Diverting Disaster Eastward

Chapter 6: Shifting the Blame Eastward

After finishing his shift.

Bai Yan played host, inviting the three Brigade Leaders and over a dozen Squad Leaders to Baiwei Tower for drinks and entertainment.

Yongtang City had a famous street called Wanchun Alley, which housed over a hundred brothels and pleasure houses. Baiwei Tower was the largest among them.

The name "Baiwei" itself implied savoring life's myriad flavors, and the world of sensual pleasures was naturally one of the finest tastes.

Bai Yan led Zhao Guangli, Song Jiangfeng, and others into Baiwei Tower, where a scene of bustling beauty unfolded, with vibrant colors and lively entertainment.

Even a mere serving maid, if placed outside, would be considered a rare beauty.

Upon seeing them, a plump woman in her forties, around forty, approached, waving her handkerchief and smiling.

"Welcome, sirs. Do you have any particular ladies in mind?"

"If so, I'll send someone to fetch them immediately. If not, I have plenty of fine ladies here."

Bai Yan and the others had changed their clothes after work, so they weren't wearing their Flying Fish Robes, nor were they carrying their Spring Embroidered Sabers.

However, their imposing presence made it clear they were not to be trifled with. The madam, being a shrewd judge of character, naturally adopted a very respectful demeanor.

Bai Yan was treating tonight, so everything was up to him. He smiled and said, "Find two large private rooms, order two tables of good wine and food, and call some girls to accompany us."

The madam didn't dare to delay, nodding with a seductive sway of her hips. "Right away, sirs. Please follow me upstairs."

After three rounds of drinks and tasting the dishes.

In the private room, the Brigade Leaders' faces were flushed red with drink, and the Squad Leaders like Ren Hong and Li Kaiyao were also thoroughly intoxicated.

As the alcohol took hold, their courage grew. They chased the accompanying girls around the room, touching them freely, thoroughly enjoying themselves.

Bai Yan had, of course, hired the "carnal" girls, and he could only afford such company.

The "virtuous" ones were simply too expensive for him.

The top courtesans at Baiwei Tower, who sang and danced, were each more costly than the last. Although he had some money, it was nowhere near enough to afford them.

Besides, Zhao Guangli and the others preferred the "carnal" company.

What was the point of the "virtuous" ones? You could look but not touch.

Spending hundreds or even thousands of taels of silver just to listen to a song or watch a dance would only leave you frustrated.

They were all rough men, unlike those pedantic scholars and refined gentlemen.

After eating and drinking to their heart's content, Zhao Guangli, Song Jiangfeng, and the others each took a girl to bed and fell asleep.

Bai Yan was the only one left in the private room.

Bai Yan had no intention of staying the night.

It wasn't that he disliked such activities, but rather that Bai Yan had a certain "cleanliness" of spirit in this regard.

He didn't want to become "fellow travelers" with a multitude of nameless individuals.

And if he were unlucky enough to catch some venereal disease, that would be a real problem.

There were, of course, "pure" girls available, but their price was outrageously high.

Spending hundreds of taels just for a night's sleep seemed like a terrible deal to Bai Yan.

Once his status was high enough and his reputation widespread, naturally, pure courtesans would willingly offer themselves.

Wouldn't that be more enjoyable than now, without spending a single coin?

"Guest, may this servant enter?"

Just as he was about to get up, a delicate female voice came from outside the door.

Hearing this, Bai Yan frowned slightly. He hadn't requested any company, so who was this person outside?

He was about to refuse when the woman pushed the door open and walked in.

"This servant is Lian'er, greetings, sir."

The woman, her face veiled, bowed gracefully. Her eyes met Bai Yan's, shimmering with allure and charm.

"You recognize me?"

"This servant does not."

"Then why do you call me 'sir'?"

"This servant saw that you were extraordinary and heroic, undoubtedly a man of great standing. This servant dared to make a guess, and judging by your appearance, I believe I guessed correctly."

Hearing the woman's words, Bai Yan looked her up and down again and suddenly smiled.

"I don't think you guessed; I think you set your sights on me the moment I walked in?"

Without waiting for the woman's reply, Bai Yan continued on his own, "Your aura is weak and unbalanced, with extremely heavy yin energy and feeble yang energy. Such a strange condition as yours typically only appears in two types of people."

"One is a tomb robber, who spends years in tombs, absorbing the earth's energy and rarely seeing the sunlight, naturally leading to an excess of yin and a deficiency of yang."

"Second, there are the dungeon guards. They also do work that never sees the light of day, and it would be the same for them."

The woman covered her mouth and giggled, "My lord jokes too much. How could I be a tomb robber who does such wicked deeds? As for dungeon guards, it's even more impossible for me. I'm as weak as a chicken, how could I possibly be a guard?"

Bai Yan shook his head slightly. "You are naturally not a tomb robber, nor are you a dungeon guard. But likewise, you are not weak as a chicken. The two types of people I mentioned earlier are only under normal circumstances. You, however, are the third type."

"Oh? My lord, please tell me, how am I the third type?"

"You cultivate the forbidden art of the furnace cauldron, absorbing yang to supplement yin."

As soon as these words were spoken, the woman's expression turned extremely ugly.

"I am drinking with my colleagues here today, and I don't wish to ruin their mood. If you leave now, I will spare your life. If you continue to pester me, you will die here!"

With that, Bai Yan's eyes turned cold, and a surge of killing intent emanated from him.

The intense killing aura radiating from Bai Yan startled the woman. She took a deep look at Bai Yan before turning and leaving without a word.

After the woman left, Bai Yan did not linger. He paid the bill and departed. The incident just now was a minor interruption. Places like brothels are mixed with all sorts of people, and it's not uncommon for a few ill-intentioned individuals to slip in occasionally. Bai Yan didn't take it to heart.

He exited Baiwei Tower, and the sky was completely dark now. Yongtang City has a curfew. After the hour of You (7-9 PM), citizens are not allowed to linger on the streets. If caught, they would be fined at best, or arrested and imprisoned at worst. Only a few special areas like Wanchun Alley, Qingshi Quarter, and the Ghost Market are exempt from this rule. However, Bai Yan is a Brigade Leader of the Imperial Guard and has special privileges, so he doesn't need to abide by it.

He made his way back to Zhengnan Alley when suddenly, Bai Yan frowned and stopped.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Several sounds of rushing wind could be heard as figures swiftly crossed the rooftops, landing in the middle of the street. There were four people in total, one in front and three behind. The three behind were clearly pursuing the one in front. Bai Yan's eyesight was excellent, and he instantly recognized the faces of the four individuals.

The leader was a middle-aged man around thirty years old. He was thin but had unusually large palms, suggesting he practiced palm techniques. His movements were agile, indicating he was also skilled in lightness skills. The three behind were two men and one woman. The two men were of different heights and builds, one tall and thin, the other short and stout, both looking quite ugly. The tall, thin man wielded a steel saber, while the short, stout man held a wolf-tooth mace. They stayed close together, as if they were one. The woman at the end was dressed in an extremely alluring and seductive manner. She wore a red dress that accentuated her voluptuous figure, revealing a large expanse of fair skin.

The moment the four saw Bai Yan, they all froze for an instant. The person in front's eyes lit up, and he exclaimed towards Bai Yan with surprise and joy, "Excellent, you're finally here! I've got the item. Help me hold them off." Without waiting for Bai Yan's response, he turned into a black shadow and darted past Bai Yan.

Bai Yan's expression immediately turned grim. This method of shifting the blame was treating him like a scapegoat.