When Wang Dian asked him to return the yarrow grass, Liang Ye felt somewhat regretful that his recommendation wasn’t successful. He called out to Xiang Meng and threw the yarrow grass to her, then turned to Wang Dian and said, “Zhen will draw a talisman for you personally.”
“You know how to draw one?” Wang Dian found it rather curious. Although Liang Ye had a Taoist master, apart from those three copper coins before, he hadn’t shown any other skills, and sometimes he was even more materialistic than himself, a modern person.
“Of course Zhen knows how.” Liang Ye made some random gestures in the air, then pressed his two fingers together and virtually touched Wang Dian’s forehead between his eyebrows, mysteriously saying, “Done.”
Wang Dian watched his random gestures and asked, “What kind of talisman?”
Liang Ye said sinisterly, “The Only-Allowed-to-Love-Liang-Ye talisman.”
“Pfft—” Wang Dian couldn’t hold back and burst out laughing.
Liang Ye stared at him for a while, and couldn’t help but laugh along.
The two people on horseback leaned close together as they moved forward slowly, their laughter almost synchronized. The secret guards following behind quietly moved even further away.
Although they didn’t dare to listen to what their master and the prince were saying, they couldn’t shake the feeling that they were extremely out of place. When had their master ever laughed so heartily? He seemed just like a normal person.
Xiang Meng, riding her horse in front, let out a quiet sigh.
Junior Martial Uncle seemed to be getting more peculiar.
These days, outside the capital, Wang Dian had seen nothing but bloodshed and refugees everywhere. When he suddenly entered the city on horseback, seeing the prosperous and bustling imperial capital felt like being in another world.
Some nobleman’s young master had left the city early in the morning, with eight white horses pulling his carriage, adorned with silver saddles, jade stirrups, and golden tassels. The carriage was filled with fine silks and satins, leaving a trail of fragrance. Nearly a hundred servants followed, all wearing fine clothes and carrying themselves with arrogance.
Small vendors who didn’t clear the way in time were whipped twice. The breakfast they had prepared for half the night and hadn’t yet sold was scattered all over the ground. They dared to be angry but not speak out, kneeling by the roadside picking up their goods while wiping away tears, only to have scattered silver and copper coins thrown over their heads.
The entire group had disguised themselves and mixed in with the pedestrians making way for this “noble person.”
“It’s the young master of the Feng family going out of the city to burn incense and pray for blessings,” a secret guard whispered.
Liang Ye’s gaze turned slightly cold as he smiled and said, “What a grand display.”
Xiang Meng said flatly, “His prayers won’t be answered.”
After speaking, she went to help the vendor pick up the scattered food, and came back with a bundle. She handed Wang Dian a steamed bun, “Want to eat?”
Wang Dian took it, peeled off the dust-covered outer layer, and took a bite without changing expression. Inside was still sweet red bean paste filling.
Xiang Meng also gave one to Liang Ye, and while holding half a piece in her mouth, hung the bundle of buns on her saddle, muttering “What nonsense.”
She seemed quite used to this. Liang Ye took half a bite and looked at the filling in Wang Dian’s hand. Wang Dian brought it to his mouth, saying “It’s red bean paste.”
Liang Ye lowered his head and took a bite, then offered his own, “Mine is meat.”
Wang Dian took a bite of the meat one. They both thought the other’s tasted better, so they happily exchanged.
Xiang Meng beside them could hardly bear to watch, cleared her throat and said, “Let’s hurry up and go.”
Wang Dian, chewing the meat filling, turned his head to look at the Feng family’s magnificent carriage and mumbled, “They’re quite wealthy.”
Just the coins that servant had casually scattered would be enough for an ordinary family to eat and drink for half a year.
“Being wealthy is good,” Liang Ye said viciously as he bit into the bun, squinting his eyes from the sweetness.
An hour later, Wang Dian stared at the familiar doorplate and was stunned, “General’s Mansion?”
“It’s Bian Rufeng’s old residence, haven’t you been here before?” Liang Ye somehow produced a piece of wire to pick the lock, and surprisingly, no one around found anything strange about it, following him in as if it were perfectly natural.
“…I have been here before.” Wang Dian handed the reins to the secret guard and said softly, “You’re entering so openly, aren’t you afraid of attracting Bian Cang’s attention?”
“This residence belongs to Wang Bei,” Liang Ye said seriously, “Let him investigate.”
Wang Dian was stunned for quite a while before remembering that Wang Bei was the fake name Liang Ye had given himself, and he had also given him the name Wang Lang. He laughed, “You really don’t take things seriously.”
Including the secret guards Liang Ye had brought, they had only ten people in total. Shortly after entering the city, the secret guards had scattered to gather information. After entering the General’s Mansion, Xiang Meng had remained behind closed doors, being very mysterious.
