Chapter 23: First Visit to the Brothel

The carriage moved slowly through the bustling streets of the capital, accompanied by several guards who were all disguised.

Xiao Anzi poked his head out of the carriage window, took a look, then pulled back to face the gloomy-looking Ning Chen. He whispered, "Your Majesty, are you worried about something? Don't worry, I have already sent someone to deliver your letter to Master Kong personally. He will surely entrust Fan Dayou with your request..."

Ning Chen did not answer, but instead asked, "Do you think Fan Dayou can be relied upon this time?"

Xiao Anzi was slightly taken aback and said softly, "Your Majesty, what is wrong? Didn't you say yourself that Fan Dayou is your most important chess piece? Why..."

As he spoke, seeing the heavy expression on Ning Chen's face, Xiao Anzi could not help but sigh, leaving his sentence unfinished. He looked deeply at his nine-year-old master.

Indeed. Even if the young emperor were a genius, he was still just a nine-year-old child! Other children of his age had parents to protect them, but the little emperor was all alone. He carried such immense pressure, lived on the edge of death, and had even consumed poison fed to him by the Empress Dowager—he never knew when the poison might take effect! Yet, even so, he had to plot how to eliminate Pan Yu, the Empress Dowager's confidant, and seize control of the Imperial Guards!

It was difficult. His nine-year-old master’s burden was truly too heavy.

After a pause, he pulled himself together, looked at Ning Chen, and said earnestly, "Your Majesty, rest assured, I will find out the formula for the poison and obtain the antidote as soon as possible. No matter what happens, I will always be by your side to protect you..."

As he spoke, Ning Chen sighed. "I trust you. I am only worried that although you managed to deliver my secret letter to Master Kong during the day, Fan Dayou is heading to Xichuan, a place where he has no foundation. Even if he has the will, I fear he lacks the power."

Xiao Anzi was stunned, not knowing how to reply.

Seeing this, Ning Chen said with a profound look, "Enough, let us not talk about this. We must focus on the task at hand first!"

Xiao Anzi understood and once again stuck his head out the window to look outside. "Your Majesty, we are almost there!"

Ning Chen nodded, his expression changing instantly. He shouted, "Stop the carriage! I want to get out and walk!"

Ning Chen stepped out, acting like a child who had never seen the world, showing great interest in everything on the street. He led his entourage around, and within a short time, they had bought a pile of snacks and trinkets, tiring the guards out.

Yet, still full of energy, Ning Chen walked into a general goods store. Seeing the owner’s immense enthusiasm, he bought another large pile of items before strolling out, leaving Xiao Anzi to settle the bill.

However, as Ning Chen led the group to the door, Pan Yu, who had been following them secretly from a distance, spat on the ground. "Bah, you little good-for-nothing. Talking about business, this is just an excuse to sneak out of the palace to eat and play!"

Little did he know, at that moment, Xiao Anzi was pressing a money pouch into the owner's hand and whispering, "His Majesty came to visit you all personally. Remember our mission; do not let His Majesty down!"

The owner took the pouch and nodded firmly, his eyes resolute.

Watching Xiao Anzi hurry out, the owner quickly instructed his servants to watch the shop and headed to a room in the back. Opening the pouch, he found not only ingots of gold but also several sheets of paper filled with writing and sketches!

The owner picked up the papers and examined them, puzzled. He muttered, "Distilled spirits? Perfume? Soap... Business strategy? Rules and regulations? Employee requirements..."

"What on earth is all this..."

After leaving the shop, Ning Chen continued to shop and eat for a long time until dusk fell, at which point he returned to the carriage, satisfied.

Xiao Anzi once again looked at the exhausted guards and pulled back into the carriage, whispering, "Your Majesty, I have already delivered the items. Rest assured, they are just like me—loyal to you unto death!"

Ning Chen nodded and smiled. "No need to explain, I trust you. If you didn't have people on the outside, how would you have managed to help me escape the palace?"

