Brothel Battle (Part 1)

PS: Helping a young friend advertise.

Precious Sword www.cmfu./showbook.asp?Bl_id=13265

The writing is very good, very flavorful, and also very intense.

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As soon as Li Feng returned to Zhu Xi's residence, before he could even find a stool to sit down, Dugu Sheng, accompanied by several guards, walked in with a smile. Dugu Sheng, exuding a rough and heroic aura, extended his hand to Li Feng. "Brother Li, congratulations, congratulations. You've actually filled the position of a thousand-household officer. That's even one rank higher than when I first pledged allegiance to His Highness. This truly is a case of a hero emerging from youth."

Li Feng jumped up and clasped Dugu Sheng's hand. "Ah, it wasn't that much effort. Eunuch Lü wasn't around, so Manager Li had a eunuch named Ma fill in my name. I also gave each of the eunuchs some silver, and that's how I built connections. If we're talking about real skill, it's all thanks to big brother Dugu and all the brothers. I just took advantage of everything and was opportunistic."

Little Li, standing nearby, nodded continuously. He secretly thought, "This kid actually has some potential. He's not saying any vulgar words now, truly reaching the point of saying the right thing to the right person. Hmm, young and promising. Perhaps if he actually becomes a eunuch, his future will be even brighter than mine." Little Li chuckled strangely, sat on a nearby chair, picked up a teacup, and took a gentle sip.

Before Dugu Sheng could speak, Li Feng waved his hand and exclaimed, "Brothers, I'm new here. Tonight, I'll be the host. Let's all have a good night of drinking. I wonder where the best girls in Yanjing City are?" Li Feng turned his head and asked, "Manager Li, in Yanjing City, where are the prettiest girls, and where are the most seductive girls?"

Little Li spat out a mouthful of tea through his nose. He was so angry his lips trembled. He cursed inwardly, "You stinking brat, I'm a eunuch. If you ask me where the prettiest girls are, I might know, after all, I've been to many places with my master. But you ask me where the most seductive girls are? How would I know where girls are most seductive when they take off their clothes? You, aren't you deliberately trying to embarrass this old eunuch? You stinking brat, I've noted this down. You just wait for this old eunuch, I'll settle the score with you sooner or later." He heavily put down the teacup, his face gloomy, and said in a low voice, "This old eunuch will go and instruct someone to arrange your accommodation. Commander Dugu, this Deputy Commander Li will live with you, right? That 'Flowing Spring Villa' is quite spacious, with over a dozen rooms. It shouldn't be a problem to accommodate one more person, right?"

Dugu Sheng's face was filled with a strange expression. He quickly bowed and said, "Manager, please go ahead. I was just thinking of getting to know Brother Li properly. It would be best if he lived with me. The entire villa is currently only using less than four rooms, so there's plenty of space. My servants can also be assigned to Brother Li for his use, so there's no need to send more people. We just need to tidy up the rooms."

Little Li shot Li Feng a sideways glance, nodded, and strode out of the side hall. After a while, a burst of wild laughter suddenly erupted from the side hall. Dugu Sheng gave Li Feng a thumbs-up and said in a low voice, "Brother, you're amazing, truly amazing... You asked Manager Li where the most seductive girls are? I reckon he absolutely wouldn't be able to answer. Heh heh, our Prince actually likes that sort of thing. If you ask him, he'd know very clearly."

Another guard loudly said, "Hey, boss, it doesn't matter. No need to ask the Prince. Don't we know very well where the best girls and the best food and wine are in Yanjing City? Let's go have a pot of mutton stew first, drink a few cups to warm up, and then go to 'Drunken Fragrance Tower' to find some top courtesans. We'll also welcome Deputy Commander Li." The guards cheered loudly, as if ants were crawling all over them, unable to sit still.

Li Feng hesitated for a moment and asked, "But, what if the manager... oh, I mean, what if the Prince returns and we're not here? That wouldn't be good, right? Especially concerning the safety of the residence, someone has to be responsible, right?" Li Feng was afraid. Although he wanted to go out and have fun, leaving his post on the first day he arrived sounded terrible.

