Chapter 2
By the time I came to my senses, an hour had passed.
I lay sprawled bonelessly across the bed, my hair plastered over my face with sweat.
“Not bad. You’ve got some real skill.” I grinned at Ye Qingyao.
He smiled shyly.
Thoroughly satisfied, I felt like a woman who had eaten her fill.
Our distinguished guest would surely be satisfied tonight as well.
I rose and briskly pulled on my clothes.
“I’ll be frank. Tonight’s client is a very important lady, so you must serve her with the utmost care.”
“Yes.”
“Sister, what kind of important lady is she?”
He was so obedient it almost hurt to look at him.
“The reigning emperor’s younger sister, Princess Zhuohua.”
Ye Qingyao’s hands froze in the middle of tying my sash.
All the color drained from his face.
In this line of work, reading people’s expressions is a basic skill.
“You know her?” I asked.
He bit his lip and said nothing.
Understood. That meant he did.
“You don’t want to do it?”
Still, he said nothing.
“But she asked for you specifically.”
Ye Qingyao looked ready to cry.
Then inspiration struck. The princess had only asked for the new Number Sixty-Six. She might not know that Number Sixty-Six was Ye Qingyao at all. Most likely she merely wanted the novelty of a fresh face.
“All right. Since you performed so well just now, I’ll find someone to take your place tonight.”
I gave him a hearty pat on the shoulder.
His eyes brimmed with grateful tears.
I went to find Qingfeng.
My private treasure.
The man was so extraordinarily capable that I could never bear to share him.
I kept him in my own little courtyard behind the Hundred Stallions House.
The moment I stepped through the door, Qingfeng pounced on me like a starving tiger.
“Sai Diaochan! Where have you been? You heartless woman! You lock me up in here, don’t visit me for days, and go off enjoying yourself somewhere else!”
With that, he tore off the clothes I had put on barely fifteen minutes earlier.
He hoisted me up with both hands and held me against his waist while his mouth roamed over my cheeks, neck, and breasts.
Between kisses, he muttered, “That’s what you get for neglecting me! Just wait until I’m through with you. Don’t you dare beg for mercy later!”
I slapped hard at his veined, muscular arms. “Stop! Stop, stop!”
“I came to discuss something serious!”
“Since when have you ever come to me for anything serious? What I’m doing right now is serious business!”
…
An hour later, just as Qingfeng rolled over me again, ready to begin another round of plowing, I stopped him with all the force my hoarse voice could muster.
“Brother, have mercy! I really do have business to discuss!”
Seeing my grave expression, Qingfeng finally realized I wasn’t teasing him on purpose.
Merciful heavens. He finally stopped.
“You really mean it? What is it?”
“Well… could you take a client for me tonight?”
“What?! Sai Diaochan!”
“You heartless woman! What do you take me for?”
Qingfeng flew into such a rage that he nearly bounced the bed to pieces.
I caught hold of him and coaxed him gently. “The client is an imperial noblewoman. If you win her favor, you’ll have much better prospects than you ever would with me.”
“Listen to me, Sai Diaochan! I wouldn’t do it if the Queen Mother of the West came down with all seven of her fairy daughters! If I gave a damn about prospects, I’d have risen to the top long ago!”
“You’re the only woman I want to sleep with. No one else will do!”
“So don’t you dare try to push me away!”
I tried to keep reasoning with him.
Just then, Fan Biao and Xiaoyun came huffing and puffing into the courtyard.
“Sister Diao! Bad news!”
“Miss! Bad news!”
I scowled and shouted irritably toward the door, “What is it now?”
“The drug has kicked in! Pei Lingyi is going mad in the woodshed!”
“He may have torn the whole thing apart by now!”
Qingfeng was still ranting, demanding to know whether I had found a new lover and meant to cast him aside.
I had no time to explain or soothe him, so I left him there to sulk.
Grabbing something to wear, I hurried to the woodshed with Fan Biao and Xiaoyun.