Chinese martial arts! Grandmaster

Chapter 362 Seductive Arts! Colorless and Formless

I walked along the Qinhuai River for more than ten minutes.

A huge pleasure boat appeared before Chen Jie.

Magnificent!

This is the largest pleasure boat on the entire Qinhuai River, almost the size of a warship.

Xu Shichang alighted from the sedan chair, and the servant responsible for receiving him quickly stepped forward, approaching Xu Shichang with a respectful smile, and said:
"Lord Xu, you have finally arrived. All the officials are waiting for you on the ship."

Om-!
Chen Jie took a deep breath and spread his spiritual awareness, which was at the mid-stage of the 'Guarding the Aperture' level, around him.

There is no danger within a 500-meter radius!

He turned and ordered his personal guards and 'suicide squad' to wait for him on the shore and keep watch over the surroundings.

Xu Shichang didn't say much about Chen Jie's cautiousness.

Although Jinling is guarded by Guan Qilin, it is very difficult for the super ninjas of the Japanese Black Dragon Society to enter.

Once the Black Dragon Society's top-tier experts enter Jinling City, their aura will trigger Guan Qilin's vigilance.

However, ordinary ninja masters, once they conceal their whereabouts, have such weak auras that it is difficult to sense them from a distance.

Therefore,
It was essential that Chen Jie always had a personal guard and 'suicide squads' by his side.

After seeing Chen Jie arrange the personal guards and the "suicide squad," Xu Shichang smiled at him and said:
"Young Master Chen, let's go, let's get on the boat."

Upon hearing this, Chen Jie immediately nodded.

He looked up at the 'Green Bamboo Pavilion' pleasure boat, feeling a little strange.

Xu Shichang was a high-ranking official in the imperial court, serving as the Minister of War in the Great Qian Dynasty.

In the context of the 'urban world,' people would generally be very careful when entering such 'places of pleasure,' fearing being seen, and might even disguise themselves.

but,

Xu Shichang, however, was not worried at all about being seen and acted very openly.

It seems that the Great Qian Dynasty was not averse to these 'places of pleasure'.

Even the Minister of War of the Imperial Court could enter such a place openly and aboveboard.

in fact,

The Great Qian Dynasty did not restrict 'brothels'. It was perfectly normal for anyone, not just the Minister of War, but even the Emperor and princes, to visit these places, and no one would make a fuss about it.

These 'flower boats' were not only places for leisure and entertainment, but also elegant places for literati to socialize.

High-ranking officials, wealthy merchants, and celebrities would often come to these 'flower boats' to discuss various matters.

of course,

The real big shots come here for business discussions and exchanges, to cultivate an air of refinement, and rarely for seeking pleasure.

Upon entering the pleasure boat, several beautiful and charming women walked towards us.

They didn't have any air of vulgarity; instead, they gave off the feeling of being well-bred ladies.

They even wore light makeup and dressed conservatively.

Even by Chen Jie's standards, these women were considered top-notch.

at this time,

They stepped forward and came to Xu Shichang, saying softly, "My lord! Please follow us to the private room."

obviously,
Xu Shichang had already made arrangements before coming to Qingzhufang.

Therefore,
Everyone on the pleasure boat knew he was coming.

A moment later, the women led Xu Shichang, Chen Jie, and the others into the pleasure boat.

It wasn't until we reached the second floor of the pleasure boat that the surroundings became quiet.

The entire second floor of the pleasure boat was very quiet, with no one else around; it had been booked by Xu Shichang.

Led by a maid, we entered a large private room.

at this time,

There were already more than a dozen people sitting at the large table in the room.

However, several seats in the main seat were empty, clearly reserved for the main characters such as Xu Shichang and Chen Jie.

Chen Jie looked around but did not see Guan Qilin, the number one warrior of the Great Qian Dynasty.

Inside the room, everyone stood up and greeted Xu Shichang and Chen Jie as they entered.

Xu Shichang began to introduce Chen Jie.

Chen Jie did not put on airs, but greeted each of them one by one.

These people were all important officials of the imperial court in Nanjing, responsible for the management of government offices throughout Nanjing and southern Jiangsu.

If Ximentang were to take up residence in Jinling, these officials would be directly managed and arranged by Ximentang.

