Lin Jinlou had long grown weary. Lu Shaotang had been beating around the bush all evening—this man was ambitious and ruthless, no good sort. Over the years, Lin had suppressed him fiercely, yet now two-thirds of the military forces in the region were under Lu's control, and he had destroyed most of the foundations laid by the old Marquis before his death. But Lu Shaotang had also given him plenty of grief: even when Lin achieved military merits, that scoundrel would demand a share without contributing a single soldier, clearly desperate for gain. Last time, Lin had taught him a harsh lesson, removing two of his useful lackeys. They were already enemies who saw red at the sight of each other; who the hell had the patience to chat about romantic trivialities with him now?
Bored out of his mind, Lin Jinlou picked up a morsel of side dish with his chopsticks. In the dead of winter, a bite of green vegetables was rarer than meat. He half-squinted, chewing slowly, as he overheard the others engaging in idle chatter—which family had a good opera performer, who had taken a pretty concubine, whose household had obtained goods from overseas, who owned a fine horse. Lin yawned. If they were going to talk about such frivolities, he might as well go home and chat with his stunning little beauty—even if she was as pedantic as an old schoolmaster, blushing at the slightest risqué remark, her delicate little face flushing pink like it had been brushed with Rouge, a sight pleasing to the eye. Teasing her was fun, making him want to kiss her. But then he suddenly remembered that Xianglan had gone to the temple with Qin Shi and wouldn’t return until tomorrow. The night before she left, he had pinned her down on the bed and ravished her for what felt like ages, the bed nearly shaking apart. The memory of that pleasure still felt intoxicating.
Lost in thought, he heard a soft, gentle voice by his ear: "Has the Master had too much to drink? The kitchen has osmanthus sobering soup. Would Eldest Master like a bowl?"
Lin Jinlou turned his head and saw Yun Zhui blinking her dewy eyes at him. He waved a hand dismissively and stood up to relieve himself. Yun Zhui hurriedly followed to attend him. When they reached the adjacent side room, Lin walked behind a screen, and Yun Zhui immediately knelt on the floor, reaching to undo his robe, untie the sash at his waist, loosen his trousers, and hold out his member to help him urinate, her heart racing with embarrassment.
Once finished, she knelt to tidy his clothes, subtly rubbing and teasing a few times until the thick shaft grew half-hard. Lin Jinlou, a man well-versed in the arts of pleasure, understood perfectly. He chuckled lightly, lifted Yun Zhui’s chin, and said flirtatiously, "You little minx, trying to seduce me?"
Yun Zhui replied in a trembling, soft voice, "I only beg Eldest Master to take pity on this foolish heart of mine..."Lin Jinlou gazed at her soulful almond-shaped eyes and rosy little mouth, feeling somewhat stirred. Though Yun Zhui possessed fair features, she ultimately couldn't compare to Xianglan's beauty, nor did she possess Xianglan's ethereal grace and gentle charm. Taking her now was merely like sampling a light snack. Some days ago, Chu Dapeng and his companions had insisted on dragging him out for drinks to express gratitude for helping them invest their silver in the Salt Merchants Guild. During the banquet, they plied him with extra drinks and summoned the exceedingly charming courtesan Yun Zhui to play and sing. Drunk and muddled, he'd fallen asleep only to feel hands stroking him below, stirring desire. He'd indulged once, and upon waking the next day to find Yun Zhui beside him, realized those rascals had specially offered him a virgin to curry favor. It was but a fleeting affair - he returned home the very next day. However, since Yun Zhui had been with him once, Chu Dapeng and the others couldn't gauge this master's intentions, so they pooled silver to exclusively reserve her.
This Yun Zhui proved understanding and agreeable - docile, obedient, perceptive, and blessed with a clear, melodious voice. Lin Jinlou occasionally had her accompany him during social engagements, where she considerably enhanced the banquet's ambiance. Through repeated interactions, everyone came to know Yun Zhui as Lin Jinlou's new favorite at the Happy Red Pavilion.
Noting Lin Jinlou's silent gaze, Yun Zhui secretly clenched her teeth. Since he'd first taken her virginity, he had never stayed overnight. Occasionally, when particularly drunk, he'd only instruct others not to disturb him before collapsing into sleep, leaving before dawn and visiting less than twice a month. Even the madam said she was fortunate to have received such a client on her debut, as she'd likely never encounter such quality again. Seeing Lin Jinlou's handsome, imposing appearance and generous spending, she developed seventy to eighty percent affection for him. This time, she resolved to employ all her skills to keep him constantly entangled here. Thus emboldened, she extended her slender jade fingers into Lin Jinlou's garments.
Desire instantly ignited in Lin Jinlou. He lifted Yun Zhui up and pressed close to kiss her small mouth. This kiss brought the scent of her face powder - utterly unlike Xianglan's faint, elusive fragrance that brought such comfort. Removing her clothes and lifting her undergarment, he saw her pointed breasts splayed outward, with a long torso and short legs, which somewhat dampened his appetite. Recalling Xianglan's graceful figure - her round, pert breasts, slender waist, long legs, and pale, smooth skin everywhere - he immediately lost all interest in the woman in his arms. Releasing her, he said, "Return. There are still guests ahead," then straightened his clothes and left alone.
Yun Zhui, originally blushing in anticipation of intimacy, was stunned by these words. Watching Lin Jinlou depart, she secretly resented him but could only adjust her clothing and follow.
Lin Jinlou ordered tea and took a sip. Chu Dapeng, seated to his left, quietly leaned over and whispered with a laugh, "Brother, where did you go just now? I thought it'd take longer, never expected you'd be so fast... Tsk, I still have a jar of tiger penis wine at my residence, shall I send it over tomorrow?"
Lin Jinlou scolded, "Piss off! I went to relieve myself."
Chu Dapeng grinned slyly, "Still lying to me, brother? If you went to piss, where did the Rouge on your neck come from?"
Lin Jinlou reached up and indeed found a smear of red. Glancing at Yun Zhui, he told Chu Dapeng, "No need to keep her reserved anymore. She served me once after all - reward her generously on my behalf later."Chu Dapeng immediately understood, thinking to himself that this Cloudfall must have somehow displeased the master. He promptly straightened his posture and said with a laugh, "Brother, since you haven't been frequenting these pleasure quarters lately, you wouldn't know that Cloudfall was already famous before she started receiving clients. A salt merchant named Guo had long wanted to book her exclusively and even spoke of buying her out. If Cloudfall has the fortune to be redeemed, she might even become his concubine."
Before his words faded, a series of hurried footsteps echoed from the staircase, followed by the door being flung open with a bang. Lin Jinlou's personal soldier, Hu Lai, entered looking travel-worn and dust-stained. He clasped his hands in salute and reported, "General, I have urgent news to report."
Seeing his anxious expression, Lin Jinlou stood up and followed him outside. Hu Lai whispered a few words into Lin Jinlou's ear, causing Lin Jinlou's heart to leap violently. His expression changed drastically, and he grabbed Hu Lai by the collar, demanding sharply, "What! Did! You! Say!"
When Lin Jinlou was in a rage, it was like a sudden storm. Hu Lai wore a woeful expression, thinking to himself how unlucky he was to be assigned such a task. Mindful that others shouldn't overhear the news, he whispered, "General, every word I said is true. If I dared to lie, may I face military punishment!"
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