My palace is full of female protagonists.

Deep within the military camp, the alluring smiles of the two prostitutes could not soothe the lustful desires in the hearts of the soldiers, who were like wolves in sheep's clothing. General Meng sat in his high seat but treated them coldly, his gaze occasionally sweeping to the side, landing on the frail old scholar who seemed unable to even maintain his posture, with a hint of something inexplicable.

At this moment, one of the women, taking advantage of a break in the toasting, cleverly said to General Meng, "My lord, although my sister and I are willing to help you, we have a new younger sister here. She is the darling of the madam, with a charming and lovely appearance, and is one of the best musicians in the brothel. She has not yet served any customers. If you are interested, I would like to go back and discuss with the madam the possibility of having that new younger sister as your devoted concubine. What do you think?"

Upon hearing this, everyone around burst into laughter, but dared not presume to guess General Meng's intentions. Only the lieutenant dared to interject: "General, although our camp is in the capital, it is not as desolate as the area beyond the Great Wall. However, hiding her in a village can still be considered adding a beautiful woman to our household. When the spring breeze caresses our faces and the east wind brings warmth, we can let that new sister gently pluck the strings of her zither outside the village, which can also alleviate the loneliness of us rough men in the army."

Upon hearing this, General Meng's eyes flickered slightly, glancing at the silent Li Qing beside him. A meaningful smile curved his lips. "Lord Li," he said, "we are all rough soldiers, and we don't even consider those glamorous madams in the capital a threat. However, you, Lord Li, are quite different. As a true official of the capital, you are elegant and handsome. Why don't you take care of this wonderful matter of taking a concubine?"

Before he could finish speaking, the two women's faces lit up with joy, and they exclaimed in delighted voices, "General, what a brilliant idea!" "Congratulations, General! Congratulations on your upcoming marriage! What a joyous occasion!"

Li Qing was filled with unease, thinking to himself that this was the only chance he could have to contact the outside world for a while. Whoever it was, as long as they could spread his message, he could hopefully escape his predicament. After all, he hadn't been convicted yet, and if he could break free from their close surveillance, he could regain his freedom and restore his former identity.

General Meng noticed the subtle shift in Li Qing's eyes, but heard no sound. Undeniably, those words had quietly stirred ripples in his heart. He did indeed have a wife at home, but with himself clad in armor, fighting on the battlefield year after year, he could only return home a handful of times. For those few months at a time, he could only leave her alone in her empty chambers, managing all the affairs of the household.

Upon arriving in the capital, he had hoped to find a comfortable job so he could bring his beloved wife to the outskirts of the city to enjoy family life. However, his parents were both seriously ill, and his wife could only send her care from afar, sending gifts and messages with the implication that the family couldn't do without her, as she had to personally attend to their needs and prepare their medicine every day, leaving her no free time. In the blink of an eye, four years had passed, and she hadn't set foot in the capital even once.

At this moment, gazing upon the two graceful and gentle women before him, General Meng felt a strange stirring in his heart. Recalling the horrific scene beneath the city gates, he suddenly realized that perhaps he too should seek tender solace and experience the long-lost gentleness of women.

The following day, General Meng, accompanied by Li Qing and several centurions, dressed in elegant long robes, indeed set off for the brothels of the capital. Although nominally a place of pleasure in the capital, it was actually hidden outside the city walls, perhaps explaining General Meng's lack of concern. The city's residents, whether peddlers or commoners, were mostly related to officials in the court. General Meng's prominent status, once he appeared in the city, would inevitably attract attention. Even if it didn't constitute a crime, it would certainly become fodder for gossip.

Outside the city, however, lay a different scene. This was the other side of the capital's prosperity, a gathering place for countless outsiders and foreign merchants, all harboring dreams and yearning to gain a share in this city where power and money intertwined. Here, everyone was on edge, and no one wanted to easily make enemies, especially not the powerful and wealthy elites of the capital. They preferred to be subservient, seeking a meager scrap of gold from these tycoons to satisfy their insatiable greed.

In this era, a man as imposing and piercing as General Meng was a rare find. As soon as he stepped across the threshold, a clever servant led him to a side room, where he was immediately served hot tea with practiced and respectful movements.

General Meng took a sip of tea, a smile playing on his lips, and said, "Young man, you're quite good at reading people."

