Chapter 41.1
Editors: SimoB and yummers
Five days before the end of the month, Shi Qing and Yu Chennian left the palace.
They went straight to the brothel with a clear goal in mind.
When Yu Chennian followed Shi Qing to the gate of the brothel, the expression on his face changed for the worst. When he saw the familiar expression on the youth’s face as he was welcomed in by several enthusiastic girls, his eyes grew heavy.
“Oh!! If it isn’t Little Master Shi!”
As soon as Shi Qing stepped in, the madam came up with a smile on her face. Her tone couldn’t be friendlier: “You haven’t visited us for a while. Qingqing and Cuicui have been looking forward to your visit for a long time.”
“It was so cold that I couldn’t bear to go out.”
The little master was used to being treated like the moon by stars. He waved his hand casually and said: “I brought someone with me today. Go and pick some out of the better girls for me. The pretty ones that can sing and dance well.”
“Ah! Ah! Don’t worry Little Master. There’s many good girls at my place.”
The madam exclaimed and saw Shi Qing up the stairs before around to grasp Yu Chennian’s arm enthusiastically: “I don’t believe we’ve met before, sir. Which family’s young master are you?”
Yu Chennian raised his head to look at the little master, who didn’t even bother to look back as he climbed up the stairs. His face fell and he shook off the madam’s hand.
The madam was stunned. “Sir, you…”
She met the youth’s eyes.
They were full of wrath. He appeared to just be displeased, but her entire body began to tremble as her face drained of all colour.
“What are you doing slowpoke?”
Shi Qing, who was standing at the top of the stairs, finally noticed that Yu Chennian wasn’t behind him. Impatient, he turned around and urged: “Hurry up. I’m going to freeze to death.”
Yu Chennian withdrew the cold look he had directed at the madam and went up the stairs silently. He followed Shi Qing all the way to his usual room.
As soon as he entered, he was greeted by a wave of strong perfume. The little master had an involuntary coughing fit. He muttered while fanning at his nose: “This fragrance is too strong. I wanted to say this last time too, but what kind of fragrance are you guys using? It’s so cloying. Change it quickly.”
Yu Chennian, who came in behind him, heard his words. He asked lightly, “Do you come here often?”
“Of course.”
Shi Qing sat in the chair in a customary fashion. He pushed the teapot in Yu Chennian’s direction with a straight face. “Quickly, pour me a cup of tea so I can warm up. This weather is too cold.”
The young man sat down in silence. He poured tea as he spoke: “How can someone your age come to this kind of place so frequently.”
“There are a lot of boys my age who are already engaged. Isn’t it normal for me to come out and have some fun?”
‘Have some fun.’
Those three words made Yu Chennian’s hold on the handle of the teapot tighten. A fire burst to life in his heart.
That’s right.
Maybe because Shi Qing has been pestering him constantly these days, but he had forgotten.
Shi Qing’s reputation as a prodigal son was well known to the capital. He never bothered to conceal it, and even played it up.
He even complained before that the hand of the top girl in the brothel was not soft enough for him. He wanted to ask Father for a beautiful palace girl.
[Ding! Yu Chennian’s animosity value: 70/100]
[Ding! Yu Chennian’s animosity value: 71/100]
[Ding! Yu Chennian’s animosity value: 72/100]
The system was going to cry: [Host, his animosity value is rising like crazy wuwuwu]
Shi Qing sipped his tea. [Don’t fret.]
The door opened from the outside. A crowd of warblers and swallows came in with a gust of fragrance: “Little Master Shi, it’s been a while.”
“This one missed you. How can the little master be so cruel? You haven’t come to see this one for a month.”
Shi Qing looked very at ease being surrounded by a group of girls. He chatted and flirted with them skillfully: “How has it been a month? It’s been cold recently, but I’ve only left for a few days. I came two days ago didn’t I?”
The girls laughed and argued: “The little master is being duplicitous. This one hasn’t seen you in some time. I wasn’t the one to serve you the last time you came. I have been counting the days, and it’s been around a month.”
“That’s right Little Master. If it’s too cold for you outside, our building is warm and cozy. As you instructed, this room has a basin burning 24/7.”
