Chapter 29: Ruanhong Pavilion
When a hundred pleated, filling-less buns appeared before him, Su Mo’s heart shattered.
He calmly set the bun aside, took Mu Bai’s hand, and said gently, “You’ve worked hard. These formalities were established by the elders. Now that you’ve married into this household, you are half its master; there’s no need for you to strictly observe them.”
“How could that be acceptable?” Mu Bai smiled brightly, picked up a bun with her chopsticks, held it in her palm, and offered it to Su Mo’s lips. “We certainly can’t let my husband go hungry.”
“Husband,” she gritted out through clenched teeth.
Su Mo lowered his gaze and murmured softly, “If only you had called me that last night…”
Before he could finish, Mu Bai stuffed a steamed bun into his mouth.
She showed some mercy after all; although there were a full hundred buns, each was only slightly larger than a soup dumpling, making them easy enough to swallow.
“Last night was an accident,” Mu Bai said. “It will never happen again.”
He watched Su Mo eat the steamed bun while lightly tapping the table with his hand. “I told you this long ago. However… last night I wasn’t in my right mind. Finish your bun, and we’ll let this matter drop. From now on, we each sleep in our own quarters.”
Su Mo neither agreed nor disagreed. After finishing the two steamed buns obediently, he asked softly, “Does it still hurt?”
Mu Bai was momentarily stunned, then quickly replied, “It doesn’t hurt; I feel nothing at all.”
Jin Yi brought over a teapot. Su Mo raised his hand to pour himself a cup, and only after she had walked away did he speak again: “Last night, you…”
“Shut up,” Mu Bai said, picking up a steamed bun as if to stuff it into his mouth.
Su Mo raised his hands in surrender. “Alright, I won’t say another word.”
He ate silently, his cheeks puffed out and stuffed full of steamed buns, making his face look rounder. Mu Bai found this much more pleasing to the eye and asked, “Shall I fetch some dipping sauce?”
Su Mo nodded with his bun-filled cheeks, his usually slightly upturned eye corners now drooping, giving him a somewhat aggrieved appearance.
Mu Bai burst into laughter, raising a hand as if to pinch his cheek, but then thought better of it. Instead, he withdrew his hand, pretended to adjust his sleeves, and turned to walk into the kitchen.
He smashed two cloves of garlic, added a handful of Sichuan peppercorns and white sesame seeds, poured hot oil over them, then mixed in dark soy sauce and vinegar, finishing with a sprinkle of white sugar. After stirring everything evenly with chopsticks, he carried the dish out.
Su Mo didn’t pay attention while dipping his food and bit into a Sichuan peppercorn stuck to the dough wrapper. The numbing spice rendered the root of his tongue senseless, triggering uncontrollable coughing fits until the corners of his eyes flushed red, making him look pitifully fragile.
Mu Bai hurriedly poured him some tea, then used chopsticks to pick out the peppercorns one by one, muttering as he worked, “Didn’t you always test your medicine with a silver needle before drinking? How could you be so careless…”
“Xiao Bai.” Su Mo took the tea but didn’t drink, simply gazing at him. “When I woke up and couldn’t find you, I thought you had left.”
His demeanor closely resembled those times when he feigned illness, creating an illusion of vulnerability. Mu Bai’s heart suddenly fluttered with panic; instinctively averting his gaze, he replied, “Where would I go?”
Su Mo shook his head and said softly, “Back then, my mother suddenly left without telling me where she was going. The next time I saw her, all that remained was a cenotaph.”
“I’m not leaving.” Mu Bai was about to say something to comfort him when he suddenly realized something was off. “Wait, are you telling me all this just so you can eat fewer buns?”
Su Mo chuckled softly, “I’ve been found out.”
He had almost succeeded.
Mu Bai glanced at him, then after a moment, curved his brows into a smile again. “I said I’d stay, so I wouldn’t sneak away. If you can’t finish these buns, you can save them for the next meal.”
Su Mo was momentarily stunned; by the time he regained his composure, Mu Bai had already risen and said, “I have two bounty missions to complete tonight. I’ll be back late.”
“Alright.” Su Mo agreed, but noticing the stranger’s peculiar gait, he couldn’t help but ask, “You… does it really not hurt back there?”
“Shut up!”
Mu Bai had fallen asleep last night still wearing the bridal gown, later stripping down to almost nothing. He recalled how the bed sheets were rumpled and disheveled, the red robes pooled around his ankles, making his skin glow with the hue of peach blossoms…
Ugh.