Dugu Sheng patted his chest confidently and laughed, "It's fine. The residence has over three hundred guards, and the Prince's personal five hundred soldiers are stationed here. We're only going out with twenty-something people, so how could we mess things up? Moreover, Yanjing City has nearly a hundred thousand elite troops stationed inside and outside the city, like an impenetrable fortress. Not to mention, all the martial arts sects have long been ordered by the Prince to be eradicated. At night, suspicious individuals will be immediately apprehended by the Ironclad Army. How could anything go wrong?"

He chuckled and patted Li Feng's shoulder, leaning close to Li Feng's ear and whispering, "Especially His Highness, he doesn't need our service. Manager Li and the others are responsible for everything. There are over two hundred eunuchs, big and small, in the residence, and over a hundred of them have martial arts skills. His Highness rarely looks for us. We're only needed when he goes on long journeys, just to make a show. Normally, we can go out to eat, drink, or even visit brothels whenever we want. As long as we inform the brothers on duty and can be found within half an hour if something happens, then there's absolutely no problem."

Li Feng laughed and applauded, "Then doesn't that mean our lives are very leisurely?"

Dugu Sheng puffed out his chest, shook his head, and said with a swagger, "Isn't that the truth? Our lives are very easy. Hey, as long as we don't clash with people from the Second Prince's residence when we go out to have fun, otherwise, it'll definitely be a group brawl. Although no one will die, it's still a hassle to stir up trouble for no reason and ruin the mood."

Li Feng nodded heavily, pulled out a stack of silver notes, waved them, and shouted, "That's wonderful! Since His Highness doesn't need us to attend to him, then brothers, let's go out and have some fun... Hey, big brother Dugu, besides the brothers on duty, let's call all the other brothers. Tonight, I, Li Feng, will be the host. Let's all have a good time... Damn it, let's see if the girls at 'Drunken Fragrance Tower' can get out of bed tomorrow."

When Dugu Sheng and the others saw the silver notes in Li Feng's hand, they were dumbfounded. Hearing Li Feng's 'heroic' words, they couldn't help but howl loudly and clap their hands in excitement. A few troublemakers had already rushed out the door, shouting loudly, "Brothers, listen up! The new Deputy Commander Li is hosting tonight. All brothers who are not on duty, go out and have some fun!"

Immediately, the guards who were supposed to be on duty that night loudly complained. Li Feng, with his sharp ears, heard their grumbling and immediately shouted outside, "Brothers, I keep my word. For those brothers who are on duty today and can't go, we'll continue tomorrow night. If you're my brothers, get your spirits ready, we're going to have a good meal."

The entire residence immediately erupted in cheers, and the guards' spirits soared. A few of the rougher ones, or perhaps those with more muscle than brains, began to praise Li Feng as a great person, wealthy, generous, hospitable, and righteous, as if he were Mengchangjun reborn.

That night, the clouds in the sky were completely frozen by a cold wind from the north, hanging in the air like a massive piece of granite. With a piercing howl, large clumps of snowflakes fell almost vertically, making rustling sounds on the roofs and ground. In the bone-chilling wind, Zhu Xi, with a gloomy face, walked back to the residence alone. His guards were left far behind, and he strictly forbade anyone from approaching him. Looking at his sinister eyes and the corners of his mouth filled with killing intent, one couldn't help but wonder who was about to have bad luck.

Dugu Sheng, Li Feng, and the others who were about to go out for revelry felt a jolt in their hearts when they saw Zhu Xi's appearance upon his return. After thinking for a moment, they decided to stay. After a while, they bribed a young eunuch to go in and inquire about the situation. Only then did they learn that after Zhu Xi had vented his frustrations on several maids and downed a lot of strong liquor, he had collapsed on the bed and fallen asleep. It seemed he wouldn't be able to get up before noon the next day.

