As they passed through the courtyard in front, Aurelian Dragon's eyes lit up.
Before him lay a cleverly designed garden, complete with artificial hills, bonsai, exotic flowers and rare herbs, and ancient trees—the details of which need no introduction. What truly captivated the eye were the countless tiny lanterns scattered throughout the garden. Some were hidden high in the trees, while others were nestled among the lush greenery, casting colorful rays of light that transformed the entire garden into a fairyland. This display of the owner's ingenuity was truly breathtaking.
Walking along the cobblestone path to the end of the garden, you'll find a beautiful little lake with exquisitely carved and painted pavilions and waterside terraces.
Across the lake are rows of small buildings, divided into three courtyards, all connected by covered walkways.
Just as they reached the other side of the small lake via a winding floating corridor, a person strode up ahead and called out loudly to Aurelian Dragon, "Lord Ye has finally arrived! I was just about to send someone to your residence to urge you to come again!"
Upon recognizing Aurelian Dragon as West Dufy, he smiled and said, "I'm so sorry, but the girls here are just too beautiful to leave!" As he spoke, he tightened his grip on Ruixue and Jiang Qianqian's slender waists.
Ruixue and Jiang Qianqian fawned over Aurelian Dragon, then Yingying bowed to Jeff and withdrew.
Seeing this, Jeff laughed heartily and said, "Lord Ye, you truly have excellent methods! Come, let us in!"
"Jeff, that's not right. Lord Ye was invited by me, Marco Bwe. How could you pull him away halfway through?"
A rough, booming voice rang out, and then the figure of the Southern Governor Marco Bwe appeared before the Aurelian Dragon.
Jeff glanced at Marco Bwe and said unhappily, "Lord Ye was clearly invited by me, so how can you say that you invited him?"
"No, no!" Marco Bwe shook his head. "If you don't believe me, you can ask Lord Ye."
The two men exchanged a glance, each letting out a cold snort, and then turned their eyes to Aurelian Dragon, seemingly to see whose seat he would choose.
Seeing this, the prepared Aurelian Dragon smiled and said, "I appreciate the hospitality of both of you. How about this, let's all gather together today and have a good time!"
After saying that, he turned to the tall, smiling man standing to the side and said, "Please ask the boss to cancel the banquet for Lord Jeff and Lord Marco Bwe and have them hold a banquet in the building in front!"
Boss Gao was taken aback, then readily agreed and ordered his beautiful maidservants to quickly do as Aurelian Dragon instructed.
Jeff and Marco Bwe exchanged a glance and remained silent. They had originally intended to use this opportunity to gauge the Aurelian Dragon's stance and determine which side they would side with, but they hadn't expected the Aurelian Dragon to resort to such a tactic to demonstrate its neutrality. This outcome was unexpected, so for the time being, they could only accept it silently.
Boss Gao's beautiful maids were extremely efficient, and soon moved the banquet, originally set up on the east and west floors, to the "Warm Fragrance Pavilion" designated by Aurelian Dragon. When Aurelian Dragon and his entourage stepped into the brightly lit hall, the courtesans who had been summoned to serve wine all bowed their heads and kowtowed, their attitude extremely humble and polite.
In the spacious hall, the main seat was in the center, with a seat on each side, all laden with exquisite food and wine.
Upon seeing this, Aurelian Dragon instructed her maids to rearrange the seating so that the three seats were arranged in a row, all facing forward, thus eliminating any obvious distinction between primary and secondary seats.
After Jeff and Marco Bwe pushed Aurelian Dragon to the center seat, they each sat down on either side, each accompanied by a beautiful woman. This made Aurelian Dragon feel a little strange. Why wasn't the guest allowed to choose his own seat like in other places? But today he was a guest, so he would just have to see how the two hosts arranged things.
In this place, Aurelian Dragon was completely at ease. He reached out and patted the beautiful courtesans sitting on either side of him, saying, "Serve the two gentlemen wine first!"
After the three of them toasted, Jeff and Marco Bwe returned to normal and chatted and laughed as if there was no animosity between them.
Jeff smiled at Aurelian Dragon and said, "I specially asked the boss to reserve a few of the best courtesans. Please take your time and choose the one you like best." After saying that, he glanced at Marco Bwe, clearly showing his displeasure: I've booked all the courtesans, what are you going to use to entertain your guests?
Aurelian Dragon immediately understood that the beautiful women in front of him were just there for show; this Dark Fragrance Pavilion really spared no expense!
