Chapter 260: A Divination for Chu Fan

Chapter 260: Chapter 260: A Divination for Chu Fan

It had to be said, a life of luxury could truly make one lose all fighting spirit.

Chu Fan soaked in the hot springs, eunuchs constantly adding hot water. When he was thirsty, there was wine and fruit juice; when he was hungry, there were fruits and pastries.

If he were any lazier, he could have just sat there and had someone scrub him clean.

However, faced with a few eunuchs, Chu Fan abandoned the thought.

If there had been a few beautiful Palace Maids, on the other hand, he might have been tempted to try.

He was, after all, only human—a hot-blooded young man full of Blood Qi. There were times when he, too, found beauty hard to resist.

They say a full stomach and warm clothes lead to other desires, and Chu Fan was certainly no exception.

In any case, lying in the hot springs at that moment, he didn’t want to move an inch.

Eventually, he became so comfortable that he fell asleep.

He had no idea how long he’d been out, but he was jolted awake by Yan Ying’s voice calling from outside. He shot up in the pool, shook the water droplets from his body, and changed into the clothes that had been laid out for him.

The material of the robes was soft. They didn’t look thin, yet they felt cool against his skin.

Moreover, the style was elegant, and the embroidered patterns were exquisite.

Dressed like this, he looked even more like a rich, hedonistic young master.

He dressed, recombed his hair, and since Yan Ying was in a hurry, he simply tied his hair back in a casual ponytail.

A lock of hair fell across his forehead, giving him a rakish, unrestrained air.

When Yan Ying saw Chu Fan looking like this, she burst out laughing with a "PFFT."

"You really know how to soak. You were in there for a full five hours! Look, the sky is already dark," Yan Ying said.

"It was too comfortable. I was just soaking and ended up falling asleep."

"For the past month and a half, you’ve trained with your spear every day to the point of exhaustion. It’s perfectly normal to fall asleep in a hot spring. Come on, I’ll take you to see the night market in the Capital City."

"A night market? Isn’t there a curfew?"

"In the ten thousand years since Hua Xu was founded, the Capital City has only had a curfew a handful of times, and each instance lasted no more than half a month."

Yan Ying explained as she dragged Chu Fan out of the courtyard. Without a word to anyone, without any instructions, the two of them just brazenly walked out of the Eastern Palace.

As for how many experts were secretly acting as Guards behind them, Chu Fan had no idea. He didn’t dare release his Divine Sense to check.

’The Crown Prince, Long Jingyao, was able to investigate my affairs in the Eastern Domain so thoroughly,’ he thought. ’Now that I’m in the Hua Xu Capital City, what’s the point of worrying about keeping secrets?’

’Besides, those Guards are all here to protect Yan Ying, the Princess.’

The night lanterns were lit, a scene as magnificent as a floral brocade.

The lights were a hazy blur, and the crowds surged like a tide.

Although it was night, the Capital City was nearly as bright as day.

And the people here were far more open-minded than those in the Eastern Domain.

Had you ever seen a street so full of pedestrians, where young men and women walked hand in hand, cuddling and leaning on each other without the slightest inhibition?

Had you ever seen, beneath the glow of the lanterns, couples locked in intimate embraces?

Had you ever seen young women dressed in outfits that seemed desperate to show off the cleavage of their chests to the world?

Had you ever seen...

There were stalls selling flower lanterns, artists blowing sugar figures, acrobats performing tricks, vendors selling hairpins, and artisans creating sugar paintings...

The sound of rattle-drums shook the very heavens.

The vibrant life of the marketplace was an endless, repeating performance of the ordinary.

"Brother, this humble Daoist observes that your forehead is full and your complexion is ruddy. It seems you are blessed with a sign of great fortune!"

"Nonsense. I just finished a bath and fixed my hair like this. If my forehead wasn’t full, would that mean I have a dent in my skull? If my complexion wasn’t ruddy, would that mean I’m sick in the head?"

Chu Fan retorted impolitely to the old Daoist fortune teller.

"Layman, although you have auspicious signs now, the coming months show a sign of great misfortune. Why not allow this humble Daoist to divine your future?"

"Get a reading? Let’s see what he says," Yan Ying whispered to Chu Fan.

"Fine. Since I have nothing better to do, go ahead and give me a reading."

Chu Fan immediately sat down opposite the old Daoist.

