Spoiled Eldest Miss x Two-faced Madman
CHAPTER 9:【Pei Ji's Favorability Towards You +5】
The three walked out of the first stone chamber, and then there was another secret passage, but this secret passage was wider and extended deeper into the ground. Candles flickered on the walls, casting dancing shadows within the passage.
They hadn't walked twenty meters when a small stall appeared in the secret passage. An old man with white hair, dressed in worn linen, sat behind it. His aged eyes were clouded with a film of white.
He was blind.
The old blind man sat against the wall, with various masks of all shapes and sizes arranged before him. He held a small knife in his hand, carving a half-finished mask.
As the three of them approached, he tilted his head slightly and his raspy voice echoed, “Three guests, do you want to buy masks?”
How could he tell there were three of them if he couldn't see?
An Jiu looked him over with interest, guessing that the man either possessed some martial arts skills, or that his blindness had sharpened his hearing.
“Hey, blind man, how did you know there were three of us?”
It is not the style of a young lady to leave doubts unsolved. An Jiu squatted down and asked him curiously.
The old blind man turned his face towards her, his eyes clouded with white, like dead fish eyes, appearing eerily sinister in the dim passageway.
Despite being called ‘blind man,’ the old man remained impassive, calmly replying, “When your eyes are blind, your ears become sharper.”
An Jiu nodded, her guess was right.
With one question answered, another arose: “You're blind, how do you sell masks here?”
The old blind man said, “Wherever masks are needed, a blind man will sell there.”
An Jiu glanced at him. It was truly a martial arts world, even nameless, faceless extras like this man seemed to have their own stories.
She stopped asking questions and lowered her head to examine the masks on the stall.
There were masks of the twelve zodiac animals, as well as various demons, monsters, fairies, and spirits. They were all made of lightweight wood, thinly carved, and rather crudely crafted. But to An Jiu, a modern person, each one possessed a unique classical charm.
He Ziqing casually picked up a black Raksasa mask, while Lin Qingyan carefully chose a white rabbit mask. An Jiu found herself torn between so many beautiful options, suffering from a case of decision paralysis.
“If you can't decide, customer, perhaps you'd like this one.”
As if sensing her indecision, the old blind man reached out and handed her a mask.
It was a red mask, painted with large swaths of ¹crimson spider lilies in bold strokes. The delicate, wispy petals of the flowers were vividly rendered, captivatingly beautiful.
With someone choosing for her, An Jiu felt a wave of relief. She took the mask, saying, “Not bad, I like this one.”
When it came time to pay, An Jiu patted her pockets, finding them completely empty.
She was penniless, without a single coin. How could she pay?
Lin Qingyan, ever observant, noticed her troubled expression and offered, “Let's pay together, I'll cover it.”
The masks were inexpensive, and three together didn't cost much. The young lady from the Zhùjiàn Villa had plenty of money, and she readily paid.
After paying and putting on their masks, the three continued onward. An Jiu turned her head and muttered to Lin Qingyan, “I'll pay you back when we get out.”
How infuriating! When had An Jiu ever let someone else pay for her?
She'd always been one to spend lavishly!
Lin Qingyan's voice held a hint of surprise, “Huh? No need, it was only three copper coins, it's nothing.”
“No! Three copper coins is still money! I'll pay you back when we get back!” An Jiu insisted, gritting her teeth.
She, An Jiu, had actually owed someone money! It was a disgrace!
Lin Qingyan: “...Fine.”
Rounding a bend, the scene before them suddenly opened up. The previously faint sounds of people talking instantly became clear, surging towards them like a tide.
Before the three stood a vast space. The underground passage opened into a large, naturally formed cavern, dozens of meters high. Stalactites hung from the ceiling above, while a wide arena occupied the floor below. In the arena, a man was engaged in a fierce battle with a ferocious tiger, the platform stained with dark red bloodstains.
Countless people surrounded the arena, watching, cheering, chatting, and laughing—a lively scene of revelry.
