Under the cherry tree

Chapter 7: Prince's jewels (2)

The inside of the brothel was far more extravagant than they first expected. On the walls hung several fine paintings both Chinese and foreign, each of them depicting wild flowers, noblemen chatting over a cup of tea, dragons, castles, and the moon reflecting on a lake. The tapestry wasn't falling behind either, its colors vibrant yet fitting the lavish atmosphere. Jo Gul made a show of looking unimpressed by the intricate polished furniture and the expensive ceramic tableware that adorned each table. The 'guards', on the other hand, were almost gaping at the sight before them. To be more accurate, they were awed by the sheer value of the decorations. Years of having no more than plain rice to eat and only one set of uniforms for each disciple had made them acutely aware of the huge discrepancy between their previous lifestyle and the one they currently experienced. But this level of extravagance struck a nerve almost too hard. Poverty ain't no joke.

Women in all manner of dresses were chatting with patrons, pouring drinks, smiling seductively at the younger men. Baek Cheon couldn't tell if their cheerfulness was feigned or genuine, but he imagined it proved to be effective in enticing the clients to pay for their services. The strong smell of flowery perfume filled the air, making him slightly dizzy. A chubby grey cat lay on the lap of a girl, its fur almost golden in the firelight. She was feeding him snacks while rubbing its head gently. Such a spoiled feline.

No one seemed to spare the group more than a glance.

As they neared the desk that lay before a huge stone tiger statue, the group was greeted by a middle-aged man clad in a green robe. A bright sapphire tied with silver adorned the base of his neck. He had a spiked black beard and carefully combed short hair, paired with sky-colored eyes. The Viper didn't acknowledge him immediately.

The man bowed, acting submissive, though Baek Cheon could've sworn he glared at them under his thick eyebrows. "Welcome to Prince's jewels. We were expecting you." He straightened and waved his hand toward a beautiful woman who was standing to his left. She smiled at Jo Gul, white teeth framed by full red lips. Judging from the unusual transparent veil covering the lower half of her face and her overall light-brown complexion, Baek Cheon assumed she was a foreigner. Her eyes were as round and as innocent as a doe's, in contrast to the rather revealing choice of wardrobe: the cream-colored silks she was dressed in left little to the imagination. Being respectful by nature, the second-class disciple averted his gaze. "This is one of our most favored jewels, Shamairah. She will guide you to the meeting room. You may request refreshments from the servants on standby outside." The man bowed once again before he gestured towards the staircase.

Shamairah led them upstairs to the third floor. The group hurried after her, embarrassment heating their cheeks every time they caught glimpse of people doing what they usually do in such a place, or when a concerning noise was heard from behind one of the closed doors. The disciples' faces were made of stone, trying not to reveal any sign of innocence by playing it cool. They weren't sure if it was working.

Finally they arrived in front of a double door guarded by a dozen men two times larger than they would've expected, carrying swords with bronze handles in the form of claws and clad in brown leather tunics. Their expressions were stern, posture indicating they were ready to pounce at any given moment if necessary. Baek Cheon marveled at the confidence they exuded.

Good thing we are stronger than before, and it's all thanks to Cheongmyeong. Come to think of it, he managed to stay silent for so long without voicing any kind of discomfort. I guess he finally matured a little, since Cheongmyeong has very little patience—Wait a second. I don't remember seeing him when we entered the building.

Oh, please don't tell me...

The second-class disciple dared to take a look behind him and Yunjong, who were walking side by side. Anxiety hit him in record time when he couldn't spot the troublemaker.

Where did that bastard go?!, Baek Cheon thought. His brow started sweating nervously, but he had no more than a blink to regain his composure when the doors opened.

The woman entered, inviting them inside the VIP room. Compared to the hall before it, the chamber had walls with literal gemstones the size of ox eyes hammered on them. Not to say there was a tiger fur carpet in the middle of it all. Lou had been right about the merchant. No one can amass such fortune through honest means in such a short time.

Though even more lavish than the walls and floor was the fat old man that lounging on the sofa who was staring straight at them. His eyes were the embodiment of greed and gluttony as he beckoned his guests to take a sit.

"Welcome, welcome! Glad to finally make your acquaintance, my dear Viper. By that, I mean it's such a pleasure to meet you in person, ha ha! It's as if fate brought us together on such a fine evening!" He signaled for Shamairah to pour them liquor. Baek Cheon almost scoffed. Sure, if fate had a name, it would be Lou.

Jo Gul wasted no second to respond. "Good evening, Prince. It is indeed as if the gods intended for us to come together and chat. I take it you've read my letter? Surely you must know what I seek." A business smile enlightened the boy's face.

"Oh, but of course! Though I must admit, your visit took me by surprise. I wasn't expecting you to request a meeting without planning it in advance. Even so, it's all in the past now!" Gao Shan rubbed his beard. "To be honest, I'm pleased that you did. I was going to ask you for a favor. I suppose it's better that I do it in person."

Now this caught Jo Gul by surprise. "Yes?!"

"Yes, yes! You see, recently my most treasured heirloom has been stolen. It concerns me gravely because I have no clue who it could have been! The filthy thief was disguised in black robes, and their face was covered." It kinda sounds like Cheongmyeong. Did he go for it after all? "I suspect the two groups of martial artists that wanted to have an audience with me in the past few days had something to do with it."

Jo Gul was mildly surprised. They didn't know there were more people after the artifact. "God forbid! Martial artists? Who?"

"Hmm... where did they say they were from again? I didn't meet them in person..."
The Viper leaned in slightly, eager to hear his response.

"Ah-ha! Mount Wudang Sect and the Hua Sect!" The merchant exclaimed.

"You mean the Mount Hua Sect and the Wudang Sect from Shaanxi?"

"Yes, something along the lines of that."

"And you think they stole your heirloom?"

"I suspect so, yes. Would you lend me a hand in catching the rats?"

Jo Gul put a hand to his chin, thinking. Why would the Wudang get involved? Are they still mad at us and want to screw up our mission? But we didn't do anything to them as of late. Unless that demon went on nightly errands again... The Viper nodded. "I'll see what I can do. You're my friend, after all."

Gao Shan sipped from his cup. "Ho, ho! Thank you! Now, now, let us discuss your business. You said you'd like more of our specialty?"

"Yes, that is right. I have to admit, the quality is incredible. It really makes me wonder how you manage to do it so perfectly..."

"Are you curious? You did sponsor me for this project. I can't let you down, you know?" Something like a spark glinted in the merchant's eyes. He leaned in closer, whispering. "Instead of giving you a small dose now like usual, how about you come and visit our factory? It's a marvel to behold, I guarantee it." He turned mischievous all of a sudden, though he looked like a kid trying to curry favor with his favorite teacher.

Once again, Jo Gul pretended to consider his offer closely before he accepted the invitation. "I have no doubt you worked hard." The scarred boy smiled.

"So glad we are on the same page, really! Come at my house the day after tomorrow before sunrise. We'll take a carriage there. This is like a field trip, ha ha!"

Jo Gul laughed alongside Gao, but disgust pooled in his stomach at the thought. This guy speaks about drugs as if they're candies.