Zuixian Tower

Night fell. A full moon hung high in the sky, desolate and bright. Zuixian Tower. Inside the bustling wine pavilion, dancers with flowing sleeves moved gracefully across the stage. Below, a bevy of lightly clad beauties drifted through the hall, amidst an endless stream of laughter and chatter. Suddenly— *Bang!!* A violent slam against a wooden table caused the raucous tavern to fall quiet at an eerie speed. Then, a voice rang out for all to hear: "Absurd... Utterly absurd! Xu Changge went to Guyuan and merely killed some snake demon, yet His Highness the Crown Prince welcomed him into the capital with state honors!" Beside the second-floor railing, a scholar in Confucian robes slammed the table and rose to his feet, barking in a low, drunken voice. The moment he spoke, the grand hall grew even quieter. Nearly every eye turned toward him. His companion's eyelids twitched. Hurriedly tugging at his sleeve, the companion said loudly, "Ah, Brother Li, you're drunk, speaking pure nonsense!" With that, the companion gave an awkward, placating bow to the crowd below. "Apologies, everyone, our apologies! Just drunken babble, drunken babble! Forgive him for disturbing your spirits. Please, carry on drinking, carry on drinking!" Seeing this, the patrons in the hall chuckled and chimed in, returning to their cups and their music. Yet the scholar, seeing the crowd turn away and emboldened by the alcohol, flicked his sleeve to shake off his friend's hand. Looking thoroughly aggrieved and heartsick, he projected his voice: "I am not drunk! His Majesty resides deep within the palace, with no word of him for ages! For the Crown Prince to ride out of the city in welcome now is surely nothing more than the Prime Minister's faction drumming up prestige for his eldest son!" With those words, the once-bustling hall of Zuixian Tower fell so silent that one could hear a pin drop. Seeing that no one dared dispute him, the sensation of commanding the room rushed to his head. Taking a deep breath, he continued loudly: "Our Great Yan has endured for more than thirteen hundred years. Xu Yinhe holds the post of Prime Minister; he should have been a role model for us scholars, yet now his wolfish ambitions are laid bare for all to see! Never mind his clique-building for private gain—there are even rumors that he commands a private army! Yet the high ministers of the court are all scurrying like flies and dogs, caring only for their own skins! "...And Xu Yinhe's third son, Xu Changtian, is worse than a beast, abducting women from decent families and trampling the common folk at will..." The scholar loudly berated the sitting Prime Minister, entirely blind to how his companions at the table were turning pale and dark with dread. Several had even begun quietly edging away from this impassioned orator. Was there an issue with denouncing the Prime Minister or high-ranking ministers? Of course not. As scholars, wasn't that precisely what they were meant to do? If not them, whom else would they denounce? Every time they met in private, they tore them to shreds. Without such rants, where was the fun in living? *But damn it all, couldn't you fucking keep it to our private gatherings?!* Who said no one had ever submitted memorials against the Prime Minister? If no one had remonstrated, whose heads were those piled up at Caishikou in the imperial capital back then? Who were those martial artists exiled to the northern borders and southern reaches to ward off strange demons and barbarian tribes? "..." After venting for a while, the scholar let out a long breath. Having seemingly gotten a taste for the thrill, he was just preparing to launch into round two when a voice suddenly piped up from a corner of the hall: "A scholar without so much as an official degree, yet slandering a high court minister—do you truly believe Jingjiang City has no Secret Investigation Bureau?" Seeing someone contradict him, the young scholar immediately replied with righteous indignation, "Even if the Secret Investigation Bureau comes, what of it?! Everything I say is the truth that others dare not speak!!" "What of it? Heh, how about we notify them to come have a look at this brave man who dares speak what others dare not?" "..." The young scholar froze. He parted his lips to retort, but cautiously cast a glance around the room. All he met were mocking, amused stares. Half-sobered by the chill, his face twitched, turning shades of purple and red. In the end, dignity discarded, he slumped back into his seat. At the sight, the entire crowd burst into laughter. Zuixian Tower grew