Chapter 766 – Feng Zhen’s Romantic Fortune (Part Two)
“Well, it feels strange to blame them; after all, customers are customers. When they step inside, it’s business. Who would push business away?”
Under the guidance of the flower lady, the two ascended to the elegant room on the second floor of the backyard.
As they walked, the decor was exquisitely elegant, every inch of the scenery seemed meticulously polished.
The audience remarked that this place felt quite upscale. If it weren’t explicitly stated that this establishment catered to both men and women, with beautiful women parading in scanty clothing on the screen, the viewers might mistakenly believe it was some high official’s residence.
【In Love with the Night】: “Honestly, I don’t quite get it. Why would you recruit talent in such an unseemly place?”
In their world, societal norms were relatively conservative, and sex education was veiled, making many extremely curious about places like the Qin Lou and Chu Guan. No matter what, when it involved unspeakable and inappropriate content, there always seemed to be knowing glances exchanged. But Jiang Pengji’s behavior was far too outrageous; had she visited such places less over the years?
Having seen it frequently, their initial curiosity and longing for the dusty realms of old had diminished.
【Mushroom Not Driving】: “For men in ancient times, brothels might not be considered unseemly places, right? You could discuss business here, order food if you were hungry, and if you were bored, call in musicians or singers to entertain, all while fulfilling both dining and entertainment functions. If talks went too late, you could even use it as an inn and invite a charming lady for a night of pleasure.”
Though brothels were seen as places of solicitation, they offered comprehensive services.
Wine houses, tea houses, restaurants, inns, and entertainment all rolled into one—truly multipurpose venues.
However, Jiang Pengji had a pressing question.
“You’re here to traffic people, yet you come to a place like this to discuss serious matters?”
Feng Zhen brushed off Jiang Pengji’s sharp words and chuckled, “You could say they’re like-minded friends.”
Jiang Pengji understood.
Even without Feng Zhen’s flamboyant ways, that person must be quite the libertine; otherwise, how could they resonate so well?
Feng Zhen booked a private room, and when they arrived, there were already people inside.
As the door opened, several maidservants in light-colored dresses emerged, their trays empty.
With a slight bow, they stepped aside to let Jiang Pengji and the others enter first.
“What a surprise, Feng Zhen! Have you changed your ways to arrive so late?”
A robust male voice echoed from within, lively and energetic, far more vigorous than Feng Zhen’s feeble demeanor.
“I brought someone along and got delayed a bit on the way; I hope Chongming can forgive us.”
Before stepping inside, Feng Zhen had already greeted with a smile and a bow.
Jiang Pengji deliberately held back a few steps, waiting for Feng Zhen to engage in conversation before she finally entered the elegant room.
A person’s appearance can be artificially concealed, their aura can be repressed, but their temperament is hard to hide.
The man in deep brown clothing glanced at Jiang Pengji and, after a moment of pause, bowed, “Commoner pays respects to Zhong Langjiang.”
Beside Feng Zhen was a young woman with an imposing presence; besides the popular Liu Xi, there was hardly anyone else in mind.
Jiang Pengji took a moment to assess the situation.
This man, whom Feng Zhen referred to as “Chongming,” appeared to be about thirty, sporting a neatly trimmed goatee that lent him a youthful look, but his eyes exuded a calmness uncharacteristic of his age. From any angle, he seemed far more composed than Feng Zhen.
Jiang Pengji casually remarked, “No need for such formality; I merely hope you don’t mind my uninvited presence.”
“Not at all! It’s truly a surprise for a noble like Liu Xi to visit; I’m overjoyed!”
Since Jiang Pengji wasn’t familiar with the man, she refrained from intruding on their dialogue, intentionally suppressing her presence.
Meanwhile, the man discreetly exchanged glances with Feng Zhen, questioning the situation.
Weren’t they supposed to be having a private conversation? How on earth did Feng Zhen’s current lord end up here?
Feng Zhen forced a smile while gesturing to the shriveled money pouch hanging from his waist.
The man understood instantly.
While he got it, there was still an undeniable awkwardness.
To draw a clumsy analogy, it’s like a man and woman on a blind date, with a dozen friends sticking their noses in; who could feel comfortable?
Jiang Pengji recognized the awkwardness and looked for an excuse to walk around, granting them some private space.
“Your lord has an aura not typical of an ordinary person; it’s no wonder Zixiao holds her in such high regard,” the man commented.
Feng Zhen was taken aback, “Zixiao wrote to you?”
“He did! In his letter, he praised her endlessly; it felt like he was bragging about a son of his. After knowing him for so many years, I’ve never seen him promote someone so fervently! However, I was just about to try my luck with the Xu brothers, so I declined his invitation.”
The man’s surname was Shao, with the single character 光 as his given name, and he bore the courtesy name Chongming.
Feng Zhen replied, “Oh,” not particularly surprised by Shao Guang’s choice.
Shao Guang hailed from Zhejian, the heartland of the Xu family. Of course, he would favor local powers; the name Xu is a golden sign, drawing countless admirers without effort.
“You seem to be having a rough time over at Xu,” he commented with a resigned smile.
“If things were going well, I wouldn’t be here. The Xu brothers aren’t bad, but they place too much emphasis on background, making it a poor fit for me. As the saying goes, ‘Those on different paths don’t seek to collaborate’… So, as soon as I heard from you, I thought I’d come to try my luck…”
Shao Guang was eager to work for the Xu brothers but faced their snobbery regarding background. He was chosen by sheer luck, but due to his humble lineage, he was seldom trusted, much like a beautifully crafted trinket—pretty but useless, left as mere decoration.
His secret dealings with Feng Zhen were purely coincidental.
A true man aspires broadly; Shao Guang had a carefree nature—if one opportunity didn’t work out, he’d jump to another. He wouldn’t hang himself on a single old locust tree.
To put it narcissistically, if the Xu brothers miss out on a gem, that’s their loss.
Thanks to Wei Ci’s praises, Shao Guang had developed a favorable impression of Jiang Pengji and occasionally paid attention to Liu Xi through hearsay. Now, with Feng Zhen promoting her, he was hesitant about biting into this piece of bait.
As for Jiang Pengji’s identity as a woman, it didn’t hold much weight for him.
As a man from humble beginnings, no matter how skilled he was, he had little leverage in selecting a lord. Moreover, with two friends recommending her, joining the Wanzhou group didn’t have to leave him isolated.
As long as he could make his mark and showcase his ambitions, he wasn’t concerned if his lord was male or female, human or otherwise.
Such thoughts were daring, but it was clear Shao Guang was a diligent and practical doer.
In plain translation—leave that lively job to me!
“How do you feel about your lord? Are you satisfied?” Feng Zhen teased.
Shao Guang looked awkward, “A woman who frequents brothels… that’s quite… hard to put into words…”
Though Wei Ci and Feng Zhen’s recommendations were tempting, he thought that someone who could hang around Feng Zhen wouldn’t exactly be a paragon of virtue!
Thinking of the times he’d suffered under Feng Zhen and Wei Ci, he felt an urge to bolt.
Feng Zhen chimed in, “What’s wrong with a lord who’s a woman? Why shouldn’t she visit a brothel? If she doesn’t come, who’s going to settle the bill later?”
Back in the day, when Jiang Pengji had recruited him, she had promised him a free ride in entertainment!
Shao Guang: “…”
