Chapter 181: Reunion at Piaoxiang Courtyard

The few courtesans accompanying them saw that even Qiuyue had failed to win Shang Qinghua’s favor and they did not even dare to breathe loudly.

The atmosphere in the entire flower hall was strange to the extreme, utterly devoid of the lively clamor one would expect from a brothel.

Off to the side, Xi Yu was already laughing himself to death internally.

If he had known Shang Qinghua would be like this in a brothel, then even if it meant getting beaten by his master, he should have brought this fellow here long ago.

Who had ever seen someone remain so prim and proper after entering a brothel?

Seeing that all her tactics were useless against Shang Qinghua, Qiuyue said with a trace of grievance, “Could it be that young master does not like Yue’er? If you don’t like me, you can go to another sister instead.”

Speaking words that drove a guest away was a great taboo in a brothel; if Madam Yu found out, even if she didn’t die, she would be severely punished.

Shang Qinghua took a sip of the clear tea placed before him and said, “I’m just a bit tired.”

Seeing that Shang Qinghua did not get up to leave, Qiuyue leaned closer to his side. “Then shall Qiuyue serve young master to rest?”

Shang Qinghua waved his hand away.

Along the way, he had carefully observed the surroundings, and to his dismay, he realized that relying on himself alone to find Yue Mingxuan here was no different from searching for a needle in the sea.

Thinking of this, he shot Xi Yu a glare.

Even if he had planted a soul tracking incense on Yue Mingxuan back then, it would not have been this troublesome now.

At this moment, Qiuyu walked in and said, “Miss, as per your instructions, it’s been conveyed, he won’t be given dinner tonight.”

When Xi Yu heard Qiuyu say this, his eyes lit up immediately. He quietly leaned toward Shang Qinghua and whispered, “The person she’s talking about could very well be Yue Mingxuan.”

Shang Qinghua nodded, then turned to Qiuyue and asked, “Beauty, who is it that offended you? Tell this young master, and I’ll properly vent your anger for you.”

Qiuyue smiled faintly and said, “An ugly freak. I don’t even know how he managed to get into Piaoxiang Courtyard.”

“Oh?” Shang Qinghua raised his brows, pretending to be intrigued. “This young master heard that even those who clean night soil in Piaoxiang Courtyard are beauties. There’s actually an ugly freak?”

Qiuyue glanced at Shang Qinghua. Seeing that the interest in his eyes did not seem fake, she said, “Then Yue’er will have him brought over for young master to take a look. But young master, if you can’t eat dinner after seeing him, you mustn’t blame Yue’er.”

Shang Qinghua nodded. Qiuyu then opened the door and walked out. Not long after, she returned with Yue Mingxuan in tow.

Yue Mingxuan had not wanted to come at first, but after thinking about it, walking back and forth was still easier than squatting there washing dishes all the time, so he did not refuse.

The moment he stepped through the door, Yue Mingxuan’s gaze fell on the table full of dishes. He immediately swallowed his saliva, his throat bobbing.

From the time he had been thrown here until now, he had not eaten meat for a very long time.

If he lived a few more days like this, he reckoned he might start treating his own tongue as meat.

As soon as Yue Mingxuan walked in, Shang Qinghua’s heart jolted violently.

It was him.

Even if that figure were burned to ashes, he would still recognize it.

Although the birthmark on Yue Mingxuan’s face covered most of it, he could still be considered a rather delicate looking youth.

Seeing Shang Qinghua’s gaze fixed firmly on Yue Mingxuan, Qiuyue felt a surge of dissatisfaction in her heart.

This man actually liked ugly people, what terrible taste.

Sensing Shang Qinghua’s gaze, Yue Mingxuan raised his head in surprise, only to see the person he had been thinking about day and night sitting right in front of him.

He opened his mouth, yet did not know what to say.

He had finally come.

Yue Mingxuan had always believed that, just like last time on the back mountain, Shang Qinghua would definitely come to rescue him.

Xi Yu’s cough broke the two of them out of their “affectionate” exchange of gazes.

Yue Mingxuan turned his head away in some panic, while Shang Qinghua also picked up his teacup and took a sip, looking slightly awkward.

Although Qiuyue did not know why the atmosphere between the two was so strange, she instinctively felt uncomfortable.

She waved her hand at Yue Mingxuan and said, “There’s nothing for you to do here anymore. You may leave.”

Seeing that Qiuyue was about to dismiss Yue Mingxuan, Shang Qinghua hurriedly spoke up to stop her. “Wait.”

The doubts in Qiuyue’s heart deepened, but she suppressed them and did not show it.

Instead, she tugged at Shang Qinghua’s sleeve and said in a coquettish voice, “Young master, don’t you find it hard to eat while looking at an ugly freak like this?”

Shang Qinghua came up with an answer on the spot. “Piaoxiang Courtyard is full of beauties. Occasionally seeing someone like this is rather novel. Since he can enter Piaoxiang Courtyard, he must have something exceptional about him.”

Knowing that Shang Qinghua was trying every means to keep him here, and before Qiuyue could say anything, Yue Mingxuan hurriedly spoke up. “This servant can tell jokes.”

“Then tell one for me to hear. If it’s good, this young master will reward you.” Shang Qinghua slowly turned the black jade ring on his finger, his mind racing.

Yue Mingxuan did not stand on ceremony. He casually found a stool and sat down, saying, “A snake and a cat were fighting. The snake couldn’t beat the cat, so it dove straight into the river. The cat hadn’t had enough and waited by the river, waiting and waiting. After a while, a turtle crawled out of the river. The cat stepped forward and pressed on the turtle’s shell, saying, ’Don’t think I won’t recognize you just because you put on a vest.’”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep