The pleasure boat's third floor, Phoenix-Watching Pavilion.
This elegant private room had originally been reserved for the courtesan queen to take her rest.
A beaded curtain divided the inner and outer rooms, which were exquisitely furnished.
A rosewood screen stood outside, with a low couch in the inner room.
A portrait of a beauty hung on the wall.
The woman in the painting wore red, her eyes and brows brimming with allure. She was none other than the courtesan queen.
Yet now, a man stood before her portrait.
Young Master Yu stood with his hands behind his back, quietly studying the woman in the painting, his thoughts unreadable.
Just then, the door opened, and a tall guard entered, his body rippling with bronze-colored muscles.
"Young master, Miss Yu Yao said she was tired. I took the liberty of having someone escort her back to the inn."
"I also secured the items you wanted at auction."
As he spoke, he brought over a brocade box and placed it on the tea table.
Inside lay a two-pronged Golden Phoenix Hairpin and the ancient scripture of the Feathered Ascension Art.
Hearing his subordinate's report, Young Master Yu gave a faint smile.
"That girl Yu Yao is simply too delicate. She still needs some proper tempering."
With that, he sat in the seat of honor, gave the auctioned items a single glance, and looked at them no more.
"Put them away for now."
He poured himself a cup of tea and took a small sip.
Only then did he ask the man:
"Enough about her. Fengnian, what of the information I asked you to gather? Any trace of my little sister?"
This guard's surname was Xu. The Nangong Family had bought him from a human trafficker for his innate strength, and he had trained