Chapter 70 – Your Face Carries Quite the Weight

Feng Sinan narrowed his eyes the moment he saw the monk at the front of the group.

The leading monk was in his early twenties, dressed in a pristine white robe with a purple kasaya draped over his shoulders. His features were delicate, and between his brows ran a thin purple line. With a gentle smile in his eyes and one hand held in front of his chest, he looked both noble and sacred under the sunlight. The common folk around him immediately clasped their hands together in reverence.

The monks behind him were also young men in their early twenties, all wearing white robes. Each of them was handsome and carried an air of spiritual grace.

【Wow, wow, wow! Are they really monks? They’re way too good-looking! It’s like they’re about to steal customers from Xiaoqing Tower!】

As the monks walked toward the guest boats, Feng Sinan’s gaze followed their movements.

The Commander asked, “National Preceptor, do you know them?”

Feng Sinan remained silent.

【Do you even need to ask? Just one look tells you they’re old acquaintances.】

【But there’s no joy on the National Preceptor’s face, so they must be people he doesn’t want to see.】

【Let me see who this monk actually is…】

【Whoa, turns out he’s the newly appointed abbot of Jingtuo Temple, and he’s also…】

Feng Sinan cut off her inner thoughts. “Guard Mu, I’d like some tea.”

A maid stepped forward to pour him a cup.

【Someone’s already pouring tea for him, so why call me over? Don’t tell me… he wants me to feed him…】

Everyone: “……”

Feed him what? Finish your sentence already!

Stopping halfway like that was seriously nerve-wracking.

At this moment, the monks reached the Emperor’s boat but were stopped by the guards.

The leading monk spoke calmly in a voice loud enough for the people on the third deck to hear:

“This humble monk, Jiayin, is the abbot of Jingtuo Temple. I have brought my fellow monks to pay our respects to the honored guest.”

The Emperor raised an eyebrow in surprise but did not stand to meet him. “Do you know who I am?”

“This morning, I cast a divination and learned that a noble person would be here today. So I came to pay my respects, and also to see an old friend, the National Preceptor.”

【The National Preceptor probably knew he’d run into an old acquaintance at the Courtesan Banquet, which is why he agreed to attend.】

When Mu Nanjin delivered the invitation, she hadn’t expected Feng Sinan to actually come, but he did.

“Oh? You and the National Preceptor are old friends?”

“Yes.” Jiayin smiled faintly. “Not only old friends, we are also fellow disciples.”

“Fellow disciples?”

Everyone was shocked.

Feng Sinan, however, looked calm.

The Emperor, who had once survived an assassination attempt by monks, still didn’t fully trust them. He made no move to invite them aboard. “The National Preceptor’s boat is right next to mine. You can go there to catch up.”

“Yes.”

Jiayin led the monks to the neighboring boat and called out, “Senior Brother, would you care to meet?”

【Of course you should meet him! He’s so handsome, how could you bear not to?】

Feng Sinan said nothing.

【National Preceptor, say something already. Even if your relationship isn’t good, you can still talk things out face-to-face. If you refuse to meet him, people will think you’re afraid of him.】

【Tsk, what problem between fellow disciples can’t be solved? If there is one, just fight it out. If one fight isn’t enough, fight twice. After all, fellow disciples fight at the head of the bed and make up at the foot of the bed. Beat him until he admits defeat!】

Everyone: “……”

That saying is not meant for fellow disciples.

Feng Sinan finally spoke. “Come up.”

Jiayin left the other monks below and boarded the boat alone.

When Mu Nanjin saw him step aboard, her eyes lit up slightly.

【Wow, from far away his bald head is shining, and up close, it’s practically glowing! This head is way too eye-catching.】

【I’ve decided. I’m shaving all the male courtesans in Xiaoqing Tower bald to greet customers.】

Everyone: “……”

Please don’t disrespect the Buddha like that.

“Senior Brother.” Jiayin lowered his head slightly in greeting.

Feng Sinan nodded. “Sit.”

Mu Nanjin quickly pulled over a chair and placed it behind Jiayin.

“Thank you.” Jiayin smiled at her gently.

【Oh my, when he smiles like that, my poor heart can’t take it. I really want to kidnap him and send him to Xiaoqing Tower to entertain guests.】

Everyone: “……”

They would never understand her way of thinking.

“Senior Brother,” Jiayin said after sitting down. “Master and Senior Sister miss you very much. They hope you’ll return soon so the family can reunite.”

Feng Sinan frowned slightly. “Wait a little longer.”

“Senior Brother, you’re not reluctant to leave this place, and the people here, are you? That won’t do. Master will be angry, and you know how serious it gets when Master is angry.”

Feng Sinan: “……”

“Senior Brother…”

Jiayin was about to continue, but a cup of tea was suddenly handed to him.

He looked up at Mu Nanjin, accepted the cup, took a sip, and set it down. “Senior Brother…”

Then a plate of pastries appeared in front of him.

“Thank you.” Jiayin gently pushed the pastries away to show he didn’t want them. Immediately, another cup of tea was placed before him.

He frowned at Mu Nanjin. Did this little girl not know that he did not want it?

