Gaoyun Pavilion
"Gentlemen, my wife is angry, so I'll have to leave you all. Have fun." Wei Shu followed behind Jiang Jin. As soon as Wei Shu left the previously peaceful private room, a murmur of surprise and discussion erupted from the group.
"My God, was that really Wei Shu just now?" The young man sitting next to Wei Shu exclaimed, his mouth agape. "I always thought Wei Shu was just acting, but I never expected him to be serious!"
“However, Jiang Jin is really beautiful. She has bright eyes and white teeth. If I married her, I would cherish her.” The young man standing next to Jiang Jin also came to his senses. “Although she is a bit jealous, I can still spoil her because of her face.”
"But how did she end up here? Could she have followed us? That would be incredibly jealous." One of the young men said, "I felt a terrifying gaze behind me when we arrived at Pingkang Lane. Could it be her?"
"You should have turned around then; you might have seen her pointing an arrow at you." The young man inside laughed heartily, while Wei Shu followed Jiang Jin back to the next private room.
"Ah Jin, are you angry?" Wei Shu tugged at Jiang Jin's sleeve, avoiding her eyes.
"The Crown Prince is already so blatant?" Jiang Jin's face darkened. "This is far too impatient. It's clear that the Third Prince and the Fifth Prince are putting a lot of pressure on him."
"Ah Jin, you're not angry?" Wei Shu had just breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Jiang Jin pick up her clothes and leave the private room.
"Ah Jin, let me help you with that. Ah Jin, where are you going?" Wei Shu followed Jiang Jin all the way back to Yanyun Pavilion.
"Wei Shu, don't come in." Jiang Jin's tone was impatient but not angry. Wei Shu had no choice but to stand outside the door.
The madam breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Jiang Jin and immediately came to greet her.
“I was worried something might have happened to you while you were out.” Jiang Jin shook her head. “It’s nothing. I just went out for a stroll. I’ll head back now and make sure Xiao Niang is well.”
Jiang Jin turned around and saw Wei Shu waiting anxiously at the door. "Why are you still here?"
"I'll wait for you." Wei Shu smiled and took the clothes from Jiang Jin's hands. "Ah Jin looks quite good in these clothes."
"There's a curfew outside, are we still able to go back?" Jiang Jin asked Wei Shu.
"No, but there is a Gaoyun Pavilion in Pingkangfang. It is a beautiful place with carved beams and painted rafters. Ah Jin, would you like to meet me before to see if it is true?"
"Alright, but you have to compensate me with five gold coins. Getting into a private room at Yanyun Pavilion isn't easy." Jiang Jin still felt a little awkward, but she knew that Wei Shu couldn't completely refuse the Crown Prince's overtures.
"I'll give you five or fifty yuan, no matter what." Wei Shu took Jiang Jin's hand and walked along the streets of Pingkang Lane. After many twists and turns, the two finally got lost.
"Wei Shu, how did you lead the way?" Jiang Jin asked, somewhat speechless, looking at the unfamiliar Qin Lou.
"I heard it's here?" Wei Shu looked at Jiang Jin somewhat embarrassed.
"You dare to lead the way if you've never been here before!" Jiang Jin truly admired Wei Shu's courage. "Why don't you go ask someone for directions!" Jiang Jin patted Wei Shu's shoulder hard.
"Ah Jin, just stay where you are, I'll be right back." Looking at Wei Shu's retreating figure, Jiang Jin suddenly realized that even the renowned Wei Shu could be so foolish.
"Ah Jin, keep walking east." Wei Shu turned his head and saw Jiang Jin staring intently at the moon.
"Ah Jin?" Wei Shu reached out and poked Jiang Jin's face. "Ah Jin, are you so engrossed in what you're looking at because you can see Chang'e on the moon?"
“No, it’s because that’s my home. I’m Chang’e from the heavens.” Jiang Jin laughed. “Let’s go. I heard you and we’re heading east.”
"Ah Jin, have you heard of Gaoyun Pavilion? I've heard that the wines there are all fine wines imported from foreign lands." Wei Shu felt that Jiang Jin was somewhat silent these days.
"Then you should consider who the big shot behind this is, to be able to supply such a continuous stream of fine wines from foreign lands." The two walked eastward to a very magnificent gate.
"Do you two have visiting cards?" The servant at the door stopped the two men directly.
"No, then how do we obtain this visiting card?" Jiang Jin, wearing a veil, peeked inside. Although a screen covered most of it, a glimpse of the luxurious interior was still visible.
"Naturally, it was a gift from my master himself. If you two are not worthy, please leave!" The servant looked arrogantly at the two people in front of him. "A courtesan and a penniless wretch dare to enter our place?"
"My lord, this is the first time I've ever heard someone call you a pauper." Jiang Jin laughed, a playful glint in his eyes. "My lord, how about we lavishly spend a fortune to prove ourselves?"
"So eager to see me make a fool of myself?" Wei Shu tapped Jiang Jin's forehead. "It's fine. Since they won't let me in, it's probably not a good place." Wei Shu naturally had reason to be proud; there was a time when he had unrestricted access to the Emperor's study.
"You're quite complacent." Jiang Jin didn't take the servant's words to heart. Rather than making a scene in Pingkang Ward and letting everyone know, it was better to keep things peaceful.
As the two turned around, a servant behind them spat at them, "How dare you two lowly people talk about our Gaoyun Pavilion? Apologize and deny it now or I'll make sure you don't leave Pingkang Ward!"