Scattered throughout the surrounding rock walls were numerous openings, some echoing with the laughter of women, others with the clatter of dice—a cacophony of sounds filled the air.
The people moving along the passageways and in the walls were mostly men, dressed in fine silks and robes, wearing masks, their bellies protruding.
An Jiu clicked her tongue, “This…”
Wasn't this just a modern entertainment club? Only the ancients played harder, even incorporating beast fights.
Judging from the people around them, this place was indeed open to officials and wealthy individuals. There weren't many martial artists; only masked men in black, armed with swords, stood guard at each entrance—likely bodyguards employed by the owner of this underground establishment.
In the original novel, the incident at the hidden establishment was resolved quickly. The male protagonist swept through everything, encountering little resistance.
He Ziqing's combat prowess was already very high from his introduction, making the Jiufang City flower thief a mere beginner's challenge. It was only during later events involving the martial arts world that real crises emerged.
An Jiu felt quite relaxed, not showing much surprise at the scene before her; she'd witnessed similar things in her modern life.
He Ziqing and Lin Qingyan, on the other hand, were novices who had never seen anything like this before, their expressions grim.
However, with their masks on, An Jiu couldn't see their expressions, only guessing from their clenched fists.
True to their nature as the male and female leads, they were so upright and righteous.
After a moment of silence, He Ziqing spoke, “The flower thief said the missing women were all sent to the Red Mansion. Let's find out where that is.”
“Okay.”
The three of them stayed together, searching for the Red Mansion.
According to the flower thief, the hidden establishment had a Black Mansion and a Red Mansion. The Black Mansion handled shady dealings, while the Red Mansion was dedicated to the flesh trade.
The trio walked along the stone cave passages, gathering information by listening to the conversations around them.
Shortly after they left, a steady, unhurried footstep echoed through the empty passage. The old blind man, carving masks by the wall, paused his work and tilted his head towards the source of the sound.
“Guest, would you like to buy a mask?”
The pristine white hem of a robe swayed silently, a pair of immaculate soft brocade shoes stopping before the stall.
Before the newcomer could speak, the old blind man continued, “This mask is perfect for you.”
His gnarled hand offered a mask depicting the Yin and Yang fish. Half white and half black, the swirling, intertwined symbols seemed to carry a profound philosophical meaning.
“You know me?” A cold voice echoed in the empty passage, reverberating slightly.
The old blind man shook his head. “I don't.”
A long, slender hand reached out, taking the Yin and Yang mask and gently placing it on the face, concealing the features beneath.
A flat, unemotional voice came from behind the mask: “You know who I am.”
The old blind man kept his eyes lowered, his fingers continuing their work, the small knife shaving thin wood shavings. His raspy voice said, “Sir, you jest. This old blind man cannot see, how could I know who you are?”
The man in white bowed his head, staring at him for a long moment.
From beginning to end, the old blind man remained silent, his head bowed as he continued to carve his mask, seemingly oblivious to the scrutiny in the man's eyes.
In his past life, Pei Ji hadn't entered the hidden establishment; like this time, he'd stayed outside to provide support, so he'd never met this old blind man. Later, after the hidden establishment was destroyed, there was no mention of the old blind man's existence.
It was as if, with the disappearance of the hidden establishment, the old blind man had vanished without a trace.
His instincts told him that this old blind man was likely no ordinary person.
Unfortunately, this wasn't the time to investigate the old blind man; he had more important things to do.
The man in white fell silent for a moment, then turned silently and continued deeper into the secret passage.
…..
The Red Mansion wasn't hard to find; a simple inquiry led An Jiu and her companions there quickly.
Even though it was early morning, when most people were just waking up, the Red Mansion was filled with boisterous laughter and revelry.
The Red Mansion was a sprawling four-story building. It was hard to imagine that such a grand cavernous structure could exist underground, suggesting a massive investment of time and resources.
The building contained countless rooms, with a central viewing hall where a woman in revealing attire was performing a seductive dance, surrounded by a cheering crowd.