Before Aurelian Dragon could speak, Marco Bwe, oblivious to everything, chimed in with praise, "Lord Jeff has truly gone to great lengths!" Then, seemingly casually, he continued, "When I arrived, I heard that some of the Left Prime Minister's guards and swordsmen were arrested by the Eastern Governor's Office for causing trouble in the streets. Is that true?"
Jeff was secretly annoyed; Marco Bwe's words had a hidden meaning. Just as he was about to retort, Aurelian Dragon raised her glass and said, "Lord Marco Bwe, this is quite inappropriate. How can we discuss such official matters in this setting? It's such a spoilsport! Come, let's punish him with a drink!"
Aurelian Dragon's words reassured Jeff, indicating that Aurelian Dragon was relatively on their side. He then smiled and raised his glass to urge Marco Bwe to drink.
Marco Bwe had a different feeling. He originally wanted to provoke a conflict between Aurelian Dragon and the Left Prime Minister's Mansion, but he didn't expect that Aurelian Dragon's move would neutralize his intentions so effectively.
Jeff set down his wine glass, clapped his hands, and a dozen or so beautiful women filed in from outside, each carrying a different musical instrument. They took their seats below. "Dark Fragrance Pavilion" was indeed extraordinary; even these female musicians were all quite beautiful, a feast for the eyes.
At this moment, the beautiful courtesans who had been attending to everyone took their leave.
As melodious music filled the air, five beautiful women dressed in colorful robes gracefully floated in. It was clear that their gait had been instructed by a skilled person, maximizing their charm and grace. Coupled with the intoxicating fragrance emanating from their clothes and their own natural skin scent, the three men at the table were completely mesmerized, scrunching their hound-like noses and inhaling the aroma intensely.
Ruixue and Jiang Qianqian, who were previously present, were also among them, standing first on the left and right respectively. They had changed their outfits and looked even more radiant.
In the center of the group of five was a stunningly beautiful woman in green, even more beautiful than Ruixue and Jiang Qianqian. She wore a green jade hairpin, green pearl flowers, a green silk spring gown, a green satin vest, a green embroidered belt, a green silk skirt, and even her small embroidered shoes were a vibrant green. Her fiery body was perfectly proportioned, with curves that were both alluring and captivating. Her fair, rosy face was so alluring that it made one's mouth water, and one longed to take a bite out of her.
Seeing Aurelian Dragon staring intently at the beautiful woman in green, Jeff smiled and said, "Lord Ye, this is Miss Green Swallow from the Dark Fragrance Pavilion, the most captivating courtesan of last year. I think you should choose her!"
Aurelian Dragon's eyes fell on Ruixue and Jiang Qianqian, who were standing beside Lüyan. Aside from one wearing sky-blue and the other pale yellow, their outfits were identical to Lüyan's. While not quite as strikingly beautiful as Lüyan, they were still stunning beauties who could drive men wild with desire.
At this moment, Ruixue and Jiang Qianqian showed resentment on their faces. Their two large, dark, watery, and charming phoenix eyes revealed a melancholy expression, as if they were worried that Aurelian Dragon would not choose them but instead choose the more beautiful Lüyan.
Aurelian Dragon's eyes lit up, and she exclaimed, "I've already promised Miss Ruixue and Miss Jiang Qianqian, how can I go back on my word?"
Upon hearing this, Ruixue and Jiang Qianqian were overjoyed, their phoenix eyes gleaming with an alluring light. Amidst the envious gazes of the crowd, they gracefully walked to Aurelian Dragon's seat, knelt on either side of him, and happily offered him sweet kisses.
Jeff and Marco Bwe clapped in unison and said, "Lord Ye is indeed a knowledgeable and righteous master of the pleasure quarters!"
Aurelian Dragon noticed a strange glint in the eyes of the green-clad maiden. Though it was only for a fleeting moment, it surprised Aurelian Dragon. How could such a beautiful woman possess such a rare and wondrous light?
Green Swallow began to fawn over Aurelian Dragon, joining the other two unsuccessful beauties in their playful complaint about his unfair treatment. With Jeff and Marco Bwe cheering them on from the sidelines, the scene became lively and erotic, reminding the man, who was used to such situations, of his past.
Aurelian Dragon was an expert in this area, so how could he be stumped by these? He put his arm around Green Swallow's slender waist with great pleasure and said with a smile, "Don't worry, I will definitely come to support the ladies next time! Come on, let me give you a kiss first!"
