Shuyu had three vanity boxes. One was made of ceramic, used to keep mirrors, combs, hairpins, perfumes, and other small items typically used by women. Another lacquered box was filled with luxurious silk and brocades, mostly gifts from clients.
As for the Yin Ghost Jade, it was stored in a silver vanity box. When Xu Qing opened it, he was instantly hit by the dazzling display of jewelry and valuable items like gold and silver ornaments and agate jade bracelets.
But he had no interest in those trinkets—after all, he wasn’t a large-scale thief.
Moreover, true thieves wouldn’t steal from the sick or brothels. Real thieves wouldn’t bother stealing from brothels because it was considered beneath them!
Although Xu Qing wasn’t a high-class thief, he disliked engaging in such underhanded deeds like looting from brothels.
Meanwhile, Shuyu was oblivious on the bed, panting delicately as she instructed her maid: "Huan’er, put more strength into it and push the gentleman back. Don’t make me do all the work..."
Xu Qing, indifferent to the bedroom matters, continued rummaging through the box but couldn’t find the Yin Ghost Jade.
Something was wrong. He was certain the Yin Ghost Jade was hidden amongst the treasures; the aura from the box earlier could not be mistaken.
Why couldn’t he find it?
Xu Qing used the Qi Observation Skill again and discovered the slick, dark-green jade piece, which seemed to be hiding from his hand, playing hide-and-seek with him in the small vanity box.
The more he searched, the more the jade evaded him, darting into every nook and cranny like an earth rat.
After searching for some time, Xu Qing couldn’t help but laugh in exasperation—this thing wasn’t avoiding him because he couldn’t find it; it was actively avoiding being caught by him, like a mouse dodging a cat!
"Where do you think you’re hiding!"
After another attempt to catch it, Xu Qing failed. Frustrated, he dumped out all the jewelry from the vanity box, leaving the cornered Yin Ghost Jade alone.
Despite this, it still attempted to escape the box, but Xu Qing, unrestrained by the arts of war, clenched it firmly.
The gambling ghost inhabiting the jade could no longer hold back. It emerged to possess Xu Qing but found him impermeable like a solid block of iron.
Xu Qing had no clue what tricks the gambling ghost had. Seeing the ghost stubbornly trying to enter his body, he instinctively activated his qi to defend himself.
After a few rounds of clashes, the ghost dissipated, and the Yin Ghost Jade absorbed the shattered yin qi.
Xu Qing watched as the last hint of green faded from the jade, leaving it pitch-black.
’The Corpse Nourishing Scripture mentions that Yin Ghost Jade comes in three grades: low-grade is green, mid-grade is dark green, and high-grade is blackish-green...’
This Yin Ghost Jade must have been nourished to the highest grade by the gambling ghost.
Xu Qing marveled at it, thinking how fortunate it was for Zhang Jun’s quality as a lackey to excel; if it were anyone else, they might have failed to resist the ghost’s allure.
Yin Ghost Jade, Old Cat Evil, Ghost-faced Soil...
Now, with this jade, he could proceed with cultivating the Silver Armored Corpse. He just needed to confirm if his Feng Shui Treasure Residence had produced Ghost-faced Soil...
Securing the jade pendant, Xu Qing, before leaving the attic, decided he couldn’t simply take Shuyu’s grooming gifts without reciprocating.
After contemplating, he took out a Strength Pill, scraped off a layer into the teapot.
The old lecher had trouble even getting onto the bed. With this spiked tea, at least the girl could genuinely experience the vigor of an eighty-year-old youth.
Helping others was a huge virtue, and Xu Qing felt he was one step closer to saintly benevolence.
On his way back to the Xiangyin Pavilion, government officials were investigating the scene.
From a distance, Xu Qing looked into the hall but saw no sign of Zuo Zixiong and Bai Luo. Only a dozen corpses were scattered on the ground.
Judging by the attire, most were lackeys from the Celestial Heart Sect, with a few being guards of the Crown Prince.
The martial inspector led soldiers to seal the area, while the government office officials checked the identities of the clients.
Before Xu Qing reached Xiangyin Pavilion, soldiers apprehended him and brought him to the hall.
The hall was filled mostly with men in their undergarments, and few girls from the Book Phoenix Pavilion were there.
Xu Qing found Zhu Huai’an, wrapped in nothing but a thin blanket, beside the Wu brothers, who were conversing in their underpants, necks covered in lip marks.
These three had remarkably calm temperaments—was now the time for idle chatting?
"Woke up already, gentlemen?"
"Oh, Brother Xu is here. We just woke up to hear that the Crown Prince was attacked by assailants."
"Exactly, had we known, my cousin and I would have surely stepped in to protect the Crown Prince; we couldn’t just watch him be scared."
"Indeed, the Celestial Heart Sect is truly vile!"
They chatted with zeal, displaying a great sense of community spirit.
As the government officials approached, Zhu Huai’an remained unflustered.
"Don’t worry, they won’t dare trouble us with me here."
Seeing the patrol chief with a clear target heading straight towards him, Xu Qing thought, "Fatty, do your job well, don’t let this brute send us to jail for a few days."
Thankfully, Zhu Huai’an didn’t disappoint.
"My father is the Marquis of Chieftain Terrace, and these are my brothers..."
Prince Zhu Huai’an added another story to his reputation. The streets had long been abuzz with tales of the only son of the Marquis of Jin Sect, notorious for his frivolous ways, either playing with birds or listening to music in brothels.
Now, with the Crown Prince secretly visiting, this prince managed to make another joke right under the Crown Prince’s nose.
"The Marquis of Chieftain Terrace, a man of great martial accomplishments, once led the realm’s armies! Who would have thought we’d have the chance to visit a brothel with the prince of different surname royalty?"
On their way back to Underground Street, Wu Wencai staggered, feeling today’s events surreal.
Wu Zhiyuan sighed, "It’s a shame, the Marquis of Chieftain Terrace was so accomplished. I’ve always held him in high regard. Zhu Huai’an... the Prince shouldn’t tarnish his father’s name."
Xu Qing, who had been silent, suddenly spoke:
"Zhiyuan, you’re not entirely wrong, but you only see the merits of the Marquis. Have you ever thought about the dangers of overshadowing the ruler? Zhu Huai’an previously joked that his father and uncle visited brothels together, and he acts like a typical wastrel. But is this really because he’s degenerate?"
Wu Zhiyuan was speechless. After a while, he said, "I only considered the Marquis’s achievements but missed that point. But Zhu Huai’an—was it all an act? If so, then what we did with him today, was that all part of a play?"
Beside them, Wu Wencai frowned, interrupting their speculations, "As long as Brother Zhu doesn’t mind our backgrounds, should we care about his princely status? Even if we don’t keep in touch later, today, we befriended Brother Zhu, and that’s all that matters, right?"
Xu Qing laughed silently. He hadn’t expected Wu Wencai to be so candid.
"Wencai is right. Let’s not overthink it. What you two should worry about now is explaining those lip marks on your necks when we get back."
"Can’t say they’re mosquito bites, can you?" Xu Qing teased.
"Oh no! If Father finds out, I’ll die of shame!"
"It’s over. My uncle has a loose tongue; if my mother hears about this, I’ll be in deep trouble."
"Cousin, check if I still have any scent of perfume on me."
"Wencai, look at my neck and see if the marks are still visible..."
Ignoring the chaotic pair, Xu Qing strode back to his shop.
He, with nothing holding him back, naturally wouldn’t remain behind like the Wu brothers...