BLHO Chapter 8
by VolareChapter 8: The Young Master Tells You to Get Lost!
Drunken Fragrance Pavilion.
A group of idle rich kids from Fengdu City surrounded He Yuncheng, who sat in the main seat, leisurely drinking the wine poured by the person next to him.
The General of Pacifying the Nation was not someone anyone could meet casually. Unlike these sons of officials and merchants, General He was from a military family. What he carried on his shoulders was Bei Sheng’s military achievements, something no amount of their houses and properties could ever match.
Moreover, he had a marriage agreement with Princess Meng Ning. After the marriage, he would become a member of the imperial family, even more superior to others. They finally had an opportunity, so how could they not seize it to curry favor?
One person said, “Brother Yuncheng, how was the girl who sang just now? I saw you looked at her several times. Should I ask her to come and pour wine for you?”
He Yuncheng waved his hand, “What’s the point of girls? No need.”
“The General is indeed a General, not as shallow as us ordinary people. Everyone should learn from Brother Yuncheng and stop indulging in women all day long. Cultivate your moral character, do you understand!”
The surrounding people echoed in agreement, understood, understood. The General was noble, the General was upright, the General was a role model for them to learn from.
Eulogies poured forth like a torrential river. Before they could finish, they heard He Yuncheng say, “Find some *xiaoguan*, ones who are pure in appearance and have good figures.”
As soon as he said this, everyone was stunned, their mouths agape, unsure how to respond.
Fengdu City was not a place where male love flourished. Even those who were naturally inclined that way mostly kept it hidden, afraid to let others know, feeling ashamed to reveal it.
He Yuncheng was a dignified General of the country, and soon to be aimperial son-in-law. How could he say in front of so many people that he liked male beauty?
Besides, he didn’t even look at who was around him. Some had money, some had leisure, all of them idle and fearing nothing more than the world being peaceful. Such shocking gossip would be known to everyone in the blink of an eye, wouldn’t it?
He Yuncheng leisurely drank his wine, as if he didn’t see their shocked gazes. He raised his hand and ordered, “Old madam, call all the *xiaoguan* you have here. This General wants to pick one!”
He looked at the crowd around him, “What are you standing there for? Drink!”
“Ah, drink! Drink, drink…”
The crowd returned to its noisy state, raising their glasses to toast with He Yuncheng. No one dared to say anything.
He Yuncheng said to them with a serious face, “Esteemed brothers, this matter is not elegant. Please keep it secret for He, and don’t let it reach Princess Meng Ning’s ears.”
“Brother Yuncheng, rest assured, rest assured…”
–
When the people from the General’s Manor arrived at the Drunken Fragrance Pavilion, He Yuncheng was drunk and his face was flushed red. He leaned against the soft couch, a handsome *xiaoguan* was massaging his shoulders, and he closed his eyes, looking very comfortable.
Such a seductive scene was not something the servants dared to look at closely. They lowered their heads and went forward to call him, “General, General, wake up.”
He Yuncheng opened his eyes, and it took him a while to recognize his own servant. He asked unhappily, “What are you doing here?”
“General, the young master sent me to call you back.”
The music around them was very noisy. He Yuncheng was drunk, and his senses were a little dull. He didn’t hear the servant’s words clearly, “What did you say?”
The servant moved closer to him, raising his voice, “The young master told you to return to the manor!”
He still didn’t hear clearly. He Yuncheng said impatiently, “What? Speak clearly!”
The servant directly leaned over his ear, using all his strength: “General! The young master tells you to get lost back to the manor!!”
–
After several attempts at persuasion, the servant still couldn’t bring He Yuncheng back from the brothel.
He was trembling with fear on the way back to the manor, wondering how to explain it to the young master.
The snow had stopped, and Fengdu City in the evening was gloomy and cold. As soon as he entered the gate of the General’s Manor, he felt an icy chill rushing towards him. The servant couldn’t help but shiver.
The steward was waiting anxiously in the courtyard. Seeing him return, he quickly stepped forward and asked, “Where is the General?”
The servant shook his head, “The General’s soul was hooked away by the *xiaoguan* at the Drunken Fragrance Pavilion!”
The steward slapped him on the head, “What hooked away? If you talk nonsense again, I’ll cut out your tongue!”
The servant quickly covered his mouth, leaned forward, and peeked in the direction of the main hall, “Is the young master still angry?”
“How could he not be angry?” The steward sighed, “The wedding date with the princess is approaching, but the General is out indulging in pleasure. It would be troublesome if this were to reach the princess’s ears.”
However, with him making such a fuss, it would be difficult to keep it from the princess.
“I never realized before that the General was quite… lustful…” the servant muttered. As expected, he received another slap from the steward.
“Don’t talk nonsense again!”
The servant covered his head and didn’t dare to say any more.
He didn’t understand what was happening, but the steward knew the inside story. Although the General’s temperament was somewhat unrestrained, his character had always been upright. It was impossible for him to be lecherous and lustful. This uproar was still a protest against the marriage with the princess. A few days ago, he saw that the relationship between him and the young master had eased, and he thought that the young master had persuaded him, but he didn’t expect him to still be stubborn.
The servant asked, “Should I go again?”
The steward shook his head, “It’s useless no matter how many times you go, unless the young master goes in person, maybe he can bring him back.”
The servant said with embarrassment, “It’s so cold, don’t let the young master go…”
The scene at the Drunken Fragrance Pavilion echoed in his mind, with several *xiaoguan* surrounding the General, some massaging his legs, some pouring wine, some playing and singing. If the young master saw this, he would probably kill the General on the spot.
