Chapter 40

Dang Ran-yeong came to see Cheong-ra exactly seven days and nights after he had started playing the zither. Just as Cheong-ra had finished his evening meditation after returning from playing the zither, Dang Ran-yeong barged in, opening the door without making a sound. Wherever he had been, his attire was so splendid today that it would put royalty to shame, making a jingling sound with every movement.

Without Cheong-ra's permission, he sat askew in a chair and asked. His voice was full of annoyance and irritation.

"Since when has Young Master Baek Ri been an entertainer at The Pavilion of Golden Fragrance?"

Cheong-ra, standing in front of the dressing table, turned to look at Dang Ran-yeong. His face appeared indifferent, but underneath, his heart was pounding rapidly.

'It's really fortunate that he didn't come in while I was applying beauty water...'

Only three people who were as close as family - Gong Hyeok-rin, Song Geum-hye, and Ju Mu-gwang - knew that Cheong-ra meticulously cared for his face and skin like women. He didn't want others to find out about this, especially not Dang Ran-yeong.

He quickly glanced at his face and attire through the mirror on the dressing table. After confirming that his appearance was perfect as usual, he relaxed and extended his hand to Dang Ran-yeong. Dang Ran-yeong glanced at Cheong-ra's palm.

"What is it?"

"Didn't you say I could earn a thousand gold?"

Only then did Dang Ran-yeong seem to recall what he had said at Full Moon Lake before, raising his eyebrows.

'If Young Master plays the zither at The Pavilion of Golden Fragrance, you'd earn a thousand gold in no time, with plenty to spare.'

Cheong-ra also recalled those words and asked confidently.

"How much does The Pavilion of Golden Fragrance give as an entertainer's share? Can I get half?"

Usually, martial artists would be furious enough to fight to the death if treated like a brothel entertainer. However, when Cheong-ra, without showing any shame or anger, spoke like that and held out his hand without blinking an eye, Dang Ran-yeong's gaze changed. It improved slightly from treating him as a nuisance, showing a bit of amusement.

"How can Young Master Baek Ri be so confident in his zither playing skills? Have you only been surrounded by people praising you until now?"

"Of course, I'm confident in my performance."

Cheong-ra brushed off Dang Ran-yeong's following insult like water off a duck's back. In fact, after he had started playing, he had heard from Yeo-jin that the number of guests had increased significantly, making it bustling. He didn't stop there and retorted.

"Haven't I earned a thousand gold? Well, not everyone has the proper appreciation to evaluate music."

This wasn't directed at the guests of The Pavilion of Golden Fragrance. If he hadn't earned a thousand gold at The Pavilion of Golden Fragrance, then the person who said those words had made a wrong judgment, meaning in short that he had no ear for music. Instead of getting angry at Cheong-ra's provocation, Dang Ran-yeong smiled crookedly. A strange light flickered in his dark green eyes.

Seeing the change in the eyes of the person who had been ignoring him and treating him almost like a prisoner despite seeking his cooperation, a tingling pleasure resonated in Cheong-ra's chest.

"Yes, your performance is quite pleasant to listen to."

Dang Ran-yeong acknowledged as he reached for his waist. Soon, he detached an ornament he was wearing and threw it to Cheong-ra. Reflexively catching it, Cheong-ra saw it was a clear and transparent ice jade, as if carved from ice on a midwinter lake. The object, carved with fish and lotus flowers, spread a cool chill in his hand, intensifying that feeling.

Although he tried to remain calm, Cheong-ra was inwardly very shaken. Generally, the more transparent and clear the color of jade, and the more it has a clear blue hue, the more its value skyrockets to an unimaginable degree. Since it had been decorating Dang Ran-yeong's waist, it must certainly be genuine. Cheong-ra couldn't even imagine the value of this object.

Moreover, Dang Ran-yeong had casually tossed such an item. Although as a martial artist, he wouldn't fail to catch it, the thought of such a beautiful piece of jade being damaged was horrifying.

"I'll give you that instead of a thousand gold, so let's hear you play properly."

Proving the accuracy of his ear in this way, Cheong-ra was inwardly slightly taken aback. He put down the ice jade he was holding onto the table, trying his best to appear nonchalant. Fortunately, thanks to years of pretending to be refined, his hands didn't tremble at all.

Cheong-ra brought the zither that was on the bed and sat in the chair. He placed it on his lap and gently pressed the taut strings. Soon, a beautiful melody flowed out. The piece he was playing this time was Xue Zhong Yi Hong (Red in Snow), a tune that compares the beauty of a camellia blooming amidst winter snow to that of a beautiful woman.

