Chapter 47: Dragon Pool and Tiger Den

The few had different thoughts. Wu Wencai initially had some psychological burden, but then he thought: isn't the other party also here to seek pleasure? Since everyone was in the same boat, what was there to feel guilty about!

Thinking this way, he became more and more righteous.

"Is this Brother Xu's first time here?"

Seeing Xu Qing nod, Wu Wencai immediately put on a look of "I know everything," saying: "Today is the day Shuohuang Pavilion selects the Kui Drum Order. Besides candidates from all over, many romantic talents from afar have come to attend."

"This is a rare event that happens once in many years. We came here to make more friends and see the customs and styles of people from all over the world."

"Definitely not to be pretentious or chase after fame and wealth. Even less to indulge in debauchery and enjoy a moment of greed."

Beside him, Wu Zhiyuan nodded in agreement.

Only the little fatty Zhu Huaian, who was treating, was confused. What are you talking about? I brought you here, isn't it just to sleep with women? If not for a moment of greed, are you really going to chant poems and sit here all night?

Then he might as well go home and fight crickets!

Xu Qing naturally didn't believe Wu Wencai's nonsense. If he had come a step later, he might have been able to criticize their behavior on behalf of Wu Yaoxing, and then give a proper pardon—not to do it again.

But that unreliable "Throwing a Shoe to Ask the Way" actually guided him to arrive at their destination first!

Now he had truly jumped into the Yellow River and couldn't wash away the fact that he was a proper person.

Little fatty Zhu Huaian was clearly a regular here. He casually slapped a silver note to the servant, and the latter respectfully led them to the inner arena for the Kui Drum Order.

Seeing the familiar scene again, Zhu Huaian sighed: "The Kui Drum Order is selected every five years. When it was held last time, I was only thirteen. I finally managed to sneak out of the house, but who would have thought that halfway through the Kui Drum Order, I would run into my father and uncle."

Speaking of this, the little fatty still had lingering fears: "Thanks to my uncle's persuasion, otherwise I'm afraid I wouldn't be alive today."

Xu Qing was silent. Father and uncle visiting a brothel—what kind of combination is this? Does your mother know?

"Then does your mother know?" Wu Wencai blurted out.

Xu Qing silently looked at Wu Wencai. This child's mouth is truly fast!

"My mother naturally doesn't know. If she knew I went to a flower house behind her back, she would beat me to death!"

Zhu Huaian didn't seem to hear the subtext of Wu Wencai's words and continued to say: "My mother is very fierce. My father and uncle are both afraid of her. That year after watching the Kui Drum Order, if the three of us hadn't been clever and coordinated our stories, we would have been finished!"

"For example, today I brought the three of you to play. If my mother knew, she would have people break your legs, and then give each of you ten thousand taels of silver."

"How much?" Wu Wencai's eyes widened, seemingly having the intention of breaking his legs for money.

Xu Qing was also very surprised. Could this little fatty's family be running a silver mine? How could they be so arrogant?

However, he had no thoughts about these. In this day and age, entertainment activities were pitifully few. Everyone came out to relieve boredom and have fun, not to make friends with rich people.

Furthermore, no matter how rich a person is, after a hundred years of wind and frost, they will eventually turn into a pile of grave soil.

Maybe by then, he would have to preside over the funeral.

The few found an empty seat and sat down. Xu Qing watched the Kui Drum Order selection on the stage with great interest.

The Kui Drum Order was a special grand event held by Shuohuang Pavilion every five years.

The purpose was to select girls who were outstanding in both talent and appearance.

In this grand event of group beauty, the one who could surpass all others and win first place was the "Flower Queen," the second to third were "Flower Drums," and the fourth to tenth were "Flower Orders."

During selection, all girls participating in the Kui Drum Order must be women within Shuohuang Pavilion who had not been "combed" (deflowered) in the last five years to be able to perform on stage. At that time, the dignitaries or romantic talents in the audience would present "combing gifts" to their favorite person.

Gold, silver, jewelry, calligraphy, and paintings—as long as they were valuable, they were all accepted.

In addition, to accommodate those talented women who were about to be "combed," there would be an additional talent test session as a bonus item.

After the rankings were selected, those talented women would have to choose one person from the talents who supported them to spend the night with.

After learning these rules, Xu Qing thought: what is the difference between this and ranking?

However, this was the first time he had encountered such public solicitation of prostitution.

Beside the tea table, Zhu Huaian was coaxing the Wu brothers to help him pass the "talent test."

"To tell you the truth, since I first saw Miss Wan'er, I felt that if I didn't sleep with her once in this life, I would have lived in vain!"

