Chapter 163: Chapter 157: A Remarkable Man

Chen Ming cupped his hands and politely said, "I’ve met the Fifth Young Master."

Pan Dingqian waved, "We’re all family here, no need for formalities. Come on, I’ve reserved a place at the Celestial Fragrance Pavilion tonight, I’ll take you to celebrate."

Saying this, he pulled Chen Ming along, turning back to Zhao Xiyan as he said, "Don’t worry, junior sister. We’re just going to drink, and I promise to watch over him tonight so he won’t stay overnight at the Celestial Fragrance Pavilion."

"They’re your friends, right? Let them join us. I’ll introduce you to a few of my friends as well."

He was referring to Feng Siyuan and the other two.

Feng Siyuan and the other two were somewhat flattered and quickly responded, "We’ve met the Fifth Young Master."

"Xiao Xuan, you better not come. If your father finds out, he’ll break your legs. You take your uncle back..."

Just like that, Chen Ming, in a daze, was dragged onto a carriage by Pan Dingqian, along with Feng Siyuan, Zhou Weihao, and Gu Yuantao.

This son of the Grand Governor of the Six Gates really is naturally sociable. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Once on the carriage, he laughed heartily, "Thanks to you, I’ve made a fortune this time. I can finally go to the Celestial Fragrance Pavilion to see Miss Mudan."

Chen Ming naturally couldn’t let the conversation stagnate, "I’ve long heard that Miss Mudan is a national beauty and a heavenly fragrance. I’ve been wanting to see her, and thanks to the Fifth Young Master, I finally can."

"There’s no need to be so formal. Just call me Fifth Brother, like Xiyan does."

On the carriage, it was primarily the two of them chatting.

Even though Feng Siyuan and Zhou Weihao had frequented such places before, they remained well-behaved at this moment, not daring to interrupt casually.

Even among nobles, there are different ranks.

Pan Dingqian’s father is not just a First Grade master, but also a First Grade Governor of the Six Gates, overseeing an entire province, a high-ranking official.

It’s no exaggeration to say that in Jiangzhou, Pan Dingqian is the number one official scion.

In front of him, Feng Siyuan and Zhou Weihao were just minor characters.

They grew up in such an environment and were very sensitive to status and hierarchy. Given their family background, they were not in a position to befriend this gentleman.

The only reason Pan Dingqian invited them onto the carriage was out of respect for Chen Ming.

This much they understood quite well.

...

When the carriage arrived at the Celestial Fragrance Pavilion, it was already dusk.

Pan Dingqian, as if coming home, led them boldly inside.

"The Fifth Young Master is here."

"You haven’t been here lately, and Miss Xuening fell ill..."

"Fifth Young Master..."

A group of attendants and ladies surrounded him.

It was clear that he was indeed a regular at the Celestial Fragrance Pavilion.

Soon, a charming matron arrived after hearing the commotion, her voice preceding her, "Fifth Young Master, you sure are heartless, disappearing without a word. Poor Xuening has been lovesick, unable to eat or drink, and has fallen ill because of you..."

Pan Dingqian said, "Aunt He, you came just in time. How much did I owe before? I’ll settle it all today."

With that, he took out a stack of silver notes from his pocket.

The matron sighed, "Do I not know what kind of person the Fifth Young Master is? It’s just a bit of money..."

Pan Dingqian shook his head, "Clear accounts make for long friendships. If you don’t settle the account, I won’t come back."

"Alright, alright, I’m afraid of you, my ancestor."

Only then did the matron call over a cashier.

In the end, nearly half of the silver notes in Pan Dingqian’s hand were gone. Heaven knows how much he owed at the Celestial Fragrance Pavilion.

No wonder brothels are called gold-dissolving caves; spending money here really is endless.

Chen Ming listened to the nearby guests’ conversations and learned that Pan Dingqian used to be a regular at the Celestial Fragrance Pavilion and had a favored girl named Xuening.

Three months ago, he encountered a rival at the Celestial Fragrance Pavilion who mocked him, saying that the son of a Governor came to seek pleasure but didn’t pay.

Since then, Pan Dingqian had not set foot in the Celestial Fragrance Pavilion.

