"Don't be nervous. Today, brother will show you the world."
Chu Xingchen walked with steady steps, a smile on his face as he spoke to Xu Jin beside him.
Xu Jin wouldn't respond, letting Chu Xingchen take verbal advantage of him.
What world hadn't he seen?
This kind of listening to zither in a brothel—what world could there be to see?
It was nothing more than women with tragic backgrounds pouring out their suffering.
This brothel knew how to respect wealthy guests.
They didn't actually make Shang Hua perform everything.
Instead, after one song ended, she hurriedly left the stage.
The weight of a thousand taels of gold was quite heavy.
The mature woman walking ahead to lead them had an extremely alluring figure.
Yet she didn't turn her head to say a single extra word.
Unfortunately, neither of the two behind her cast their gaze upon her.
Chu Xingchen's gaze swept across.
System attribute tags scanned everyone around who was visible.
However, after seeing two oddities in the crowd, he found it somewhat spoiling to his appetite.
Xu Jin's gaze was also wandering.
Sensing the approximate position of the wish power.
Also checking whether there was anything unusual about this place.
After entering Banruo City, he hadn't seen a single Buddha statue.
This place seemed to exist independently of Buddhist power.
"Two young masters, we have arrived."
The woman stopped before an elegant room.
A fawning yet submissive smile appeared on her face:
"Shang Hua is inside the elegant room."
Chu Xingchen withdrew his gaze.
After nodding lightly, he instinctively knocked on the door first.
After a moment's hesitation from within, a gentle voice answered:
"Please come in."
Having received the answer, Chu Xingchen pushed open the door and entered.
Xu Jin followed, walking into the room together.
Shang Hua stood beside a small round table.
Her face still wore a veil.
But in the next moment, those peach blossom eyes revealed a shocked expression.
She saw two men walking in together, one after another.
What was this situation?
Chu Xingchen saw Shang Hua's slightly shocked expression.
He instantly understood the general situation.
This invitation probably wasn't Shang Hua's idea at all.
But rather this brothel wanting to use Shang Hua to hook him, this big-spending fat sheep, a bit longer.
But thinking carefully, that made sense.
The zither music hadn't even stopped when that madam came to deliver the message about Shang Hua who was still performing on stage.
Chu Xingchen's expression was calm.
He sat down naturally and familiarly at the chair beside the round table, pulling Xu Jin along with him.
"First, let's have some tea."
Shang Hua came back to her senses and instinctively began preparing to brew tea.
At the same time, her mind began thinking about how to deal with these two.
People with money and power weren't people she could afford to offend.
Nor was she meant to deal with them.
Chu Xingchen's gaze swept around the room.
Then he looked at Xu Jin with raised eyebrows—any problems with this room?
Xu Jin shook his head slightly, indicating there was nothing unusual here.
Chu Xingchen nodded lightly.
Then he looked at Shang Hua who was starting to brew tea and began his interrogation:
"Miss, your musical style doesn't seem like the West Niuhe Continent style. Was your teacher from another continent?"
Shang Hua's tone was slightly low: "Yes... but she wouldn't say exactly where."
A smile appeared on Chu Xingchen's face: "I won't hide it from you, miss. My brother and I are not from West Niuhe Continent."
"I can tell. Both young masters have elegant temperaments."
Shang Hua gently tended the small fire.
She wasn't a cultivator and couldn't control fire.
To brew hot tea, she naturally had to burn fire.
Tea was generally brewed using small twigs burned slowly.
The wood used was extremely particular—it had a fruity aroma when burned.
And possessed a certain quaint charm.
Naturally, brewing tea this way required ventilation.
However, the elegant room was quite spacious.
The window on the left side was open, and looking out, one could see an artificial rockery.
Chu Xingchen asked with a curious expression:
"My brother and I came from Ten Thousand Buddha City. The Ten Thousand Buddha Temple there is truly superb."
"Then we heard about Banruo City. We thought the name meant it would be a Buddha city."
"But after entering the city, we didn't see a single Buddha statue. Instead, it felt extraordinarily secular."
Shang Hua raised her gaze to look at Chu Xingchen.
After thinking for a moment, she answered:
"I heard it used to be a Buddha city in earlier times, but I didn't see it myself."
"Perhaps even Buddhas need a piece of land to eat."
Chu Xingchen heard this with some surprise, smiling as he said: "That makes sense."
Shang Hua nodded gently, then suddenly said:
"Thank you, young master, for helping me."
Though two people had entered together, and Shang Hua didn't know initially who it was.
However, when Chu Xingchen spoke and she heard a familiar voice, she understood.
"This matter has nothing to do with you." Chu Xingchen said indifferently.
"I simply couldn't stand it myself."
