The girls at Baoyue Pavilion don't embroider flowers; they run a business selling embroidery needles. As the saying goes, "With enough effort, an iron rod can be ground into a needle." And these girls' efforts are undoubtedly quite good...

Today's visit was for leisure under disguise, so Fan Xian and his party switched to an ordinary carriage. With a clatter, they arrived at a secluded spot in the west of the city and stopped in front of a three-story wooden building. A waiter from the pavilion was already there to take the reins and stable the horse with practiced movements. A greeter, looking fresh and neat, welcomed them inside.

Fan Xian had subtly altered his appearance by adjusting his eyebrows and adding a few small moles to his left cheek, mimicking Si Zhe's appearance. This cleverly dimmed his usual radiance, and in a society with limited information flow, he believed few would recognize him as the renowned Supervisor Fan of Kyoto.

Baoyue Pavilion was a wooden structure. Typically, wooden buildings exceeding three stories would have compressed spaces between floors to ensure stability. However, the floor height in Baoyue Pavilion was unusually high. Standing in front, one could clearly see the sky behind the building.

Fan Xian knew the wood used for this building must be top-quality lumber transported from the north. He walked into the pavilion, his hand seemingly unconsciously brushing against an enormous pillar near the door, confirming his judgment.

It was still early, but the hall on the ground floor was already filled with guests. A small stage, roughly ten feet square, occupied the center. A simply dressed girl was playing the *guqin* onstage, its music flowing gently, enough to calm the heart.

Fan Xian narrowed his eyes slightly, increasingly convinced that this brothel was not ordinary. The three followed the greeter to the second floor and chose a table at the back. Fan Xian sat by the railing, gesturing for Deng Ziyue and Shi Chanli to sit down. Leaning on the railing, his gaze lowered, he noticed celestial palace scenes painted with cyan, color, and gold lacquer. He couldn't help but think that this newly opened establishment, with such exquisite details, must have immense wealth behind it. It seemed that Mu Tie's judgment was accurate; it must be related to those princes.

Baoyue Pavilion did indeed exude an oddness, and this oddness stemmed from its elegance and incongruity.

Incongruity – not fitting the typical brothel style.

There were no pimps touting, no heavily made-up madams coaxing. One couldn't even see many scantily clad, seductive women. The place had an air of freshness that didn't resemble a brothel at all. Fan Xian had frequented such places a few times in the year and a half since arriving in Kyoto, but this was his first time encountering such a layout. As he leaned on the railing and looked outside, his heart skipped a beat.

The pavilion stood facing the street in a secluded location, but behind it was a lake, long and narrow – the famous Slim Lake of Kyoto.

The three sat by the railing, feeling the gentle, cool autumn breeze wafting from the lake, an indescribable comfort. Fan Xian couldn't help but lightly tap the railing, squinting his eyes. Many independent courtyards were built along the Slim Lake behind the pavilion, hidden among the autumn trees. Occasional glimpses of white-gray courtyard walls could be seen, extremely elegant. However, his sharp eyes had already spotted faint traces of rouge and powder in the sewage ditch behind one of the courtyards, indicating that many girls resided within. It seemed the front of Baoyue Pavilion was just a restaurant for welcoming guests; the real fun took place in those courtyards.

Like visiting a famous mountain, a fog in front of the mountain is needed to maximize tourists' desire for exploration.

The three-story wooden building of Baoyue Pavilion was like the mist before the mountain, concealing those courtyards behind, maximizing the patrons' desire for romantic encounters.

The operator of this brothel was indeed ingenious. If this person could be bought off and hadn't been involved in the deaths of those prostitutes, Fan Xian might have been interested in inviting him to manage the Internal Treasury.

However, Fan Xian had always maintained a pure attitude toward the business of brothels. Patrons were patrons, prostitutes were prostitutes. One paid money, the other offered flesh. Even if three hundred poems were wrapped around the fatty meat, it wouldn't negate the essence of the matter.

He only glanced at the lakeside courtyards before shaking his head. This "soft knife manor" must be making a lot of money each day. Another thought, however, was quite morbid: he seemed to always be wondering if the soil under those elegant courtyards was hiding the bones of frail women.

