Who among the gangsters wants to fall in love?

Chapter 307 Zeng Mu Lengyue
As the night deepened, there was no curfew in the capital, and the streets were bustling with people. The sound of a clock was heard, and carriages and horses were passing by. The sounds of horse hooves and wheels intertwined into one, and the aroma of wine wafted from the taverns.

The three of them were walking on the street, leading the horses. Zhao Wumian was in a very good mood. He bought three bowls of spicy soup from a street vendor and ate them while walking on the street... Su Qingqi and Xiao Yuanmu thought it was too vulgar to eat while walking with the bowls in hand, so Zhao Wumian had to finish all three bowls.

Zhao Wumian didn't care. The two women around him smelled nice, the night view was beautiful, the spicy soup was delicious, and the Taixuan Palace branch that Xiao Yuanmu mentioned was located on Bailu Street in the capital.

Bailu Street is one of the best locations in the capital. The ancient Banyan River runs through it, and cruise ships are connected on the river. Occasionally, a few river lanterns float by. The candlelight is faint, but together with the lanterns on the shore, it makes the water surface sparkle, like the reflection of the Milky Way. There are various shops on both sides, most of which Zhao Wumian has never seen or heard of... The empress dowager often talked about the rouge and powder, snacks and fruits here.

Passing the killing platform where Zhao Wumian once stood to declare war on the Sword Master, he walked straight along the river... Zhao Wumian originally thought that the brothel was on Bailu Street, but he didn't expect it to be at the end of Bailu Street.

After walking across a stone bridge, a lake suddenly appeared in front of us. The lake surface was like a mirror, reflecting the stars in the sky and the lanterns on the buildings. It was quiet yet luxurious.

In the middle of the lake, a five-story building on the water stands tall, with flying eaves, carved beams and painted buildings, and it is magnificent. The building is mainly red in color, and countless lanterns are hung under the eaves. At night, the lights are brightly lit, just like a city that never sleeps.

The lake is full of cruise ships heading to this building.

The lanterns on both sides of the Gurong River illuminate the river like a light belt, and when it flows into the lake, it looks like the Milky Way or a road. Anyone who sees it will know that this building must be the center of Bailu Street.

Zhao Wumian had been to the branch of Canghua Tower in Taiyuan before to help Guan Yunshu catch a thief. It was also a brothel, but that thing was nothing compared to this building... Otherwise, why is Taixuan Palace considered the leader of the three evil sects?

"What are you standing there for? This is the foundation you worked hard to build. Come on, there are many beautiful girls waiting for you inside." Xiao Yuanmu glanced at Zhao Wumian, took a few steps forward, and stepped into a cruise ship idle on the shore.

Someone on the shore came forward and respectfully took the horses led by Zhao Wumian and Su Qingqi to take care of them. The two of them stepped onto the cruise ship. Xiao Yuanmu waved his hand lightly, and the boatman lowered the mast and left.

The boat moved forward, sailing on the lake. Zhao Wumian was a little surprised. "I worked hard to make it?"

Xiao Yuanmu leaned his forearm on the side of the boat, supporting his face. "I spend most of my time in Jiangnan, and the branch office must be developed. You are away all year round, so you are the right person... Generally, when there are difficulties in the branch offices in various places, you are the one who handles them when I am too busy. If you were not there, this building would have collapsed long ago."

As he spoke, Xiao Yuanmu had a somewhat amused look on his face, "You are the boss behind this place... As the dignified Marquis Weiming, if someone revealed that you run a brothel, I'm afraid even the people in the palace would be ashamed."

Su Qingqi's ancestral home is in Jiangnan, but she grew up in the capital. Although she had never been here, she had heard of this building. After a moment of recollection, she explained to Zhao Wumian: "This building is called 'Zeng Lengyue'. As far as I remember, it seemed to have become popular in the capital when I was ten years old."

Ten years old, seven years ago.

Zhao Wumian is 24 years old this year, and Su Qingqi is 17 years old. At first glance, it seems nothing special, but if you think about seven years ago... Su Qingqi was ten years old, and had been practicing martial arts in the Su Mansion since she was a child. She was a famous lady from a noble family in the capital. Zhao Wumian was seventeen, and was working as a behind-the-scenes boss in a brothel...

