The moon hangs in the corridor, a crescent moon

Chapter 31

...It seems she also knows that this is their only protection.

Adi shook his head, unsure whether to call this woman brave or reckless. She clearly knew their side's strength, yet she still chose to fight a losing battle. He tightened his grip on Queyue's hand. This woman's recklessness was one thing, but he didn't want her to drag Queyue down with her. Queyue seemed to understand his thoughts, squeezing his hand back and giving him a reassuring smile.

She knew Xinyue well. This girl might be reckless, but she always valued her life and would never joke around with it.

"Alright, alright, the farewell is over, you should go now—" Xinyue and Liuzhi worked together to shoo him out, while Adi glanced at them with a smile, these two seemed to get along quite well.

After getting rid of the two troublesome guys, Adi pulled Queyue down and gently kissed her lips. "Don't do anything rash. Once I take over Qingzun Tower, I'll come and help you."

Those watching stared wide-eyed. Queyue was slightly taken aback, not expecting him to kiss her right under everyone's noses. She could only nod subconsciously. It wasn't until Adi turned and left that her face suddenly turned bright red.

Seeing that Queyue hadn't turned around for a while, Xinyue very understandingly dragged Liu Zhi and Leng Yu around, and the other two automatically followed, leaving Queyue alone to have some peace and quiet.

"Miss Crescent Moon," Blood Asura suddenly spoke as they entered the courtyard, slightly surprising Crescent Moon, as this was the first time she had heard him speak to her. "Are you truly intending to challenge Lord Jun?"

"Yes." Wasn't she clear enough?

Blood Asura's brows furrowed little by little. He knew better than anyone what kind of situation he was going to face in dealing with Jun Yuqing and Dark Pavilion—his mission was to protect Queyue from any harm—how was he supposed to do that?

Seeing his brows furrowing deeper and deeper, Xinyue chuckled inwardly—he really was an overly serious older brother. She was going to deal with Jun Yuqing, but she hadn't said she'd rely solely on them. The first thing to do now… was to meet the legendary second male lead!

Jun Xiaoling of Qingzun Tower has returned. Jun Yuqing, however, did not inquire about the whereabouts of this future lord who had been missing for several days. Everything proceeded as if he had never left, silently handing over control of Qingzun Tower.

A month later, preparations were underway for the change of ownership of Qingzunlou...

At this moment, an invitation was delivered to Qingzunlou.

"The Shuiyue Festival?" Jun Yuqing glanced at it casually. Shuiyue was a land of folk arts, especially renowned for its brothels and entertainment venues, so naturally, it had many competitions. The Shuiyue Festival was held every three years, and the Flower Crown Competition was particularly famous in Cangzhou. Even Feng Lianxiang, a famous courtesan in Cangzhou, rose to fame through this competition. Yi Moran even won the Flower Crown Competition twice, twelve and nine years ago, making the brothels extremely popular and seemingly the best in Shuiyue music.

Given its grand scale, it's not uncommon for the Water Festival to invite renowned sects and dignitaries from the martial arts world, as well as government officials. Jun Yuqing has attended before, but with Qingzun Tower changing hands in just half a month, would he really leave at that time?

Jun Yuqing casually tossed the invitations onto the table. These matters were always handled by the butler, who would return certain invitations directly and send them to him for review without ever making a mistake. This time, however, was quite unusual.

“Master,” the steward understood from his attitude, but still bowed slightly and said, “Please take a look at the people who sent the invitations this time.”

"Um?"

Jun Yuqing picked up the invitation again—there are only two kinds of people who send out invitations: one is the music hall and dance hall that are nominated to be responsible for arranging the music hall and dance hall to host the Mizukoshi Festival, and the other is the government that makes the arrangement if there is no one who can host the festival that year. This has always been the tradition of the Mizukoshi Festival.

He glanced at the signature, his gaze lingering for a moment before flashing with a cold light—"Qin Lou?"

"Yes, and this invitation was personally sent by Yi Moran, the owner of Qin Lou, so I think it should be shown to the owner."

Jun Yuqing then carefully read through the invitation, his pupils suddenly contracting as if he had seen something. He abruptly closed the invitation and coldly said, "Arrange a carriage!"

Less than half a month after Qingzun Tower changed hands, the current owner suddenly left Qingzun Tower and went to Shuiyue. This caused a small stir in the martial arts world.

No sooner had Jun Yuqing left Qingzun Tower than someone knocked on the door, claiming to be a friend of Jun Xiaoling, and asked to announce his arrival.

Adi asked with slight doubt, only to see Leng Yu walk into Qingzun Tower in a very natural manner. Jun Yuqing had already arranged for a secret chamber before leaving to prevent Jun Xiaoling from contacting anyone in private, but he did not expect that Leng Yu would appear in Qingzun Tower in such a normal way.

