Chapter One: Not So Pleasant Dreams

iting, singing, dancing, theater, and casual chatter. We've got it all.You can chat and exchange ideas, or admire the skills here, but if you behave inappropriately, I'm sorry, your name will be hung...As the sun sets in the west, the evening glow paints the sky with a myriad of crimson hues.

Under the canopy of the heavens, the earth lay scarred and broken. Rubble littered the ground, smoke from burning fires filled the air, tattered flags fluttered listlessly in the breeze, and blood stained the soil crimson.

In an instant, the boundaries between heaven and earth vanished. Heaven and earth became one, bathed in a crimson glow, like a human hell.

A single, painted hand shot out from the ground, grabbing onto the ankle with a desperate force, as if grasping at a lifeline. A shattering sound echoed, followed by a frantic cry: "Save me... save me..."

Mu Jiu suddenly woke from his dream, his glazed eyes flashing with a hint of ferocity. He opened his eyes to see a bamboo forest outside the window, the green washing away the glaring red in an instant. The ripples in his gaze gradually subsided and...

There is no battlefield, no bloodshed, yet he lies on the cool rattan chairs in the courtyard of his mansion. The small courtyard is serene and peaceful.

Her pale, slender hands covered her eyes, though she was no longer dreaming. Yet, the scene from moments ago remained vivid and clear in her mind.

Footsteps approached, and she lowered her hands. Shi Wei Xue stood on the corridor outside the window, half of her face concealed by a veil. Her large almond eyes were filled with concern as she gestured with both hands: "Are you alright"

Sign language, is for the deaf.

Mu Jiu shook her head slightly: "It's nothing, I had a rather bad dream."

After speaking, she closed her eyes, a rare weariness settling on her brow. She lay back in her chair, tilting her head slightly. Her ink-black hair cascaded down like a waterfall, save for the section pulled up and adorned with a peachwood hairpin. Her slender waist was cinched tight, the folds of her skirt billowing gently around her as she swayed slightly with the breeze. Two sashes hung from her waist, rippling in the wind.

A gentle breeze opened the curtain, revealing her face. Her skin was as white as fine porcelain, unadorned yet elegant and refined. While she wasn't breathtakingly beautiful or stunningly captivating, she possessed a unique charm. Her brows were like ink paintings, naturally dark and delicate, her features small and graceful, with an air of youthful vibrancy that made her appear particularly striking.

Wei Xue lowered her eyes and went to make a pot of tea.

I could smell it from afar, it was calming tea.

Mu Jiu opened his eyes, a faint smile playing on his lips: "You're thoughtful. Go do your business."

Wei Xue nodded and turned to leave. Mu Jiu sat up and walked to the bedside. He hadn't had a nightmare in a long time.

The calming tea worked well. Just a whiff of it and my mind felt at ease. I propped up my head with one hand and lazily held a teapot, pouring myself some tea, all in a languid manner.

Her eyelashes, long and delicate like butterfly wings, fluttered slightly. Her clear, glassy eyes reflected the light outside, resembling two precious gems that shimmered faintly. As she blinked, a slight mistiness veiled her gaze, obscuring the colors hidden within.

---

In the evening, as the sun set in the west and night fell, the bustling capital city came alive. Thousands of lanterns illuminated the streets, their warm glow outshining even the stars in the sky.

The most bustling place at night was no other than the taverns and flower streets. Beautifully dressed courtesans from the red-light districts leaned against the railings, waving their handkerchiefs in the wind, inviting customers with their charm.

At the end of the bustling street, there stood a five-story building with flowers adorning its facade. Unlike the surrounding buildings adorned with gaudy reds, greens, and yellows, this one was primarily decorated with delicate pale green cherry blossoms, giving it an elegant and refined air.

Wind Moon Tower

This is a place where we talk about romantic affairs and have nothing to do with mundane matters. All the people here are performers who only sell their art, not themselves. We have both men and women, and they are skilled in all sorts of things: music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, songwriting, singing, dancing, theater, and casual chatter. We've got it all.

You can chat and exchange ideas, or admire the skills here, but if you behave inappropriately, I'm sorry, your name will be hung in the main hall of Fengyue Lou for three days to be ridiculed by all the scholars and poets in the world. Unless you don't want any face left, otherwise everyone entering Fengyue Lou abides by gentlemanly conduct.

There's a saying in Beijing to describe this street of pleasure: "Drunkenly Reclining Amidst Wind and Moon, Discussing Romantic Tales; A Half-Step into the Red House is Already Immoral."

Therefore, this Fengyue Tower is especially popular among those young masters and princes. Even commoners here have their beloved courtesans, and they are willing to spend a fortune just for a smile from a beauty.

