That maid—her name is Huamei."

"She's fine—just sleeping deeper." As he spoke, Wang Yan rose, went out, returned with a water jug and cup, poured her a drink, then sat aside and drank himself.

Li Shishi took a sip, lowered her eyes to the ripples in the water, and asked: "Are you married?"

"Only one concubine. She bore me a son—under a year old."

"A concubine?"

"She was originally a maid in a wealthy household."

In their exchange, Li Shishi grew somewhat reassured. She asked: "How does her beauty compare to mine?"

"No less than yours—but she never studied, cannot read or write; she lacks three-tenths of your charm." The Da Guanren spoke plainly: "It was precisely because I heard of her beauty that I took her as my concubine."

"You're different from those scholars."

"Because I speak plainly?"

"And because you're audacious!"

"I speak plainly because I disdain lies. I am audacious because I trust myself—and I trust you."

Li Shishi wanted to laugh at his boasting, but seeing he had no trace of jest, and recalling that she would never tell anyone about this—after all, in the dead of night, if she claimed a man had broken in, no one would believe her, regardless of whether anything happened. She was a courtesan, yes—but willingly so. That was entirely different from those forced into it.

She was still kept by Zhao Ji—only her birth was low, preventing her from entering the palace; otherwise, she might have been a consort. Of course, she knew well: this state was precisely what Zhao Ji preferred—he wanted the feeling different from the other women in the harem.

"How did you create all those things?"

This was small talk, but Wang Yan patiently explained the chaotic details to her, letting her understand.

They chatted through the night; estimating the time was nearly right, Wang Yan rose, stepped forward, and lifted her chin with his finger: "Dawn approaches—I must go. Rest well, Lady. We'll meet again tonight." He gently brushed her cheek, then turned, opened the window, slipped out, and tenderly closed it behind him…

"Wang Yan…"

Seeing him gone, Li Shishi exhaled deeply, lay back on the bed, murmuring the Da Guanren's name.

He was truly different from every man she'd ever met. In his eyes, she always saw admiration—even when he openly admitted coveting her beauty, his gaze was clear, utterly free of lewdness. One might call him a lecher, but she knew: it was true candor.

Moreover, he spoke wittily, was well-traveled, told stories masterfully—and told them of his rise to power. His tales were heart-stopping; the overbearing self-confidence in his speech made him a true man.

With such scattered, wandering thoughts, the drowsiness she hadn't noticed before swept over her. She closed her eyes and fell asleep…

Lady Li of Yuxiang Pavilion fell ill, listless and dazed all day, with no appetite. The entire pavilion was frantic, hurriedly summoning physicians—but no illness could be diagnosed; they only advised rest.

Zhao Ji heard the news and came once, spoke some words of concern, then left. It was the end of the year; though he neglected his duties, he was still an Emperor—his vast domain needed attention, and matters were far from few. Besides, he sought comfort with women, not trouble. Li Shishi, half-asleep and listless, gave him no reason to linger under moon and flowers.

Li Shishi's illness, of course, stemmed from reversed day and night.

Wang Yan visited Li Shishi every night to chat, to draw closer. It wasn't exactly fawning—he could have taken her outright if he wished. But he didn't want to use and discard; there was more ahead—he needed to win her heart.

Of course, there was little time left. He departed from Yanggu on the fifth, arrived in Bianjing on the eighth, met Yang Jian on the ninth, entered the palace to see Zhao Ji on the tenth, toured the brothels and scouted locations that night. The eleventh was when he first sneaked into Li Shishi's chamber.

Just a few days—plus a beautiful woman. He had this much patience.

Soon, after several days of familiarity, it was the fifteenth—the Lantern Festival.

This was the most lively festival of the year; lanterns had been lit and the lantern market opened the day before. Women wandered the streets, from night until dawn, men and women mingling—the people of this era's revelry.

It was their first time here, so Wang Yan gave his attendants the day off, paid them silver, and let them go enjoy themselves. He, as usual, walked with his hands behind his back, carried along by the crowd. There were simply too many people—nearly everyone in Bianjing had come out. Lanterns glowed everywhere, the scene wildly vibrant. If a satellite took a photo now, the only light on the entire planet would be here.

People admired lanterns, solved riddles written on them, bought food from the night market—the true early form of "stroll and snack." Wealthy and influential families invited young talents to hold poetry gatherings, drinking and composing verses while debating affairs of state. Even the imperial palace was no exception: Emperor Zhao Ji hosted a banquet for his ministers, viewing lanterns together, sharing joy with the people.