Shi Qing seemed to be enchanted by beauty at the moment. He didn’t appear arrogant at all. His mouth was very sweet: “Fine fine. You’re pretty, so whatever you say goes.”
Yu Chennian’s face became more and more twisted as he sat watching Shi Qing sink into the heap of beauties. The tendons of the hand on the teapot slowly grew more visible.
He didn’t expect that Shi Qing, who had to spend dawn to dusk in the palace almost everyday, would still have time to come to brothels.
–Crack!
The sound of the teapot handle breaking rang out. Yu Chennian suddenly came back to himself. He threw the handle onto the table silently.
He looked up at Shi Qing, who didn’t pay the slightest bit of attention to his actions.
If he broke something in the palace, the little master would joke that he couldn’t even hold a teapot well.
But now, Shi Qing was busy catching up with a group of girls. He didn’t even spare him a single glance.
Yu Chennian’s face became even darker.
There was an oppressive aura around him. The girls who didn’t manage to squeeze beside Shi Qing were frightened by his presence. They had wanted to approach but couldn’t. It was a very pitiful sight.
Fortunately, Shi Qing decided he had reminisced enough about the past. He raised his voice: “I’m in a good mood because I saw you guys today. I want to hear some happy songs.”
“Of course!”
Shi Qing was always generous. He was even more generous when he was in a good mood. The girls were more than willing to get up and scatter to play the piano, sing songs, and dance.
The room immediately became lively.
The little master sat on the chair with a jubilant expression and enjoyed the show. He peeled peanuts while watching. After a while, he shouted out: “Is there someone outside?!”
“Ah, coming!”
For a high-ranking guest like him, the brothel usually arranged for a servant to wait at the door. A young man came in at once after Shi Qing’s call: “What can I do for you, Little Master?”
“Shoo.” Shi Qing threw a silver ingot at him. He raised his chin once he saw the man catch it: “Go downstairs and watch the crowds. If someone I know arrives, come report it.”
“Understood. I’ll go right away.”
The servant was all smiles as he held the silver in his hand. Without saying a word more, he closed the door and went downstairs.
As soon as he left, Shi Qing threw the peanuts in his hand onto the plate and complained: “Why are these peanuts so hard to peel?”
The little master was particularly self-righteous today: “Yu Chennian, peel them for me.”
The young man had not spoken since the girls came in. In the midst of piano music and songs, he stood out with his sullen expression and silence.
Several girls were already careful to avoid him when pa.s.sing by.
However, Shi Qing was too entertained by the performance to notice. When he saw that Yu Chennian didn’t react or reply, the youth’s beautiful face showed his dissatisfaction.
He grabbed the young man’s large and slender hand and put it on the plate directly: “Peel it for me. I don’t know how to.”
Yu Chennian: “Same here.”
This was the first time he refused to obey Shi Qing. The expression on the little master’s face immediately soured. He took away his hand unhappily. Maybe because the relationship between them was quite good recently, so he didn’t throw a fit. He only grumbled under his breath: “I took you out to see the world out of the goodness of my heart, and you don’t want to peel a peanut for me. Forget it. I don’t need you. Um, one of you…” He shouted to the girls who were dancing: “Someone come peel peanuts for me.”
A gorgeous girl stopped gracefully and approached with a smile: “Little Master, this one will peel for you.”
Her delicate jade hands were about to land on the peanuts. Suddenly, the whole plate was taken away.
The girl stared at Yu Chennian, who had pulled the plate in front of himself and started to peel peanuts.
Shi Qing was amused: “You just said you couldn’t.”
Yu Chennian didn’t answer. He just peeled peanuts in silence.
The girl looked at him, and then at Shi Qing: “Little Master?”
Shi Qing waved dismissively at her. He raised his chin and directed an arrogant look at Yu Chennian: “Peel it well. Don’t forget to clean it. I don’t like the crispy skin inside, so get all of it off.”
Yu Chennian was silent. Only when Shi Qing’s eyes fell on the girls again did he throw the pulverized peanuts in his hands aside.
The little master didn’t notice at all how bad the mood of the person beside him was getting. He was still watching the singing and dancing happily. He even casually leaned on Yu Chennian’s shoulder as his eyes remained unblinkingly fixated elsewhere. His ruddy mouth opened and waited to be fed.
