What could be said about her? Scold her for being improper? Yet at the crucial moment, she knew to help block arrows for him. Praise her for being brave and fearless. Now she was sitting there making unreasonable demands.
“Two hairpins, is it?” Looking down at her, he said: “I’ll compensate you.”
“The hairpins are easy enough, but what about compensation for frightening my poor little heart that’s still going thump-thump!” Feng Yue pouted, batting her eyes and pointing at her chest: “You scared me to death~”
Perhaps it was the cold night wind, but Yin Gezhi shuddered, his whole body trembling.
The little demon on the roof ridge felt no shame at all, her face on the verge of tears, clearly meaning “If you don’t compensate me, I’ll cry for you to see, complete with snot bubbles!”
His expression softening slightly, Yin Gezhi walked over, bent down, and scooped her up entirely into his arms, holding her against his chest as he headed back to Menghou Tower.
Though Yin Gezhi wasn’t a great person and reeked of blood, when he actually used both arms to embrace someone, his hold was particularly steady – so steady that Feng Yue nearly fell asleep.
After tucking her into bed, Yin Gezhi turned to throw the corpse in the room out the window, closed and locked the windows and door, then changed clothes and got into bed.
“Whatever you want, go buy it tomorrow. Consider it my compensation,” Yin Gezhi said stiffly, looking at Feng Yue’s back.
Feng Yue responded drowsily, and then there was silence.
Just as she thought he was going to sleep, she felt heat behind her, her entire back perfectly matched against someone’s contours. Yin Gezhi was eight chi tall, and the way he curled around her reminded Feng Yue of the meat rolls from the end of Yaoyao Street – he was the outer wrapper, she was the meat inside, wrapped up tight.
Something pressed against her from below, but Feng Yue pretended not to notice. Surprisingly, the man behind her didn’t move either, closing his eyes to sleep right after speaking.
His breathing was long and steady, warm air brushing against her ear. For a moment, it made her feel as if this wasn’t a brothel, but the master bedroom of a peaceful household, where two people like immortal lovers embraced in sleep, warm and beautiful.
However, a brothel was still a brothel, destined to have its peace shattered. Early the next morning, Feng Yue was awakened by voices from below – unusually, a man’s voice.
“Aren’t brothels supposed to let anyone redeem girls for money? Why won’t you let me redeem her? Are you bullying me?”
“Young master,” Madam Jin smiled apologetically in a low voice: “Feng Yue has a client.”
“It’s already daylight, any client should be done by now!” Sun Li slammed the table violently: “If you dare play any tricks, I’ll tear down this establishment!”
Madam Jin frowned, quite displeased. These days everyone dared threaten to tear down her establishment. The more incapable they were, the louder they shouted. This person was no good – even if he had money, she wouldn’t let him redeem Feng Yue!
The girls who had risen early on the other side of the third floor were watching the commotion with smiles. Looking down at Sun Li, Duan Xian clicked her tongue: “Feng Yue’s business has been really good these past days, and now someone’s willing to redeem her. Such good fortune.”
“Listen to yourself,” Wei Yun shook her head: “The man down there doesn’t have the status of Feng Yue’s recent clients. How would it be good fortune to be redeemed by him?”
“You can’t say that,” Duan Xian snorted: “In our line of work, having anyone willing to redeem us is already good. Can we be picky? If she refuses this man’s redemption, isn’t that currying favor with the powerful? Who would redeem her in the future?”
Thinking about it, it did seem to make sense. Even courtesans needed to maintain their reputation. The more elegant the establishment, the more they valued integrity. Having a reputation for “looking down on the lowly and fawning over the mighty” would be ruinous.
The noisy voices continued unabated. Yin Gezhi opened his eyes, his face dark with displeasure.
Seeing this, Feng Yue immediately rolled off the bed, tumbling behind the screen to hide, whispering: “This isn’t this servant’s fault for disturbing you, they’re making noise downstairs.”
Yin Gezhi was always violent when awakened by others. He got up without even opening his eyes properly, picked up the carved red lacquer round table from the outer room, opened the door, and threw it down!
“Crash!” The table shattered in the center of the hall, frightening Sun Li into instant silence.
With quiet restored, Crown Prince Yin relaxed his brows and went back to sleep.
Feng Yue wrapped herself in clothes and brought in Ling Shu to do her hair. When sounds began to emerge from below again, she tiptoed out and ran downstairs to check the situation.
“What’s happening?”
By the shattered wooden table, Madam Jin smiled calmly and pointed at the pale-faced Sun Li: “This gentleman wants to redeem you.”
“Oh, redemption?” Looking at Sun Li, Feng Yue smiled while holding her handkerchief: “Thank you for your kindness, but in our Menghou Tower, even if a client wants to redeem one of us girls, if the girl is unwilling, you can’t take her away.”
“You’re unwilling?” Narrowing his eyes at her, Sun Li’s face showed malice again, like a street thug, somewhat threatening.
