My Gentle and Pure Sect Leader Husband-Chapter 21 - Day of Wearing a Disguise

At the third quarter of the hour of You, the sky had already darkened. (TL: around 6-7 PM)

Yan Hongyin had been locked outside the courtyard gate by Yu Luocha for an entire day. The head of the household had to circle around outside twice before waiting for the husband to finish dressing properly and open the door.

Today she wore a light cyan-colored brocade robe with butterfly and flower patterns, covered with a layer of Su embroidered cloud brocade cloak. Her hair was arranged by the nanny herself, adorned with an elegant yet dignified green magnolia flower on the side, along with two plain jade hairpins.

She usually didn’t dress herself up much, but done up like this, even the two little maids Lianqiao and Zisu blushed when they saw her glance and raise her eyes.

But when she saw Ah Yu coming out after opening the door, the light in her eyes showed even more amazement than when she saw herself in the bronze mirror.

What the nanny had prepared for Ah Yu wasn’t the refined and elegant wide-sleeved robes that Yan Hongyin had imagined, but rather a black narrow-sleeved long robe with delicately embroidered crane patterns at the cuffs, a black belt inlaid with white jade at the waist, and a flying fish waist pendant hanging down to hold the folds of the robe while walking, with a dark green cloak as the outer layer. His features were as if carved from pine and cypress, his temperament distinguished, extraordinarily handsome.

“Ah Yu looks very handsome today, surely he’ll be the most attractive husband among the lantern festival crowd.” Yan Hongyin stood in the courtyard, watching Yu Luocha walk towards her, tilted her head with a smile, and took out a folding fan from her sleeve to hand to Yu Luocha, “Take this.”

She had agreed with Ah Yu that today they would first go together to collect the medical fees, and then visit Lin’an Prefecture’s annual Dragon’s Birthday Lantern Festival.

Yu Luocha was helpless – what was the point of carrying a folding fan in late autumn weather?

But he still followed Yan Hongyin’s wishes and took the fan, attaching it to his waist.

Yan Hongyin said with a smile. “With such a husband by my side, what mistress would dare to compete with Ah Yu for attention?”

Yu Luocha raised an eyebrow and said quietly, “Aren’t wild flowers always more fragrant than home flowers?”

Yan Hongyin internally winced, feeling that this matter still hadn’t blown over with Ah Yu. Then she saw Yu Luocha speak with quite some interest. “Today will be my first time going out to meet the Merchant Guild colleagues that Ah Yin usually associates with. I wonder what kind of talented young people they are? Are they all very handsome too?”

Yan Hongyin suddenly remembered where they were going today, and her mouth twitched.

Just then, Yu Luocha seemed to sense something and asked, “Where are we going first?”

Yan Hongyin raised her hand to curl the hair hanging in front of her, and said dryly, “…Xunfang Pavilion.”

Yu Luocha’s expression immediately became very meaningful.

****

Lin’an Prefecture had many famous places, and Xunfang Pavilion was one of them.

Although Xunfang Pavilion didn’t have the rarest fine wine or the most beautiful courtesans in the world, it did have the world’s most understanding courtesans who would softly invite guests to drink.

Yes, that’s right.

The first time Yan Hongyin took Yu Luocha out to “discuss business,” it was to visit a brothel.

Getting down from the carriage, Yan Hongyin saw Yu Luocha looking up at the Xunfang Pavilion’s sign without speaking, and immediately explained in a low voice. “I can’t do much here anyway, it’s not like it’s the Nanfeng Pavilion, and besides, I don’t usually come out… Today there’s a patient who owes medical fees and insists on making the transaction here.”

Yu Luocha wasn’t actually thinking about that.

He just suddenly had a very strange thought.

Why was it always such a coincidence?

Whatever he wanted to do, Yan Hongyin would give him exactly that?

The note that Chu Liuxiang sent to the tavern had specified Han Mei’s location for trading the portraits – that reckless fool – and it happened to be exactly this Xunfang Pavilion, even the hour of Xu was timed perfectly by Yan Hongyin. (TL: 7-9 PM)

But Yu Luocha didn’t say much about it, instead picking up on the tail end of Yan Hongyin’s words. “So Ah Yin has been to Nanfeng Pavilion before?”

Nanfeng Pavilion, as the name suggests, was a brothel that trained male prostitutes, with entertainers catering to both men and women. Whether in the capital or Jiangnan, it was like a flower of darkness blooming in the red-light districts, just like the regular brothels.

For the sake of completing missions, where hadn’t Yan Hongyin been?

But at that time, she had no idea she would end up married to someone like this!

“Cough, let’s go in.” Yan Hongyin immediately changed the subject, grabbed Yu Luocha’s hand, and stepped into Xunfang Pavilion.

The interior of Xunfang Pavilion was just like any ordinary brothel, with many guests sitting in the main hall accompanied by smiling courtesans, while string and bamboo instruments played on stage with songs and dances, quite luxurious and decadent.

“Oh my!” A plump woman came to greet the two, subtly blocking their way as they tried to go upstairs to the second floor. She smiled fawningly and warmly, “You two look quite unfamiliar! Are you here for a quick visit or looking for someone specific?”

When facing outsiders, Yan Hongyin returned to the cold and dignified manner that Yu Luocha had first seen in her, saying coolly, “What? Is this not an open establishment doing business? Are others not allowed to come?”

“How could you say that! Of course not!” The woman’s smile didn’t change at all hearing these words, “But you know what kind of place this is, we get many people coming to look for their husbands or lovers on weekdays. I take money to do business, but I can’t go disturbing the customers’ pleasures. Why don’t you let me find you a quiet place to wait and see, how about that?”

Hearing this, Yu Luocha stepped forward, placed his hand on Yan Hongyin’s shoulder, wrapped his cloak around her back, and glanced at the speaking woman.

Those in the brothel business were the most skilled at reading people. The woman immediately lightly slapped her own mouth, apologizing, “Look at me, making such a mistake! You two are such a loving couple, talented and beautiful, truly a match made in heaven. How could you be the type to come looking for lovers here!”

But she still didn’t move aside to let them go upstairs.

Yan Hongyin was actually satisfied internally, and took out an invitation from her sleeve to hand to the woman.

The woman took it and looked – the invitation itself wasn’t special, but the pattern on the edge of the paper was the symbol of the Jinyiwei’s Lin’an Prefecture stronghold.

“So you’re Master Ji’s guests, let me show you the way, please come upstairs~” The woman changed her attitude very naturally, showing no trace of her previous manner.

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Yu Luocha followed behind Yan Hongyin up the stairs, but as he turned, his gaze swept across all the spots suitable for assassination and ambush that he could see within the Xunfang Pavilion.

His gaze swept past quickly, a smile appearing at the corners of his lips.

This Xunfang Pavilion should have been Luocha Sect’s stronghold, but now it seems…

Interesting.

Indeed, when these hidden agents and spies extend too far and for too long, they become somewhat disobedient.

Yu Luocha sighed slightly in his heart.

It was time for some pruning, to prevent corruption of the other roots.

.....

The Jinyiwei hiding in the secret chamber on the third floor’s eyes flickered, feeling that the man who had just gone upstairs seemed to have discovered him.

But how was that possible?

He hadn’t made any sound except breathing, had no killing intent, no malice, how could he have been discovered?

This person must be extraordinary!

He originally wanted to turn around and have his partner report to their superiors, but when he saw the folding fan exposed at the waist of the man with slightly curled hair as he turned around, he stopped his movement.

Wasn’t that fan the symbol of the Jinyiwei?

…One of their own?