The lake at night shimmered with reflections of colorful lights. The ornate pleasure boat, grand and magnificent, captivated the eyes. Inside the paper-paned windows, shadowy figures could be seen, and the soft sounds of music floated, creating ripples on the lake’s surface.
Across the lake was the bustling market, adorned with festive decorations and thronged with people. This was the night of the imperial capital, lively and prosperous, a scene of debauchery and opulence.
Xiao Yuanting stepped onto the deck, and a man dressed as an imperial guard hurried forward to guide him. “Young Master Xiao, my lord is inside, waiting for you.”
Xiao Yuanting, full of excitement, walked in while saying, “This pleasure boat is quite unique, isn’t it?”
The imperial guard smiled and replied, “The Emperor awarded it last year; it’s been kept in the palace since.”
Xiao Yuanting suddenly remembered the incident. There was a time when Huo Xian presented a group of beauties, among whom one was highly favored by Emperor Shun’an. She was even given the title of concubine, now known as Concubine Ling. Although she was no longer in favor, back then, the Emperor was so enamored that he generously awarded a pleasure boat.
Thinking of this, Xiao Yuanting couldn’t help but sigh at how times had changed. Nowadays, the Emperor could no longer afford to lavishly gift such an expensive boat. He even believed that Emperor Shun’an’s private treasury had been exhausted by Huo Xian’s rewards.
“Tsk, what a fox,” he muttered.
The pleasure boat had two levels. As Xiao Yuanting entered, several young noblemen were already there. Huo Xian was lounging crookedly, resting his chin on one hand, looking completely at ease. He was surrounded by two girls, one holding a wine jug, the other feeding him fruit. His gaze was fixed dreamily on a musician playing the konghou, and he laughed openly at someone’s bawdy joke.
Xiao Yuanting loved this kind of scene the most. He walked over, greeted everyone, and sat next to Huo Xian, teasing, “Commander, you have such refined tastes.”
Someone chimed in, “The commander does his job well and deserves the highest credit. What’s wrong with a little leisure?”
“Exactly, those old fossils in the Censorate weren’t there to shield us when it mattered. Now that the job is done, they start nitpicking. It’s only fair their plaques were smashed. It wasn’t enough, I say. Commander, remember to call us next time something like this happens!”
Xiao Yuanting laughed, “Alright, you lot, always flattering. If I really called you, who would dare come?”
Everyone laughed awkwardly, indeed not daring. Not everyone was like Huo Xian, with the Emperor and the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs backing him. A censure from the Censorate could mean a small loss of salary, but being flogged was a big deal.
To change the subject, someone said, “I heard the commander’s newlywed bliss is so intense that he hardly cares for his favored concubine, Madam Sheng, and has even been socializing less. We thought he was settling down, but recent rumors seem to debunk that.”
Someone joked, “It might not just be rumors. A few days ago, we heard the commander and his wife had a quarrel. Lady Huo was so angry she left home in a storm. The commander mobilized the imperial guards and nearly turned the capital upside down to bring her back safely.”
Huo Xian kept his smile, neither confirming nor denying, which only piqued more curiosity. After some guessing, he casually said, “Women, once you’ve tasted them, they’re all the same.”
Ji Yuluo, disguised as an imperial guard, had gone to great lengths to avoid detection. She even darkened her face. She stood in the corner closest to the group, directly facing Huo Xian.
As he spoke, he inadvertently glanced up, and their eyes met for a brief moment before he looked away. It was as fleeting as the wind, yet he continued chatting and flirting, seamlessly joining in on the bawdy talk, making the girl pouring wine blush. Every move and gesture revealed his unrestrained desires, almost merging him with the hedonistic atmosphere.
However, perhaps due to his inherent aura, even as he joked casually, his ferocity was not entirely hidden, merely suppressed. No one dared to overstep.
Huo Xian had a natural talent for enchanting people.
The wind carrying the scent of grass and trees brushed past the lake, bringing a sense of relaxation. Taking advantage of the moment when no one was paying attention, Ji Yuluo leaned against the window, quietly enjoying the scene.
His lips were soaked with wine, making them particularly red.
Ji Yuluo subconsciously licked her own lips.
After a few rounds of drinks, Huo Xian brought up a topic, “I heard that Lord Ling intends to send you on an out-of-town assignment for some experience?”
He was addressing the sixth son of the Ling family, who held a position in the Dali Temple. Ling’s father was an honest and upright official, but unfortunately, his son was a disappointment, indulging in eating, drinking, whoring, and gambling, living a life of idleness. Finally, Ling’s father couldn’t tolerate it anymore and thought of sending him away for some training.
At the mention of this, the young Master Ling sighed, “I haven’t decided to go yet. Being sent out of the capital isn’t a good job.”
Huo Xian picked at the dishes and said, “It’s not so bad. With your family background, who would dare to control you when you get there? You can have as much fun as you want. Yuanting has experience.”
Xiao Yuanting took over the conversation, “That’s true. When my father was patrolling Xuanzhou, I went with him. Even the local governors treated me with great respect, serving tea and water. Who dared to treat me like a nobody? No one.”
