Hot flashes

With the rapid expansion of his territory and the formal establishment of the title "Prince of Jingbei," talents flocked to Xiao Jue's command like fish crossing a river.

Besides the military generals who came because of his reputation, there were many more scholars and strategists who sensed an opportunity to "follow the dragon," local powerful figures, and even officials who were frustrated in the south.

Xiao Jue accepted all comers, but he was extremely strict in his examinations, assigning them to various departments based on their abilities. For a time, carriages and horses streamed in and out of the newly built Jingbei Prince's Mansion in Linchuan City, and the mansion itself was teeming with talented individuals, making the daily meeting halls crowded.

Zhou Heng's identity was somewhat ambiguous in the eyes of these newcomers.

Despite his young age, he held an important position and had free access to the core area of ​​the Prince's Mansion, often staying by Xiao Jue's side.

Xiao Jue's attitude towards him was also quite different from his attitude towards ordinary staff and guests—although not openly intimate, the unspoken trust and obvious indulgence could be noticed with a little attention.

So some people started to have ideas. Since they couldn't directly curry favor with the prince, wouldn't it be a shortcut to get through to this obviously favored "Mr. Zhou"?

Initially, it was a tentative approach, under the guise of seeking advice and knowledge.

Zhou Heng was able to handle it at first, but as more people came, he found it annoying. He was not good at social maneuvering and disliked such flattery.

But one can't hit a smiling face, and since most of the people he was dealing with were newly recruited talents, he couldn't be too cold-faced and could only respond vaguely.

On this day, several young scholars who had recently joined the Prince's service and received sinecure positions found another excuse to invite Zhou Heng to a newly opened restaurant in the city called "Zui Xian Lou" to taste the new tea that was said to have been transported from Jiangnan.

Zhou Heng was feeling incredibly bored in the mansion—Xiao Jue had been busy preparing for the sacrificial ceremony and receiving surrender documents from various prefectures and counties in Jiangzuo, and was rarely seen. Zhou Heng was alone in the huge mansion, and apart from reading, he was just spacing out, which was indeed very boring.

After hesitating for a moment, thinking that it was just tea, he agreed.

"Zui Xian Lou" is built by the water, with an elegant environment and indeed excellent tea.

The scholars flattered him to the extreme, focusing on strange tales and local customs that Zhou Heng might be interested in, which broadened his horizons and eased his mood somewhat.

Over time, these people became the regular group that often invited Zhou Heng to go out for a "relaxation".

Today they would enjoy tea, tomorrow they would listen to music, and the day after they would admire paintings... They had tried almost every pastime of the literati in Linchuan City.

Although Zhou Heng remained vigilant, he couldn't resist the fact that this group really knew how to have fun. Their various tricks broadened his horizons, which was quite impressive for someone like him who knew little about ancient entertainment. In the past few days, he had become somewhat complacent and let his guard down.

That afternoon, the group returned, mysteriously claiming they had discovered a wonderful place and insisted on inviting Zhou Heng to go with them.

When Zhou Heng asked where it was, the group just laughed and said, "You'll know when you get there. It will definitely broaden your horizons, Brother Zhou."

After several twists and turns, we arrived at a beautifully decorated street, where the air was thick with the scent of cosmetics.

We stopped in front of a tall building with carved beams and painted rafters, bright lights, and constant music and laughter. The plaque above the building had three large, gilded characters: "Qunfang Pavilion".

Zhou Heng paused, alarm bells ringing in his mind. A brothel?! These people dared to bring him to a place like this!

"Brother Zhou, please!" The leading scholar in blue robes smiled and gestured for him to enter.

Zhou Heng's face flushed, and he waved his hands repeatedly, "This place... is not appropriate, not appropriate. Let's go somewhere else."

"What's wrong with it?" Another scholar in gray feigned surprise. "Qunfang Pavilion is the most elegant place in Linchuan. The girls there are all skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. They only accompany you for drinks and conversation. It is by no means a vulgar or filthy place. Brother Zhou, do you perhaps look down on such a 'vulgar' place?" His tone was already somewhat provocative.

"It's not that I look down on you, it's just..." Zhou Heng stammered, he couldn't very well say he was afraid Xiao Jue would find out, could he? He stammered, "Your Highness is strict in governing your army, if you knew we were here..."

"Hahaha!" Upon hearing this, the group burst into laughter. The scholar in blue lowered his voice and winked, saying, "Brother Zhou, you're overthinking it! His Highness is busy with countless affairs of state; how could he concern himself with such a trivial matter?"

Besides, soldiers are human too. They spend their days on the edge of a knife, so it's perfectly normal for them to find some fun and relaxation after the battle.

As long as it doesn't disturb the common people or interfere with official business, the prince has always turned a blind eye. We're just here to listen to some music and have a drink; it's harmless."

"Yes, Brother Zhou, what makes a grown man afraid to enter this building? Could it be..." The scholar in gray drawled, his eyes lingering on Zhou Heng's face with a hint of ambiguity and inquiry.

Zhou Heng felt embarrassed by their laughter, and fearing that they might suspect he was "impotent" or had some hidden illness, a sense of annoyance at being looked down upon welled up inside him.

Looking at the expressions of these people, if he insisted on not complying, who knows what rumors would spread tomorrow.

He gritted his teeth and made up his mind: "Fine, I'll go! Who's afraid! But it's a deal: just drinking and listening to music!"

"Of course! Don't worry, Brother Zhou!" The group laughed and agreed, then escorted Zhou Heng inside.

Upon entering, they were greeted by a warm, fragrant aroma and lively chatter. Seeing the group dressed in fine clothes, the madam greeted them with a beaming smile and led them to an elegantly furnished private room on the second floor.

Soon, several beautiful women dressed in light gauze dresses filed in, bringing with them a fragrant breeze, and each took their seats next to the guests.

Zhou Heng was stiff all over, with a delicate-looking girl next to him, the strong scent of perfume making him dizzy.

Seeing his discomfort, the girl became even more interested and offered to pour him wine, gently urging him to drink.

The others were already embracing each other, joking and laughing, a stark contrast to their "refined" demeanor outside.

After several rounds of drinks, the atmosphere became increasingly lively. The sounds of toasting, giggling, and playing music mingled together.

Zhou Heng was forced to drink several glasses of liquor. Although they weren't strong liquor, he felt his face burning and his head spinning. He just wanted to get through this quickly and find an excuse to leave.

Just then, the scholar in blue robes suddenly stood up with the woman beside him and smiled at Zhou Heng and the others, saying, "The spring night is too short, please excuse me for a moment."

With that, he and the woman embraced and left the room, heading upstairs.

Following suit, the others each left with their female companions. In the blink of an eye, only Zhou Heng and the woman beside him remained in the private room.

Zhou Heng was stunned and hadn't reacted yet when the woman giggled and pressed herself against him, her breath sweet as orchids: "Young master, they've all left, let's not waste this beautiful time..." As she spoke, her soft arms wrapped around him.

Zhou Heng felt a chill run down his spine and jerked back, almost falling off his chair. "No, no need! I... I'm a little drunk and want to rest!" he stammered, waving his hands frantically.

The woman covered her mouth and chuckled, "Young master is so shy. Shall I help you to your room to rest?" Without waiting for a reply, she half-supported and half-dragged Zhou Heng to his feet and led him upstairs.

Zhou Heng's mind was in complete chaos. He was afraid of revealing his weakness and arousing suspicion, but he also absolutely did not want anything to actually happen.

In a daze, she was led into a bedroom with an even stronger fragrance, and the woman turned around and locked the door.