Yu Niang, Wang Shilang, and Young Master Hong quickly left Qin''s residence and made their way out of the house.
"This Qin Er Gongzi, who is he? Isn''t he just a cultivator who has just opened the Immortal Gate? Why does Lord Magistrate treat him with such respect?" Wang Shilang muttered quietly.
"No matter who he is, we can''t afford to offend him," Yu Niang replied.
Young Master Hong spoke up, "Don’t think too much. Since the Magistrate has made up his mind, we should just do our part."
"Of course," both Wang Shilang and Yu Niang nodded in agreement.
Lord Magistrate could easily crush them if he wished. They certainly wouldn''t dare to disobey.
In the Dreamlike Pavilion.
"Has Wang Lang returned?" the Mistress of the Pavilion asked, greeting him warmly with a cup of tea. "Here, drink some tea and quench your thirst."
Wang Shilang sat down and drank the tea in one go, then said, "Ru Meng, forget about being in the top three for the Flower Queen selection!"
"Why? What’s happened?" the Mistress of the Pavilion, known as Ru Meng, asked, a bit confused. "Didn''t we discuss this before?"
"Qingqiu and Xiangyi are definitely in the top three; otherwise, people will say the Flower Queen selection was unfair," Wang Shilang said. Ru Meng nodded in agreement.
"But there’s one more spot, isn''t there?" she asked.
"That last spot belongs to Chen Shuang!" Wang Shilang replied.
"What?!" Ru Meng was shocked. "That little girl? Isn’t she the one Yu Bai fawned over and wrote a poem about?"
"Her fame now rivals yours," Wang Shilang said. "In fact, in a few months, Qingqiu and Xiangyi might not even be able to surpass her, considering how well that poem was written."
"So what if her fame is bigger than mine? It’s still the Flower Queen Association that decides," Ru Meng said. "Wang Lang, even if you help me, can I still not make the top three?"
"I can help you, but she has people helping her too," Wang Shilang replied.
"Who?" Ru Meng asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Qin Yun, the second son of the Qin family," Wang Shilang said.
"I’ve heard he’s a cultivator, but can he really influence the Flower Queen contest?" Ru Meng asked, pressing on.
"He’s a guest of the Magistrate, and the Magistrate wants to establish a good relationship with him. It’s already settled that this year''s Flower Queen will be Chen Shuang," Wang Shilang said. "If you want to survive, don’t cause any trouble."
"The Magistrate?" Ru Meng’s face turned pale.
"Anyway, I just wanted to remind you to stay composed during the Flower Queen selection," Wang Shilang said with a smile. "I couldn’t secure your position this time, Ru Meng, but I will make it up to you later. I have other matters to attend to, so I’ll be leaving now."
With that, he stood up and left.
"I’ll see you out," Ru Meng said as she rose and accompanied him to the door.
After seeing him off, she returned to her room, her steps a little unsteady.
"Unfair, it’s so unfair..." Ru Meng muttered to herself. She had forgotten that, at one point, her fame had been even less than Chen Shuang’s, and she was older now. She had used all sorts of underhanded tactics to claim the title of Flower Queen. Many people had whispered that her victory had been unfair.
"Qin Yun, the second son of the Qin family?" Ru Meng realized the situation and sighed. No matter what, she would have to bear it.
Days passed by.
The day of the Flower Queen selection was drawing near.
With the help of Magistrate’s son Wen Chong, "Chen Shuang Fu" spread quickly. It became common to hear it recited in taverns along the roads. People listened to the descriptions in the poem and imagined what kind of fairy-like figure Chen Shuang must be to captivate one of Jiangnan’s Four Talented Scholars, Yu Bai. Chen Shuang’s fame soared, quickly catching up to Qingqiu and Xiangyi.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Finally, the day of the Flower Queen contest arrived.
The banks of Huayang River were already crowded with people. Some of the upstairs rooms of taverns had been reserved by wealthy merchants, packed with guests.
"Qin Yun, please." Wen Chong invited Qin Yun into a tavern, where the second floor had been entirely booked for three people: Wen Chong, Young Master Hong, and Qin Yun.
After they sat down, serving maids brought them tea.
Through the balcony, they could easily see a large, decorated boat on the river. The famous courtesans were not yet visible, but vague shapes could be made out inside.
"Flower Queen day is always the most lively," Young Master Hong said with a smile. "Countless common folk come to catch a glimpse of the famous courtesans."
"Ordinary people can’t afford to go to the brothels, but they certainly can''t miss Flower Queen day," Wen Chong added.
