"No, no, young master, you've misunderstood!" the man in the brocade robe said even more quietly. "To be honest, all the girls here have a thing for that. The first thing they do every morning is take a packet of that stuff. But you were in such a hurry that I had them put on makeup and come over. So... well... why don't you sit a little longer, young master? I'll have them go back and take their medicine first, and then they'll come back to serve you."
Xiao Nuo's expression had just softened slightly when he heard this, and he slammed his hand on the table again, saying, "How can I have so much free time to wait here! How about this, Xiao Chenchen?"
Feng Chenxi knew a good show was about to begin, so she quickly stepped forward and said, "Yes."
Xiao Nuo waved his hand, signaling her to lower her head, and began to hum in her ear. Feng Chenxi raised her face and exclaimed, "How can that be! Young Master, this thing is worth a fortune, how can we..."
"Oh dear!" Xiao Nuo waved her hand again and said loudly, "Consider this a favor to them. Do as I say!"
Feng Chenxi hesitated for a moment, then lowered her head and said, "Alright then."
The women were already astonished when they heard her say "a zhu is worth a thousand gold pieces." One zhu is only one twenty-fourth of a liang (a unit of weight in China), so what could be so precious?
So when Feng Chenxi opened the bundle and took out the green pill from the sapphire-blue jade inlaid censer and the painted Jun porcelain bottle, the hall had fallen silent. Everyone's eyes were wide open, eager to see what this priceless treasure looked like...
If attacked
I followed the same procedure as I had at the inn. As soon as the fragrance began to waft, the prostitutes' faces lit up with delight. They sniffed and whispered among themselves, "Oh, could this be...?"
Ordinary people take Cold-Taking Powder either with water or by swallowing it dry, and its effects usually take quite some time to develop. However, the spices I added to the stove stimulate the senses, and when taken with warm wine, the medicinal properties of the Cold-Taking Powder evaporate instantly, achieving the so-called bliss. Although it seems miraculous, it's really just a shortcut, not a long-term solution, but enough for a show or two. Moreover, I added an antidote. Initially, it seems to worsen the addiction, but after a while, it will cause nausea and vomiting, thus gradually weaning the person off the drug. In a way, I've done a good deed for the residents of Baili Town.
I dissolved the pills in the wine pot and, as Xiao Nuo instructed, poured them into cups one by one. At first, the prostitutes just watched, not knowing what it was, and dared not taste it. Later, one of the bolder ones picked up a cup, tremblingly drank it down, and her pupils immediately contracted and then dilated, as she shouted, "Ahhh! I'm going to fly! I'm going to fly—"
When she shouted that, the other prostitutes could no longer hold back. They all grabbed their wine glasses and began to act wildly, their faces flushed, their eyes bright, completely entering a state of excitement.
The man in the brocade robe watched from the side, swallowed hard, and said, "This is... could this also be a cold-relieving powder?"
I glared at him and raised my head, saying, "You girls are lucky today, catching my young master in a good mood. This kind of elixir, I'm not bragging, but apart from our Zhang family, there is no other family in the world that can make it."
Xiao Nuo lazily said, "Little Chenchen, you're being nosy again... Now that you've taken your medicine and are feeling better, those who want to sing should sing, and those who want to dance should dance. Let this young master see why the girls of Chunxiao Pavilion are so beautiful in Baili Town."
Unexpectedly, the prostitutes swarmed around Xiao Nuo, each looking anxious, and said in sweet voices, "Good young master, please tell us quickly, what kind of cold relief powder is this? Why is it so different from the usual one? It's so, so comfortable, ten or even a hundred times more refreshing than ordinary cold relief powder!"
Xiao Nuo just chuckled and didn't reply. Suddenly, the man in the brocade robe secretly tugged at my hand. I followed him behind the screen, where he took out a silver ingot and stuffed it into my hand: "Brother Chen... hehehehe..."
I feigned surprise and said, "Hey, brother, you must be mistaken. My young master came here to have some fun. We should be the ones giving you money, not the other way around?"
The man in the brocade robe laughed and said, "The money your young master gives is his; this is a private gift from me to you."
I kept saying I didn't deserve it, while secretly putting the money in my pocket. Sure enough, seeing that I had accepted the silver, the man in the brocade robe's eyes lit up even more, and he got straight to the point: "I just wanted to ask you something, young man, about that cold-weather powder..."
