L'hibiscus comme peinture

Chapitre 75

"Um, Ao Jun, are you free tonight? I'd love to chat with you more. How about we get together tonight?" A glint of ulterior motive flashed quickly in Dongfang Junhao's eyes, but his tone was incredibly sincere.

"Hmm, okay!" Ao Jun lowered her head and thought for a moment before finally deciding to accept his invitation, since she also wanted to see the ancient night view.

"Alright, see you at Yanyu Tower tonight." Dongfang Junhao said excitedly while carefully observing Ao Jun's expression.

Ao Jun frowned slightly, as if thinking for a moment, and then said, "Alright! I'll be going then." He turned around, walked out of the restaurant, and headed back towards the Prince's Mansion.

Dongfang Junhao certainly noticed Ao Jun's slightly changed expression, which further confirmed his suspicions. Otherwise, why would he frown upon hearing about Yanyu Tower? That's a man's paradise!

However, although he was right, he was wrong. Ao Jun had no idea what Yan Yu Lou was. The reason she frowned was because she couldn't believe that Yan Yu Lou actually existed.

On her way back to the palace, Ao Jun was feeling down. There really was a place called Yan Yu Lou in the Longxuan Dynasty! Jun Hao had invited her there, which meant it must be a restaurant or something! But why were Ying'er and the others reacting so strongly to Yan Yu Lou? She remembered the night after the decisive battle between the two armies. She was punished by being forced to sing, and in the end, she had no choice but to sing He Jiong's "See Through." As soon as she finished singing, Ying'er started crying, saying she'd actually gone to a place like Yan Yu Lou. Then Jin Xuan and Zi Qi Quan accused her of being promiscuous, leaving her completely bewildered. All she had was the words "Yan Yu Lou" in the lyrics, and she'd almost become the target of everyone's criticism. Yan Yu Lou, huh?! Fine, tonight I, Ling Ao Jun, will definitely see what kind of 'dragon's den and tiger's lair' it is.

While thinking about Yanyu Tower, Ao Jun didn't notice someone in front of her and bumped into them, almost falling over. Fortunately, the person she bumped into caught her in time, preventing her from having a close encounter with the ground. Once she was on her feet, she looked up to see who she had bumped into.

Upon seeing the person in front of her, Ao Jun said in a somewhat ingratiating tone, "Jin Xuan, it's you?" Jin Xuan's expression was rather terrifying, as if he was very angry!

"Then you should be asking me where you went?" Jin Xuan's voice, which contained hidden anger but seemed to finally let out a sigh of relief, rang out coldly.

He was eager to see her as soon as he returned home, but he couldn't find her anywhere. He asked Uncle Zhu and learned that she had left the manor. He was a little worried, but then Uncle Zhu said that she was wearing a bamboo hat, and considering her high level of martial arts, he figured she should be alright, so he relaxed. However, he waited for a long time, and it was almost noon, but she still hadn't returned. He wondered if something had happened to her. The more he thought about it, the more alarmed he became. Finally, he couldn't wait any longer and went out to look for her, but he couldn't find her anywhere. He was both anxious and angry. Why did she run around like that? At that moment, he seemed to have forgotten that Ao Jun was the 'Number One Strategist in the World,' not a weak woman who couldn't even kill a chicken.

"No, I was just wandering around." Ao Jun said in a slightly guilty voice. She hadn't told Jin Xuan about knowing Jun Hao. There was no reason; she just didn't want to talk about it.

"Forget it, let's go back to the manor!" Jin Xuan could only sigh in the end and said softly. He just couldn't get angry at Ao Jun right now. He could tell that she was hiding something from him, but if she didn't want to say it, he would respect her decision and not ask.

“Hmm.” Ao Jun nodded and walked side by side with Jin Xuan toward the Prince’s Mansion. The two, each with their own thoughts, remained silent the whole way.

Finally, night fell. Ao Jun was dressed in a pure white robe and held a folding fan (not the one Dongfang Junhao had given her). She looked like an incomparably handsome and charming young man. Just as she was about to leave the mansion and head to Yanyu Tower, she suddenly remembered a very serious question: Where is Yanyu Tower?

Fortunately, Uncle Zhu came over at this moment. When Uncle Zhu walked in and saw that it was Ao Jun, he was first stunned, and then respectfully said, "Young Master Mo, where are you going?" Really, after looking at her for so long, I am still stunned by her beauty. However, Young Master Mo seems to be even more handsome tonight.

"Uncle Zhu, you've come at the right time! How do I get to Yanyu Tower?" Ao Jun, who was in a daze, immediately stepped forward and asked when she saw Uncle Zhu.

"What? Misty Rain Pavilion? Young Master, you're going...going to Misty Rain Pavilion?" Zhu Bo asked, his eyes wide with disbelief. The godlike Young Master Mo Jun was actually going to a place like Misty Rain Pavilion? What about the Prince? If the Prince knew, he would be heartbroken. Young Master Mo Jun, how could you hurt the Prince like this?

