Chapter 22: Keep a Low Profile

In the main hall, everyone wore different expressions.

Liu Songjin sat with his mouth agape, his face blank, suspecting he might have misheard.

Su Bie and Wang Dafu also suddenly stood up from their chairs, their faces full of astonishment.

"Did I hear that right?"

Wang Dafu found it hard to believe and also suspected he had misheard.

Meanwhile, Yang Qian, who had managed to squeeze out a smile with great difficulty, saw it vanish in an instant, the muscles in his face twitching uncontrollably.

"Young Master Luo, come up quickly!"

Liu Mama waved her hand, urging him.

Luo Zijun stood up, said a word to the three of them—Su Bie and the others—and prepared to leave.

But he suddenly looked at Liu Songjin to the side, reached out, patted his shoulder, and said, "Brother Liu, a gentleman's word is his bond; one must be a person of integrity."

Liu Songjin: "..."

Wang Dafu suddenly burst into a tirade: "Liu Songjin! You bastard! It's one thing for you to want to trick us into eating shit, but you actually wanted to drag us into your depravity! You really aren't human, damn it!"

The others nearby also cast unkind glares.

Amidst the gaze of the crowd, Luo Zijun walked toward the stairs.

At this moment, the others suddenly began to clamor loudly.

"On what grounds!"

"Liu Mama! On what grounds can this kid go see Miss Chujian, while we can't?"

"I'm not convinced! We want to see Miss Chujian too!"

Especially those guests who had been waiting since before dark were even more dissatisfied, looking as if they were ready to charge upstairs aggressively.

Just then, a Young Maid beside Liu Mama suddenly said in a crisp voice, "Young Master Luo sent someone to make a reservation in advance last night, and he even brought ten thousand taels of silver!"

Once these words were spoken, the main hall immediately fell silent again.

"Ten... ten thousand taels?"

Everyone's complexion changed.

Yang Qian, Liu Songjin, and the others were also taken aback.

Wang Dafu's eyes widened even further, and he suddenly looked at Su Bie beside him, saying, "Brother Su, ten... ten thousand taels? Are you sure Brother Luo is just a Pharmacy apprentice? Even the manager of a Pharmacy couldn't pull this out, damn it!"

Su Bie was also completely bewildered.

Of course, Luo Zijun, the person involved, was even more bewildered.

He sent someone to make a reservation in advance last night? And gave ten thousand taels of silver?

How come he didn't know?

Looking up, that Young Maid who had seen him pee twice last night was secretly winking her big eyes at him.

He immediately realized what was happening.

"Ahem, keep a low profile, keep a low profile..."

Luo Zijun immediately went upstairs with a humble expression.

The clamor in the main hall subsided at once.

Since he had spent ten thousand taels, he naturally had the qualifications.

Under the gazes of envy, jealousy, and various other emotions from the crowd, Luo Zijun went up to the second floor.

Liu Mama grabbed his hand, her movements intimate and eager, and whispered with a face full of smiles, "Young Master Luo, you have kept this old woman in the dark for so long!"

To the people below, this scene seemed only natural.

This Liu Mama had always been one to see money and lose her head.

Never mind ten thousand taels; even for one hundred, her face could bloom into a smile.

Luo Zijun thought to himself: This Liu Mama must already know about that poem. This is good; by first building a good relationship with the Brothel and familiarizing himself with the environment here, it would be more convenient to bring Xu Xian here to play and help him fall into depravity after they get to know each other.

Liu Mama led him into the long corridor, one hand still affectionately stroking the back of his hand, and said with a beaming smile, "This old woman truly did not expect that poem to have been written by Young Master Luo for Chujian. We guessed for a long time on the Flower Boat last night but never guessed it. Tsk tsk, Young Master Luo is truly low-key."

Luo Zijun said humbly, "I have always been this way."

Bi'er, who was following behind, couldn't help but curl her lips, muttering to herself: You are indeed very low-key; in public, you actually peed on a boat, and you peed twice in a row right in front of people—very low-key indeed! Hmph!

Luo Zijun suddenly remembered something and quickly said, "Liu Mama, I don't have to pay to see Miss Chujian, right?"

Liu Ju laughed heartily and patted his hand: "No charge, no charge! How could I! If it weren't for that poem of yours, Young Master Luo, our Chujian wouldn't have become so popular all of a sudden. My Tianxian Pavilion is too grateful to even think of taking your money."

Luo Zijun said, "Then can I come for free from now on?"

The smile on Liu Ju's face stiffened. She paused, then laughed, "If Young Master Luo comes to drink tea and watch performances in the main hall in the future, it can naturally be free. However, if you want to play other items, hehe, our Tianxian Pavilion is a small business, and we have to support so many girls..."

Luo Zijun nodded and said, "Understood."

Liu Ju's eyes rolled, and she smiled again, "If Young Master Luo can write a few more poems like the one from last night, hehe, then naturally everything can be free."