Zeng Xuanhuai was in charge of all government affairs in Shandong, and a complete promotion mechanism had been established.

Therefore,
After Jinling is incorporated into the territory of Ximentang, the local government offices here will be synchronized with the management mechanism of Ximentang.

That is,

These important officials of the court will have two choices at that time.

The first option is to return to the capital and be reassigned by the Ministry of Personnel.

The second option is to enter the management system of Ximentang, and after further training, take up a position that is managed and coordinated by Ximentang.

Chen Jie is now the Governor-General of Shandong, a powerful regional official with the authority to appoint and dismiss officials in the region.

Xu Shichang hosted a welcome banquet for Chen Jie, intending to allow these civil officials to get to know Chen Jie better.

Xi Mentang's great achievements were widely known throughout the entire Daqian Dynasty.

The local civil officials in Jinling Prefecture all had a very keen sense of smell.

Upon hearing that Chen Jie was attending the banquet, they all naturally came, and none of them were absent.

After Xu Shichang finished introducing everyone present, the food and drinks were ready.

Because of Chen Jie's special status, he naturally sat in the main seat, while Xu Shichang, the Minister of War, could only sit next to him.

After everyone was seated, the sound of a guzheng (a traditional Chinese zither) came from behind the curtain.

Next,
A group of women gracefully entered from the inner door on the second floor of the pleasure boat.

Holding instruments such as the pipa, guzheng, flute, and xiao, they came to the performance stage in the second-floor hall and began to play.

Fine wine paired with beautiful women, melodious music playing, the atmosphere became lively.

have to say,

In this kind of environment, it is indeed easy to relax.

These women were completely different from ordinary courtesans.

They were all courtesans, carefully selected and cultivated beauties from a young age.

After three rounds of drinking.

At first, everyone was a little reserved.

But everyone relaxed after seeing that Chen Jie wasn't putting on airs.

The deputy general of Jinling City was named He Guangbao, who was the chief adjutant of the right wing army under Guan Qilin.

at this time,

After toasting Chen Jie, He Guangbao asked:

"Governor, how many men did your Ximen Hall bring with you to Jinling this time?"

Chen Jie came to Jinling with two things on his mind.

The first thing to do was to assist Xu Shichang in suppressing the rebellion.

Another matter was the handover of troops with Guan Qilin to garrison Nanjing.

He Guangbao was more concerned about Ximentang and how many people had come.

Chen Jie smiled and said calmly:
"The army that Ximen Tang brought to Jinling this time was not large, only about 13,000 men."

"I brought a group of people first, and another 10,000 elite troops will arrive in a few days."

"There are also 5,000 supply troops, bringing the total strength to approximately 18,000."

Upon hearing this, He Guangbao frowned slightly and said:

"The rebel army in eastern Zhejiang has exceeded 300,000 men, and they are strong and well-equipped."

"Your Ximen Hall only has 18,000 men, of which only 13,000 are in the operations department. Do you think you can defeat the rebels?"

"Will we need the assistance of our Nanjing garrison at that time?"

He was the deputy general of the Nanjing garrison and a capable subordinate of Guan Qilin.

During this time, he had been paying close attention to the wars in various parts of the Great Qian Dynasty.

According to the order from the Ministry of War of the Great Qian Dynasty, Guan Qilin will move the army stationed in Jinling directly to the direction of Shanhaiguan in Hebei Province, the capital.

The entire southern and northern Jiangsu region will be guarded by Ximentang.

at this time,

He Guangbao was very surprised to hear that Ximentang had only mobilized 18,000 troops.

Chen Jie smiled, but hadn't had a chance to answer yet.

Xu Shichang, who was standing next to him, laughed and said:

"General He, you are overthinking it. There is no need to worry about Ximentang's fighting strength."

“Simon Hall has never relied on numbers to win.”

"They defeated the Western Allied Forces at the Dagu Fortress in Tianjin, and then at the Cangzhou Canal Wharf, Qingdao in Shandong, Ningbo in eastern Zhejiang, Songjiang Prefecture, and other places, they consistently defeated the enemy with the fewest troops!" "Some time ago, Ximentang easily defeated the rebel army of Prince Li Ben of Han with only 30,000 troops in the Hanzhong rebellion."

