Chapter 314: Old Loli, unexpected
Two hours later——
Changyu Street was bustling with activity due to the arrival of the night market. The streets were adorned with lights and bustling traffic, with couples strolling everywhere.
In an elegant brothel room, Ye Anping sat cross-legged on a cushion, watching with a bemused expression as four girls flirted and danced the unique dance of the Central Domain.
These so-called banquets were a type of establishment where young gentlemen frequented. They typically stayed in private rooms, ordering a few girls to accompany them for drinks, dancing, and conversation.
As for why he was there…
Ye Anping took a sip of tea and turned to look at Si Xuanji, who was currently fixated on the dancing girls, and asked,
“Miss Xuanji, why did we come here?”
“Haven’t you been here before?” Si Xuanji turned her head to look, squinting her eyes with a smile. “There are no such places around the Xuanxing Sect. I’ve been confined to the sect by my mother since I was young. It’s rare to come here, so I thought I would try something new.”
Confined by her mother…
Xiao Yunluo, kneeling on the other side of Ye Anping, glanced at Si Xuanji, speechless. She didn’t dare to say anything, so she simply sat there, sipping tea like a teapot.
Si Xuanji looked at her daughter’s expression, shook her head slightly, and then asked,
“Mr. Ye, have you ever been to places like this before?”
“No.”
“Really!”
“Of course, it’s true. I’m not particularly interested in these places, and I don’t have any dubious friends. If Miss Xuanji hadn’t insisted today, I wouldn’t have come here.”
“Oh…” Si Xuanji pursed her lips and tilted her head. “I thought Young Master Ye would enjoy such places, so I specifically chose this one. So, what does Young Master Ye think of these four girls’ dancing?”
“I don’t know much about dancing, so I won’t comment.”
“Well… Let’s let my sister dance. She used to enjoy it.” Si Xuanji poked her head out and looked at Xiao Yunluo, “Okay! Sister, how about a dance for Mr. Ye?”
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yunluo accidentally spat out the tea she had just sipped and turned around, exclaiming,
“What?”
“Sister, you dance so beautifully. How about dancing for Mr. Ye?”
“…”
Before Xiao Yunluo could respond, Si Xuanji clapped her hands lightly, took out a dozen spirit stones from her storage bag, and handed them to the four dancing ladies,
“Thank you for your hard work, four girls. You can go now.”
After sending the four away, she turned to Xiao Yunluo, who now had flushed cheeks and widened eyes,
“Sister, come on~ just dance Qing Ping Le for Mr. Ye. Didn’t you dance in front of me before?”
Seeing Xiao Yunluo’s expression, Ye Anping quickly chimed in,
“Miss Xuanji, this might be too much. Xiao Shaojun is the Young Master of the Xuanxing Sect.”
“What’s the harm? Isn’t dancing meant to be seen by people?”
Si Xuanji narrowed her eyes and directly transmitted a message to Xiao Yunluo,
“Go dance!”
This direct command startled Xiao Yunluo, making her tremble. She subconsciously stood up, glanced at Ye Anping with a flushed face, and finally mustered the courage to walk to Ye Anping’s small table.
Ye Anping glanced at Si Xuanji, sighed, and said,
“Senior Sister Xiao, if you are unwilling, then…”
“It’s fine.”
She muttered quietly, then turned to look at the musicians holding pipa and guzheng, asking them to help her play music, and then tied her four ponytails into a bunch.
Just as the music started playing, a knock on the door interrupted the musicians’ fingers.
Knock Knock—
Si Xuanji’s yin and yang eyes showed some dissatisfaction, and Ye Anping immediately became alert, replying,
“Please come in.”
The person knocking on the door was a woman dressed in a blood-red skirt with a double bun and a pretty face, but her demeanor was very restrained, resembling a maid from a prominent family.
She entered the room, glanced at Ye Anping and the others, then immediately lowered her eyes and nodded,
“My name is Hongyu, and I am a maid from Tianan City Palace. The sedan chair is ready downstairs. I invite you two to accompany me into the palace.”
Si Xuanji showed some doubt on her face and asked,
“The Emperor of the Central Domain wants to see us!”
“It’s not the emperor but the empress who wishes to invite you. Upon hearing that you two are in Tainan City, the empress wanted to entertain you and has arranged a moon banquet especially to invite you to the palace to admire the moon.”
Listening to this, Ye Anping secretly pondered and roughly understood what had happened. Most likely, it was his brother Liang who went to see the empress!
Originally, the Emperor Sect storyline did not involve the emperor and empress of the Central Domain. He was even certain that when the events in Emperor Sect unfolded in the game, Liang Zhu definitely did not return to Emperor Sect.
But now, Liang Zhu’s involvement in the Emperor Sect plot naturally dragged the emperor and empress of the Central Domain into the mix. Although it was a little beyond his expectations, it also developed in a good direction.
Originally, he had instructed Liang Zhu to gain the trust of Yue Xuanming, the deputy commander of the Heavenly Execution Court, and to enlist Yue Xuanming as an ally. But now, due to some unexpected events, it seemed the Empress of the Central Domain was also involved.
Since an unexpected helper had appeared out of nowhere, why not take advantage of it?
Ye Anping nodded in agreement,
“If the Empress of the Central Domain is hosting a banquet, then Miss Xuanji and Young Master Xiao should hurry up and go.”
Si Xuanji frowned slightly, seemingly surprised by the sudden appearance of the Empress of the Central Domain. She turned to Hongyu and asked,
“Miss Hongyu, is there any specific reason why the Empress wants to see us?”
“I’m not sure about that. I am only responsible for escorting you and Young Master Xiao into the palace. By the way… Is this young master Ye Anping?”
“Yes, it’s me,” Ye Anping replied.
“That’s perfect.” Hongyu bowed to Ye Anping, “The Empress also invites Mr. Ye to the banquet.”
Upon hearing that the Empress had also invited Ye Anping, Si Xuanji’s slightly narrowed eyes gradually relaxed. She looked at Ye Anping and asked,
“Mr. Ye, what have you done?”
“Well, it’s a long story. Why don’t we discuss it on the way?”
“Um…”
Si Xuanji roughly understood the situation. She stood up, straightened her clothes, and turned to Xiao Yunluo with a smile,
“Sister, come back and dance for Young Master Ye later. The Empress has invited us to enjoy the moon.”
“Ah… Um.”
Xiao Yunluo, feeling puzzled, glanced at Hongyu beside her, then awkwardly lowered her raised hand and nodded in agreement.
“Then please ask Miss Hongyu to lead the way.”
“Please come this way,” Hongyu said, leading them.
After Hongyu helped pay for the private room with spirit stones, she led them down the banquet’s stairs and sent them to the sedan chair in front of the door.
Three sedans were in front of the banquet’s gate, and the sedan bearers looked like silent soldiers, standing expressionlessly beside the sedan and waiting.
Xiao Yunluo looked at them and asked, “These people…”
Hongyu nodded and replied, “These are the queen’s trained silent soldiers. Their ear and throat veins were cut off when they were young, and they are not allowed to hear or speak.”
Hearing this, Xiao Yunluo realized that the Emperor and Empress of the Central Domain had made a private appointment with them. Since it was a private meeting, it must be more than just “appreciating the moon.”
She glanced at Si Xuanji and Ye Anping, seeing no change in their expressions, so she remained silent. Following suit, she got into the sedan, carried by the silent soldiers to a small house in the Eastern District. Then, through a hidden tunnel, they entered the Tianan City Palace.
