7 Le Hong
"How did that notorious womanizer commit his crimes?"
"You're scared too?" Han Beiming looked at me with amusement, patting my head. "Don't be scared, don't be scared. I'm here. Seeing me like this will surely deter them from attacking me, and you can take the opportunity to escape."
-_-* This person is really confident in their looks. "No, just curious. I heard that his martial arts skills aren't that great, but he always succeeds."
"I heard he's an expert in disguise." Han Beiming became serious. "He never forces his way in; he always disguises himself as an acquaintance and sneaks into various homes."
"But girls are weak and vulnerable. Boys will always fight back, won't they? Didn't anyone call for help?"
"I heard that he not only knows how to disguise himself, but also how to use sleeping potions."
"Sedative incense? Such a despicable and vile tactic."
“It’s not Yu,” Han Beiming suddenly said. “I’m still a little worried about him. It’s a pity that there isn’t a single woman in your family who is skilled in martial arts. Even though Han Yitian moved next to him, it’s still impossible to guard against him.”
"The incense..." I drifted off to sleep.
Although Han Beiming was sent by my second brother to protect me, he brazenly moved into my room. "It doesn't matter since there are two men," he said.
He didn't care, but I was upset. I often woke up in the middle of the night with a burning pain all over my body. I tossed and turned, unable to fall back asleep.
Later, I had to carefully get up, rush outside, and brave the cold wind. I really don't understand what's wrong with me.
After I told my brother, he immediately tried to drag me to the White Flower Pavilion without saying a word, but I cried and screamed and refused to go. I'm such an introverted person, I was terrified of being devoured by those peonies, roses, lilies and the like. My second brother sighed and looked at me.
"I'll take you to experience the taste of meat. It's like I'm forcing you into prostitution. If you're a man, show some courage and stop cowering." Saying this, he tried to pull me away again.
"No, I'd rather die than go." I continued to plead and beg, gripping the only tree in the yard and refusing to let go. The thought of me having sex with a complete stranger, who might have just been with another man, an old, ugly man who might have some incurable disease, sent chills down my spine.
"You little brat, do you really have to go for a virgin?" My second brother glared at me. "I'll talk to the old woman and pick out a cleaner one for you, okay?" My older brother pried my fingers apart one by one, scolding me fiercely.
"Brother, when were you at that age?" I thought of changing the subject.
"14." The second brother's hand went limp, and he didn't let go.
"Who forced you to go?" The person was even younger than me. It's truly a story of blood and tears.
"Boss."
"When did he go?" I asked, hoping to change the subject.
12.
-_-|||
"Who took him there, Dad?"
"He fell in by accident. I heard he pulled on a really pretty girl. The woman didn't ask him for money." My second brother was completely lost in his memories, unconsciously letting go of my hand and resting his chin on his hand. I don't know if the smug look on his face was mocking my eldest brother. He was eaten at the age of 12. So pitiful.
I cautiously walked out, while my second brother, overjoyed, left the place of trouble.
Those who practice martial arts cultivate their character and temperament; by diligently reciting the mental techniques, they can suppress their desires. I hope so. I hope so. And I also hope my second brother never remembers this matter again.
"Second Brother, you were looking for me?" I stepped into my second brother's territory with trepidation.
"Yes," the second brother said with a smile.
"We're going to the Hundred Flowers Pavilion, let's go together, little brother."
"Can I not go?"
"No, I'm going to lose my virginity today, no matter what." The second brother, contrary to his usual gentleness, suddenly became ferocious. It was as if he was saying, why did I suffer such a blow at 14, while you were able to retain it until 16?
"Don't scare him," said the person beside him. He was a new friend of the older brother, named Jin Yuan. "We'll just go have some tea and listen to some music, that'll be fine."
The tea at Baihualou tastes like tree leaves. And it's ridiculously expensive.
The music played at Baihualou is incredibly vulgar, yet ridiculously expensive.
The women at Baihualou were heavily made up, and their fragrances were overpowering; their prices were higher than tea and music.
As soon as he entered the house, my second brother was abducted by two women who told him to be women, saying it was a disgrace to women, and he disappeared without a trace. I vaguely remember seeing tears of pain in the corners of my second brother's eyes before he left.
"Brother Jin, aren't you going to have some fun?" I sat there like I was being tortured. Watching the women downstairs playing music and dancing had completely killed any interest I had.
"A common, vulgar woman." Jin looked at me with a smile.
"So what kind do you like?"
“A lot,” he said.
"Which hero doesn't have a few confidantes? It's just that we don't know the sacrifices and contributions of those behind the scenes."
"Is your personal maid mute?" he suddenly asked, seemingly ignoring the question.
“Yes. Fei Yu’s maid is too. Second Brother’s should be too.” I looked at him.
“You are very compassionate. Disabled girls often have very tragic fates.”
"Maybe."
"Should we go somewhere else? It's really boring here."
"But, what about my brother?"
"He won't be out anytime soon. We can't wait for him until dawn. Come on, I'll show you around."
"This is it?" I stared wide-eyed. In stark contrast to the pungent smell just now, this place exuded a faint, refreshing fragrance.
"The Hundred Flowers Pavilion in the east of the city, and the Joyful Red Pavilion in the west of the city."
"But..." she said hesitantly.
"Don't worry, even if we're discovered, it's because I brought you here."
The Hundred Flowers Pavilion was a place where women sold their bodies, while the Joyful Red Pavilion was a place where men sold their bodies. Unlike the descriptions in the book, where young boys were molded into androgynous figures, dressed inappropriately, adorned with women's rouge, and swaying their bodies wantonly to seduce customers, the boys here appeared refined and cultured. How could they have fallen to such a state?
“They were trained to be like this from a young age,” Brother Jin explained for me. “Especially those male concubines who are elegant and refined far outnumber those who are like eunuchs. So, the brothel madams often spend a lot of money to teach them music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, and couplets. This is fashionable now, and their value is much higher than that of women. Some high-ranking officials even take pride in collecting these boys and compete with each other.”
“I don’t understand.” I shook my head. “I just feel that they are helpless. As men, they have to submit to men and put on a satisfactory act. It’s really tough.”
"We're here to relax, don't think too much."
We chose a table upstairs, sipping bitter tea, and watched a thin boy, about my age, playing "West Lake Reflecting the Moon" downstairs. The beautiful melody was tinged with a faint melancholy; what was he thinking that made my heart ache so much?
“Brother Jin likes strong-tasting tea.” I looked at the black tea in his hand.
"I'm used to it." He stared intently at the people coming and going downstairs.
Is that so? It's a strange hobby for people to search for Guangdong dark tea in places famous for spearhead tea.
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