Upon hearing this news, the group was immediately relieved. After taking leave from Little Li, Dugu Sheng led the way, and over two hundred guards marched out of the Prince's residence towards the famous Eight Great Hutongs of Yanjing City. Dugu Sheng spat out a puff of hot air, melting a clump of snow blocking his face, and said with a smile, "It's too late to go for mutton stew now. Let's just go to 'Drunken Fragrance Tower', find some favored girls, and ask the head waiters to bring out stoves and mutton for us. That's also quite flavorful."

Li Feng changed into a brocade robe, imitating Dugu Sheng and the others by conspicuously hanging their waist tokens on their belts. He glanced at the Ironclad soldiers patrolling the streets on horseback and asked, "Alas, it's natural to have fun. However, I see that His Highness's momentum today is not right. It seems someone has given him a hard time. Tonight, let's have fun, but let's not overdo it to the point where we can't get up tomorrow. If His Highness needs someone and can't find anyone, it will be troublesome."

Upon hearing this, Dugu Sheng immediately nodded. "Indeed. Brothers, listen up. Control your alcohol intake tonight. A little bit of fun is enough. Don't all get drunk and then be blamed by His Highness. I won't be responsible for pleading for you. However, Brother Li, you don't need to be overly alarmed. Whenever His Highness meets with the Second Prince, he's always in a bad mood when he returns to the residence. How should I put it? Although the Prince dotes on His Highness, the Second Prince is a rare and formidable general, and the Prince also favors him. This matter is hard to say."

Li Feng nodded slowly. Dugu Sheng then lowered his voice and said, "Let me give you some inside information. The Second Prince, relying on the many experts under his command, likes to challenge our people to fights and deliberately embarrass our Prince, making the Prince feel that our master is not as capable as him. Moreover, the Second Prince speaks very assertively in front of the Prince, often leaving our Prince speechless. This allows the Second Prince to gain a significant advantage in front of the Prince, so his mood is definitely not good."

Li Feng grabbed a falling snowflake and said with a sinister smile, "Then, from now on, leave the matter of speaking up for His Highness to me. Didn't I just play around with that Second Prince today, and he couldn't do anything to me? Heh heh, big brother Dugu, I was wondering why you don't recruit some experts from the martial arts world? That way, you wouldn't always be suppressed by Murong Tian and unable to rise." There are many lone experts in the martial arts world. As long as you pay them, anyone would be happy to join."

Dugu Sheng wore a wry smile. "Brother, you don't understand. Inviting experts requires money, or giving them good official positions. But His Highness doesn't have much power in his hands right now. He can recommend one or two people, but not many. As for money, the annual salary of an imperial official in the Great Ming Dynasty, converted to silver, is only a little over a hundred taels. How much is our Prince's annual expenditure from the Prince? Hiring a martial arts expert would cost at least ten thousand taels a year, right? Otherwise, how would those lords have money to spend?"

Dugu Sheng carefully lowered his voice. "The Second Prince has sixteen guard armies under his command. If he skims a little silver from their annual military pay, it's enough for him to recruit desperate men. If he also gives those guys positions in the army, they all become generals under the Prince of Yan. Wouldn't they be loyal and fight to the death? So, in terms of military strength, our residence really can't compare to the Second Prince's residence."

Li Feng grunted in his throat, suspecting, "An imperial official's annual salary, converted to silver, is only a little over a hundred taels? No wonder the Prefect of Suzhou Prefecture sent people out just for money. It makes sense. Their salaries are described as three thousand shi or five thousand shi, but how much is one shi of grain in silver now? Good heavens, isn't this forcing officials of the Great Ming Dynasty to engage in corruption and bribery? No wonder I heard that the current emperor's son-in-law was caught smuggling tea and contraband salt, and was then flayed and hung on the city gate of Ying Tian Fu (Nanjing)."

Several thoughts flashed through Li Feng's mind, and he immediately had an idea. He secretly thought, "Since I've decided to rely on Zhu Xi to rise in status, I should show some capability. Dugu said that the gangs in the city have all been swept clean. Why don't I organize a gang with Zhu Xi's help? The sable fur, ginseng, and medicinal materials from the northeast, and the contraband salt, tea, and various treasures from the southeast. If these north-south routes are connected, won't money flow in like water? By then, wouldn't it be ten thousand taels a year? We could recruit a hundred top experts, and then we wouldn't have to act ourselves."