A real old cow eating young grass.

The two thought of this at the same time and looked at each other. Su Qingqi's pretty face flushed and she turned her eyes away... The sour smell of love made Xiao Yuanmu, who was sitting between them, blush.

In order to prevent himself from being thrown off the boat again, Zhao Wumian tilted his head to look at the pavilion on the water and changed the subject, "Why do you suddenly want to come here to take a look? Is there any business crisis? For example, a competitor is stealing your business... To be honest, I read the Spring and Autumn Annals, and I know how to run a brothel."

Xiao Yuanmu shook his head indifferently, "You've already tormented my colleagues a long time ago. My brothel was doing well, but thanks to you, you uprooted it four years ago, and it hasn't recovered yet."

"Kill someone with a borrowed knife?"

"Su Huaixi, the Detective Department won't allow us to develop a branch in the capital..." As he said that, Xiao Yuanmu suddenly remembered something, looked at Su Qingqi, and asked with a smile:
"Do you remember Ye Wancang? He has a son named Ye Shaoting. He met you four years ago, but he couldn't get you, so he colluded with Benwotang. As a result, Su Huaixi destroyed Benwotang's hideout that night... The letter was released by Zhao Wumian."

Su Qingqi stood there in a daze. If Xiao Yuanmu hadn't reminded her, she wouldn't have remembered such a person at all. After all, with her looks and background, she had had many suitors since she was a child, but she had never taken them seriously... But did she and Zhao Wumian actually have such a connection?

Su Qingqi felt warm in her heart. Even if it was just a coincidence, the happiness in her heart rose like spring flowers... Doesn't this make them seem like a perfect match?

When Zhao Wumian killed Ye Wancang, he knew that the grudge between him and Su Qingqi was due to Ye Shaoting, but he did not expect that he himself was involved in this. He immediately laughed and agreed with Su Qingqi's thoughts, "They are really a perfect match."

Su Qingqi's pretty face was slightly red, and her eyes were as clear as spring water.

"Zhao Wumian told me this when he returned to Lin'an at the end of the year. I told him to show off in front of you, and he would surely win the heart of Miss Su... Hmm? Are you two listening?"

Seeing that the two people's faces were about to touch each other, Xiao Yuanmu's face immediately turned cold, and he clenched his fist and went to hit Zhao Wumian, "I'm still here, why are you kissing me? You have no shame! Kiss, kiss, kiss, I let you kiss me! Does it give you pleasure to kiss other women in front of me!?"

Zhao Wumian parried Xiao Yuanmu's small fist. The boat was swaying and the water was surging. "I can't help myself... Hey, if you want to fight, don't fight here."

"Why? Are you ashamed?"

"Look." Zhao Wumian pointed to a huge plaque hanging above the main entrance of the water pavilion. On it were the two characters "Zeng Lengyue" written in powerful strokes and with extraordinary momentum. "This branch is called Zeng Lengyue. Why? Zeng Mu Lengyue, your martial arts is Wan Yuexian, isn't this how I expressed my feelings to you in a subtle way before..."

Xiao Yuanmu was stunned for a moment, then his expression became even colder, and he interrupted him coldly, "My master's name is Xiao Lengyue... Do you have any thoughts about my master?"

Hearing this, Zhao Wumian's face turned green, "Actually, I didn't come up with this name. I just made it up..."

"You took it!"

Plop————

The tourists on the boat on the lake looked at him in surprise and whispered to themselves.

"Someone fell into the water?"

"Father and daughter quarreling?"

On the other side, the gates of the imperial palace had already been closed at this point, but who dared to lock the empress dowager out?
The palace gate was wide open, with palace maids standing on both sides to welcome them. The carriage drove in. The empress dowager lifted the curtain and glanced sideways, thinking to herself, does it require such a big fuss just for her to return to the palace?
The carriage slowly moved forward and then stopped. The masters of the imperial palace could be heard kneeling and bowing. “Your Majesty.”

