The Escort Guild and the Cave of No Worries Took the Same Contract!

Was his luck really this good?

The chance to meet the courtesan queen had simply fallen right into his lap.

Even Yin Jiuyou and Qi Shanhe were stunned.

They had never expected Little Juzi to be chosen.

The next moment, their gazes changed.

Yin Jiuyou looked amused, while Qi Shanhe's eyes brimmed with envy.

"Ah, Little Juzi, you probably haven't been to a place like this before, have you? You ought to experience it. This is a pleasure exclusive to us men..."

Wincing at the expense as he spoke, Qi Shanhe pulled a pouch of silver from his waistband.

His meaning was clear: if Little Juzi wanted to spend a night of passion with the courtesan queen, he could. This money would be enough!

"Juzi, we'll wait outside!"

With that, Yin Jiuyou and Qi Shanhe immediately left the brothel.

Ning Que never even got a chance to speak.

Perhaps because this was his first visit to a haunt of romance and pleasure, Ning Que seemed overwhelmed by the honor and at a loss.

The men around him immediately swarmed over.

"Brother, if this puts you in a difficult position, I'm willing to buy the opportunity! Would one ingot of silver be enough?"

"Two! Two ingots! I'll offer two!"

"Five ingots of silver! I'll buy it outright!"

Almost every guest stared at Ning Que with feverish eyes.

It was as though, the moment he agreed, he would become someone's "godfather"...

Ning Que neither agreed nor refused.

He merely glanced sideways at the woman disguised as a man.

He noticed her instinctive resistance, tempered by a measure of indecision.

She wanted to go in, yet she didn't...

It reminded Ning Que of innocent young girls in his previous life secretly watching little adult films: they covered their eyes with their hands, yet spread their fingers wide, their eyes behind them wider than bronze bells.

For some inexplicable reason, Ning Que grew curious about this disguised woman's identity.

He decided to lead by example.

"Not for sale! It's not every day I get the chance to spend a night of passion with Miss Liu. How could I let it slip away? No amount of money will buy it!"

A meaningful smile rose at the corners of Ning Que's lips.

At those words, the guests who had still harbored hopes scattered in disappointment.

Standing on the raised platform, the courtesan queen Liu Ningzhi looked at the two of them, a radiant smile appearing on her lively, beautiful face.

With a light sweep of her embroidered sleeves, she turned and left first.

But the next moment, Ning Que's gaze changed as he watched Liu Ningzhi's retreating figure.

Just an instant earlier, Ning Que's heart had given a violent thump.

It felt as though something bad was about to happen. The premonition was powerful.

"The Heart of Masterful Strategy..."

Ning Que murmured to himself.

Before his imprisonment and impending execution, his body had already been riddled with damage.

Aside from the Indestructible Vajra Body, the beginner's gift pack from the system had also contained the Heart of Masterful Strategy.

The Heart of Masterful Strategy chiefly manifested in military tactics and the ability to foresee danger.

In plain terms, it was a sixth sense!

The coming meeting with the courtesan queen had made him sense danger.

Could there be more to this courtesan queen's identity...

Ning Que narrowed his eyes.

Qi Shanhe had said they only needed to spend three days safely in Qingzhou, but some people and some affairs might refuse to leave them in peace...

Just then, the madam approached with a smile. "Gentlemen, Miss Liu is ready and waiting. This way, please..."

"Very well!"

Ning Que did not refuse. He followed her upstairs.

"Lecher..."

Seeing this, the female scholar disguised as a man quietly cursed him. After some hesitation, she followed anyway.

Liu Ningzhi's boudoir was the innermost room upstairs.

Upon entering, they were greeted by a rich fragrance of rouge and powder mingled with alcohol.

What surprised Ning Que was the room's arrangement. Two screens stood on either side, and music as lilting as silk strings and bamboo flutes began to flow.

A graceful figure was playing the zither, but with the screens in place, it looked as though there were two Liu Ningzhis playing.

Ning Que sat down and closed his eyes, enjoying it at ease.

The smile on his lips deepened.

There really was something wrong with Liu Ningzhi. Even her zither music could influence the mind.

The female scholar, however, seemed unaffected, merely curious. Her bright, large eyes studied Liu Ningzhi's figure through the screen as she whispered, "Hey, tell me, do you men often visit these dens of filth?"

"You men?"

"..."

The female scholar had not realized that Ning Que had already seen through her disguise. Her face flushed crimson, and the corners of her eyes twitched before she corrected herself. "We men..."

"Isn't that obvious? Where else would men go if not here? Staring at that sallow-faced wife at home all day would drive anyone mad!"

Ning Que deliberately spoke with careless swagger.

Since he still did not know why Liu Ningzhi had selected the two of them, Ning Que could only make himself look more like a brothel patron.

Fortunately, that required little acting. A fondness for pleasure houses was every man's nature.

Zhuge Qing immediately rolled her eyes and was about to say something.

The zither music suddenly stopped.

Liu Ningzhi emerged gracefully from behind the screen.

Her seductive eyes were silken as she asked, "Gentlemen, how did you like my playing?"

Liu Ningzhi's voice was soft and melting, plucking at the heartstrings.

"Mm, lovely."

Ning Que nodded.

Liu Ningzhi smiled in satisfaction, then looked at the female scholar. "And you, sir?"

"Huh?"

The female scholar had not expected to be asked. She instinctively nodded as well. "Like hearing celestial music!"

"Heehee..."

At that, Liu Ningzhi gazed at the female scholar, her smile growing even more bewitching.

With a light flick of her sleeve, she shifted the screen on the female scholar's side slightly, positioning it precisely to block her view.

