lovenovelstory Chapter 64, Step 1
Chapter 64, Step 1
Batu, who had just left the Tenth Prince's mansion, felt like he was carrying a tangled mess of thoughts that he couldn't untangle no matter what he did.
He kept his head down, his hat brim pulled low, almost covering half his face.
Wang Cheng, the gatekeeper, was squatting on the steps putting away lanterns when he heard footsteps. He looked up, stood up quickly, bowed, and gave a wide smile, saying, "Uncle, are you leaving?"
"Please be careful, it's dark and the road is slippery."
Batu was in a bad mood and had no interest in dealing with a gatekeeper.
He casually pulled out a few coins from his sleeve and tossed them behind him without looking back.
The silver coin landed on the blue bricks at Wang Cheng's feet, tinkling and rolling twice, kicking up a small cloud of dust.
Wang Cheng was stunned for a moment, then quickly bent down to pick it up, his smile changing from "polite" to a bright "sincere" one.
"Thank you for the reward, Uncle! Thank you for the reward, Uncle!" He shouted several times at Batu's back.
Batu neither looked back nor slowed down.
He walked through Nanguanfang Hutong and turned into a narrower alley.
The road beneath his feet was full of potholes and puddles, making a "plop plop" sound as he stepped on it. Mud splashed onto his boots, but he didn't care.
He lived in a hutong (alley) not far from the Tenth Prince's residence, called Sweet Water Well Hutong.
It was a small, two-courtyard house with blue bricks and gray tiles. There were two locust trees in front of the door, their branches intertwined and rustling in the night wind.
This courtyard was arranged for him by Yin'e so that he would have a place to stay whenever he came to the capital.
Although the courtyard was not large, it was kept clean and tidy, with complete furniture, and even the bedding was new.
Compared to his previous stays in inns, this was paradise.
But he didn't go back.
His mind was filled with the plan that Tenth Master had given him.
To be honest, he was really scared.
He had the Crown Prince in front of him and the Tenth Prince behind him; he couldn't afford to offend either of them.
But now that things have come to this, who can we blame?
He stopped and leaned against a locust tree.
Of course, it's his own fault.
He blamed himself for being greedy, for being a gambler, for being unable to resist temptation, for being subservient to Gao Mengyuan, for dragging Wulan into the mess, and for making a mess of the Tenth Prince's mansion.
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled.
Then he opened his eyes, straightened up, and walked towards Qianmen Street.
Juxianju is located on the busiest section of Qianmen Street.
It was already quite dark by then, and there were far fewer pedestrians on the street than during the day, but the entrance to Juxianju was still bustling.
One sedan chair after another stopped, and guests dressed in various clothes lifted the curtains to enter. The waiters at the door bowed and kept calling out "Master!" "Master!" as they worked tirelessly.
Batu stood across the street, looking at the vermilion gate, and felt a chill run down his spine.
He looked up at the sky; the last vestige of dark purple remained on the western horizon.
The night watchman's clapper sounded from afar, "dong dong dong," three times.
It serves as a reminder that there is less than an hour left before curfew.
His hands clenched and unclenched inside his sleeves, then relaxed and clenched again.
My palms were sweaty.
He gritted his teeth, took a deep breath, stepped across the street, lifted the curtain of Juxianju, and went inside.
As soon as you enter, a wave of heat hits you.
The lobby was brightly lit and bustling with people, filled with the aromas of tea, wine, and cosmetics.
The lobby on the first floor was full of people. Some were drinking tea and listening to music, some were playing chess and chatting, and some were haggling with the waiter.
On the stage, a girl in a red dress was singing a song while holding a pipa. Her voice was as clear and crisp as a handful of broken silver, tinkling and ringing as it fell to the ground.
Batu did not linger on the first floor.
His gaze swept through the crowd and landed on the staircase at the far end of the lobby.
That was the staircase leading to the second floor. A beaded curtain hung at the top of the stairs, and behind the curtain stood two waiters in long robes, whispering to each other.
He started walking towards the stairwell.
His steps were neither hurried nor slow, his back was straight, and his chin was slightly raised.
The imposing aura he had cultivated on the grasslands, though largely worn down by opium and gambling over the years, was now being forcefully squeezed out of his very bones.
He lifted the beaded curtain, and one foot was already on the stairs.
"Hey!" The waiter on the left reached out to stop him. "Sir, who are you looking for?"
Batu didn't look at him; his gaze went over his shoulder and fixed on the half-open door above the stairs.
"Damn it! Don't you even recognize me?!"
He looked up at the man, his gaze sharp as a knife.
The two men exchanged a glance, seemingly momentarily intimidated by his imposing manner, but quickly resumed their businesslike expressions.
The waiter on the right cupped his hands and said, "Sir, it's not that I was blind."
Our Juxianju rules state that no one can go up to the second floor without a valid pass.
If you are looking for a certain gentleman, please tell me his name, and I will go and pass on your message.
If you're not looking for anyone, please come downstairs for tea and music. Our Juxianju tea, especially the Longjing and Biluochun, is among the best in Beijing.
"A receipt?" Batu's voice rose a few decibels, tinged with sarcasm. "I, Batu, have lost over ten thousand taels of silver at Juxianju. When have I ever needed a receipt?"
He took a step forward.
The two men didn't retreat; instead, they took half a step forward, blocking him at the stairwell like two walls, completely immobile.
