Chapter Sixty-Nine: The Joyous Music House

Feng Yewu listened to Lu Jue’s inquiry, and had already made up his mind.

"The intention of the Prince of Beichang is nothing more than to ally himself with the Prince of Pingyi to oppose me in the future," he said. "If my guess is correct, the Prince of Changwu is also inclined to join forces with Beichang."

Feng Yewu looked confidently at Zheng Tianlan and spoke with certainty.

"I have not discovered anything unusual. All seven feudal lords left the capital this morning, except for one," Zheng Tianlan replied, bowing respectfully.

"Oh? Who is it?" Feng Yewu’s eyes lit up upon hearing this, and he pressed for more information.

"It is Zhou Yian, the Prince of Huainan."

Lu Jue listened, lost in thought.

"The Prince of Huainan has always been obsessed with beauty, but he has no heart for rebellion. Yet in recent years, his heir, Zhou Yangfeng, has frequently mingled with envoys from various states here in the capital," Feng Yewu recalled how, upon first meeting Lu Jue, Zhou Yangfeng had arrogantly rebuked him.

Though this man was the heir of Huainan, he was infamous for his vindictive nature and ruthless temperament.

"If I wish to oppose the Princes of Beichang, Changwu, and Pingyi, relying on my own strength alone would be difficult. But if I could gain the support of the other four feudal lords, there might be some hope," Feng Yewu said.

Lu Jue, upon hearing these words, had already devised a plan.

"Your Majesty, it is hard to force others, but perhaps if we seize their weaknesses, we can defeat them one by one."

Feng Yewu nodded, agreeing.

"Who should we start with?"

Lu Jue smiled faintly, turning to Zheng Tianlan. "Then I must ask Brother Zheng to lead the way."

"You mean to start with the Prince of Huainan?" Zheng Tianlan understood instantly and could barely keep himself from laughing aloud.

Soon after, Lu Jue had Feng Yewu disguise himself in men’s clothing.

The three of them slipped quietly out of the palace and into the city.

"Why are you two being so secretive, dragging me—dragging me here and making me dress like this?" Feng Yewu was thoroughly confused, unable to guess what Lu Jue was planning.

"Your Majesty—no, Young Master Ye—you wanted leverage, did you not? I’m taking you to the place where you’ll find it," Lu Jue replied, grinning mischievously as he led Feng Yewu through winding streets and alleys.

Before long, they arrived at a street lined with brothels.

"Here!" Feng Yewu frowned deeply, clearly displeased by the smoky, dusty atmosphere.

Covering his mouth, he complained with evident distaste, "You’ve brought me here? If you don’t have any evidence, I’ll punish you both severely!"

Lu Jue and Zheng Tianlan exchanged a secretive smile, then gently pushed Feng Yewu into one of the establishments.

This brothel was called the Joyful Pavilion.

Accompanied by Zheng Tianlan and Lu Jue, Feng Yewu entered the Joyful Pavilion. At once, his eyes were dazzled—the place, though unassuming from outside, was remarkable within.

Fragrant incense filled the air, overpowering the scent of cheap powder from outside.

At the center stood a solitary bridge, jade inlaid with gold, flanked by rivers sparkling with dew and jade.

The surrounding silver bamboo was adorned with glass leaves in all manner of colors.

It was like a celestial realm.

"This is even more luxurious than my palace!" Feng Yewu couldn’t help but marvel.

"Your Majesty, be careful what you say. This is no ordinary place," Zheng Tianlan quickly cautioned.

"Oh? Who owns this establishment, daring to display such opulence?" Feng Yewu’s brows furrowed, sensing that decadence wasn’t the only thing at play.

He also noticed, quite by accident, several prominent ministers from court, their figures moving discreetly through the hall.

"I too have wondered, and have sent people to investigate in secret, but not a single clue has been found," Zheng Tianlan shook his head, helpless.

"This place is teeming with all sorts—there are even envoys from foreign tribes and underground organizations, exchanging intelligence among themselves."

Hearing this, Feng Yewu felt a shiver. Such a place, located at the heart of the capital, operating openly, yet he had never heard of it.

"Your Majesty—no, Young Master Ye—if not for a place like this, how else could we catch the Prince of Huainan?" Lu Jue smiled, reassuring Feng Yewu that, in its own way, this was a fortunate circumstance.

The three crossed the jade bridge and reached the center.

"Zheng Tianlan, have you ever met the owner of the Joyful Pavilion?" Feng Yewu, standing at the heart of the hall, looked up. The sky was fully visible above; he could even glimpse a crane flying in the distance, and the sight struck him with awe.

"I have met her, Young Master Ye, and know a bit about her," Zheng Tianlan began.

"The owner is a woman named Qian Zhiyao. She is refined and charming, extremely adept at socializing, and has trained eight famous courtesans renowned throughout the capital. It is rumored that, though she is the proprietor in name, there is someone else behind the scenes."

"Oh? Someone else? Might it be one of the feudal lords?" Feng Yewu’s suspicion grew; if it were truly a feudal lord, this place could not remain.

"Young Master Ye, you worry too much. Whoever is behind the scenes, it is certainly not a feudal lord," Zheng Tianlan replied confidently.

"How can you be so certain?"

In response, Zheng Tianlan explained, "The Joyful Pavilion was established during the reign of the late emperor. When Your Majesty ascended the throne, it remained. Various factions have tried to take control, but none succeeded. Even some feudal lords attempted to intervene, but were suppressed. Now, it seems all parties have tacitly agreed—this place is a public, neutral ground."

Feng Yewu’s suspicions deepened.

"To have such power, the person behind this must be a prominent minister from the previous dynasty, still active today."

Zheng Tianlan bowed slightly.

"Your Majesty’s guess is not unreasonable."

Just as the three were talking, they saw Zhou Yangfeng, the heir to Huainan, pass by the second-floor balcony and enter another room.

"Let’s follow," Feng Yewu urged, heading upstairs with the other two.

But unexpectedly, someone blocked their path.

The woman’s beauty was natural, her complexion rosy, and though she had the bearing of a married lady, her charm was undeniable, every movement exuding allure.

"Gentlemen, why are you in such a rush? You haven’t even chosen a lady, and you wish to head straight to the fragrant chambers?"

She stopped them, her playful tone laced with probing intent.

"Boss Qian, it’s been a long time. Today I’ve brought two brothers to discuss some matters upstairs, so I hope you’ll allow us through," Zheng Tianlan said.

Hearing Zheng Tianlan’s words, Feng Yewu and Lu Jue immediately realized this must be Qian Zhiyao.

"Oh, Young Master Zheng! It has been some time. Then I won’t disturb you three," Qian Zhiyao responded, stepping aside to let them pass.

But as the three walked by her, her expression subtly changed.

Watching them leave, Qian Zhiyao’s brows twitched, and she murmured with a hint of curiosity, "A woman?"

"Boss, is something amiss?" a servant approached and asked.