The empress dowager was slightly stunned. She lifted the curtain of the carriage and leaned out, only to see a luxurious sedan chair parked behind the palace gate. Through the pearl curtain on the sedan chair, she could see a luxurious person leaning lazily inside. She was wearing a dark red dragon robe, her long hair was tied up, and her pretty face was lightly made up. It was obvious that she was dressed up carefully.

Luo Chaoyan saw the Queen Mother coming out, she lifted the beaded curtain and stood up to salute, "Greetings, Mother."

The Queen Mother raised her hand to indicate that there was no need for courtesy, and looked up at the sky. "It's so late, why does Your Majesty have to wait here... You should just protect your health."

"Da Li ruled the world with filial piety, it should be so..." Luo Chaoyan shook her head slightly, but followed closely and said: "What about Wei Ming Hou? He took the queen mother out of the palace, but didn't send her back personally?"

The empress dowager blinked her eyes and immediately understood... He was not waiting for her, but waiting for Zhao Wumian. No wonder she dressed up specially, she must have been waiting for a long time.

The Queen Mother felt a little guilty. As Luo Chaoyan's mother, she was actually competing with her daughter for a man... She looked a little strange and said:
"Well... Marquis Weiming saw that it was getting late, and was afraid of disturbing His Majesty's rest, so he stopped... Why not ask him to come and see you tomorrow?"

Luo Chaoyan’s beautiful eyes widened. No, with this makeup and this outfit, how could he not come?
Under normal circumstances, Zhao Wumian would come to see her as soon as he returned to Beijing... Why didn't he come today?
She didn't believe that the evil woman Xiao Yuanmu had no involvement in this.

No matter how good-tempered Luo Chaoyan was, he was furious at the moment, and his tone became colder, "Are you afraid of disturbing my rest? I think he has been bewitched by some witch who jumped out from the side of the road!"

It would be strange if she wasn't angry. Who knows how the man she loves could be seduced by a bad woman outside...If it wasn't inappropriate, she would have wanted to leave the palace and catch the adulterer herself.

The surrounding palace maids and palace masters all knelt down and bowed their heads upon hearing this. Female official Zhongli said hastily, "I will go and summon Marquis Weiming to the palace to meet the emperor."

Although the Queen Mother also wanted to spend a good night with her lover, she and Luo Chaoyan had some private matters to discuss. She frowned slightly and said impartially: "Your Majesty, please don't get angry and hurt your body. The journey was exhausting, and the Marquis Wei Ming had actually rested a long time ago... I am also tired, but I have been away from the capital for two months. I miss Your Majesty in my heart, and I have a lot of private things to say..."

Luo Chaoyan frowned slightly. Since the Queen Mother had spoken, she could not act recklessly. She could only nod and sit on the sedan chair. "Let's go to Qingze Palace."

……

Outside the Qingze Palace, palace maids in colorful clothes were walking back and forth carrying fruit plates and wine. The palace was filled with mist, and it was hazy and humid.

Luo Chaoyan took off her cumbersome dragon robe and removed her makeup. She lay in the white jade pool, closed her eyes and took a long breath. Her skin was much whiter than white jade, but her face was filled with unstoppable fatigue.

The empress dowager stood barefoot by the pool, and her personal maid Lian Xue undressed her. As her clothes fell down, her proud figure was exposed, and her sensitive skin was hidden under the dress. At this moment, outside, it turned faintly red just by touching the water mist, which was extremely tempting. I wonder what it would feel like to hold this phoenix body in my arms and play with it carefully.

The Queen Mother tested the water temperature with her toes and stepped into the pool. She glanced at Luo Chaoyan, who looked a little tired, and suddenly felt a little guilty.

Luo Chaoyan and Zhao Wumian met in times of danger, and they went through many difficulties and supported each other to get to where they are today... Luo Chaoyan would rather bear the infamy of "killing her brother without moral integrity" and make Zhao Wumian the Marquis of Weiming and keep him in the capital. It is obvious that she is deeply in love with him and they love each other. If it were not for the inappropriateness of their identities, Luo Chaoyan would definitely be called Zhao Wumian's "wife of all times".

As a result, now, she, the queen mother, has snatched his man away, and Xiao Yuanmu has intercepted him... Although Zhao Wumian was originally a member of Taixuan Palace, she didn't know about this when they first met.