"Hmm." Ao Jun simply nodded slightly at Zhu Bo's overreaction, her doubts growing even stronger: What exactly is this Misty Rain Pavilion? Why is even a seasoned veteran like Zhu Bo reacting so strongly? This only increased Ao Jun's interest in the Misty Rain Pavilion; she was determined to go and see for herself tonight.

"Young Master, listen to Uncle Zhu's advice. It's best not to go to a place like the Misty Rain Pavilion." Uncle Zhu wanted to persuade Ao Jun to give up the idea of going to the Misty Rain Pavilion. The fact that Young Master Mo Jun asked this meant that she had never been to the Misty Rain Pavilion, so perhaps he would listen to his advice.

But he was wrong. The more he said that, the more determined Ao Jun became to go.

"If Uncle Zhu doesn't want to tell me, I can ask someone else," Ao Jun said coldly, turning to leave, demonstrating her strong determination to go. What kind of place are they talking about?

"Wait... sigh..." Seeing Ao Jun's determination, Zhu Bo had no choice but to tell Ao Jun where the Misty Rain Pavilion was.

However, as soon as Ao Jun left, Zhu Bo immediately turned around and reported the matter to his prince. "Young Master Mo Jun, I am truly sorry. I hope Your Highness will not be too angry."

Looking at the throng of scantily clad women before him, waving and giggling at passing men while handkerchiefs twirled, the men lewdly groping the women's hands and leading them inside—even an idiot like Ao Jun would know where he was.

She finally understood why Ying'er and Jinxuan reacted that way after she sang "See Through," and why Uncle Zhu's expression was so strange and his reaction so strong when he heard she was going to Yanyu Tower. So... Yanyu Tower was actually a brothel! This was so... so funny, haha... How could such a coincidence happen? She just casually listened to a modern song and it led to a brothel! Haha... What were ancient brothels like? She'd wanted to see for a long time. In the time-travel novels she wrote, the heroines usually had to visit brothels to be considered fashionable. Now that she'd joined the ranks of time travelers, how could she not follow the trend? She just still didn't quite understand why Junhao would invite her to a brothel.

When Ao Jun came out tonight, she didn't wear a bamboo hat, so as soon as she appeared, she immediately attracted everyone's attention. Everyone stared at her in a daze, and some men even stared at her with lewd expressions and drooled. Ao Jun, who was in a good mood, frowned slightly.

Finally, it was Yunniang, the seasoned veteran and madam of Yanyu Tower, who was used to seeing all sorts of things, who came to her senses first. She swayed over to Aojun, waved a fragrant handkerchief at his face, and said in a coquettish voice, "Oh my, what a handsome young master! Is this your first time here? Come in quickly. Our Yanyu Tower is the most famous brothel in the entire Longxuan Dynasty. All the girls here are stunningly beautiful and will definitely serve you very well..." As she spoke, she gave Aojun flirtatious winks.

But Ao Jun sneezed violently, utterly disrespectful. "Wow, that fragrance is too strong, I can't stand it!"

Taking advantage of Ao Jun's sudden sneeze, Yun Niang skillfully gave a wink, and immediately two beautiful and curvaceous women came up, each taking one of Ao Jun's arms and laughing as they escorted her into the Misty Rain Pavilion.

Upon entering the Misty Rain Pavilion, Ao Jun began to examine it closely. The pavilion appeared quite upscale, with light singing and dancing inside, creating a scene of peace and prosperity. Its architecture was also quite unique, with a stage made of jade in the center and pillars made of gold, displaying extreme luxury and extravagance, showcasing the prosperity of the capital and the strength of the country. Although, like other brothels, one could see men and women flirting and laughing indecently, it still possessed an elegance that set it apart from other brothels. It lacked the vulgarity of brothels seen on television. It seemed that the madam, Yunniang, was a shrewd and capable person.

As Ao Jun was carefully examining the decorations inside the brothel, Yun Niang clung to him again, her voice sweet and coquettish, "Young master, do you have any familiar girls to keep you company? If not, Yun Niang can introduce you to some, I guarantee you'll be satisfied." If she were twenty years younger, she would definitely cling to this incomparably handsome young man. In all her life, Yun Niang had never seen such a handsome young man. The most beautiful person she had ever seen was probably the fleeting beauty of Xiao Yu from back then! To be honest, many girls in the brothel missed her, and Yun Niang missed her too.

Just as Ao Jun was about to speak, the guard-like man who had blocked his way earlier appeared and respectfully said to her, "Young Master Ling, my master has been waiting for a long time. Please."

"Oh my, so you are a friend of Master Dongfang! I was so blind. Come, come, Master Dongfang is going to the second-floor wing. This way please." Upon hearing that he was a friend of Master Dongfang, the richest merchant in the world, Yunniang immediately became even more attentive and pulled Aojun upstairs.

Unable to bear the strong smell of cosmetics, Ao Jun was dragged by Yun Niang into a very elegant room, like a puppet.

"Ao Jun, you've arrived." As soon as Ao Jun entered the room, Dongfang Junhao's excited and eager voice rang out.