This bit of intimidation certainly couldn’t frighten Feng Yue. The little demon cast a flirtatious glance and said: “That’s right, I’m unwilling.”
“You!” Sun Li angrily slammed the table: “I’m already being too kind by wanting you, what more do you want? Looking down on me?”
“Sir,” Feng Yue smiled: “If you want others to respect you, you must first respect yourself. You keep saying our Menghou Tower looks down on you and won’t let you redeem anyone – you’re too insecure.”
“Me, insecure?” Sun Li snorted a laugh, wiping his square face, his small eyes showing disdain: “I work for my money, earning honest pay. It’s far better than you women who earn money by spreading your legs. How dare you talk to me about insecurity?”
His words were offensive, making even Madam Jin’s face darken: “Sir, mind yourself.”
“You think our girls here are unclean, so why are you eagerly bringing money to redeem me?” Her gaze turning cold, Feng Yue walked toward him step by step, her usual charm replaced by an inexplicable pressure:
“You curse us as lowly while debasing yourself by bringing money to possess our lowliness. Sir, who’s more degraded – you or us girls? A man apparently in his thirties, yet speaking so crudely – did your household not emphasize proper etiquette in your upbringing?”
With each sentence, she stepped closer. Feng Yue’s gaze was icy. Though she wore red silk sleeves, she seemed like she was wielding a cleaver while riding a tall horse, forcing Sun Li to keep backing away until he nearly fell.
“I…”
“You what?” Feng Yue narrowed her eyes: “Want to redeem me? Fine, the redemption price is set between the girls and Madam Jin. Madam, I want to set mine at ten thousand gold taels, what do you think?”
“Agreed!” Without even thinking, Madam Jin immediately nodded.
His face flushed red, and Sun Li took a while to recover. When he realized he had been so intimidated by a courtesan, he became both anxious and ashamed. He stood up and pushed Feng Yue away: “You think I’m that easy to bully? Let me tell you, the Young Miss of the General’s mansion ordered this servant to redeem you. By insulting me, you’re insulting the General’s mansion! Menghou Tower? Bah! You won’t be open tomorrow!”
Madam Jin was stunned, and all the girls were startled. Upstairs, Duan Xian and others ran down like the wind, anxiously saying: “We can’t afford to offend the General’s mansion! Madam, why did you go along with Feng Yue’s nonsense?”
Wei Yun looked at Feng Yue and said: “We can’t let the entire Menghou Tower be ruined because of you alone! Quick, apologize to this gentleman and let him redeem you.”
“Yes, why should your matter affect all of us?”
Scanning them all, Feng Yue sighed. The girls in this establishment really couldn’t wait to see her leave.
“I won’t.” If it were anywhere else, she might have hesitated, but since it involved the General’s mansion and this Sun Li, she absolutely wouldn’t agree.
These two words instantly set off the girls: “How can you be so selfish? They’re just asking you to go with them, not taking your life. Why must you drag us down with you?”
“That’s right, Madam Jin has treated you well, providing you with good food and drink. How can you be so ungrateful?”
Letting them talk, Feng Yue stood in the center of the hall, coldly watching Sun Li, refusing to move.
Sun Li sneered, gleefully watching her being surrounded by everyone, crossing his legs as he asked Madam Jin: “Well? Will you allow the redemption now?”
“No.”
These icy words crashed down the stairs, shocking everyone into silence.
The girls all turned to see Yin Gezhi wearing an outer robe, looking as if he hadn’t fully awakened, his expression full of dark anger as he looked their way.
Feng Yue’s rigid demeanor instantly softened. She stuck her tongue out at him innocently – if she had a tail, it would surely be wagging apologetically.
The great demon king had finally been awakened!
Looking at Sun Li with displeasure, Yin Gezhi slowly came down, and everyone quickly cleared a path.
Sun Li naturally recognized him and laughed, about to try networking, when suddenly his neck was seized!
Lifting him by the throat to examine him, Yin Gezhi asked puzzledly: “Who did you say sent you?”
His face whitening from the grip, Sun Li struggled a bit before managing to say with difficulty: “Your Highness, please calm down… this servant… this servant serves Young Miss Yi, don’t you remember?”
Young Miss Yi? Taking a moment to process this, Yin Gezhi threw him aside and said expressionlessly: “Borrowing the tiger’s might.”
His face alternating between red and white at these words, Sun Li still had to crawl back and kneel properly, forcing himself to say: “It was Young Miss’s orders. She said this lady had done her a favor, so she sent this servant to redeem her for a better life.”
“Bah!” With Yin Gezhi present, Feng Yue instantly gained confidence. She ran to hide behind him like a loyal dog, poking her head out to say fiercely: “You call that giving me a better life? The General’s mansion tried to force themselves on me unsuccessfully, and now they probably want to buy me back to make my life worse than death!”
His body stiffening, Yin Gezhi frowned and slowly turned to look at Feng Yue: “What did you say?”
Feng Yue blinked, suddenly remembering she hadn’t told this lord the truth when she returned yesterday. She immediately laughed nervously: “Nothing.”