"The people we should be worried about as soon as Ximen Tang arrives in Jinling are the rebels!"

Chen Jie smiled and said calmly:

"Although the rebels obtained a large number of cannons and muskets, they were all a rabble who had not undergone systematic training and it was difficult for them to bring out the full power of the weapons."

"Although the rebels in eastern Zhejiang and southern Jiangsu claimed to number 300,000, less than 100,000 were actually capable of fighting."

"Although our Ximen Hall only sent 18,000 troops from Shandong, don't forget that we also have 100,000 troops stationed in Songjiang Prefecture."

He Guangbao nodded slightly upon hearing this.

"I see. I almost forgot. Songjiang Prefecture is only 600 li away from Jinling and even closer to eastern Zhejiang. Troops can be mobilized at any time."

At this time.

A military officer sitting next to He Guangbao asked:

"Your Excellency, how long does Ximen Tang plan to take to quell the rebellion in eastern Zhejiang and southern Jiangsu?"

Chen Jie said calmly:

"We'll see. We must recover eastern Zhejiang and southern Jiangsu within two months."

According to the shipyard's schedule, the first fleet of Ximentang is expected to be launched and set sail within two months.

One battleship, HMS Queen Elizabeth, eight cruisers, thirty-six gunboats, thirty-six stormships, and some transport ships, troop carriers, etc.

Either it won't go into the water, or once it does, it will be an invincible fleet worldwide!
These warships were all captured from Westerners and have undergone improvements in their cannons and propulsion systems.

Chen Jie spent a lot of effort modifying these warships.

Whether it's armor, torpedoes, or other equipment, they are several times more powerful than before.

Therefore,
According to Chen Jie's plan, the maritime blockade will be broken in two months.

He didn't have much time to spend on suppressing the rebellion.

For a while,
Everyone around was shocked.

Perhaps only Xu Shichang had complete confidence in Chen Jie.

He knew the history and background of Ximentang all too well.

in fact,

After Chen Jie quelled the rebellion of Prince Li Ben's army in Hanzhong, he had gained some understanding of the fighting capabilities of the rebel forces in various parts of Daqian.

Although the Kwantung Army provided weapons and ammunition to the rebels.

but,

To avoid backlash, the Japanese provided weapons but strictly limited the amount of ammunition they had.

Ximentang easily crushed the Kwantung Army. He didn't believe that the rebels within the Great Qian Dynasty could match the fighting strength of the Western Allied Forces and the Kwantung Army.

Even if the rebels occupy the city and launch a strong attack with Ximentang's cannons, he is confident that he can completely quell the rebellion in the Zhejiang East region within half a month.

His statement about two months was simply a humble way of putting it.

Xu Shichang quickly raised his glass and toasted Chen Jie, saying:
“Young Master Chen, I believe that your Ximen Hall will definitely be able to successfully recover eastern Zhejiang.”

Everyone else stood up and toasted Chen Jie.

Although everyone still had some doubts about Ximen Tang's fighting ability, they didn't say anything more at this time.

not to mention,
From now on, they will all have to rely on Ximentang for their livelihood and depend on him for their lives.

The fact that they were able to toast Chen Jie and pledge their loyalty at this time was all thanks to Xu Shichang.

Next,
After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, they stopped discussing official business.

Perhaps because they had a few drinks, the atmosphere became increasingly lively, and they started talking about romance and nature.

at this time,

A group of alluringly dressed songstresses entered through the beaded curtain door.

As the music changed, the songstresses began to dance gracefully.

The singers' dancing was very professional, and while they danced, everyone around the table began to toast and add to the festivities.

Clearly, the civil and military officials present were all regulars at Qingzhufang.

Because the singers and women playing musical instruments present were very familiar with them, and could even accurately call out their official titles.

Lord He, Lord Liu, Lord Ma, Lord Xu—and so on.

Chen Jie smiled calmly. Although he didn't look with his eyes, he could observe the emotional changes of everyone around him.

Xu Shichang and He Guangbao, who held high positions, behaved very calmly.

Although they did not object to the singers toasting them and setting the mood, they were very willing to give these singers face, and would pretend to take a sip of wine when toasting them.

but,

They would never do anything out of line, and their eyes were clear.

However, some lower-ranking military officers behaved much more roughly.