While he was lost in thought, Shi Chanli had already ordered some dishes. The service at Baoyue Pavilion was excellent. Before long, two young waiters, around thirteen or fourteen years old, came over with food trays, gently placing the exquisite porcelain plates on the table without making a sound, clearly well-trained.

The food on the plates was also extremely tempting. Camellia shrimp emitted a faint fragrance, and a few small, yellowish, translucent oil droplets floated quietly on a small bowl of shredded dried chicken simmered in chicken soup. Slices of home-style oil-soaked beef were topped with three-finger-wide scallions, and there were also a few beautifully arranged side dishes.

The handsome waiter poured wine for the three of them, and Shi Chanli waved for them to step back. Fan Xian smiled at him, appreciating his student's natural ease and willingness to take the initiative in front of him.

A simple wooden spoon stirred slightly in the chicken soup, and the aroma that had been hiding beneath the surface suddenly burst forth. Even Fan Xian couldn't help but pause slightly, taking the bowl Shi Chanli offered and praising it after a taste.

…

…

Today, Fan Xian was using the alias "Young Master Chen," taken from Chen Pingping.

At the table, the three acted like ordinary friends, admiring the scenery, enjoying the food, drinking wine, and chatting about interesting things in Kyoto. Deng Ziyue, the head of the Qi Nian Group, was concerned about Supervisor's safety and felt uneasy in this place of unknown friends and foes. He remained somewhat restrained, but under the pressure of wine and Fan Xian's stern gaze, he finally relaxed a bit.

After a few rounds of drinks, Shi Chanli finally couldn't help but frown and lower his voice to ask, "Young Master Chen, what exactly are we here to do today?"

Fan Xian chuckled and said, "Of course, to experience the most luxurious pleasures Kyoto has to offer..." After confirming that no one was eavesdropping, he quietly said, "Mu Tie told me about this place, which obviously meant something. Seeing that he didn't dare to say it clearly, I figured there must be a hidden reason, so I came to take a look on a whim."

Shi Chanli shook his head and said with a wry smile, "Although I also pity the women in this pavilion... selling laughter is common everywhere. Qing law permits it, why would Your Excellency put yourself in danger?"

Fan Xian used his chopsticks to pick up a thin, translucent slice of beef and put it in his mouth, chewing slowly as he smiled and said, "This Baoyue Pavilion has caused the deaths of four women in a month. Its ruthlessness is something even I find far behind. I've come to learn a thing or two."

Shi Chanli frowned and said, "Criminal cases are handled by the Kyoto Prefecture. The Supervisory Council is only responsible for supervising officials. It has no authority to interfere in this matter. Your Excellency... must have other ideas."

Deng Ziyue drank some wine and became bolder, saying, "We're investigating the Kyoto Prefect's dereliction of duty. And..." He glanced at Fan Xian, and after receiving permission, lowered his voice to say, "The Supervisory Council has never been able to find out the true owner of this Baoyue Pavilion, which is why it feels so strange."

Shi Chanli was shocked, thinking that the Supervisory Council's spies were all over Kyoto, with informants in the mansions of all the princes. Their intelligence network was vast and their strength astonishing. They could uncover the entanglements between the Second Prince and the Xinyang faction in just one month. But Baoyue Pavilion was just a brothel and restaurant on the surface, yet the Supervisory Council couldn't find out its true owner!

He pondered that there was only one possibility – the owner behind this brothel was related to...

Fan Xian knew that he understood his meaning, so he smiled and said, "The owner can make the Eight Bureaus feel troubled. It seems that someone inside the council is covering for him."

The Supervisory Council's greatest strength lay in its professionalism and complex, systematic organizational structure. It was extremely difficult for the council itself to have any major loopholes. The emergence of Zhu Ge had already shocked everyone in the know. Unexpectedly, not even two days after Zhu Ge's death, someone in the Supervisory Council was already working for the princes. This was what Fan Xian was most worried about.

He was the Supervisor of the Supervisory Council. How could he allow anyone to run wild on his own turf? That's why he had to come and see this Baoyue Pavilion in person, to see who was secretly reaching into his bowl, and to also relieve the boredom of his poor subordinates.