Upon hearing this, the servant smiled and replied humbly, "It's not that I have sharp eyes, but rather that the noble aura emanating from you, General, is too dazzling! The manager had already instructed that someone of your stature should be served tea personally, and I naturally dared not neglect you in the slightest."

Upon hearing this, General Meng laughed heartily, slapped the servant heavily on the shoulder, and said with a smile, "Good lad, you have a bright future!"

The servant was startled by the sudden force, but he nimbly spun around in place and stood firmly, nodding and grinning foolishly.

Just then, the two sisters who had returned that morning, swaying their hips, half-covering their lips with handkerchiefs, and smiling, squeezed into the slightly cramped room, adding a touch of romance to the scene.

The servant caught sight of the lady entering the courtyard and, knowing he shouldn't linger, quickly pushed open the door beside him, saying as he backed away, "I'll go and warm a few pots of fine wine and prepare some delicious dishes for you, sir."

Li Qing then whispered to his adjutant, "Give that waiter five taels of silver."

Upon hearing this, the lieutenant turned his gaze to General Meng for confirmation. General Meng nodded slightly, and the lieutenant immediately took out a few gleaming silver coins from his pocket and tossed them over. The waiter, all smiles, nimbly picked up the silver coins and, taking advantage of the door not yet being completely closed, cleverly slipped out.

The two sisters parted their lips slightly and said to the wealthy man, "My lord, our new sister will soon be performing a beautiful dance and singing. Why not move to the private room on the second floor, where you can admire her unparalleled beauty through the slightly closed windows? If you are pleased, we will certainly summon our mother to discuss it with you. What do you think?"

"It's quite a coincidence," General Meng chimed in with a hearty laugh. "Today, my new sister is in high spirits and wants to put on a few more shows. Mother was just telling everyone about it. It's really quite a lively affair."

Upon hearing this, the two sisters half-covered their delicate faces with handkerchiefs, their smiles radiant, and said with a touch of shyness, "Oh dear, General, you are so kind! We both wish we could return to your camp with you immediately!" "But Mother has ordered that we not linger outside for too long, otherwise we would have already longed to go with you. Or perhaps, we sisters would be willing to become your personal maids and share in your boundless blessings with our new sister?"

Upon hearing this, General Meng waved his hand and laughed, "Haha, I can't handle the sweet talk between you two sisters. You should save your energy to properly entertain my brothers!" After he finished speaking, the room was filled with laughter and the atmosphere became even more harmonious.

The two sisters deftly summoned a clever servant, and the three of them traversed the dark, narrow passageway in the backyard, winding their way up to the second floor. This passageway was so narrow that if they encountered someone, both parties would have to step aside to allow each other to pass. Here, a tacit understanding existed: if a guest emerged from another room, the people in the other rooms would wait until all was quiet before slowly stepping out themselves, to avoid unnecessary disturbance and, more importantly, to maintain the privacy of both guests and hosts, preventing their identities from being easily revealed.

Upon reaching the second floor, another servant was already waiting there. His companions from downstairs no longer followed, leaving him alone to walk forward with his head bowed and his words concise, as if speaking more would be a sin. He led the group until they stopped in front of a tightly closed door.

Stepping into the room, General Meng smirked and muttered, "In the past, we always sent centurions here to select girls to amuse our brothers. But I never imagined that this seemingly insignificant place would hide so much thought and ingenious planning."

Li Qing leisurely sat down on the small chair and said softly, "I thought this place would be familiar to you, but I never expected it to be your first time visiting."

General Meng's lips curled into a cold smile, his tone carrying a hint of unruliness: "Are the ironclad rules of the military camp mere formalities? If it weren't for the matter of taking a concubine, I would never have set foot here."

Li Qing raised an eyebrow slightly, seemingly curious: "You, have you really considered taking a concubine?"

General Meng, his expression complex, slowly said, “Lord Li, although your rank in the capital is slightly lower than mine, in terms of the breadth of your knowledge and the depth of your insight, I am truly no match for you. I am a rough country bumpkin who has fought my way to my current position through sheer grit and determination amidst the clash of swords, and I know I am far inferior to you. This is precisely what I find so objectionable about you—you were born with many advantages, a distinguished lineage, profound knowledge, and a smooth-sailing career, so why would you so easily believe the absurd words of those mountain sorcerers?”