"Layman, how would you like your fortune told? By analyzing a character? Reading your face? Drawing a divination stick? Or perhaps reading the lines of your fate?"

"You certainly have a lot of tricks up your sleeve. Let’s do it by character," Chu Fan said.

The old Daoist immediately took out paper and a brush.

Chu Fan took the brush and, with flamboyant strokes, wrote a single word on the paper: "Mortal."

"Read it."

"I have yet to ask, layman, what aspect of your fortune you wish to know? Marriage? Wealth and status? Or perhaps your future path?"

Before Chu Fan could speak, Yan Ying shouted from behind him, "Marriage! Marriage! Tell his fortune for marriage!"

Chu Fan glanced at her, then said to the old Daoist, "Then let’s go with marriage."

The old Daoist, with an air of profound wisdom, stroked his beard with one hand while using a ruler to point at the word on the paper with the other.

"A single word, a common man’s domain,\nYet strokes entwined foretell of love and pain.\nThe Celestial Ladder has a mortal start,\nHow many loves will trouble your poor heart?\nA single bond, a life of destiny,\nYour future’s drawn for all the world to see.\nBy seven fated threads your path is tied,\nNow pay the price, let Cause and Effect be your guide!"

After reciting this, the old Daoist stretched out his hand.

Both Chu Fan and Yan Ying were baffled. They hadn’t even heard an explanation yet, and he was already asking for money?

Yan Ying produced a fifty-tael silver ingot. "Explain it," she said. "If your explanation is good, this silver is yours. If it’s not, I’ll smash your stall and have you sent to the Ministry of Justice."

"Heh heh!" The old Daoist gave a sly laugh. "My esteemed patrons, this humble Daoist fears that if I explain, you’ll beat me even more severely. It might be better if the esteemed lady just sends me to the Ministry of Justice right now!"

Chu Fan stood up and said to Yan Ying, "Just give it to him."

Yan Ying obediently tossed the silver in front of the old Daoist, then turned and hurried to catch up with Chu Fan.

"Why didn’t you let me get a clear answer?"

"You actually believe the words of a Jianghu charlatan like that?" Chu Fan said with a laugh. "That beard on his face was fake. How could any words coming out of his mouth be real?"

"What? He’s that shameless?" Yan Ying stomped her foot in frustration.

"Come on. The man makes a living with his mouth. It’s not like he’s a true con artist."

"It’s always been this... this young master who scams others! How dare someone else try to scam me?"

"So what are you going to do about it?" Chu Fan asked with a smile. "Are you, a Soul Emergence Realm expert, going to beat up a Fusion Realm cultivator just to vent your frustration?"

"Hmph, forget it. Forget it! Say, why don’t we take a stroll through the red-light district? I heard that tonight at the Xi Jun Building, the head Courtesan is auctioning her first night. Her name is even on the Hundred Flowers List!"

"Hold on, have you forgotten who you are? You want to go to a brothel?" Chu Fan said, completely dumbfounded.

"And why not? Dressed as I am, why can’t this young master visit a brothel?" Yan Ying puffed out her chest and stroked her chin, where there couldn’t possibly be any stubble.

Chu Fan was speechless.

But seeing her puff out her chest, he couldn’t help but recall the feeling of holding it all in one hand.

’It was so full,’ he mused. ’How come I can’t tell at all right now?’

"Where are you looking?" Yan Ying stomped on his foot.

Chu Fan rubbed his nose to hide his embarrassment. "Er, I was just thinking, what if you’re recognized at the brothel? Would we be beaten and thrown out?"

"Tch. Don’t tell me you’ve never been to a brothel and are scared to go!"

"Well, I really haven’t been to a place like that. What’s so interesting about them anyway?"

"Exactly! I haven’t been either, which is why I want to go broaden my horizons! I want to see what this Courtesan really looks like. If she’s truly a feast for the eyes, I’ll win the auction for you and have her give her first night to you."

Cold sweat instantly beaded on Chu Fan’s forehead. ’This woman is absolutely insane when she decides to have fun.’

And from the look on her face, it seemed he didn’t have a choice in the matter.

’Oh, what the hell,’ he thought. ’I’ll just consider it a new experience. That kid Ji Bufan seems to run quite a few brothels himself. I wonder how they compare to the ones here.’

’The difference is probably huge, right?’