Of course, beneath such revelry, evil inevitably lurked: pickpockets, child snatchers, men who groped women. Accidents were inevitable too. Buildings then had stone walls, but everything else was wood. With the entire city ablaze with fire, fires were bound to break out.

Wang Da Guanren strolled leisurely, solved one lantern riddle and took home a lantern, broke the hands of four thieves trying to steal from him, killed two men snatching children right before his eyes, witnessed a major Song dynasty fire, observed the Song fire brigade in action, watched a street brawl erupt after a woman was molested and a man flew into a rage, and joined the crowd watching ruffians overturn stalls.

He wandered like this until midnight, yet the crowd showed no sign of thinning—evident how frenzied people became in an era with no entertainment, when a grand gathering arrived.

He wandered all the way to Xihua Gate, handed the lantern he held to a cute little girl being led by her parents, then vanished from sight, slipped over a wall, and entered Yuxiang Pavilion. Sliding along the walls, he found his way effortlessly to Li Shishi's boudoir.

"You've come…"

In the darkness, the beautiful woman, fully dressed and lying on her bed, lost in thought, greeted him with habitual ease as he slipped in lightly. Yes, in just four days, she had grown accustomed to it.

He closed the window, walked to the bed, and asked: "Is your maid asleep?"

"Mm."

Wang Yan nodded, listened at the door for a moment, then opened it, stepped out, and tapped the sleeping maid on the table a few times, rendering her unconscious. He closed the door and returned to sit down.

"You went to the lantern market?" She had heard yesterday he planned to see the lanterns, since it was his first time in Bianjing. In past years, she too would go to the main hall to join poetry gatherings—but not this year.

"I did."

"How was it?"

"Of course splendid. A tiny place like Yanggu County could never match such a scene."

"I heard the Emperor say you wrote a crude poem about snow. With such a splendid sight tonight, why not compose another poem?"

Wang Yan nodded and smiled: "I actually have some ideas. Listen."

At this time, women were easily moved by such things. And since today was Yuanxi, the perfect occasion—why not borrow? As for the original poet's rights, barring misfortune, he'll meet him.

"The east wind blooms a thousand trees of lanterns at night, scattering stars like rain. Fine horses and jeweled carriages fill the roads with fragrance. The phoenix flute sounds, the jade pot's light turns, fish and dragons dance all night. Silk ribbons of moth, willow, and gold thread. Laughter and fragrance drift through the crowd. A thousand times, ten thousand times, I searched for him…"

Li Shishi was skilled—she understood the verse instantly. With surprised delight in her eyes, Wang Da Guanren slowly spoke: "Then I turned my head—and there he was, where the lanterns dimmed."

"Then I turned my head—and there he was, where the lanterns dimmed…" Li Shishi murmured the final line to herself, then suddenly looked up at the smiling Wang Da Guanren. Her eyes shimmered with emotion. She reached out, her slender fingers tracing his smooth cheek, her lips parting, breath sweet as orchid: "Da Guanren…"

That "Da Guanren" was drawn out, twisted, looping—its meaning unmistakable.

What woman could withstand such a confession?

The beautiful woman, content and lying in his strong arms, her cheeks still flushed, spoke: "Da Guanren…"

"Hmm?"

"Will you leave tomorrow?"

"Then the day after."

His meaning was clear: she wanted him to stay two more days. He skipped the usual polite hesitation and gave the answer directly. After days of intimacy, after that poem, after taking her body—it was the tenderest time. Of course she didn't want him to go. Besides, Zhao Ji's little worm of a man couldn't compare to Wang Da Guanren. And once you've tasted such pleasure, you crave it again.

To be fair, he'd truly outdone Zhao Ji this time. It was almost amusing—after all, the man was an emperor. And though his surname was Wang, to be honest, he hadn't done this in a long time…

"Can't you stay longer?"

"Business is urgent. I've been away half a month already—much has piled up. I must leave."

"Time is still early. I'm feeling much better now—let me serve you again…"

After a long while, Li Shishi, sprawled on the bed, gazed dazedly at Wang Da Guanren as he dressed: "Da Guanren…"

"Hmm?"

"Though my body is stained, my pure heart remains. I entered the brothel not by choice, but out of necessity…"

"Life is full of things beyond our control. You are bound by them, and so am I." Wang Yan leaned down, touched her cheek, and cut her off: "I know your heart. I've never looked down on your origins. Beauty is a human desire—it is my nature. Though I am drawn to your beauty, I love your pure heart. I will never be a faithless man. Take care of yourself. Don't do anything foolish. Rest well. We'll meet again tomorrow."

Li Shishi murmured "Mm," fell silent, and watched as Wang Da Guanren finished dressing, then leapt out the window…

————EXTRA NOTES————

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