"Lao Wen, let's sneak out of the palace again." Prince ZiShu said to Wen Ke Xing.
"Yes!" Over the last year, Wen Ke Xing had developed the habit of agreeing with everything the prince said.
They both changed their clothes to look like peasants.
"Where are we going?" Wen Ke Xing asked excitedly as they left the palace.
"To many places, but we'll start with the Fragrant Saloon. They hired a new dancer and everybody said she's a beauty. Let's check her out. Her name is Qian Qian."
Wen Ke Xing did not like that idea a bit. He forced a fake smile, but still went along with the suggestion "Yes..." he said with a hoarse voice.
They arrived at the saloon, and it was overly crowded. Men of all ages, young to old, gathered around. Music started and 7 girls came out dancing. The one at the center stage had a veil on her face, but her almond-shaped eyes were captivating, her steps seductive, her clothes silky thin, her body curves provocative. When she finished her dance, she removed her veil and revealed her face, and the crowd applauded. Everybody was fascinated. Although she looked like a middle-age woman, not a young lady anymore, her features were womanly and sensual. One could tell that she was a professional when it came to pleasuring men. Wen Ke Xing did not pay attention to Qian Qian at first, instead he kept watching prince ZiShu's reaction to see if he would be captivated by her beauty too. He caught the prince smiling at Qian Qian. So then he turned his attention to Qian Qian for a moment and he thought she looked familiar. He could swear that he had seen her before. Then he caught her smiling back sexily at the prince, and that was when something inside him just snapped.
"Ah Xu, let's go." Lao Wen grabbed his friend's forearm and dragged him away from the crowd and onto the streets.
"Where are we going?" Ah Xu asked as he was being pulled out of the saloon.
"I thought you said there are many places you want to go today, so let's go! Why waste time here!" Lao Wen's tone was not friendly at all.
"You seem upset. Why are you like that? What are you angry at?"
"I'm not!" Lao Wen raised his voice.
Prince ZiShu grinned. "Are you jealous?"
"Jealous? Of what?"
"Jealous that I find her attractive."
"... Fine, if she's that attractive, you can go back to the saloon. I'm returning to the palace on my own." Wen Ke Xing turned around and walked away. After a few steps, he stopped and turned back, he thought his friend would come with him, but he didn't. Ah Xu just stood back looking at him and smirking, arms crossed on his chest.
"... So are you coming with me or not?" Lao Wen asked, now frustrated.
Ah Xu started laughing. How could this man be so cute, even when he's angry? Fine, he will give in this time, he said to himself.
"Yes my dear, I'm going with you. How could I not? After all, you are prettier than her." Ah Xu said with a slow, affectionate, seductive voice which got Lao Wen to flush shyly.
And then it suddenly hit Wen Ke Xing. He remembered where he saw her before. It was when Uncle Bai first took him from the Qin territory into the Song border. At the border, there were a few other spies that were participating in the espionage meeting. Although her face was covered with a handkerchief back then, he remembered her eyes, those almond shaped-eyes. He had photographic memory, and he was positive that she looked exactly like Qian Qian with a veil on her face.
Perhaps she had malicious intentions. He had to find out. So he stopped and said to the prince "Let's go back to the saloon", this time heading the opposite direction.
