Chapter 9. Phoenix Pavilion

Before her consciousness faded, her eyes were full of thorns…

At noon, during the shift change for meals, an assistant at the pharmacy came to tidy up the counter desk and discovered the letter, noticing something unusual.

The assistant immediately handed the discovered letter to the Bo family’s housekeeper, who was to notify the current head of the Bo family, Bo Jia Zi.

Upon receiving the news, the housekeeper rushed to the pharmacy immediately. After learning about the situation from the assistant who found the letter, she didn’t dare to waste a moment and immediately arranged for a new manager to take over the pharmacy.

Such minor matters usually didn’t require the family head’s personal attention, only needing a final report.

The young assistant was promoted, but the person who promoted her wasn’t the old manager, but a new manager who had just arrived today.

For some reason, the old manager had been replaced.

All day long, the young assistant worked with her head down, wiping the abacus that the old manager used to love over and over again, feeling gloomy and unable to muster even a hint of a smile.

She had left, but didn’t even take her most beloved abacus with her…

*

As instructed by the person in black robes, Bo Jia Zi didn’t go out today. She had been waiting at home since morning, ready to entertain the mysterious guests.

When the housekeeper relayed the news about the changes at the pharmacy, she was sitting in the study reviewing account books.

“What did you say? Manager Lin suddenly disappeared?” The peaceful and content moment interrupted, Bo Jia Zi felt annoyed and couldn’t help but rub the slightly throbbing veins on her temples.

She had always disliked trouble coming to her door.

She had had enough of sudden troubles in the past, she was tired of it.

“Yes, Second Young Miss,” the housekeeper answered truthfully.

Although Bo Jia Zi was now the head of the Bo family, she still let the household continue to call her “Second Young Miss.” The servants could only comply and didn’t dare to ask more.

“Mm, alright, I understand,” Bo Jia Zi said.

Seeing that the housekeeper hadn’t retreated, Bo Jia Zi raised her head from the account books again and looked at the troubled-looking housekeeper standing beside her.

She frowned slightly and asked, “Is there anything else?”

“This is the letter Manager Lin left before disappearing.” The housekeeper took out an envelope from her sleeve and respectfully handed it to Bo Jia Zi with both hands.

Bo Jia Zi reached out to take it and opened the unsealed letter.

Looking at the somewhat familiar handwriting, she thought of the record handwriting she had just seen in the account book.

Bo Jia Zi recognized this letter as written by Manager Lin. The paper was wrinkled where the ink had passed, indicating that the ink was still quite fresh.

Her eyes roughly scanned through it once, learning the ins and outs of the matter from the letter. The person was gone, so there was no need to pursue the matter further.

However…

The three visitors to the pharmacy mentioned in the letter reminded her of the guests that the person in black robes had instructed her to entertain.

According to the letter, these three visitors had just arrived in the imperial city yesterday, which coincided perfectly with what the person had said.

No wonder she hadn’t waited for anyone yesterday. It turned out that the guests had indeed come to the Bo family pharmacy yesterday, but due to some mistakes, they had missed each other.

The location also matched. The person in black robes was truly ingenious!

After some thought, Bo Jia Zi became more certain of this guess and immediately set off for the Yunlai Inn mentioned in the letter.

*

At Yunlai Inn.

Xin Jiao Zhou waited until noon at the inn but didn’t see the pharmacy manager arrive. She knew that the other party probably wouldn’t come.

The black-clothed person from the night before – A Yu had already sent people to investigate thoroughly after the person escaped – the black-clothed person came from a bounty hunting organization called “Mingxia Palace.”

The one who put out the assassination bounty was Manager Lin; the black-clothed person was just doing the job for money.

Grudges in the martial arts world were common, and such things were normal.

Xin Jiao Zhou had always been clear about gratitude and grudges, and wouldn’t misdirect her anger at others. She separately accounted for these two matters on the Bo family pharmacy and Manager Lin.

Those who could become the leader of a sect couldn’t be weak individuals who were overly suspicious and indecisive, but they also couldn’t be saints overflowing with kindness and charity to the world. The accounts that needed to be settled still had to be settled.

After Xin Jiao Zhou and her two companions finished lunch, they were about to actively go to the Bo family pharmacy to “collect the debt” when Bo Jia Zi arrived at the inn ahead of them.

Bo Jia Zi sat in the position where Manager Lin had agreed to meet with Xin Jiao Zhou, waiting. The servants beside her were uniformly dressed in servant attire bearing the Bo family’s pattern, making it impossible for Xin Jiao Zhou and her companions not to recognize them.