I glared at him and said, "A magic pill!"
"Yes, yes, yes, that elixir, is it only your young master who has it?"
"That's a secret recipe from the Zhang family of Jiangnan, don't you think?"
The man in the brocade robe lowered his voice even further: "Since the elixir has such an effect, and is a hundred times stronger than the Cold-Taking Powder, as the saying goes, sharing happiness is worse than enjoying it alone. Hasn't Young Master Zhang thought about using it to make money?"
I pretended to glance back and lowered my voice, saying, "To be honest, my young master came here for this very reason. You saw this elixir just now; it's more effective than the Cold-Taking Powder, but it's also more complicated to prepare, which is why it's so precious. Without good buyers and a large supply, the price won't come down, and sales probably won't be good. My young master heard that Baili Town is a prosperous commercial center, so he came here specifically to investigate whether it's possible to promote this new medicine."
To everyone's surprise, the man in the brocade robe frowned upon hearing this and sighed with great regret, "If your young master is willing to sell a few privately, it's not impossible. But if you want to operate on a large scale, I'm afraid..."
"What am I afraid of?" I held my breath nervously, feeling myself getting closer and closer to the inside story.
Suddenly, the man in the brocade robe seemed to remember something and stopped talking, saying, "Anyway, it's not easy to handle. What a pity, alas, what a pity..." He then walked back into the hall.
Some of the prostitutes were still surrounding Xiao Nuo, while others had already started playing the piano and dancing. To be honest, their piano and dance skills were indeed quite good, but that alone was not enough to make them stand out among so many brothels. It seemed that someone must be supporting them behind the scenes.
Xiao Nuo and I exchanged a glance, and I told him that we hadn't found anything yet. Xiao Nuo nodded at me, indicating that I wasn't in a hurry and we should take it slow. So the next few hours passed in a peaceful and joyful atmosphere.
As midnight approached, I helped Xiao Nuo stagger out of the hall. A servant was already waiting outside with a donkey. The man in the brocade robe escorted them to the door, saying solicitously, "Young master, are you really not staying here for the night? Our four most beautiful courtesans each have their own top secrets..."
Xiao Nuo let out a burp, reeking of alcohol, and mumbled, "Stay...stay the night...Little Chenchen, stay the night...Ah, wife, don't pinch my ear! I won't stay the night, I'll be right back..."
I smiled and explained to the man in the brocade robe, "Because my wife is very strict, my young master never stays overnight in brothels. It's become an inescapable habit. Tell the girls to get some rest, and we'll come back tomorrow."
As he spoke, he and several pimps helped Xiao Nuo onto the donkey's back. Seeing this, the man in the brocade robe couldn't help but say, "Well... can Young Master Zhang still ride a donkey like this? How about we take you back to the inn in our carriage?"
I replied, "Thank you for your kind offer, but my young master only likes riding donkeys. He's not used to riding other horses or carriages!"
Xiao Nuo lay sprawled on the donkey's back like a mountain, readily agreeing with me, "Yes, yes, that's right! Donkeys are good, they can make you an immortal... an immortal... Zhang Guolao is my ancestor..."
"Well then, farewell." I waved to the man in the brocade robe, and unsurprisingly, I saw a look of amusement and exasperation in his eyes. Even after I had walked quite a distance, I could still hear him muttering softly behind me, "Rich people have so many quirks..."
Leaving Chunxiao Pavilion, the alley was brightly lit and bustling with extravagant scenery. But once outside the alley, it became deserted and quiet, with every household's doors and windows tightly shut. Further along, the surroundings became eerily quiet, with only the sound of our footsteps and Xiao Nuo's occasional murmurs in his sleep on the donkey's back.
I led the donkey slowly, taking out a handkerchief as if to wipe his sweat, and whispered, "The other party is clearly interested, but hesitant. It seems that he is worried about Black Tiger's power."
"It's also possible they don't trust us yet, so they need to continue observing us." Xiao Nuo finished speaking and laughed loudly, then shouted, "Spring Night Pavilion! Fun... Tomorrow! We're going again..."
"Shh, young master, it's late, you'll disturb others if you keep doing this... Are you going tomorrow?"
"Of course, you should know that brothels and casinos are often the most powerful and well-informed places in the area. I don't believe that Brother Seven would ignore us."