…

…

"Then what should this student do?" Shi Chanli asked. Although Shi Chanli was calm and steady, he was still a scholar and he was a bit nervous because he was experiencing something thrilling for the first time.

Fan Xian said, "You don't have the strength to truss a chicken. Since I brought you along, naturally, it's just to look around." He patted Shi Chanli's shoulder: "The public fund is treating you."

Shi Chanli paused and immediately understood the meaning of the Supervisor. He thought that he was still unmarried, so he immediately blushed. Fan Xian was a little surprised and said with a smile, "How can you and Hou Jichang, two young talents in Kyoto, never have visited a brothel before, or have some good female friends?"

Shi Chanli said shyly, "This student is incompetent, this student is incompetent."

Fan Xian couldn't help but laugh and say, "In a place like this, the word 'incompetent' should not be spoken casually."

…

…

Before long, the sky turned toward evening, and the setting sun reflected on the lake, turning it into a long, sloping impression. The weather wasn't that great, so the golden seal on the water was a bit dim. The lights in the Baoyue Pavilion were quickly lit up, as if by magic, and countless lanterns were hung in a very short time, illuminating the entire building with radiant colors. The shadows of the lights were reflected on the lake below, like stars falling into the water, which was much more dazzling than the scene of the sunset.

Lights and people arrived, and the Baoyue Pavilion welcomed its liveliest time of the day. Vaguely, one could see that many carriages were parked in front of the building, and the people who got out were all wearing casual clothes, but they still showed a sense of superiority and officialdom between their steps. It seemed that they were all officials of Kyoto who came here often, and most of these people were accompanied by wealthy merchants.

Fan Xian could use the Supervisory Council's public funds to treat Shi Chanli for prostitution, while the officials of the Six Ministries were still accustomed to being treated by the wealthy, which was both safe and prestigious.

The edge of the railing was slightly darker, shrouding the figures of the three. Fan Xian squinted his eyes to observe secretly. He saw several officials he had met at banquets before, but those high-ranking officials went directly into the private rooms, so he couldn't see clearly who was accompanying them. Before long, the private rooms were probably full, and there were more and more people in the second floor. The sounds of stringed instruments and the sounds of drinking and toasting were mixed together, making it very lively. Those women who were wearing breast wraps and looking charming were also walking in the building, and the popularity was gradually increasing.

Fan Xian looked at the leftovers and cold wine on his table, thinking that if the owner of this restaurant knew his identity, it would probably be a different scene.

"You guys have fun." He ordered.

Shi Chanli said nervously, "Sir, where are you going?"

Fan Xian replied, "I came here specifically for leisure, so of course I have to relax a bit. As the saying goes, 'If you don't enter the tiger's den, how can you catch the tiger's cub?'"

He spoke softly, gently, and purely, and although Deng and Shi had no choice but to believe it, they still had a strange feeling. "If you don't enter the brothel, how can you get a prostitute?" seemed to be the same reasoning.

Fan Xian said with a smile, "When you're having fun later, remember to ask questions, but don't ask anything about the owner. Just ask about the daily life of these girls, the more trivial the better. Of course, if it's inconvenient, don't ask. Don't let people see that we have other intentions. That's the most important thing."

Deng Ziyue glanced at the Supervisor and then really believed that the Supervisor had come to investigate secretly, instead of using the purpose of inspecting the brothel for a chance to engage in licentious activities. However, it seemed that small things like asking questions and investigating the root couldn't be handled by officials of his level, let alone a dignified Supervisor.

——————————————————————————

At this time, the lights in the small courtyards by the lake downstairs were lit up one by one, like golden oranges.

Deng Ziyue got up, waved and called the waiter, and said, "Arrange something for our sir."

The waiter reached out and took the thick gold, which felt heavy. Surprised, he realized that these three were actually big spenders. Not daring to be negligent, he quickly notified the waiter who had a good tongue. The waiter quickly came over and apologized softly and euphemistically for the previous inadequate reception. He led the three of them downstairs, carefully supporting them along the way, and chatting with good speech skills, seeming to want to find out where these three big spenders were from.

