Lin Yanxi looked at his open collar and said with a smile, "You're teachable."
As soon as the two entered the Zhihai Tower, a group of young women flocked to Shen Muzhou, pushing Lin Yanxi to the periphery of the crowd. She noticed a plaque that read Courtesan: Meng'er.
So, the deputy tower master was the courtesan here.
"Young master, you are so handsome."
"This is your first time at Zhihai Tower, why don't I accompany you to relieve your boredom?"
One of the women reached out her slender hand to touch Shen Muzhou's chest. Before her hand could touch his collar, it was caught.
"Ouch, hiss, it hurts, young master, let go quickly."
Shen Muzhou's handsome face was expressionless, his eyes flashed with ice, and he looked as if he was about to kill someone, a terrifying sight.
The surrounding women were startled and quickly moved back a few steps, not daring to come forward.
Lin Yanxi stepped forward in time to ease the situation, saying, "Young master, young master, don't be angry, don't be angry."
She winked at him, signaling him not to cause trouble and to let go quickly.
Shen Muzhou's eyes darkened. Suppressing his anger, he released her hand.
A slightly older woman came forward and said, "This is new. It's the first time I've seen a man and a woman come to Zhihai Tower together."
Lin Yanxi smoothly replied, "My lady, you might not know, but this is my young master. He was just abandoned by his beloved and is feeling troubled, so he's here to unwind."
The woman sized them up a few times and then smiled, "That's easy. The women here are best at comforting a man's wounded heart. As soon as you meet our lady, I guarantee your young master won't think of anyone else."
"Everyone here calls me Sister Lian. Come, follow me to the private room on the second floor, and we'll arrange the best girl for you."
Inside Zhihai Tower, amber wine, gold-footed goblets, and the plates for pastries were all made of jade. The most eye-catching was a long, narrow water channel where various flower petals floated, and wine cups drifted on it. This water channel wound around the different floors, making it convenient for guests to drink and enjoy themselves.
As the two followed Sister Lian downstairs, a drunken noble young master stared at Lin Yanxi with his eyes wide open.
"Your Zhihai Tower has such a charming young lady." He revealed a lecherous smile and lewdly moved towards Lin Yanxi.
Before she could react, Shen Muzhou stepped forward, blocking her, kicked him down, and his fine black deerskin boots stepped on his chest. "Looking for death!"
The man immediately spat out a mouthful of blood, and his drunkenness cleared considerably. "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare, great hero, spare my life. I was just drunk."
Sister Lian quickly advised, "Yes, young master. Everyone who comes here seeks pleasure. Don't let him ruin your mood. Please give Sister Lian some face and let him go."
Lin Yanxi tugged at his sleeve and whispered, "The matter at hand is more important."
Shen Muzhou stared at her face, pondered for a moment, lifted his foot, and in the next second, it landed on his palm, stomping down hard. He continued to walk forward.
The drunken man's palm instantly broke its bones. He curled up on the ground, groaning in pain.
As Lin Yanxi passed him, she made a face at him and ran a few steps to catch up with Shen Muzhou.
Sister Lian, walking at the end, glanced back at the drunken man and then quietly observed the two of them. A young master came to the tavern with a maid, and he was so attentive to this maid.
The two of them were dressed exceptionally well and had extraordinary bearing, suggesting they were not ordinary people.
She smiled, her guess already formed in her mind.
Lin Yanxi and Shen Muzhou were led to a room. The room was perfumed, with red curtains hanging here and there, creating an ambiguous atmosphere.
As soon as Lin Yanxi sat down, she said to Sister Lian, "Sister Lian, call your top courtesan Meng'er to come and accompany my young master well."
Sister Lian smiled upon hearing this, "Oh, you little girl are quite discerning. Meng'er costs a fortune every night; not everyone can afford to call for her."
Shen Muzhou untied the purse at his waist and poured out gold leaves one by one. He asked in a cold voice, "Is this enough?"
Sister Lian's face beamed with joy. Greedily, she gathered the gold leaves on the table into her arms. "Enough, enough. Wait here, I'll go and bring Meng'er."
After Sister Lian left, only Lin Yanxi and Shen Muzhou remained in the room. She moved closer and stared at his stern face for a long time.
He asked, perplexed, "How is it?"
She clicked her tongue. "I say, Ninth Prince, we are here to gather information today. You keep such a stern face. When that girl touched you, you almost killed her. Are you afraid others won't know you know martial arts and can't guess your intentions?"
He snorted dismissively. "Do I need to consider anyone's feelings when I do things?"
Lin Yanxi sighed, "Alas, Ninth Prince, sometimes, if you just adapt a little, you can achieve your goals without bloodshed, minimizing casualties."
He remained silent, as if agreeing with her, and his face, as cold as frost, slightly softened.
She smiled with satisfaction, thinking he was still salvageable.
Shen Muzhou said seriously, "That Lotus just now, she knows martial arts."
Lin Yanxi didn't react for a moment and asked, "Lotus? Ah, you mean Sister Lian."