I nodded, then took a deep breath and said in a hoarse voice, "Seven zhang away, there are two people following us, and two more are lying in ambush on the roof of the Golden Building ahead... No, there are also two behind the stone pillar to the left... There are nine people in total, and they exude murderous intent. It seems they are going to attack us."
"You've forgotten one person."
"Well?"
“That person was right behind us, following us all the way from Chunxiao Pavilion, but he didn’t seem to have any murderous aura and didn’t seem to be hostile towards us.” Xiao Nuo chuckled as she spoke, saying nonchalantly, “Sigh, I’m so drunk, I have no choice but to leave everything to you.”
I glared at him, and just then, the sound of something cutting through the air came rapidly!
My first reaction was to pull an umbrella from the bundle on the donkey's back, spin it open, but after hearing the sound of metal breaking and falling to the ground, the surroundings became dead silent again.
I put down my umbrella. The ground was littered with broken arrows. Xiao Nuo was lying on the donkey's back, snoring loudly, and secretly making a face at me. I was furious.
If I had been a fraction slower, he would have been riddled with arrows! I don't know whether to thank him for trusting my martial arts skills or to be angry at him for not valuing his own life.
I turned my head, looked around, and said loudly, "Come out! Which cowardly bastard dares to plot against our young master?"
A sinister voice rang out, "I never imagined a mere servant could possess such skill."
I gave a cold laugh and said proudly, "If my young master didn't have that kind of ability, would he dare to bring me out to roam the world alone?"
The voice was silent for a long time before finally saying, "I'd like to see just how capable you are." After a whistle, two people jumped out from the front, back, left, and right. Adding the person who had spoken from the shadows, I was right. These nine people were indeed from the same group. As for the other person Xiao Nuo mentioned, I couldn't sense him. He must be from another group. But who could it be?
Seeing the eight men's exceptional skills, the man was surprised, but doubts arose: it was not unusual for a local tyrant to have many henchmen, but it was really strange if each of them was so skilled in martial arts!
In the martial arts world, martial arts skills are everything. The better a person's martial arts skills are, the greater their ambition will be. How could they be content to be a subordinate of a medicine dealer? Could it be that... Black Tiger is not just a simple medicine dealer?
Just as I was secretly speculating, the eight men made their move in unison, their actions perfectly ordered, clearly the result of their usual coordinated teamwork. These were definitely not ordinary subordinates, but a highly trained assassination squad!
I swung my umbrella, deflecting the longswords of two of them. I lightly patted the donkey's back with my left hand, and leaped into the air. The umbrella snapped open, striking one of the guys who was slashing at Xiao Nuo with his knife. He let out a cry and flew straight away.
Although someone was injured in just one move, the opponent's formation remained intact, and the gaps were immediately filled, forming a gradually tightening ring.
I had a bad feeling in my heart. It was already difficult for me to deal with eight people by myself, not to mention that I also had to keep an eye on Xiao Nuo, who was pretending to be drunk on the back of the donkey. After twenty moves, I was starting to feel the strain. If this continued, I was afraid I wouldn't last more than fifty moves.
A sudden inspiration struck him, and he simply discarded his umbrella, flicked his right hand, and struck each of them. In the blink of an eye, all eight men fell to the ground.
No matter how high your martial arts skills are, your master's poison skills are unparalleled. Back then, apart from Xiao Zuo, who was immune to all poisons, no one could escape them, let alone you.
I lightly kicked the umbrella on the ground, and it jumped back into my hand. To prevent the last two people who were secretly watching from taking the opportunity to attack, I still dared not leave the donkey for even a moment. I could only use the tip of the umbrella to lift the mask on the face of one of the people on the ground. Under the black mask was an unfamiliar face, and I couldn't tell anything about it.
"Your men have all passed out, what other tricks do you have up your sleeve? Why don't you try them again and let's see!"
Silence reigned all around, broken only by the whistling wind. I frowned and rushed in the direction I had just been identifying, only to find the corner empty. Who was there? They're gone already?
Suddenly, a man in black appeared in the moonlight and said to me from afar, "Young lady, your skills are not weak, but you must be very careful when using poison. Do not be too ruthless." After saying that, he flashed and disappeared.
I was stunned and turned to look at Xiao Nuo, but he was smiling and looking at me, saying, "Ziyu Xiangman, you are indeed ruthless and vicious, living up to your reputation."