Mu Bai shook his head, commanding himself to think no more.
He removed the floral forehead ornament he hadn’t had time to take off last night, wiped away the remnants of his makeup, and changed into Taxyue’s attire and sword. Then, employing his lightness skill, he evaded the servants of the prince’s mansion and scaled the wall to escape.
Following the map given by Lin Baixiao, he hadn’t walked far before locating the Yushu Villa’s outpost in Wuti Imperial Capital.
Mu Bai stepped into the shop disguised as an apothecary, spoke the secret code, and was promptly led by someone into the rear courtyard.
In the backyard, there was a study slightly smaller than the one at Yushu Manor, also equipped with a bulletin board, its flanking drawers stacked with all sorts of intelligence.
The person in charge here was named Li Xian, a man in his early thirties with an utterly unremarkable appearance.
He took the evidence Mu Bai had retrieved from Hao Liang’s study, opened the ledger to check the bounty, and let out a surprised hiss: “Hao Liang wasn’t even that high-ranking an official; who would invest such heavy capital to take him down?”
Mu Bai recalled the individual who had met with Hao Liang and asked aloud, “I’ve heard the Red Lotus Sect has been acting rampant in Wuti recently; do you know anything about it? For instance… could they possibly be colluding with someone within the imperial court?”
Li Xian instructed the attendant to fetch the reward money, then sat down at the table and took a sip of tea. “I haven’t heard any news regarding this matter specifically, however… recently, over ten people have gone missing around Pianyu Temple, their whereabouts still unknown. Prior to this, four or five inexplicable massacres of entire families, with no perpetrators identified, also occurred in Wuti. We suspect all these incidents are connected to the Red Lotus Sect.”
“Pianyu Temple,” Mu Bai asked. “Isn’t that one of the three major sects in Wuti? More than ten people disappearing from their territory…”
Li Xian nodded. “Three of them were disciples of Pianyu Temple.”
“Abbess Tingyu commissioned us two days ago to issue a bounty notice, calling upon chivalrous heroes throughout the jianghu to help capture the culprit. However…” he said with difficulty, “ten days ago, two heroes accepted the bounty and headed to Pianyu Temple, but there has been no word from them since. I fear the number of victims has increased once again.”
Mu Bai furrowed his brows slightly, pondered for a moment, then spoke: “I would like to go and see as well.”
Li Xian was momentarily stunned, then quickly regained his composure and said, “It is most excellent that the young hero is willing to help… The culprit this time is likely no ordinary person; do be careful.”
Having reviewed the relevant intelligence, Mu Bai departed from the Yushu Manor outpost with the reward money he had received.
The market streets of Wuti differed greatly from those of Jialan; although located within the imperial capital, they were neither grand nor bustling. Everywhere along the streets and alleys stood houses with green bricks and black tiles, while vendors and passersby spoke in soft, gentle voices.
He hung the money pouch on his index finger, spinning it as he strolled through the marketplace. After wandering for most of the day, he purchased only a single piece of uncarved ink-black jade, intending to bring it back that night as a gift for Su Mo.
By the time he stepped out of the shop, the sun had already set. Mu Bai decided to find a place for dinner before visiting the residences of those ministers listed on the wanted posters.
Ever since he began taking on bounties, money had never been an issue; this particular mission offered a particularly handsome reward, adding further prosperity to an already wealthy family. Mu Bai resolved to treat himself properly, so he opened his map and located Ruanhong Xuan, the most luxurious restaurant in the imperial capital of Wuti.
The Yushu Villa not only ranks martial arts sects and knights but also grades restaurants. According to their evaluations, Ruanhong Xuan would be equivalent to a Michelin-starred establishment combined with… a five-star hotel?
Mu Bai blinked, staring intently at the small line of text above: “Three thousand beauties await your choice; every prince who visited praised it highly.”
?
What exactly is this place for?
He sensed a subtle something amiss, but the names of the signature dishes were so enticing that he dismissed the thought and headed straight for Ruanhong Pavilion.
Not far along the street, a tall restaurant stood out among the low-lying shops. Its entrance bore only a signboard inscribed with the three large characters “Ruanhong Xuan.” On either side of the door, three young women greeted guests; they were properly attired and did not appear to be courtesans fallen into hardship.
