Chapter 346: Cannot Go

In the eighteenth year of Hongwu, the ninth day of the eighth month.

In the rear courtyard of Wu Wang Fu, Zhu Qiongjiong squatted beside a stone table, a small wooden hammer in his hand, with a copy of the Thousand Character Classic spread before him, his handwriting crooked, ink smudged all over his hand.

"Heaven and Earth, dark yellow, the vast universe…" he muttered, but his eyes glanced toward the courtyard gate.

Zhu Huanhuan sat opposite, cradling a copy of the Book of Songs, occasionally lifting her head to glance at her younger brother, a smile at the corner of her mouth.

"Qiongjiong, focus on your writing," she said softly.

Zhu Qiongjiong tossed his brush, leaned on the table and said, "Sister, I don't want to write anymore; writing every day is boring."

"Then what do you want to do?"

"I want to go out for a walk, sister. What does that brothel actually look like?" Zhu Qiongjiong's eyes flicked as he spoke.

Zhu Huanhuan's book nearly fell to the ground.

She widened her eyes at her brother and said, "You haven't forgotten, have you?"

"I'm just curious! Father says it's not a good place, but Uncle Chang Mao and the others have been there, and they didn't even lose a piece of meat," Zhu Qiongjiong propped his cheek.

"Uncle Chang Mao was beaten by his mother and didn't leave the house for half a month; you forgot... Don't act recklessly, if Father finds out, he won't spare you."

Zhu Huanhuan lowered her voice.

Zhu Qiongjiong pursed his lips and said nothing.

He, of course, remembered.

That night when he returned, he crouched by the doorway and heard Father and Mother argue for a while before Mother finally believed.

The next day Mother dragged him aside and lectured him at length, saying things like "Brothels aren't good places" and "You aren't allowed to go even when you grow up."

He should have behaved properly then.

But the more they forbade him, the itchier his heart became.

What exactly is that place? Why do the adults forbid going there?

Zhu Qiongjiong couldn't figure it out.

He set down his brush, stood up and said, "Sister, I'm going out for a walk."

"Where to?"

"Just around the courtyard, I'm bored to death."

Zhu Huanhuan watched him run out the courtyard gate, shook her head, and continued reading.

She assumed her brother was just going to the front courtyard to play with the Imperial Troops, and thought nothing more of it.

Zhu Qiongjiong left the rear courtyard, didn't head toward the front courtyard, but turned into a side gate.

Beyond the side gate was a narrow alley, seldom trafficked.

He stuck his head out to look; the alley was empty, with only a few sparrows hopping on the wall.

He pulled back, looked left and right, and saw several blue bricks piled in the corner.

He moved two bricks to prop under the wall base and stepped up to climb.

The wall wasn't high; he vaulted over it, leapt into the outer alley, brushed the dust off his hands, and strode onto the street.

Beyond the alley exit was the main street.

People bustled on the street; an old man selling candied hawthorn pushed his cart, shouting hoarsely.

A crowd of children gathered around the clay figurine stall, chattering as they haggled.

Zhu Qiongjiong wore a half-worn blue shirt, a small bun tied on his head, looking just like an ordinary child from a wealthy household.

He kept his hands behind his back, mimicking an adult's gait, walking at a leisurely pace, his eyes darting everywhere.

He recalled the direction his father had taken that night, crossing the stone bridge toward the Qinhuai River side.

Following his memory, he walked forward, passed two streets, turned at an alley, and the Qinhuai River appeared before his eyes.

Daytime and night differ.

There were no lanterns, no silken bamboo music; the river water was grayish, the drooping willows on both banks hung their heads, as if still half asleep.

The riverside wine tavern was open, a few waiters lounged at the entrance, chatting intermittently.

Zhu Qiongjiong stood by the river, looked for a while, but couldn't locate that night's Zui Xian Lou.

He scratched his head, a bit disappointed.

At that moment, a hand rested on his shoulder.

Zhu Qiongjiong startled, whirled around sharply.

Li Jinglong stood behind him, eyes wide, and said, "Qiongjiong, why are you here?"

Zhu Qiongjiong's eyes lit up as he said, "Brother Jinglong! You arrived just in time; do you know where Zui Xian Lou is?"

Li Jinglong's face turned pale at once: "You... why are you looking for Zui Xian Lou?"

"Just to take a look! I'm just curious; what exactly is that place?" Zhu Qiongjiong said matter-of-factly.

Li Jinglong grabbed him and headed into the alley, lowering his voice: "We can't go, we can't go. Last time your father caught you and brought you back, my father almost beat me to death."

"My father isn't here, I'm just going to look, not go inside. Brother Jinglong, you don't know where it is either, do you?" Zhu Qiongjiong wriggled free of his grip and said.

Li Jinglong's face flushed bright red: "How could I not know, I..."

He swallowed the words halfway.

He, of course, knew.

The beating from last month still left his backside sore.

But saying "I don't dare go" in front of his cousin was too humiliating.

"You really just want to look?" he asked.

Zhu Qiongjiong nodded vigorously.

Li Jinglong hesitated, gritted his teeth and said, "Alright, just look, don't go inside."

Alright!

The two youths walked one ahead of the other along the riverbank, heading south.

Li Jinglong walked in front, glancing back now and then, fearing to be seen.

Zhu Qiong Jiong trailed behind, looking around in all directions, finding everything fresh.

After rounding a bend, the scene grew lively. The riverside restaurants stood side by side; although the lanterns at the entrances were unlit, the carved lintels and vermilion columns were far more imposing than the street shops.

Li Jinglong stopped before a three‑story building, lifted his chin and said, "This is the place."

Zhu Qiong Jiong looked up. On the lintel were three gilt characters spelling "Zui Xian Lou."

Two osmanthus trees stood before the building, their dense foliage casting a thick shade.

At the doorway, two men in long robes stood, idly cracking sunflower seeds.

It was broad daylight, the interior was sparsely populated, the doors and windows half‑closed, making it hard to see inside.

Zhu Qiong Jiong tiptoed to peer inside, but saw nothing.

"Let's go, check the back," he said, pulling Li Jinglong into the alley.

Behind Zui Xian Lou was a small courtyard; its low wall allowed a view of the second‑floor windows.

The windows were open, and faintly one could see tables and chairs inside, with calligraphy and paintings hanging on the walls.

Zhu Qiong Jiong squatted at the base of the wall, looking up, "Is that it?"

"Then what more do you expect?" Li Jinglong crouched beside him, visibly nervous.

"There's nothing special! It's just a building, no different from other restaurants," Zhu Qiong Jiong said, a bit disappointed.

"At night it's different; lanterns are hung, lighting it like day, with girls playing the qin and singing, and also…" Li Jinglong whispered.

"What else?"

Li Jinglong's face flushed red, and he said nothing.

Zhu Qiong Jiong was about to ask again when the courtyard gate suddenly creaked open.

An old man in a grey cloth shirt stuck his head out, saw two half‑grown boys squatting at the wall base, froze for a moment, then glared, "Where did these wild kids come from, squatting here?"

Li Jinglong grabbed Zhu Qiong Jiong and fled.

The two darted out of the alley and ran far before finally stopping.

Li Jinglong leaned against the wall, panting, and said, "It's over, it's over, we've been seen."

Zhu Qiong Jiong remained unhurried, patting the dust off his knees, and said, "Seen, so what? We didn't even go in."

"If your father finds out you came here, he'll definitely break your legs."

"If you don't tell, I won't tell; who would know?"

Li Jinglong opened his mouth, but said nothing.

He felt uneasy inside, constantly sensing that something bad would happen.

The two walked back.