"Unfortunately, although I have some small money and some talent, I am still a bit short to win Miss Wan'er's heart."

"Wencai, Zhiyuan, you two brothers are talented. When we met at the government office, you improvised a poem—that 'Awakening Spring' was no better than what the prefecture's number one talent, Zhuang Zijun, could write."

"Miss Wan'er loves poetry the most. I hope you two brothers will help me with all your strength and fulfill the good deed between me and Miss Wan'er."

Wu Wencai, having eaten the host's food, immediately agreed: "No problem. My cousin is best at writing poetry. This matter is on us."

Xu Qing didn't intervene in their conversation. His attention was now completely focused on the tea table not far away.

There sat a handsome, red-lipped, white-toothed young master, sitting alone, pouring and drinking by himself.

Xu Qing felt familiar with this person at first glance, and recognized the other's identity at the second glance.

Last month, when he returned to the corpse-grinding mill, he transcended a flower house idler and obtained a "Hundred Beauties Spring Palace Picture" specifically for scaring people, and learned a secret: the county magistrate's daughter didn't like men, but preferred to dress as a man and find girls to play with.

And the person Xu Qing was paying attention to now was precisely that "tofu-grinding" holy-bodied daughter of the magistrate.

Very interesting. I just don't know which talented woman this magistrate's daughter has taken a fancy to...

Xu Qing looked at the stage where the talented women were performing, and then looked back at the "young master" who was too handsome.

It felt like everything was a play!

Beside him, Wu Zhiyuan also began to exert his strength. When the famous Miss Wan'er appeared, Zhu Huaian called the servants to bring the best pen, ink, paper, and inkstone for Wu Zhiyuan to perform.

Xu Qing looked sideways and saw that the poem was like spring breeze brushing dew, with endless affection, not inferior to the poems in his memory.

"I didn't expect the bookworm from the paper-effigy shop next door to be such a talented person..." Xu Qing sighed with emotion. He couldn't write such poems even if he lived two lifetimes.

After blowing the ink dry, Zhu Huaian took out a jade bracelet worth a thousand gold and placed it on the gift tray, saying: "This is a precious bracelet my mother left for her future daughter-in-law. You can see how much I really like Miss Wan'er."

Xu Qing couldn't help but ask: "You secretly took your mother's bracelet, aren't you afraid she will settle the score with you later?"

The little fatty didn't care: "Future matters, let's talk about them later. Besides, my mother prepared seven or eight bracelets, saying I am the only seedling of the Zhu family and will have to marry seven or eight wives in the future..."

"I only took one, it doesn't count for anything."

"..."

Xu Qing silently retracted his shallow question.

On stage, a "Flower Order" lady from previous years was announcing the gift list for Miss Wan'er.

When it came to Zhu Huaian's "combing gift," the Flower Order lady clearly paused for a moment.

"Young Master Zhu of the Changting Prince's Mansion presents Miss Zhenwan with an imperial-bestowed gold and jade bracelet, worth a thousand gold."

Off stage, there was an uproar.

Xu Qing turned to look at Zhu Huaian. He had only thought it was a more valuable bracelet, but hadn't thought it was an imperial-bestowed item.

But what does this "Changting Prince's Mansion" mean?

Could this little fatty be...

Just as Xu Qing was guessing the other's identity, a voice came from the stage again: "Young Master Zhang presents Miss Shuyu with a jade pendant, worth one hundred taels."

An attendant held a tray, lifted the cover, and displayed all the "combing gifts" once to prove that the Kui Drum Order selection was not fake.

Xu Qing looked sideways, his mind instantly pulled back from the little fatty.

The jade pendant presented on the attendant's tray was none other than the Yin Ghost Jade he had been looking for!

Xu Qing searched for the "Young Master Zhang" mentioned by the Flower Order lady. Although he didn't find the other party, he saw a person who shouldn't have appeared here.

"Excuse me, I suddenly remembered I have something to do, I'll go first, brothers, don't blame me."

Xu Qing didn't say a word, ignoring the Wu brothers' inquiry, and stood up to leave.

Just now, he had seen the figure of the Heavenly Heart Sect evil person, Bai Luo, in the corner.

Walking quickly toward the corridor, Xu Qing hadn't gone far when he saw five or six people walking toward him.

Leading them was an old man over sixty, with a feminine, beardless man protecting him, and a Daoist priest looking around.

Xu Qing didn't recognize the old man and the feminine man, but he recognized the Daoist priest at a glance.

This person was none other than the Divine Machine Camp Captain who was chasing the Heavenly Heart Sect evil person, Zuo Zixiong!