Secret Meeting

It has to be said that for someone with the status of the Crown Prince of the Prime Minister's Mansion's residence, making money is incredibly easy.

In just a few days, a research fund of eight million taels of silver had been raised for the Fourth Sister. If the girl used the money sparingly, she should have no financial problems for at least the next two years.

When I stepped out of the pawnshop called Chang'an, it was already getting dark outside.

However, as the headquarters of the Tian'an Chamber of Commerce is located here, the streets outside are still bustling with traffic, and the colorful Inscription Lamp, like the neon lights of a metropolis in a previous life, vividly display the desires of the night.

"Third Young Master, this old man has no reason to escort you back to the Prime Minister's Mansion today."

Inside the carriage, Wang Yuqian cautiously asked, "Are you coming back to the manor with me tonight?"

Sitting by the carriage window, Xu Yuan felt the cold wind blowing, his dark eyes reflecting the prosperity of Di'an.

As far as the eye can see, there are casinos, brothels, and taverns, where all sorts of people indulge in revelry.

Upon hearing the question, Xu Yuan didn't turn around, continuing to look at the scenery along the street, and casually replied:

"I don't have anywhere I want to go tonight."

Upon hearing this, Wang Yuqian visibly tensed up and quickly whispered:

"Given His Highness the Crown Prince Prince's questioning today, if my wife dares to offend you again, I, your humble servant, will surely punish her severely."

Upon hearing this, Xu Yuan glanced at the other person, a thoughtful look in his eyes.

This wasn't his first visit to the old man Wang Yuqian's house; after all, his official identity now was that of the old man's illegitimate son, and he had been there two or three times in the past few months.

However, the other party's house was quite messy.

The first wife, the second wife, the third wife, and a whole host of concubines were all putting on a palace drama in that deep mansion every day.

I remember the first time I went to this old man's house, Wang Yuqian hosted a welcome banquet for him. Everything went smoothly until the tea ceremony after the meal. Suddenly, the somewhat sarcastic and charming eldest son-in-law told Xu Yuan to kneel down and serve tea to all the elders.

This is a very normal process for illegitimate children to recognize their ancestors and return to their family, but it almost scared Wang Yuqian, who was sitting in the main seat, so much that he fainted.

However, because he couldn't reveal his identity in the slightest, Wang Yuqian could only make some excuses at the banquet to let the matter drop, and then privately kowtowed and apologized to his spendthrift wife.

Xu Yuan didn't take it to heart, because he knew that this was the norm for illegitimate children in this era.

However, Yuqian seemed to be very worried that he would keep this in mind.

after all,

His temper was notorious throughout Di'an City.

Thinking about this, Xu Yuan suddenly felt that he should spend the night outside.

While experiencing the power struggles within a family may be a novel experience, it is ultimately a private family matter, and it's not right for an outsider to use his position to create chaos within the household.

As Xu Yuan hesitated, the carriage, engraved with the purple-gold pattern representing a high-ranking official of the third rank, slowly drove past a Qinglou building that was elegantly decorated yet grand.

Xu Yuan subconsciously looked up and glanced at the plaque above, then his eyes suddenly narrowed.

The plaque is engraved with three large, flowing characters: Elegant Jade Palace.

And at the entrance to the hall beneath this plaque, he saw yet another familiar face.

"Parking."

Xu Yuan made a decision immediately after his hesitation. A smile played on his lips as he gazed at the retreating figure.

"Tonight, I suddenly feel like spending the night at this Elegant Jade Palace."

Qinglou is neither a brothel nor a pleasure quarter.

Although these three are easily confused by the public, they are quite different.

The brothels were brothels with explicit sexual content, while the pleasure quarters were mixed, and the brothels were entirely vegetarian, with the women there being respectable women who sold their art but not their bodies.

And the target customer groups are also different.

The Great Yan world is different from the ancient world of Xu Yuan's previous life. Although it is still a completely patriarchal society among mortals, due to the existence of cultivators, women's status in the upper echelons is not low.

Places like Qinglou (清楼) arose in response to this need.

After all, if a group of young disciples from a sect wanted to go out for entertainment, the male disciples couldn't very well take their senior and junior sisters to brothels, could they?

The moment you step into the hall, as the ornately decorated hall comes into view, a faint jasmine fragrance wafts into your nostrils, sweet but not cloying, with a slightly refreshing effect.

Xu Yuan's gaze swept around the hall, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

Most of the guests walking within the Elegant Jade Palace possessed cultivation, and many of them had quite high levels of cultivation.

Although Elegant Jade Palace is not the largest brothel in Di'an City Di'an City, it is the most expensive.

The reason for this is that the most famous courtesans in the Great Yan Dynasty all came from the Elegant Jade Palace.

These famous courtesans were truly artists who sold their art, not their bodies. They were highly skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, painting, and dance, and were adept at social interaction.

Many prominent figures from various sects, as well as wealthy merchants, have spent lavish sums to seek even a glimpse of her, some even venerating her as a goddess.

This is probably a human flaw: what we can't have is always the best.

He remembered a memorable, intimate encounter he had with a famous courtesan, during which they caused trouble in the Elegant Jade Palace and he was severely beaten up by that old man Hua Hong.

Now that things have come to this, Xu Yuan understands why Hua Hong was so angry back then.

