083 Night Wind Shadows the Deep Studio

“What? Sell her to me?” The madam stared at Wang Qingtian in astonishment, then turned and pinched Chen Yage’s chin, scrutinizing her closely. “Tsk, tsk, tsk. Look at this one—neither figure nor face. With goods like this, I can’t fetch a good price at all.”

Wang Qingtian brushed away the madam’s hand from Chen Yage. “I don’t want money.”

“No money? Sir, you must be joking.” The madam did not believe him. People die for wealth, birds for food—was there anyone in this world not greedy for money? At least, she didn’t believe it.

“That’s right. Not a single coin. I’m giving her to you, if you want her.” The seriousness in Wang Qingtian’s expression made it clear he was not joking; every word was true.

The madam hesitated. Wang Qingtian grew impatient. “She’s a woman, at the very least. Don’t tell me your Shadow Wind Pavilion doesn’t take women. To tell you the truth, my master specifically instructed me to bring her here. If you don’t want her, I can take her elsewhere. Xiangyang is a big city, after all, and your brothel isn’t the only one.”

“Hey, sir, don’t be rash. What are you saying? Of course I’ll take her. Here, as long as she’s female, I’ll find a use for her. With a good wash and some dressing up, she won’t be so ugly after all.”

Wang Qingtian sneered coldly. “You’re wise to accept. She’s yours now. She’s wild, though, so keep an eye on her. And another thing—she knows martial arts. Do as you see fit. I’ll be coming here every day, and if she runs away, you’ll regret it.”

The madam’s expression flickered, but women of the pleasure quarters were accustomed to such trials. She forced a flattering smile and fluttered her round fan. “Don’t worry, sir. I’ve had plenty of wild ones come through here, but in the end, they all become obedient enough.”

“Very well. We’re done here.” Wang Qingtian pushed Chen Yage toward the madam. Chen Yage neither struggled nor resisted, understanding full well that fighting back now would only waste her strength. She was clever enough not to exhaust herself and become easy prey.

“Take her to the rear courtyard,” the madam ordered sharply, dropping her false charm. “Give her a proper wash and dress her up. When you’re finished, come tell me in the front hall.”

Chen Yage was led away by the servants. She still remembered the rear courtyard—it wasn’t so long ago she had climbed the wall from here, searching for Xu Jin. Who would have thought she’d be back so soon?

In a brothel, hot water was always ready. Chen Yage had barely entered the room before a steaming bath was drawn for her. Two maids filled a wooden tub, then reached to undress her. Warily, Chen Yage stood up, forcing a strained smile. “I… I can bathe myself. Could you step outside for a moment?”

The maids ignored her, their hands not pausing, though they left the rope binding her wrists untouched. Chen Yage struggled briefly, then gave up. “At least untie my hands, won’t you?”

The elder maid gave the younger a look, and the younger one left the room. Chen Yage thought the older would free her hands, so she beamed a brilliant smile. But before she could speak, the younger maid returned.

The younger maid walked straight to her, pinched her chin, and forced her mouth open. In that instant, something unknown was shoved into her mouth. “What did you make me swallow?” Chen Yage glared.

The young maid grinned. “Softbone Powder.” Her answer was terse and precise. Then she untied Chen Yage’s hands. Chen Yage tried to spit out the powder, but the maid giggled. “It’s useless. Softbone Powder melts the moment it touches your mouth. Even if you managed to spit it out, it wouldn’t matter—you’ve already absorbed it. Soon your limbs will go weak, and you won’t be thinking of escaping anymore.”

It had dissolved instantly—Chen Yage hadn’t even tasted it, so she didn’t believe the maid’s claim. She made every effort to spit it out, but soon her body began to lose strength. She collapsed to the floor, clutching the wooden tub, staring at the two maids. “Good sisters, I beg you—please let me go.”

The young maid teased, “Good sister? You look older than me. Did you grow up fast, or is my judgment off?”

Her words left Chen Yage speechless—this girl twisted every word she said. “Good little sister, it was my mistake, all right? Please, let me go. With my looks, I’ll only ruin your reputation, bring you bad luck. I’ve been unlucky since childhood—wherever I go, misfortune follows. Anyone who gets close to me meets disaster. Even drinking water, they might choke. Eating, they’ll get something stuck. I don’t want my bad luck to rub off on you. Please, let me go.”

The two maids covered their mouths, laughing. At last, the elder maid spoke. “With your looks, you can’t even compare to us. I wonder if any customers would even take a fancy to you.”

“That’s right, that’s right—so you can let me go, can’t you? If you do, I’ll promise each of you a favor, anything that isn’t immoral or illegal. How about it?” Chen Yage clung to hope, not knowing it would only lead to disappointment.

The elder maid stopped laughing. “If we really let you go, we’d never live long enough to ask you for a favor. Besides, even if we sisters let you out of this room, do you really think you could get out of the Shadow Wind Pavilion? Do you even know what kind of place this is? It’s the largest brothel in Xiangyang. Do you really think you can come and go as you please? You’re far too naive.”

Chen Yage had no strength left to argue. Her body was limp, and she slumped to the floor. The two maids stripped her bare and lifted her into the wooden tub. She had never bathed naked before others; instinctively, she tried to cover herself. The young maid laughed again. “What’s there to be shy about? We’ve seen it all. Even the courtesan queen of this brothel bathes with our help.”

Someone once said, life is like being violated—if you can’t resist, you might as well enjoy it. So Chen Yage gave up struggling. She closed her eyes and lay in the tub, letting the maids scrub her clean.

Chen Yage fell silent, and so did the maids. After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the bath was done. But Chen Yage insisted on soaking a while longer, so the maids brought more hot water. Soaking in hot water was a comfort, her blood flowing freely and her body refreshed. From utter exhaustion, she gradually felt less fatigued, her mind clearer. But she kept up the act, feigning weakness as though still under the effects of the Softbone Powder.