As dusk, like an indigo brocade, enveloped the city walls, over a hundred ram-horn-shaped glass lamps in Langyinfang were lit one after another.
As dusk settles, the city lights begin to twinkle.
The three-story Mingke Tower, with its flying eaves, was bathed in golden light, and the interior was bustling with activity.
The aroma of roasted meat, the crispness of new wine, the warm, sweet scent of perfume emanating from the sleeves of a songstress…
Mixed with the lively sounds of the erhu and pipa, a bustling atmosphere filled the cool early autumn night.
In the elegant room by the window on the third floor, a large round table inlaid with mother-of-pearl and made of rosewood has been set out with eight cold and eight hot dishes.
A wealthy guest sat casually in the main seat, dressed in a royal blue brocade robe with floral patterns, his fingertips tapping the edge of the table intermittently.
Tap... tap... tap...
His gaze swept over the table full of delicacies, then over the bustling lights and crowds on the street below the window, but his expression remained listless.
His eyes were half-closed, and he looked languid and listless.
The only sound of music drifting through the walls during the meal made it feel even more somber.
The servant boy, adept at reading people's expressions, bowed even lower and whispered probing questions:
"Master Deng, is the Drunken Civet Lips a little undercooked today?"
Grandpa Deng didn't answer. He picked up a chilled grape, put it in his mouth, and chewed it slowly.
Seeing this, the servant immediately changed the subject.
"The most exciting event today is the arrival of the noblewoman from the northwestern border region in the capital."
It is said that the Sixth Princess and Young Master Pei from the Prime Minister's residence personally went to the city gate to greet them.
This guy is something else! Not only does he spend lavishly, but he's also incredibly talented..."
They had just gotten started when Master Deng waved his hand, clearly showing he wasn't interested in this noble lady from the borderlands.
Just then, a slender figure slid into the pavilion like a fish; it was Aji, the innkeeper's trusted servant.
He bowed deeply in respect, then went to Master Deng's side and whispered in his ear.
"Master, new bamboo shoots are breaking through the soil at Cheng Garden tonight."
They say she's a tender young woman from Yaoguang, skilled in music, with a voice even clearer than a thrush's.
Mr. Deng's fingers, which were tapping the edge of the table, suddenly stopped.
The languid autumn water in his eyes seemed to have been dredged up by a pebble, and the corners of his lips curled upwards.
"Walk."
With a single, understated word, he instantly dispelled all the stagnation in the room.
Master Deng stood up, his robe billowing in the wind, and left the table, leaving behind a table full of delicacies that had barely been touched.
Aji led Master Deng downstairs, through the noisy lobby, and around to a quiet, narrow corridor in the back kitchen filled with empty wine jars.
Pushing open a heavy wooden door that appeared to be for storage, a dark corridor, barely wide enough for two people to pass through, was revealed.
Candlelight flickered in the corridor, and the air was filled with the scent of aged wine lees and the bitter aroma of herbs and plants.
Once the door is closed and you walk a dozen steps, you can only hear your own footsteps, cutting off all the noise and clamor from the building in front.
Before long, an inconspicuous ebony door appeared before them.
There was no lock on the door, only a brass animal head door knocker.
Aji took out a white jade bamboo-shaped pendant from his bosom, placed it into the mouth of the beast head, and gently rotated it.
With a crisp click, the mechanism engaged, and the door slid inward.
A warm yellow glow and a richer, sweet, and warm exotic fragrance wafted towards us.
A faint, clear, melodious sound drifted from the pipa, like pearls falling onto a jade plate, or the first cry of a fledgling phoenix.
Aji stood in the shadows outside the door, hands at his sides, blending into the darkness of the corridor.
"Uncle Deng, we've arrived at Chengyuan."
Master Deng straightened the cuffs of his perfectly smooth brocade robe, let out a soft "hmm" sound, and stepped into the halo of light.
The ebony door closed quietly, and the dark corridor returned to deathly silence.
A faint, peculiar fragrance lingered in the air, as if connecting two completely different worlds.
Beneath Chengyuan lies another world.
It was the lair of the Nine Gates Golden Flow Hall, named the Gold Mirror Cave.
Most people would never imagine that there is a magnificent palace beneath the mysterious Chengyuan Garden.
Its luxury far surpasses that of ordinary palaces, with gold as its bones and desire as its flesh.
The corridor's dome is adorned with tens of thousands of gold-inlaid knives, and the floor is paved with iridescent glazed bricks from the Western Regions.
