Chapter 397 – Flower Street

Early the next day, Luo Wei left the palace gates with his entourage. Long Xuan had yet to attend the morning court session. After hearing the news that Luo Wei had left the palace, he simply nodded and asked, “Is Long Yi with the prince?”

One of the attendants from Yi Jin Garden replied, “Yes.”

“It’s alright, you may go,” Long Xuan said, sitting down to his morning meal. Today, he had to give a formal reply to the Eastern Shang’s envoy, and he needed to carefully consider his words.

Luo Wei was sitting in the carriage. Even though it was still early, there were already many people on the streets. Hearing the bustle of people outside, Luo Wei had no desire to lift the curtain and look outside. Luo Zhiqiu had taken the people from the Luo Mansion back to Youyan, while Wei Lan had gone to Yunguan. There were no longer anyone he cared about in the capital.

Long Yi stopped at a four-way intersection and asked the guard leading the way, “Aren’t we going to Huguo Zen Temple? Where are you going?”

Hearing Long Yi’s question, Imperial Physician Wei hurried from Luo Wei’s carriage to Long Yi’s horse and said, “The Prince told us yesterday that we would go to Huguo Zen Temple later.”

Long Yi looked back at Luo Wei’s carriage. Seeing Luo Wei sitting still inside, he asked Imperial Physician Wei, “Then where are we going now?”

Pointing forward, Imperial Physician Wei said to Long Yi, “Just follow us along with these people. There is no one in the capital who dares to hurt the prince.”

Long Yi glanced back at Luo Wei’s carriage again, but there was still no movement.

“Let’s go,” Imperial Physician Wei said to the guards leading the team. “If we delay, you’ll miss out on the fun. Don’t complain later.”

The procession continued on its way. The commoners on the street didn’t know whose nobleman’s carriage it was, but when they saw Luo Wei’s group, they quickly moved aside to make way.

Along the way, Long Yi wondered where Luo Wei was headed. When he saw Flower Street in front of him, Long Yi’s expression darkened.

“Your Highness,” Imperial Physician Wei called from outside the carriage, addressing Luo Wei inside. “We’ve arrived.”

“Go in,” Luo Wei’s voice came from inside the carriage.

“Go in, the Prince has ordered to go in,” Imperial Physician Wei said loudly.

Long Yi rode up to Luo Wei’s carriage and asked, “Your Highness, are we really going to stroll down Flower Street?”

Only then did Luo Wei draw back the curtain and smiled at Long Yi. “Long Yi is still a gentleman. I’ve been in the palace for so long, and I’ve long wanted to come out and have some fun. What? You don’t want to play for a while?”

With a dark expression, Long Yi said, “Didn’t the Prince say we were going to Huguo Zen Temple to find Master Fuyi?”

“Yes, after we finish here, we’ll go there,” Luo Wei chuckled. “Did you think I would spend the whole day here?”

Thinking about how Long Xuan would react when he found out Luo Wei had visited Flower Street, Long Yi felt anxious. He panicked and tried to persuade Luo Wei in a low voice, “Your Highness, the women here aren’t very clean. If you want to have fun, we can go—”

But Long Yi was speechless at this point and couldn’t finish his sentence. He didn’t know where else Luo Wei could find a woman to have fun with other than Flower Street. He certainly couldn’t let Luo Wei go and snatch a good girl from the streets, could he?

“Don’t worry, I’ve got it covered,” Luo Wei said as he pushed open the carriage curtain. His voice was light. “Let’s go in.”

Imperial Physician Wei shouted from the front, “Go into the street, go into the street! What are you all staring at?”

Amid the pointing and whispering of passersby, the group swaggered into Flower Street.

Luo Wei’s palms were a little sweaty. If possible, he would never set foot on this street again.

Imperial Physician Wei walked at the front of the team, leading the way in a familiar manner. Those behind him were all thinking how this physician, who usually appeared dignified and proper, turned out to be a regular patron of the pleasure pavilion! But Imperial Physician Wei paid no attention to the strange looks from the others as he led Luo Wei’s group to a secluded pleasure pavilion building.

Luo Wei stepped out of the carriage and looked at the pleasure pavilion in front of him. He turned to Imperial Physician Wei standing beside him and asked, “Are the people here clean?”

“I guarantee it with my life,” Imperial Physician Wei immediately replied.

At that moment, the proprietress of the pleasure pavilion came out to greet them. Among the group, Luo Wei could tell she was the leader. The charming proprietress went straight to Luo Wei, smiling as she greeted him, “What wind brings such a distinguished gentleman like yourself here? When I woke up this morning, I heard magpies singing, so I knew a noble guest would be visiting. And here you are.”

“You flatter me,” Luo Wei said, walking towards the pleasure pavilion.

Despite Luo Wei’s cold demeanor, the proprietress didn’t take offense. She continued to smile and lead the way, asking Luo Wei, “Is the gentleman here to watch the dances?”

Luo Wei replied, “What? Do you have music and dance here during the day?”

“Oh,” the proprietress hurriedly said with a smile, “a distinguished gentleman like yourself, whenever you come, we always have music and dance.”

“You all come in,” Luo Wei turned to Long Yi and said, “Today, I’ll treat you all to some fun. You don’t need to worry about spending money.”

With everyone standing in front of the pleasure pavilion, Long Yi had to thank Luo Wei before gesturing to his own people and following behind Luo Wei into the pavilion.

“Quickly, bring the girls down,” the proprietress ordered as she entered the pavilion gate. Turning to the servants standing on either side, she scolded, “Why are you standing there like idiots? Can’t you see a noble guest has arrived?!”

The servants hurriedly scattered to fetch the girls from upstairs.

“Don’t mind them,” the proprietress said to Luo Wei with a smile after scolding the servants. “These servants, they won’t move unless they’re shouted at. Please don’t laugh at me, Young Master.”

Luo Wei had heard too much of this kind of talk. He could easily recite a long string of lines back to the proprietress. “I will take care of everything,” Luo Wei said with a smile to the proprietress. “Make sure your girls serve well. I have plenty of money, but if you ruin my mood, there’ll be no need for this pleasure pavilion to stay open.”

The proprietress hurriedly bowed to Luo Wei and said, “This servant understands, Young Master. Don’t worry, I’m not blind.”

“Let’s go upstairs,” Luo Wei said to Long Yi.

“What about them?” Long Yi pointed to the attendants and guards behind them.

“Find whoever you like, get a private room and go in,” Luo Wei said to the people behind him. “Today, consider it a day off and relax.”

In this pleasure pavilion, no one dared to call Luo Wei “Your Highness”. They all bowed and thanked him. “Thank you, Young Master.”

“Feeling better?” Luo Wei asked Long Yi. “Can we go upstairs now?”

“Please, Young Master,” Long Yi gestured for Luo Wei to go ahead.

“Young Master, come with me,” Imperial Physician Wei said, walking up to Luo Wei and leading the way.

Luo Wei followed Imperial Physician Wei upstairs.

Long Yi, following behind, asked Imperial Physician Wei, “Sir, do you often come here?”

“Occasionally,” Imperial Physician Wei replied, looking back at Long Yi. “Don’t judge by the location. The music and dance here are famous on this Flower Street.”

The proprietress chuckled from the side, eagerly agreeing with Imperial Physician Wei’s words.

Luo Wei glanced at the pleasure pavilion and sneered inwardly. No matter how good the music and dance were here, how many people would know how to appreciate it?