"Brother Leng, how could you..."

"Don't ask me, I don't understand either—it was that woman, Crescent Moon, who threw me out here to help you."

At this time, shouldn't it be the side of Queyue that needs help more?

"Don't think about it too much," Leng Yu interrupted his doubts. "Now that Jun Yuqing has left Qingzun Tower, do what you need to do quickly. I'll tell you as much as I can to help. We'll get everything sorted out before Jun Yuqing returns!"

Adi nodded. At this moment, Jun Yuqing's departure from Qingzun Tower undoubtedly made things much easier for him—however, Jun Yuqing should understand this as well. If that's the case, what method did they use to get him to leave Qingzun Tower?

The invitation is fine.

It was indeed written by Yi Moran, but unusually, the words "Respectfully Awaiting Your Arrival" were added below the signature. The handwriting differed from Yi Moran's steady and vigorous style; instead, it was light and unrestrained, instantly recognizable as the work of Xiao Wuqing. Everyone knew that Qingzun Tower Master Jun Yuqing was ruthless and composed, and would never be easily swayed by provocation—however, there was only one person in the world who could compel him to act, and who was unwilling to remain still. This person was Xiao Wuqing, more accurately described as Jun Yuqing's nemesis than Qingzun Tower's adversary.

He laughed at the ruthless provocation, and even knowing it was a provocation, he would still go.

Cangming Water Pavilion had been silent for a long time without any news. He knew that Queyue had found Xinyue, so it wasn't surprising that Xiao Wuqing had appeared. How could he not go and meet this drowning dog?

Upon entering Shuiyue, the air was filled with festive cheer. The Shuiyue Festival had begun two days prior, and passersby eagerly anticipated the Flower Crown Gathering. Jun Yuqing, however, was uninterested; to him, it was merely a pretext for Qin Lou to invite him. The carriage headed straight for Qin Lou, which was bustling with activity. As soon as he alighted, a servant boy led him inside, guiding him into the main hall along with the other guests.

Among the guests who came this time were many famous figures in the martial arts world, and many of them were acquaintances of Jun Yuqing, nodding and greeting each other.

Jun Yuqing looked at the harmonious and lively scene before him, remaining vigilant, yet he couldn't understand what they were up to. It was as if he had wandered into the wrong place; amidst the joyous atmosphere, he was the only one who felt out of place.

"Lord Jun." Yi Moran stepped out from the bustling crowd, exuding a calm and aloof air, completely untouched by the heavy atmosphere. "I've been waiting for you. This way, Lord Jun."

Despite having once clashed, the two acted as if nothing had happened, behaving like ordinary host and guest amidst the comings and goings of people. Jun Yuqing didn't ask, and Yi Moran didn't mention the last four words on the invitation. It seemed as if he had simply sent out one of many invitations, no different from the others. Thus, Jun Yuqing was just an ordinary guest at the flower fair.

On one side of the hall was a performance stage, with gauze curtains and beaded curtains separating the private rooms on both sides, and a passageway in the middle. After leading Jun Yuqing to his seat, he saw not only musicians and江湖人士 (jianghu figures, people from all walks of life), but also government officials. The Flower Crown Gathering was a grand local event, attracting visitors from all directions, and even the government could reap substantial benefits from it, so naturally they paid special attention to it.

Jun Yuqing vaguely understood their meaning: with government officials present, it was as if their hands and feet were tied, making it difficult for them to take any action.

"Master Jun, please have a seat. I need to attend to other guests."

He turned and left indifferently. Although Jun Yuqing didn't know what tricks they were playing, he calmed down and waited to see what would happen.

The zither music was melodious, and a light gauze curtain covered the stage, making the person playing the zither appear indistinctly behind it.

The chatter in the adjacent private room was incessant, and he quickly gleaned from their conversation that Qin Lou planned to promote several musicians at this year's flower fair, aiming for the top prize. Inviting these distinguished guests was a way to introduce them to the performers and secure their support. This practice was common at previous flower fairs; each establishment had its own backers and guarantors. Even though Qin Lou was indifferent to such matters and relied on merit, he couldn't avoid engaging in such social niceties.

All of this seemed perfectly normal, but what about after Qin Lou's Yi Moran helped Que Yue? What about after Xiao Wuqing's handwriting appeared on that invitation? Would he still think there was nothing wrong with it?

On the opposite stage, a slender figure appeared behind a gauze curtain. The sound of a zither, like flowing water, was unhurried and gentle, like pearls gently tinkling, flowing through the hall. People couldn't help but lower their voices to whisper, unwilling to disturb the beautiful music. Jun Yuqing frowned slightly, staring intently at the person behind the curtain, but couldn't see their face—the music sounded vaguely familiar. It was so much like… [his] brocade.

