Chapter 36: Teahouse
Hearing Chu Yi’s soft and sweet words, Sheng Qianheng naturally forgot whatever he had wanted to ask. He sat up straight, afraid that he would see something amiss.
He raised his hands, pulled Chu Yi into his embrace, and patted his back. “Has our A-Yi been tired?”
Chu Yi shook his head. He only felt much more comfortable the moment he drew near Sheng Qianheng.
On second thought, this was his Yanxi Palace. Sheng Qianheng had actually appeared on his bed. He grabbed Sheng Qianheng’s earlobe and asked, “Why did you appear in my bedchamber? Hmm?”
Sheng Qianheng’s hand, which was comforting Chu Yi, paused for a moment before he spoke, “This whole imperial palace is mine. Can I not enter this Yanxi Palace?”
Hearing the slight guilt in Sheng Qianheng’s voice, Chu Yi knew that it was not as straightforward as he had said.
He looked up at the beads of sweat on Sheng Qianheng’s neck, as if recalling some images, and asked, “But you were alone in my bedchamber. Could it be that you did something you couldn’t let others see?”
Sheng Qianheng immediately raised a hand to grab Chu Yi’s mischievous hand and retorted, “Don’t let your imagination run wild. Have you eaten?”
Chu Yi waved his hand, suddenly feeling famished. “I’m hungry! How about you? Have you had your evening meal?”
Sheng Qianheng had naturally already eaten his evening meal, but he ordered someone to serve the food. He stood up, carried Chu Yi, and sat down at the table together.
Chu Yi ate on his own but couldn’t ignore Sheng Qianheng’s intense gaze. He could only smile back.
Sheng Qianheng picked up food for him and asked, “Did you find anything today?”
After swallowing the food in his mouth, Chu Yi replied, “Today, I saw that Lu Wenhan’s main wife seems to be mentally unstable… I suspect that Lu Wenhan abuses his wife!”
Sheng Qianheng seemed to be well aware of these matters and showed no surprise. “Eat slowly. Did you find anything else?”
Chu Yi looked back at Sheng Qianheng, puzzled, and asked, “That Lady Lu is the legitimate and only daughter of the Xu family. You’re not surprised that she’s being abused by Lu Wenhan?”
“I know Lu Wenhan’s character…” Sheng Qianheng raised a hand to wipe the grease from the corner of Chu Yi’s mouth and continued, “It’s just a pity for that Lady Lu.”
Chu Yi couldn’t bear to see a woman being bullied, especially since that Lady Lu was already mentally unstable. He always felt that it was not as simple as domestic violence. That Lady Lu seemed to have mentioned the word “pregnant”…
He looked at Sheng Qianheng and asked, “Does Lu Wenhan have a legitimate son or daughter?”
Sheng Qianheng only knew that he had one legitimate son. “He has one legitimate son. He seems to have many illegitimate sons and daughters…”
Chu Yi continued to eat his rice, even more puzzled. Since she was the mother of Lu Wenhan’s legitimate son, why did he abuse her?
“Tomorrow, I’ll stay at an inn outside the palace. You don’t have to wait for me! There are too many strange things. I have to investigate carefully!”
Sheng Qianheng had originally thought that if he let Chu Yi go out of the palace to investigate the case and sent Suifeng with him, he wouldn’t have to worry. But he had never thought that he himself was so clingy to Chu Yi…
He pressed his lips together and tried to speak several times but couldn’t utter a single word.
Seeing Sheng Qianheng’s furrowed brow, Chu Yi asked tentatively, “You don’t want me to go out of the palace?”
Sheng Qianheng coughed, feigning nonchalance. “I never said that…”
Chu Yi raised an eyebrow, put down his bowl and chopsticks, and pinched the pad of Sheng Qianheng’s thumb, pressing again, “Then you should stay in Yangxin Hall tonight, so you won’t be unaccustomed to sleeping alone in my bedchamber tomorrow…”
Sheng Qianheng pinched Chu Yi’s cheek and kissed his lips. “A-Yi!”
Chu Yi laughed, raised his hand, and interlocked his fingers with Sheng Qianheng’s. “Sheng Qianheng, you can tell me whatever you want to say.”
He stared into Sheng Qianheng’s eyes, watching his hesitant expression, and couldn’t help but smile.
The pad of Chu Yi’s thumb gently squeezed Sheng Qianheng’s palm, as if to encourage him to speak.
