Chapter 48: Red Sleeves Waving

Editors: Snowy, Divine

Qin Jiu propped herself up and saw Loquat holding his sword standing on the other side of the bed. The light of the candle shone behind him, casting the shadow of his sword-bearing form onto the bed. When he saw her awake, his stiff figure made a slight movement.

Qin Jiu asked, “Lychee, how long did I sleep for? What time is it now?”

Lychee immediately poured hot water into the cup and handed it to Qin Jiu, “You’ve slept for more than three hours. After Mr. Xiao sent us back, he called the doctor from the palace. The doctor said you caught a cold and prescribed some medicine. Loquat went out and got the medicine, and you took one and sweated later… Miss, do you still feel cold?”

Qin Jiu still had a headache, but besides that, her body felt much better. The prescribed medicine worked really well. She drank hot water and then put down the cup, “Lychee, I am a little hungry, I want to have rice porridge.”

Lychee answered right away, “I will cook it for you now.” She covered Qin Jiu with a quilt and then went out.

Qin Jiu closed her eyes and said to Loquat in a low voice, “I am okay now. You can go and take a rest.”

Loquat didn’t move. After a while, he stepped towards the bed, no expression on his face, but his dark eyes glowed with worry, “You have practiced martial arts, why do you still catch a cold so easily?”

Loquat thought Qin Jiu was practicing “Mending Heaven and Heart Sutra” in a normal way, but last time in Princess Zhaoping’s hot spring, the doctor found that the four teenagers were still virgins. Qin Jiu explained to Loquat that she knew that Yan Su may come, so she didn’t start practicing yet. Loquat was suspicious as he knew there was only one way to practice “Mending Heaven and Heart Sutra”, but finally had to believe her. Now, Qin Jiu was afraid that he would doubt again and smiled, “My body was already in bad condition. Although I practice martial arts, my body is still weaker than normal people, so it is easy to catch a cold. However, it’s already much better, right?”

Loquat’s face was still stiffened, and his eyebrows were still tight.

Qin Jiu raised her eyebrows and changed the topic, “Loquat, who do you think made the assassination attempt on Su Wanxiang?”

Loquat said with a little complaint, “Besides you, who would do this.”

Qin Jiu shook her head, she knew Loquat was blaming her, because she couldn’t deal with Yan Su on friendly terms. He had suspicions that she still had feelings towards Yan Su.

“If it was me, I would not kill Su Wanxiang.” Qin Jiu said, “I know you are blaming me for making a big deal at the snow festival, and though there are some things I don’t want, I can’t let Yan Su marry Su Wanxiang. Fortunately, Su Wanxiang doesn’t have a clear attitude to Yan Su, so I can take the opportunity to cooperate with Yan Yu. Yan Yu…” Qin Jiu sneered, her eyes flashing a shining light like a knife’s edge, “I don’t believe he has no intention of power.”

“Those three assassins, if they pretended to be the men of the Heaven Sect, they wouldn’t be able to cheat His Highness Anling, so they must actually be part of the Heaven Sect. Take poison first, then assassinate, whether success or failure, there is only one end: death. These kinds…” Loquat lowered his voice, “Has Master already found out? Was he angry that you left the Heaven Sect? If so, we must be more careful in the future.”

Qin Jiu nodded, “If I guessed right, tomorrow, there will be news from His Highness Yan.”

Qin Jiu was right, early in the morning after Qin Jiu finished breakfast and was playing with Yellow Hair, an invitation from His Highness Yan was delivered to her. After Qin Jiu read it, she threw it cheerfully to Durian, “Durian, you see, His Highness Yan invited us to a good place today!”

Durian took the invitation and read it quickly. Then he said, “Wuyouju? What kind of place is that?”

Qin Jiu smiled charmly, “Durian, I will meet you later, let you be a beggar for a few more days, then you will know what kind of place is that.”

“A good place?” Durian lifted his eyebrows and suddenly understood, “Is it a brothel?”

Qin Jiu smiled and said, “Oh, you also know that a brothel is a good place, so tonight I have to take you with me.”

Yellow Hair flew to Durian’s shoulder and shouted happily, “The brothel is a good place, go go.”

Durian’s face turned red immediately and he waved his hands, “I don’t want to go. I didn’t say it was a good place.”

“You are not going?” Qin Jiu turned her eyes and said hesitantly, “But His Highness Yan wants to meet there. I am a woman, what can I do if I was bullied there?”

Durian muttered, “Who dares to bully you?” He thought in his heart, you wish to be bullied.

Qin Jiu said, “Who dares? There are so many fierce people. I am not afraid to be bullied, but if you don’t go, I’ll have to take Cherry and Lychee. They are beautiful like flowers, you don’t want them to be bullied, right?”

Durian couldn’t say anything but agree to go.

Guangyufang was the most bustling place in Lijing, located in the northwest. It was full of restaurants, theaters, brothels and casinos. The street where the brothel was located was also called Feiyi Lane. Because many prostitutes liked to wear Feiyi clothes, it was called Feiyi Lane. There were several famous brothels on this street, and Wuyouju is one of them.

Durian was walking with Qin Jiu and Loquat down Feiyi Lane which had many buildings of different heights. It was dusk and you could hear instruments playing lovely music inside the buildings.

It was a song called “Memories of Jiangnan”. Durian had memorized it a long time ago by heart, but he never saw the waving red sleeves. Today, he finally saw, even those women’s red sleeves were not waving for him.

Durian looked straight ahead and walked slowly. If he could, he really didn’t want to come. He had never been to a place like this before, even when he was a beggar. But now he was abducted by the devil woman… He glanced at Qin Jiu on his side.

Today she was wearing a men’s light rose color gown, the bottom embroidered with big enchanting mandalas, the petals white and red, dark or a light, natural color. Her black hair was bundled up, and she looked just like a handsome young man.

Although she was handsome, her expression was too much.

Her eyes were like a blossoming spring, her lips full of charming smiles. Her eyes were like a hook and looked everywhere, tempting all the girls from brothels to throw handkerchiefs and flowers to her.

Qin Jiu accepted these without blushing and also sent winks at the girls.

Durian thought it was right for her to be a woman. Otherwise, many girls would get hurt by her dissoluteness.

Yellow Hair also copied her and sent winks towards the girls.

After a short while, they arrived at Wuyouju. Wuyouju was big with bright doors and windows, extremely gorgeous. The doorman saw three people dressed in beautiful clothes and went to them with enthusiasm.

The sky had gotten darker, but Wuyouju has lights everywhere. Singing and dancing, laughter from young men.

After they went in, Mama Cui of the brothels came to them. She was wearing a brocade flower skirt with a jade gold bracelet and smiled, “Is this your first time here? Do you want me to introduce some girls to you? The girls here are all as beautiful as flowers. They are excellent in music, chess, calligraphy and painting.”

Qin Jiu smiled and pointed to Durian and said, “Mama, my little brother likes a quiet and elegant place. He wants the most elegant and quiet room, the most mellow wine and the company of the most beautiful girl here. As for me, I have an appointment with His Highness Yan, so I don’t need anyone to serve me. Little brother, go and play by yourself!” 

Durian’s cold sweat poured down his face right away.

(DL Scanlations)