“Why did this Temple Master come?” Wang Dian naturally didn’t believe what Xiang Meng had said.
“Probably sent by my master,” Liang Ye smoothed out the adhesive on his mask while sitting on the dressing table, looking him over from side to side, “Hmm, that’ll do.”
Wang Dian looked at the unfamiliar face in the mirror and the fine clothes he was wearing, then watched as Liang Ye flamboyantly tucked a folding fan into his waist, “Where are we going?”
Liang Ye picked out a jade hairpin and pinned up his hair, then blew a flirtatious breath on his ear, his eyes flickering, “Hua Luo.” (TL: brothel)
“Hmm—Hmm!?” Wang Dian, who had been feeling the soft fabric of his robe’s hem, suddenly turned cold at these words, “Where?”
“Hua Luo,” Liang Ye obediently repeated.
Wang Dian hissed, narrowing his eyes, “Bian Cang is over sixty and still visits brothels?”
Although Bian Cang wasn’t a good person, it was still hard for him to imagine someone with such a righteous face visiting courtesans.
“Don’t mention that old thing, it’s killing the mood.” Liang Ye hooked his waist with his leg, drawing him into his embrace, and lifted his chin with the folding fan, “Didn’t you want to go to a brothel before? Today I’ll let brother broaden his horizons.”
Wang Dian’s breath caught at being called ‘brother’, taking the fan and skillfully twirling it a few times, “Has Chong Heng found Wei Wanlin?”
“So clever,” Liang Ye pinched his earlobe, “Wei Wanlin is lecherous and has a lover at the Guangfang Tower. Let’s go join the fun.”
Wang Dian snorted a laugh, tapping Liang Ye’s face with the fan, “Let’s go.”
Although there was an imperial decree forbidding officials from visiting courtesans, such things were thrilling precisely because they were forbidden. Moreover, the court turned a blind eye to it, and everyone had a tacit understanding. Guangfang Tower was the most renowned pleasure house in the capital. As soon as they entered, they heard the sounds of singing and flirting. Inside, the young masters and officials were all embracing beauties in a lively scene.
Light gauze curtains danced, music played endlessly, truly a paradise of golden splendor and beautiful women.
“Please come in, young masters.”
As soon as Wang Dian and Liang Ye stepped in, they were embraced by bare, soft arms. Wang Dian maintained his composure, while Liang Ye beside him rather disgustedly pushed the person away, and pulled Wang Dian into his own embrace.
The madam quickly came forward, tactfully sending away those girls. Her gaze lingered on the two of them, and she said meaningfully to Liang Ye with a smile: “Young master, would you like a private room?”
“Pick a quieter one,” Liang Ye said coldly.
“Ah, certainly,” the madam smiled, “Would you like girls or boys?”
“Send up four or five clean boys,” Liang Ye frowned, “Ones who know their place.”
“Ah, yes, rest assured, young master.” The madam hurriedly went to arrange it, and had a servant lead them to the private room.
“You seem quite familiar with this place,” Wang Dian said with a cold smile.
“Of course I come often,” Liang Ye’s face showed an arrogant and dissolute smile, using the fan to trace Wang Dian’s neck frivolously, “Today I’ll let brother properly taste the pleasures here.”
Although he knew this fellow was acting, it didn’t stop Wang Dian from wanting to hit him.
“Can you handle four or five?” Wang Dian’s gaze swept around, and he actually saw several familiar faces from court. They usually looked proper and dignified, but now their expressions were even more annoying than Liang Ye’s.
“What do you think?” Liang Ye very vulgarly patted his bottom with the fan.
“……” A vein throbbed on Wang Dian’s forehead as he said with a fake smile. “I’m warning you, don’t go too far.”
Suddenly Liang Ye wrapped an arm around his waist and lifted him horizontally, leaping over the central stage of the hall. Red gauze swayed and was torn down, falling all over Wang Dian’s face and body, before he landed gracefully in front of the second-floor railing.
Whistles and teasing sounds immediately erupted around them, interspersed with some obscene language that was quite unbearable to hear.
Wang Dian pulled the red gauze from his face with a wooden expression, his body covered in flower petals that the dancers had scattered, and said through gritted teeth, “Liang Ziyu, what’s wrong with you now?”
Liang Ye said with a serious and solemn face. “See, the people who visit brothels are all trash. Never come here alone in the future.”
“……” Wang Dian wrapped the red gauze around his neck, grinning viciously, “I might as well strangle you first.”
Liang Ye was forced to bend down as he was being strangled, and obediently put him down. Then, amidst the crowd’s teasing, he was pulled forward by Wang Dian with the red gauze around his neck, while turning his head to make a throat-slitting gesture at several people who had dared to look at Wang Dian boldly.
Then the red gauze around his neck suddenly tightened, and he stumbled a step as he was pulled through the door.
