It was dusk, and the drum tower in the inner city had just struck the sound of the xu hour.
Prince Ying's Estate, this Prince, is wrapped in a brocade cloak, with a jade pendant around his waist swinging back and forth under the lantern.
The two palace guards behind him were obviously not idiots.
Since we can't persuade you, we must ensure safety.
Whenever they walked through the dark streets, they pressed their hands on the hilts of their knives and scanned the surrounding alleys with their eyes like hawks.
Divine Land The layout of the capital is generally very particular.
<Zhou Li·the Artificers' Record> records: The craftsmen run the country, Jiuli square, next to Third Gate. There are nine warps and nine latitudes in the country, and nine tracks are painted on the warp. The left ancestor and the right society face the market, and the market faces Yifu.
The general idea is to build a capital city of nine square miles with three gates on each side.
There are nine roads vertically and horizontally in the city, and the roads are wide enough for nine cars to go parallel.
On the left side of the palace is Ancestral Temple, on the right side is Sheji, in front is the imperial court, in the back is the market, each covering an area of 100 square feet.
In later generations, the area of the capital continued to expand, but they all followed similar rules.
However, after the establishment of the Daxuan Dynasty, the tradition of "previous dynasty and later market" was broken. The brothels in the Qianmen area were adjacent to shops and teahouses. In addition, the imperial court lifted the curfew policy, so "gold sales caves" were gradually formed.
Crossing the street and arriving near the front door, the noise and lights hit us.
But I saw that the shops in other places were closed, and at most there were lanterns hanging at the door, but here there were whole rows of lantern stands erected high, with bright candles, noisy music, and the laughter of men and women.
The streets are also crowded with people. There are people from the world hanging around, merchants with servants, and even many people wearing casual clothes and official boots. They raise their hands to invite each other. They are officials of the imperial court.
"Hurry, hurry up!"
This Prince Ying's Estate's Prince has a face filled with excitement.
The two guards had no choice but to speed up their pace.
The three of them were extremely eye-catching. As soon as they walked out of the dark alley, a bunch of people greeted them.
"Seen Prince Hai."
"Prince You haven't been here for a while..."
"Yes, Qinxiang still keeps talking about you."
This young man is obviously a regular customer here. Many people came around and their eyes were shining.
That's the look in the eyes of the fat sheep.
"Get out of the way!"
The two guards suddenly became angry and stretched out their hands to push the people around them away.
"Everyone, I'm sorry, I have to go to Floating Fragrance Brothel today!"
"Prince Hai" seemed to enjoy this feeling. He laughed and led the people deeper into the streets.
The people around me were not angry, but respectful and respectful.
"Prince Hai, please hurry up, Young Master Wang they are all here."
"Yeah, 'Shuhu' hasn't been so lively in the past two years..."
When I heard "Prince Hai" in front of me, I immediately picked up my robe and trotted all the way.
After he left, the few people who had just been there immediately stopped smiling, their faces full of ridicule.
"Didn't this idiot just get banned? Why was he released again?"
"It goes without saying that he must have escaped without even looking at the carriage, right?"
"Hey, be careful what you say, this is our big benefactor, let's set up a game tomorrow..."
They huddled in the corner and discussed in low voices, not noticing that Li Yan was passing by wearing a straw hat.
The words of these people were naturally heard.
Li Yan is already a little disappointed.
Judging from the situation, this Prince is a master who is not taken seriously and is not liked.
If you want to use it to mix in Prince Ying's Estate, it will probably be too difficult.
But now that the matter has come to this, we can only follow it and take a look.
While he was thinking, the three people in front of him stopped.
Li Yan also looked up and saw that the so-called "Floating Fragrance Brothel" had a three-entry courtyard layout. On the side facing the street was a two-story building with a "Qingyin Elegant Gathering" plaque hanging on the gatehouse. There was no sense of romance at all.
The concierge in the front hall is wide open, but a wooden screen is set up to block the view from the street.