When the songstresses toasted them, they didn't hold back, taking the opportunity to joke with them and hug them without feeling awkward at all.

Civil officials had to be much more cautious. When conversing and toasting with these courtesans, they would only touch upon the topic briefly and never say an extra word.

These courtesans are all social butterflies, very good at reading people and situations.

They could sense the civil officials' anxiety, so they tried not to disturb them.

These songstresses were much more relaxed than the more uninhibited military generals.

have to say,

Since these songstresses arrived, the atmosphere on the second floor has become incredibly lively.

Perhaps because Xu Shichang and Chen Jie were present, everyone was very sensible and did not do anything out of line.

Even some seemingly uninhibited military generals dared not act too recklessly.

I don't know if it's because Chen Jie is the youngest, or because he's sitting in the main seat and is clearly the protagonist of the night.

Or perhaps it was a deliberate arrangement by Xu Shichang, with several of the youngest songstresses sitting next to Chen Jie, serving him food and drinks.

Perhaps this is what it means to enjoy life like an emperor!
This feeling of living a life of hedonism can easily become addictive for people with weak willpower.

Chen Jie had experience in brothels, and his martial arts willpower was as firm as a rock.

Therefore,
He didn't exude any aura of power, and chatted with these songstresses in a very easygoing manner.

He could vaguely sense a different aura around him.

This feeling... it seems familiar!
Xu Shichang sat next to Chen Jie and introduced a newly entered songstress with a smile:

"Young Master Chen, this is Ruan Qingzhu, the owner of Qingzhu Workshop!"

"She is one of the three most beautiful women along the Qinhuai River."

finished,

He smiled and introduced the woman in purple, "Master Ruan, this is Young Master Chen of Ximen Hall, who is also the Governor of Shandong. You should have a few drinks with him."

Chen Jie looked up at the owner of Qingzhu Workshop, a meaningful smile appearing on his face.

very beautiful!
She wore a purple dress, and her beauty was unparalleled, giving people an indescribable feeling.

After listening to Xu Shichang's introduction, she gracefully walked to Chen Jie, poured a glass of wine, and presented it to him with both hands, smiling sweetly:

"Young Master Chen, this humble woman offers you a cup of wine."

Chen Jie looked her up and down. She looked to be around twenty-five years old, with a curvaceous figure and fair, delicate skin.

The key is,
Her face was free of makeup, giving her a fatal attraction.

Her purple gauze dress was barely visible, as thin as a cicada's wing.

What's most incredible is her voice, like a nightingale singing in a valley, captivating listeners effortlessly.

"Interesting! Such powerful seductive skills; she has already reached the realm of being colorless and formless!"

Ever since Chen Jie razed Piaoxianglou in Tianjin, he had made a point of learning about the art of seduction.

This is a kind of evil practice that can influence a person's mind and consciousness.

However, Chen Jie's "Bible Spiritual Practice" has reached an extremely profound level.

No amount of seductive charm could sway his mind.

This woman named Ruan Qingzhu has cultivated her [seductive arts] to the point of being colorless and formless.

Compared to Lian'er, whom Chen Jie met at Piaoxiang Tower, Ruan Qingzhu's seductive skills were several levels higher.

the most important is,

Lian'er's appearance was originally very ordinary, even with buck teeth, and she was very ugly without using her seductive skills.

But Ruan Qingzhu was completely different.

Not only does she possess stunning beauty, but she is also a master of seductive arts!
If a woman like this were to enter the imperial harem in the capital, she would absolutely be a scourge to the country and its people.

The art of seduction is completely different from the spiritual awareness gained in the realm of spiritual refinement.

This is a form of spiritual cultivation, the same as the Buddhist [Esoteric Mind Transmission Technique] and [Bible Spiritual Cultivation Technique] that Chen Jie practices.

If one's spiritual cultivation level is not high and one's mental strength is not strong enough, one is easily corrupted by [seductive arts].

and,

Once you can't get rid of her seductive charms, it's easy to become completely infatuated with her.

Chen Jie took the wine glass from Ruan Qingzhu's hands, his eyes clear, and looked her up and down before he couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

If one had to describe Ruan Qingzhu in a single word, it would be four characters.

—Impeccable!
(End of this chapter)