The next morning, Qin Ren took Xiao Xiangyue to meet the madam of the brothel. He said directly, "Madam, I would like to redeem Miss Xiao Xiangyue. How much would it cost?"
The madam gave him a hesitant look. "Oh, young master, don't say such things... Miss Xiangyue is our brothel's top courtesan. If you take her away, our brothel might not be able to continue operating."
Qin Ren smiled faintly, unbothered. "If that's the case, then just shut it down!" He took out a large stack of silver notes and placed them on the table. "Do you want this fifty thousand taels of silver, or would you rather close your doors?"
The madam sneered. "Young master, you are underestimating us. Fifty thousand taels of silver, and you think you can take Miss Xiangyue? Do you even know who is behind this brothel?"
"Who is it? Tell me, I want to broaden my horizons," Qin Ren said dismissively. What powerful force could there possibly be in Wu Yun City? After all, the entire Jiangnan was under the influence of his Xianyao Villa!
The madam's expression shifted, and she coldly said, "Young Master Qin, the major shareholder of this brothel is none other than the city guard of Wu Yun City, Lord Li Hao! Miss Xiangyue was cultivated by Lord Li with great cost. Her reputation here is like a golden goose! If you want to take her, you'll first have to go through Lord Li!"
"City guard of Wu Yun City? A small official, huh. He's only at the fifth rank," Qin Ren chuckled. "So, this brothel earns quite a bit for Lord Li every year, doesn't it?" His smile suddenly vanished as his voice turned harsh. "Do you believe me when I say that I can shut down this brothel with a single word and make Li Hao lose his position, along with his entire family?"
The madam's face changed immediately, and she ordered coldly, "You insolent brat! Get him out of here!"
As soon as she spoke, more than ten burly men surrounded Qin Ren and Xiao Xiangyue, closing in on them.
"Kid, I know you're skilled, having taken down the Demon Lord Buo and the Four Kings, and I'm sure you don't think much of my bodyguards. But don't forget, these men are all affiliated with the local government, all from noble families! If you harm them, you'll be at odds with the authorities. If you kill one, you'll be wanted across the world; kill two, and your entire family will be wiped out!"
Qin Ren laughed out loud. "Madam, don't just talk about killing one or two. Even if I wipe out everyone in this brothel, who can stop me?" He took a couple of steps forward, leaning into the madam's ear and said with a smile, "I forgot to tell you, I have two brothers, one called Qin Feng, the other called Qin Lei…"
The madam's face turned pale, and she exclaimed in shock, "You're the third young master of Xianyao Villa!"
Qin Ren smiled slightly, neither confirming nor denying it. He reached out and grabbed Xiao Xiangyue's hand, placing the stack of silver notes on the madam's chest. He then pushed aside two of the burly men and strode out the door.
The burly men, seeing that Qin Ren completely ignored them, were about to close in when the madam suddenly screamed, "Stop! All of you!"
The madam forced a smile and walked up to Qin Ren, returning the silver notes with both hands. She said sweetly, "Third young master, I was blind to not recognize your status, please forgive me. It's an honor for us to have you visit the brothel, how could we dare take your money?"
Qin Ren snorted. "It seems you think of me as a tyrant who forces people to pay. Take the money. I don't have the habit of walking out of a place without paying." With that, he pulled Xiao Xiangyue outside the brothel.
The madam watched their retreating figures, bowing repeatedly. "Third young master, please take care. I won't see you off. You're always welcome to visit again..."
Once Qin Ren's figure disappeared from sight, the madam straightened up, her expression uncertain.
One of the burly men stepped forward and whispered into the madam's ear, "Are we just letting this go?"
The madam coldly replied, "What else can we do? Chase after him and kill him? Don't forget, he's the third young master of Xianyao Villa! One random expert from Xianyao Villa could wipe us all out, not to mention the Sword Saint, Knife God, and the Sky Hand of the Qin family!"
"Should we report this to the city guard?"
"Of course, but it won't matter. Wu Yun City is so close to Xianyao Villa, and the city guard has to pay two hundred thousand taels of silver every year to Xianyao Villa, or else he wouldn't be able to hold his position! Miss Xiangyue's matter can just be considered a tribute to Xianyao Villa. Now, go take care of your tasks. Don't block the gate."
Qin Ren's next destination was Wan Hua City, the headquarters of the Bao Hua Hall. He would have walked there if it were just him, but now with Xiao Xiangyue accompanying him, walking was too tiring. He hired a spacious carriage in Wu Yun City, bought several jars of fine wine, and packed some provisions. Together, they climbed into the carriage and headed towards Wan Hua City.
Qin Ren didn't rush. He told the driver to go as slowly as possible, enjoying the spring scenery while sitting leisurely with a beautiful woman by his side. It was incredibly relaxing.
Qin Ren lay his head on Xiao Xiangyue's lap as she peeled a crystal grape and fed it to him. Then, she poured some fine wine into a cup and offered it to him with her lips.
As Qin Ren ate the fruit and drank the wine, with a beautiful woman beside him and the early spring scenery outside, he couldn't help but feel inspired. He half-jokingly recited, "The grape wine in the luminous cup, eager to drink but the pipa urges me on; drunk, I lie on the fragrant bed, and a beautiful woman sends me home…" He smiled and nodded, clearly pleased with his poetic musings.
Xiao Xiangyue smiled at his altered version of the poem. "It's truly a wonderful poem. Did you write this yourself, young master? I didn't expect you not only to be skilled in martial arts but also so talented in poetry."
Qin Ren blushed slightly. "Where, where, this poem was altered, not my original work. But it seems poetry isn't that common in this world as it was in my previous life." With that thought in mind, he jokingly recited another altered verse: "Before the bed, the moonlight shines, two pairs of shoes on the floor; I look up at the moon, and we both go to bed together~~"
Xiao Xiangyue chuckled and blushed. "Young master, you're naughty, making up such improper poems."
Qin Ren laughed heartily. "Well, this is all the culture I've got—writing lewd poetry is a rare skill!"
Just as they were chatting, the carriage suddenly stopped. The driver leaned in and said, "Young master, there's a wedding procession ahead, very lively, with drums and music. The official road is blocked, and we can't get through. Should we wait for a bit?"
Hearing it was a wedding procession, Qin Ren was intrigued. "Stop the carriage on the side of the road. I've never seen a wedding procession before!"
The driver complied, and Qin Ren opened the carriage window. Looking out, he saw a grand wedding procession coming their way.
The procession was quite large, with people dressed in red and green, drummers and horn players leading the way, and firecrackers popping. In the center, an eight-bear sedan was carried by eight strong men, their pace swift and imposing.
The procession passed by the carriage quickly, and Qin Ren nodded in approval. "Nice, very lively. This is how weddings should feel. Alright, get ready to move on."
The driver was about to start moving again when Qin Ren casually glanced back at the sedan. Just as he did, the curtain of the sedan lifted, revealing a delicate hand holding the window frame. The owner of the hand turned her head slightly, glancing at Qin Ren. That glance struck him like a thunderbolt, leaving his mind blank as he stood frozen, mouth agape.