At this moment, I didn't have time to discuss with him how miraculous my master's poison was. I asked, "Who is that person? Could it be that someone is secretly helping us?"
"I don't know," Xiao Nuo shrugged. "In any case, this person's martial arts skills are so high that neither you nor I can beat him. It's a great thing that he doesn't have any ill intentions towards us."
Thinking about it, what he said made sense, and this person's whereabouts were mysterious, and it was impossible to find out his true intentions for the time being. There was no point in thinking too much, so I pointed to the eight people on the ground who had been poisoned and unconscious and said, "All eight of them are unconscious, what should we do?"
"Of course we'll take them back. These eight people are all skilled in martial arts. After losing eight such good pawns, shouldn't Black Tiger come forward and ask us for them?"
"You knew their master would definitely be Black Tiger?"
"Wouldn't it be even more to our liking if it were Seventh Brother?" Xiao Nuo blinked, then smiled mischievously, and said lazily, "Sigh, I'm so drunk, I have no choice but to leave everything to you..."
"Hey!" I went up to him and tugged at his sleeve, but he pretended to be asleep and ignored me. This guy! This guy!
Looking at the men in black lying haphazardly on the ground, how am I supposed to get eight living people back by myself? I can't revive them, I can't just leave them here, and I can't call for help, because if there are too many people, someone might take advantage of the chaos and kill them to silence them.
Finally, I had no choice but to leap up and tear down a large banner hanging above a restaurant. Then I used the banner to wrap the eight of us together and dragged us back to the Baili Inn like giant rice dumplings.
The lights were on at the entrance of the inn, and there was actually a waiter waiting at the door. As soon as he saw us, he came out in surprise and said, "Guests, you're back! Oh, and this is..." He stared at the "mountain of people" behind me, dumbfounded.
Xiao Nuo finally sobered up and straightened up unsteadily, saying, "Oh, these eight are my honored guests. Go find other people to help carry them to room number three in the 'Heaven' tier."
I immediately asked anxiously, "Why are you carrying my room?"
"Are you suggesting we carry you to my room?" Xiao Nuo retorted. I stared at him for a while before giving up. After all, I was nominally his servant now, so it seemed like the only option was to carry him to my room.
Room number three was on the second floor, right next to room number two. After the eight people were carried in, Xiao Nuo and I followed. We also gave each of the exhausted shop assistants ten taels of silver. They were already so tired carrying one person upstairs, so you can imagine how exhausted I was when I dragged eight people back.
Xiao Nuo, however, grinned slyly and said, "Finally, we've made a small gain. Now we just wait for Black Tiger to come and negotiate with us. Ah, it's getting late, I'm going back to my room to sleep. I'll leave things here to you, sister."
"Wait..." I only managed to utter the word "wait" before he had vanished. How outrageous! He actually treated me like a servant. I was quite touched when he called me to dinner at Chunxiao Pavilion, thinking he was so thoughtful and considerate. Who knew he would change his attitude so quickly?
I was displeased, so I slammed the door shut, grabbed a chair, and leaned against it. Just then, a familiar feeling washed over me again—someone was there!
Someone is spying on us from outside the window.
They actually returned! What will they do next? I immediately became worried and stopped sleeping, watching them until dawn.
As soon as it was light, Xiao Nuo arrived. After glancing at the situation inside the room, she asked, "Why haven't they woken up yet?"
“If I don’t give them the antidote, they won’t wake up for another three days.”
"What a powerful sleeping gas!" He rolled his eyes and suddenly shouted, "It's really boring staying here. Little Chenchen, go find those two waiters and bring them up to play dice with me."
Huh? What?
Then he lowered his voice and said, "I'll keep watch from now on. You go and rest. When Black Tiger arrives, we'll inevitably have another tough battle to fight."
My heart skipped a beat. I saw my own reflection in his dark eyes. So that's how it is... He deliberately left me here to watch over people yesterday so he could catch up on sleep during the day. And because someone was watching me from outside, he couldn't openly show concern for me to avoid arousing suspicion.
Sigh... I misunderstood him again...
With that thought in mind, I turned around and went downstairs to call the shop assistant, but for some reason, I felt my steps were a little unsteady, as if I were stepping on some unspeakable worries, and my breath was uneasy.
pressuring each other step by step