They came down from the stairs and sat opposite the table where Bo Jia Zi was.

After the people opposite had settled, Bo Jia Zi stood up and bowed, saying, “I am the head of the Bo family pharmacy. I have come here to apologize for the mistake of my subordinate yesterday—”

Seeing that the other party had come empty-handed and not wanting to waste more words, Hua Rong rudely interrupted her, raising his left eyebrow and getting straight to the point, asking, “Did you bring the items?”

“I came here precisely to discuss this matter with you all. Tomorrow, I will prepare the medicinal herbs and personally deliver them to the inn,” Bo Jia Zi said with ease.

Having received a promise and seeing that the other party’s attitude had softened somewhat, she took the opportunity to extend an invitation: “You have come from afar and probably haven’t had a chance to properly tour the imperial city. If you don’t mind, let me be your host and properly entertain you. It can also serve as an apology. What do you think?” Her words were impeccable, making it difficult even for the most uncompromising person to flatly refuse.

Hua Rong lightly tapped the handle of his fan with his fingertips. After a moment, with a flick of his wrist, he covered his face with the fan, his eyes behind the fan looking hesitantly towards Xin Jiao Zhou.

“Alright,” Xin Jiao Zhou responded coolly with a single word.

The other two had no objections. They would receive the medicinal herbs tomorrow, so giving the other party some face wasn’t a problem.

*

Early the next morning, Bo Jia Zi ordered people to deliver the medicinal herbs, adding many rare herbs as compensation.

Near noon, Bo Jia Zi sent her housekeeper to invite Xin Jiao Zhou and her companions to have lunch at Zuiyun Pavilion. After lunch, she took them boating on South Lake.

As the day’s itinerary was nearing its end.

The sky was approaching dusk, and Bo Jia Zi brought them to the last location of this hospitality – Phoenix Pavilion.

Everyone felt a bit strange internally: “Taking a man to tour a brothel, what is Bo Jia Zi thinking?”

However, that person seemed completely oblivious and spoke confidently: “When coming to the imperial city, one must visit Phoenix Pavilion. One hasn’t truly entered the imperial city without entering Phoenix. The courtesans in Phoenix Pavilion are all top-notch in appearance, sweet-tongued, and versatile, especially a beauty named Ruan whose fame has spread throughout the imperial city. Moreover, the food there is also extremely delicious, on par with Zuiyun Pavilion. It’s the best place for eating, drinking, and entertainment…”

Along the way, Bo Jia Zi couldn’t stop praising Phoenix Pavilion, never repeating her compliments. It was clear that Phoenix Pavilion had a very high reputation and extremely good name among the common people of the imperial city.

For a brothel to gain such widespread recognition among ordinary people was quite remarkable, which made Xin Jiao Zhou somewhat curious about this Phoenix Pavilion.

As the lanterns were just being lit, Phoenix Pavilion was brightly illuminated inside.

As soon as Bo Jia Zi entered, the young male courtesans inside came to welcome her, seeming quite familiar with Bo Jia Zi.

That young male courtesan led everyone to a quiet private room upstairs.

Opening the window, Xin Jiao Zhou found that this room had an excellent view, overlooking the central stage for singing and dancing below.

The tea servants of Phoenix Pavilion brought up menus for the guests to choose from. Seeing that there was a man among the seated guests, they didn’t show any surprise, remaining cultured and polite, showing excellent upbringing.

After ordering the dishes, Bo Jia Zi also requested several young male courtesans for company.

But there was a small hitch.

“Miss Bo, Young Master Ruan is suddenly unwell today and unable to entertain,” the young servant apologized, with genuine regret on his face.

Bo Jia Zi frowned: “But I had made a reservation yesterday.”

On the way here, she had already boastfully promised Xin Jiao Zhou and her companions, and now she couldn’t fulfill her promise.

Moreover, there was a man present, and an extremely handsome one at that. She couldn’t lose face in front of such a beauty.

Whether in the past or now, Bo Jia Zi considered herself to be quite a dashing and elegant young lady.

“We apologize, Miss Bo, but Young Master Ruan really cannot come to entertain,” the young courtesan continued to say gently. “Please consider today’s feast as this humble servant’s apology to you.”

Hearing this, Bo Jia Zi became even more displeased. She had said she would be the host, how could she let a mere brothel servant take her place? Where would she put her face?

Even if not for the sake of grace, for the sake of face, she couldn’t back down: “Call your manager here, I want to speak to her personally.”

Bai Li Chuan received the young servant’s report and came to the private room in his flowing red robes. As soon as he entered, he saw that face he had traced countless times in his dreams.

