A Pawn's Passage

As requested, Song San and Wu Si led Qi Xuansu to a brothel located in North City at night.

This was the most upscale brothel in North City. Though it still fell short of the villas frequented only by the wealthy and noble, it was certainly not a place for the common folk. Its patrons were mainly out-of-town merchants, lower-ranking officials, and Jianghu swordsmen. They might not have lofty status, but they certainly did not lack Taiping coins. Daoists would not dare show up at such a place openly. Even if they did visit, they would come in disguise.

This was precisely why Song San and Wu Si had chosen this establishment, which was affiliated with the Entertainment Office. They wanted to play it safe, hoping that there would be no trouble so that this Mage could leave satisfied.

Under the night sky, large red lanterns illuminated the signboard of Chunfeng Tower.

Song San introduced, “Mage, Chunfeng Tower is a third-tier brothel.”

Qi Xuansu nodded. “Don’t call me Mage. Just call me Old Wei. If anyone asks, say I’m a newly appointed Assistant Major from the Seventh Lieutenant Colonel’s Office who has been recently transferred from Liangzhou. That’s why you two brought me out to get familiar with the capital. Got it?”

Song San froze for a moment, then quickly agreed.

As the three men stepped inside, the bawd had already come out to welcome them.

The Green Phoenix Guards in the Imperial Capital had a peculiar trait. Though they performed low-level tasks and had few subordinates, their official rank was high. Song San and Wu Si were both assistant majors, not just lieutenants or troopers. In a local prefecture, such a title would make them the second-in-command of a Major’s Office, leading dozens of men. In a first- or second-tier brothel, they might not stand out. But here in a third-tier brothel, they were considered honored guests, so the bawd received them with care.

Song San, clearly familiar with the place, bantered with ease. “Get us two escorts and the usual—some fruit, yellow rice wine, and red wine, but no baijiu. Put it on the tab.”

The bawd responded with a cheerful smile. Very few drank baijiu in brothels because it was too intoxicating. After all, getting dead drunk would make the whole visit to a brothel pointless.

Personally led by the bawd, the three men were brought to a private room. The decor was not elegant and was rather gaudy. But that had little to do with the brothel’s taste, as it was just catering to its clientele. Villas served prominent figures and cultured scholars, so they were usually decorated in a more refined and elegant style. But in third- or fourth-tier brothels, where patrons were less literate, trying to imitate that refinement would only invite criticism for being too dull.

Soon, two escorts arrived, led by the bawd. One of them was cradling a pipa[1], while the other prepared to sing. Both looked like delicate porcelain dolls.

The bawd reminded everyone of the rules and took her leave.

Qi Xuansu sized up the two escorts—not with the gaze of a man checking out a woman, but like an officer scrutinizing suspects. Just earlier in the day, Song San and Wu Si had looked at Qi Xuansu the same way.

Zhang Yuelu once said Qi Xuansu carried a natural killing aura. Though he seemed mild and harmless in front of Madam Qi and Zhang Yuelu, deep down, he was no softie. He certainly would not pity women, evident when he nearly shot Li Qingnu the first time they met, threw Yue Liuli into the Demon Suppression Tower, and fired a shot directly at Yao Pei. Even when he fought Zhang Yuelu as Wei Wugui, he had given it his all. Thus, Qi Xuansu was in no sense gentle toward women.

In a way, it was a form of equal treatment. To him, the gender of his opponent did not matter. However, some men underestimated women, only to fall for some sweet talk and lose both their wealth and their hearts. Some even earned the title of a pervert for their trouble. The truth was, those men never treated women as equals. They believed men were stronger, so they always thought they had the upper hand.

Qi Xuansu had suffered at Yue Liuli’s hands in his youth, then received mentorship from Madam Qi, and later encountered Zhang Yuelu, Yao Pei, and other exceptionally capable women. Due to this, he had never developed the mindset that a strong man must yield to a woman. If they were equal, why yield? If one yielded, how could it be called equality? If someone was an opponent, why hold back? Even with Zhang Yuelu, he never thought twice about striking. He believed that one should either fight with full force or not fight at all.

A man like Qi Xuansu was destined to have little luck with women. He was seen as an oddball by many. Some even thought his morality was flawed, for he lacked the gentlemanly demeanor. But it was precisely this trait that allowed him to attract someone equally unconventional—Zhang Yuelu.

On this point, Zhang Yuelu and Qi Xuansu saw eye to eye. She believed that a strong person yielding to the weak was no different from a rich man giving alms to a beggar. She believed that she was not inferior to anyone. If others could do it, so could she. Why should she need anyone to step aside for her?