They were half a head taller than Batu, broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, standing there like two door panels, their eyes cold and icy, carrying a warning that "you'd better know your place."
Batu broke out in a cold sweat, but he did not back down.
He knew that these thugs guarding the gate were specially arranged by Gao Mengyuan to stop those who were "not qualified".
In the past, no one ever stopped him from going upstairs, because he was a "high roller" back then, spending lavishly and not even blinking when he lost money.
But ever since he was heavily in debt and was controlled by Gao Mengyuan, his status at Juxianju has changed.
He is "the one who owes money," not "the one who spends money"; he is a "pawn," not a "guest."
Just as the two sides were locked in a standoff, and the air seemed to freeze.
The half-open door at the top of the stairs creaked open.
A middle-aged man wearing a dark blue silk robe came out.
He was short and thin, with round-framed bronze glasses on his face and a short mustache on his chin, making him look like an accountant.
But the way he walked, the way he looked at people, and the way he held the purple clay teapot in his hand all silently told others that he was the one in charge at Juxianju.
Batu knew him.
He is Sun Yongfu, the apparent manager of Juxianju.
He always had a smile on his face and always addressed people politely with formal pronouns like "you" (您).
But Batu knew how much dirty money this man had on his hands and how much treachery he harbored in his eyes.
Sun Yongfu spotted Batu immediately, a smile spreading across his face. He quickly walked down the stairs, cupping his hands in a gesture of respect.
"Oh my, Your Highness! It's you! Who else could it be!"
He turned around and glared at the two waiters, his tone suddenly changing: "You two are blind! This is the elder brother of the Tenth Prince's wife, the heir of the Mongol Prince!"
"You don't even recognize the young master? What are you doing hanging around Juxianju? Apologize to the young master right now!"
The two waiters quickly bowed and said repeatedly, "Your Highness, please forgive us" and "We were blind," before stepping aside to clear the way for the stairwell.
Batu snorted, straightened his clothes, and swallowed back the humiliation of being shut out.
He knew that Sun Yongfu was giving him face, and also putting on an act in front of Gao Mengyuan.
What do you mean "don't know"?
These watchdogs are masters of playing favorites. When you're successful, they're more attentive than anyone else; when you're down on your luck, they're more indifferent than anyone else.
"Alright, alright," he waved his hand impatiently, "Stop with the nonsense. Let me in and play a couple of rounds, my hands are itching."
He rubbed his hands together, looking impatient, and stepped onto the first step.
Sun Yongfu's smile remained unchanged, but Batu noticed that he did not move aside.
He stood there, blocking the stairwell, his posture respectful and his smile humble, but his eyes, hidden behind the bronze mirror, showed no intention of yielding.
"Your Highness," he said in a low voice, "you... this is a bit difficult for me. Don't you even know what time it is?"
He didn't spell it out, but Batu understood.
What time is it? It's almost curfew. It's almost time to clear out the third floor.
Batu's facial muscles twitched.
He wanted to lash out, to curse, to give those two gatekeeper dogs a good tongue-lashing.
But he held back.
He recalled Tenth Master's words: "Don't act impulsively, don't expose yourself."
He took a deep breath and forcefully suppressed the anger that had risen to his throat.
"What do you mean 'time of day'?" His tone was arrogant. "I'm going to play with him all night long. What? You think I don't have money?"
He reached into his sleeve, pulled out a silver note, and waved it in front of Sun Yongfu.
The silver notes were of a considerable value, enough to drink fine tea on the first floor for a month, but on the gambling table on the third floor, they wouldn't even last a single round.
Sun Yongfu glanced at the silver note, the smile on his lips remaining unchanged.
"Young Master, aren't you making things difficult for me?"
The rule that you can't play here at night isn't set by me, it's Master Gao's decision.
Master Gao said that Juxianju is a legitimate teahouse business, and the private rooms on the third floor are not open to the public in the evening.
If you'd like to play, come during the day, and I'll definitely arrange the best seats for you.
He stood at the top of the stairs, glaring angrily at Sun Yongfu.
The two burly men were still standing beside him, like two guardian deities, staring intently at him.
Batu felt guilty.
Over the years, I've been manipulated and controlled, and the backbone I once had has been gradually eroded.
He was afraid of Gao Mengyuan, afraid of the people in the Crown Prince's residence, afraid of the IOUs they held, and afraid that they would turn their backs on him.
He was even more afraid that he might act impulsively and ruin Tenth Master's important plans.
He lowered his head and let out a long breath.
"Come here." He beckoned to Sun Yongfu and turned to walk towards the corner of the lobby on the first floor.
Sun Yongfu glanced at the two burly men, nodded slightly, and then quickly followed them.
The two sat down at a table in the far corner of the first floor.
Batu plopped down in a chair, leaned against the wall, crossed his arms in front of his chest, and crossed his legs.
Sun Yongfu did not sit down, but stood to the side, bowing his head like a servant attending to his master.
"Young Master, what are your orders?"
Batu looked up at him.
He lowered his voice, and his tone suddenly became serious.
"Tell Master Gao that I've agreed to what he asked for."
Sun Yongfu's pupils contracted slightly.
He certainly knew what "that thing" was.
The Crown Prince's Palace had been trying to win over the Urjingalap tribe, and Gao Mengyuan had been urging Batu to "show sincerity."
This is the first time Batu has spoken out.
Before Sun Yongfu could process the news, Batu continued, "Still the same place. I have something to tell him tomorrow at noon."