Drunken Flower Room - Chapter 79

Xie Lin was confused. But he had one good habit, when he didn’t understand something, he asked. 

“What is Sanlou?” 

“You’ll find out when we get there.” 

Zhou Gu retraced the exact route Su Rong had taken that night. He led Xie Lin to the back wall of Zuilou and, without hesitation, climbed up with practiced ease. Perched atop the wall, he waved Xie Lin up. “Come on.” 

Xie Lin: “…” 

He hesitated. “Why are we sneaking in?” 

“Just climb up. What, do you think I’m going to sell you?” Zhou Gu urged impatiently. 

Left with no choice, Xie Lin followed him over the wall. 

Zhou Gu landed lightly on the other side and led him forward, taking the same path Su Rong had taken before. They weaved through courtyards and corridors, finally stopping outside a window. Zhou Gu knocked three times, mimicking Su Rong’s gesture exactly. 

A voice inside let out a puzzled “Hmm?” before the window creaked open. 

Jade Madam peered out, noticing that the knocks were different from Su Rong’s usual ones, lighter and hesitant. As she looked outside, she was surprised to see two young men, both strikingly handsome. Her gaze landed on the more refined of the two, and after a closer look, she immediately recognized him. 

Wasn’t this Su Rong’s fiancé? 

She quickly greeted him with a smile. “Ah, Young Master Zhou! What a surprise.” 

Zhou Gu coughed lightly, feigning nonchalance. “I brought a friend. Can he receive the same treatment as last time?” 

Jade Madam blinked. 

Zhou Gu showed no sign of embarrassment. “He’s new to Jiangning, so I thought I’d bring him to experience something special. But if it’s inconvenient, we’ll leave.” 

Jade Madam chuckled. “It’s no trouble at all. Young Master Zhou is always welcome, whether alone or with company. You hold the same status as her, of course, you’ll receive the same treatment.” 

Zhou Gu’s expression remained calm, but his thoughts churned. 

So it was exactly as he suspected, Su Rong was deeply tied to Sanlou. That night, he had been too overwhelmed to think about her connection to this place. But after reflecting on it in the following days, he realized that Su Rong’s relationship with Sanlou was far from ordinary. 

Still, he gave nothing away. He simply nodded. “Then I’ll trouble you with the arrangements.” 

Jade Madam nodded. “Of course. Young Master Zhou still remembers the way, yes? You may take your friend to the same private room while I make arrangements.” 

“I remember.” 

With his sharp memory, Zhou Gu led Xie Lin straight to Warm Melody Pavilion. 

As soon as they entered, Xie Lin was stunned by the sheer luxury of the place. The opulent décor, the spacious layout, everything exuded refinement. He took in the magnificent surroundings before turning to Zhou Gu, still puzzled. “Hey, where are we? Is this a restaurant?” 

Zhou Gu sat lazily by the window, just as he had the last time. “It’s The Twelve Golden Blossoms.” 

“The Twelve Golden Blossoms?” Xie Lin was new to Jiangning and failed to grasp its significance. 

Zhou Gu smirked. “The wine here is one of a kind.” 

Xie Lin’s eyes lit up in understanding. “Ah, so we came to drink! You should’ve just said that instead of making it such a mystery.” He took a seat across from Zhou Gu, finally feeling at ease. 

Before long, servants arrived with exquisite dishes and fine wine. 

Xie Lin was an avid drinker, though his alcohol tolerance was average at best. As soon as the wine was uncorked, the rich aroma filled the room. He took a deep breath and praised, “This smells amazing.” 

Just as he was about to compliment Zhou Gu on bringing him to such a great place for wine, the doors suddenly opened, and a procession of women entered the room. 

A dozen beauties, dressed in sheer silks and moving gracefully, made their way inside. Their figures were soft and alluring, their gazes teasing yet gentle. 

Xie Lin’s eyes widened. “This—” 

As a noble from Prince Rui’an’s household, he had been raised with strict discipline, just like Zhou Gu. He had never set foot in a place like this. 

Zhou Gu finally turned to him with a sly smile. “You were wondering what this place is, right? Well, let me tell you—it’s a brothel.” 

Xie Lin: “…” 

He never expected that, in broad daylight, Zhou Gu would bring him to a brothel. 

He stared at Zhou Gu in shock, as if seeing him for the first time, and stammered, “Y-you… what did you just say?” 

Zhou Gu leaned in and whispered, “You heard me right. This is a brothel.” 