Mu Bai felt slightly reassured and stepped forward, where one of them led him inside.
The welcoming maiden was not only properly dressed but also spoke with gentle courtesy: “Is this your first visit to our Ruanhong Pavilion, young hero?”
Her voice was clear and sweet, inexplicably evoking a sense of intimacy. Mu Bai nodded and asked, “You can tell all that just by looking?”
“Naturally,” she laughed. “With such a striking appearance as yours, young hero, one could never forget it. Next time you come, I will surely recognize you.”
Her laughter rang like silver bells; with just a few words, she lifted one’s spirits. Had he been an ordinary lecherous man, he would likely have eagerly replied, “I will certainly return next time.”
Having grown up among her senior sisters in the Qinglian Valley, Mu Bai possessed far greater resistance. She merely offered a polite smile and said nothing more.
The girl led him up the stairs. Mu Bai, whose hearing was far sharper than most, had barely taken two steps when faint, sultry and explicit sounds drifted down from a room above.
“…” His Adam’s apple bobbed as he asked, “This is a place to eat, right?”
The girl paused, then broke into a smile. “Yes, but if you, young hero, wish to sample something else, we offer that too.”
Mu Bai immediately waved his hands. “…No need, no need. I’m just here to fill my stomach.”
Turning the corner of the staircase and passing by a side room, Mu Bai caught a glimpse of four or five people seated inside. Judging by their attire, they were likely high-ranking officials or nobles, each accompanied by a gorgeously dressed courtesan.
One of them, while drinking, reached out to grope his companion, his greasy movements sending a shiver of disgust through Mu Bai.
The young lady is used to it,” she said casually. “A wandering hero like yourself has probably seen little of such scenes. We often host ministers and princes here…
Before she could finish, a voice from inside the room laughed, “The Fifth Prince may not know this, but the courtesan of Ruanhong Pavilion is hailed as the most beautiful woman in Wuti. Her figure…”
Mu Bai halted his steps.
He peered carefully behind the door and spotted someone seated in the corner, catching only a glimpse of black robes embroidered with dragon patterns.
Even without seeing the face clearly, one could guess who it was.
Mu Bai suddenly felt as if a stone were lodged in his chest, making him feel suffocated. Only when he heard the young lady turn around to ask something did he snap out of it, following her toward the adjacent room.
The server handed over the menu, but Mu Bai couldn’t bring himself to read a single word.
Mu Bai casually ordered three signature dishes. Just as the server finished noting down the names, mocking laughter drifted from the next room, sharp enough to make his ears ache.
He suddenly slapped the table and changed his order: “Skip these three; bring me one plate of everything else.”
The waiter was stunned: “Young hero, we have forty-eight dishes in total. You alone…”
“What’s wrong with being alone? I’ll summon a tableful of ladies to dine with me.”
“V-very well, young hero…” The waiter, intimidated by his sudden fury, lowered his voice. “Might I ask which lady you wish to summon?”
Mu Bai was just about to ask him to summon the top courtesan when a refined and gentle voice drifted from the neighboring room: “Lord Peng, there’s no need for me; my wife keeps a tight watch.”
Mu Bai froze, then heard that same voice continue slowly, “Last night I displeased her and received punishment.”
Laughter erupted from the other side: “So even His Highness the Prince gets punished?”
“His Highness’s wife is far too fierce; none of the young ladies at Ruanhong Pavilion could compare to her gentleness and charm.”
Mu Bai furrowed his brows and instructed the waiter, “Serve the dishes first; we can decide which young lady to summon later.”
“Yes, yes, young hero…” The waiter retreated obsequiously.
Once the waiter had gone far enough, Mu Bai climbed out of the window and scaled the wall to reach the window of the adjacent room.
Sure enough, Su Mo was sitting inside.
Mu Bai ground her teeth, pulled out the hard, ink-black jade stone, and hurled it at him.
After throwing it, she returned to her own room, leaving behind a chorus of panicked shouts from the other side: “Assassin! Protect His Highness the Prince!”
Amid the chaos, Su Mo bent down, picked up the ink-black jade, rubbed it twice in his palm, and quietly slipped it into his sleeve.
Lord Peng rushed to the doorway to summon the guards, then turned and spotted Su Mo, instantly bewildered.
How could an assassin sneak up on you, Your Highness, yet you seem so pleased?
Your face may be stern, but the smile in your eyes is nearly overflowing.