He Xiang was always dressed somewhat haphazardly in her private time, the wrap-around robe she wore donned embroidered golden lotus, tied simply on her hip. Her long hair cascaded simply to the bottom of her back, black and smooth; with every sway of her hips, the jet black satin rippled against her back. At the moment, she had a relaxed smile on her face, her collarbone peeked from under her thin robe. She did not wear any undergarments either, her breasts squeezed against her arms as she folded them in front of her chest.
"So, sinner of the country, what are you doing in front of my chamber?" She stepped aside slightly, indicating her permission for the man to enter her room.
Man Zui patted the non-existent dust on his clothes and stood.
This time, he did not hunch his back. His clean face still carried some perspiration despite the soft wind blowing outside. He Xiang followed the strong back of the man, thinking his current straight posture was pleasing to the eye.
Man Zui asked, "You... knew?"
"I didn't know, but now I do." He Xiang opened her arms in a helpless manner, "I was going to scream if I found anyone I didn't recognize hiding on my balcony. But you... ." She poked her finger on his chest, "You are not a stranger."
His indifference, the millions of unspoken grief in his eyes she could see when she first saw him, told her, this man was harmless to her.
"You won't report me?" Man Zui squinted his eyes. Obviously he had heard the women talking about the official and soldiers hunting for him.
"It doesn't have anything to do with me," He Xiang shrugged, "You could have killed the Jade Emperor in heaven himself, but whoever died or lived, I am still a well-fed prostitute. I have been living with the code to never care for anything troublesome."
The man frowned, then he let out a soft chuckle that caused He Xiang to be dumbstruck. The clean-shaven face could not be called overly handsome, but he was still good-looking. With the smile on his lips, he would undoubtedly be popular with the ladies. Feeling moved, He Xiang wanted to find out more, "Well, this prostitute has willingly sheltered you in her room. But why did you actually come here?"
"The soldiers ransacked the shop. Old Chen and a few others managed to escape, but the soldiers had also caught some," Man Zui spoke. After all, the Herbal Hall did house a few illegal workers.
He Xiang nodded, "So you ran here and wanted to seek my help?"
"I didn't mean to. I hopped onto the top most floor as I heard from Old Chen this floor is for the expensive courtesans only and the soldiers won't be able to get in with their meager pay. I just chose a balcony on random. I... didn't expect it to be your room."
The both of them were silent for a while. He Xiang suddenly wanted to know about his past and the reason why he had murdered the Emperor; but He Xiang was never a nationalist, she lived for herself only. Yet for some reason, she was curious about this man.
Man Zui coughed softly, "You... how are you?"
"Ah?" She blinked in confusion.
"The medicine you took last time." He returned to his somber expression, "That is an aborfacient. Old Chen talks a lot and he told me that was the sixth time you took such strong medicine. It may not be detrimental to your overall physique, but your womb... ."
He did not have to finish his words, He Xiang perfectly understood. The cold soup was one thing, but strong aborfacients could affect a woman's ability to bear a baby in the future. Even if she were able to get pregnant, there was more chance for the pregnancy to not last, of for the baby to be born with deficiencies.
But He Xiang truly did not care. She had aborted a lot of her own flesh and blood, way before they could form limbs in her belly.
Looking at this man, she suddenly understood. They were just two sinners with blood in their hands. She laughed self-depreciatingly, a wretched feeling formed a little in the pit of her stomach, "I never expect to have a family on my own. Naturally, I don't care about such things. Not being able to get pregnant is good for my career."
Man Zui was speechless, "You... for how long do you intend to work like this?"
He said 'work', unlike other men who said she was 'prostituting' or 'selling flesh'. It might be just a play of word, but He Xiang appreciated it. She chuckled, "For as long as I want to."
Man Zui looked at her for a few seconds and nodded. He looked around her chamber and sat on top of a plush cushion. Then he fished out a package from his bosom. He Xiang saw it was a few balls of rice cakes wrapped in fragrant lotus leaves. It was a popular snacks for the low to mid income families in the town, the rice cakes were sweet and filling.
"Do you want some?" Man Zui extended his hand.
She was accustomed to fine food and wine, she would not normally bat an eye at some cheap street snacks. But for some reason, she answered with a smile, "I want it."
Man Zui could look after himself and naturally could find other places to hide, but he kept visiting her daily, bringing all sorts of street snacks for her to try. One day, right after Man Zui left her chamber, He Xiang heard the matron's panicked voice from outside her room, as well as sound of boots steadily stepping on the wooden floors.
"My Lord... My Lord... please, our girls at this floor here must be booked in advance! Even if you have the money... My Lord!"
There were women's shrieks and a few cursing shouts of men from the rooms outside, undoubtedly from other courtesans and patrons who were suddenly disturbed by the 'Lord'. Then the man outside spoke while opening her sliding door, "Then I'll just see which one is free to attend to me! I have tried all your uglier ones in the floors down below and I have more than enough money to afford... -" He took one look at He Xiang inside and flicked a heavy pouch at the matron, "Look, isn't this beauty free? I'll have her tonight."
The matron gave He Xiang a nervous glance, then towards the sword on the man's belt. He Xiang sighed and realized none of them had a choice. Fortunately Man Zui had left.