Luo Zijun glanced at her and said, "Liu Mama, your appetite is truly large. That poem from last night probably already made your Tianxian Pavilion pots of gold. If there were a few more, wouldn't your Tianxian Pavilion turn into Tianxian Palace? By then, when we guests come, we might have to kneel and kowtow just to see the girls."

"Pfft..."

Bi'er, following behind, couldn't help but laugh out loud and quickly covered her small mouth.

Liu Ju also laughed heartily, patted Luo Zijun's hand, and said, "Young Master Luo really knows how to joke; no wonder you can write such amazing poetry. If Young Master Luo really can write poems like last night's, then when you come, I wouldn't dare let you kneel. This old woman and the girls and maids of Tianxian Pavilion would be the ones kneeling to Young Master Luo!"

The two of them chatted and laughed as they went up to the third floor. Soon, they stopped at a private room at the very end of the corridor.

Liu Ju said with a beaming smile, "Young Master Luo, please go in. Chujian is waiting for you inside. This old woman still has to go down to serve those young masters, so I won't disturb you."

After saying this, she looked at Bi'er beside her and gave a secret wink.

Now that this girl of hers had transformed into the most valuable cash cow of their Tianxian Pavilion, she naturally had to make money slowly and steadily; she must never lose her body all at once and lose her value.

Liu Ju hurried away.

Bi'er stepped forward and knocked on the door: "Miss, Young Master Luo is here."

A soft, pleasant voice came from inside the room: "Please, Young Master Luo, come in."

"Creak..."

Bi'er pushed the door open, lowered her head, and said respectfully, "Young Master Luo, please come in."

Luo Zijun took a look inside the room, then walked in.

!

The room was covered with pink carpets and hung with pink curtains; in a vase on the table were freshly picked flowers, and a faint, delicate fragrance wafted toward him.

The room was divided into an inner chamber and an outer chamber.

The two spaces were separated by a crystal bead curtain and two drapes, and there was a floral screen in the inner room, embroidered with a picture of winter plum blossoms.

A figure sat behind the floral screen, seemingly playing a guqin.

But no sound of a zither came through.

Luo Zijun cupped his hands toward the inner room and said, "Greetings, Miss Liu Chujian."

Bi'er closed the door, walked over, and whispered, "Young Master Luo, please sit here; this servant will pour you some tea."

Behind the screen, the figure stood up, performed a graceful bow toward the outside, and said in a delicate voice, "Chujian greets Young Master. Today, Chujian is feeling unwell, so I can only speak to Young Master in this manner; I hope Young Master will forgive me."

Luo Zijun looked at the girl's silhouette on the screen and said, "Is the young lady ill? I know a little medicine; I can come in and help you take a look."

Liu Chujian: "..."

Bi'er was pouring tea to the side, rolling her eyes and muttering.

You're the one who's ill!

My young lady is just meeting someone for the first time on her own initiative, she's being reserved and shy, how is she ill!

"Many thanks for Young Master's concern, this young woman has just caught a slight cold, it is nothing serious, a few days of rest will be enough."

Liu Chujian said softly.

"Oh, since the young lady is feeling unwell, then I shall not disturb you further. Farewell."

Luo Zijun turned around and left.

Liu Chujian: "..."

Bi'er was stunned for a moment, then hurriedly chased after him, saying, "Young Master Luo, my young lady still has things to say to you!"

How can this person be like this!

He just arrived and now he wants to leave?

"If it is just words of thanks, I will accept them in spirit. I still have matters to attend to, I will come to disturb you another time."

Luo Zijun opened the door directly.

It was already dark outside the window.

Rather than wasting time here, separated by bead curtains and floral screens, dealing with an NPC, he might as well hurry home to practice martial arts.

Today's goal had been achieved; Liu Mama already knew him.

So, it was better to go home early.

"Young Master..."

Liu Chujian hurriedly walked out from behind the floral screen.

But by this time, Luo Zijun had already stepped out the door; without looking back, he waved his hand and said, "Young lady, there is no need for such courtesy. Last night on the Flower Boat, I ate, drank, and relieved myself; let that poem serve as my payment to you."

Having said this, he did not even look back and truly left.

"Clatter..."

The bead curtain rattled.

Liu Chujian, wearing a pink dress, came out from the inner room, looked at the empty doorway, and listened to the sound of footsteps walking away quickly; the expression on her face instantly stiffened.

He really... left?

"How can he be like this?"

Beside the candlestick, the lamp flame flickered, illuminating her beautiful and delicate face, as well as her slender and frail figure.

Those watery eyes were filled with astonishment.

Bi'er, standing at the door, also had her small mouth agape, looking completely dumbfounded.

"Yeah, how... how could he be like this?"

"Young lady, is he ill?"

Haven't you seen those people outside, crying and begging to see you, yet unable to get a glimpse?

He actually left the moment he arrived!

The mistress and servant stared at each other, the atmosphere stagnant.

(End of this chapter)