The Wing Room window lattice on the second floor is all covered with gauze, which transmits light but not shadow, and provides good privacy.
Li Yan is also considered a veteran, and he immediately saw the foundation of "Floating Fragrance Brothel".
It is clearly an imitation of the top-notch "Qingyin Small Troupe", but it opens its doors to engage in flesh and blood business in the busy city. It is not as good as the top but more than the bottom. It is most likely to attract those fat sheep who like to be arty but impatient.
"Prince Hai,'Winter Plum Pavilion' is ready for you."
Seeing the three Prince, the leading boy at the door hurriedly bowed to greet them.
His face was full of respect, but when he raised his hands, half of the tiger tattoo was exposed on his sleeves.
When Li Yan saw it, his eyes suddenly narrowed slightly.
It's the person of "Tiger Might Hall"!
Zhao Wan Fang and Luo MingZi both introduced him to the situation in the capital.
Apart from Xuan Gate People, there are three main gangs in the city.
East City is "Iron Anchor Society", and its sphere of influence is from Dongbianmen to Chongwen Gate along the canal wharf.
He runs a boat shop and controls the "Five Elements" of East City, that is, "Carriage, Boat, Inn, Porter, Broker". He helps people tattoo their left arms with iron anchor patterns. He makes good use of cables, hooks, poles and other tools as weapons, and his moves are ruthless and steady.
The businesses on the surface include "Smooth Sailing Shipping Company" and "Tonghe Warehouse", and the secret business is "Water Ghost Hall".
This gang was born out of Cao Gang, and later came into contact with East City Bingma Division.
South City is "Tiger Might Hall", and its sphere of influence is from Yongding Gate to Tianqiao.
It was originally created by Commandery Commandant Office's eliminated officials, specializing in protecting South City's rich businessmen's escorts, and later absorbed refugees from the southwest to form a gang.
All members of the gang have tiger tattoos on their arms and a bronze tiger head plaque hanging on their waist.
At first, I only ran an escort agency, but now I want to get involved in any business.
Xicheng is "Copper Camel Alliance".
It is said to be a gang, but more like a chamber of commerce. It was founded with the support of merchants from Shanxi and Shaanxi and mainly protects the business of the chamber of commerce.
Although these three gangs occasionally have unhappy moments, they mostly stay on their terms.
After all, the gang leader is just a handyman, and what should be done is decided by the forces behind it.
Li Yan waited in the dark alley for a while, and saw more and more people coming to "Floating Fragrance Brothel", then he walked towards the door.
"Sir, please stay."
As soon as I reached the door, I was stopped by the boy who had just arrived.
"Sir, you are very friendly. Is this your first time coming to our store?"
The boy was smiling all over his face, but he made a gesture behind his back, and his companions immediately gathered around him and pressed him against his waist.
Li Yan frowned slightly and looked around.
Everyone else was greeted respectfully by their servants, but he was the only one who stopped him.
It's strange to say that the consumption in this place is high, and everyone else is either in rich clothes or with servants, but he is the only one with Severing Dust Blade on his waist, covered by his cloak, and a Flintlock Firearm leather holster hanging on his side, which naturally arouses vigilance.
"What's wrong?"
Li Yan glanced lightly and said, "I am from Ezhou, and we are not allowed to enter this place."
"Sorry."
The waiter still had a smile on his face and said, "The shop only accepts regular customers."
Li Yan didn't panic and said with a smile, "When you open a shop and do business, there is no reason to drive away customers. Let's order some scented tea."
Go ahead and take out a five hundred taels of silver note from your pocket.
The so-called "order flower tea" is a slang term for brothels.
In some high-end buildings, first-time guests need to pay a high price for tea.
In the words of the previous life, it is to verify capital and screen customers.
Of course, there is no tea party that requires five hundred taels, it is just to prove your strength.
"This..."
After hearing this, the leading boy suddenly felt a little embarrassed.
He is not a full-time turtle man in a brothel, but a person sent to watch the scene.
