Beneath The Embroidered Brocade

A little surprised, w.a.n.g Bo retracts his hand from the woman"s shoulders, as he gives her a courtesy as well, "Head madam Lu." he says politely.

The woman"s clenched fist releases from her dress, which is now wrinkled from her tight grip.

She was the so-called head madam of the hundred flower brothel. A woman in her mid-fifties, dressed in blue and purple robes that were not suitable for someone her age. Her black hair already had traces of white streaks in it, she had on gold alloyed hairpins in her head, they were a little too much to look at and they made her look vulgar. Her body had on the scents of many cheap perfumes mixed together. Although she was considered old, her seductive charm had not yet been lost, she seemed to be the type of person who would take away another woman"s husband.

"Ah, w.a.n.g daren, are you enjoying your time here?" Madam Lu asked as she looked at his table and at the young woman who had her head down.

Madam Lu"s eyes held traces of sympathy for the woman"s plight.

But there was nothing she could possibly do to help the young woman. After all, she also needed to protect herself.

As humans, one would always put themselves first before others, this point, Gan Tian Chi knew very well.

"I like it here very well." w.a.n.g Bo answered Madam Lu as if she were his peer.

She was someone that he should treat with respect because she was a person who he collected bribes from. Other than this point, there was also a mystery surrounding the actual owner of this hundred flower hall.

It was not a person he could afford to offend.

"Good, I see you"ve met lady Fen Chun." Madam Lu gave a smile and continued, "She"s new here if you want to spend the night with her…" Madam Lu"s voice trailed off, it seemed that she was hinting off to something.

"Oh no, of course, not tonight. Maybe next time." w.a.n.g Bo quickly answered as he rushed to leave.

"w.a.n.g daren, come again next time." Madam Lu said as she waved in a gentle manner.

w.a.n.g Bo hurriedly sped away, his l.u.s.t had long vanished into thin air.

Madam Lu sighed as she looked toward lady Fen Chun, "Go to your room." she said.

Fen Chun, as if being spared ran to her room.

The glorious night continued on as always, filled with wines, delicacies, and pleasure. Who would know that on this day how many young girls became women.

Gan Tian Chi was pretty much unfazed by the many hopes and dreams of girls that were shattered today. It was places like these that made him lose faith in humanity.

~

Madam Lu quietly walked up the stairs to the third floor of the hundred flower hall. This place was restricted to the public, it was said to be the bathing area of the women, but all those who have tried to sneak up to get a peek have all mysteriously disappeared.

Their shadows never to be seen again, their fates unknown.

Gan Tian Chi jeered at such an obvious lie. Who would put bathing quarters on the uppermost floor, just lugging warm water up there was almost impossible, it just wasn"t convenient.

He was unsure if he should praise the owners for making up such an obvious lie or the customers for believing in such.

Madam Lu could feel her heart beats quicken, as she reached the final step that led up to the third floor.

It wasn"t as in the rumors, there was no steam coming from this floor, there was not even a trace of humidity in here, the temperature was exceedingly cold, even madam Lu who was fully dressed felt slight chills.

But this floor was as decorated as the rest of the three floors, some of the furniture was even more spectacular, with many of the candle holders and doork.n.o.bs gilded in a thin layer of gold to show off an air of wealth, but everything in that moment felt superficial.

All the happiness, willingness, and smiles of the hundred flower hall were all false.

Madam Lu walked slowly, before an elegant door that was closed to her. Her hand slowly rose up to give the door a gentle knock before she retracted it from the door.

"Come in." A graceful voice said.

The door opened without a sound, as madam Lu allowed herself to come in, before closing the door gently behind her.

The room was an even size, decorated simply. It was like a study room, with rows and rows filled with accountant books. There was a beaded curtain that prevented anyone from seeing what was on the other half of the room. The room was lit entirely by candlelight, with an extremely heavy smell of incense that filled the room.

This smell was irritating to the nose, not that anyone ever dared to complain about it, besides not everyone really had to stay in the room for long periods of time, so they didn"t really have to care about their lungs filling up with sandalwood smoke.

She bowed as she walked a few steps before the bead curtains before she placed a newly written account book on the first shelf where all books were organized by dates. After she had done that, she promptly left, closing the doors behind her, returning to the noisy atmosphere downstairs.

Never before had she been so happy to mingle among a noisy place, where there were already a few drunkards vomiting their internal organs out their throats.

At dusk, the joyous extravagance from the night before disappeared as if it never happened, as if the indulgence from last night was nothing but a show. This was a place that was calm in the morning, but lively when the sunset.

By this time, the guests had all left.