Until today, after making a fortune, the first thing he did was come to settle his debt.

Chen Ming thought that this Fifth Young Master was indeed an interesting person.

Today, Pan Dingqian felt triumphant as he publicly cleared his debts and said to Aunt He, "Today my friend has ascended the Cyan Cloud Ranking, and we’re here to celebrate him. He’s always admired Miss Mudan. Is Miss Mudan available tonight?"

"The Fifth Young Master has spoken; even if she isn’t available, she must make time. Someone, take the Fifth Young Master and his people to the Guose Garden."

...

The Celestial Fragrance Pavilion was vast, and the most popular girls each had their own courtyards. The Guose Garden was one of the largest, with pavilions, terraces, rockeries, and flowing water, very elegant.

Chen Ming realized that Pan Dingqian wanted to see Miss Mudan himself but, given he already had a favored girl at the Celestial Fragrance Pavilion, he used the guise of celebrating for him to come.

Once they sat down, the friends Pan Dingqian mentioned earlier arrived shortly after. Two men and one woman came.

One was called Xiang Fukang, who looked every bit the young master of a wealthy family.

The other was Shi Sikai, dressed simply, with rough hands and feet, silent and solely focused on eating after sitting down.

The last was a woman named Qin Xiaomei, dressed in male attire, quite handsome.

While introducing them, Pan Dingqian mentioned that these three were his sworn siblings.

Xiang Fukang was very chatty, and it didn’t take long for him to enliven the atmosphere at the table. Once he joined, Feng Siyuan and Zhou Weihao, who hadn’t been saying much, started talking with him.

As for Qin Xiaomei, she wasn’t much of a talker. After sitting down, she just drank, one cup after another, as if she was there just to drink, starkly contrasting with Shi Sikai, who focused on eating and didn’t touch a drop of alcohol.

She wasn’t interested in anyone else, occasionally glancing curiously at Chen Ming.

They waited for half an hour without seeing Miss Mudan.

Pan Dingqian wasn’t in any hurry, as if this was to be expected.

Looking at Feng Siyuan and Zhou Weihao, they didn’t show any impatience, but rather, anticipation.

It seemed it was normal for a top courtesan to keep people waiting.

Just as Chen Ming was thinking this, he suddenly heard a passionate call from outside, "Pan Lang—"

A stunningly beautiful woman lifted her skirt and quickly ran in. Upon seeing Pan Dingqian, she suddenly stopped, seeming spellbound, as tears streamed down her face.

He guessed this woman must be the renowned Lady Xuening, and indeed, she was incredibly beautiful, on par with Xiao Zhuyun.

Moreover, she carried no trace of the air typical of people from the brothel, making it hard to tell she belonged to such a world.

At this moment, Pan Dingqian stood up, and Lady Xuening finally moved, darting into his arms like a swallows returning to the forest, and began to weep softly.

Pan Dingqian lifted her chin, his eyes filled with pity, "Xue’er, you’ve grown thin."

This statement made her tears flow even more.

Clearly, he was an old scoundrel.

...

After a while, Pan Dingqian comforted her, and once she settled down, he began introducing Chen Ming and the others.

Lady Xuening, seated beside him, became dignified and greeted Chen Ming and the others politely.

As the courtesan of the Celestial Fragrance Pavilion, she was an expert at enlivening the atmosphere; her presence made the banquet more harmonious.

A quarter of an hour passed.

Chen Ming began to grow impatient. In his past life, he had never waited this long for a girlfriend. It’s been nearly two hours now.

Suddenly, a loud voice sounded from outside, "Who do you think you are, daring to stop me?"

A bang was heard as several men forcefully barged in.

The leader, dressed in black, had an extraordinary aura and a face full of arrogance, "Oh, isn’t this the fifth of the Pan family? Here again at the Celestial Fragrance Pavilion for free food and free love?"

Pan Dingqian slammed his cup down unhappily and said, "Qin San’Er, don’t you understand the rules? I’ve already reserved Guose Garden for tonight. Know yourself and leave."

Qin San’Er?

Chen Ming already guessed who this boy in black was, the third young master of the Qin family, Qin Changyuan. He was one of the Jiangzhou Five Horses, ranking third on the Cyan Cloud Ranking.

