I Only Want to Lie Flat But Am Forced to Cultivate Immortality-Chapter 58 - 47: Into the Dragon’s Den

Everyone had different thoughts. Wu Wencai initially felt a bit uncomfortable, but then he thought, isn’t everyone here to indulge? Since they are all like-minded, why should he feel guilty!

Thinking this, he grew even more confident.

"Brother Xu, is this your first time here?"

Seeing Xu Qing nod, Wu Wencai immediately put on an understanding look and said, "Today is the day Book Phoenix Pavilion selects the Drumming Order. Besides students from various places, there are also many elegant and talented people from afar attending the event."

"This is a rare event that only happens once in several years. We are here to make friends and experience the customs from all over the world."

"Absolutely not to pretend to be cultured or chase after luxury. Certainly not to revel in debauchery for a brief moment of pleasure."

Beside him, Wu Zhiyuan nodded in agreement.

The chubby little host was confused, thinking, what are you guys talking about? Didn’t I bring you here to sleep with women? Not for a brief moment of pleasure, are you really here to compose poems and spend the whole night just like that?

If that’s the case, he’d rather go home and play with crickets!

Xu Qing naturally didn’t believe Wu Wencai’s nonsense. If he had arrived a bit later, he might have replaced Wu Yaohua in harshly criticizing the behavior of these two, then generously granting them leniency, not to be repeated.

But that unreliable shoe-throwing guidance surprisingly led him to their destination first!

Now it was impossible for him to clear his name as a proper person.

The chubby little Zhu Huai’an was clearly a regular here. He casually handed a silver note to the serving boy, who respectfully led them to the inner venue for the Drumming Order selection.

Seeing the familiar surroundings again, Zhu Huai’an remarked with some nostalgia, "The Drumming Order is selected every five years. The last time it was held, I was only thirteen. I sneaked out of the house, but who would have thought that halfway through the event, I ran into my dad and my uncle."

At this point, the chubby boy was still scared, "Luckily my uncle intervened, or I might not be alive today."

Xu Qing fell silent upon hearing this, thinking, your dad and uncle visiting a brothel together? Does your mother know?

"Did your mother know at that time?" Wu Wencai blurted out.

Xu Qing silently looked at Wu Wencai, thinking, this kid really can’t keep his mouth shut!

"Of course, my mother didn’t know. If she knew I went to the brothel behind her back, she would have killed me!"

Zhu Huai’an seemed not to catch the meaning behind Wu Wencai’s words, continuing, "My mother is fierce, both my dad and uncle are afraid of her. That year, after watching the Drumming Order, if we hadn’t coordinated our stories well, we all would have been done for!"

"For example, if my mother found out I brought you three here today, she would break your legs then give each of you ten thousand taels of silver."

"How much?" Wu Wencai’s eyes widened, seemingly considering the idea of getting his leg broken for money.

Xu Qing was also astonished, thinking, does this chubby kid’s family own a silver mine or something, being so lavish?

However, he didn’t care about any of this. In these times, entertainment was scarce. Everyone came out for some fun, not to make rich friends.

Moreover, no matter how wealthy one is, after a hundred years of weathering life’s storms, one still turns into dust.

Maybe by then, he might even have to officiate their funerals.

They found some empty seats and sat down. Xu Qing watched the Drumming Order competition on the stage with great interest.

The Drumming Order is a special event held every five years by the Book Phoenix Pavilion.

The purpose is to select the most talented and beautiful girls.

In this grand event where beauties compete, the one who stands out and wins the first place becomes the Courtesan, the second and third places are Flowers Drum, and the fourth to tenth are Flower Order.

During the selection, all the girls participating must have been uncombed within the past five years of the Book Phoenix Pavilion, only then can they showcase their talents on stage. At that time, high-ranking officials and elegant young gentlemen from the audience would gift their ’Combing Ceremony’ to their favored girls.

Gold, silver, jewelry, calligraphy, and paintings, as long as they are valuable, can be included.

Additionally, to accommodate those talented girls who are about to be combed, there will be an extra talent test as a bonus item.

After the rankings are determined, those talented girls will have to choose one gentleman among those who supported them to spend the night with.

Upon learning these rules, Xu Qing thought, how is this different from a ranking competition?

But this was the first time he encountered something openly soliciting like this.

At the tea table, Zhu Huai’an was persuading the Wu brothers to help him pass the ’Talent Test’.

"Truth be told, ever since I first laid eyes on Miss Wan’er, I felt that if I didn’t sleep with her once in this lifetime, it would be a waste of life!"

