Let’s not speak of Little Chuzi receiving Xiao’an’s orders to meet Prince Zhennan, or having Chao Huang lead people to escort the Empress Dowager while checking road safety—the overall situation finally settled. Instead, let’s say that Pei Fengji had received a painted scroll from a servant that morning and was currently “seeking pleasure” in a place Prince Zhennan never expected—the former residence of the courtesan Wu Niang. Pei Fengji led numerous attendants there. The attendants, seeing that desolate, cold place with fire-scorched, smoke-blackened ruined buildings, paper money scattered everywhere on the ground, and erected candles—those pale candles still burning, emitting an aroma—suddenly felt stifled and alarmed, all advising Pei Fengji: “Young Master, there may be danger…”

Pei Fengji was cruel and indulgent yet also quite brave and perceptive. He remained completely calm and unruffled, only smiling coldly while slowly opening the coldly beautiful, mysterious scroll he’d received that morning.

The painting showed a woman with moth eyebrows and apricot eyes, smiling enchantingly. Her slightly upturned lips held an expression that was half-smile, half-frost, like bright, dewy flowers on winter branches—beautiful with thin thorns, yet stirring one’s heartstrings.

This was the beauty he’d seen at the inn near Guixiang House several days ago. Compared to her, what was that Mo Chou he’d played with that day!

That day, when she escaped, he had also searched Guixiang House, but the people there claimed not to know her. He had thought this woman truly wasn’t one of those pleasure quarter songbirds. These days, while simply awaiting Great Zhou’s emperor’s reply, his mother argued with his father over the household concubines, which inevitably annoyed him. Who knew he’d receive this scroll this morning, along with an enclosed letter.

The letter said: “Do you dare come find me at Wu Niang’s former residence?”

So this woman was indeed a girl from Guixiang House. Knowing it might be a trap, he came anyway, turning the plot to his advantage. Provocation and revenge? He wanted to see what tricks she could play, wanted to see who would ultimately defeat whom! He would make her submit to him, beg him for mercy! Did she think these paper money and white candles could frighten him?

Remembering his instructions to an attendant before departure—to convey a few words to He Sai—Pei Fengji sneered. You think you’ve laid a fine trap, but the real show is yet to come. He waved his hand, only ordering his attendants to be quiet and not spoil his interest.

He strolled unhurriedly. Half an hour passed, and as expected, though he wasn’t anxious, someone else was. A young servant hurried over, saying: “Our young lady requests the young master move to Guixiang House.”

Pei Fengji sneered inwardly—indeed connected to Guixiang House. He said nothing, striding forward with his attendants following. He wanted to see what medicine this woman was selling in her gourd!

Reaching Guixiang House, before entering, he first heard waves of qin music flowing out—not like the soft, coquettish tones unique to pleasure houses, but rather having a sense of clashing metal and armor. Though slightly surprised, he didn’t take it seriously. As he and his attendants were about to step inside, he suddenly heard the young servant behind him laugh: “Our young lady would like to chat privately with the young master.”

Pei Fengji’s gaze deepened, but he still did as suggested, having his attendants wait outside without entering. Behind him, the young servant slowly closed the main door from outside.

Pei Fengji’s lips curved in a cruel expression—increasingly interesting. Let’s see who plays whom.

He strolled inside, seeing the great hall had indeed been arranged in advance. Though such places only bustled with guests at night, this magnificent place’s main hall currently had no one attending to it—not even a single maid or servant boy was visible. Usually there would be multiple large and small wine tables separated by potted plants and wood carvings, but today while the tables and chairs on both sides remained with wine vessels and tea implements still arranged, the central tables and chairs had been completely removed, leaving only an empty space in front of the central screen with a single noble consort’s couch placed across it.

The couch was covered with a bed of purple-pink thick brocade cushions. The cushions were slightly gathered, as if hiding a person inside—one pull of the cover and that vivaciously fragrant beauty would present her jade body before his eyes for a session of clouds and rain.

Beside the noble consort’s couch sat an incense burner with curling fragrant smoke.

As for that large, thick gauze screen, he saw it adorned with gold rendering and silver outline, depicting blooming, magnificent peonies with butterflies and birds circling above, sipping their petals. Though not vulgar, it held hints of warm intimacy. To the left of the screen, winding stairs led to the second floor. Behind the screen were the inner rooms of the first floor.

The second-floor elegant chambers had thin gauze curtains hung from each beam, concealing every room completely, though through gaps one could dimly see each door tightly closed with no sign of human presence.

All around, except for the increasingly urgent qin and zither sounds that carried killing intent, it seemed quite quiet.

His heart couldn’t help but feel strangely agitated. His brow furrowed as he strode over, about to lift the brocade cushions on the couch to see what mystery this woman was creating.

“Wait!”

A low laugh, with footsteps emerging from the inner hall. Pei Fengji was stopped by that call, temporarily withdrawing his sleeve hand to look toward the white-clothed woman coming from behind the screen carrying a qin, stepping gracefully like lotuses blooming with each step.

The woman’s clothing was elegantly simple, half-covered by a face veil, with her hair casually arranged in a bun held by a jade hairpin, leaving only a few strands falling along her cheeks. Looking up with a slight smile, she revealed half of her snow-white, flawless neck with thin blue-green veins. Though not at all exposed, without a trace of pleasure house woman’s air, she made his blood somewhat boil. He spoke with evil hoarseness: “Young lady invites me here—do you wish to emulate these butterflies, birds, and peonies on the screen, to share… conjugal bliss with this heir apparent?”

The woman had been listening with gentle eyes and tender expression, but hearing this, she suddenly laughed coldly and said sternly: “Who would share conjugal bliss with you, beast? Even if this place is a den of filth, it still finds you disgusting. I brought you here to avenge my mother Wu Niang and my two sisters!”

But Pei Fengji laughed upon hearing this, utterly contemptuous: “Little beauty, that Wu Niang wasn’t killed by me. Didn’t you see your Great Zhou officials judge the case?”

“Before the dead, you still dare make excuses?”

The woman only smiled, suddenly walking to the long couch and yanking the bedding away.

Pei Fengji had been laughing wildly, but when his gaze fell there, despite his vicious nature, he was immediately shocked.

On the couch lay a woman whose face was already swollen green with gas, her features partially rotted, yet those bright red lips and ghastly appearance—wasn’t this exactly Wu Niang who had supposedly been burned long ago?