Tianxiang Tower
Tianxiang Tower was one of the top brothels on the pleasure street in Huangcheng. It was truly a money - burning den for men, and among the silver spent there, the 'well - known' Zhao Luoming's share was, of course, included.
Cai Xue, disguised as a man, brought Feixing and once again appeared in front of Tianxiang Tower.
The first time they came here, the old madam, who was well - versed in the ways of the pleasure world, saw through her disguise.
At that time, the old madam thought it was rather strange for a girl to show up at Tianxiang Tower. But as time passed and they came and went, she got used to it.
"Sir," the old madam said, "if you come here every few days, it's bad for my business."
Cai Xue didn't even frown. She took out two ingots of silver from her bosom and placed them in the old madam's hand. "Is this enough?"
The old madam wasn't greedy. She knew that as long as the young master of the Zhao family came to Tianxiang Tower, this extra income would never end.
She took the silver and carefully weighed it in her hand. Sure enough, it was the silver of the Zhao family, pure and full - weighted.
Up on the second floor, Zhao Luoming was drinking and having a good time with a group of his cronies. When he heard from his servant that Cai Xue was coming, his brows knitted slightly.
Cai Xue was more familiar with this pleasure street than he, who often haunted such places.
So she didn't make sudden attacks anymore. No matter where he fled, Cai Xue and Feixing always found a way to drag him back.
"Master, how about I ask the old madam to open the back door and we slip away first?"
"Slip away? Can we escape from Feixue's clutches?"
Feixue was Cai Xue's alias when she was in men's clothing.
Zhao Luoming decided not to hide anymore. He drained the wine in his cup in one gulp. He might as well enjoy himself as long as he could while there was still some time.
But his cronies had no intention of letting him off.
Everyone knew Feixing. On this pleasure street, one's fame usually depended on how much silver one spent on a certain courtesan.
The more silver one spent, the greater one's fame. Just like Ji Shisu, the second young master of the Ji family. The silver he spent on the top courtesan Lianxiang in Tianxiang Tower in one night was enough for an ordinary person to visit the pleasure street for a year.
That's why his fame skyrocketed on the very first night he appeared in Tianxiang Tower. He became an instant celebrity.
However, Feixue was an exception.
Nine times out of ten when she came to this pleasure street, it was to catch Zhao Luoming.
Even if it wasn't for that, it must be because Zhao Luoming had changed his haunt, and she came here in advance to scout the terrain so that she could catch him next time.
This had become a strange story in the pleasure district, and her fame even overshadowed Zhao Luoming's for a while.
These cronies had long heard about this but had never seen it with their own eyes.
Today they finally got to see the legendary Feixue who was always after Zhao Luoming, and they found it quite novel.
Some of them who had a slight acquaintance with the Zhao family and knew that Feixue was actually Cai Xue's alias couldn't help but tease.
"I think this Cai Xue girl is using her position for personal gain. On the surface, she's following your second brother's orders, but secretly, she might like you, which is why she comes here again and again to catch you."
"Don't talk nonsense. She's the personal maid of the eldest sister and often helps the second brother. You know, I have nothing to do with the eldest sister and the second brother. Cai Xue hates me so much. How could she... Don't talk nonsense."
Zhao Luoming's idle friends were always trouble - makers. At the slightest sign of something, they reacted even faster than old ladies.
Once someone said that, everyone started chatting away. Thanks to their talk, something that was originally non - existent seemed to be true.
Cai Xue was standing outside the door and heard every word of their conversation clearly.
When she reached the door, she hesitated.
Some vague feelings in her heart seemed to be hit by their jokes, and a sudden sense of melancholy welled up.
She knew that Zhao Luoming had always liked Qingyao.
Qingyao was the former maid of the third young master. Because the second wife didn't approve, the eldest miss had to marry her off to a farm.
Cai Xue had known Qingyao for a long time and had interacted with her many times.
She was a gentle woman. Every move she made exuded an inner softness.
Women were like water, and Qingyao was a calm and peaceful lake.
Qingyao was not only as gentle as water but also much prettier than Cai Xue.
Especially her pair of watery eyes, which always carried a tinge of sadness.
Even Cai Xue, as a woman, couldn't help but feel pity for her, let alone men.
Before Qingyao got married, everyone in the Zhao Mansion saw how much the third young master doted on her.
Although Qingyao was just a maid in name, she lived like a young lady.
Cai Xue had never seen a young master dote on a servant girl like the third young master did on Qingyao.
Whatever Qingyao wanted, the third young master would find a way to get it for her.
Whatever Qingyao wanted to eat, he would rather adjust the cook's recipes to suit her taste.
Every year, the Zhao family's silk shop would reserve several bolts of high - quality silk. Each household would get three bolts for making new clothes for the New Year.
The third young master would always let Qingyao choose first and then choose for himself.
Since Qingyao got married, the third young master seemed to have changed.
He who had never set foot in the pleasure district before now lingered there every day. He became even more cynical and indifferent to everything.
Although everyone scolded him for being unpromising.
But Cai Xue understood Zhao Luoming.
She saw the wound in his heart.
She noticed that he would stare blankly at Qingyao's portrait when no one was around.
He had said many times that he wanted to throw away the things Qingyao had used, but he never succeeded.
He couldn't let go of Qingyao, so he tortured himself like this.
To others, he seemed to be indulging in pleasure and debauchery.
But only Cai Xue knew that the third young master was using wine and women to numb himself, to numb his heart, and to numb the pain of losing his beloved.
Every time Cai Xue saw Zhao Luoming like this, her heart would ache.
When she was a child, she thought he was not a good person.
As she grew up, she realized that he was a good person among a bunch of bad ones.
Cai Xue herself didn't know when her feelings for him had changed.
Maybe it was because when she was frozen unconscious and woke up, the first person she saw was Zhao Luoming. It was like the imprinting effect of a fledgling.
Cai Xue did envy Qingyao, but she couldn't bring herself to be jealous.
Such a kind and gentle woman like Qingyao. When Cai Xue stood beside her, not to mention beauty, just in terms of temperament, she was already inferior.
So over the years, she tried to stay away from the third young master.
When dealing with his affairs, she was uncompromising and fair.
She thought she could gradually forget the initial feelings in her heart. But when she heard their joking words through the wall, why did she suddenly feel that they had hit the nail on the head?
It was very strange and made her extremely uneasy. She slowly clenched her fists and bit her lower lip tightly. In Feixing's eyes, she looked as if she had been deeply insulted.
How dare they bully Cai Xue?!
Feixing was enraged!