Now that Zhao Wumian knows his original identity, it’s not only him who is in trouble, but also Luo Chaoyan… Although he said he was angry, Luo Chaoyan was obviously more afraid.

I was afraid that Zhao Wumian would really follow Xiao Yuanmu.

On the way here, the empress dowager heard many people in the market talking about the matter of Zhao Wumian and Xiao Yuanmu. If anyone else had an affair with Xiao Yuanmu, the court would have sent people to arrest him long ago... But because it was Zhao Wumian, Luo Chaoyan was now helping him bear the pressure.

This is already the case with official matters, and if Zhao Wumian gets closer to Xiao Yuanmu in personal matters... then Luo Chaoyan can truly be said to have no relatives at home.

But what did Zhao Wumian do wrong? He grew up with Xiao Yuanmu, and the person who raised him was a descendant of the royal family of Chen State. But Luo Chaoyan was also right. She had been open-hearted to Zhao Wumian and almost sent herself away...

Alas, this is what love between young men and women means in the face of national hatred and family feuds.

Luo Chaoyan didn't know that the Queen Mother was in a state of confusion. She raised her hand and splashed water on her jade-like arms. She asked, "There are no outsiders here. What do you want to say, Mother?"

The Queen Mother came back to her senses, cleared her mind, and approached Luo Chaoyan, explaining in detail what happened between Xiao Yuanmu and Zhao Wumian. Luo Chaoyan listened quietly, and after a few seconds of silence, she suddenly said, "My mother wrote me a letter a month ago, and it was about this matter. She said that she wanted me to marry him as soon as possible..."

The Queen Mother blinked her eyes and immediately became anxious, "Hey, His Majesty's marriage is no joke. I was anxious at the beginning and even mentioned the important event of His Majesty's life so carelessly."

Luo Chaoyan looked at the Queen Mother in confusion, her expression slightly bewildered, "Well... I know that this matter cannot be rushed, not to mention that Xiao Yuanmu Longquan's appearance has magnified his stain as a traitor of the Taixuan Palace. If the two of us hastily get married at this moment, there will definitely be a lot of resistance."

The Queen Mother nodded repeatedly, but she felt that she looked a little heartless, so she hesitated for a moment and analyzed seriously:
"That being said, this stain is not a big problem. No one knows what happened in Longquan that day. The rumors circulating in the martial arts world that he had an affair with Xiao Yuanmu are all guesses. As long as Zhao Wumian doesn't admit it himself, it will be fine. If he marries the emperor, all the rumors will be broken.

After all, the identity of 'Empress Zhao' is here, and anyone who dares to make irresponsible comments without evidence will be considered a crime of deceiving the emperor. However, as His Majesty said, now that public opinion is here, the resistance is indeed greater..."

What the Queen Mother said made sense. Luo Chaoyan frowned, pondered for a moment, and sighed softly, "We are fighting on the front line. The banquet for all nations that day was already extravagant in my opinion. Now that they are getting married, I am afraid it will discourage the soldiers, and..."

"kindness?"

Luo Chaoyan hesitated for a few seconds, her pretty face blushing slightly, and whispered: "As for his affairs with men and women, I still hope to proceed step by step..."

The Queen Mother rolled her eyes in a very cute way. Well, although Luo Chaoyan is the Son of Heaven, she is still the ordinary girl who studies medicine in Guixuan Valley. She is obviously very serious about her feelings, even to the point of not allowing others to interfere, and she does not want to be coerced by external forces...

"Your Majesty must be the type who, if forced to get married by his family, would pack his bags and run away that very night...just like my niece."

Luo Chaoyan smiled, she was actually quite proud in her heart, she was not a casual woman, but when talking about this matter, she didn't know what she remembered, and suddenly asked: "By the way, mother followed him out of the capital and traveled around the world, but I don't know if he has, um...brought another girl..."

Luo Chaoyan's words were very subtle, but what she was actually asking was whether Zhao Wumian had slept with or had a relationship with any woman other than Su Qingqi.

The Queen Mother was stumped by the question and her heart skipped a beat. It was purely out of conscience, as she had the illusion that she was being interrogated by Zhao Wumian's "wife of poverty and hardship".