Ao Jun looked in the direction of the sound and saw Dongfang Junhao sitting on the couch, embracing a stunningly beautiful woman in his arms, his hand constantly stroking her back. Two other beautiful women leaned against him, giggling as they poured him wine. Seriously?! Although she was somewhat prepared to see this scene upon arriving here, did she really have to be presented with a live sex scene right away? And the person in question was none other than her newly acquainted friend, Dongfang Junhao. It was indeed a bit hard to accept, but for a modern woman from the 21st century like herself, this little case wouldn't scare her.

He casually lifted his robe and sat down on another couch, looking completely unfazed. He watched Dongfang Junhao flirting with the three women with a half-smile, his eyes clearly saying, "Please continue. Just pretend I'm not here."

"Ahem... What are you two standing there for? Go and serve Young Master Ling." Dongfang Junhao coughed lightly, addressing the two women leaning against him who had been stunned ever since Ao Jun entered. Seeing that Ao Jun showed no sign of discomfort in this situation, instead appearing as if she were a seasoned veteran, he wondered if he had guessed wrong. Was she not only a man, but also a playboy like him, a womanizer? No, no, he couldn't be wrong. He quickly devised a plan and gave the two beauties he had already instructed a wink, urging them on.

When Dongfang Junhao urged them, the two women who had been captivated by Ao Jun's beauty finally snapped out of their daze. They walked shyly to Ao Jun's side and leaned against her just as they had leaned against Dongfang Junhao. Ao Jun frowned slightly. Although she didn't mind watching others, she didn't like this kind of thing happening to her. Besides, she was a woman herself, and having two women lying on her so intimately made her feel uncomfortable.

Ao Jun's change in expression was completely observed by Dongfang Junhao, who then smiled confidently and said, "Ao Jun, don't you like Yu'er and Shuang'er? They are the most talented and beautiful women in Yanyu Tower besides the courtesan! No 'man' could dislike them." He deliberately emphasized the word 'man' as he spoke.

Upon receiving a glance from Dongfang Junhao, Yu'er immediately pouted and leaned closer to Aojun with a mournful expression, saying, "Young Master, don't you like Yu'er? Is Yu'er not pretty, or is Yu'er not serving you well?" As she spoke, her eyes were already brimming with tears.

"No." Ao Jun's face darkened slightly as she calmly pushed Yu'er away. Their action reminded her of Chi Yu's 'seduction' back then, and coincidentally, Yu'er was also named Yu'er. She was certain Dongfang Junhao had an ulterior motive. She had clearly seen him wink at Yu'er and Shuang'er beside him. What was he trying to do? And what he had just said… did he already suspect she was a woman? Heh… he seems quite perceptive! The thought of this possibility filled Ao Jun's eyes not with panic but with admiration. Anyway, she had never intentionally concealed her gender; it was just that they themselves couldn't distinguish between male and female. She was too lazy to explain, and besides, she liked wearing men's clothing—it was convenient. Finally, she had met someone with good eyesight! Heh…

"So, young master looks down on us women of the night," Shuang'er said quietly right after Ao Jun finished speaking, as if Ao Jun were a heartless person.

Ao Jun was frustrated. Why did so many people look at her as if she were a heartless person when she hadn't done anything?

Dongfang Junhao merely smiled knowingly, embracing the stunning woman in his arms and continuing to flirt. However, his mind was not on the courtesan at all. Shuang'er was about to use her "sorrowful army" strategy again, a tactic that no man could resist. Even he had felt pity and tenderness for her because of her words, and was deeply moved by her experiences and affection. Even now, although he knew it wasn't true, he still sought out Shuang'er every time he came. It was for this reason that he couldn't believe Ao Jun could remain unmoved.

Seeing that Ao Jun made no response, Shuang'er choked out, "Young Master, Shuang'er was once a daughter of a good family, alas... Fate has played a cruel trick on us. Shuang'er is so helpless and full of regret. If I had cherished that relationship back then, I would be living a happy life with the one I love now, a life that makes me envious of all. I... I'm so sorry to him!" As she spoke, two lines of tears flowed down her cheeks, and her expression was full of remorse. She was truly a pitiful sight!

Ao Jun didn't react to Shuang'er's words. He remained expressionless, picked up the tea on the table, and tasted it carefully. "Hmm, not bad, it's a fine Biluochun."

Ao Jun's indifference dealt a heavy blow to Shuang'er. Had something gone wrong? This method had always worked perfectly! No, Sister Xiao's teaching couldn't be wrong. It seemed she had to resort to her ultimate move…

Shuang'er gazed into the distance, her voice, a mixture of reminiscence and regret, slowly echoing in the exquisite room: "Once, a sincere love was placed before me, but I did not cherish it. Only when I lost it did I realize my mistake. Nothing in this world is more painful than this. If God could give me another chance, I would say three words to that man: 'I love you.' If I had to put a time limit on this love, I hope it would be 'ten thousand years.'" Upon hearing this, the other two women present also covered their faces and wept. Although they knew it was fake and had heard it countless times, they still couldn't help but be moved to tears each time they heard it. Dongfang Junhao also sighed every time he heard it.