This Is a Master (Part 2)

Shen Tang stared expressionlessly at the young man.

Following the usual pattern, people who look like they're about to kick the bucket usually last longer than the robust ones, after all, evil spirits live a thousand years. Crap, I forgot this guy can read minds... Big brother, you can hear this too?

The young man coughed a few times: "...Young master is quite humorous."

Shen Tang: "..."

The shopkeeper, in mute mode: "..."

He first stole a glance at Shen Tang's profound, wild, but clearly feminine profile. He confirmed his judgment of her gender and secretly grumbled about the young man's eyesight—

Why could he even mistake men and women?

The young man's brow twitched slightly, and he didn't offer an explanation.

The Male Courtesan followed, emerging from behind the screen. His eyelids drooped slightly as he glanced at Shen Tang and the shopkeeper, then gave a look to the attendant serving him. The attendant, understanding immediately, handed a heavy coin purse filled with silver to the shopkeeper.

"Please count it."

Having been in business for so many years, the shopkeeper had handled countless sums of money. He could tell by the weight alone how much was missing. The amount in the purse was correct. He then opened the purse and counted, his face beaming as he said, "No problem, no problem at all."

The Male Courtesan said, "Since that's the case, we are even."

According to the procedure, the next step should be "seeing the guest out."

The shopkeeper, being perceptive, took the coin purse and prepared to lead Shen Tang away. However, whether by chance or design, a third, unfamiliar cough came from behind the screen, followed by a muffled groan of pain, swallowed with clenched teeth, and the sound of something heavy rolling off the bed.

Shen Tang, who was about to get up, stopped.

Ah, this—

Was that voice just now clearly male?

And it sounded like he wasn't in good health?

She habitually assumed that those who frequented the brothel were the active party, but judging by the commotion, the person suffering from poor health and lying on the couch was the actual customer? This reminded her of a common saying: a toad on a frog, ugly but wild.

She could faintly smell a hint of blood and the peculiar bitterness of herbs. She couldn't help but cast an admiring glance at the seemingly unfathomable Male Courtesan.

Hearing the commotion, the Male Courtesan's expression was no longer indifferent. He practically strode around the screen, and Shen Tang only caught a glimpse of a corner of his robe.

Faintly, she also heard the Male Courtesan say, "Yun Chi..."

Shen Tang: "..."

Yun Chi?

Which Yun, which Chi, what's his surname?

I feel like I've heard this name somewhere...

Just as Shen Tang thought this, she suddenly remembered something, her expression stiffening and contorting. Her eyes shifted slowly upward, finally meeting the gaze of the young man staring at her.

Just by the meaningful glint in the young man's eyes, she knew she had been eavesdropped on again. Can't the GM do anything about these cheaters?

Shen Tang took half a step back, her right hand behind her back. If the young man made any ill-intentioned move, she would immediately summon the Kind Mother Sword and teach this filial son how to behave. At their distance, she was confident she could kill him with one strike. After all, not every Literary Heart schemer was as despicable as Qi Yuanliang.

The young man asked with a half-smile, "Young master, why are you so tense?"

Shen Tang replied, "Do you not know why?"

Under the shopkeeper's bewildered gaze, the young man asked Shen Tang without any reservation, "Young master, do you know young master Yun Chi?"

Shen Tang countered, "His surname is Gong?"

The young man nodded, "Yes."

Shen Tang: "..."

It's Gong Cheng, Gong Yun Chi!

Why is he at the Moonlit Pavilion???

For a moment, Shen Tang didn't know where to begin her complaints—the Gong Clan was exiled. According to the official decree, the men were sent to the frontier to serve as laborers, and the women were sent to Xiaocheng's brothel. She recalled this detail again, certain she hadn't misremembered.

Shen Tang's gaze fell towards the screen, her eyes seeming to pierce through it, trying to see the shadowy figure clearly. "How did he end up here?"

"The road of exile is arduous; ordinary people can hardly endure it, let alone someone whose Dantian has been crippled. He had lost more than half his life and was on the verge of death. I brought him here." The young man said this with openness and sincerity.

"Young master still hasn't answered how you know Gong Yun Chi." Without waiting for Shen Tang's reply, he added in a joking tone, "If young master refuses to answer, for the safety of myself and those involved, you likely won't be able to leave intact."

He was practically saying he'd kill her to silence her.

Shen Tang muttered inwardly: Tch, who doesn't know about the Gong Clan's exile? Just because I know the name means I have to know him?

She said aloud, "I also heard about the Gong Clan's misfortune and learned that Gong Yun Chi, whom I met once before, was also among those being exiled. Hearing a familiar name suddenly, I naturally wanted to confirm."

The young man smiled and narrowed his eyes, asking again, "Is that so?"

Shen Tang replied, "Not a word of falsehood."

The young man frowned and thought for a moment, unsure if he believed her.

After all, Shen Tang knew the young man could peek into her mind. If her thoughts were still active in this situation, who knew if she wasn't intentionally misleading him?

Just as the atmosphere became tense, a hoarse young voice came from inside the room: "Mr. Gu, is someone here?"

The young man smiled, his hands tucked into his sleeves.

"I've met you before," he said lazily.

After a while, with the rustling of clothes, the male courtesan helped out a young man whose upper body was wrapped in white bandages. Though called a youth, he looked about seventeen or eighteen, two years younger than the male courtesan. Perhaps due to the hardships on his journey, his features had lost their youthful softness, replaced by a lingering, profound melancholy and weakness.

Shen Tang: "..."

This was going to kill her!

She didn't dare to have any inner thoughts right now.

The cheater who could peek into others' minds was still watching her menacingly from the side, and she didn't want to be silenced.

Gong Cheng also got a clear look at Shen Tang's face and was slightly taken aback.

Seeing his reaction, the young man realized Gong Cheng had seen Shen Tang before. Did this young master really not lie?

"Yun Chi, is that an acquaintance of yours?"

The male courtesan broke the silence.

Gong Cheng shook his head. "Not an acquaintance, but I think I've seen her."

The male courtesan grew wary, his sharp gaze fixed on Shen Tang. His eyes held a murderous intent that shouldn't belong to someone of his profession. An ordinary person might have been terrified by just a glance.

He sought confirmation from Gong Cheng again. "Could this person harm you?"

Gong Cheng thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Probably not."

The male courtesan's curiosity was piqued. "This person is..."

Gong Cheng smiled wryly and shook his head. He reached out and patted the male courtesan's hand, signaling him to stop supporting him. The male courtesan let go, and Gong Cheng, leaning on himself, managed to stand. He bowed to Shen Tang and said, "I am Gong Yun Chi, and I offer my apologies to my wife's brother."

This statement shocked everyone in the room.

The young man: "..."

The male courtesan: "..."

Shen Tang herself was the most stunned.

She almost lost control of her emotions and managed to ask in a stiff, less-than-sarcastic tone, "Apologies for what?"

Gong Cheng, the Gong Clan disciple who was exiled.

Earlier, Tian Shouyi had mentioned that Gong Cheng was arrested and exiled on the day of his wedding to a Shen Clan daughter. Gong Cheng had seen the bride, but because Tang Mei had the Literary Heart, everyone assumed she was the Shen Clan daughter's elder or younger brother.

Hence the title "wife's brother."

The young man's surname was Gu. He was currently chaotic neutral, masked by a chaotic evil exterior.

The male courtesan was a disguise.

The young man had saved Gong Cheng for his own purposes and was hiding in the brothel where the male courtesan worked to recover from his injuries.

The two were not currently involved with the protagonist's faction.