Fan Xian wouldn't pay attention to him. He walked forward with his hands behind his back.

Shi Chanli was talking and laughing with the waiter behind him, only saying that he and others were scholars from Jiangnan, who had come here because of its reputation. It was the first time for them to enter the building, but they didn't know what good things there were to play in the building.

The waiter chuckled and said, "Three sirs, in our Baoyue Pavilion, there is only what you can't think of, nothing we can't do. You can play whatever you want."

As he spoke, he secretly glanced at Fan Xian's back. Of course, he could see that this Young Master Chen was the main person among these three today, but looking at the demeanor of this Young Master Chen, he was indeed not an ordinary person. He didn't listen to his introduction or bother to look at him. It was estimated that he was the young master of a great official's family in Jiangnan.

…

…

The design of Baoyue Pavilion was very ingenious. Turning from the restaurant, one arrived at the lakeside. The courtyards, from which faint sounds of singing and laughter could already be heard, were close at hand. The two worlds were connected by a few stone paths between the grass, without disturbing or interfering with each other.

Under the guidance of the waiter, the three entered a courtyard. Different from the upstairs, as soon as they entered the courtyard, several beauties greeted them, their words and smiles were charming, and they supported the arms of the three into the room between the light gauze and dance, as naturally as welcoming the returning husband.

The room was warm. A warm box was placed in the corner. In this early autumn weather, it forcibly added some spring warmth. A pot of fake flowers was placed on a wooden table in the corner. The petals were all embroidered with southern silk, which was extremely exquisite.

A burst of greasy fragrance rushed into the nose. Fan Xian frowned, then smiled and looked back at Shi Chanli, who was full of embarrassment on a plump woman, and said, "Relax, there's no tigress at home."

He took off his coat outside, and the woman next to him took it over neatly and said gently, "Sir just used the wine and food. At this time, should we listen to some music, or... drink some more?"

Fan Xian sat on the couch and waved his hand and said, "Put up the table again, and the singing is also necessary. You can massage me first."

The woman who served him showed joy and said gratefully, "Sir is so considerate." She quickly tidied up his coat, and then a maid outside poured tea and carefully placed it in front of the three of them. She also brought a few plates of seasonal fruits that were rare in Kyoto, and then half-knelt on the couch, gently putting a pair of soft hands on Fan Xian's shoulders, massaging gently.

Fan Xian knew that the more he spent here, the more benefits the woman who served him would get. Feeling the strength on his shoulders, he thought that the service of Baoyue Pavilion was really good. Looking at Shi Chanli, who was still twisting and turning uneasily, and Deng Ziyue, who looked serious like he was still rectifying his style, he couldn't help but scold them in his heart for being unworthy. They were obviously two virgins. They really lost the face of the Supervisory Council and himself.

The woman behind Fan Xian, who was rubbing his shoulders, leaned lower and lower, and two masses of warmth pressed directly against Fan Xian's back. Fan Xian suddenly realized that he hadn't asked the name of this girl, and he hadn't even looked at the other's appearance seriously. For some reason, he was a little surprised at his calmness and ruthlessness. After a moment of silence, he asked softly, "What's your name, miss?"

"Yan'er."

The woman's fragrant sleeves were draped over Fan Xian's chest, and her soft and plump chest rubbed against Fan Xian's back very cleverly. Her voice was extremely soft and charming, and it sounded in his ear, and the slightly hot breath blew into his ear.

Fan Xian couldn't help but laugh. He scratched his ear extremely unscenely and explained, "Ticklish."

Of course, he knew that Yan'er was a fake name, but what was strange was that he had seen at a glance that although the woman was heavily made up, it could be seen that she was indeed a beauty. With such beauty, was she just a very ordinary member of this Baoyue Pavilion, who could be used to greet himself and other "unknown people" at will?

Just as the atmosphere in the room was getting more and more amorous, the singing girl had already entered the room. When Fan Xian saw the face of the girl, his heart fluttered slightly. He thought, "Even she was robbed by Baoyue Pavilion?"