The autumn wind was blowing bleakly in Chang'an City, and the autumn atmosphere was deepening. After the drum sounded, night fell and the streets were deserted.
In Pingkangfang, the lights are just coming on, the banquet is just being set, and another night of music, wine, debauchery and extravagance has just begun.
At the end of an inconspicuous alley in the north of Fangzhong, there is a deep house hidden among elms and locust trees. It is not like other brothels with bright lights and noisy music. There is no sign outside the door. From the outside, it looks like a rich family's house. Only after entering the second door can you know what's inside. The luxury here is hard for outsiders to imagine. The row of sandalwood columns under the corridor alone are very valuable. The hall is even more decorated with carved beams and painted buildings, golden lamps and jades, and a mica screen shines under the lamp trees. Pearls and gems are hung on the foot-high corals.
In the center, there was a red silk carpet from Xuanzhou embroidered with golden peonies. A group of dancers wearing green lotus crowns and light gauze dance costumes were swaying their waists and singing and dancing gracefully. Each of these dancers had a pretty face and soft skin, and they were all genuine handsome young men.
This place is none other than Nanfeng Pavilion, the most prestigious pavilion in Chang'an City. The owner is said to be a wealthy businessman from Weiyang, so most of the prostitutes in the pavilion are from Jiangnan.
There is only one guest in the hall today, but they are all well-known figures in Chang'an City. The host, Lord Wu'an, is even more famous and well-known.
Duke Wu'an lost his beloved son a year ago, but his luck has turned around recently. He recently took over the command of an army of 100,000 soldiers. He is truly very popular.
Duke Wu'an had swept away his previous dejection, and was now filled with satisfaction, his face beaming with rosy glow. Although his temples were gray, he still looked heroic and majestic.
In addition to the host of this place, the host was also a big salt merchant who had recently come to Beijing from Yangzhou. He was introduced by an acquaintance and brought a large bribe to ask Lord Wu'an to take care of the situation.
After a while of drinking and chatting, Lord Wu'an gradually became drunk and looked at the dancers with a dazed look in his eyes.
The salt merchant stole a glance at the distinguished guest at the top of the table and saw that his eyes seemed half open and he kept moving his body. He knew that he was getting a little restless, so he bowed and apologized, "Mr. Zhao, do you want to go to the backyard to rest for a while?"
Lord Wu'an's eyes darted back and forth among the dancers.
The salt merchant whispered, "I have found a well-behaved boy from the south to serve Lord Zhao. I hope Lord Zhao will not despise him."
Duke Wu'an nodded slightly. Although these dancers were beautiful, they were just ordinary stuff. They were fine for relieving his sexual desire. The host here knew his hobbies, and the salt merchant would not fool him with these mediocre women.
He nodded majestically, stood up, bowed to everyone in the hall, said "Excuse me" arrogantly, and walked to the backyard followed by two fluttering servants.
The servant boy opened the curtains, and the lights in the room were dim and the smoke of incense was curling. Lord Wu'an was an old hand at this and he knew there was something special in the incense as soon as he smelled it.
He said to the two servants, "Wait in the corridor. I will call you when I am ready to serve you."
After saying that, he strode towards the bed.
There was a mica screen in front of the bed, which was more luxurious than the one in the hall just now.
Through the screen, a slender figure can be vaguely seen on the bed and in the gauze curtains.
This trend is very popular in Jiangnan, and he can't wait to see what treasure the salt merchant has carefully selected and sent him.
Walking around the screen, he saw a red candle lit at the end of the bed, and on the couch were various common and uncommon medicines and instruments. The beauty was wearing a scarlet silk gauze dress, and her exposed legs showed her fair skin. His hands and feet were bound with red silk, and his body was thin and weak, just the type he liked the most.
When Duke Wu'an's gaze fell on his hands tied behind his back, his eyes lit up like a lamp - outsiders only knew that he liked Nanfeng, but they didn't know that he liked incomplete beauties. This beauty's right hand was broken at the wrist, and he felt his blood boiling at just one look.
He untied his belt and took off his robe impatiently, and then he started to pull the gauze dress off the beauty. The beauty started to make a sound when he touched her, and her exposed skin immediately turned pink.
Wu Angong was overjoyed. He heard that there were people in the south who specialized in taking care of these children. They soaked them in medicine every day, which was not only fun but also very nourishing. He had only heard of it but had never tasted it.
Perhaps he was too excited, or perhaps the incense had taken effect, but he didn't realize that the voice was familiar, and the slight sense of strangeness that flashed through his mind was fleeting.
He hugged the boy and kissed him indiscriminately, stroking his broken wrist and said, "My dear, turn around and let Aye see what you look like."
The young man whimpered. Wu Angong tried to pry open his face and felt tears. He felt unhappy and said patiently, "What's wrong? Who bullied you? Let Ye Ye love you well..."
As she spoke, she turned him over and took the candlestick at the end of the bed to shine on his face.
When Lord Wu'an took a closer look, the expression on his face disappeared without a trace. He screamed as if he had seen a ghost and threw the copper candlestick to the ground. The candle rolled to the ground and ignited the lichen and the curtains that hung to the foot of the bed.
Lord Wu'an didn't bother to pay attention. His eyes were wide open, his mouth was open, and his face was ashen, as if he had fallen into hell.
In the blazing fire, the two men looked at each other. Zhao Qinghui was also looking at his father, tears streaming down his face. In addition to grievance and sadness, there was also deep resentment in his eyes, and he made a "woohoo" sound in his throat.
Lord Wu An was stunned for a long while, and finally came to his senses. He hurriedly put out the fire. After the fire was put out, he said to the shadow on the bed with a trembling voice: "Hui... Hui'er? Are you Hui'er?"