Among the Three Great Families of Jiangzhou, the Qin Family is at the forefront, and only a legitimate son of the Qin Family would have the guts to cross swords with the son of the Governor like Pan Dingqian.

Before this, Qin Jinlin, who went to Qingfeng City to attend Zhao Shouchang’s Martial Arts Gathering, was just a side branch.

Qin Changyuan laughed as if he heard a joke, "Hahaha...Pan Fifth, do you think Mudan is like your Xuening? Just because you say it’s reserved? There are no such rules here at Guose Garden. Mudan, with her celestial aura, decides who she wants to meet. That’s the true rule."

Then he seemed to remember something, "I’d forgotten, you haven’t been to the Celestial Fragrance Pavilion for months. You probably don’t know the rules here."

Qin Changyuan had already taken his people and sat at another table.

Pan Dingqian glanced at Xiang Fukang beside him, saw him nod, and his expression turned sour. He was someone who valued appearance. Being disrupted by Qin Changyuan, he felt his face was lost in front of Chen Ming and the others.

Especially hearing Qin Changyuan and his followers laughing brazenly, this made him even angrier, almost unable to contain himself.

"Fifth Young Master, calm down..."

At this moment, Aunt He arrived in time, soothing Pan Dingqian, "My daughter is new here, she cannot afford to offend anyone. I hope Fifth Young Master won’t make it difficult for her."

Pan Dingqian gave her some face and held back without acting out.

Suddenly, the melodious sound of a flute resonated from inside.

Everyone turned to look, and saw the door had somehow opened, with a graceful figure sitting behind a white curtain.

Finally, someone had come out.

Chen Ming thought, as he listened, his mind was engrossed in the music, immersed in it.

He seemed to see the confusion in a woman’s heart, her anxiety, the pain of not seeing a way forward, a desolate figure navigating through the turbid flow of the world, instantly submerged to the point of suffocation...

No one knew how much time had passed.

Chen Ming suddenly awoke and found the flute music had stopped unknowingly, leaving the courtyard in perfect silence.

His heart shivered, suspecting the flute sound had a problem!

Perhaps it was a form of mental attack?

Pan Dingqian suddenly sighed, "The lady’s flute music is nearly divine; it is as if one hears heavenly sounds."

At the other table, Qin Changyuan was intensely eyeing the silhouette inside, "It was indeed worthwhile to come here today and hear Mudan play this tune."

Chen Ming glanced at the other people, who were also in a state of rapture. He wondered if he was overly sensitive.

Then, the curtain moved, and the graceful figure stepped out.

What a rare beauty.

She was wearing a light yellow long dress, icy skin and jade bone, her aura exalted, but her eyes were tender and charming, forming a stark contrast.

This woman could evoke a strong desire for conquest in a man.

This was the second woman to stun Chen Ming since he transmigrated here.

After she came out, she gracefully bowed, "Greetings, gentlemen."

Her gaze shifted, landing on Xuening, adding, "Greetings, Sister Xuening."

...

For some reason, Chen Ming felt that Madam Mudan gave him a faint sense of familiarity. He couldn’t recall where this familiarity stemmed from.

Then Qin Changyuan spoke, "Guose Garden has rules; it will choose one person from those present. Does the lady know whom she will select tonight?"

With this statement, all eyes turned to the heavenly Mudan, each filled with a form of desire and hope.

Only Aunt He was sweating anxiously, choosing one side would offend another. If conflict arose, it would be troublesome.

If it was another lady, she wouldn’t worry.

But with this one, she felt uncertain.

Amid this tense atmosphere, Madam Mudan said nothing and simply turned to leave.

"Leaving just like that?"

Chen Ming found it strange; this courtesan was too capricious. She could at least smooth things over, or randomly choose a side. Even if one side were offended, it would be better than making both sides displeased.

Suddenly, a maid in green stepped out from the house, carrying a tray directly to his side, and knelt down, "Young Master, please drink this cup of wine."

Chen Ming suddenly felt many sharp gazes on him as if they wanted to pierce him.

He then realized what this cup of wine represented.

Should he drink it, or not?