Then he added, “The exact kind you’re thinking of. The kind your family, my family, both of our families, strictly forbid us from entering.” 

Xie Lin: “…” 

He was doomed. 

Zhou Gu knew they weren’t allowed here, yet he still brought him? 

He shot up from his seat, pointing an accusing finger at Zhou Gu. “You’ve gone bad!” 

Zhou Gu raised an eyebrow. He hadn’t expected Xie Lin to be this upright. He pulled him back into his seat. “Weren’t you the one who used to envy those who had no family restrictions, who could drink and listen to music freely in pleasure houses? Now that I’ve brought you, why do you look like this?” 

Xie Lin glared at him. “I envied the freedom, not, not this place!” He still couldn’t believe it. “Aren’t you afraid your grandfather will break your legs if he finds out?” 

“As long as you don’t tell and I don’t tell, he won’t find out,” Zhou Gu said confidently. 

After staying in Jiangning for some time, he had noticed that, though it was a small place, it was tightly governed. If someone didn’t want news to spread, it wouldn’t. The Lord, Su Xu, ran Jiangning like an impenetrable fortress. If even the provincial governor, Chen Sheng, couldn’t do more than make petty trouble for him, then Zhou Gu wasn’t worried about his own affairs getting out. 

Xie Lin was still tense. “Even if no one finds out, this isn’t right. The moment you cross the line once, it’s easier to do it again. If we can’t stop ourselves, our reputations will be ruined.” 

Zhou Gu was surprised. “Didn’t think you cared so much about your reputation.” 

Xie Lin snapped, “Why wouldn’t I?” 

The Rui’an Royal Household was a noble but non-imperial lineage, granted hereditary titles for their ancestors’ military achievements. Because of this, they had to be especially cautious, one mistake could cost them their titles, or worse, their entire lineage. Even the direct imperial relatives lived cautiously, an outside noble family like his had to be even more careful. For three generations, the Rui’an household had upheld their reputation. His grandfather had always drilled these principles into him. 

The last time he and Zhou Gu had fought over Qin Luan, not only had he lost the fight, but his grandfather had punished him even more severely afterward. 

Zhou Gu chuckled, as if he could read Xie Lin’s thoughts. He patted him on the shoulder. “Relax. This place is safe. We came in through a special entrance. No one will know we were here. Just tell your guards to keep their mouths shut when we leave.” 

Xie Lin recalled how they had sneaked in, scaling walls and slipping through a back entrance. He had never done anything so improper in his life. 

He frowned. “Even so… it’s the middle of the day. Calling in so many girls, this isn’t right, is it?” 

Zhou Gu hadn’t expected Xie Lin to be this different from his usual self. If he were a lustful man, his eyes should already be glued to the beautiful women before them. But instead, he was sitting there, arguing about morality. 

Zhou Gu reevaluated him. Compared to how he had behaved that night with Su Rong, this wasn’t so bad. At least Su Rong had taught him to stay composed, he hadn’t embarrassed himself too much. 

Clearing his throat, Zhou Gu said casually, “It’s just music and wine. These ladies are the twelve top performers of Zuilou, they rarely appear. Consider yourself lucky to hear them play. And this wine, once you leave this place, you won’t find it anywhere else.” 

He poured two cups, sliding one to Xie Lin and keeping one for himself. “Xie Lin, if we hadn’t fought and become friends, I wouldn’t have brought you here. Anyone else wouldn’t get this chance.” 

Xie Lin eyed him suspiciously. “Just music and wine? You’re not secretly planning to trick me, are you?” 

He had good reason to be wary. Zhou Gu was the type to pull tricks. They weren’t even that close, before their fight, they couldn’t stand each other. 

“Of course not. Don’t flatter yourself,” Zhou Gu said in a hushed voice. “These women sell their talent, not their bodies.” 

Xie Lin studied his expression. He didn’t seem to be lying. “Fine.” But he still wasn’t fully convinced. “Are you sure no one will find out?” 

“Absolutely.” 

“…What about your fiancée?” 

Zhou Gu hesitated. He had only been able to come here in the first place because of his fiancée. But he couldn’t say that. Su Rong was unlike most women, she did things that no ordinary lady would dare. If word got out, it could ruin her reputation. 

After a brief pause, he coughed and said, “This is Jiangning. Sanlou is famous. When my fiancée was introducing me to the city, she mentioned it. She said that during the day, it’s a great place to drink and listen to music.”