Exhausted, Cui Xi, Xiao Yu, and the boy in black trudged in under the main northwest gate into the outer area of the capital. 

Cui Xi was immediately dejected. Even after entry, the main part of the city was probably over two li away. She supposed this was to be expected after all most cities of this type were designed to repel invaders and having physical barriers was an obvious part of the design. She could see too that the gates were offset and not directly in line with the gate before it. One, two, three…ugh so many walls…

Cui Xi squinted, trying to absorb what she was seeing.

Climbing in the distance, the elevation of the City actually rose up against a ridge of mountains with the imperial palace set like a shining jewel nestled against forested peaks. It was a clear statement that the seat of power was here. Unfortunately, she was unimpressed by the sight of it, being sore and tired and still racking her brains about what to do with the boy.

Since he had refused to talk about his background or why he had been pursued by assassins, Cui Xi had not pressed him while he was still recovering from his injuries. However, he had not even bothered to give a name, so Cui Xi had resorted to calling him “Little Black” or Xiao Hei for the sake of convenience.

Initially, she thought he would leave upon recovering from his injuries, but he made no indication of doing so. In fact, he had sworn to serve her and stuck to them…like glue. Although he could sometimes be quite moody, he was surprisingly obedient. Not at all a spoilt young master type, he was more like a spoilt young guard dog type.

Passing through the final gate did not get them any closer to rest. After hours of wandering in the suburb area, they finally found a place to stay and spent the next few days in recuperation and reconnaissance.

After the third day of rest, Cui Xi decided she was bored, and it was now time to investigate the city. Xiao Yu was busy repurchasing medical supplies she’d had to abandon on the road, while Xiao Hei was excited at the prospect of checking the scene.

“Mistress, I’ll go with you,” he pleaded, as she was about to descend the stairs of the inn where they were staying. She waved her farewell to Xiao Yu, who pointedly ignored them as her entire focus was taken up with a new medical text she’d just purchased. Without any regard for their fingers, the door was shut with a curt shlaat.

Cui Xi grinned to herself. Good…Xiao Yu doesn’t seem to be homesick. Now about this dog…

“Xiao Hei, I’ve things to do. You’ll just get in the way…” she sighed, resisting.

“Mistress, the capital is huge…I can at least protect you from people with bad intentions.”

“Xiao Hei…I’m the one with bad intentions…I’m going to a flower house*…are you sure you want to come?”

 “Haah…?” he blinked at her with his mouth open. Then he closed it with a snap.

For a moment, Xiao Hei looked like he’d swallowed a cat, but then he gave a huge sigh and nodded despite looking like his butthole had squeezed itself shut with disapproval.

Cui Xi made a “pffft” sound, but then stifled the rest of her laughter. Xiao Hei’s ears were still red, and it would do no good to tease him. Eventually, he would have to get used to her, but she’d allow him his discomfort for now as it amused her.

While travelling over the last month or so, she’d had plenty of time to think of the things she might do in the capital to make a living, but settling on something required research of the market conditions…and that required a trip to a brothel.

*** 

High above all others in the Chrysanthemum Tower, Master Zheng sat at a low table quietly savouring the tea as an erhu played down below.

From the balcony room where he was seated, he could see the entire expanse of the pleasure house, and his attention was caught by two young men tucked neatly into the corner. One was definitely a martial artist, probably a personal guard. The other…

Master Zheng carefully watched the young guard’s movements with interest. Although he concealed it well, the guard appeared to be recovering from an injury of some sort. He also noted that the young man was unassumingly dressed in plain dark clothes that appeared a little careworn as if he’d been travelling for some time. The object of his guarding was a slender and small youth who sat casually at the table, one knee nonchalantly bent up, observing the dancers. This person’s face was covered with a wide brimmed veiled hat.

Wait…It’s her?

Charmed, Master Zheng smiled into his cup and continued to watch the two.

Cui Xi was also observing, her amber gaze taking in every corner of what was said to be the best pleasure house in the capital. They’d only been sitting in the Chrysanthemum Tower for a few minutes, but Cui Xi had already begun to form an impression of the place. 

The woman standing in the entry had looked like she was choking when Cui Xi smugly held out a perfectly rounded pearl as payment to enter. They had run out of broken silver on the road and she had not had time to find a place to exchange some of the pearls, thus she had grudgingly pulled one out. While the entry fee had made an annoying hole in her pocket, the look on the woman’s face had been worth it. 

Moreover, there was not any help for it. They could not get information if they didn’t get it by themselves as they had no connections in the city. Besides, this type of reconnaissance required that she observe it personally. As her eyes travelled endlessly over the guests, the women, the waiters, the maid servants, the decorations, furnishings, the tea, she began carefully forming her assessment, and finally came to the conclusion that this place would be useless to her.

Nearly tossing her teacup down onto the table, she rose to her feet. 

“You’ve seen enough, Master?” Xiao Hei asked quietly, relieved. Just as long as the Mistress didn’t actually enter into a room with someone, he could maintain his composure.

It’s too high class…

“I think so,” she said, nodding. She was about to turn away, but then she felt her skin prickle and swiftly snapped her eyes up to meet the gaze of the most spectacularly beautiful man she had ever seen. He stood at the balcony rail, one hand holding a fan before his face. They gazed at each other for a long time. She noted that the eyes looked amused, and under the fan she wondered if his lips smiled coyly at her. 

Cui Xi decided to break her gaze away first, and then snorted disdainfully beneath her veil. She cupped her hands and bowed gracefully toward the balcony, her manner almost mocking, before turning on heel, smartly striding away while waving her little hand for Xiao Hei to follow. Xiao Hei had watched this exchange with a cold stare and he also snorted as he followed his Mistress out the door.

“Who was that?” Cui Xi asked.

“Probably the owner. He knows we are inspecting the pleasure house,” Xiao Hei replied, giving the man one last glance as he ushered his little Mistress out.

“Did you see his eyes…and that silver hair! I don’t think I’ve ever seen a prettier man in my life,” Cui Xi’s laughter tinkled as she went out into the street. “Are you sure he’s the owner…maybe he’s for…fun?”

What is the Mistress saying?? Xiao Hei grimaced to himself, but he said nothing more as he followed his little Mistress down the road before he could lose her in the busy crowd. She giggled, almost skipping away.

Despite himself, he broke into a smile. Mistress can really be childlike.

Inside the pleasure house, the handsome man said a word to the air and suddenly a hidden guard materialized from a corner.

“Tell me. How did they get in here?”

“Master, they did pay the entry price…in fact…it was a bit excessive…” the guard trailed off.

“Oh?” the man raised elegant eyebrows and calmly snapped the fan shut.

The guard lowered his eyes.

“This one thought you should see it yourself, Master,” he said, dropping something cool into the outstretched palm.

A perfectly round, glowingly silver pearl sat on the elegant hand.

“It’s real,” the deep voice held a tinge of surprise. “Hmph. Follow them and report back on their movements. Do it daily,” the owner commanded, still smiling. How impudent she is, he thought to himself. 

“As the Master desires it,” the guard acknowledged, stepping back into the shadows with a bow.

Thoughtfully, the man closed his jade white hand over the pearl.

* a brothel