The main hall is decorated with four mythical beasts that devour the heavens: the Taotie Zun, the Qiongqi Ding, the Taowu Ping, and the Chaos Bell, which guard the four directions.
The dome was carved with a star map from a single piece of crystal, and mechanisms controlled the movement of the stars, creating a fake sky.
Each leader was stationed in a region, named Golden Snow Hall, Dustless Prison, Golden Pool, and Peak of Bliss.
At this moment, the four leaders gathered at the summit of Bliss.
The head of the gang, "Immovable Yama," is the head of the God of Wealth.
The Nine Gates General Accounting Office controls the flow of gambling funds in Fengjing and conducts intelligence screening.
He sits in a cypress wheelchair all day, his feet clad in double-sided satin: the gold side is embroidered with the Heavenly Official bestowing blessings to welcome distinguished guests; the other side reveals the act of scraping bones to repay debts and deter traitors.
His face was like a freshly steamed wheat cake, his cheeks round and shiny with oil, and his chin, with its three folds, slumped on his brocade collar.
He wore a purple brocade robe with a beaded pattern, and a silver fox fur short-sleeved overcoat.
A faint smile always graced his lips, like that of a successful businessman.
But there's a saying in the martial arts world: If Yama (the King of Hell) lets you die at midnight, a fortune can buy you the dawn!
This is the person I'm talking about.
On the left is the second-in-command, "Blood Scale" Iron Scale Buddha.
He was in charge of the thugs and the punishment hall in the Nine Gates.
His eyes were tinged with blue-black, his beard was braided into thin braids, and a gold-leaf lotus flower ornament was pasted on his left cheek to cover the tattoo.
A jade belt cinches the waist of a bear, and a rhinoceros horn thumb ring adorns the fingers.
On the right is the third leader's "Ghost Key" Heavenly Horse.
They specialized in maneuvering between the legitimate and criminal worlds, and in bribing government officials.
She wore a light blue gauze robe with a round neck, tied with a gold belt, and a jade cicada crown on her head.
Of the three men, he was the most handsome, resembling a dashing scholar.
Opposite them was the fourth leader, "Hundred-Faced Serpent" Dice Heart Maiden.
Responsible for counterfeiting gambling equipment and training newcomers in cheating techniques.
A high-waisted skirt, covered by a peacock feather veil.
Her hair was styled in a high bun with a gold phoenix hairpin holding a pearl, and she wore a seven-jeweled necklace around her neck.
Ten fingers stained with balsam juice and gold powder, shimmering like snake scales in the light.
The abacus on the head of the God of Wealth jingled, "This winter, the price of charcoal will be increased by 30%."
Iron-Scaled Buddha slammed his ruler on the table. "The newly opened Baohe Store in the South City doesn't pay for the pumping fee; it's time to dismantle their scales."
Tongtianma twirled the key in his fingertips and chuckled, "Tomorrow, send a roasted camel hump to the Prefect of the Capital, just add some pepper."
Dice Heart Girl swayed her slender waist, "The newly made Yin-Yang Bone has been fed into Chengyuan's trap, it's time to close the net."
After quickly finishing their business, Tongtianma looked up at the leader at the head of the table.
"Have you heard, Boss? A noblewoman from the Northwest Frontier is coming to the capital and spending a fortune!"
The Dice Lady's smile is captivating.
"More than that, the poems he inscribed on the wall of Songtao Tower have spread throughout the neighborhood."
In my drunken stupor, I pick up a lamp to examine my sword; in my dreams, I hear the bugles echoing through the camps.
Eight hundred miles of roasted meat are distributed among the troops, fifty strings of music resound beyond the border, and the autumn review of troops is held on the battlefield.
"Such a young girl, I don't know how she composed such magnificent lyrics."
He licked his lips as he spoke, his eyes glazed over, "I really want to see what kind of face it is..."
Tongtianma rolled his eyes. "Xinniang, you'd better take it easy."
Prime Minister Pei personally stepped in to promote her fame, but I haven't yet found out the reason behind it, so it's best to stay away for now.
However, according to her, the second princess in the north was even more talented than her, causing quite a stir among scholars.
The God of Wealth nodded, acknowledging his words.
"With the provincial examination just around the corner, let's have a party, make it a bit more lively..."
Meanwhile, the new leader of the Sihai Gang and his gang members had arrived at the entrance of Chengyuan.
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