Chapter 133 Bodhisattva lowers his brows, Vajra glares fiercely (3) Even knowing the past...
Chapter 133
Feng Tingxiao was surrounded by countless traps, and Feng Tan walked beside him with utmost care, not daring to be careless in the slightest.
The main building of the sensual pleasure house is more than ten stories high, and it takes some effort to climb to the top floor. During the ascent from the ground floor hall, Feng Tan and Feng Tingxiao did not say a word until they reached the last step of the stairs. Only then did Feng Tingxiao speak again, saying, "Yongle, no matter what, I am still your uncle. Now that you have left the Tiger's Den, I will definitely not let you go back in."
Feng Tan pursed her lips and remained silent, showing no desire to communicate with him.
Feng Tingxiao wasn't annoyed. He looked helplessly at her indifferent profile, knowing he'd gotten himself into trouble, but he didn't give up trying to talk to her. He actually took on the role of a guide, saying, "The most wonderful performer on the top floor of the 'Sound and Color Banquet' building is Bai Xiangsheng. Since there's a 'Feast at Hongmen' tonight, she'll definitely be the one to open the show. Bai Xiangsheng is a wonderful person; every performance is breathtaking and astonishing. It's said that she's been preparing for tonight's dance for ten years, just to welcome the most distinguished guests."
Every iconic entertainment venue on the ground has its own living signboard, such as Su Bai, the top courtesan of the capital, in Fangchun Garden.
Thinking of him, Feng Tan recalled how Xiao Yinshi cut off his tongue, and later, the living Yama peeled off his entire skin, resulting in a gruesome death.
Seeing that Feng Tan's complexion had become somewhat unwell, Feng Tingxiao reached out and touched her forehead, asking, "Are you feeling unwell?"
"It's alright." Feng Tan slapped away the hand that was touching his forehead, lifted the curtain that was more than ten meters long, and looked up into the main hall on the top floor.
The vermilion pillars, like the legs of a giant, firmly support the entire hall. On the pillars, various mythological stories are painted in gold. The gods in the paintings have faces that are either ferocious or kind, while the monsters are baring their teeth and claws, with different shapes and individual hairs on their bodies, as if they might jump out of the painting at any moment.
The roof of the main hall is covered with golden glazed tiles, and under the eaves of the tiles hang exquisitely carved auspicious beasts, such as the Qilin, Xiezhi, and Suanni, which bar their teeth and claws, exuding a fierce aura, as if guarding the hall. The four walls are covered with huge murals, the figures in the murals distorted and deformed, and the colors so bright that they are almost blinding.
It felt as if I had stepped into a magnificent yet unpredictable web woven by time, giving me a rather uncomfortable feeling.
The hall was filled with guests, and amidst the clinking of glasses, a burst of drum music signaled the start of the banquet. Everyone returned to their seats upon hearing the sound.
Feng Tan's name was not originally on the guest list, but Feng Tingxiao ordered someone to place another one next to his wooden table, indicating that Feng Tan should sit down.
As soon as Fang Yi sat down, the candlelight slowly went out, plunging the entire hall into darkness. As the suona horns began to play, dancers filed in, carrying a huge screen. The screen was made of a material that was neither wood nor silk, and it was painted with strange and colorful patterns. Monsters that were neither human nor silk appeared and disappeared in the clouds, and twisted vines were wrapped around unknown animal bones as decorations.
The sound of the suona horn gradually rose, and a rustling sound came from behind the screen, as if something was wriggling in the darkness. Then, a fairy maiden slowly emerged from the shadows of the screen. Her body was encased in a huge snail shell, which shimmered with a ghostly green light. The patterns on the shell resembled ancient runes, exuding a chilling yet irresistible allure.
The Snail Maiden writhed gently inside the snail shell, her movements like those of a snake trapped in a cage, a strange yet alluring struggle. Her hair cascaded down like a black waterfall outside the shell, each strand shimmering with an eerie luster. Her eyes were large and bright, yet held a deep, cold depth that seemed to draw anyone who gazed into them.
With a series of "clicking" sounds, the cracks in the snail shell gradually widened, and the Snail Maiden began to emerge. Her body seemed to be drawn by an invisible force, slowly and gradually breaking free from the snail shell's constraints. Her skin was so white it was almost transparent, shimmering with an eerie glow in the dim green light, as if sculpted from ice and snow, yet possessing a warm, heart-pounding allure.
After a tremendous struggle, she finally emerged completely from the snail shell, her body covered in bloody scratches from the hard outer shell. The Snail Girl's feet gently touched the ground, making a "tap-tap" sound, a sound like drumbeats striking the heart, sending chills down the spines of all the onlookers.
The Snail Maiden's face was extremely beautiful, with a pear blossom-shaped ornament between her brows, a style popular in the Tang Dynasty palace.
As she walked, her waist was as supple as a boneless snake, her arms swayed gently like willow branches, and her fingers, like nimble sprites, drew an eerie arc in front of the screen.
Her face wore a half-smile, a slight upturn at the corners of her mouth that exuded a chilling coldness. Behind her, her dance partners changed from funerary attire to palace dress, following her step by step off the stage and slowly walking into the banquet hall for the guests.
The Snail Maiden's gaze was fixed on the plump young man in a brocade yellow robe closest to the stage, as if she were binding him with an invisible thread. Drawn to her gaze, the man trembled involuntarily, his eyes filled with both fear and an irrepressible longing.
The Snail Maiden stopped in front of him. She gently raised her hand, her fingers tracing a line across the man's cheek, a movement as gentle as a spring breeze, yet carrying a chilling coldness. The man felt a chill spread from his cheek throughout his body, yet he was also filled with a strange excitement.
The Snail Fairy spoke, her voice as alluring as she was, asking, "Who am I?"
The young master's eyes were somewhat glazed as he said, "My beauty, you are a snail spirit."
“No…” The Snail Girl put her finger to his lips, her red lips curving slightly, and said, “There will be a punishment for answering incorrectly.”
The young master took her fingers in his hand and caressed them intimately, saying, "My beauty, how do you want to punish me?"
The Snail Maiden covered her mouth and laughed. Someone behind her handed her a cup of wine, which she presented to the young master. "A cup of wine as punishment."
The young master drank the wine from the hand she held, his gaze towards her was like a drawn thread. The smile on the snail maiden's lips weakened slightly, and she said, "Go to sleep."
As soon as she finished speaking, the young man in yellow indeed collapsed onto the table. A guest nearby exclaimed, "Huh?" The Snail Maiden then walked towards him with her wine cup and asked, "Who am I?"
He also said, "It's the Snail Fairy."
The dim light in the red banquet hall made the Snail Maiden appear like a beautiful ghost, and the silver dot on her forehead glowed. "Then please, sir, drink this cup to the brim."
And so, one by one the guests collapsed. The Snail Maiden, with delicate, light dance steps, approached Feng Tan and asked, "Young master, who am I?"
Feng Tan stopped the wine cup that she offered to her lips, raised her eyelashes to meet her eyes, and said, "Imperial Consort."
The Snail Maiden was startled, dropping her wine cup and spilling the clear wine all over the ground. Some of it splashed onto the hem of her skirt, which revealed her slender white legs. She leaned closer to Feng Tan, carefully tracing his unremarkable young face with her eyes, and said, "What nonsense are you spouting, boy?"
Bai Xiangsheng didn't deny it, so Feng Tan knew her deduction was correct. She explained her reasoning: "The red silk covering the sky symbolizes a grand wedding, while the brightly lit white candles in the bridal chamber signify that it's merely a dream of the snail, perfectly matching the lines 'Cloud-like hair, flower-like face, golden hairpins swaying, warm spring night spent in the hibiscus tent.' The snail maiden broke her shell and crawled out little by little... The shell is the tomb, perfectly matching the lines 'The six armies refused to advance, helpless, her beautiful eyebrows turned as she died before the horse.' After crawling out, your eyes are adorned with pear blossom makeup..."
Feng Tan plucked a hairpin from Bai Xiangsheng's temple and said, "It perfectly matches the lines 'Flower hairpins lie scattered on the ground, no one picks them up; jade hairpins and golden sparrows adorn the head,' using dance music to satirize the emperor. You are very talented."
Bai Xiangsheng rehearsed the play for ten years, and her performance was so absurd and bizarre that it made people's scalps tingle. She was obsessed with the role, as if the play had become real, and she could no longer get out of the play.
There are countless forms in life, but I'm stuck in this role and can't get out.
That's because she has a soul connection with this character; if she hadn't been used and then abandoned by men, she wouldn't have become the top courtesan here.
Bai Xiangsheng looked into Feng Tan's eyes, then suddenly leaned into her arms, causing Feng Tingxiao to frown and look at him.