If Li Yan doesn't understand, that's it, but if he can say "order some flower tea", he is either a member of the Jianghu or a frequent visitor to the brothel. Once he kicks the person out and talks nonsense when he gets out, "Tiger Might Hall" is broken Jianghu Rules.
Seeing that dignitaries and rich gentry were arriving one after another, the young man finally gritted his teeth and said, "Well, since we are Laohe (comrades in Jianghu), let's show off our support! This kiln is the Pan'er on the top of the Weihu Hall, and there are several big Wan'er here today. If you want to show off, feel free to say hello, but if you dare to show off the willow flag, then you will be married to me Tiger Might Hall!"
Li Yan grinned, "I didn't say anything, the online ones are clear!"
"A distinguished guest!"
The boy clasped his fists and shouted loudly inside.
It is both a welcome and a warning, please pay more attention when you come.
Li Yan frowned slightly and strode into the door.
He originally wanted to go in and find a chance to get close to Prince Hai, but looking at the situation, he had to keep a low profile.
Turning around the screen, my eyes suddenly opened up.
The atrium has high carved beams and a meandering water cup below, which is very elegant.
Behind the running water is a stage that has been set up, and an old man and a young girl are singing and singing.
There are private rooms on the first and second floors, where the sound of men and women drinking and making music can be heard.
"Guest officer."
The old madam, who was an old lady, came over. After seeing Li Yan's appearance, she immediately covered her handkerchief and smiled, "This is your first time here, sir. Is there a girl I know well?"
"No, can you introduce me?"
Li Yan was chatting and laughing, looking around and responding to the situation with ease.
"That's natural, you come with me first."
As the madam spoke, she led him to Wing Room on the left side of the first floor.
Li Yan frowned when he saw this, "The front hall is too noisy, I like it to be quieter."
But he remembered that this Floating Fragrance Brothel was a big house in Sanjin, and Prince Hai had gone to the rear.
"Oh, this is no coincidence."
The madam looked embarrassed, "The backyard is full, today is Miss Hu's combing day."
"What a coincidence!"
Li Yan put his hands on his hands and said with a smile, "I also heard about this Miss Hu's extraordinary beauty and wanted to come and meet her."
But the old madam still refused to agree, changed the subject and said with a smile, "Master Haihan, the backyard is really full, and all the guests are here. You can't let people vacate the room, I can't afford it..."
Just as he was talking, a voice suddenly sounded from behind, "Hahaha, Aunt Liu, you are really blind!"
Li Yan turned his head and looked, and suddenly thought something was wrong.
The person who came was obviously an acquaintance.
It was Bagua Gate Dong Cunshan whom I met in Chengdu.
At that time, he rescued everyone from Imperial Censor Wang's house, and Dong Cunshan went to Chongqing to ask for help. Although he missed the battle of the palace, the soldiers he brought with him were a timely help and they fended off the Chengdu rebels.
The two parties did not meet many times, but they were considered life-and-death friends.
Without waiting for the other party to speak, Li Yan quickly stepped forward, cupped his hands and said, "Ezhou Li Cheng, I have met Master Dong."
Dong Cunshan is also a shrewd person. He smiled and said without changing his expression, "Brother Li, we haven't seen each other for a long time."
After saying that, he looked at the madam, his face turned gloomy, "What's going on?"
The madam quickly apologized and said, "Uncle Dong, there is no room in the backyard. This young man wants to..."
"What a big deal!"
Dong Cunshan sneered, "Brother Li, just follow me and get some good food and wine."
"That's natural. Uncle Dong knows the skills of our cooks."
The madam answered with a smile, as if what happened just now had never happened.
After Li Yan left, the madam breathed a sigh of relief and whispered to the side, "That person has the wrong identity, be careful."
The boy outside the door just now also had a scared look on his face, "Why don't we check..."
"Check it!"