—Hmph, could it be that they are so bold as to think that with government officials present and in public, they wouldn't dare to make a move, and that Queyue would be exposed like this?

He scoffed coldly, "If that's really the case, then they're truly audacious."

If Jun Yuqing really wanted to kill someone, even in this public place, who could catch him red-handed? Anyway, the situation is gradually stabilizing now. If this woman is indeed Queyue, he will kill her and put an end to Jun Xiaoling's longing for him!

As the music ended, the guests in the hall were full of praise. The person behind the curtain gracefully rose, and with a delicate lift of the veil, emerged, giving a slight bow to the crowd. A slender beauty, her every movement exuded tenderness, yet her face was veiled so finely that it seemed almost transparent, making it impossible to see her features. Her eyes, which were visible, were slightly lowered, concealing their brilliance.

This tactic was cleverly employed, allowing the beautiful woman to pay her respects to the distinguished guests while remaining enigmatic and unfathomable, thus fueling endless speculation. Even Jun Yuqing couldn't be entirely certain—if this woman was seven parts likely to be Queyue, there was still a three parts chance she wasn't. The woman before him was indeed like the [Weaving Brocade] he had once known, delicate as water, graceful as smoke. But without seeing her true face, he couldn't be sure—a trap could be lurking here at any moment.

The woman stepped down, and soon someone else took over playing. Two or three more people followed, each with exceptional skill, and both men and women wore thin veils covering their faces. It seemed that the woman who had played earlier was not particularly special among the other two or three people, but Jun Yuqing only noticed her and paid no attention to the others.

"Master Jun," a young servant came over and brought out wine and dishes, "please have a meal, Master Jun."

"Where is the owner of the clothing store?"

"The owner is busy and has not been able to provide adequate service. Please forgive me, Master Jun." The young servant cleared away the food and drinks after setting it out. Jun Yuqing saw that the other private rooms had also been served food and drinks, and for a moment he felt as if he had fallen into an absurd scene—he, the owner of Qingzun Tower, at a crucial time when Qingzun Tower was about to change hands in half a month, had come to this place of pleasure, leisurely drinking and listening to music. He neither saw Xiao Wuqing nor Yi Moran again. The maids and servants of Qin Guan seemed to be Tai Chi masters who had rolled around in the world of romance and pleasure, as slippery as eels, impossible to grasp and impossible to blame. Time passed from day to evening, the lights came on, casting flickering shadows, but he gradually became impatient. Everyone around him was drinking and having a good time, it seemed that only he had come to the wrong place.

A glimpse caught his eye; he seemed to spot a figure carrying a wine jug weaving among the guests. In his hazy memory, it resembled the young man who had come with Yi Moran to rescue Queyue. Jun Yuqing rose, fixed his gaze on the figure, and chased after him—he should have followed as soon as the female entertainer left, thus avoiding all this wasted time.

The boy moved with incredible agility among the guests, but by the time he chased after him out of the hall, he had already vanished without a trace.

Chapter 54

A cool night breeze blew, and the courtyard ahead was unlit, seemingly a different world from the bustling buildings behind, making the scene even more enigmatic. He had no intention of returning to the hall to wait any longer, so he walked in the direction the boy had disappeared.

A figure flashed in the distance, then disappeared upon closer inspection. Just as Jun Yuqing was about to give chase, he suddenly heard someone ask, "Who goes there!?"

Then a handsome constable with fierce eyes walked over. He had no intention of provoking the government officials, so he put on his usual polite smile and said, "I am Jun Yuqing from Qingzunlou."

"So it's Master Jun, I've heard so much about you. I am Long Yan, the Chief Constable of Shuiyue." Chief Constable Long clasped his hands in greeting and asked, "Why is Master Jun not in the front hall, but has come to the back courtyard?"

Jun Yuqing smiled and uttered the words "lost"—a clichéd excuse. However, coming from the mouth of this jade-carved, yet cold and hard man under the moonlight, it left no room for doubt.

"If you don't mind, I'll take you back with me."

Jun Yuqing didn't need his meddling and was about to deal with it when he saw Constable Long's eyes suddenly light up, and he called out excitedly into the distance, "Zhijin—"

— Brocade weaving.

Jun Yuqing narrowed his eyes slightly and saw a slender figure walking out of the darkness, ethereal and captivating.

It was indeed the woman playing the zither seen on stage. Her face was still veiled, and she remained half-hidden in the darkness, not approaching any closer. Long Yan immediately went to greet her, saying with delight, "I heard you playing the zither this afternoon. You'll definitely win the championship! Don't worry, all my brothers will support you. If anyone dares to side with someone else, I'll definitely deal with them!"

The face beneath the veil seemed to offer only a noncommittal smile, offering no reply. She merely glanced indifferently at Jun Yuqing, ignoring him completely, as if he didn't exist. That single glance, however, was like water shrouded in mist, unmistakably a crescent moon.