As Cheong-ra began to play, Dang Ran-yeong's eyes gradually softened. It seemed that he genuinely enjoyed the piece Cheong-ra was playing, despite everything. When satisfaction appeared on the other's face, Cheong-ra deliberately played one note slightly off-key. Immediately, Dang Ran-yeong's eyebrows twitched in displeasure.

A moment later, Cheong-ra plucked another string to produce a slightly off-key note. Those who didn't know better would listen without noticing anything wrong, but for someone with a good ear, it was subtly irritating. After doing this a few more times, Dang Ran-yeong finally frowned. He shook his head and ordered.

"Stop."

Despite these words, Cheong-ra not only didn't stop but continued to play until the very end. From the beginning, he hadn't been playing with all his heart every day to let Dang Ran-yeong hear good music. Of course, it would be somewhat regrettable if the other took back the ice jade that was close to a jewel, but he didn't want to be attached to such things. With a face full of lost interest, Dang Ran-yeong waved his hand and said.

"So what do you want from me? You must be doing this because you want something, right?"

"What I want?"

What he wanted was clear. It was for the unreasonable situation to change where Dang Ran-yeong was treating him as if he had reluctantly taken him in and wasn't giving him any information. However, he didn't think things would change much even if he begged and pleaded. Cheong-ra plucked the strings with a bright smile, as if to show off.

"Well... I need to be moved."

A melody so perfect that it was as if there had never been any dissonance flowed out. Cheong-ra plucked the strings once more and said.

"Then I might want something."

The original plan was to cause an uproar in the brothel that couldn't be ignored to draw Dang Ran-yeong out, and then calmly and logically discuss the current unreasonable situation. However, Cheong-ra realized that he always instinctively scratched and provoked the other whenever he saw Dang Ran-yeong, just like now. There were frequent times when he found this side of himself unfamiliar and perplexing.

He couldn't deny that he was greatly fascinated by Dang Ran-yeong and very attracted to him.

'Well, can't be helped...'

If the situation didn't change at all like this, he'd have no choice but to just play the zither every day. With such thoughts, he was about to pluck the strings again. Ting! With an unpleasant sharp sound, all the strings of the ancient zither were cut at once. Dang Ran-yeong, who had been quietly watching Cheong-ra pluck the strings, had thrown a small flying dagger and cut all the strings.

"What is this..."

Cheong-ra unknowingly frowned. Fortunately, only the strings were cut and the body was undamaged, but as a performer, he couldn't just ignore the act of ruining an instrument. However, since Dang Ran-yeong was the owner of the brothel, he was ultimately the owner of this instrument as well. As a guest, all Cheong-ra could do was consider it rude.

"Come to think of it, I haven't been a good host."

Standing up and looking down at Cheong-ra, who was watching him warily, and the zither with its cut strings, Dang Ran-yeong proposed. His eyes shone particularly black without any green hue.

"Young Master Baek Ri, shall I show you something interesting?"

***

Although Dang Ran-yeong's proposal carried a highly ominous air, Cheong-ra's hesitation was brief. He was curious about what the owner of the White Jade Merchant Group wanted to show him, and on the other hand, he also wanted to stay close to the other party for as long as possible.

Especially the latter feeling was a mix of half wanting to obtain information from the other party and half personal desire to be with the attractive person.

'I wonder what Dang Ran-yeong intends to show me?'

Cheong-ra's heart pounded with half expectation and half anxiety. Dang Ran-yeong didn't go very far. He came down from the largest four-story building in The Pavilion of Golden Fragrance and headed towards the stairs leading underground. Naturally, Cheong-ra couldn't help but recall the underground space in the mansion in Xiangyang.

'Has he built prison cells in The Pavilion of Golden Fragrance too?'

To detain troublesome guests? Or to secretly torture and threaten someone? Or perhaps there was a warehouse filled with gold and silver treasures? Cheong-ra tensed, preparing himself to respond immediately to whatever it might be.

However, when he went underground, what Cheong-ra saw wasn't a scene of dark and damp cells lined up as he had imagined. There was a large banquet hall here.

What was surprising wasn't the width or luxury of the underground banquet hall. It was the behavior of those enjoying themselves in the banquet hall. They were half-naked, engaging in lewd acts and having fun. With servants attending everywhere and rare wines and meat dishes overflowing, it was truly a scene of indulgence in wine and flesh.