Chapter 24: Enemies Meet, Eyes Blazing with Hatred

Lu Lanxi turned her head and saw that the person approaching was none other than Li Ao, the young master of the Prime Minister’s manor and the nephew of Li Xianyue.

Her gaze turned sharp and cold in an instant. In her past life, it was he who had raped and caused the death of Bai Zhi. Now, facing her enemy, her eyes were burning with hatred. She had originally intended to wait for a better opportunity to avenge Bai Zhi, but since she had stumbled upon such a dramatic scene, she decided she might as well strike sooner.

"Manager Zhu, please, help me. Plead with Young Master Li to let me go."

The true owner of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion never met outsiders; the woman who managed the front of house was known to everyone as Manager Zhu. Though called "Mother," she was only in her early thirties, with a plump figure and a kindly appearance.

Manager Zhu smiled broadly and called out, "Piaoxu, why are you making such a racket? There are so many guests watching!"

"Manager Zhu, I have taken a fancy to this little wench. I only asked her to have a drink with us, and she acts as if she’s been wronged? Is my reputation not worth anything?"

"Young Master Li, please don’t be angry. Piaoxu is young and doesn't know the rules. If she has offended you, I hope you will be magnanimous. But the girls of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion only sell their talent, not their bodies. If you were to force her..."

"Force her? Manager Zhu, have you been living too comfortably? When I, Li Ao, set my sights on a woman, let alone a lowly entertainer like this, even the daughters of high-ranking noble families wouldn't dare refuse me!"

"Young Master Li, if Piaoxu is willing, you may take her whenever you please. But if she is unwilling, this would be nothing but kidnapping, and there are so many eyes watching."

"Kidnapping? Hahaha! There has never been a person I wanted whom I couldn't get. Men, take this wench to my villa in the West Suburbs. Once I've finished my drink, I’ll go there and teach her a lesson."

"No, please, let me go! I have a young brother at home to support; if I’m taken, he will starve to death..."

Piaoxu pleaded bitterly, but Li Ao’s influence was too great. No one present dared to intervene, preferring to avoid trouble, for his aunt was none other than the current Empress, Li Xianshu.

After Piaoxu was dragged away, Li Ao left for another part of the building. Manager Zhu whispered a few words to a servant and retreated to the back room.

"My Lady, that man is truly wicked. Kidnapping girls everywhere—isn't he afraid of retribution?" Bai Zhi, furious, grabbed a cup of wine and downed it in one gulp.

Lu Lanxi asked meaningfully, "Are you full?"

"Yes, I'm full."

"Then let's go."

Bai Zhi grabbed an unfinished chicken leg and followed Lu Lanxi, trotting along behind her.

***

At the Yihong Pavilion.

"My Lady, you don't intend to go in there, do you?" Bai Zhi stood at the entrance, staring wide-eyed at Lu Lanxi’s calm expression.

Lu Lanxi did not answer. Instead, she circled around to the lake adjacent to the pavilion. Before Bai Zhi could react, Lu Lanxi wrapped an arm around her waist, lifted her up, and leaped onto the windowsill of one of the guest rooms. She gently poked a hole through the paper screen, allowing them a clear view of the room inside.

The Yihong Pavilion lived up to its reputation as the largest brothel; it wrapped around the lake, and the windows of the innermost rooms offered breathtaking views of the water.

"Young Master Li, don't be so impatient..."

"Oh, you're hurting me..."

Piercing, intimate sounds reached Bai Zhi’s ears. She peeked inside to see a man and a woman in a tangled embrace, looking like they were fighting.

"My Lady, they are..."

"Shh, be quiet." Bai Zhi nodded blankly.

"Young Master Li, you haven't visited me in days. I’ve missed you so much."

"You little minx, let’s see how I handle you today." The two continued their frantic movements.

"Move aside! Get out of the way!"

Shouts erupted from downstairs. Lu Lanxi glanced over to see a woman in a magnificent cloak leading a group of people into the Yihong Pavilion, clearly looking for trouble.

"Miss, we only receive male guests here. You are a lady; perhaps you should find somewhere else to amuse yourself," the madam said with impatience.

"Get lost, you cur! Don't you dare keep your dog eyes shut—do you know who my mistress is?" the maid beside her boasted arrogantly.

"Regardless of your status, Miss, you have no business in the Yihong Pavilion."

"You..." The maid was just about to retort.

"Slap her," the woman under the cloak commanded coldly.

"Ah!" A series of slaps echoed, and the madam’s face went numb instantly.

"When this Princess is working, it is not for others to point fingers."

Princess? Bai Zhi’s mind went blank. She stared at Lu Lanxi, her eyes wide, as if asking why a Princess would come to a brothel. Lu Lanxi shook her head and turned her attention back to the room.

On the bed, the woman, her clothes in disarray, hooked her arms around Li Ao’s neck and cooed, "My Lord, did I please you? If I did, you should come every day."

"I’ve been busy with the Autumn Examinations these past few days. I’ve come to favor you the moment I had time, haven't I? Why so impatient?"

"How could I be? My heart and eyes are filled only with you. I just fear that you see too many women and will forget me..."

"Don't worry. After the exams, I will redeem you and find a quiet courtyard for you."

"Truly? But, my Lord, what if the Princess finds out? I fear she will not spare me..."

Li Ao scoffed. "Hmph, in my eyes, she is nothing! A Princess born to a concubine—if it weren't for the Eldest Princess’s benevolence, she wouldn't dare put on airs in front of me! My Li family is the Empress's own kin; it wouldn't be out of place for me to marry an actual Princess. A Princess of impure blood like her thinks she can suppress me? She's dreaming."

Lu Lanxi’s mind raced. Li Ao’s wife was Liang Ruoxue, the eldest daughter of the Eldest Princess. The Eldest Princess was the current Emperor's own sister. During the bloody succession struggles of the past, she had sided with the current Emperor, and their bond was legendary. Later, to keep the Prime Minister’s influence in check, the Eldest Princess had voluntarily insisted that Liang Ruoxue marry Li Ao. She knew the Emperor feared the Li family, that Li Ao was a libertine, and that Liang Ruoxue was arrogant and overbearing. By marrying them, she ensured the Prime Minister’s household would never know peace, acting as her eyes and ears while solving a problem for the Emperor.

As for why she would sacrifice her own daughter? It was because Liang Ruoxue was not her biological child, but a bastard born to the Imperial Son-in-law and another woman. Loving her husband, the Princess had brought the girl into the house and indulged her, ruining her to keep up appearances of magnanimity. Indeed, she had succeeded in raising a spoiled, useless creature.

If that was the case, the Princess downstairs was undoubtedly Liang Ruoxue. But how had she found out that Li Ao was here?