The floors of Fengyue Building represent status. Each floor represents the skill and popularity of the courtesans, with the highest floor being home to the most famous ones.

The room is decorated with various orchids, in a white and elegant tone, looking extremely elegant and serene. This is the room of Orchid Mist, one of the eight top courtesans at Fengyue Tower.

Lan You was best at playing the guqin, her music was ethereal and dreamy, like fairy music surrounding you, making people calm and focused. However, tonight's music sounded a little unsteady...

"Click click click...."

Lan You was at her wit's end. She turned her head and glared at the person lounging lazily in a chair: "Can you please stop eating melon seeds"

There's simply nothing like listening to someone play the piano while they also enthusiastically munch on melon seeds.

Mu Jiu stopped his hand on Guazi's and instead grabbed a handful of pine nuts: "I'll have these, okay I tell you Lan You, your attitude is unacceptable. If I were your guest, I wouldn't give you a single copper coin."

Yi Suya looked very elegant and high-cold, but the adult Lan You rolled her eyes at him in a very unrefined way, disdainfully saying: "If you were my guest, you wouldn't even be able to get through this door."

These eight top performers have the power to choose their patrons. Anyone who is chosen feels deeply honored, enchanted by their music as if in a trance. Yet, they've run into this nuisance—a child who comes to the brothel every day for free!

Mu Jiu came to Fengyue Building every two or three days, not bringing a single copper coin. He'd just listen to the music for free, and even ate and drank without paying. Back then, he seemed so easy to tease, but now He can't be shaken off.

The two of them had met three years ago. Mu Jiu was only thirteen at the time, dressed in a dashing young master's attire during the Lantern Festival. He looked handsome and charming. Lan You went out to admire the lanterns and encountered such a cute young man. The heart of that old woman who had long been deadened by worldly affairs suddenly came alive. She couldn't help but tease him a little.

I originally intended to bring this young master back for some fun, but who would have thought, this young master isn't what he seems. Though she is a girl, she's even more mischievous than a boy.

It's over, I don't want to dwell on the painful past. Lan You felt utterly dejected and slumped down beside Mu Jiu, grabbing a handful of melon seeds to shell together.

Suddenly, she thought of something and, being very gossipy, leaned over to Mu Jiu's side: "Ai, do you know who the guest at Zhúyùn House tonight is"

Mu Jiu pressed two fingers against the head that was too close: "How would I know, how Is it another rich family's young master"

Zhu Yun is a thirty-year-old man, one of the top courtesans at Feng Yue Lou. He excels in flute playing and chess. Although he is already considered an older man, he takes good care of himself and has a handsome and charming appearance. He is calm and composed, with an undeniable charisma. It is said that even after her marriage, Princess Huiyun, the younger sister of the current emperor, frequently visits him to play chess and discuss worldly matters, which speaks volumes about his extraordinary charm.

"No." Lan You suddenly pulled a face, feigning menace: "It's the Duke of Dingbei."

Mu Jiu had to chew two pine nuts before he managed to match the man. Although he'd never met him, he'd heard tales of the legendary war god, a king known for his ferocity and ruthlessness.

At the age of twelve, he joined the army. At thirteen, he made his first military achievement. By fifteen, he was already a renowned general. At sixteen, in a battle where five thousand enemies faced twenty thousand of his own troops, everyone believed him to be doomed. However, using strategy and tactics, he captured over ten thousand enemy soldiers and personally captured the opposing commander.

Three years ago, the former Marquis Dingbei fell ill and passed away. Xiao Jun was still too young to have even come of age, and everyone assumed that the title would go to his uncle. However, he single-handedly fought his way into the enemy camp and beheaded their general, returning with a resounding victory. The Emperor Chu was overjoyed and issued an unprecedented decree, allowing him to inherit the Marquis title, making him the youngest Marquis since the founding of the country, a well-deserved honor.

Everyone thought that with such a ferocious man, he must be just a brute who only knew how to fight. However, when he arrived in the capital and attended a palace banquet, he astonished everyone present.

There's a saying in Beijing to describe Xiao Jun's character: his intellect is like a demon's, his appearance surpasses brocade, his bearing is noble, his movements are like clouds, his heart is like iron, and he is hard to find. If you glance back at him, all the heroes of the world would fade away.

Even though he spent most of his time in the military camp and was known for being taciturn and solitary, it couldn't stop the naive infatuation and yearning in the hearts of people in the capital. Instead, because he was hard to see, his heroic aura became even more alluring, making people yearn for him even more.

But this was just a description of him two years ago, and two years later, no one probably remembers what he looked like anymore, but his deviant methods are still fresh in everyone's memory.unding you, making people calm and focused. However, tonight's music sounded a little unsteady..."Click click click...."Lan You was at her wit's end. She turned her head and glared at the person loung...