Liu Ningzhi turned back with a smile and looked at Ning Que. "Your face seems unfamiliar, sir. You don't visit the Flower Delight House often, do you?"

"What if I do? What if I don't?"

Hearing this, Liu Ningzhi's smile deepened. "Nothing of the sort. I merely hope you'll visit the Flower Delight House more often in the future, young master. The Flower Delight House is Qingzhou's largest official entertainment house. I ask for nothing else, only that you share some fragrant tea with me and let me play a tune for you. That would be enough to satisfy me..."

Her words sounded sincere, and paired with that foxlike, beguiling face, they would have been more than most men could withstand.

But who was Ning Que?

He had lived two lives and visited countless commercial karaoke clubs, large and small, across the cities of his previous world. Could her honeyed words really manipulate him?

What a joke!

"Miss Liu, I heard you only entered this line of entertainment recently. Is that right?"

Ning Que asked.

Liu Ningzhi paused, assuming Ning Que preferred newcomers, then nodded with a smile. "I came to the Flower Delight House only seven days ago. My family was poor, and both my parents died young. To survive, I could only come here and sell my artistic talents..."

Sell her artistic talents, indeed!

She had come to a brothel, yet claimed to be selling her art?

Was it really her "art" the guests came to see?

This Liu Ningzhi certainly knew how to work people!

Leaving everything else aside, she had become the leading courtesan in just seven days.

Beyond her own charms, her methods were crucial too.

"Sir, let me give you a massage and help you relax..."

Liu Ningzhi approached with a sway of her hips, stretched out both hands, and gently pressed the space between Ning Que's brows.

To give her credit, Liu Ningzhi really did know her technique.

The massage felt so comfortable that Ning Que closed his eyes and sank into a deep sleep.

"Sir, sleep, sleep..."

"Once you've slept, everything will be fine..."

Liu Ningzhi's voice was like a hypnotic, demonic melody, making Ning Que relax completely.

Meanwhile, outside the Flower Delight House.

Yin Jiuyou and Qi Shanhe were still waiting.

Night was gradually falling. Beneath its veil, Qingzhou City had lost the clamor of daytime and gained a touch of nocturnal allure instead.

A little farther beyond the Flower Delight House lay Qingzhou Lake. Beneath the night sky, its waters shimmered like a bright mirror, reflecting the moon above.

The autumn moon shone over the tranquil lake, water and sky blending into one.

"I wonder if Little Juzi's finished yet..."

Qi Shanhe muttered as he gazed at the distant scenery of Qingzhou Lake.

Yin Jiuyou said, "It's only been as long as it takes to drink a pot of tea. If Little Juzi's finished already, we should call a physician."

Qi Shanhe's weathered face reddened, and he chuckled awkwardly. "True enough..."

"Then again, maybe not! You can never tell! Little Juzi looks like he's never known a woman! And a man's first taste of meat is often over especially quickly..."

The subject should have ended there, but Qi Shanhe suddenly exclaimed again, making Yin Jiuyou's cheek twitch.

"Old Yin, have you ever known a woman?"

For some inexplicable reason, Qi Shanhe blurted out another question.

Yin Jiuyou drew a deep breath. "Shut up!!!"

"So you haven't! Old Yin, how old are you now, and you still haven't known a woman?"

"Hahahaha..."

Qi Shanhe laughed at him.

Veins bulged on Yin Jiuyou's forehead, and he was just about to strike Qi Shanhe.

"Hyah! Hyah!"

Another squad of mounted soldiers swaggered past them.

They held their torches high, their faces grave, as though something had happened.

Qi Shanhe asked, "Are they here to arrest us?"

At that, Yin Jiuyou's expression also grew solemn, and he covered his face more tightly.

"What are you afraid of? Little Mu disguised you already. They won't recognize you!"

"Besides, I'm more concerned about the Escort Guild opening its doors than the soldiers..."

Qi Shanhe pointed toward the Escort Guild. Its doors, which had remained tightly shut even during the day, were now open.

Since when had escort agencies started doing business at night?

Moreover, they could just make out figures emerging from the Escort Guild and weaving through the crowds under cover of moonlight.

Dark clouds concealed the bright moon, and thick fog began rising over Qingzhou Lake.

"This is bad. Thick fog on the lake... The riffraff from the Cave of No Worries must be about to make their move..."

Qi Shanhe's expression was serious.

The fog spread, and a deeply unusual air pervaded the area.

The soldiers, the Escort Guild, and the Cave of No Worries—three forces were moving at once.

As head of the Qingzhou branch, Qi Shanhe had never heard of such a thing!

It had never happened before!

Smack!

Suddenly, someone patted Qi Shanhe's shoulder.

"Who's there?"

Qi Shanhe was so tense that he nearly drew his saber.

"Calm down. It's me..."

A woman's cold voice sounded beside his ear.

The person had an ordinary man's face, yet spoke with a woman's resonant voice.

It was undoubtedly Mu Yuwei.

"Something's happened. Where's Little Juzi?"

Mu Yuwei looked graver than ever before.

Yin Jiuyou pointed upstairs at the Flower Delight House.

Mu Yuwei froze, not having expected Little Juzi to visit a brothel for pleasure.

But she said nothing about it and immediately explained, "I just found out that the Escort Guild and the Cave of No Worries both recently accepted the same contract!"

"Is it because of Little Juzi and me?"

Yin Jiuyou asked gravely.

They had raided the execution ground below the Li Royal Palace. The court would certainly investigate the matter to the bitter end.

Unexpectedly, Mu Yuwei shook her head. "No. The mission both the Escort Guild and the Cave of No Worries accepted was—to kill the daughter of Qingzhou's governor, Zhuge Qing!"