Green Swallow's anger turned to joy, and she pouted her bright red lips to meet Aurelian Dragon's large mouth. Their lips and tongues intertwined, and Clove skillfully offered its fragrance, allowing Aurelian Dragon to savor an intoxicating pleasure.
Green Swallow retreated shyly, her beautiful, watery eyes filled with an intense, unyielding affection that made one's heart flutter. Aurelian Dragon understood why Green Swallow had been last year's top courtesan; such a delicate and alluring demeanor was enough to captivate any man.
After the remaining two beauties had also kissed Aurelian Dragon, Ruixue leaned close to Aurelian Dragon's ear and whispered, "I want some too!"
On the other side, Jiang Qianqian leaned half of her body against Aurelian Dragon and said in a coquettish voice, "My lord, you can't show favoritism!"
Aurelian Dragon laughed and said, "One cup of 'Red Lips Flame' isn't enough! At least everyone should be served a cup of 'Red Lips Flame'!"
Seeing Ruixue and Jiang Qianqian's blank expressions, Aurelian Dragon couldn't help but smile and gently touch their cherry-like lips. Ruixue and Jiang Qianqian suddenly realized that this man had actually given such a beautiful name to an extremely erotic move from brothels; he was quite skilled. They were both shy and delighted, and couldn't help but fawn over Aurelian Dragon.
The beauties that Jeff and Marco Bwe had chosen earlier also came in and sat down next to them. Their looks were not much worse than the five women chosen for Aurelian Dragon, and they seemed to be Jeff and Marco Bwe's old flames, and were very familiar with them.
As Ruixue and Jiang Qianqian reluctantly toasted Aurelian Dragon, Jeff and Marco Bwe both wore knowing smiles. This man's behavior was even more unrestrained than they had anticipated. When their eyes met, they suddenly realized they belonged to opposing camps, so they gave a soft hum, turned away, and flirted with the beauties beside them.
Seeing that the commotion at Aurelian Dragon's table had subsided, Jeff coughed lightly and said to Aurelian Dragon, "Lord Ye, please look, now comes the main event of the evening!" He then gestured to the musicians below.
The soothing music resumed, and the side doors on either side of the hall quietly opened. Two groups of elegantly dressed dancers entered the hall with graceful steps, singing and dancing to the beautiful music. Thin veils draped their youthful and healthy bodies, and as they danced, glimpses of their alluring figures appeared and disappeared, like butterflies among flowers or sparrows flitting among treetops—a truly delightful sight.
Aurelian Dragon saw that these women were all seventeen or eighteen years old and beautiful, and knew that the Dark Fragrance Pavilion must have gone to great lengths to recruit them. But he didn't know that in the Fast Empire, such women were not hard to find, because every war resulted in a large number of enemies and their families becoming slaves, and poor families often had to sell their daughters to survive.
At the height of the music and dance, there was a sudden pause, and the room fell silent.
As Aurelian Dragon was wondering, the sound of jade pendants jingled, and a tall, elegant beauty entered through the main gate. She wore a long white silk robe embroidered with bright gold thread, and her graceful steps swayed as she entered.
Upon seeing Aurelian Dragon, he couldn't help but feel that she was a celestial being.
This beautiful woman, no more than eighteen years old, had a rosy oval face, large, bright eyes that seemed to hold the light of autumn water, and a smile playing on her cherry lips, her pearly white teeth faintly visible. Most captivating was the otherworldly charm she exuded, making her appear like a fairy from the heavens, instantly overshadowing all the other beauties present.
"This humble woman, Nocturne Solene, greets all of you esteemed sirs!"
The music resumed, and the elegantly dressed geishas surrounded Nocturne Solene, making her stand out even more.
Nocturne Solene slowly began to spin, her voice like celestial music, and she began to sing and dance to the accompaniment of background music. Her voice was pure and sweet, and her dance was even more exquisite. The gold embroidery on her white dress shimmered under the lights, and with the singing and dancing girls around her like stars accompanying the moon, she looked like a fairy descended from the heavens.
Such a stunning woman, even slightly inferior to Phoenix Vane, why has she fallen into such a state? With her exceptional beauty and talent, she should at least be the object of some powerful and wealthy man's affections. How come no one has thought of taking her for themselves?
As Aurelian Dragon pondered, the song and dance performance reached its climax. With a few soaring notes from Nocturne Solene, the music and dance abruptly stopped, leaving only the clear, lingering melody that captivated the audience.
Even though Aurelian Dragon is completely ignorant about music, he couldn't help but applaud Nocturne Solene's wonderful singing voice, while Jeff and Marco Bwe were completely mesmerized and shouted their approval.
