Langhua: The Codependence of a Prince and His General

Weapon

Everyone in the room, aside from the unconscious Xuanyuan Yao, turned to look at him. Hua Yuheng frowned.

"What's the matter, Qilang? You sound cross."

Shit, he let it slip. Xuanyuan Lang lowered his gaze. "Sorry. I just remembered how she... handled the... patient earlier."

"I was only doing my duty," Yan'er said in the same infuriatingly calm tone she always seemed to use. Next to her, Xuanyuan Lang suddenly felt like an emotional fool. It did not help things when she continued, "But if I offended you, young master, I apologize."

Her magnanimity only served to highlight his pettiness even further. Xuanyuan Lang closed his eyes for a moment to compose himself, speaking only when he was sure he could keep his voice level. "No, it was my fault for overreacting. You're right, you were just doing as you were told. The patient only has himself to blame for his behavior."

"Now, now, let's not jump to conclusions just yet," Lin Xiangyang interrupted cheerfully. "Miss Yan'er, gentlemen, shall we discuss this in the back? If you don't mind, Madam Yun."

"The fee for the private room is two coppers for every five minutes." Madam Yun did not look up from her work as she wrung out another towel.

"You're downright cutthroat!" Lin Xiangyang did not sound very upset, though. "Very well, we'll leave the patient in your capable hands. The rest of you, follow me."

Lin Xiangyang led them to a small room at the back of the house, sparsely furnished but decorated with enough furniture to pass for a guest meeting hall. Each of them took one of the mismatched chairs and found a spot sufficiently illuminated by the pale sunlight coming through the small solitary window. It looked like late afternoon outside.

"Now that we're all settled," Lin Xiangyang said, his smile suddenly losing some of its warmth in the dim back room, "Miss Yan'er, could you tell us more about the circumstances leading to our esteemed guest lying in Madam Yun's humble bed out there?"

Yan'er hesitated, stealing a glance at Xuanyuan Lang. "Madam Hong said..."

"Don't worry, you can trust everyone here. You have my word."

By everyone, Xuanyuan Lang knew Lin Xiangyang meant him in particular. The niggling displeasure he had been feeling all day deepened, but he stayed his tongue, waiting wordlessly for Yan'er to continue.

Hua Yuheng made him feel better and worse at the same time when he put a hand on Xuanyuan Lang's shoulder but addressed the girl. "Yan'er."

Finally, Yan'er relented. "The customer came in today calling himself Master Chen and asked to see Miss Lanying."

"Lanying?" The name was familiar to Xuanyuan Lang, but he could not immediately place it.

"She's Scarlet Pavillion's number one courtesan," Lin Xiangyang explained. "Rumor has it she bears an uncanny resemblance to the Emperor's beloved Noble Consort, whose beauty is unparalleled even in the imperial palace. Lanying is therefore fit for an emperor's tastes, some would say."

Xuanyuan Lang frowned. "That's... highly disrespectful. If word of this gets to the palace..."

"It already has, hasn't it?" Hua Yuheng gave him a meaningful look. "If I remember correctly, a certain Master Zhou has been frequenting Miss Lanying's chambers as well."

That was where he had heard the name! The other young men surrounding Xuanyuan Chen had mentioned it that day when they encountered him at the brothel. Xuanyuan Lang took a sharp intake of breath at the implication. "You mean—"

Xuanyuan Chen was—?!

Yan'er looked around at them, confused as to why everyone had suddenly gone silent. "Do you know Master Zhou? He came by to visit Miss Lanying a few times earlier this month, but then he stopped coming. Apparently, his friends are looking for him too."

Xuanyuan Lang and Hua Yuheng exchanged a look. Had they misunderstood Xuanyuan Chen's intentions?

"Actually... Now that you mention it, I think the customer outside mentioned Master Zhou today too. He asked... Yes, I think Madam Hong said he asked her whether Master Zhou was here. He said he wanted to see Miss Lanying thanks to Master Zhou's recommendation." Yan'er frowned. "Madam Hong said he was probably lying. She's seen a lot, so she's usually right about these things."

"I see," Lin Xiangyang said calmly. "And Miss Lanying was the one who drugged the customer's drink?"

Yan'er gave Xuanyuan Lang another uneasy look before nodding. "She said another customer paid her a lot to do it, and he assured her that it wouldn't hurt the customer... too much."

Just enough to ruin Xuanyuan Yao's reputation. Xuanyuan Lang bit his lip. "That's..."

"Perfectly within the ladies' rights to earn some extra allowance," Lin Xiangyang finished his sentence smoothly. "Thank you, Yan'er, and convey our thanks to Madam Hong and Miss Lanying too. Please assure them that we'll take things from here and we'll come visit them soon."

Yan'er looked between Lin Xiangyang and Hua Yuheng for a while before bobbing into a curtsey. Her form seemed to have improved, albeit not by much. "Very well. Until next time, Master Lin, Master Hua. We at Scarlet Pavilion will be waiting for you."

Before she left, she turned around one last time to ask Hua Yuheng, "Master Hua, are we still sparring as agreed this week?" This time, she sounded a little more uncertain, lacking the stoic confidence she had whenever she discussed her job.

For some reason, Hua Yuheng avoided Xuanyuan Lang's eyes as he replied. "Sure. Same time, same place."

Visibly brightened, Yan'er finally left the room.

"Shouldn't you be studying?" Lin Xiangyang said, amused, while Xuanyuan Lang immediately blurted, "When did you two get so close?"

"Your Highness, why, do I sense a hint of—"

"Shut up, Peacock," Hua Yuheng said reflexively as he turned to Xuanyuan Lang. "Qilang, I'm sorry. I know you're mad. We shouldn't have kept it from you for so long."

Xuanyuan Lang's heart sank further with every sentence.

"The truth is—

"Scarlet Pavilion is on our side."

Xuanyuan Lang blinked. "Huh?"

Hua Yuheng made a face. "I know you're surprised. I only found out a while ago, but he—" He jabbed his thumb behind him at Lin Xiangyang. "He's known for a long time."

Lin Xiangyang shrugged. "What can I say? I have a few years on you, and Master didn't think you were ready for the dirty affairs of adults yet."

"Master? What does Lord Lin have to do with this?" Xuanyuan Lang was bewildered. "Start from the beginning. What do you mean, Scarlet Pavilion is on our side? Whose side? Didn't Lord Lin say that the Prime Minister would never sully his hands this way?"

"That's the thing. Prime Minister Wang isn't part of this. It's just Master, the two of us... and you, Your Highness."

Lin Xiangyang declared cheerily, "Scarlet Pavilion is one of the weapons we prepared for you."