bustling once more, and laughter and merriment filled the air, inside and out. On the top floor, Xu Yuan quietly looked down upon everything that had unfolded below. No matter the era or the world, the lived experience of those with wealth or power was always vastly different from that of ordinary folk. The interior of Zuixian Tower was structured like a hollow, open-atrium well, with the tier of spending climbing higher with every floor. The ground floor was the base tier: nearly two hundred people crammed together to listen to music from the pleasure quarters, mainly just to feast their eyes. Floors two through four were another tier: the setting was more spacious and relatively quieter. One could invite two or three close friends, have the madam bring over a few girls, and share drinks in lively conversation. Floors five through eight consisted of private rooms. Here, matters became rather less refined—activities like music appreciation and "playing the flute" mostly took place here. Floors nine through twelve were private chambers reserved exclusively for guests staying overnight. Each room was attended by an esteemed courtesan who held her own moniker. And the thirteenth floor—the top floor—was a grand suite. Only a single suite. Once booked, the entire floor became your private domain. You could summon any girl in Zuixian Tower, and the maids serving the top floor were all delicate maidens handpicked by the madam, each possessing top-tier beauty and grace. As a professional playboy, returning to Jingjiang City meant Xu Yuan naturally made his way back to this familiar Zuixian Tower, booking out the very top floor. Yet he had not expected to happen upon such an amusing show. As for being cursed at, he did not care in the slightest. *You're cursing Xu Changtian. What does that have to do with me, Xu Yuan?* The only thing truly noteworthy was the speed at which news traveled in the Great Yan Dynasty. Zhou Chen had only told him this morning that his eldest brother arrived in the Imperial Capital, yet by evening, the news was already making the rounds among the scholars and young nobles of Jingjiang City. Then again, a single province of the Great Yan Dynasty could span tens of thousands of li. If news could not travel in real time, the empire would have fractured long ago. While these thoughts drifted through his mind, Xu Yuan felt a sudden clap on his shoulder before he even realized someone was there. A drunken voice came from behind him: "Third Young Master, still standing here?" It was Zhou Chen. As his bodyguard and teacher, Zhou Chen had naturally tagged along to Zuixian Tower to freeload food and wine. When it came to places of pleasure like this, the man was even more seasoned than the original host had been. The moment they arrived on the top floor, he had smoothly wrapped his arms around two maids and headed straight into a room. Without any rush, Xu Yuan glanced sideways at the scruffy expert and let out a light chuckle. "Finished already? That fast?" "..." Zhou Chen went rigid. A hint of embarrassment surfaced on Zhou Chen's flushed face. He gave a dry cough. "No, don't jump to conclusions. I don't indulge in female company; it was merely necessary for my cultivation technique. Being quick is only natural." Pausing, he lifted the gourd in his hand, took a swig of wine, and gave Xu Yuan a nonchalant look. "Third Young Master, now that you're here, aren't you going to have some fun?" "Heh." Xu Yuan met his gaze placidly and let out a soft laugh. "Can't you tell the state of my body, Teacher Zhou? "Only after cultivating did I realize my body was severely drained from past debauchery. If this keeps up... heh. In short, I'll pass for now. Anyway, if I run into trouble with cultivation, I'll come find you. Feel free to do as you please, Teacher Zhou." With that, Xu Yuan glanced at the curvaceous young women standing in attendance, silently recited a few reminders not to let wine and women ruin his health, and turned to walk away. Watching the Third Young Master's retreating back, Zhou Chen leaned against the railing with his wine gourd and shook his head. He picked out two more maids from the crowd, wrapped an arm around each, and muttered with a sigh as he walked back toward the room: "Tsk, and here I thought Third Young Master was a kindred spirit..." Before his voice had even faded, Xu Yuan's amused voice drifted casually from afar: "Teacher Zhou, I have no desire to be that kind of kindred spirit with you." Zhou Chen paused, then turned back toward Xu Yuan's silhouette with a wide grin. "Heh, a kindred spirit after all."