The Lord was a middle-aged man with soft limbs and belly, but thought he was a tiger with a horse-sized penis. Apparently he was a nephew of an influential minister, tasked to catch Man Zui. It had almost been a month since the Emperor's death and the traitor still had not been found. Through his big mouth, He Xiang found out Man Zui was actually the famous Left General Man Ge-ershu.
Despite now knowing Man Zui's real name, He Xiang did not care much. She was never interested to know knew who was what kind of lord or which general.
Man Zui was Man Zui. Knowing the fact that this half-balding man wanted to catch and kill Man Zui, she felt disgusted on his behalf.
But the official was loaded, and after his night with He Xiang, he paid her a handsome tip and relayed to the matron to bestow another tattoo for her.
The next day, Man Zui noticed her slightly limping leg, fresh from the newest lotus blossom etched onto her skin.
"I thought you wouldn't have to work last night?" There was displeasure in his voice, it caused her to feel slightly happy instead. She teased him again, "I didn't have any say, darling. He was the official who is hell-bent on catching you and bring your head back to the capital." She daringly ran her fingers on the lapels of his robe, "Maybe he's not as high-ranked as the almighty Left General Man Ge-ershu, but he still paid... ."
The man's ears were red; maybe because she inadvertently called him 'darling', maybe because he was caught off-guard by her saying his real name. He caught her wandering hand, his grip was scalding against her bare wrists. His gaze carried more intensity than normal, "Did you want to?"
Want to what? Feel the sweaty smelly flesh rubbing against her last night? He Xiang wanted to puke just by thinking about it.
"I... ." Indignantly, she started to open her mouth. However, she soon widened her eyes as a pair of lips suddenly covered her own; the man's tongue daringly sneaked inside, touched her stiff tongue inside, then he immediately withdrew. The contact was no more than three seconds.
The smile on his face was teasing as he looked down at her dumbfounded expression. Then he bent down again, whispering against her ears, "Do you want to?"
Want to what? Want to kiss him? Want him to kiss her? Want him?
The answer was all... . Her lips mouthed a few words in silence. He laughed lowly, his voice caused her heart to tremble. Hands started to touch each other, pulled at each other's garments, removing the barriers between the two of them. Even if he just ran his fingers through her hair, it was as though his calloused hands brushed her heart.
"His hands are miraculous indeed," He Xiang thought as she let this man pleasure her. For the first time since forever, she did not have to do the hard yard to please the other person, merely passively letting the waves of passion carry her from the deepest ocean to the highest clouds. She was sinking, soaring, her mind blank with rapture.
"Want him... . Now, tonight, and in days and nights to come, for the rest of my life."
The two of them made love almost every day, neither one seemed to care about the soldiers still roaming the alleys of the town, still in pursuit of Man Zui. The border had been strengthened and posters of his face had been posted everywhere. This town was the last town before Taishan's territory, the soldiers were confident he was still hiding somewhere.
One day He Xiang was waiting for Man Zui's arrival as usual. She did not have any planned appointments, and was idly fanning herself in her chamber.
Her room was abruptly opened, and she saw a familiar face with a half-balding head. It was precisely the official who had forced her service a few nights ago.
At the time, she was still willing. But after she had given her heart to Man Zui, how would she be able to still attend to the man who was hunting her lover?
The official threw a pouch on the floor, gold coins rolling out of it. She saw the embroidery on the graying pouch. It was precisely the Herbal Shop's laoban, Old Chen's name. She might not be overly close with Old Chen, but he had helped her with her womanly problems numerous times. She stammered, "This... where did you get this money?"
"Beauty doesn't need to know. The money is rightfully the country's money and for this Lord to use. I took it from an old man selling illegal medicines. We've been hunting for a long time to destroy these underground drug lords. It's already this Lord's kind heart to grant that old man a quick death. Aren't you glad I can pay to have another round with you... ."
Before she could choke out another word, a figure flashed from behind her, from the direction of her balcony.
Man Zui had sneaked in once again, but he immediately slit the official's neck with a knife. He Xiang looked at the official's widening eyes, his blood spurting off his neck onto a layer of quilt He Xiang had not yet a chance to tidy up.
Man Zui merely looked at He Xiang, "Old Chen is dead."
She nodded, "I know."
"Old Chen has been kind to me."
"Un." "To me too."
"He deserved it."
"Yes."
Two sinners, casually talking about another person deserving to die.
He Xiang helped Man Zui to dispose of the body. Fortunately Man Zui was stronger than he looked; even carrying the fat corpse bundled inside the bloodied quilt did not seem to cause him extra exertion as he climbed down from her balcony.
That night, He Xiang called the matron over. The matron did not seem to know the official had visited He Xiang personally. At the time, Blossoming Fragrance had not yet opened for daily business, the official must have sneaked in as soon as he killed Old Chen and took the money.
"Matron, I want to redeem myself." He Xiang immediately surrendered a large box containing some of her savings. She had put more gold and paper notes than what was necessary.
The matron did not make things difficult as well. As a courtesan, He Xiang was older than most. Although she was popular at the moment, in a few more years, the younger girls would raise in rank. The many years of He Xiang's service, as well as the gold, was enough to satisfy the matron.
"Where will you go?" The matron asked.
"Probably somewhere in Taishan," He Xiang replied. If she were to live by herself, she could stay in Duhan. But she wanted to take someone along... .
Afterwards, she gave some money to Xiuqu and the other girls she was close with. With a bit more effort and probably in a couple of years, if the girls were willing to, they could also redeem themselves.
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