What can she say? Yes, I stole your man. Although it hasn't reached the last step, I not only helped him to cum with my hands, but also with my feet, and...

The Queen Mother splashed water on her broad chest floating on the water, lowered her eyes, and said with a guilty conscience: "I am not following him closely all the time... I am not sure which woman he is having an affair with..."

Luo Chaoyan was not stupid. She could see that the queen mother was worried. She smiled and said, "Just speak freely, mother. It is normal for a man to have three wives and four concubines. I am not a narrow-minded woman. Moreover, I have not even started dating him yet. I am just asking casually."

"kindness……"

"Why is your mother so hesitant? Did he really have an affair with another woman? Was it Xiao Yuanmu? I already knew that he had a close relationship with Xiao Yuanmu."

"No, it's not Xiao Yuanmu..."

"Just speak frankly, mother."

"Yes, well..." The Queen Mother, under Luo Chaoyan's relentless questioning, could not let go of her conscience as a mother. She gritted her teeth and said:

"She is the current Imperial Master, the Master of the Emperor. She, she has been close to the Marquis for a long time. Many times, the Marquis was harmed by the poison in the Imperial Master's body and was frozen in place, unable to move. However, he was happy to do so and never got tired of it."

Luo Chaoyan stood there in a daze, her gentle and persuasive face suddenly froze.

The Queen Mother silently said sorry to Zi Yi in her heart... This matter cannot be concealed. After all, you two have kissed in front of the palace masters many times, so please take the blame for me first.

Luo Chaoyan's expression was extremely stiff. She was not stupid. She knew that Zhao Wumian and her master must have a crush on each other, but she didn't expect that her master would get ahead of her and snatch her man away...

It would be fine if Xiao Yuanmu intercepted her, but why did the master also intercept her?
How could it be possible in this world for a master and a disciple to share the same husband?

What's more, Luo Chaoyan's mother died early, passing away when she was ten years old. In the same year, she went to Guixuan Valley to worship Ziyi as her master, and they spent eight years together. It would not be an exaggeration for her to call Ziyi a "stepmother".

Luo Chaoyan's face turned pale and blue, and she gritted her teeth, "Zhao Wumian..."

The Queen Mother was so frightened when she saw this that she dared not tell Luo Chaoyan about her secret relationship with Zhao Wumian...

Bangdang————

The ship docked, Zhao Wumian used his inner breath to dry his wet robe, and stepped on the wooden floor with his long boots, but he saw that there was a small pier built in the pavilion. Most of the ships docked here, and most of the people getting off the ship were dressed in gorgeous clothes and had extraordinary demeanor. Zeng Lengyue was obviously taking the "high-end route", and not ordinary people could enter.

This policy must have been set by Zhao Wumian.

Looking closely, Zhao Wumian could see many familiar faces, all of them high-ranking officials in the court. However, they were not wearing court robes, so he could not recognize them at first glance... Men of letters and scholars visiting brothels have been popular for a long time, and they did not know that this was a branch of the Taixuan Palace.

Eh? Isn't that Prime Minister Shen Yiwen? You are so handsome, with thick eyebrows and big eyes. I thought you were so serious, but I didn't expect that you would visit brothels in private.

Zhao Wumian could recognize them, and naturally some of them also recognized Zhao Wumian. They all looked stunned, and seemed to feel a little guilty for some reason.

It was normal for men of letters to visit brothels, but it would be inappropriate if it were reported to the emperor. After all, the current emperor was a woman, and he would definitely not like brothels... Zhao Wumian was the emperor's favorite, and a little bit of pillow talk might affect their future careers.

They looked around, then stepped forward, bowed slightly and greeted, "My Lord, when are you returning to the capital?"

"I just came back tonight. It was too dark, and I was afraid of disturbing His Majesty's rest, so I didn't go to the capital to meet him right away." Zhao Wumian did not take advantage of the emperor's favor to look down on others. He answered impartially with a bow.

"Haha, indeed, the health of His Majesty should be the most important..."

Dali Prime Minister Shen Yiwen was dressed in a Confucian robe and a white scholar's hat. He looked over at the noise, his face as calm as ever. He only raised his eyebrows slightly and stepped forward to bow, "My Lord, you are here for Miss Qingyan as well."