With a soft, fragrant body in his arms, Feng Tan lowered his head to look at her. "Your Highness, what do you intend to do?"
Bai Xiangsheng said, "If Your Majesty were to bury me alive, would you have even the slightest regret?"
“No regrets,” Feng Tan said curtly, revealing her ruthlessness. “It was worth it to exchange your life for mine.”
Bai Xiangsheng touched her own red lips with her slender fingers, then lightly dabbed a touch of scarlet rouge onto Feng Tan's lips, saying, "You understand men and are very intelligent. How can you be so amazing, sir?"
Feng Tan said, "I wouldn't dare to be arrogant; I come from a background of solving cases."
“Still a humble and wonderful person,” Bai Xiangsheng said, pulling away from Feng Tan’s embrace and smiling slightly in the hazy red light. He bent down and touched her cheek. “The first prize tonight is yours. You can have whatever you want.”
The interaction between the two women was ambiguous. Xiao Yinshi walked over from behind the screen behind the main seat in the hall, grabbed Bai Xiangsheng's arm and pushed her away in the opposite direction. His eyes were full of intimidation as he said, "You can't give her what she wants, Bai Xiangsheng. You've overstepped your bounds."
A crimson handkerchief swayed in mid-air. Bai Xiangsheng covered his lips with the handkerchief, looked at Xiao Yinshi, and chuckled softly. His voice was delicate and sweet. “Clouds remind me of her clothes, flowers of her face; the spring breeze caresses the railing, the dew is heavy. If not seen on the Jade Mountain, she would be met under the moon on the Jade Terrace… I think this poem is more suitable to describe your divine appearance.”
After she finished speaking, she took two steps toward Xiao Yinshi, her slender fingers adorned with red nail polish lightly touching his chest. Her eyes followed the lines of his clothes upward to his Adam's apple and chin, and she said with a slight smile, "But sir, you are crippled, gloomy, and of inferior character... From a physiognomy perspective, you are really not a good person."
With that, a hidden weapon suddenly appeared between his fingers, its gleaming blade reflecting between the two men. Bai Xiangsheng forcefully stabbed into Xiao Yinshi's throat.
Xiao Yinshi stretched out two fingers to catch the dagger she was thrusting at him, then twisted it and slashed Bai Xiangsheng's neck in reverse. Seeing this, the King of Chu threw a porcelain cup off the table to release his force.
Xiao Yinshi had gone all out; a line of blood suddenly appeared on Bai Xiangsheng's neck, from which blood gushed out. Fortunately, the deeper arteries in his neck were not damaged, otherwise he would have died on the spot.
Xiao Yinshi's facial features were already very defined, and in the dim light, his high, straight nose appeared even more prominent as he slightly lowered his head to look down at Bai Xiangsheng. "Such a despicable act..."
He paused mid-sentence, then turned his gaze back to Feng Tingxiao and said, "Only the King of Chu could come up with such a thing."
The atmosphere became slightly tense. Feng Tan glanced at Bai Xiangsheng. Was she one of Feng Tingxiao's people? How many people had he hidden away during his years of seclusion in order to obtain the throne?
Feng Tingxiao's eyes revealed an undisguised shrewdness. He smiled slightly and said, "This is just a small appetizer to give you a taste."
The two were always ready to use deadly moves against each other, and there was nothing to hide. Xiao Yinshi stood in the dim light, which made his already superior body proportions look even more slender. When he heard this, his face was expressionless. He glanced at Feng Tan without leaving a trace, then turned back to the main seat. He looked around at the various heroes who had come to the hall with the smell of weapons, and his eyes became as sharp as a hawk.
Zhu Qi made a gesture, and two Rakshasa soldiers carried a long, sealed box into the main hall. One of them opened it, took out a gun, and slowly scanned it in front of everyone.
Feng Tan's pupils contracted sharply, her fingers turning white from the force of her grip. This sniper rifle was part of the batch issued to them by the system. How did Xiao Yinshi, within the system, manage to take it right under her nose?
In this era of prolonged military confrontation, research on firearms is only in its nascent stage. All sides know what weapons they want, but with the current manufacturing conditions, it is difficult to produce them.
Sniper rifles, with their unique advantages in precision hunting, long-range deterrence, and psychological impact, play a crucial role in combat. They are not only advanced weaponry but also strategic tools on the battlefield, playing a vital role in achieving victory in war.
It is the beginning of a feast of power, and everyone wants it.