He continued, “My father restrained me back then, so I didn’t have enough fun. But you’re different. You don’t have a family to worry about, and no one above to suppress you.”
Ling’s sixth son was tempted, “Is Yunyang really as good as they say, always in battle?”
“It’s not me fighting, so what’s bad about it?” Xiao Yuanting, already tipsy, said, “Besides, my father has troops, so I won’t suffer any losses.”
No one found anything unusual about this. Currently, there were two major military families in the capital: the Xiao family and the Marquis of Xuanping. Therefore, it was normal for the Duke of Zhenguo to have troops.
However, Xiao Cheng was sent as a patrol censor, meaning he was there to supervise, not to station troops. Bringing troops was against the rules, but Xiao Yuanting might have been referring to the Yunyang provincial troops. In any case, it couldn’t be verified now.
Huo Xian drank and said, “I’ve always heard that the Duke of Zhenguo is a military genius, and his soldiers are more capable than the imperial guards. What methods does he use? I’ve been curious for many years.”
At this point, Xiao Yuanting’s mood turned somber, “I’ve never seen it. He only teaches Xiao Yuanjing, my cousin. In my father’s eyes, he is the rightful next head of the Xiao family. Tsk, let me tell you quietly, my cousin isn’t a decent person either. He pretends, so don’t be fooled by him.”
He pulled Huo Xian closer, and Huo Xian’s tone lowered, “What do you mean?”
Xiao Yuanting hiccupped and said, “You think he doesn’t drink, whore, or gamble? He does all that in secret. Back in Yunyang, he kept a mistress, a woman who ran a security firm. I saw him frequently visiting her place. I was proud back then and deliberately let my father find out. Instead of scolding him, my father beat me up. You see, my father is biased. I think Xiao Yuanjing is his real son! Since then, I dare not go against Xiao Yuanjing. He does his thing, I do mine, and we don’t interfere with each other.”
With that, Xiao Yuanting collapsed onto the table.
Huo Xian squinted his eyes thoughtfully. No wonder Xiao Yuanting always spoke cynically about Xiao Yuanjing. Having such an overbearing brother would imbalance anyone’s heart. It could be said that Xiao Yuanting’s current state was largely due to Xiao Yuanjing.
Huo Xian stood up, glanced at Ji Yuluo, and walked towards the second floor.
Initially, Ji Yuluo could hear Xiao Yuanting’s words, but later, he and Huo Xian began whispering, and the music drowned out their conversation, making it impossible for her to hear.
When Huo Xian got up and headed to the second floor, Ji Yuluo followed.
The second floor had several private rooms. Huo Xian went straight to the last one, pushed open the window, and the wind blew in, carrying the noise of the street. Huo Xian stood by the window, letting the breeze sober him up.
Ji Yuluo walked over, her large knife clanking at her waist. She asked, “Did Xiao Yuanting say anything important?”
Huo Xian, facing the window and looking out at the lively street scene, said, “The night view from this direction is the best.”
Ji Yuluo was taken aback and hesitantly leaned out to take a look.
It was quite a beautiful view.
But when he said it was the “best,” did he actually compare it to others?
Huo Xian had already withdrawn his gaze and now stood sideways, his right shoulder leaning against the window, watching her. She wore the black uniform of a Jinyiwei, with a large hat on her head. A patch of stubble was glued to her small, bronze-colored face. If not for her petite frame, the disguise would have been quite convincing.
Rubbing his temples, Huo Xian said, “He did say something, but I’ve had too much to drink and my head hurts, so I can’t quite remember.”
As he spoke, he sighed slowly, with a hint of teasing in his tone.
“……”
Ji Yuluo stared at him intently. Indeed, what goes around comes around.
She turned to pour Huo Xian a cup of tea, a fake smile curving her lips, “Commander, please have some tea.”
Huo Xian took the tea cup from her, sipped it, and said, “You know your commander has a good memory. Jinyiwei never do business at a loss. If you want information, you also have to trade something for it.”
The way he emphasized “also” was deeply provocative, clearly tinged with a lingering sense of unfinished business. But when Ji Yuluo followed his words and her gaze fell on his lips, Huo Xian shook his head, “I’m not that shallow. Don’t think you can take advantage of me.”
Shallow person.
Ji Yuluo lifted her eyelids slightly.
Huo Xian spoke slowly, “Trade for information then.”
After saying this, he turned his head to look out the window, seemingly pondering for a moment before saying, “Why don’t you tell me why you felt so unwell that day in the secret passage?”
He watched as the girl’s eyes gradually turned cold, her lips pressed into a straight line, once again adopting that unapproachable demeanor.
It was as if her body was filled with hidden mechanisms and traps that would silently explode upon being touched, releasing an icy aura aimed at freezing people to death.
Huo Xian was not afraid of death.
He reached out and plucked off the fake mustache above Ji Yuluo’s lips with a “tear,” like someone pinching a candlewick and snuffing out the rising flame with a “puff,” leaving only swirling smoke, transforming into a mood of frustration.
Ji Yuluo frowned.
Annoyed.