The dancers surrounding Nocturne Solene bowed to the three of them and then gracefully withdrew from the hall, leaving only Nocturne Solene in the center, who floated gracefully to Aurelian Dragon's seat with a light and elegant gait.
"Welcome, Lord Ye! I, Su Nu, offer you a cup of wine as a token of my respect!"
Nocturne Solene's voice was completely different from her previous singing. It was slightly husky, or rather, magnetically deep, which made it very penetrating and extremely sexy. The stark contrast with her clear and melodious voice made it unforgettable.
Jiang Qianqian, who was to Aurelian Dragon's left, moved her delicate body aside to make room for him. Nocturne Solene then knelt in the space Jiang Qianqian had made, then sat up and extended her beautiful, snow-white hands to pour wine for Aurelian Dragon.
Aurelian Dragon examined Nocturne Solene closely. Her hair, adorned with jade hairpins and jeweled flowers, was styled in a coiled dragon bun. Her glossy black hair exuded a fragrant aroma. Her features were harmonious, her face sweet and radiant, and her small cherry lips were as red as fire. He also noticed a significant difference between Nocturne Solene's clothing and that of the other five women: Lü Yan, Rui Xue, and Jiang Qianqian. The five women's spring gowns were all thin and light, with extremely low necklines that revealed a large expanse of their fair breasts. In fact, when they lowered their heads, one could even see a deep cleavage. Although the thin silk robes and delicate ribbons revealed Nocturne Solene's alluring figure, the clever design prevented any real glimpse of her beauty.
The man, who was always bold in his lust, took advantage of the moment when Nocturne Solene served him a drink to reach out and embrace her slender waist, letting her soft, fragrant body snuggle into his arms, taking the opportunity to feel her full breasts and compelling youthful vitality.
"ah..."
Nocturne Solene let out a soft moan, her soft body trembling slightly like a startled bird. She furrowed her delicate brows and presented the white jade cup with both hands.
Aurelian Dragon took the wine glass and couldn't resist kissing her cherry lips. He saw that her whole body was burning hot, even her ears were red, her starry eyes were half closed, and she was breathing nervously.
"What's going on? She doesn't seem to like this?"
The man, whose spiritual senses were becoming increasingly acute, suddenly felt a strange sensation emanating from the beauty in his arms. A self-proclaimed expert on women, he knew what this meant. Normally, he might have taken full advantage of her, only stopping when he had his fill. But at this moment, a feeling of pity welled up within him, as if he couldn't bear to harm the delicate beauty in his arms.
Aurelian Dragon released his hands, sat up straight, and raised the white jade wine cup with both hands, saying, "Let me offer a toast to Miss! The singing just now was truly heavenly music; how often can one hear such a thing in the mortal world!"
Nocturne Solene was incredibly puzzled by the man's sudden change. Men had always been the type to hold her tightly and caress her thoroughly before letting go. Although she loathed it, she had no choice but to force a smile, since she was so beautiful.
The actions of this man named Aurelian Dragon have revealed his lecherous nature. While waiting to enter, Nocturne Solene had already witnessed his actions towards Ruixue and Jiang Qianqian. But why did he stop when he could have easily taken advantage of her?
A look of confusion flashed across Nocturne Solene's beautiful eyes. When she met Aurelian Dragon's burning gaze, she couldn't help but lower her head. Realizing that she had been somewhat out of line, she quickly picked up another glass of wine from the table and said softly, "You flatter me, sir!"
Aurelian Dragon raised her glass and drank it all in one gulp. Seeing Nocturne Solene gracefully drink the wine with such a gentle expression, I couldn't help but feel sorry for her and said softly, "Why don't you sit here and talk to me for a while?"
A look of joy flashed in Nocturne Solene's beautiful eyes, and she responded softly. Jiang Qianqian pressed against Aurelian Dragon's back from behind and whispered, "My lord, what about me?"
Feeling the amazing bounce and fullness of the two balls on her back, Aurelian Dragon slapped Jiang Qianqian's pink buttocks hard with her backhand and laughed, "Of course you're sitting in my lap!"
"My lord, you're so mean!" Jiang Qianqian wrapped her soft little hands around Aurelian Dragon's thick neck and said in a sweet voice, "Why am I treated like this?"
Aurelian Dragon smiled without saying a word, then turned and kissed Jiang Qianqian's pink cheek.
Marco Bwe laughed from the side, "Sir, you are so tender-hearted and dote on Miss Nocturne Solene."
