Tang Dynasty Little Godfather

Chapter 53: Casting stones to ask for directions
Under Li Jieman and Wang Shuang's persistent pleading, Huangfu Sengnian had no choice but to agree. The four of them immediately made a pact to go to Pingkangfang the next day to invite Hongxiu.

Meanwhile, the two-day holiday gave Cui Gu'er and his group time to raise money, and everyone went their separate ways.

The next day.

Just before leaving, Huangfu Sengnian had second thoughts. He pulled Wang Xi aside and said, "I thought about it all night and I think I should reconsider."

Wang Xi asked, "Why?"

Huangfu Sengnian said, "Inviting courtesans to teach at the academy is contrary to tradition and will surely cause controversy. We should keep a low profile. However, if we invite Hongxiu, the news will soon spread to the world."

Wang Xi thought to himself that the grand show was about to begin, and it was time to give him a heads-up. Suddenly, he asked, "Do you think that His Highness's appointment as Vice Minister of Rites was due to our efforts?"

"of course."

"Why we were able to do it."

"because.."

As soon as he spoke, Huangfu Sengnian seemed to understand something.

Wang Xi said, "Currently, there is no place for relatives of the emperor to stand in the court. Our father is restrained and dares not show his face even if he wants to work hard. He is trapped in a situation where he is waiting to die. We must break this deadlock. No matter whether the situation is good or bad, as long as we take action, we will have a chance."

Huangfu Sengnian was slightly startled and said, "So you did this for our father?"

Wang Xi nodded and said, "They can't break this stalemate; only we can."

Huangfu Sengnian asked, "How do you plan to break this?"

Wang Xi said, "How exactly to do it depends on how things unfold. Ideally, it would cause a huge uproar. In short, I hope to use the Prince as a wedge, embedding him first, and then our father can slowly move into the center of power along this wedge."

Huangfu Sengnian frowned and pondered for a while, then suddenly looked at Wang Xi again, "Brother Que, you seem to have changed a lot?"

Actually, he had this feeling a long time ago, but he just didn't say it out loud.

Wang Xi shook his head and said, "I have no other choice, so we must make sure this trip is successful."

Huangfu Sengnian said, "But I really have no confidence."

Wang Xi encouraged him, "We've analyzed it. As long as you can meet them, it's half done. You won't be unable to even meet them, will you?"

"I."

"Sparrow, Monk, what are you doing? Hurry up and get in the car!"

At this moment, Wang Shuang, who was sitting in the coachman's seat, shouted urgently to the two of them. This fellow liked riding horses and driving carriages, so he often acted as a coachman.

"coming."

The two boarded the carriage and headed towards Pingkangfang, the most famous red-light district in the Tang Dynasty.

This ward was located in the fifth ward of the third street in the eastern district of Chang'an. It was adjacent to the East Market, one of the two markets, to the east; Chongren Ward, a gathering place for literati, to the north across the road; and Xuanyang Ward, the residence of high-ranking officials and nobles, to the south. With such a natural geographical advantage, it was only natural that Pingkang Ward became a red-light district.

This area is further divided into three sections: Southern Section, Central Section, and Section One.

The reason for this division is that we live in a society with strict hierarchies, and prostitutes are also divided into classes. Southern and Central courtesans are mostly high-class courtesans, and literati and scholars mostly reside in these two classes, while the lowest-class courtesans are mostly in the First Class.

"So deserted?"

Wang Shuang, driving the carriage, looked out at the empty streets, where there were hardly any businesses.

Li Jie yawned and said, "It's only morning, it would be strange if we could see anyone."

“If you come at night, you won’t see anyone,” Huangfu Sengnian said.

The reason they choose to do it in the morning is because there are usually no customers in the morning.

Wang Xi suddenly said, "Seng Nian, it's all up to you now."

Huangfu Sengnian glared at him fiercely before getting off the carriage.

Three heads immediately popped out of the window, but Huangfu Sengnian hadn't left. He turned around and glared at them, and the three heads immediately shrank back in.

After a while, three heads slowly peeked out of the window. Watching Huangfu Sengnian's departing figure, Wang Xi asked, "Can Sengnian manage?"

Wang Shuang said, "If he can't do it, then we certainly can't."

"The door is open! The door is open!"

Li Jieman suddenly exclaimed excitedly.

Coming to his senses, Wang Xi looked intently and saw that the gate of a house in the distance was open. A maidservant peeked out and exchanged a few words with Huangfu Sengnian before closing the gate again.

"What happened?" Shuang Ge was extremely anxious.

Li Jieman said, "The monk Nian hasn't returned yet; he must have gone to report."

After a while, Wang Shuang was so anxious that he almost had to urinate when the door opened again. He said a few words and then Huangfu Sengnian came back.

"It's over."

Wang Shuang immediately looked miserable.

Li Jieman said, "It's not certain yet. We might arrange another time. That's just proper etiquette."

