Su Mingyu nodded. "It's the real deal! So you need to recuperate well, or you won't have the chance to attend this grand event."
She hadn't expected that after coming specifically to share this good news, this girl would still think she was lying.
Su Mingyu felt a bit helpless. It seemed that in Zhizhu's mind, she really led a rather miserable life.
Early the next morning, Su Mingyu got herself in disguise and came to the entrance of Sinnan Pavilion to pick up Qiyue.
Seeing Su Mingyu wrapped up tightly, Qiyue couldn't help but laugh. "Master, even if you're worried about being recognized, there's no need to disguise yourself like this, right?"
Tilting his head, Qiyue tried hard to see Su Mingyu's expression under the bamboo hat. "Don't you know there's something called a human - skin mask in this world?"
Su Mingyu just rolled her eyes at him. "Mind your own business."
Seeing Su Mingyu getting angry, Qiyue quickly surrendered. "Alright, alright, I won't talk nonsense. Let's go quickly."
When the two arrived at the brothel and stated their purpose, they were led to the third floor and then left waiting on one side.
Su Mingyu and Qiyue had waited for almost an hour, but no one came to attend to them.
Scratching his head, Qiyue asked doubtfully, "Are we being looked down upon?"
Su Mingyu rolled her eyes at him. "If someone came to me without stating their purpose but just said they'd bring me something good, I might not even be in the mood to invite them in."
"Ah?" Qiyue's face immediately sank. "So, did I make a mistake right from the start?"
Su Mingyu gave a cold snort, and the meaning was self - evident.
Seeing this, Qiyue couldn't help but scratch his head. "So what should we do now?"
Saying so, Qiyue sat down, looking at the tea on the table. Annoyed, he poured himself a cup.
Just as he was about to bring it to his mouth, Qiyue remembered that Su Mingyu was there. So he quickly poured a cup for Su Mingyu and respectfully presented it to her with both hands. "Master, please have some first."
Su Mingyu just glanced at the teacup and didn't take the tea from Qiyue's hand.
Qiyue's hands were getting tired from holding it, but Su Mingyu still didn't take it. Qiyue couldn't help but feel a bit annoyed. "I've never negotiated before. It's only natural that the first time is a bit rough. Master, don't be angry with me. I'll go downstairs right away to find someone and ask the madam to come and talk to me."
Saying so, Qiyue was about to bring the cup to his mouth when Su Mingyu casually waved her hand and knocked it out of his hand.
Looking at the teacup on the ground and then at Su Mingyu, Qiyue noticed her bad complexion. So he asked nervously, "Master, are you really that angry? You won't even let me have a sip of tea?"
Su Mingyu casually pointed at the teacup on the ground and said coldly, "Should I say you're stupid or naive? Don't you know that all the food and drinks in a brothel are laced with something?"
Looking Qiyue up and down, Su Mingyu teased, "If you really drank that tea, you wouldn't be able to leave this place so easily."
"Ah!" Qiyue really didn't know there were so many rules in this brothel.
He was so scared that his whole body felt numb. Glancing at the tea on the ground, Qiyue tightened his lips, looking terrified. "It's really scary, Master. Are you deliberately making things difficult for me? You let me handle such a difficult task on my first time taking charge?"
Su Mingyu curled her lips at him and squinted her eyes, smiling like a fox. "Look at what you're saying. How could I deliberately make things hard for you? I just want you to know that people's hearts can be treacherous."
Qiyue clicked his tongue. "So what should we do now?"
Su Mingyu only said one word: "Wait."
Qiyue frowned. "Still waiting? I've already waited for an hour."
If it were in Sinnan Pavilion, Qiyue could have sold a lot of clothes in this hour.
"Sigh, I really thought things were too simple." Qiyue sighed. "I originally thought I'd come here, eat, drink, and say a few nice words, and the matter would be settled. I didn't expect that before I even got a chance to speak, I was given a warning."
Seeing his dejected look, a hint of amusement flashed in Su Mingyu's eyes. "You can go downstairs to find the madam if you want, but I guess you won't even make it past the second floor before you get entangled."
Just thinking about the way the ladies swarmed them when they came up, Qiyue couldn't help but shiver.
Sitting obediently on the stool, Qiyue waved his hands like a rattle - drum. "Forget it. I'll just wait here. I don't think I can make it to the second floor."
Rarely seeing him so sensible, Su Mingyu found it funny. "Alright. They've left us waiting long enough. Someone should come soon."
As if to prove Su Mingyu's words, as her voice faded, there was a knock on the door. A sweet voice came from outside. "Excuse me, are you the young lady and young master from Sinnan Pavilion?"
Qiyue and Su Mingyu glanced at each other and nodded. "Yes."
"I'm sorry. Our madam is very busy today, so she just got free. We've really made you wait. Please come out and follow me downstairs to see her."
Neither Su Mingyu nor Qiyue would believe such a fake excuse.
But they were too lazy to argue with her. They opened the door and followed her out.
All the way from the third floor to the second floor, Qiyue and Su Mingyu finally saw the madam who had made them wait so long.
Qiyue smiled at the madam. "I didn't expect that such a big brothel would be managed by such a young madam."
The madam raised an eyebrow. "I heard you're from Sinnan Pavilion?"
Qiyue nodded. "Yes. I wonder if the madam has heard of Sinnan Pavilion."
"Anyone who lives in the capital has heard of Sinnan Pavilion." The madam chuckled. "You told my girls that you wanted to talk to me about cooperation?"
Qiyue nodded repeatedly. "There really is something. I wonder if the madam is interested in hearing it?"
The madam sized Qiyue up and down, and a hint of appreciation flashed in her eyes. "With your looks and figure, if you went to Nanyuan, you might just become a top - ranking courtesan."
Nanyuan? Qiyue looked at Su Mingyu in confusion.
Su Mingyu sneered secretly. "Madam, don't be joking. My subordinate is extremely dull and has no idea how to please girls. If he went to Nanyuan, he might just ruin their reputation."
"You're really knowledgeable, miss." The madam looked at Su Mingyu and grinned.
Su Mingyu nodded, taking it as a compliment.
"To be honest with you, madam, we've heard that your brothel will be holding a beauty contest in a few days, so we'd like to cooperate with you."
Although Qiyue didn't understand, he could tell that the madam must not have said anything good, or Su Mingyu wouldn't have stepped in to speak for him.