Zhu Qi made a gesture, signaling the Luo Sha Army to close the secret box, and then said to everyone, "Gentlemen, we don't ask where they came from, we just want to see who will win today."
"Who will win the prize..." Feng Tingxiao drank a cup of wine and said quietly, "It's more about who will emerge victorious."
His voice wasn't loud, but everyone present could hear him. The moment his voice faded, everyone turned to look at him. He nonchalantly downed a glass of wine and said, "Don't be afraid. Which of us is the good guy?"
That's true. The robust man opposite, who looked to be middle-aged, raised his thick, handsome eyebrows and shouted, "Good people don't live long. If you want to be tired, you need to achieve great feats. How can you be a good person?"
A young man dressed in armor and general's attire standing next to him said, "Father is right... Let's stop dawdling and get started!"
"Lord Zhu, we won't ask about your background, but as business people, we have to be honest. Tell me, what's our price today?"
As soon as he spoke, the others in the room echoed his sentiments.
No sooner had the words left his mouth than someone couldn't contain himself any longer. A portly, greasy-faced man dressed like a wealthy merchant was the first to raise his hand and shout at the top of his lungs, "I'll bid five hundred taels!"
His voice was rough and loud, as if he was afraid others wouldn't hear him.
"Five hundred taels and you think you can take it? What a joke! I'll offer eight hundred taels!" A tall, thin young man next to him curled his lip in disdain and immediately raised the price. His eyes gleamed with shrewdness, and he looked determined to win.
“One thousand taels!” Another old man stood up. He was dressed in a gray robe and leaned on a cane. He looked frail, but he possessed an aura that should not be underestimated. His voice was steady and firm, drawing the attention of everyone.
Prices soared, and the atmosphere in the audience grew increasingly heated. The audience members blushed, waving their arms and arguing fiercely.
Zhu Qi watched with a smile, and after a while, he broke the chaos and said, "Our starting price today is five million taels."
Five million taels!
"You're robbing me!"
"That's asking for far too much!"
"......"
Zhu Qi's words stirred up a storm, but he remained unmoved. Looking at the crowd's chattering, he continued, "As the saying goes, every inch of land is worth its weight in gold. I don't need to elaborate on the territory we can conquer with it. To put it bluntly, you are all in the business of lives, so we refuse to haggle!"
The scene fell silent. In the midst of this stillness, Feng Tingxiao put down the wine cup he had been holding and looked at Feng Tan with a smile. "Yongle, why don't you give me one, so that my uncle can save these five million taels?"
During the entanglement between Bai Xiangsheng and Feng Tan, some silvery crystal fragments landed on her neck, shimmering with a dazzling yet tiny light in the dim light. She turned to look at Feng Tingxiao, "You always seem to enjoy getting into bed with a head full of sores."
Feng Tingxiao didn't understand her words and, unusually, was stunned. He asked, "What do you mean?"
Feng Tingxiao gently pinched the hem of Feng Tan's clothes with his fingertips, his words tentative and cautious. "Yongle, if you take a step back, I can also take a step back."
What should I do if I back down? Accept his distorted love?
Bai Xiangsheng looked up at Feng Tan and saw that she was still sitting upright, without the slightest ripple on her face. She was indeed a person of firm will.
Feng Tingxiao withdrew his expectant gaze, tapped the table with his slender fingers, and said, "I'll offer five million taels."
The noise in the hall stopped again. Among so many eyes, Feng Tingxiao met Xiao Yinshi's gaze precisely and said, "Gold."
Gold?!
Thunderclaps echoed one after another, and Feng Tan saw the ambition revealed in Feng Tingxiao's words. He had painstakingly built up his wealth over many years, both in the Dahuang court and in the Linzhang sea area. Although the silver he had stolen from the national treasury had been confiscated, he clearly still possessed wealth that rivaled that of a nation.
Indeed, without some silver in hand, how could he dare to raise an army in rebellion? His army is ravaging the border of Dahuang.
“Gold…” Xiao Yinshi stepped down from the platform and stopped in front of Feng Tingxiao again. “Where is it?”
Feng Tingxiao met Xiao Yinshi's dark eyes and said, "Are you worried that I'm not presentable enough?"
Xiao Yinshi's aura was relatively restrained when facing Feng Tan. In front of so many people he didn't care about, his expression was unfathomable, and the ice in his eyes wouldn't melt. "Your people surrounded the entire building and sent spies to steal the blueprints. You said you would exchange five million gold for it. Your credibility is zero."