Jeff chimed in, "Miss Nocturne Solene is also in this year's Queen's Selection Ceremony. Would Lord Ye be interested?"
Upon hearing about the selection ceremony, Nocturne Solene's eyes dimmed, and her delicate hand, which was pouring wine for Aurelian Dragon, trembled slightly.
"Oh, really?" Aurelian Dragon looked at Nocturne Solene and suddenly remembered the Thousand Flower Scroll he had just seen. The veiled beauty in palace attire on it was Nocturne Solene in front of him.
Nocturne Solene nodded slightly and said in a low voice, "I hope you will take good care of Su Nu in the future!"
Aurelian Dragon nodded and said, "I will definitely go then!"
Ruixue whispered sweetly into Aurelian Dragon's ear, "If Lord Ye really wants to dote on Su-mei, then don't let other men elevate our Su-mei to the position of courtesan!"
Aurelian Dragon frowned slightly and asked, "Why is that?"
Ruixue glanced at Nocturne Solene, whose expression was complex, and sighed softly, saying, "Because whoever chooses the courtesan has to decide who loses their virginity, and then have to spend three days with that person!" Ruixue genuinely felt sorry for Nocturne Solene, because Nocturne Solene was gentle and kind, the most popular in the Dark Fragrance Pavilion, and never competed with the other girls. Although she was currently the most popular courtesan, she remained humble and polite to others. Most importantly, Ruixue knew how painful it would be to have one's virginity taken by a man one didn't like at all.
Aurelian Dragon shook her head. All brothels are the same. Even the most popular girls are just playthings in the hands of men. Unfortunate things happen every day, and how could the Dark Fragrance Pavilion be an exception? It's just that the current girl is pitiful. But on the other hand, with a beauty like Nocturne Solene, men will definitely go to great lengths to win her favor. You can imagine how much the courtesan's price will be.
Marco Bwe suddenly tensed up, stood up from his seat, and a piercing light flashed in his large, round eyes.
"What's wrong?" Aurelian Dragon asked in surprise.
At this moment, Jeff's expression changed slightly. Although he did not stand up, a sharp aura suddenly emanated from his entire body, like a leopard poised to pounce. The originally warm and inviting hall suddenly became somber, and an indescribable chill gradually permeated the air. It seemed that in the blink of an eye, all traces of sensuality could no longer be found here.
The women in the hall immediately turned pale, thinking that their poor service had caused the guests' dissatisfaction. Knowing the identities of the three people in the hall, they quickly bowed their heads to the ground, anxiously awaiting the guests' outburst.
Aurelian Dragon was initially taken aback, but after a careful examination, he suddenly realized what was going on. He looked at Marco Bwe and said, "My lord, you have excellent hearing! You were able to detect that someone had intruded into this place!"
Marco Polo slowly dissipated all his power and replied, "Lord Ye, you flatter me. I only noticed some strange things."
Jeff glanced at Marco Bwe, knowing that the guy was slightly better than him. Although he was unhappy, there was nothing he could do. To show that he was not much worse than him, Jeff said in a deep voice, "The intruders have left. Should we go and check?"
Aurelian Dragon chuckled inwardly, thinking, "What's the point of investigating? They're still outside!" He waved his hand and said, "I think we should just let it go. The newcomers don't seem hostile; why make them uneasy?"
Marco Bwe turned and sat down, saying calmly, "Lord Ye is absolutely right. Moreover, since the newcomer possesses the extraordinary skill of invisibility, it is quite remarkable. If we were to investigate further, it would be extremely difficult." In truth, he was thinking that the newcomer might be one of the Ghost Ninjas under Gui Wuyue's command, so it was best not to delve too deeply into it.
Jeff also remembered that people with the ability to become invisible were rare on the continent, and there were some temple experts in the Left Prime Minister's mansion who possessed such a unique skill. Could it be that they had come? Therefore, he changed his mind and agreed to Aurelian Dragon's proposal.
Jeff and Marco Bwe were secretly pleased by this little incident at the banquet, knowing that Aurelian Dragon's skills were still a little inferior to their own, which naturally put their minds at ease.
Aurelian Dragon said apologetically to the women, "I'm so sorry, I startled you all!" The women immediately felt relieved, and their beautiful faces returned to their radiant smiles.
Just as everyone was about to start again, a beautiful maid hurried in and whispered a few words in Jeff's ear. Jeff's expression immediately changed as he looked at Aurelian Dragon, leaving Aurelian Dragon and Marco Bwe, who were watching from the sidelines, completely baffled.