Little did he know…

【Hehe, he finally looked straight at me. Totally worth all my effort serving him.】

Jiayin asked Feng Sinan, “Senior Brother, is this young lady your maid?”

【Bro, the heavens gave you good looks, but did they forget to give you a brain and eyes?】

【Which part of me looks like a maid? I’m clearly beautiful and noble!】

Feng Sinan glanced at Mu Nanjin. “Ask her yourself.”

Jiayin turned to her again. “Young Lady, you are…?”

Mu Nanjin replied calmly, “I belong to the National Preceptor.”

【Hehe, that can mean I’m his guard, or his wife, or anything else. I’ll just let you guess.】

【Let’s see if you still dare call me a maid now. I’ll make you overthink it.】

Everyone: “……”

The ancients were right, better to offend a villain than a woman.

Anger flashed in Jiayin’s eyes. He had clearly misunderstood.

“Senior Brother, do you know that Senior Sister…”

“Come with me.”

Feng Sinan interrupted him and stood up, leaving the boat.

Jiayin shot Mu Nanjin a glare and followed him.

【Commander, look at him! He dared to glare at your person. Hurry up and deal with him!】

The Commander snorted.

Just a moment ago she said she belonged to the National Preceptor, and now she belonged to him? That depended on whether he acknowledged it.

Mu Nanjin walked to the railing and watched Feng Sinan and Jiayin head into the distance.

【No matter how far you go, I can still hear what you’re talking about. So what’s the point of going that far?】

Everyone: “……”

If you can hear it, then tell us already. We want to know too.

【That little junior brother doesn’t have good intentions.】

Everyone perked up.

Then what exactly are his bad intentions?

【Hehe, Superintendent Ji, the Vice Commander, Old Kan, and Old Deng are here.】

Everyone: “……”

That topic changed way too fast.

The Emperor glared angrily at Kan Chaoyan and Deng Xingchao. They could have come early or late, but of course they showed up at the critical moment.

Unaware of what had just happened, Kan Chaoyan smiled and waved at Mu Nanjin from the boat.

Once closer, he asked, “Little Mu, you’ve got quite the pull, even the Commander came because of you.”

Mu Nanjin tilted her head slightly and glanced at the silent Commander.

The Vice Commander discreetly poked Kan Chaoyan in the back.

Getting the hint, Kan Chaoyan asked again, “Little Mu, tell us, how did you invite the Commander?”

The Commander said coldly, “Kan Chaoyan, are you very free?”

“Not free, not free. We’re not free at all.”

Kan Chaoyan and the others hurriedly slipped away.

But Mu Nanjin’s inner thoughts couldn’t be stopped.

【I just sent him an invitation like everyone else. What else could I have done?】

【Oh, right. I also added one extra line.】

What line?

Everyone perked up again.

The Commander’s face darkened as he interrupted her thoughts. “Mu Nanjin, you may go.”

“Oh.”

After she went downstairs, her inner voice continued.

【The Commander is cold on the outside but warm on the inside. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have come just because of one sentence from me.】

【I told him that if he came to the Courtesan Banquet, I’d clean his document room for a month. If he didn’t, I’d still wash his underpants for seven days. He actually came, hehe.】

Everyone: “……”

No wonder the Commander showed up. Anyone would choose the first option.

【Hehe, since the Commander gave me so much face, I might as well wash his underpants too.】

Commander: “……”

“Pfft.”

Those who had seen the Commander’s underpants couldn’t help but laugh.

After Mu Nanjin got off the boat, the madam who had earlier greeted Kan Chaoyan approached her with a beaming smile.

“Miss, this year Xiaoqing Tower, Spring Breeze Pavilion, and Yixin Courtyard really have face. So many high-ranking officials came to support us.”

Mu Nanjin asked, “Didn’t officials come in previous years?”

“They did, but only Third- or Fourth-Rank officials. Other brothels had Second-Rank officials supporting them and always overshadowed us. But this year is different.”

The madam proudly lifted her chin toward the other brothel madams. “This year, we have First-Rank officials backing us, and not just one. The others don’t even dare say a word.”

Mu Nanjin: “……”

【If I told you the Emperor is here too, you’d probably kneel in shock.】

The madam looked at the sun. “It’s about time. The courtesans will finish their parade soon and arrive at Qingyu Lake. I need to go prepare.”

Not long after she left, the parade finally reached Qingyu Lake, and the crowd erupted in cheers.

Jiayin also returned. He shot Mu Nanjin a cold glare, then quietly led the monks away in another direction.

Feng Sinan returned to the guest boat.

The Commander glanced at him and said flatly, “I won’t let you do that.”

Mockery flashed in Feng Sinan’s eyes. “Even if I don’t do it, someone else will. You can stop me, but can you stop everyone? Don’t forget, this is the rule. The ones you should stop aren’t me, but them.”

When he said the last part, he was looking at the sky.

The Commander said nothing.

Feng Sinan glanced at Mu Nanjin standing below the boat. “There may be variables.”

“You mean Mu Nanjin?”

Feng Sinan nodded. “Since she appeared, many things have gone beyond my expectations. Let’s wait and see. Maybe an even bigger variable is still coming.”

The Commander: “……”