Wang Xi was also very anxious, "Can't this guy walk a little faster?"

After a while, Huangfu Sengnian came to the car, but before he could even lift his leg, he was dragged inside by the three people inside.

"How about it?"

"Let go!"

Huangfu Sengnian broke free, straightened his clothes, and said, "The maid said that Hongxiu is unwell and cannot receive guests."

Wang Xi asked, "Is it because you're really unwell, or do you just not want to see me?"

Huangfu Sengnian glared at him, his face turning completely red. This guy was most afraid of embarrassing things in his life, and with his face so red, the result was self-evident.

He hated his three friends to the core; he had truly been forced into this situation. Wang Xi was very disappointed. "Wow, you're usually so clever and charming when you go to brothels, always fooling those naive young ladies. But now that you've met this guy, you're just a nobody. I can't even get a glimpse of you. It's so disappointing."

Huangfu Sengnian immediately became furious, "I've been saying this won't work, that we need to think it over carefully, but you forced me to go. You're the one who wanted to find Hongxiu, so why don't you go yourself? If you're so capable, go and invite her yourself. You're just daydreaming without any real skills."

Wang Xi was also furious. "It's just a courtesan. How difficult can it be? I'll go if I want. Who do you think you are?"

"That's right, that's right. Brother Que, I believe in you. Go ahead, you'll definitely succeed."

Wang Shuang immediately pushed Wang Xi out of the car.

"Hey, hey, hey, I was just saying that in anger."

Li Jieman went even further, kicking him directly and yelling, "Go now, go now!"

"Damn it! Stop kicking! I almost fell over!"

Wang Xi staggered down from the carriage, cursed a few times, and looked at the mansion with a blank expression in his eyes.

If he really had a solution, would he still need to coax Huangfu Sengnian?

"Sparrow, hurry up and go!"

Wang Shuang suddenly poked her head out and urged.

"Why are you rushing me? I need to get myself ready."

Wang Xi pretended to tidy his clothes and hair, thinking to himself, "Let's give it a try. No one will die if it doesn't work, so what's there to be afraid of?"

Then they headed towards the courtyard.

Three pairs of eyes were fixed on him, showing that Wang Xi was lingering in front of the door but not knocking.

"Hey! What's this guy doing?"

"They're probably trying to find a solution."

"He is back."

Wang Xi lingered in front of the door for a moment, then turned back.

"Why are you back?"

Li Jie asked, puzzled.

Wang Xi said, "I just remembered something I forgot to mention."

"What's the matter?"

"There are too many wolves and not enough meat, so let's make it clear beforehand that whoever invites them gets to keep them, and none of you can touch them."

“Brother Que, you’re being too selfish,” Li Jieman immediately said with dissatisfaction.

Wang Xi said, "Then go!"

Wang Shuang said impatiently, "Fine, fine, as long as you can invite them, they're yours. I won't touch them. I don't lack women. I just think it would be too boring if the academy was full of men."

Huangfu Sengnian hummed, "I have no problem."

Wang Xi then looked at Li Jieman.

Li Jieman was still desperately trying to convince himself: "When the time comes, we'll each rely on our own abilities. Whoever wins Hongxiu's heart will be hers."

"Then you go, I'm not going."

"Alright, alright, you go ahead. As long as you can get them, they're yours. We won't have any improper thoughts."

"That's a deal."

"It's settled! It's settled! Go now."

"Then I'm off. Watch closely, and learn from me."

Wang Xi then headed towards that residence.

"Huh? What is he doing?"

Wang Xi walked over without knocking and just wandered around, which puzzled Li Jieman and the others.

"Oh dear! What is he trying to do?" Wang Shuang exclaimed in surprise.

Huangfu Sengnian also looked horrified. He saw Wang Xi pick up a stone from the roadside and throw it into the courtyard.

The three instinctively pulled their heads back, but then slowly peeked out again. The scene before them startled Li Jieman and Wang Shuang even more. They saw that Wang Xi had fallen in front of the courtyard gate at some unknown time.

"Ouch! Something's happened. He got hit by the stone he threw himself."

Li Jieman immediately prepared to get out of the car to help.

Huangfu Sengnian quickly grabbed him and tilted his head in that direction.

Li Jieman turned his head to look again and saw that the maid had rushed out of the door. When she saw Wang Xi lying on the ground, she was startled and shouted a few times into the courtyard. Two servants came out of the door, and the maid immediately ran back into the courtyard. After a while, the maid came out of the door again. The three of them examined Wang Xi's body and then carried Wang Xi into the courtyard.

This left Li Jieman and the others completely dumbfounded.

Is this okay?

"Huh? Is Brother Que giving us a secret signal?" Wang Shuang suddenly asked.

"What's the secret code?"

“Look closely, he’s giving us the middle finger.”

"Middle finger? I don't have that code with Brother Que."

(End of this chapter)