The sunshine in late spring and early summer is so warm and comfortable that people don’t have the energy to work.
Xiao Nanhui was wandering around the street bored. Today was not a festive day, so there were not many people on the street except for the vendors doing their usual business.
She looked left and right, picked out a few tangerines, wrapped them in paper, and walked towards Yanfu Street.
She didn't have many friends, let alone close friends.
When she turned ten, the Duke of Qinghuai, unable to resist the curiosity of the capital's prominent families, took her to the full-moon banquet of the youngest son of Duke Xuanyuan. The delicate little children imitated the adults, enjoying tea, flowers, and chess, but she knew nothing and could only stand in the distance, dumbfounded. Then, a boy suddenly appeared from nowhere, picking flowers and flirting with the minister's daughter. While it was meant to be flirting, Xiao Nanhui interpreted it as bullying. With a lunge, he punched the second son of Duke Xuanyuan, knocking out a front tooth.
Since that incident, Xiao Jun rarely took her to such occasions.
Naturally, she no longer had the opportunity to come into contact with those young ladies in the boudoir.
Xiao Nanhui felt a little aggrieved at first, but she changed her mind quickly and gradually became happy with it. The masters who taught her boxing were much easier to deal with, and even the groom who looked after the horses looked more pleasing to the eye than the people in the garden that day.
As time went by, her impression of the young men and women from aristocratic families remained in the back garden of Lord Xuanyuan. From then on, whenever she saw a young man in fancy clothes or a young woman in beautiful clothes, she would keep her distance from them from the bottom of her heart, and it was difficult for her to restrain herself.
Her days were very busy with swordplay, spearplay, horse riding and archery practice. She didn't have much free time, so it was actually very easy to pass the time.
In the past few years, Xiao Nanhui had followed Xiao Zhun around and even risen to the position of captain in the military camp. She wasn't too ambitious about being an official, but for a woman and a military commander, she was quite content. However, as long as she held an official position, even when there was no war, she would often visit the camp outside Quecheng City. The last time she came to Yanfu Street to see Yao Yi was three months ago.
Yao Yi is the manager of Wangchen Tower, a famous brothel on Yanfu Street, where the famous prostitutes and beauties are the most beautiful in the world.
The founder of Wangchenlou was a spontaneous person. Ever since the first Wangchenlou opened in Chizhou, the building's first rule was established: none of the courtesans or famous actresses in the building had to sign a contract to sell their bodies; everything was voluntary. Those with many clients received a larger monthly commission, while those with fewer paid their own expenses. Over time, only the best remained. Without forced smiles, guests enjoyed themselves to the fullest. This was truly a place of ecstasy and a forest of forgetfulness.
For convenience, Xiao Nanhui wore men's clothes. Her appearance was not as gentle as that of other women, and she was tall, so she didn't need much decoration.
It was not the busiest time in the red-light district yet, and the beauties were still catching up on their sleep in their tents. The building was filled with cleaning servants, busy clearing up the mess left by last night's madness.
When Xiao Nanhui walked into the venue carelessly, no one stopped him. Everyone was busy with their own things and didn't even bother to look up.
Xiao Nanhui looked around, searching for the busiest figure among the busy crowd.
"Yao Yi!"
Behind the counter not far away, a young man in a long robe turned his head. A pair of resentful eyes were embedded in his round face. They rolled around and finally fell on the woman at the door.
Xiao Nanhui waved his arms and smiled, revealing his white teeth.
In the side room in the backyard of Wangchen Building, freshly picked bouquets of flowers were sorted and piled everywhere, waiting to be used as decorations for the beauties in the building. Xiao Nanhui was a little sensitive to pollen and sneezed several times in a row.
"Can't we change places?"
There were five or six stacks of account books spread out in front of Yao Yi. He was calculating on an abacus with one hand and pouring himself a cup of cold tea with the other.
"What's the matter? Hurry up and get out of here. I'm so busy."
Xiao Nanhui had long been accustomed to Yao Yi's provocative attitude. He untied the leather string and opened the paper package, revealing the bright yellow oranges inside. "It's okay. I just happened to have some free time, so I came to see you."
Yao Yi glanced at Juzi, his abacus still clacking away. "Why wouldn't I believe it? Did those idiots in the camp make you angry again? You can't stand up to them, so you came to me?"
Although Yao Yi was a profiteer, he liked to call himself a scholar and looked down on the soldiers and officers in Xiao Zhun's camp who were prone to using their fists. When Xiao Nanhui was a child, he followed Xiao Zhun in the camp and was often bullied by them. He cried at first, but gradually he got better and occasionally helped Xiao Zhun with some errands in the camp, which went smoothly.
"I didn't go to the camp. Today is my birthday."
"Birthday?" Yao Yi finally stopped calculating, as if he had finally remembered this matter. He looked at Xiao Nanhui, making her feel a little uncomfortable. "Why did you come to my place instead of spending your birthday with Xiao Zhun?"
Xiao Nanhui didn't seem to care much: "Oh, he went to the palace for something."
"Hasn't it always been a leave of absence?"
"Maybe it won't be long, I'll be back soon."
"When did you go?"
"...It's just past the hour of Yin."
Yao Yi sneered, and Xiao Nanhui was a little unhappy: "Maybe it's something important?"
Yao Yi raised his eyebrows: "Yes, yes, it must be something important."
After pondering for a moment, Xiao Nanhui finally asked, "By the way, is there any special news in the palace recently?"
So that's what I asked him.
Yao Yi rolled his eyes and hummed twice in an artificial way: "Where do you think I am? How would I know what news is going on in the palace?"
You can tell from the tone of his voice.
Xiao Nanhui took a deep breath, grabbed the cushion under his butt and moved closer: "You really don't know?"
Yao Yi turned his head to the other side: "I don't know, I don't know."
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