The steward said dejectedly, “You can leave now, I’ll go discuss it with the young master.”
“Yes.”
In the main hall, Lin Shuangxu was spreading out Xuan paper in front of him, practicing calligraphy with a brush. His expression was calm, and it was impossible to tell whether he was happy or angry.
“Young master…”
Before the steward could speak, Lin Shuangxu took the initiative to ask, “He refuses to come back, is that right?”
The steward carefully said, “The servant sent said that the General drank a little too much with his friends today and couldn’t walk, so he’s resting over there.” Fearing that Lin Shuangxu would be angry, he added, “Young master, rest assured, the General didn’t provoke any of the women of the red dust there.”
Indeed, he didn’t provoke any women of the red dust, but men.
He nervously observed Lin Shuangxu’s expression, only to see him completely calm, holding a brush in his hand, continuing to practice calligraphy in a leisurely manner.
The steward tentatively asked, “How about I accompany you to go there tomorrow and bring the General back?”
“No need.” Lin Shuangxu didn’t even raise his eyes, “If he likes that place, then let him go. If he doesn’t want to come back, then don’t.”
“This…”
“You can leave now.”
The steward sighed heavily, “Yes.”
–
The zither at the Drunken Fragrance Pavilion played leisurely, a spring dream that wouldn’t wake.
The person who was ordered to go home fell into a fragrant and soft flower bed, refusing to go back no matter what.
The first day, the second day, for three days in a row, the friends who came with him really couldn’t bear to accompany him any longer.
Indulging in romance was indeed delightful, but even indulging had to have a limit. Being drunk here every day was too much even for the best body to handle.
He Yuncheng secretly sneered in his heart. These sons of officials were all weaker than each other. Once they came to the brothel, they acted as if they had never seen a girl in their lives, tormenting them to death in bed. Of course they would be uncomfortable.
Seeing them leaving, He Yuncheng pretended to keep them, “Don’t go, are you really leaving? Then remember to keep it a secret for me, everyone. Don’t let anyone know that I’m seeking pleasure here…”
“Rest assured, rest assured…” A group of people staggered away.
He Yuncheng shook his head with a smile, sitting by the window drinking alone.
“General, did you sleep well last night? Can I serve you tonight, General?” The *xiaoguan* pouring wine beside him asked shyly. In the past few days, He Yuncheng had rewarded him with a lot of silver, but only let him pour wine and tea, without asking him to serve him in bed.
He Yuncheng waved his hand, signaling the *xiaoguan* to leave. He had asked him to accompany him these two days to show others. Now that they were gone, there was no need to act.
“Yes.” The *xiaoguan* got up with disappointment. Before he could walk far, he suddenly heard He Yuncheng calling him, “Wait.”
“What is it, General?”
He Yuncheng narrowed his eyes and looked at the dark corridor in the distance.
Just now, a figure had passed by. He didn’t see it clearly and couldn’t be sure if he was seeing things.
He pointed to the tightly closed door at the end of the long corridor and asked, “What is that room used for?”
The *xiaoguan* looked in the direction of his finger. The gentle expression on his face suddenly became somewhat mean. He squinted at the door, “That room? That’s the room of the God of Wealth.”
He Yuncheng didn’t understand, “God of Wealth?”
The *xiaoguan* said, “Oh, it’s that guy with the surname Song. He was originally like us, selling smiles and receiving guests, but he had a good life. As soon as he came out, he attached himself to a noble person. He doesn’t have to suffer anymore. The old madam treats him like a God of Wealth every day, only needing to serve that one person.”
“That one person…” He Yuncheng pondered and asked, “Which one?”
The *xiaoguan*’s expression changed, and he said cautiously, “Please forgive me, General, but I can’t say that randomly. The old madam will scold me if she finds out.”
He didn’t dare to say it, so He Yuncheng didn’t make things difficult for him. He stared straight at the closed room and got up.
The *xiaoguan* quickly reminded him, “General, you can’t go over there. No one is allowed to approach that room.”
“Oh?” He Yuncheng said, “The God of Wealth of the Drunken Fragrance Pavilion, I’m very curious what he looks like.”
“There’s nothing to see. He’s just an ordinary, down-on-his-luck young master. He has a few drops of ink in his belly and thinks highly of himself. He always has a sad face, doesn’t even know how to smile when he sees people. I don’t know what the Palace Attendant likes about him…”
The *xiaoguan* was full of jealousy and complained too much, accidentally letting it slip. Realizing that something was wrong, he quickly bit his lip and lowered his head.
He Yuncheng’s eyes flashed with shrewdness. As expected, he hadn’t seen it wrong just now. The figure who had hurried through the corridor and entered the room was Li Yuliang.
He smiled absurdly. A eunuch visiting a brothel was truly a rare sight.
He took out a silver ingot from his sleeve and threw it to the *xiaoguan* beside him, “You can leave now.”
The *xiaoguan* took the silver and, very sensibly, stopped meddling and retreated.
He Yuncheng didn’t rush in recklessly. He secretly counted the number of people guarding the door of that room. There were only two or three on the surface, but there were more than a dozen disguised in the dark, all of them experts from the palace.
Being so low-key meant he didn’t want people to discover his whereabouts.
What was he doing inside? Using telepathy to seek pleasure? He Yuncheng was really curious and decided to sneak to the roof to take a look.
Before he could go over, he unexpectedly saw his own people.
In the freezing winter, the steward was sweating all over his head from rushing over.
“General! Stop playing around and go back to the manor to take a look! Princess Meng Ning has arrived! She’s very angry, and the young master was punished to kneel on ice. He’s been kneeling for an hour!”
“What did you say?!”