Shang Hua heard this and was startled, but quickly responded:
"Regardless, thank you, young master."
"No need. Rather, I should say I've disturbed you." Chu Xingchen looked at the water about to boil.
"I know inviting me wasn't your intention. But many things in this world are beyond our control. We are all unfortunate people who have no choice."
Shang Hua picked up some tea leaves and placed them in the teapot:
"Life is like tea—one hopes for bitterness before sweetness."
But that after-sweetness was likely just the fantasy of those who came before.
Shang Hua didn't think someone who could casually throw down a thousand taels and had powerful connections behind him.
Could talk about being an unfortunate person with no choice.
If he counted as unfortunate, her life might as well end right now.
But this person was actually quite good-looking.
And somewhat intelligent, able to see the subtle and know the obvious.
He didn't start off making self-righteous remarks either.
First impressions were always better.
Chu Xingchen heard this with a gratified expression, as if meeting a kindred spirit.
He reached toward his waist, and after a moment, took out another thousand-tael gold note and placed it on the table.
"What miss said is exactly what I was thinking."
"I heard miss is a pure courtesan. This silver might not be enough to redeem your freedom, but it's sufficient to keep you undisturbed for a while, to think about the future."
Chu Xingchen continued sincerely: "My relationship with you is merely that of gentlemen. So please don't refuse."
"You can say I required this. If anyone asks, I will answer for it."
Shang Hua gazed at the thousand-tael gold note.
In her heart, she actually felt some aversion to the gold before her.
But she also instinctively craved it.
Money had bound her life, and bound her dreams.
Yet only money could bring her liberation.
"Thank you, young master."
Shang Hua's voice was barely audible.
Perhaps she also felt ashamed of her own actions.
She fell silent for a moment, then quickly distributed the brewed tea to both of them.
Xu Jin's expression was calm.
He didn't drink the tea before him either.
As if he were an uncomprehending, unfeeling deaf person.
Unable to hear the conversation between the two.
Whatever Chu Xingchen said didn't matter, as long as things got done.
Chu Xingchen slowly stood up: "I won't drink this tea."
"I'll wait until next time when miss truly wants to brew it."
"Today, miss has been troubled. I won't disturb you further."
Shang Hua watched as Chu Xingchen, without even drinking the tea.
After just saying a few words, threw down the gold note and turned to leave.
She instinctively wanted to keep him for a moment.
But Chu Xingchen patted Xu Jin on the shoulder.
Then turned and left without any hesitation.
For a moment, she couldn't bring herself to say anything.
She only watched as the door was opened and then closed.
The room was once again empty, with only her remaining.
Chu Xingchen stepped outside.
The woman who had been leading them was still standing at the door.
Seeing Chu Xingchen emerge so quickly, her expression couldn't hide her surprise.
She immediately began to speak.
But Chu Xingchen held a hundred-tael silver note in front of her mouth.
"I want lodging. Two elegant rooms, close to Miss Shang Hua's."
"Don't ask what you shouldn't ask. Don't say what you shouldn't say."
Chu Xingchen raised his eyebrows slightly, a frivolous smile appearing at the corner of his mouth:
"Make young master happy, and you won't be shortchanged on benefits."
"Naturally, if you handle things well, you won't be shortchanged either."
"Spread the word. I don't like people with blind eyes making me unhappy."
The woman raised her eyebrows slightly.
She reached out to take the silver note and nodded without speaking.
Chu Xingchen seemed even more satisfied.
He took out another hundred-tael silver note and placed it in the woman's hand:
"Lead the way for young master. The best elegant rooms."
The woman gently took the second hundred-tael silver note as well.
Without another word, she continued leading the way for both of them.
The moment the woman turned around, the frivolous smile on Chu Xingchen's face faded.
He looked at Xu Jin and raised his eyebrows—how was young master's technique?
Xu Jin said nothing.
He looked at Chu Xingchen, who was spending his money freely and raising his eyebrows at him.
But... indeed not bad.
At least now they had an excuse for doing anything out of line.
And it wouldn't arouse anyone's suspicion.
After all, they already had extremely legitimate excuses and purposes.
And not only that.
Xu Jin watched as the woman's walking posture became even more swaying.
He naturally wasn't interested in these women.
As a core disciple of the Eighteen Celestial Sects, he had long abandoned such low-level tastes.
People with greed were easier to manipulate.
To become pieces he could control, to become his eyes and ears, to learn secrets that were hard to know.
The woman with the swaying posture before him was one.
Shang Hua, who had just brewed tea for him, was another.
Now that they had alerted the enemy, doing things this way was slow.
But it couldn't be helped—they had to do it this way.
Handling things securely was superior.
At least Chu Xingchen's efficiency and objectives were extremely good.
Just one day to complete the preliminary preparations.
[
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