285 - Destroyer of Ice and Fire

The wound couldn't get wet, and using her left hand would cause the wound to reopen. Hence, she had to endure the pain and use her right hand, combined with her teeth, to wring out the towel and clean herself. In the evening, Lu Jin personally came to escort Ning Songwu, saying that he had arranged a banquet outside to welcome her and wash away the dust of her journey. As she couldn't decline Lu Jin's good intentions and still needed his help to find Ran Fanyin, she had no choice but to grit her teeth and go along with him. ＊ At the entrance of Shihua Tower, a few flamboyant women stood gesturing and posing, while a few others downstairs occasionally called out to the passing men. Is this a brothel? Ning Songwu stood at the doorway, utterly immobile as if something had rooted her to the spot. Lu Jin and his entourage entered first, only to realize the focus of the evening wasn't with them: "Hey, where's Master Ning?" "Master Ning, come on in," Lu Jin jogged back out to invite Ning Songwu in with him. "Master Lu, I suddenly feel a bit unwell. You go ahead, and I'll catch up slowly," Ning Songwu tried to decline, unwilling to enter such a place. "Master Ning, no need to worry. Once you're inside, you'll see. They have just the thing to cure all ailments," Lu Jin, seeing Ning Songwu's distressed expression, assumed it was nervousness from his first visit. Ignoring her polite refusal, Lu Jin called over the women waiting by the door: "You lot, hurry and bring this young lord inside. Serve Master Ning well, and there will be rewards for you." "Oh my, Sir Lu is here! And he brought a handsome young man. This must be Master Ning," a few women, hearing this, hurried over gaily and swarmed in front of Ning Songwu. Among the group, excluding Lu Jin and Ning Songwu, were obese individuals whom the women seemed to overlook, focusing solely on Ning Songwu. They clung to her, fanning themselves and waggling handkerchiefs flirtatiously as they escorted her inside. "No, no, please, don't push me. Ladies, please have some decency!" Ning Songwu found herself surrounded, overwhelmed by the strong scent of powder and perfume, making her feel extremely uncomfortable. Clutching her chest, she tried to break free but failed. This was her first experience being encircled by women, and it wasn't a pleasant one. "Be careful, everyone. Master Ning has a wound on his left arm; don't let it get bumped," Lu Jin reminded with a chuckle as he followed behind. At this time, Ran Fanyin arrived at the entrance of Shihua Tower with her attendant Xiao Liu and a few burly men behind them. Presumably, Yunniang had sent people to prevent Ran Fanyin from escaping midway. A man in a gray coat, with a rugged face mismatched with his frail body, turned to his young attendant and asked, "Is this the top brothel in Pingyang County?" "For now, it is, Miss Yu," the attendant replied. Upon closer inspection, the "man" was actually Ran Fanyin in disguise. Her face was darkened with some substance, her eyebrows drawn thickly, surrounded by patches of beard, and a mole drawn just to the right of her philtrum. In contrast, Xiao Liu appeared much more delicate and refined. "The business here is indeed better than Fengming Courtyard. Look, people are arriving in throngs. But your place, not even an ant at the door," Ran Fanyin commented, gesturing towards Lu Jin's group. "Miss Yu, that's a bit harsh. We still have a few loyal patrons," Xiao Liu explained. Ran Fanyin clasped her left hand behind her waist and touched her fake beard with her right, asking, "Shall we go inside? Have you brought the money?" "Yes, but not much. The boss said we’re here to gather intel, not for pleasure. Spend as little as possible," Xiao Liu opened her purse and showed it to Ran Fanyin. "Yunniang is too stingy. With this little money, what kind of fun can we have?" Ran Fanyin grabbed the purse and marched forward. Due to her hideous disguise, no one took an interest in her. The saying goes 'a guest is a visitor,' but in her case, there wasn't even one girl willing to talk to her. On the contrary, as soon as Xiao Liu entered, two women warmly greeted him: "This way, sir." One of the women even gave Ran Fanyin a disdainful glance and deliberately avoided her. Is my appeal that bad? Ran Fanyin wondered to herself. "He's right," Ning Songwu adjusted her clothes and stepped off the carriage, looking worriedly at the mulberry grove that was mostly flooded. "Miss, it seems you're overwhelmed. Let these officers stay and help you pick mulberry leaves. Don’t hesitate to use them." Qin Luofu's face flashed with a moment of panic but quickly regained its composure. She politely responded, "My good sir, you and the officers are busy dealing with the flood disaster. There's no need to bother with such a small matter." "It's already getting dark, and it might rain again soon. Finish picking the mulberry leaves and go back quickly. The weather's not safe," Ning Songwu advised, unable to bear seeing a woman working alone. If it suddenly poured and caused another flood, it would be perilous. Cha Le patted his chest and agreed, "Yes, serving the people is our duty. We are very happy to help solve problems for the common folk." "Thank you, good sir. My home is at the foot of Hongya Mountain. If you all don't mind, you can come over for a short rest and a cup of rough tea after picking the mulberry leaves," Qin Luofu finally conceded. "Everyone, why are you standing around? Start picking the mulberry leaves," Cha Le shouted. "You also hurry up," Ning Songwu urged Cha Le, seeing him standing still. "My good sir, I need to drive the carriage," Cha Le tried to find an excuse to avoid the hard labor. Ning Songwu saw through him and said, "I know what you're thinking. Fine, I won't force you." "My good sir, wait a moment," Qin Luofu said as she walked towards the shade of a tree. She returned quickly with a bag of wild fruits and handed it to Ning Songwu, saying, "Just picked these. Please don't mind them." Ning Songwu cupped her hands and bid farewell to Qin Luofu, "Thank you for the gift, miss, but I have official business to attend to. I must take my leave." She called out to the officers in the mulberry field, "Everyone, work hard! There will be good food and wine at the headquarters tonight." Tonight, I'll drink until I'm utterly drunk, she thought. Nothing but bad-tasting wine could help ease her worries now. Ever since Ning Jingyang had scolded her severely, Ning Songwu had been visiting the governor's mansion more frequently, though always very late.