She rolled her eyes inwardly. What Lotus? He couldn't even remember a person's name.
Shen Muzhou nodded and continued, "Her steps were light and silent; she must have excellent Qinggong. Not only her, but when I deliberately grabbed a woman's wrist earlier, although she looked panicked and cried out in pain, she secretly used internal energy to protect herself."
Lin Yanxi listened intently. So, he was testing those people.
He continued to ask, "Have you really thought about bringing Xiao Shitong back to the capital? His origins are unknown. After the incident with Hei Jin last time, I'm afraid he has other intentions."
Lin Yanxi's expression became complicated. "Actually, I've thought about it, but..."
She lowered her eyes, filled with painful hatred. "But I experienced the powerlessness of watching my loved ones die before my eyes, wanting to avenge them but having no way to investigate. Because I've been through this, I don't want Xiao Shitong to carry hatred and live a helpless life."
As he was about to comfort her, when she raised her eyes to look at him, they were again filled with hope. "Besides, you're here, so there's nothing to be afraid of."
Shen Muzhou's expression instantly softened a lot. With him here...
It was the first time he felt the sensation of two people fighting side by side, no longer alone and facing death without anyone to care.
He found that Lin Yanxi seemed to possess a kind of magic. Her words could easily dissipate the coldness in his eyes, and his heart, as hard as a perpetually overcast sky, gradually became warm and soft.
After a long while, he finally uttered a "hmm," a response to her earlier words, "With you here."
However, Lin Yanxi had already run to the table and was examining the pastries on the jade plate. She picked up a pastry and put it in her mouth. "This pastry is so unique. I've never tasted anything like it in the capital."
"The pastry that the lady likes is called Jūgāo. It's made by picking out the white pith from the citrus one by one, leaving only the sweetest pulp for the filling. The texture is sweet and smooth."
The door was pushed open, and Meng'er entered the room, holding a pipa.
Her hair was dark, her skin fair. She wore a gauze scarf over her head, revealing only her deep and charming large eyes. She was dressed in a thin, Western-style veil, her top was cropped, her upper body full, and her waist slender.
"Young master, young lady." As she bowed to the two, a deep沟 between her snow-white breasts was particularly alluring.
Shen Muzhou lowered his head, not looking at her. He glanced sideways at Lin Yanxi and saw her staring intently at Meng'er.
Lin Yanxi was mesmerized. "No wonder they say Meng'er is priceless. Seeing her today, I realize such a Western beauty is devastatingly beautiful, beyond any price."
Meng'er smiled charmingly, her eyes alluring. Silver bells adorned her feet, and thin bracelets wrapped around her wrists, making crisp and pleasant 'ding-ling' sounds as she moved.
"You flatter me, young lady."
She touched Shen Muzhou's arm and said, "If Meng'er were in the capital, she would be the number one beauty, right?"
Shen Muzhou's gaze had not been on Meng'er from beginning to end. He looked at Lin Yanxi and said in a deep voice, "I don't think so."
She twitched the corner of her mouth. Indeed, as the saying goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. In his and Shen Yu's eyes, Luo Jingxin was the most beautiful woman in Nanmin.
Speaking of Luo Jingxin, she was indeed not bad. Her temperament was ethereal and noble, a completely different type from Meng'er. In any case, both were unforgettable beauties.
Lin Yanxi smiled, with an expression that said, 'I understand,' and nodded at him.
Meng'er's voice was sweet. "Shall I perform a dance for you, young master?"
Shen Muzhou's tone was flat and devoid of warmth. "No need. We are not here to drink."
Meng'er chuckled at his words, her eyes curved with a hint of seduction. "Young master, you say that, but how many people who come to our Zhihai Tower are really here to drink?"
As she spoke, she walked to Shen Muzhou's side, knelt on the mat, picked up a wine cup, and brought it to his lips.
Shen Muzhou pushed the cup away and said seriously, "I want to ask you about something."
Meng'er picked up the cup again and moved closer, almost embracing Shen Muzhou's arm and rubbing against his chest.
He flinched and drew his arm back. "Miss, please have some self-respect."
Lin Yanxi was initially watching for a show, but why did she feel a bit uncomfortable? Seeing him remain unmoved, her emotions became even more complicated.
With such a beauty by his side, Shen Muzhou could still refuse with a cold face, which must be because he already had Luo Jingxin in his heart.
He's quite devoted.
She pouted and poured herself a cup of wine. The clear fruit wine was sweet as it went down her throat.
Meng'er noticed Yanxi drinking. She continued to hold up her wine cup, unfazed by his rejection. "Then drink this cup of wine, and I'll tell you what you want to know."
His eyes darkened. He snatched the cup and drank it down in one go.
Meng'er smiled and asked, "What do you want to ask, young master?"
His face turned slightly red. "I want to know the tower master's preferences."
Meng'er revealed an unfathomable smile and slowly said, "The tower master's preferences... she likes..."
Shen Muzhou felt his vision begin to blur, his body grew hot, and his head became heavy...