Chapter 92

Don't look at Liang Dazhuang, who is tall and strong, but his courage is less than a mustard seed. Seeing so many people surge out from the Huancai Pavilion, he was scared and grabbed Hu Xiaotian's arm, hiding behind him, and pleaded, "Young Master, they forced me in, I didn't know I would encounter such a thing."

Hu Xiaotian glared at him. Now he knew how to act innocent, from Pengyin Mountain to Xiezhou, the silver in his pocket had probably been squandered by this servant. Given the current situation, there was no time to settle accounts with Liang Dazhuang; it would have to wait until after the matter was resolved.

Liang Dazhuang added, "Young Master, all the luggage was taken by them, including the official seal and documents."

Hu Xiaotian nodded and smiled, "Madam, looking at your beauty that can make the moon hide and the flowers blush, you must be a person of broad-mindedness and benevolence. How can your words be so harsh?"

Murong Feiyun came to Hu Xiaotian's side and whispered, "Don't waste time with her, she's not a good person." She had already seen that these people were the madam and the guards of the Huancai Pavilion.

Murong Feiyun could see it, and Hu Xiaotian could see it too, but the current situation was still somewhat complicated. If it really came to a fight, with Murong Feiyun on their side, they should have the upper hand. However, the top priority was to retrieve the official seal and documents.

The madam's small eyes scanned Hu Xiaotian's face. She was an expert at reading people, and from his appearance, demeanor, and speech, she could gauge how much silver he had. As for Liang Dazhuang, that was a mistake made by her subordinates, not her fault.

The madam laughed, her voice like an old hen clucking. Hu Xiaotian couldn't help but sigh. The Huancai Pavilion was marked with a circle on the map Shi Xuedong gave him, indicating it was the top-tier establishment in the pleasure district. But from the appearance of this madam, it was nothing special! How could such a madam have top-tier girls? It seemed that the rumors were not entirely true, or perhaps Shi Xuedong was deliberately misleading him. Damn, he would settle accounts with him when he returned to the capital.

The madam still spoke in a pinched voice, "This young master looks like a distinguished person, handsome and imposing, with a noble demeanor. Compared to that vulgar and despicable fat man, you are truly a celestial being."

Hu Xiaotian smiled, "Madam, you have a keen eye. The fat man you mentioned is my servant. May I ask what he did wrong to make you all attack him and beat him up like a pig's head?"

The madam laughed, and the handkerchief in her hand fluttered seductively. This action almost made the onlookers vomit their last night's dinner. "Young master, you call me madam, which makes me blush. I am actually only twenty-seven years old. My name is Xiang Qin. If you feel a connection with me, you can call me Sister Qin."

Hu Xiaotian laughed, "Wonderful, wonderful. I called you madam out of respect. In this world, who can be as plump and well-endowed as Sister Qin? The phrase 'round and smooth' suits you perfectly."

Xiang Qin's plump hands twisted the handkerchief and then dramatically covered her even more exaggerated chest, cooing, "This young master is so eloquent, making my heart beat wildly. May I ask your noble name?"

Hu Xiaotian smiled, "Sister Qin, you are truly intelligent. I am called Gao Ming, and you guessed it right away."

"Is that so?" Xiang Qin was amazed, then laughed with Hu Xiaotian. The two of them were talking enthusiastically, completely ignoring the people around them. Both sides were confused, not knowing what these two were up to. Even the onlookers found it boring, expecting a bloody fight, but suddenly both sides were making peace.

Xiang Qin said, "Gao Ming, I really feel a connection with you. Normally, one should consider the owner before beating a dog. Beating him like this was our fault."

Hu Xiaotian laughed, "Ignorance is no crime. Besides, we didn't know each other just now. Sister Qin, there are many ways to solve problems. We don't need to resort to violence, right?"

Xiang Qin laughed, "Gao Ming..."

"Call me Brother Gao!"

Xiang Qin's small eyes narrowed into slits, "Brother Gao, I also hate violence. As a woman, I hate fighting the most. But this dog of yours is really too much."

Liang Dazhuang hung his head, shoulders hunched, not that he had no objections, but he dared not have any.

Hu Xiaotian said, "Sister Qin, although he is my servant, he is still a person. People make mistakes and have dignity. Please show some mercy. If he did anything wrong, I will take responsibility."

Xiang Qin laughed even more, her plump left hand waved backward, and immediately a guard handed her a stick. Xiang Qin rolled her eyes, "Pah! Is your head full of shit? I want my abacus!"

Immediately, someone handed her the abacus. Xiang Qin, with the abacus in hand, started to calculate: "One meal, six cold dishes, eight hot dishes, four desserts, two soups, fifty-eight taels of silver. One bottle of thirty-year-old Daughter Red, sixty-eight taels. Two bottles of top-quality Mingqian Longjing tea, thirty-three taels. Four girls accompanied you, all top-tier beauties from the Huancai Pavilion, two hundred taels each, which is a friendly price. The damage to my furniture, let's say sixty taels of silver. In total, one thousand and nineteen taels." Despite her short and thick fingers, she manipulated the abacus with great dexterity. Xiang Qin finished calculating and her small eyes looked at Hu Xiaotian, narrowing again into slits, "Brother Gao, you came in person today, and we feel such a connection. I can't refuse this favor. I'll waive the nineteen taels. One thousand taels, pay this amount, and the matter with the fat man will be settled!"

Hu Xiaotian cursed inwardly, you might as well go rob, thinking I'm easy to bully? Exploiting people from other places? Two hundred taels each? Hu Xiaotian looked at Liang Dazhuang, this guy really went all out, calling four girls at once.

Liang Dazhuang looked miserable, "Young... Young Master... I didn't do anything... just touched a couple of times..."

Voices of anger came from the door, "Not just that, you kissed their cheeks..."

Hu Xiaotian looked in the direction of the voices. Four heavily made-up women stood at the door, each looking like the second aunt of Zhu Bajie. Liang Dazhuang's taste was really bad. How could he bear to kiss such girls?

Murong Feiyun snorted, though she was on Hu Xiaotian's side, she also despised Liang Dazhuang's behavior, thinking such a person did not deserve sympathy. She said, "If the top beam is crooked, the lower beams will be askew," indirectly scolding Hu Xiaotian as well.

Xiang Qin's hearing was extremely sharp, and she heard Murong Feiyun's words clearly, still maintaining her seductive smile, "I don't agree with your words, sister. How can my Brother Gao be compared to that fat man?"

Hu Xiaotian laughed, "Exactly, what Liang family's business has to do with me. One thousand taels, not much, not little. Sister Qin, let's put the money aside for now. Where is my luggage?"

Xiang Qin blinked, "Luggage? What luggage? This fat man had nothing on him, came with empty hands, and wanted to leave with empty hands. What luggage?"

Liang Dazhuang said, "I clearly brought a package in, and you forcibly took it."

Xiang Qin laughed, "Fat man, forcibly? Robbery is a serious crime. You can't say things recklessly. Since the Huancai Pavilion opened, we have always followed the law and regulations. We have never done anything illegal, or how could we have operated for thirty years and remained prosperous? Do you know, the Huancai Pavilion earns more than ten thousand taels of silver every day. Even if a priceless treasure were placed before our girls, they would not be tempted. A mere package, who would care?"