These famous courtesans were highly valuable, and were not merely a cash cow for the Tian'an Chamber of Commerce of Commerce.

Each of them was carefully selected. Regardless of their appearance or cultivation Root Bone, they were all exceptional. They had been brainwashed from a young age and had become loyal bodyguards of the Prime Minister's Mansion's mansion.

Some of them were even more powerful than the most outstanding talents from those sects.

In the not-too-distant future, they may be assigned as wives to important figures as concubines for surveillance purposes, or they may directly become high-ranking retainers within the Prime Minister's Mansion.

With these thoughts in mind, Xu Yuan finally used his Spirit Sight to find the person he was looking for in the main hall.

Yes, it's that bastard Li Yunqing again.

Li Yunqing was sitting languidly on a soft couch behind a screen in a corner of the Elegant Jade Palace hall, resting with his eyes closed.

It seems he's waiting for someone.

Upon seeing this, a hint of surprise flashed in Xu Yuan's narrow, phoenix-shaped eyes.

That area was a designated waiting area for guests at the Elegant Jade Palace, but given Li Yunqing's status as the Third Prince, there was no way he would wait in line.

Was he here specifically to wait for someone?

This is a minor detail.

This young man could have easily gone into a private room to enjoy the services of a famous courtesan while waiting for his guests, but instead he chose to wait quietly in the main hall.

There are two possibilities.

The person who arrived was of very high status, so high that even Li Yunqing could not be the first to take his seat.

The second possibility is that Li Yunqing needs something from the visitor.

Thinking of this, Xu Yuan's eyes revealed a thoughtful expression as he slowly walked towards where the other party was.

"Brother Wang?"

When Xu Yuan was ten steps away from Li Yunqing, he opened his eyes, looking at this person personally recruited by his elder brother with slight surprise, and said with a smile, "You're here tonight too?"

Xu Yuan smiled slightly and said softly:

"I came to the Tian'an Chamber of Commerce today to purchase some items, and then stopped by to rest for a bit afterward."

Li Yunqing sat up slightly, a forced smile on his face:

"That's quite a coincidence. I happen to be meeting a guest who has come from afar tonight."

Upon hearing this, Xu Yuan immediately understood that Li Yunqing was telling him to get lost and not disturb his important business that night.

So, is he going to leave?

Of course not.

Having finally caught the other party, he was planning to try and extort some money from them.

Smiling, Xu Yuan plopped down opposite Li Yunqing and asked softly:

"That night, during my conversation with His Crown Prince, he mentioned that Your Highness seemed to be planning a diplomatic mission to the Dongying Island?"

When Li Yunqing saw the other person sit down, he raised an eyebrow and a hint of confusion flashed in his eyes.

He should have made his point quite clearly, and this person doesn't seem to be a fool.

After a moment of silence, Li Yunqing clicked his tongue inwardly and slowly sat up straight:

"It seems that my royal brother truly values my brother, the king, for he has even discussed such matters with you."

As he spoke,

Li Yunqing slowly stood up, turned around, and was about to leave:

"I have other matters to attend to tonight, so I will not disturb Your Young Master Wang's enjoyment any longer."

"Smack."

His wrist was grabbed by the illegitimate son of the Vice Minister of Ministry of War.

"." Li Yunqing.

The familiar touch of his palm flooded his mind, Li Yunqing's eye twitched involuntarily for a moment before he stiffly turned his gaze back.

Then,

He met a pair of smiling eyes.

Oh shit.

Grass.

That hanged man really didn't die!

There weren't many guests at the Elegant Jade Palace, and being mindful of their status, few people made a lot of noise; it was mostly just quiet hushed conversations.

At that moment, the subtle sounds within the antique and elegant hall suddenly and quickly fell silent.

With a slight raise of his eyebrows, Xu Yuan immediately realized that this must be the person Li Yunqing was waiting for.

Xu Yuan and Li Yunqing turned around almost simultaneously to look at the gatehouse, which was carved from vermilion willow wood.

Li Yunqing cursed inwardly while a look of utter annoyance flashed in his eyes.

A strange look flashed in Xu Yuan's eyes.

The newcomer seemed somewhat out of place among the other guests, both in appearance and attire.

Her long, flowing golden hair cascaded down to her waist, and her high, straight nose and long, dense golden eyelashes above her azure eyes made her look like an elf who had stepped out of a painting.

She was not wearing the silk brocade robes of the Great Yan, but rather an exquisite and elaborate waist-cinching skirt with a curvaceous silhouette, revealing her collarbone and large expanses of fair skin on her arms. A Western rapier was tucked into her waistband.

Behind the elfin blonde woman followed a giant human-shaped tin can.

Each step produced a dull metallic scraping sound.

"."

Upon seeing this scene, Xu Yuan recalled the internal reference materials he had read in the study.

He had always known that the group of sea Eastern Isles who had come to Japan had sent an envoy to the capital, but he did not know that the envoy was a woman, and he never expected that Li Yunqing, that scoundrel, would meet with her in such a high-profile manner.

At this point in his thoughts, Xu Yuan suddenly realized something.

It seems that Li Yunqing is truly about to embark on a journey to Dongying Island on behalf of the Great Yan Dynasty to intervene in the invasion war launched by visitors from the sea.