Chapter 34

After eating the breakfast delivered by the servant of the Zhang family, Ning Wuxue tidied himself up.

After removing the dust from his journey, he changed into the white robe given to him by the Taoist of White Cloud, and tied his waist-length hair back with a strip of cloth. He looked clean and fresh, with clear eyebrows and bright eyes, like a fine young man in a muddied world.

He took out a one-foot-long black dagger from his bundle. The dagger was taken from the sandalwood box given to him by Ning Feng. It could cut through iron like butter, and it was unknown what metal it was made of. It was very heavy, heavier than ordinary swords. On both sides of the dagger, the characters “Xiao” and “Xiao” were engraved.

Ning Wuxue could not figure out what it meant. Was it that his father was named Xiao Xiao, or that his real name was Xiao Xiao, or perhaps one character from each of his birth parents? However, since it was placed in a precious sandalwood box, this dagger was certainly not an ordinary object.

He tied the dagger around his waist, covering it with the long robe. Ning Wuxue closed the door and walked toward the entrance of the Zhang residence.

As he approached the gate, a graceful figure suddenly ran in, seemingly not noticing, and bumped right into Ning Wuxue. After practicing the "Mysterious Yin Technique," Ning Wuxue's body had become much stronger, and he did not move an inch. The graceful figure, however, had to take several steps back to stop.

"Ouch, that hurts! Who put such a big piece of wood at the gate?"

The fair-skinned hand touched the sore spot on her head, and Luo Ying pouted, her eyes welling up with tears. The next moment, she froze as if she had seen a ghost.

"Miss, Miss... You should have waited for me... You ran so fast."

A lively and pretty little maid ran up, holding up her skirt. She noticed her mistress pouting and staring wide-eyed at a handsome scholar, with tears in her eyes. She immediately became angry. Even the wealthy young masters in the residence did not dare to bully their mistress, let alone a scholar in this remote place.

"Hey, you there, give me your life..."

The little maid blurted out a phrase she had heard from a play without much thought, glaring angrily at the white-robed scholar, trying to stare him to death with her "stare-to-death" technique.

"It's you..." The little maid, who had been glaring, really did stare, and she also froze, just like her mistress.

Hearing the little maid's voice, Luo Ying finally came to her senses. Her eyes, which were curved like a crescent moon, glared fiercely at Ning Wuxue. She touched her forehead and gnashed her little tiger teeth. "It's you again, you stinky scholar. Last time you made me fall and break my waist, and this time you made me bump my head. Why is it that every time I meet you, something bad happens? Stinky scholar, dead scholar... I curse you, may you never get a wife, may you never pass the exams..."

Ning Wuxue, still confused, felt a headache. Broken waist? Bumped head? These two people were the master and servant he had met at the White Cloud Temple. Could it be that they were destined to meet in narrow paths? Ning Wuxue had never believed in this saying before, but now he did.

Following the principle that it's better to offend a small person than a woman, Ning Wuxue took a step back, making way for Luo Ying, and bowed. "I'm sorry, I didn't know the miss was coming in. I took your path."

The gate of the Zhang residence was quite large, easily accommodating four or five people at once.

"Stinky scholar, why are you here?" Luo Ying tilted her head, looking at Ning Wuxue with a puzzled expression.

"Miss, let's go back first. If the master gets angry, it will be terrible..." The little maid thought for a moment and whispered a reminder.

"Ah..." Luo Ying, looking at Ning Wuxue, let out a scream and ran into the Zhang residence, shouting as she ran, "You dead girl, why didn't you say earlier? You've ruined me..."

"Miss, it's not my fault, it's that scholar who blocked the way..." The little maid chased after her, trying to clear her name.

"It's over, I'm late. Stinky scholar, I won't let this go..." A wail echoed, lingering in the air.

Ning Wuxue scratched his head, feeling a bit overwhelmed. The commotion caused by the master and servant had even confused him. Thinking about their flustered appearance, he felt a bit amused and chuckled, then stepped out of the Zhang residence.

Yichun Garden.

Qingyun City was divided into four areas. The south was for the wealthy, the north for the poor, the east for the government and officials, and the west for the commercial district, where many merchants traded, including furs and herbs from Qingyun Mountain.

Qingyun City was famous for its pleasure quarters, and Yichun Garden was located in the southwest, originally a garden. It was close to the wealthy and the commercial district, making it very popular.

Yichun Garden was divided into upper, middle, and lower courtyards. The upper courtyard was for officials and wealthy young masters, who could afford to spend ten taels of silver per night. The quality of the women there was top-notch. The middle and lower courtyards were much cheaper.

This was the first time Ning Wuxue had come to such a place in his current life. Standing at the entrance of Yichun Garden, he felt a bit at a loss.

"Is this young master also here to see the top courtesan? Why don't we go together?"

Just as Ning Wuxue was hesitating, a clear voice sounded behind him. He turned around and saw a young man in a white robe standing there, looking at him with an expectant expression.

Ning Wuxue thought that since he was not familiar with the place, it would be better to have someone guide him, so he smiled and nodded. "If you are willing to go together, that would be great. My surname is Ning, and my courtesy name is Zhongyuan. How should I address you?"

"My surname is Li, and you can call me Gongtai. Today is the day when the first family of Jiangnan is visiting Yichun Garden, and it cannot be missed. Let's hurry, or we won't get a good spot. If we can see the beauty, it will be a life without regret."

Li Gongtai warmly pulled Ning Wuxue and led him into Yichun Garden.

Inside the garden, plum trees were in full bloom, with red, white, and pink plum blossoms. The delicate fragrance filled the air, and Ning Wuxue thought it was a very elegant and fresh place.

Soon, they came to a row of bamboo pavilions, with artificial hills and ponds, carved railings, and jade carvings, making it look more like a garden than a brothel, broadening Ning Wuxue's horizons.

"This is the upper courtyard, where scholars and officials come. The upper courtyard of Yichun Garden is where the beauties are kept. Not to mention the top courtesan Jin Ling'er, even the four pavilion mistresses—Plum, Orchid, Bamboo, and Chrysanthemum—are all talented and beautiful. In the Jiangnan region, no one of high status or noble birth does not know about Yichun Garden. The owner of Yichun Garden is a person with great influence in Jiangnan, and anyone with a bit of knowledge knows about him."

Seemingly noticing Ning Wuxue's confusion, Li Gongtai explained with a smile.

No wonder, Ning Wuxue thought. For such a unique place to exist in Qingyun City, there must be someone powerful behind it. And this upper courtyard was clearly not a place for ordinary people from Qingyun City to enter easily.

Fortunately, the person he was looking for was here. If it weren't for Li Gongtai's guidance, he wouldn't have been able to come here today.

"The person coming today is the top courtesan of Jiangnan, and her name is even known in Chang'an." Li Gongtai's face was full of admiration, almost drooling like a love-struck fan.

Scholars, beauties, and top courtesans, all known for their talent and beauty, have always been closely linked.