Shen Yiwen and Zhao Wumian have a good relationship, so naturally he is not as servile as other court officials.

"Qingyan? Who is that?" Zhao Wumian was a little confused. He glanced sideways into the pavilion. There was a thin gauze covering the outside of the hall, and a spacious hall could be vaguely seen.

The hall is luxuriously decorated, with carpets embroidered with exquisite patterns on the floor, famous paintings and calligraphy hung on the walls, and bronze incense burners placed in the corners with wisps of smoke rising from them. In the center of the hall is a carved wooden stage where musicians and dancers often perform, with the sounds of stringed instruments and graceful dances being a feast for the eyes.

Shen Yiwen looked at Zhao Wumian and saw that he really didn't know, so he briefly introduced: "A famous courtesan in the capital, many literati and young men of the world come to this pavilion just to see her... She sings and dances here every two months."

Zhao Wumian looked at Xiao Yuanmu... Xiao Yuanmu was fanning himself, not even looking at Zhao Wumian, and had no intention of explaining.

Zhao Wumian had no choice but to look at Shen Yiwen, "I have never cared about these worldly affairs, and I really don't know... But old father-in-law, you are already so old and still visiting brothels, isn't that inappropriate?"

Father-in-law?

Shen Yiwen was stunned for a moment, then shook his head slightly, not paying attention to these details, and pointed to the hall, "I am here to catch my son. He survived the disaster last time thanks to the Marquis. I thought he would change his ways, but I didn't expect him to still visit the brothel every day."

Shen Yiwen couldn't help but feel helpless when he mentioned this matter... Shen Yiwen's son Shen Cekai was one of the top scorers and his achievements were actually quite good, but Shen Yiwen was obviously a 'strict father' type.

Shen Yiwen was too embarrassed to mention his son, so he looked at Xiao Yuanmu who was standing next to Zhao Wumian. He was a stranger, "Who is this?"

Zhao Wumian put his hand on Xiao Yuanmu's head and rubbed it, "My daughter."

Shen Yiwen's eyes showed a bit of surprise, but it was not appropriate to ask about such family matters outside, so he nodded slightly to Xiao Yuanmu, took out a handful of nuts from his sleeve and handed them to her, smiling, "If nothing unexpected happens, your father and my daughter will get married in the future, so I can barely be considered half of your grandfather. What's your name?"

The corner of Xiao Yuanmu's eye twitched, and he glanced coldly at Zhao Wumian, then walked away without giving Shen Yiwen a good look at all.

Shen Yiwen would definitely not get angry with a child. He thought in his heart that she definitely didn't want him to have another stepmother, so he bowed slightly to Zhao Wumian and said, "The Marquis' daughter is still young. It's normal for her to have opinions about me. I won't bother you any more. Please do as you please. The Shen family will reimburse you for the expenses."

As he spoke, Shen Yiwen bowed to Su Qingqi who was beside Zhao Wumian, turned around and left, entering the hall to grab Shen Cekai.

Upon seeing this, other court officials also took their leave.

"Qingyan... do you know Miss Su?" Zhao Wumian looked around, and in the blink of an eye Xiao Yuanmu had disappeared. He realized that she was sulking again, so he looked at Su Qingqi and asked curiously.

Su Qingqi shook her head slightly, "I don't usually care about these prostitutes... but no matter how good a prostitute is, she was born in the world of prostitution. I don't know why she is so famous in the capital."

"Haha...men just like these."

"Sir, too?"

"I have been in the capital for such a long time, and I have never been to a brothel, let alone inquired about any prostitutes. Of course, I am different from them."

As they were talking, the two walked into the hall and saw that the interior was arranged in the shape of a hollow cylinder, with circular pavilions around it and a terrace. No matter which floor you were on, you could see the hall stage, and deep red gauze hung down from the top.

The hall was already crowded with people, and from what I could tell from their chatting, they were all waiting for the woman named Qingyan.

So Zhao Wumian couldn't help but feel curious, wondering if he knew this prostitute.

Xiao Yuanmu might have come here suddenly for the woman named Qingyan. He guessed that she had a good status in Taixuan Palace.

(End of this chapter)