Despite Zhang Yuelu’s and Qi Xuansu’s vastly different backgrounds, the two turned out to be an unexpectedly perfect match.

Qi Xuansu’s demeanor made the two women tense and uneasy. In their line of work, they had seen lechers, brutes, frauds, even women disguised as men, but never someone like him.

If he was not interested in women, what was he doing at a brothel?

Qi Xuansu keenly noticed their doubts, so he retracted his gaze, adjusted his expression, and tried to appear gentler. “Please, ladies, have a seat. Don’t be nervous or restrained.”

The two escorts exchanged a glance and sat down timidly.

Qi Xuansu cleared his throat and asked, “What are your names?”

“I am Qingmei.”

“I am Xuemei.”

Of course, these were not their real names but stage names used in their trade. After all, their profession relied on youth and beauty. Once they aged and retired, they might still hope to marry. If they used their real names, it would be hard to find an honest man willing to marry them. This was especially true for courtesans, who sold their bodies.

“How long have you been in the industry?”

“I’ve been in the business for three years,” Qingmei replied with composure.

“I’ve been in it for two years,” Xuemei said softly.

Qi Xuansu joked, “To be honest with you, this is my first time in the capital, so I’m somewhat of a country bumpkin arriving in the big city. Before coming, I heard that everything is tightly regulated in the Imperial Capitals, even brothels. I’m told you need paperwork. Forgive me for being nosy, but do you ladies have such documents?”

Xuemei covered her mouth and chuckled. “You must be joking, sir. Only shady door-half-open establishments don’t have documentation. We’re a legitimate business that has a proper license. Also, the documents for escorts and courtesans are different. A courtesan license is harder to obtain, as they can entertain guests and offer sexual services. Escorts can only entertain guests. It will be against the law for an escort to sell her body without a courtesan license.”

“Good to hear.” Qi Xuansu nodded, then asked casually, “By the way, are there many of these door-half-open establishments?”

Qingmei, being more seasoned, spoke up first to answer. “Forgive me, sir, but we don’t go out much and aren’t too familiar.”

Qi Xuansu did not press the issue further and gestured for the two women to begin their performance.

Song San obsequiously poured Qi Xuansu a cup of yellow rice wine.

Qi Xuansu accepted the wine and even thanked him, startling Song San with the gesture.

Qi Xuansu held his cup absentmindedly. When the performance ended, he suddenly asked, “Why did you two enter this line of work?”

Xuemei’s smile turned awkward, while Qingmei’s expression shifted slightly. “Sir, that’s against the rules.”

Qi Xuansu glanced at Song San. “What rule?”

Song San gave a dry laugh. “It’s just an unwritten rule.”

Qi Xuansu smiled. “Very well. Since it’s a rule, I won’t ask further.”

Then Qi Xuansu instructed, “You two ladies must be tired. You may take a rest on the side. Please invite two courtesans in.”

Wu Si immediately got up.

Before long, two women in much more revealing attire entered the private room. They wore gauze robes that exposed their fair, glowing shoulders. Without needing instruction, they moved toward Qi Xuansu. People in this trade had sharp eyes and immediately recognized him as the one with the highest status among the men.

However, Qi Xuansu dodged them and gestured for the two women to go to Song San and Wu Si instead.

Never mind his sensitive identity as a fourth-rank Jijiu Daoist master, Qi Xuansu did not have any desire to touch women that was not his beloved.

Song San and Wu Si, on the other hand, had no such reservations. Each embraced one woman. Their wandering hands only heightened the suggestive atmosphere in the dimly lit room.

To Qi Xuansu, however, this ambiance, combined with the alcohol, was actually perfect for falling asleep.

Qi Xuansu’s gaze turned dark as he slowly began to activate his magical power, allowing it to gradually envelope the entire room.

This was the Dream-Entering ability of a Diviner, which came naturally at a certain cultivation level, much like the body-regenerative abilities of a Martial Arts Practitioner.

In theory, Song San and Wu Si, who were both Xiantian Beings, should have sensed something. However, they had assumed Qi Xuansu was either a Qi Refiner or a Martial Arts Practitioner. After all, how else could this Mage possess such a sturdy physique? Thus, they did not consider that Qi Xuansu might be a physically weak Diviner and let their guard down, falling right into his trap.

Once everyone slipped into a semi-conscious state, Qi Xuansu set down his cup of yellow rice wine and began repeating the questions he had asked earlier.

This time, the seasoned Qingmei and the two courtesans could no longer keep anything from Qi Xuansu. They answered truthfully and without hesitation, as if they were sleep-talking.

1. Chinese four-stringed musical instrument, plucked like a guitar. ☜