Xin Jiao Zhou looked up at the newcomer and felt that his face was painted deathly white, erasing the original contours of his face, and making his red robes appear startlingly bright in contrast.

His lips were painted a brilliant pink, his eyebrows were drawn flying and dark, their shape still quite beautiful, and his cheeks were painted a deep red, a large patch on each side, like the flush of drunkenness.

His face was painted with heavy colors, as if he had just come off the stage, already painted so that his original features couldn’t be seen.

The others widened their eyes in shock, glancing quickly before hastily looking away.

Xin Jiao Zhou didn’t find his appearance particularly strange, but rather thought that this style of makeup was quite novel and interesting, giving a sense of… colorful vividness.

“This Zhou greets the esteemed guests,” the red-robed man said in a pinched, coquettish voice as he bowed to everyone.

The word “Zhou” made Xin Jiao Zhou startle slightly, almost thinking the red-robed man was calling her. Her master and senior disciples who were close to her also called her “Zhou’er.”

She wondered if his “Zhou” character was the same as hers.

The others, seeing his heavily made-up face, felt that their eyes and ears could hardly bear it.

“Ruan’er suddenly caught a cold last night and is really not fit to serve the esteemed guests. This Zhou apologizes on Ruan’er’s behalf to the esteemed guests.”

The red-robed man bowed slightly.

Seeing the other party’s soft attitude, Bo Jia Zi felt embarrassed to keep pressing the issue and softened her attitude somewhat.

The next sentence, however, was like a thunderbolt, catching everyone present off guard.

“This Zhou will certainly serve the esteemed guests well in Ruan’er’s place, to ensure the esteemed guests’ satisfaction,” said the red-robed man.

The four of them: “!”

Bo Jia Zi’s hand trembled, spilling wine on her robe.

A young servant nearby quickly used a handkerchief to wipe it for her: “Oh my, the lady has spilled her wine. Someone come and replace this cup of wine!”

Xin Jiao Zhou picked up her cup and took a silent sip.

Hua Rong couldn’t help but cover his mouth and chuckle beside her.

After composing herself and adjusting her mindset, Bo Jia Zi began to enter her business dinner mode, wanting to use the usual business tactics of bonding over drinks to enhance her relationship with Xin Jiao Zhou and the others.

The three people opposite didn’t respond, but because of the clever and glib young male courtesans keeping them company, the atmosphere in the room was quite lively.

The enthusiastic Bo Jia Zi ordered two more servings of tea for herself and Xin Jiao Zhou and A Yu, then ordered a separate beauty-enhancing flower tea for Hua Rong.

When the young male courtesans heard Bo Jia Zi order the mood-enhancing “Thousand Step Rainbow,” they understood her intentions and lowered their heads, giggling behind their handkerchiefs.

Xin Jiao Zhou and her two companions, being outside the atmosphere, didn’t notice anything amiss.

Soon after, the young servant brought up the tea.

Bo Jia Zi was in high spirits and refused the young male courtesan’s service, personally pouring a cup of tea for herself and Xin Jiao Zhou, inviting her to drink together.

Bo Jia Zi raised her cup towards Xin Jiao Zhou, then tilted her head back and drank it all in one go, showing her sincerity.

Xin Jiao Zhou didn’t think much of it and picked up her teacup, drinking it all at once.

A moment later, Xin Jiao Zhou sensed that something was amiss.

Her body gradually became feverish. At first, she didn’t pay much attention to it, but now her body was heating up in an unusual way.

The fire in her heart stirred wildly, her qi and blood surging.

Xin Jiao Zhou’s emotions became chaotic.

Bo Jia Zi felt the time had come. She stood up, embracing a young male courtesan, ready to savor tonight’s delicacies.

Suddenly, a burst of energy swept by. The table in front of her violently split in two, the remaining force directly flipping her onto the ground.

Xin Jiao Zhou now only felt her qi and blood rushing chaotically within her body, her inner force extremely restless, and her body constantly stimulated by tingling electric currents.

She forced out a palm strike, releasing some of the turbulent inner force. Before she could feel any relief, the hidden danger of her martial technique manifested—her meridians were flowing in reverse.

She couldn’t suppress it anymore!

“Ugh—” A large mouthful of fresh blood was spat out.

Xin Jiao Zhou’s vision darkened, and she lost consciousness.

Unexpectedly, she felt a cool sensation on her lips, different from the ground. The area she touched was slender, delicate, and very smooth, greatly alleviating her bodily discomfort.

Before her consciousness faded, her eyes were full of dazzling red… and a touch of jade white amidst the red.