Xiao Anzi was startled, looking at the little emperor in surprise, but soon he laughed. He hadn't realized that since the assassination of the little emperor’s grandfather, he had been planning for the emperor's escape. Aside from the twenty-four death warriors in the palace, that shop was the base for the people he had arranged outside. Although they were few, every one of them was fiercely loyal to the young emperor. Later, when the little emperor was distributing disaster relief, he had instructed him to recruit his own people, so he had re-established contact with them. The little emperor had never pressed for details, and he hadn't provided them. Now it seemed, there was no need to explain at all. After all, with the little emperor’s intellect, he would naturally have deduced it!

"Your Majesty, I have always wanted to ask: can the things you invented really earn enough money to fill the national treasury? After all, that would require a staggering amount..." Xiao Anzi asked again.

Ning Chen smiled confidently. "Don't worry. The economic base determines the superstructure; you must believe in the power of commerce!"

Xiao Anzi was confused; he didn't understand the power of commerce, but he knew that as long as the little emperor wore that confident smile, he couldn't be wrong.

"But if you make money, are you really going to give it to the national treasury?"

Ning Chen smiled. "Yes and no. I am doing business for the sake of the Great Ning, but also for myself. Remember, money makes the world go round! No matter what, you only have confidence when your pockets are full."

Xiao Anzi nodded. Although he didn't quite understand, he held to his belief: as long as the little emperor smiled with that confidence, he would follow him unconditionally.

"Your Majesty, where to next? Are we returning to the palace?"

Ning Chen curled his lip. "The night is still young, why return to the palace?"

"Not going back? Then... where to?" Xiao Anzi asked, puzzled.

Ning Chen smiled. "To a brothel!"

"A brothel?" Xiao Anzi’s eyes widened in shock. "What for?"

Ning Chen chuckled. "To do business, of course. What else can a eunuch and a child do?"

"Do business? In a brothel?"

"Didn't you already arrange the business plans? You want to do this kind of business? Aren't you afraid the Empress Dowager will find out..."

Ning Chen laughed. "I *want* the Empress Dowager to find out. Not only her, I want the entire court to know!"

Night deepened. Ning Chen’s carriage stopped in front of several brothels, but he did not get out. Finally, he stopped in front of the one with the least business and stepped out, leading his group inside with a swagger.

Not far away, Pan Yu, watching this scene, cursed aloud, "Damn it! I’ve been following you secretly all day without a moment's rest! You little piece of trash, eating and playing all day isn't enough? You're even visiting a brothel? Fine, fine, fine. A dog never changes its nature. I thought you had changed, but today you've finally shown your true colors! Just you wait, you little lecher. When I get back to the palace and report this to the Empress Dowager, you'll be sorry!"

However, under the Empress Dowager's orders, he could only stand guard outside the brothel in the chilly night wind.

"Lichun Pavilion?" The little emperor paused to look at the name of the brothel, smiling to himself. "Quiet enough. I like it!"

He left the guards at the entrance and walked inside with only Xiao Anzi.

As soon as they entered, they heard a quarrel. Ning Chen frowned. In the main hall, a beautiful woman was holding a dagger to her own throat, with blood already seeping from the skin. Opposite her stood a pot-bellied old man and a madam.

The old man was shouting, "You stinking whore, playing this game in front of me? If you have the guts, go ahead and drive it into your neck! Let me tell you, as long as you're not dead, you won't escape my clutches! Don't you know who I am? No woman I set my eyes on has ever gotten away!"

The madam pleaded desperately, "Child, don't be so foolish! It’s better to live in misery than to die! If you die, what will become of me? Everyone here at Lichun Pavilion relies on you for a living—you can't do something so stupid! Even if you don't care about the others, think of your mother! I was the one who saved you in the first place..."

Just as the scene reached a fever pitch, Xiao Anzi stared at the woman and muttered, "How is it her?"

Ning Chen frowned, glanced at the guards outside, then looked at Xiao Anzi. "What is it? You know this woman?"

Xiao Anzi nodded. After checking to make sure the guards weren't paying attention, he leaned into Ning Chen’s ear and whispered, "I know her. This woman is..."

After hearing Xiao Anzi's description, Ning Chen’s eyes filled with shock, which quickly turned into pleasant surprise. He muttered, "Truly an unexpected windfall..."