Shi Qing didn’t look at Yu Chennian even if he didn’t get peanuts. Instead, he remained leaning on the young man as he pushed him unhappily with white and tender hands: “Why are you so slow? Peel it quickly.”
Just when he was muttering about how sluggish Yu Chennian was at everything, someone knocked on the door from outside.
Shi Qing didn’t get up from where he was lazily leaning on the young man’s shoulders, but shouted: “Come in.”
The servant came in respectfully: “Little Master, Second Master Wu is here.”
Shi Qing straightened up immediately.
“I get it, I get it. Go down and tell Wu Er that I’m here. Keep watching.”
As soon as the young man answered and went out, the little master said to the girls who were performing: “Two of you come here.”
When the two girls came, the little master told them to sit down. He opened his arms to hold them and murmured: “Lean on me some more. Hurry up and get closer.”
The girls were used to it. As they leaned over, they laughed and acted coquettish: “We’re close enough to the little master already.”
“That’s right Little Master. Don’t worry, Second Master Wu won’t see anything.”
Yu Chennian had doubt in his eyes as he looked on at this scene.
Before, Shi Qing was surrounded by many girls, but he only flirted around without doing anything with his hands.
Now his actions were a little more intimate. But it didn’t seem to be because he wanted to do something. He just wanted to make that Second Master Wu or whatever his name was think he was doing something.
Without hesitation, he asked Shi Qing directly: “What are you doing?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” The little master huffed as he held two beauties taller than him. He raised his head proudly: “Wu Er knows I’m here, so he’ll definitely come to greet me.”
Yu Chennian silently stared Shi Qing who continued to pose after speaking.
So what?
What did Wu Er coming up have to do with him pretending to have beautiful women in his arms?
Shi Qing saw that Yu Chennian was still staring at him. He started tutting: “Why are you so stupid? We all play together. If my friends see me coming to the brothel just to watch girls singing and dancing, they’ll definitely laugh at me.”
After saying this, Shi Qing saw the young man in front of him slowly, slowly smile to himself.
[Yu Chennian’s animosity value: 65/100]
[Yu Chennian’s animosity value: 60/100]
[Yu Chennian’s animosity value: 53/100]
Shi Qing: [First hold, then raise. Am I a smooth player or what?]
The system cried excitedly: [Host is so powerful!! Just three more points to go!!]
In Yu Chennian’s eyes, the little master’s face was filled with confusion. Shi Qing raised his foot to kick him because he was inexplicably laughing: “What are you laughing at?”
“Nothing.”
Yu Chennian naturally wouldn’t tell him what he was laughing at. He just peeled a peanut nimbly and delivered it to the youth’s lips.
Obviously, Little Master Shi took this peanut as a peace offering. He opened his mouth and ate it. There was a trace of pride in his beautiful eyes as he chewed.
Second Master Wu did come to greet him. He saw that Shi Qing was surrounded by beauties as usual.
As soon as he left, the little master immediately let go of the two girls: “What kind of fragrance are you guys using? It’s suffocating.”
The girls were all servants. They weren’t as concerned about face as girls from decent families. They just giggled in response to these words: “These ones don’t have much savings. Naturally we can’t afford good incense.”
Technically, they were supposed to be serving people. So if a bad tempered person heard their words, they might become annoyed.
But the little master, who had always been bad tempered and arrogant, didn’t seem angry at all. Instead, he seemed to pity them.
Shi Qing took out a silver note and placed it on the table. He said generously: “Divide it amongst yourselves. Change the fragrance by the next time I visit. It’s offensive to my nose.”
“Thank you very much, Little Master.” The face of the girls immediately brightened.
The note was worth at least 50 silver ingots. Since this was a reward from a guest, the madam would only take half. There would be plenty left for everyone even after they divvied it up.
With the silver, the girls became even more enthusiastic.
Even their posture while dancing became more supple.
The girls were in a good mood, and Shi Qing was also in a good mood from watching. Even Yu Chennian relaxed, knowing that the little master was only pretending to be a playboy for the sake of reputation.
The atmosphere in the room couldn’t be better.
The young man peeled peanuts and then fed them to the person leaning on him to watch the performance. Seeing how he couldn’t turn his eyes away, Yu Chennian mentioned casually: “You are very kind to these women.”