Jiang Jin frowned, her face turning cold as she looked at the servant who had attracted a large crowd at the door and asked, "Then what kind of upper-class person are you?"
“My uncle is the manager of Gaoyun Pavilion. As long as he lifts his finger, you have to obediently perform in Gaoyun Pavilion.”
The servant's covetous gaze fell on Jiang Jin. "Although you are a musician, if you serve me well, I will ask my uncle to buy you."
Before the servant could finish speaking, Wei Shu knocked out his teeth with a stone. "You dog, I think you don't want to live anymore!"
"Beat him!" The servant covered his mouth, spitting out several teeth, and roared angrily at Wei Shu.
Wei Shu looked at the group of people running towards him and revealed a long-lost madness. "It's a pity that I'll be impeached again tomorrow."
Wei Shu drew his sword from its sheath and attacked the group. In an instant, most of them fell. Seeing this, the servant hurriedly sent someone to fetch reinforcements. Wei Shu stepped on one of the men and said, "You should be glad that I am kind-hearted and don't draw blood, otherwise you would have met in the mass grave."
"Who dares to cause trouble at our Gaoyun Pavilion!" As soon as the manager came out, he saw a number of thugs lying on the ground by the door. The onlookers outside were watching expectantly, and some even started placing bets on whether Wei Shu or Gaoyun Pavilion would win.
"It's me!" Wei Shu kicked the thug lying on the ground with his toe. "Do you want me to beat him back in?"
The steward felt that Wei Shu looked familiar but couldn't quite place where he had seen him before, yet his fear told him that this was someone he couldn't afford to offend.
"What are you saying, sir? These people have made mistakes, why do you need to deal with them personally? Just have me handle them. Now get out of here!" The steward shouted at the group, his eyes narrowed.
"He's the one who should get lost!" Jiang Jin pointed at the man hiding behind the steward and whispered, "He said that the young master is a poor wretch and a low-class person."
The steward's fingers trembled, a string in his mind snapped, and memories flooded back. That spring, he had taken his children for a walk and saw a group of people arresting others in the distance. As a commoner, he could only lower his head and hurry away. Suddenly, a trail of blood appeared before him.
Looking up, Wei Shuzheng slowly drew his sword and coldly stared at the corpse lying on the ground. "Those who flee will be killed without mercy."
With just one glance, he understood why everyone was afraid of that person. His eyes were devoid of emotion, filled only with boundless killing intent. Although he appeared to be only in his early twenties, no one dared question his methods.
"Manager, you're not going to protect your nephew, are you?" Jiang Jin thought the manager was trying to use his power to suppress the matter when he saw that the manager didn't move.
"No, no, of course not! You two can do whatever you want with this brat." The steward kicked his nephew hard. "Get over there and beg the young master not to kill you!"
"My lord, I was blind to your greatness! Please forgive me!" Seeing his uncle's expression, the servant knew he was in deep trouble. He didn't dare delay and quickly knelt at Wei Shu's feet, completely losing his previous arrogance.
"Alright, I'm tired." Jiang Jin's heart softened for a moment, but Wei Shu had no intention of letting him go. "Go to the government office yourself. I don't want to see him here again."
"Yes, yes, yes." The steward was already satisfied to have his nephew's life saved, and quickly ordered his men to take the nephew away. "Don't worry, sir, I will personally escort him to the government office first thing tomorrow morning. He will definitely not be an eyesore to you." The steward's almost humble manner puzzled Jiang Jin.
"I imagine you two are tired. Why not give me a chance to apologize and allow our Gaoyun Pavilion a chance to shine?" The steward looked at Wei Shu with some anticipation.
"Does Ajin want to go in?" Wei Shu asked Jiang Jin gently, showing no trace of the ruthlessness he had displayed just moments before.
“Of course we’re interested.” The steward breathed a sigh of relief as soon as Jiang Jin finished speaking. “Please come in, gentlemen. I’ll prepare a fine guest room for you!”
Jiang Jin quietly tugged at Wei Shu's sleeve and whispered, "You know, this person is being way too humble. Could he be up to something bad, or is he trying to lure us into a trap?"
"You've always been very brave to come in, even though you were so worried." Wei Shu put his arm around Jiang Jin's shoulder and patted her gently.
"I'm just saying, 'No pain, no gain,' and I want to see what he's up to." Jiang Jin and Wei Shu followed the steward around the screen to the main hall. Indeed, as rumored, it was ornately decorated, and the lamps inside were all made of glass.
The flickering candlelight cast a few colorful rays of light, and the pillars were carved with lifelike peonies and peonies, inlaid with valuable jewels; even the wine glasses held by the diners were made of pure gold.
"Your rooms are on the fifth floor. Please follow me upstairs." Wei Shu took Jiang Jin's hand, and the two stood side by side. Jiang Jin looked at the golden nanmu wood staircase and couldn't help but admire it. The powder from luminous pearls mixed in with the steps illuminated them even in the dim light.
"That's quite a generous gesture indeed. You wouldn't expect even the palace to spend money like this, would it?" Jiang Jin asked, looking at Wei Shu's gloomy face beside her.
“His Majesty is not a person of extravagance.” Jiang Jin clicked his tongue. “Your heart is truly biased to an extreme.”
"Then whose heart does Ah Jin lean towards?" Wei Shu squeezed Jiang Jin's hand and said no more.
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