Sheng Qianheng took a deep breath and unconsciously avoided Chu Yi’s direct gaze. He was the emperor of Da Mo, the symbol of supreme power in this imperial city. It had been a long time since anyone had said such words to him, that he could say whatever he wanted…
He took several deep breaths, as if to inhale all his courage into his chest. Sheng Qianheng felt his face grow slightly hot, and even his neck was warm.
Sheng Qianheng raised his eyes, his lips moved slightly, but no sound came out. He could feel the pad of Chu Yi’s thumb gently caressing his palm, as if giving him strength.
Everything around them became exceptionally quiet. Even the chirping of the birds outside the window seemed to be urging him on.
Finally, as if he had made up his mind, his voice was so low it was almost a whisper, “A-Yi, I’ve gotten used to us sleeping in the same bed…”
“Oh~ So that’s how it is!” Chu Yi smiled charmingly, leaned in close to Sheng Qianheng, and continued, “You see, these words aren’t so hard to say, are they? Say what you want to say, do what you want to do. You are just Sheng Qianheng, and I am just Chu Yi.”
Sheng Qianheng pulled Chu Yi up from the stool, had him sit on his lap, looked at his smiling eyes, and his lips also curved up. “Brother, then can I stay in Yanxi Palace tonight?”
Chu Yi raised his index finger and waved it, shaking his head slightly.
Sheng Qianheng was puzzled. He had already spoken. What did Chu Yi mean by this? “Why?”
Chu Yi tried to get up but was held firmly by the lower back by Sheng Qianheng. “I’m going back to Jingyang Palace to rest tonight! You can stay in Yanxi Palace! Let me go first…”
Sheng Qianheng pinched Chu Yi’s lower back fiercely. “Chu Yi, don’t think I won’t punish you!”
Chu Yi shrugged. “Alright, I won’t tease you anymore! This women’s attire is too inconvenient! Besides, the bed in Jingyang Palace is more comfortable.”
Sheng Qianheng: “Are you full? If you’re full, then go and change.”
Time dripped by like dew from the eaves. Unbeknownst to them, the feelings between the two had quietly changed.
Chu Yi was no longer afraid of Sheng Qianheng. He took the men’s clothes from the cabinet and dressed himself neatly. The room was a little hot. He raised a hand to push open the window and only then realized that it was already midsummer.
He had been in this strange world for nearly three months…
Noon the next day.
Chu Yi, dressed in a light water-green dress, sat in a teahouse in the east of the city, sipping tea.
He pondered why Lady Lu had lost control of her emotions yesterday because of a single word from him. After much thought, he concluded that the word “teahouse” must be the key piece of information.
But he was sitting in a teahouse right now. He scanned the teahouse but didn’t find anything suspicious.
Moshu, who had been out investigating, returned to the teahouse and sat down, eagerly reporting, “Miss, I went to check the Lu residence’s financial records. The largest source of income for the Lu residence is Lady Lu’s family, that is, the dividends from the Xu family’s businesses. There’s nothing suspicious about the expenditures.”
Chu Yi took a sip of tea and asked, “What kind of businesses does the Xu family run?”
Moshu: “They’re involved in everything. Whatever business is profitable, the Xu family invests in it… It’s as if they have an expert guiding them.”
Chu Yi pressed his lips together, carefully considering the reason. “Moshu, how many teahouses are there in the city?”
Moshu listed them one by one.
There was a teahouse less than a li from the Lu residence. It seemed that many high-ranking officials and nobles liked to go there. Such a coincidence?
Yesterday, he had been so busy dealing with Sheng Qianheng that he had completely forgotten to ask the physician who had treated Lady Lu for some details.
Thus, he had no choice but to send Moshu back to the palace.
Chu Yi took Suifeng and Lianfang to the teahouse near the Lu residence.
Although it was no different from other teahouses, from Chu Yi’s observation, he found that if one gave the waiter a secret code, they would be led up to the fourth floor.
What kind of unspeakable secrets were hidden on the fourth floor?
Chu Yi walked forward and asked, “Waiter, I’m new to the capital. Why was I stopped when I wanted to go up to the fourth floor?”
The waiter sized up Chu Yi’s attire and smiled faintly. “Miss, you may not know, but the fourth floor of our shop is for high-class private rooms. If you want to go up to the fourth floor, you have to…”
The waiter made a hand gesture.