With Constable Long present, Jun Yuqing could not make a move.

The woman seemed to understand this as well, her body riddled with flaws and completely unguarded, displaying an air of complete confidence.

This made Jun Yuqing slightly suspicious—Queyue was calm and reliable, could this really be Queyue? The thought flashed through his mind; Long Yan had clearly called her "Weaving Brocade," so who else could she be but Queyue? Only after Constable Long left could he find out. However, Constable Long kept chatting with the woman, almost forgetting that Jun Yuqing was still there.

“Weaving brocade,” he suddenly called to the woman.

Long Yan paused, turned around, and looked slightly puzzled. His earlier greeting had been completely unpolite, utterly natural, even bordering on deliberate intimacy. The woman, however, remained indifferent, offering only a slight nod, "It's been a long time."

"—It hasn't been that long, has it?"

“…Perhaps.” Clearly not wanting to dwell on the matter, her voice, carried by the night and the wind, sounded as if from a distant land, as unreal as the enigmatic night itself. “Since you’re here, relax and enjoy yourself. Qin Lou’s music and entertainment are unparalleled in Cangzhou; it would be a shame to leave without seeing the flower festival. I presume the owner has already arranged a room for you; please rest early.” The shadows of the trees swayed and rustled in the night breeze, the air filled with the scents of grass and wood.

After the woman finished speaking, she bowed gracefully and prepared to leave.

Just as Jun Yuqing was about to give chase, the young man in blue suddenly appeared before him, standing three steps away and respectfully saying, "Please come with me, Master Jun. Get some rest."

When he looked up again, the woman and Long Yan had vanished without a trace.

He used his lightness skill to bypass the boy, but the boy remained three steps ahead of him, impossible to get around. He wasn't a kind person, and since there was no one else around, he naturally wanted to remove the obstacle. However, he couldn't get close to the boy; whenever he approached, the boy would retreat like a shadow, still three steps away from him.

Jun Yuqing felt that the scene before him seemed somewhat unreal, and keenly realized that he seemed to have fallen into some kind of mysterious formation. The fresh scent of grass and trees at the tip of his nose made him hold his breath—mysterious formations are often used in conjunction with hallucinogenic drugs, and this scent of grass and trees was far too strong.

Seeing that he had seen through him, the young man was not in a hurry. He smiled and repeated, "Please come with me, Master Jun."

Jun Yuqing snorted coldly. It seemed they knew they were no match for him, hence these petty tricks. But since he had carelessly entered the formation today, a direct confrontation would be futile and he would gain nothing. So he followed the young man to see what they would do tomorrow.

The wind howled all night, keeping everyone awake. Jun Yuqing calmed himself and sat quietly all night, undisturbed.

When I opened the door early in the morning, I realized that my room was right next to the back of the front building, and the lobby was just a few steps away. I heard a lot of noise coming from the lobby, so I went there.

"Big - big -"

"Bet on small!"

"No regrets once it's in my grasp—open—"

The elegant hall where music was played yesterday was now in complete chaos. Jun Yuqing had left early last night and was unaware that many guests who had stayed all night had set up tables and started gambling. Among them were quite a few constables from the yamen who had also joined in the commotion. Many courtesans from brothels were also shouting and placing bets, while servants bustled about serving tea and wine, creating an unbearable din.

As Jun Yuqing stepped inside, his steps faltered slightly. He was startled to see a figure at the other end of the large table, dressed in flowing white robes, ethereal as mist. He sat casually with his legs crossed on a large, carved wooden chair, a delicate wine jug in one hand, a bewitching smile playing on his lips as he slowly sipped his wine, waiting for the next round of betting—

Such a pure lotus, so enchanting and infinitely beautiful, who else could it be but Laughing Heartless?

Since arriving yesterday, everything I've encountered and seen has become increasingly bizarre.

Jun Yuqing looked at Xiao Wuqing from afar through the crowd. He knew Jun Yuqing was there, but he didn't react at all, only occasionally glancing at him before continuing to wait with interest for people to place their bets. Even though Xiao Wuqing was right in front of him, there were too many onlookers, including many government officials and constables, forcing Jun Yuqing to simply watch from a distance, unable to do anything.

—I'm afraid they've already planned this out!

Xiao Wuqing gave him a smile from afar; that smile was breathtakingly beautiful, making the world pale in comparison.

Jun Yuqing sneered. When did Xiao Wuqing start hiding his true colors like this? His sarcastic smile didn't move Xiao Wuqing at all. He still smiled leisurely and charmingly, and even raised the wine pot at him in a good mood before focusing on being the "banker" again.

Whether it's Queyue, Liuzhi, or Xiao Wuqing, they all contentedly played their roles in the brothel.