Qin Yun watched the crowds of young people gathered along the riverbank, their cheers filling the air.
"Qingqiu Fairy!"
"Xiangyi!"
"Chen Shuang!"
The cheers were deafening.
Qin Yun envied the joy and excitement of the common folk. As a cultivator who had traveled the world, he had seen too much ugliness in human nature and death on the northern borders. Compared to the courtesans, the excitement and joy of the people affected him more.
"With so many people here, shouldn''t we be more careful?" Qin Yun asked. "If demons attack, there will be many casualties."
"Don’t worry," Wen Chong reassured him. "The Flower Queen contest is a major event in Guangling County. The area is heavily guarded. My father has stationed a large force around here. The gates at both ends of the Huayang River are also reinforced to prevent any water demons from attacking. As for the rest? If demons really want to cause trouble, we can’t stop them. Many have hidden in the city for years, and we can’t keep an eye on everything. But if they dare to show themselves, they will all die."
"That''s right," Young Master Hong chimed in. "We have a large force here, with powerful weapons. If demons dare to come, they won’t leave alive."
Qin Yun nodded.
In Guangling County, the city and county were relatively safe, thanks to the deterrence of military power. Demons dared not openly challenge the authorities.
As for the areas outside the city? The government had set up inspection offices, but demons still roamed freely. Life outside the city was much harder. Qin Yun himself had grown up in a rural village before the age of eight, experiencing the harshness of life.
"Boom—"
The cheering outside suddenly swelled, as though a tidal wave had crashed.
Thousands of common folk cheered with excitement.
From the large decorated boat on the river, a group of famous courtesans emerged, stepping onto the top deck. The boat was three stories high, and the top deck was completely open, allowing the people on the riverbanks to see clearly.
"They’re out!" Young Master Hong laughed.
Ten courtesans appeared, all with beautiful figures and enchanting manners. To the common folk, each one looked like a celestial being. Many young men blushed and cheered loudly.
Qin Yun, seated in the tavern, could clearly see the courtesans’ every move from above. "No wonder many wealthy patrons are willing to spend fortunes. Even young people are willing to pour all their money into the hands of these courtesans."
Some young men pursued courtesans to the point of spending all their wealth.
When they had money, the brothel would welcome them; when they had none, they would be kicked out.
At a simple house near Huayang River, five men were gathered together. They could hear the uproar from the riverbank, the cheers like a thunderstorm.
"The famous courtesans should be out now," one of the men, a chubby fellow, said with a grin. "You three should head out now."
"Remember, once the Flower Queen is chosen and the human crowd is most excited, that’s when you strike," another man, with a rat-like face, instructed. "All the courtesans, including the Flower Queen, kill them all. Once you’re done, go on and kill as many humans as you can."
"Yes."
"We’ve been waiting for this."
The three men’s eyes burned with enthusiasm.
"Go ahead," the rat-faced man waved his hand. "Remember, strike when the Flower Queen is chosen."
The three men nodded, then turned and left the house.
Watching them leave, the chubby man muttered in shock, "Where did these idiots come from? On Flower Queen day, the humans have many guards and weapons in place. Even the leaders won’t survive if they show their faces. These three idiots, are they not afraid of death?"
"Those three? They’re demon servants," the rat-faced man sneered. "They were small demons who angered the Water God and were turned into demon servants. They don’t fear death at all. They follow the Water God’s orders without question. The Water God sent them here to cause a massacre during the Flower Queen selection..."
The chubby man trembled. "Not afraid of death? How is that possible? These small demons who became demon servants... don’t they remember their past lives?"
The rat-faced man
whispered, "They don’t remember."
"They don’t remember their past lives, so it’s like they’re dead?" the chubby man’s heart trembled. As a demon, he was naturally afraid of death.
"This is the punishment for angering the Water God," the rat-faced man said, his voice tinged with fear. "Most demons in Guangling County are under the Water God’s command. The Water God is terrifying."
"Don’t forget the big picture," the rat-faced man reminded him. "Make sure you have your human subordinates watching closely. Record everything about these demon servants when they act recklessly, and I’ll report it back to the Water God."
"Don’t worry, I’ve arranged for several subordinates to be watching," the chubby man said quickly.
Demons were terrifying, and many humans, either through fear or temptation, obediently followed their commands.
"This is going to be a slaughter," the rat-faced man grinned. "I’m off now." With that, he grabbed the ground with both hands and instantly burrowed underground, disappearing from sight.
The chubby man kicked at the dirt, then quickly left the area, heading far away from the scene.