Feng Tingxiao straightened his expression and said, "If you're not sincere about selling, then what does it matter whether I'm sincere about buying or not?"
As soon as he finished speaking, a series of deep, rhythmic footsteps, like rolling thunder in spring, approached from afar. An army clad in iron armor surged in from all directions like a black tide, instantly surrounding the guests on the top floor.
The armored soldiers' weapons gleamed coldly. Long spears formed a forest, their tips pointed directly at the surrounded men.
The guests present were all seasoned veterans, so the event didn't cause much of a stir.
Xiao Yinshi's expression was so dark that it was impossible to read his words. "Is it too early to draw your sword, King of Chu?"
Feng Tingxiao said, "It's too tiring to pretend to be ignorant. It's better to lay your cards on the table sooner rather than later. You can forcibly take away what I love, and so can I. It's just an eye for an eye."
Xiao Yinshi's gaze fell on Feng Tan's face. She remained silent, which was also a form of attitude. She was sitting on the sidelines watching the tigers fight, and would make her move when the time was right. In the end, the winner who placed her bet might not be her. But if an otter could cross water without getting a single hair wet, wasn't that a skill in itself?
From the moment Feng Tan sat down, she had been conjuring up various scenarios in her mind, and she had just predicted that today they would inevitably clash. If Xiao Yinshi had obtained the key to gun manufacturing from the system, given his treacherous nature, he would have kept it hidden rather than openly amassing wealth. His purpose in hosting this trap was to ambush Feng Tingxiao. Feng Tingxiao knew that the illusion Xiao Yinshi had created was fake, but he was unsure whether Xiao Yinshi had truly obtained the key to gun manufacturing. Therefore, he made two preparations: sending spies to steal the key and bringing enough troops to ensure his safety at the trap.
A night breeze swept through the hall, rustling the bamboo leaves in the courtyard. A small green snake, its tongue flicking, emerged from the bronze cauldron. Bai Xiangsheng coiled the snake around his hand and said, "After such a standoff, are we going to fight or not?"
Seeing her looking like she was enjoying the show, Feng Tan laughed and said, "Your Highness, watch your words."
Bai Xiangsheng said, "I'll stop being a concubine for now. Being buried alive is too suffocating. Killing people is more interesting."
After saying this, she raised her sword and thrust it at Xiao Yinshi again. Zhu Qi blocked with his sword, knocking her back before attacking Feng Tingxiao.
Feng Tingxiao had come prepared. The secret box containing the guns had already fallen into his hands during the struggle. Since the two armies were evenly matched, he did not linger in the fight. He extended his hand to Feng Tan, and the emotions in his eyes were gradually revealed. "Yongle, come with me."
The man's fingers were long and slender like bamboo, with smooth and beautiful lines. These were the first hands that held Princess Yongle when she was born, and they were the most trusted hands when Feng Tan first came into this world.
The sounds of a chaotic battle continued in his ears. Feng Tingxiao waited patiently by the window for Feng Tan to extend her finger. Suddenly, a bullet flew from behind Feng Tan. Bai Xiangsheng was startled and blocked the bullet in front of Feng Tingxiao.
Bai Xiangsheng was shot in the chest. Feng Tan subconsciously caught her as she fell. He looked at Xiao Yinshi behind him with a sniper rifle in his hand in astonishment. All his previous speculations were overturned. He actually had a real gun in his hand!
Bai Xiangsheng's voice grew weak, "Run!"
Feng Tingxiao's eyes suddenly turned fierce. He glanced at Xiao Yinshi and realized that his ultimate goal was to kill him.
He glanced at Feng Tan one last time, then turned and left, escorted by the armored soldiers.
Feng Tan instinctively stopped Bai Xiangsheng's bleeding. She tore off a long strip of clothing and skillfully wrapped it around Bai Xiangsheng's injured shoulder.
The wide-open wooden window swayed slightly. Feng Tan watched Feng Tingxiao's departing figure thoughtfully. If all her previous guesses were overturned, then what was Feng Tingxiao's purpose in coming here today?
“Sometimes, when you miss someone too much, even if you know there’s a trap ahead, you still have to go.” Bai Xiangsheng clutched his injured chest, sat up from Feng Tan’s embrace, looked at Xiao Yinshi’s dark eyes, and finally settled on the spear in his hand. “Of course, Feng Tingxiao’s primary goal is that spear.”
Feng Tan's voice was calm and even, "What else did you do in the system?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