The black shadow moved and nodded.
"How could you..." Lord Wu'an was filled with anger, pity, and hatred, and his whole body began to tremble like a sieve. "It was Huan Xuan. Don't worry, Aye will never forgive him..."
Zhao Qinghui felt nauseous when he heard the word "Aye" and almost vomited immediately.
At this moment, Lord Wu'an had calmed down and began to think quickly.
Seeing his own son, whom he had pampered since childhood, become like a ghost, he would be lying if he said he didn't feel heartbroken. His heart ached and his eyes swelled when he looked at him for even a second.
But now that things have come to this, this scandal must not be leaked out - the eldest son of the dignified Duke of Wu'an has drifted to the south of the Yangtze River and has an affair with a young prostitute. If people knew about this, how would the face of his entire family be saved
Besides, he had one hand crippled and was rendered mute by drugs. He had endured countless hardships this year, and living was nothing but torture for him. Most importantly, his two concubines had both given birth to baby boys, and both children were being raised. He could have a few more just in case, but he would just have to endure the nausea and sleep with a few women.
Of course, he could secretly bring him back home to deal with the problem, but this would inevitably lead to complications. Not to mention his attendants and servants, several guests at the banquet today knew Hui'er.
The sooner it is resolved, the better. He has known the owner of Nanfeng Pavilion for many years and has a lot of power in his hands. Occasionally, he goes too far and causes someone to die, but there is always someone to take care of it quietly. This is also one of the main reasons why he only comes here for fun.
Lord Wu An gritted his teeth, a trace of cruelty suddenly flashed across his eyes, and he said softly: "Hui'er, you have suffered, don't be afraid, Aye will take you home..."
He coaxed him like a child and moved closer to him.
Zhao Qinghui now trembles all over whenever he gets close to his father. He takes baths in medicinal liquid every day and was fed medicine before being sent here. He is obviously feeling sick to his stomach, but his body seems to have a mind of its own.
He could only shrink into the bed, making "ah ah" sounds, asking his father to stay away from him.
But Lord Wu'an leaned over, suddenly picked up the quilt on the couch and covered his son's head, then pressed his mouth and nose with all his strength, lowered his voice, and choked with sobs: "Hui'er, don't blame Aye for being cruel. Aye couldn't bear to see you like this, so he could only send you off. Don't worry, Aye will definitely avenge you and cut Huan Xuan into pieces..."
Zhao Qinghui was stunned for a moment, then he understood what his father was going to do. The blood in his body instantly ran cold. He had spent a year in Jiangnan and could not bear to recall the past. He dared not think about the sufferings he had endured. His only wish was that his father would find him, avenge him, and make him the noble Prince of Wu'an again, thus ending this nightmare. But who knew that his biological father actually wanted to kill him!
He had endured a year of hardship, just wanting to take revenge on Ruan Yuewei and Huan Xuan. He was not willing to die like this, so he kicked his father hard.
Duke Wu'an was a military general. Although he was nearly sixty years old, he was still strong and healthy. The frail body of Prince Zhao was no match for him, but the power that a person bursts out when he is on the verge of death should not be underestimated. Duke Wu'an was almost kicked over by him.
He freed one hand to hold down his son's legs, then held them firmly with his knees while pressing his head and face.
The body under the quilt struggled for a while, and then gradually stopped moving.
Duke Wu'an breathed a sigh of relief, his urgent problem now resolved. Then grief instantly overwhelmed him. He suddenly relaxed and slumped weakly on the edge of the bed.
At this moment, Zhao Qinghui under the quilt suddenly moved again.
Wu Angong stood up suddenly and was about to go and seduce him again when he heard two boys outside shouting in surprise, "What's the matter, sir?"
Before he could finish his words, he heard the door being kicked open from the outside, and a group of people rushed in. There were more than ten of them.
Duke Wu'an was horrified: "How dare someone break into a private house?"
The leader asked, "Jinwu Guard, who are you?"
When Lord Wu An came to such a place, he naturally tried his best to hide his identity and conceal his whereabouts. He did not dare to reveal his identity at this time, but just bluffed and said, "You are so bold, do you know who I am?"
The leader sneered, "You are just a salt merchant with a few dollars, and you dare to talk to the officials like this!"
Duke Wu'an had already sensed something was wrong by now. With him as their backer, the Jinwu Guards wouldn't dare to cause trouble in this place. So why did they go against their norm and search today
He calmed himself down and said, "What salt merchant? I am a friend of Lord Wu'an..."
The Jinwu Guards looked at each other, and suddenly burst into laughter.
The leader said, "It's true that the flood washed away the Dragon King Temple. Someone reported that the prince of Wu'an Mansion was imprisoned here. We were ordered to come here to search. How dare a small merchant use the tiger's skin as a banner."
Obviously he didn't believe what he said.
When Duke Wu'an heard the words "Duke Wu'an's Prince", he felt as if he had fallen into an icy cave and his mind went blank in an instant.
Just as he was stunned, someone rushed over and grabbed him. Someone else lifted the quilt and took a look in the moonlight. He saw a naked young man lying on the bed. He couldn't help but let out a "tsk" and turned his head away.
"Is this Prince Zhao?" asked the Jinwu Guard.
Zhao Qinghui was dying, with only exhaled breath but no dead breath.
The Jinwu Guard sniffed his breath, his face turned stern, and he asked Lord Wu'an, "Did you want to suffocate him just now?"
At this moment, someone found a candle, lit it with a tinder, and held it up to shine on the disheveled Wu'an Gong.
The leading Jinwu Guard exclaimed, "Ah!" "You... you are... Lord Zhao?"