Li Qing didn't refute this much, but simply said, "If you want to win a girl's favor, the first thing is naturally to satisfy the madam, and gold and silver treasures are indispensable. But more importantly, you need to show off your skills in drinking games and flower-receiving games. Since you are already here, I will definitely help you win a smile from the girl."

Upon hearing this, General Meng and several centurions burst into laughter. After laughing, General Meng said, "You are quite shrewd. If you can truly make me happy, perhaps I will show leniency and spare your life. However, you must remember not to mention the events of the past few days again, and from now on you can only loyally follow the Emperor and must not have any other thoughts."

Li Qing remained silent, his neck seemingly losing its support and drooping limply. He then reached for the pastries on the table, but was gently stopped by General Meng's hand: "Wait, eat those grapes over there."

Li Qing sighed inwardly, feeling helpless. He ate only fruit and drank water, but his hunger grew stronger, and he also felt the urge to relieve himself, which was quite inconvenient.

Before long, a clown leaped onto the stage downstairs. He opened with a series of humorous remarks, interspersed with several bawdy jokes, which made the audience burst into laughter. Then, the two girls from before also gracefully swayed their hips as they walked onto the stage.

Li Qing whispered, "I'm afraid all this commotion today is aimed at you. The madam is definitely planning to rip you off. Look, the downstairs is packed with people, and even in those private rooms, everyone is holding their breath, bidding against each other, just to share a cup of tea with that new girl. You have to find a way to get a chance to drink tea alone."

Upon hearing this, General Meng scratched his head and chuckled, "I'm here to buy people, not to drink tea."

Li Qing gently shook his head and patiently explained, "Which of these girls doesn't yearn to escape this brothel? Buying this opportunity to drink tea alone is, firstly, a way to curry favor with the madam, and secondly, if they can see the girl in person, if she truly wants to leave, she might even pay out of her own pocket to help them get a lower price to redeem themselves. Although it's nominally about lowering the price, in reality, it's all the girls using their hard-earned savings, which the madam has squeezed dry, just for their freedom. Otherwise, even if you pay, the madam won't easily release them from their slave status and will still keep them tied up here."

General Meng laughed heartily and said, "Then I'll just take her away directly. Does a mere brothel madam dare to barge into the military camp to demand her return?"

Li Qing sighed softly, his tone tinged with helplessness: "To be able to establish a business in such a prosperous area on the outskirts of the capital, there must be countless high-ranking officials and wealthy households behind them. Even if each of them doesn't wield overwhelming power, many ants can still shake an elephant. If they collude with your enemies or political rivals to deal with you, even if they can't shake your foundation, it will be enough to make you very upset. They can endure scolding, even physical violence, even the risk to their lives, but the one thing you absolutely cannot do is cut off their money and their source of income."

Upon hearing this, General Meng nodded slightly, seemingly lost in thought, and said, "What you say is quite right; it is something I had not considered deeply."

On that brightly lit and bustling night, a unique performance was taking place on the stage. While it was called opera, it wasn't entirely so. On stage, the beautiful women in their exquisite costumes exuded an extraordinary aura in every movement and smile. Their figures swayed lightly, like deer in the forest, elegant yet agile. Every turn, every gesture, was imbued with endless charm and allure. Their steps were even more wondrous, seemingly casual yet subtly calculated. Each step was on an invisible drumbeat, the rhythm sometimes fast, sometimes slow, sometimes tense, sometimes relaxed, leading the audience's hearts to rise and fall with it, sometimes holding their breath in tension, sometimes letting out a long sigh of relief.

Although it was described as dancing, there were no spins or leaps typical of traditional dance. Instead, amidst the interplay of light and shadow, the dancers flirted with guests in all directions in an almost provocative manner, igniting the desires and passions deep within their hearts. Their fingers lightly brushed their temples, and a faint smile played on their lips; every subtle movement exuded endless charm, making it impossible to look away.

As more and more girls appeared on stage, like delicate flowers blooming in the night, the entire space was filled with their irresistible charm. The guests' emotions rose accordingly; some applauded in amazement, some whispered to their neighbors about the unexpected surprise, and some, unable to contain their excitement, stood up, their eyes fixed on the most captivating figure on stage.