The little master didn’t deny it: “Yes, I’ve treasured women since I was a child. Doesn’t the entire capital know that?”
Yu Chennian remained calm this time. “But I can see that your way of treasuring them is different from what they say.”
Apart from when he was putting on a show, Shi Qing didn’t take advantage of these women.
Shi Qing: “It doesn’t matter. I don’t need to be known for that kind of thing.”
The two ladies who stood nearby to pour tea and serve refreshments listened to the conversation and interjected: “Of the many guests we have entertained, the little master is the most kind-hearted. If you didn’t help a few days ago, the girl who was beaten and scolded by that guest would’ve met a bad end.”
The little master waved his hand. He seemed very proud of himself: “It’s nothing. I just couldn’t stand that old guy’s att.i.tude. A geezer like him wants to fight with me? This little master can beat him into submission with just my feet.”
The girl chose to ignore the fact that the guest was only frightened into submission after Shi Qing declared which family he was from. A superfluous stream of praises streamed from her admiring face: “Yes, there’s no way he could beat Little Master.”
Yu Chennian was listening. He frowned abruptly: “Someone fought you?”
“Just an old man.” Shi Qing scoffed: “He was yammering about how his wife and concubines at home were dull so he came to the brothel to have fun. But then he complained that the girls at the brothel were dressing too scantily. He even wanted to hit them after insulting them, so I stepped out.”
The girl poured him a cup of tea: “Most of the guests at the brothel treat us like playthings. When they saw that girl being beaten, some of them were even shouting encouragement. Only you were willing to help us. We sisters are grateful to you, Little Master.”
Little Master Shi puffed up even more after being praised. “It was nothing. What I dislike most is the kind of man who doesn’t care for women. Especially the kind who thinks that the ladies in their family are too dignified so they come to the brothel to have fun, while making trouble here because they think that the brothel women are too frivolous. If you care about that kind of thing then just don’t bother coming here. The thing underneath is the only difference between the genders, so what’s the big deal? You don’t see me acting so arrogant about my father being the prime minister.”
“Yes, Little Master is right.” The girl was acting like she was blind in the face of this golden master. She pretended that Shi Qing wasn’t known as the most arrogant dandy in the entire capital.
The little master was happy to be praised. He leaned more and more on Yu Chennian’s shoulder. “Next time this kind of thing happens, you guys don’t need to hold it in. Just tell me. This kind of man who talks about his legally wedded wife and concubines like that outside is disgusting.”
“Why hasn’t Third Young Master Liu arrived yet? I’ve been playing here for a long time already.” Shi Qing got up. The clothes on his body were a little askew because of how he was previously rubbing on Yu Chennian.
Yu Chennian stood up as well. He naturally helped Shi Qing to tidy his clothes.
The little master was also happy to let him straighten it out. He complained all the while: “I made an appointment with him yesterday. Don’t tell me he overslept again.”
The girl next to him put down the teapot: “The little master from the Liu family came to our building last night. He didn’t go home until this morning. I’m afraid he really might’ve overslept.”
Shi Qing frowned at once. “Liu San’s word really is worthless. Forget it. You guys don’t need to jump around anymore. Go take a break. I’m going out to have a look.”
With that, he led Yu Chennian out the door.
The two men stood at the railing for a while. Then, they saw two drunk gentlemen coming towards them while joking and laughing.
They didn’t speak loudly, but because of how close they were, Shi Qing and Yu Chennian could hear what they said clearly.
“Chen-xiong, doesn’t the princess at home mind if you spend the night at the brothel? Look at the fifth princess’s consort; he doesn’t even dare look at women when walking in the street. ”
The one called Chen-xiong had a pleased expression. He waved: “That isn’t an issue. The second princess is cowardly. Not just visiting brothels, even if I welcome twenty concubines, she doesn’t dare to make a peep.”
After hearing the words ‘second princess’, Yu Chennian’s expression immediately stiffened.
The second princess was his foster mother’s trueborn daughter.
When he was just a few years old, the deposed empress had no time to take care of Yu Chennian. So the second princess was the one who kept her half brother company most of the time.
Later, when he followed the deposed empress into the cold palace, the second princess had just happened to come of age. She was married off to the eldest legitimate son of an official in the capital.
That family was surnamed Chen.