While he was planning, they, being martial artists, had quick footsteps and had already arrived in a deep alley. Dugu Sheng rushed forward and kicked a tightly shut door five or six times consecutively. His kicking power was so strong that he almost kicked the entire door off the wall. An anxious shout came from inside the door, "Ah, we're here, we're here! Which esteemed lord is coming now? Slow down, slow down, my lord, you're about to kick the door down."

Li Feng pondered, "Yanjing has quite a few strange customs. Are brothels doing business with their doors closed? The foot traffic is also sparse. It seems this Prince of Yan doesn't care much for the pleasure business."

The door opened, and a madam, along with several head waiters, came out. Dugu Sheng smiled, grabbed the flamboyant madam, and gave her a fierce kiss on the cheek, shouting with laughter, "Hahaha, Qingqing, today our residence's new deputy commander is hosting. He's treating all of us brothers to some fun. Ah, there are a total of two hundred and sixty-five brothers. See how you'll entertain us."

The madam's face, which was still somewhat pretty and retained a trace of youth, wrinkled up entirely with a bitter expression. She waved the silk scarf in her hand and cried out in distress, "Ah, my Lord Dugu, aren't you playing with this old madam? Two hundred and sixty-five brothers? The total number of girls here is only a little over three hundred. And you want to pick the plump ones, have one in your arms, and another standing by to pour wine. Plus, there are already guests coming in. How am I supposed to manage this?"

Li Feng walked up slowly, fumbled around in his embrace for a moment, and to the astonished eyes of Dugu Sheng and the others, he casually threw out a ruby the size of a magpie's egg, along with two silver notes of one thousand taels each. Li Feng stood with his hands behind his back, his expression one of arrogant disdain. "If your courtyard is out of girls, go and get them from other courtyards. Whatever their usual income is for one night, I'll pay double, and I'll give double the price to their courtyards as well. That shouldn't be a problem, right?"

The madam looked at the sparkling ruby in her hand, and her mouth began to water. She shrieked, "No problem, absolutely no problem. You damn scoundrels, why aren't you quickly serving the esteemed guests? Tell my daughters that if they dare to displease the guests, I'll whip their mouths with the soles of my old lady's shoes. Lord Dugu, and this young lord, all you brothers, please come inside, please come inside. It's freezing cold outside, don't spoil everyone's mood. Ah, if you catch a cold, what will happen?"

The madam hurriedly and excitedly ran out with a few head waiters. The other male escorts and a few flamboyant older women, whose youth had passed, obsequiously surrounded Li Feng and Dugu Sheng, ushering their group into 'Drunken Fragrance Tower'.

Dugu Sheng seized an opportunity when a male escort and the girls were not paying attention and asked Li Feng in a low voice, "Brother, where did you get so much money? The silver notes are one thing, but that gem is something not just anyone can have. Its market price is astonishing, isn't it?"

Li Feng leaned back steadily in the Grand Tutor's Chair, and a voice as faint as a wisp of thread entered Dugu Sheng's ears. "Ah, brother, before I joined His Highness, I was the deputy hall master of a martial arts sect in the southeastern region. Getting some extra income was easy. Oh, we transported tea to the northwest once and exchanged it for warhorses to sell to the Great Ming Dynasty's cavalry. That alone brought in hundreds of thousands of taels. The money comes easily."

Dugu Sheng's heart was greatly shaken. Li Feng's 'Secret Sound Transmission' was so clear. Amidst the surrounding clamor, only he could clearly hear every word. Dugu Sheng began to make calculations. "Li Feng's skill is much higher than mine... Especially since he has connections and so much money, he should be the main commander in the future, and I should be the deputy commander. Looking at this situation, Li Feng will definitely be a highly favored figure in front of His Highness, and perhaps even the Prince will appreciate him. If I want to get ahead, I must stick closely to him now."