The old bustard scolded, "You were kicked in the head by a donkey. Didn't you see that Dong Cunshan of the Bagua Sect treats you politely? If you really want anything, just blame it on the Bagua Sect. Turn a blind eye and deal with it first."
"Those young masters are so angry that they might do something bad..."
On the other end, Li Yan has followed Dong Cunshan to the backyard, and followed Mr. Turtle into the East Wing Accord.
The warm fragrance of the Accord is felt in the face, and a red sandalwood screen separates the hustle and bustle outside.
Sitting next to the piano table was a girl with a snake-head bun. When she touched the Jiaowei Qin with her fingertips, the overtones were like broken jade falling onto the plate.
"You go first, there will be no music tonight."
Dong Cunshan waved his hand and drove the woman away, then looked at Li Yan.
But he was not in a hurry to speak. Instead, he waited for Mr. Turtle to bring a table full of wine and food, then stood up and closed the door. He said with a solemn expression, "Brother, what happened?"
"The capital city is very windy, so it's hard to show up."
Li Yan smiled slightly, "It turns out that Brother Dong also has this preference."
"Hahaha..."
Dong Cunshan stroked his beard and said with a smile, "You have such a great reputation in the brothel, why are you laughing at me?"
As he spoke, he sighed, "The meridians were injured in Chengdu. Although they were cured, Martial Arts is finished in this life. There is no chance to go forward. I just have to make up for all the sins I have suffered over the years."
He knew that Li Yan didn't want to say anything, so he stopped asking.
Obviously, the battle in Chengdu not only hurt the body, but also hurt the spirit.
If I were in the past, I would have definitely figured out which "evil wind" Li Yan was talking about in the capital.
"Forget about the sad things, brother, I'll give you a toast."
Li Yan picked up the wine glass, touched it with Dong Cunshan, then smiled and said, "Brother Dong, this Floating Fragrance Brothel is really lively tonight, what kind of girl is combing her hair, it's so weird."
"The woman's surname is Hu and she is from Guandong."
Dong Cunshan replied, "I haven't seen it either, but I heard that a few people I have met were all fascinated by Divine Soul, and then the rumors became more and more evil. Damn, how good-looking can it be? To put it bluntly, it is a method used by brothels. Before choosing an oiran, there are several every year."
"The reason why tonight is so lively is because of the vindictiveness of several young men in the capital. Everyone is here to see the excitement."
"The auspicious time has come, Miss Hu is out of office!"
Just as he was talking, the turtle's cry suddenly sounded outside the door.
Dong Cunshan stood up immediately and opened the window.
Li Yan also walked to the window and looked out.
The backyard is very cleverly designed. A two-story embroidered building is built directly to the north. The corners of the eaves are raised, and several gold-painted gauze lanterns are hung, making the balcony look like soaked in rouge. The railings are carved with entangled peonies and are painted in bright colors, showing that they are often carefully taken care of.
Surrounded by Wing Room in the southeast and west, if you open the doors and windows, you can just see the embroidered building.
But at the railing of the building, two maids opened the curtain and slowly walked out dressed in red.
The girl was wearing a bright red gauze dress embroidered with gold, with a slightly open neckline, revealing snow-colored skin. There was a silver bell on her waist, which sounded softly in the night wind.
Just seeing this figure made many people swallow their saliva.
As she lifted up the veil that was half-covering her face with her slender fingers, a bright and indescribable face was suddenly revealed.
Her eyebrows are like the distant mountains, her eyes are like the condensed light of autumn water, and her lips are like vermilion, and she is flattering without smiling.
What's special is that there is a shallow scar on his left eyebrow, which not only does not damage his color, but also adds a bit of heroism.
The fusion of various unique temperaments has a unique charm.
The young men in Wing Room all looked straight.
Li Yan, on the other hand, was also staring at Xiulou.
What he was looking at was not the girl, but the woman behind him who was bowing her head in service.
He is also an acquaintance whom he has not seen for many years.
Within Li Family Fortress, Widow Wang of Attendant Chuma Xian...