Kui Gu Ling

On the third day of the third lunar month, it was advisable to pray for blessings and offer sacrifices; all other activities were not suitable.

Like threads of silk, the spring rain clung to the pedestrians on the road. Xu Qing, holding a paper umbrella, stood barefoot in a dead-end alley.

He felt he was quite ill.

Logically, even if he believed Emperor Longping could entertain ten women a night, he shouldn't trust that gambler's skill would work.

Looking at the high wall blocking his path, Xu Qing threw his shoe again.

One more try, what if it works this time?

Adopting the mindset of a gambler, Xu Qing watched the shoe trace an arc through the air before landing in a muddy puddle, splashing water.

"."

The almanac said it was good for praying for blessings, so what was this?

Seeing that the shoe was beyond saving, Xu Qing leaned forward, peering at the 'result' of his throw.

The shoe, which seemed to have a mind of its own, stubbornly pointed its toe towards the wall at the end of the alley, the angle precisely the same.

"So determined? Could it be that the Wu brothers are really outside the wall?"

Xu Qing was amused by his own thought. He activated his Qi Gazing Technique and saw that there were no Wu brothers outside the wall, only a fertilizer field where the Night Soil Collector processed night soil.

People say that good wine needs no bush, but they don't mention that Night Soil Collectors prefer to accumulate fertilizer in secluded, out-of-the-way alleys.

Xu Qing shook the mud off his shoe, his expression shifting from hesitation to resolute courage.

At first, he had treated the shoe-throwing divination as a mere game to entertain himself.

But now, the entertainment had taken a different turn.

Today, he was determined to see where this gambler's trick would lead him!

He put on his shoe, climbed over the high wall, and stood next to a night soil cart. His initial leisurely demeanor had vanished.

His face was now stern. Ignoring the mountains of fertilizer piled around him, he threw his shoe again every twenty steps.

Fortunately, it was raining, and pedestrians were hurrying along, paying little attention to the strange person holding an umbrella and constantly throwing his shoe.

Xu Qing navigated through streets and alleys, going in circles, and finally stopped in front of a tall building with upturned eaves.

His now dirty shoe was pointing directly at the open entrance of a pleasure house.

Xu Qing was very familiar with this place. On Changfeng Street, there were three major pleasure houses: besides Cuiyun Tower and Youlan Garden, the Shuhuang Pavilion before him was the most famous.

However, he had never been to this particular establishment.

The reason was simple: Shuhuang Pavilion was notoriously expensive. The women there were all skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting; even the least accomplished had considerable talent.

Consequently, the greater the fame, the higher the price.

Xu Qing observed the polite, scholarly young attendant in a long gown standing at the entrance.

He ultimately felt more at ease with Big Teapot, the attendant in a short jacket at Cuiyun Tower.

Glancing at the luxurious carriages and horses parked outside Shuhuang Pavilion, and the guests entering and exiting in fine silk and brocade, Xu Qing gave his preliminary assessment of the shoe-throwing divination—

A load of crap!

How much money did Wu Yaoxing's Paper Craft Shop make in a year? Even if he sold himself, he couldn't afford for his son to spend a night with a girl at Shuhuang Pavilion.

Not to mention the two Wu brothers.

Of course, it wasn't impossible that a girl might be willing to accept a "double dragon" experience.

Xu Qing was always a meticulous person. To ensure the accuracy of his assessment, he finally chose to walk into the pleasure house without hesitation.

The interior of Shuhuang Pavilion was vastly different from Cuiyun Tower.

Besides the decor, the social customs and the way of choosing a girl were also completely different.

In places like Cuiyun Tower, you could walk in, use your instincts, call for Big Teapot or the madam, and state your desires directly and plainly.

For example: "I heard you have a girl named Chang. Bring her out quickly, I want to sleep with her!"

Or: "I just ate leek dumplings and three pounds of oysters today. I'm here for one reason: to make sure your girls can't get out of bed tomorrow!"

But if you dared to start a conversation like that at Shuhuang Pavilion, being scolded would be the least of your worries; you might even be thrown out bruised and battered!

This was Shuhuang Pavilion, a pleasure house with deep connections, specializing in high-end clientele.

Xu Qing entered the main hall. The warm air from the brazier and incense filled the space. Below the central atrium, he could see folding screens depicting the four seasons and ink paintings of green bamboo placed in various corners and corridors.

Scholars were brushing their calligraphy, while musicians and courtesans played zithers and flutes on stage, creating an elegant scene of scholarly refinement.

Xu Qing marveled, feeling like Granny Liu entering the Grand View Garden, wondering how someone as common as him could possibly fit in here.

He casually scanned the room, and seeing no sign of the Wu brothers, he decided to leave. Just as he turned, he saw Wu Zhiyuan, pushed by Wu Wencai, entering the main gate of Shuhuang Pavilion.

Xu Qing stood a few steps away from the entrance, his mind filled with questions.

How could the result of the shoe-throwing divination have foresight?

Was it a coincidence, or a coincidence?

Xu Qing couldn't make sense of it. If you said it wasn't accurate, the two Wu brothers had indeed come here!

You could say it's accurate, because when he first arrived, these Wu brothers weren't even here.

Putting aside Xu Qing's brainstorming for now, let's talk about Wu Zhiyuan being pushed by Wu Wencai into Shuhuang Pavilion. This was the first time the greenhorn had ever entered a place of pleasure.

"Wencai, this isn't right. We're scholars, how can we come to a place like this, which is so beneath us?"

Wu Wencai winked and said, "Good elder brother, this is a respectable establishment. All the courtesans inside are 'pure', they sell their art, not their bodies. Don't even mention music, chess, calligraphy, and painting; even when it comes to poetry and classics, which we excel at, it's not like they wouldn't understand."

"Even so, it would still be embarrassing if we ran into someone we knew."

Wu Wencai replied without hesitation, "What kind of place is this? Besides Brother Zhu who invited us, who else would we possibly run into? Not just anyone can come here."

The two chatted as they walked, arm in arm, and barged inside. They hadn't expected that after just a few steps, they would see 'Uncle Xu' from next door to the Paper Craft Shop looking at them with astonishment.

Wu Zhiyuan's face instantly turned pale. He knew that if his father found out about this, he'd be in deep trouble.

Wu Wencai also felt uneasy. While cursing the bad luck of the situation, he also blamed his cousin for jinxing it.

Just as the two were unsure of what to do, a chubby young man in fine clothes suddenly popped out from the side.

As soon as they met, he chuckled and said, "You two are finally here. The Kui Gu Ling will start in another fifteen minutes. Hurry and come in with me. Today, no matter what, you have to help me win this competition so I can win the beauty's heart!"

Wu Zhiyuan followed the chubby guy inside. As he passed Xu Qing, he felt awkward pretending not to know him, so he flushed and stammered, "Uncle X..."

Before he could finish the word "Uncle," Xu Qing interrupted, "Zhiyuan, what are you doing? Have you forgotten your Uncle Xu just because you ran into me outside?"

Wu Wencai, being the most quick-witted, immediately introduced the chubby young man to the side: "Brother Zhu, this is my classmate and good friend, Xu."

"Brother Xu, this is Young Master Zhu from Jinmen. He specifically invited us here for a small gathering today."

The chubby guy's eyes lit up upon hearing this. He said, "A friend of Brother Wencai must also be extraordinary. If this gentleman doesn't mind, you can join us in participating in the Kui Gu Ling. As for the entrance fee, I'll cover it!"