Lin Qingyan was very uncomfortable in this place. She was, after all, an unmarried young lady, and she felt quite awkward upon entering.
He Ziqing, being a man, was better suited to discreetly gather information, so he went off to seek it.
Lin Qingyan instinctively looked at An Jiu, seeking reassurance, but saw the girl staring intently at the dancing courtesan on stage. Even through the mask, the admiration and appreciation in her eyes were evident.
Noticing her gaze, the girl turned, excitedly saying, “Don't you think that courtesan dances beautifully? She's truly stunning!”
Lin Qingyan: “...”
Lin Qingyan felt a blush creep onto her cheeks, even behind her mask. How could the young lady from the Shangshu (Minister) Mansion be so unreserved?
At that moment, someone nearby noticed them, pointing and whispering, “Hey, look, there are women in the Red Mansion! What are women doing in the Red Mansion?”
“Hahaha, probably learning how to serve men?”
Upon hearing those words, Lin Qingyan's cheeks flushed even more.
She regretted coming; she should have stayed outside with Pei Ji.
An Jiu also heard the whispers from those men. Even with their masks on, their slightly stooped backs and unsteady stances clearly indicated that they were useless drunkards and gluttons.
An Jiu's eyes twinkled. She felt a small porcelain bottle in her hand, her fingers pressing against the opening as she slowly approached the men.
Lin Qingyan grabbed her sleeve, whispering, “What are you doing? Don't cause trouble, let's wait for Brother He to come back.”
An Jiu turned and smiled at her. Through the flamboyant red mask, her dark, bright peach blossom eyes curved mischievously into two sparkling crescent moons.
Pulling her sleeve free, she whispered, “Don't worry, I definitely won't cause trouble.”
An Jiu approached the gossiping men and said in a sweet voice, “Big brothers, I'm here looking for my deadbeat husband. He hasn't come home all night, and I don't know where he is. Could you help me find him?”
She deliberately softened her voice. The alluring tone sent shivers down the men's spines.
One of them swallowed, “So you're the wife, madam. Finding someone here is difficult. Everyone wears masks; who knows which one is your husband?”
Another man quickly chimed in, “Madam, don't listen to him. I know a way to find people. The madam of the Red Mansion manages this; she knows who everyone who comes here is!”
The men had noticed the woman in red earlier. Though her face was hidden, her alluring figure, barely concealed by her clothes, and her captivating voice clearly indicated that she was a beauty.
An Jiu's eyes lit up. “Where is the madam?” she asked eagerly.
The men immediately replied, “We'll take you. The madam lives in the back courtyard of the Red Mansion; ordinary people can't find her.”
As the men started to lead An Jiu away, Lin Qingyan panicked and was about to stop them, but saw the woman in red place her hand behind her back and make a silent gesture.
Wait.
The eager men led An Jiu into a nearby secret passage. The entire hidden establishment was riddled with such passages—hidden places where countless dark deeds occurred, places the owner of the establishment conveniently ignored.
Rounding a bend, the passage instantly became dim, the lively noise of the hall left behind, replaced by faint sounds.
This was not far from the hall, perhaps only twenty meters—a perfect place to handle business.
An Jiu quietly removed the stopper from the bottle. The men leading her also stopped, turning to approach her menacingly.
“Madam, forget about your husband. Why don't you spend some time with us… ahhh!”
“Very well, I shall spend some quality time with you!” An Jiu laughed viciously, watching the men collapse to the ground. She cracked her knuckles, producing a series of sharp pops.
At the same time, a mechanical electronic voice echoed in her ear.
【Pei Ji's favorability towards you +5, current value: -89.】
An Jiu: “???”
________________
Author's Note:
An Jiu: Mom, I have a stalker!
……
Glossary:
¹Red/Crimson Spider Lily (Lycoris radiata): A flower with complex symbolism in East Asian cultures, particularly Japan and China. Primarily associated with death, farewells, and remembrance (often seen near graves and temples during the autumn equinox), it also represents rebirth and the cycle of life and death.
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