"Unfortunately, although I have some money and a bit of talent, it’s still not enough to win Miss Wan’er’s heart."

"Wencai, Zhiyuan, you two are exceptionally talented. When we met at the government office, the impromptu poem you composed, ’Awakening Spring’, was no less than what Zhuang Zijun, the top scholar of the Prefecture City, could create."

"Miss Wan’er loves poetry. I hope you two brothers will help at that time and fulfill my dream with Miss Wan’er."

Wu Wencai, having taken advantage of Zhu Huai’an, immediately nodded and agreed, "No problem. My cousin is great at composing poems. Consider it done."

Xu Qing did not join their conversation, as his attention was entirely on a distinguished gentleman sitting alone at a nearby table, savoring his drink.

From the first glance, Xu Qing felt this person looked familiar; the second glance, he recognized the person.

Last month, when he returned from the Corpse Worker Mill, he had performed a ceremony for a brothel helper, from whom he received a Hundred Beauties Spring Palace Painting meant to scare people, and learned a secret—that the County Magistrate’s daughter disliked men and liked to disguise herself as a man to play with girls.

And the person Xu Qing was now noticing was precisely that person with the Sacred Body for grinding tofu, the County Magistrate’s daughter.

Interesting, I wonder which talented girl this County Magistrate’s daughter has taken a liking to...

Xu Qing alternated his gaze between the stage where the talented girls were performing and the unusually handsome ’young master’.

He felt as if drama was unfolding everywhere!

Beside him, Wu Zhiyuan also started making his move, and when the famous Miss Wan’er appeared, Zhu Huai’an called upon the servants to bring top-quality writing materials for Wu Zhiyuan to utilize.

Xu Qing glanced over and saw that the poem was like spring breeze caressing the dew, with an endless stream of tender feelings, comparable to the poetry in his memory.

"Never thought the bookish fellow at the Paper Mache Shop next door, was actually a talented and handsome man..." Xu Qing was deeply moved, thinking that even if he lived two lifetimes, he wouldn’t be able to write such poetry.

After drying the ink, Zhu Huai’an placed an invaluable jade bracelet on the gift plate and said, "This is a precious bracelet my mother left for her future daughter-in-law, which shows my genuine affection for Miss Wan’er."

Xu Qing couldn’t help but ask, "Aren’t you afraid your mother will hold you accountable for taking her bracelet without permission?"

The chubby boy didn’t care, "We’ll deal with that when the time comes. Besides, my mother prepared seven or eight bracelets, saying I’m the only heir of the Zhu Family and need to marry seven or eight wives..."

"Taking one doesn’t really matter."

"..."

Xu Qing silently retracted his naive question.

On stage, one of the previous Flower Order girls was announcing the gift list to Miss Wan’er.

Upon announcing Zhu Huai’an’s combing gift, the Flower Order girl noticeably paused.

"Young Master Zhu from the Longting Mansion gifts Miss Zhen Wan the Imperial Golden Jade Bracelet, valued at a thousand taels."

From the audience, Xu Qing turned to look at Zhu Huai’an, initially thinking it was just an expensive bracelet, but not expecting it to be an imperial gift.

But what does Longting Mansion mean?

This chubby boy can’t be...

While Xu Qing was speculating on the other’s identity, a voice suddenly came from the stage, "Young Master Zhang gifts Miss Shuyu a jade pendant, valued at a hundred taels."

A servant held up a tray, lifted the cover, displaying all the combing gifts to prove the Drumming Order selection was genuine.

Xu Qing glanced over, instantly retracting his thoughts from the chubby boy.

The jade pendant on the servant’s tray wasn’t just any jade; it was the Yin Ghost Jade he had long sought!

Xu Qing searched for the Young Master Zhang mentioned by the Flower Order, though he didn’t find him, he did see someone unexpected.

"Excuse me, I suddenly remembered something I need to do, so I’ll take my leave. Please don’t mind, gentlemen."

Without another word, and ignoring the queries from the Wu brothers, Xu Qing got up to leave.

Just now, he saw the figure of Bai Luo, the Celestial Heart Sect demon, in the corner.

Walking quickly down the corridor, Xu Qing soon encountered five or six people coming towards him.

Leading them was an elderly man with white hair, accompanied by a beardless, effeminate man, and there was also a Daoist whose eyes scanned the surroundings.

Xu Qing didn’t recognize the elderly man or the effeminate man, but immediately identified the Daoist.

That person was none other than Zuo Zixiong, the Hundred Households officer of the Divine Strategy Camp, who previously chased down the Celestial Heart Sect demons!