The Flower Pavilion (2)

"Young Master, my name is Jiang Mei. May I accompany you tonight?" Jiang Mei said courteously.

Yi Ling didn't reply but instead walked closer to Jiang Mei, lifting her hand towards her. Jiang Mei was stunned, feeling as if she couldn't move at all. Yi Ling's hand landed on her hair, where a small leaf was caught. She took one of Jiang Mei's hands and handed the leaf to her. Then, without a word, Yi Ling walked past everyone and entered the Pavilion.

Everyone was silent, as if everything was moving in slow motion. When Jiang Mei came back to her senses, she turned around and saw Yi Ling being directed to a room by another courtesan. Somehow, she felt captivated by that masked man.

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Yi Ling sat down and ordered a couple of dishes. The courtesan who led her to the room stayed to keep her company. She introduced herself as Yu Weiyan. Unlike Jiang Mei, Yu Weiyan was reserved and modest, showing Yi Ling the utmost respect. She didn't dare to touch or flirt with the young masked man beside her. Yi Ling appreciated this, as she wasn't there to see the courtesans.

When the food and drinks arrived, Yi Ling started to converse with Yu Weiyan while eating. Though Yu Weiyan didn't drink much, Yi Ling knew how to gain a woman's trust: by being blunt and honest. She smiled behind her mask.

"Do you know the Uncle of the Crown Prince?" she asked directly.

Yu Weiyan eyed the man beside her. Although she didn't know him, she felt at ease beside him, unlike her other customers, who only knew how to flirt and harass her.

"You mean Xiang Ren?" She lifted the cup of wine to her mouth and gracefully took a sip.

"I'm new to this kingdom, so forgive me. I don't know their names. If he is the Crown Prince's Uncle, then yes. Do you know of him?" Yi Ling rubbed her chin as she stared at Yu Weiyan.

"He is one of Jiang Mei's frequent customers. I heard he is asking her to be one of his concubines." She shrugged her shoulders; she didn't like Jiang Mei very much and found her too narcissistic.

"Can you tell me anything about him?"

"What's there to tell? He is the most cunning man in Xiang Kingdom. I'd be careful if I were you. Once he knows that someone is trying to dig up information about him, he won't let you go easily." She warned him, having no ill will towards this man. Though she had been a courtesan from a young age, she wasn't like the others. But getting information out of her came with a price.

"Thank you for the warning, but I can handle myself." Yi Ling waved her sleeve, and a vial appeared in her hand. She displayed it in front of Yu Weiyan.

Yu Weiyan's brows furrowed as she stared at the vial.

"What's that?"

The vial contained a clear liquid that emitted a faint spiritual energy. Yu Weiyan, being at the 3rd Rank of Dawning Stage, sensed it. Despite being a courtesan, she had made cultivating a hobby, dreaming of leaving the Flower Pavilion someday. She was an orphan, caught by traffickers and sold to the Flower Pavilion at age ten. One of her customers had taught her how to cultivate. She hadn't seen that man in years and sighed as she remembered him.