The Western Rong delegation once again set foot in the capital, a full twenty years after the last time.
At that time, the previous generation of the Western Rong King suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of the Xingyuan Army led by the Xingyuan Marquis. In order to redeem the royal preceptor and regent who were captured by the Great Zhou, he had to offer herds of horses, cattle and sheep.
That grand ceremony of entering the capital is still talked about by the people today and has become a glorious testimony to the power of the Great Zhou.
But as time goes by, everything in the world changes. The death of Xingyuan Hou Xue Yonghuai seems to have provided an opportunity for Xirong to develop his ambitions.
Although they have not dared to directly challenge the majesty of the Great Zhou in recent years, they have been secretly encroaching on the surrounding tribes and small countries, and their power is growing.
This time the Western Rong delegation came again, nominally to pay tribute, but its real intention was to demonstrate or to spy on the strength of the Great Zhou, which became difficult to discern.
At the turn of spring and summer, Liquan Mountain was an ideal place for boating and enjoying the natural scenery. However, as the Western Rong delegation happened to be stationed here, the people of the capital city avoided it and did not dare to set foot in this scenic place that was once full of laughter and joy.
Those noble ladies in the capital who were keen on boating and enjoying the scenery had no choice but to give up their interest in boating and were deterred from seeing the beautiful scenery of Liquan Mountain.
At the same time, the Jingzhao Yin and the Kyoto garrison also secretly strengthened the city defense patrols, making the atmosphere in the entire capital tense.
In this atmosphere, the red-light district of Chang'anfang also suffered a considerable impact, and business became noticeably quieter.
However, even at such a time, the Tianxiang Tower in Chang'an Fang was still brightly lit, as bright as day. Even though it was past midnight, there were still birds singing and dancing, and the door was still wide open.
"Stop dancing, stop dancing," Hua Mama from Tianxianglou frowned and shouted impatiently at the girls on the stage, "There's not even a single person here. Who are you wasting your energy dancing for?"
She looked up at the lanterns hanging high up and added, "Hurry up and put out the top lantern too, so I can save some money on lamp oil."
As she finished her words, the sound of stringed instruments came to an abrupt end, and the entire Tianxiang Tower fell into deeper silence, seeming even more deserted.
At this time, Hua Mama's eyes fell on her "cash cow" Xiangqin.
Xiangqin had long black hair that flowed like a waterfall, and was wearing a light gauze skirt. Her red inner garment was faintly visible under the skirt, revealing an indescribable charm.
"Oh my goodness, my little ancestor!" Hua's mother exclaimed, "Why haven't you combed your hair and dressed yet? The young master of Shou Kangbo's family will be here soon. How can you face people like this?"
Xiangqin was yawning. She had gone out to entertain guests last night and had been drinking until morning before returning.
She still had a headache from a night of hangover. In response to Hua's mother's urging, she could only shake her head helplessly and try to sober herself up.
"They won't come." Xiangqin said lightly, flicking the handkerchief in her hand.
"What? You're not coming? You silly girl, did you get into trouble again and offend someone?" Upon hearing this, Hua's mother immediately twisted Xiangqin's arm nervously, her tone full of displeasure and anxiety.
Xiangqin dodged in pain and retorted in dissatisfaction, "I didn't offend anyone. Jiang Ren and Jiang Yi brought some friends over for a drink last night. They smelled so strong, and they ate mutton and other fishy things. I just couldn't stand it, so I said I had a stomachache and asked for a carriage to take me back."
"Girl, why do you have so many problems? You're even picky about your customers?" Mother Hua put her hands on her hips, frowning, obviously quite dissatisfied with Xiangqin's behavior. Last time, she thought that the son of Xingyuan Hou would redeem her, but she didn't expect it to be in vain.
You should know that these two young masters of Shoukangbo's family are notorious for being dissolute, extravagant and infatuated with women.
Business is so slow right now, so we have to hold on to these two wealthy men and not let other brothels snatch them away.
Xiangqin seemed to see Hua's mother's worry and chuckled, "Don't worry, Chunhong is staying there. She makes people very happy."
Hearing this, Hua's mother blinked and asked in confusion, "Don't you and Chunhong usually argue with each other? Why did you give the business to her this time?"
Xiangqin twisted her slender waist, intending to go back to her room to catch up on some sleep. She casually said, "I feel sorry for her, so I'll just let her go for once."
"You little girl, you're tough on the outside but soft on the inside." Mother Hua looked at Xiangqin's back, her mind clear as a mirror.
In fact, among the girls in this brothel, is there any who is willing to stay?
So is Xiangqin, and so is Chunhong.
The girls in the building all knew that Chunhong's mother suffered from heart disease and had suffered two attacks since the beginning of this spring. Her younger brother was also deaf.
From the moment Chunhong's mother was in urgent need of medicine, the red gold lilac twisted wire bracelet that Xiangqin often wore on her wrist disappeared quietly and never appeared on her slender wrist again.
"Don't just stand there, keep playing the music, keep dancing!"
Mother Hua shouted with full energy. She didn't want any guests coming in to be scared away by the deserted scene.
The sound of stringed instruments rang out again, and it was another sleepless night in Chang'an Fang.
…
As the morning light began to shine, the magnificent palace gate of the Great Zhou Dynasty slowly opened. The heavy door made a dull echo, as if announcing the arrival of the imperial city's heyday.
The Western Rong delegation, dressed in gorgeous exotic costumes, walked into the solemn Hall of Supreme Harmony in an orderly manner under the morning glow.
The chief envoy of the delegation walked at the front at a leisurely pace, exuding a calm and composed demeanor.
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