Chu Yi nodded. It seemed he had to pay enough money. “Then bring me a pot of your shop’s specialty.”
The waiter: “Alright, please find an empty seat. I’ll be right with you.”
After Chu Yi sat down, Suifeng whispered in his ear, “Miss, there seems to be something wrong with that waiter…”
Chu Yi straightened his clothes. “I’m afraid this fourth floor is hiding some shady business. There must be a big shot backing them… If we investigate further, I’m afraid it will involve the whole body.”
The waiter quickly brought the tea.
Just as Chu Yi was about to pour a cup, he was stopped by Suifeng.
Suifeng sniffed carefully and whispered, “Miss, there’s a sleeping drug in this tea…”
Chu Yi immediately withdrew his hand. How could this be? In broad daylight, they dared to drug people in the shop. And with a guard like Suifeng by his side, this teahouse still dared to make a move?
He shot a look at Suifeng and pretended to take a sip of tea.
Suifeng and Lianfang pretended to have something to do and left. Chu Yi sat in the teahouse, listening to the play.
He looked at the waiter and the other staff. They seemed to be paying him no mind.
Chu Yi pretended to be getting dizzy and gradually slumped over the table.
After waiting for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, no one came to check on his condition. Chu Yi felt that half of his body was numb, as if the blood was not circulating.
Could he have guessed wrong? But Suifeng’s sensitivity to drugs should not be wrong.
Just as Chu Yi was about to give up and get up, a staff member walked up to him, seemed to wave a hand in front of his eyes a few times, and tested if he had fainted.
The staff member seemed to be pretending to be his relative and said to the waiter, “Are there any private rooms in the shop? My wife is tired from the journey and can only rest here for a while…”
The waiter immediately stepped forward. The two of them picked up Chu Yi together and took him upstairs.
Suifeng, hidden in the shadows, saw this and immediately sent a message to the other hidden guards. He then followed silently behind…
Chu Yi closed his eyes, not knowing where he was being taken. He was thrown heavily onto a bed.
He felt his entire back hit the bed, and a sharp pain made his brows furrow unconsciously.
He heard the staff member and the waiter seem to be plotting something.
The waiter: “This girl is new. She looks like she’s from a big family, and her looks are not bad. A few days ago, Lord Lu and Lord Liu told us to choose carefully. I think this one is not bad… Go and inform Lord Liu to come and have a look.”
The staff member: “Yes. But I see that this girl seems to be from a wealthy family. She even had a guard with her before…”
The waiter: “It’s fine. He won’t be able to find the fourth floor.”
Chu Yi caught the words “Lord Lu” and “Lord Liu.” It was just as he had thought…
After the waiter and the staff member had both left the room, Chu Yi only looked up after hearing the sound of the door closing.
Unexpectedly, the next second, someone pushed the door open.
The waiter was fawningly talking to the person, “Lord Liu is still here. That saves me the trouble of sending someone to inform you. The one in the room is newly selected, not from the capital. What do you think?”
Lord Liu was holding a pot of wine. He pushed the waiter away. “This official knows. You may withdraw.”
Chu Yi quickly stood up, looking for a place to hide in the room, but there was nothing in the room except for the bed. It was more like the layout of the Flower-Filled Pavilion than a teahouse…
He had no choice but to hide behind the screen. Suifeng should appear in time.
The moment Lord Liu entered the room, he saw the corner of Chu Yi’s dress. He slowly moved to his side, looked down at Chu Yi, and said, “Quite a beauty…”
Chu Yi raised his hand to sprinkle the sleeping powder but was unexpectedly restrained by Lord Liu. He leaned in and sniffed, “How old are you? It’s my first time seeing a conscious beauty. Quite refreshing.”
Chu Yi knew that he was no match for the person before him in terms of size, so he couldn’t use force.
He could only coax in a low voice, “Sir, I got lost and accidentally came in here… Do you know how to leave?”
Lord Liu gently wrapped an arm around Chu Yi’s slender waist, a hint of affection in his eyes. He said in a low voice, “In this private room, how can one get lost? This official finds you quite to my liking. We’ll sign the contract later. Only after everything in the contract is fulfilled can I let you go.”
Chu Yi frowned and tried to break free but failed.
Lord Liu smelled that Chu Yi was a Kunze and immediately released his xìnxiāng to overwhelm him, making him be at the mercy of the xìnxiāng.
Chu Yi instantly felt weak all over, and even his lower abdomen ached a little…
