Together with Hwa-eun and Sister Seol, I followed the branch leader of the Beggars’ Union in Yeongcheonbu toward the Hao Clan’s local office.

Though... our appearance was a bit odd.

Hwa-eun clung tightly to one of my arms, and Sister Seol had wrapped herself around the other.

To any bystander, I looked like a man being dragged off in custody.

Originally, it was just supposed to be me and the branch leader, but the reason the three of us ended up like this had to do with the destination.

It /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ had all started a little earlier, just after our conversation ended and we were about to depart.

“Understood. Then shall we head out right away?”

“Let’s. But, um... your clothes...”

“So-ryong, are you okay? You must be tired.”

“I’m fine. Thanks to Hwa-eun, I got a short nap. This is urgent, so I’ll be quick. Hyang, Hongdan, let’s go!”

—Tsssrrr!

—Kkii!

At my call, Hyang and Hongdan scurried over and clung to their usual spots—Hyang clung to my body like armor, while Hongdan attached herself to my shoulder like a decoration.

They’d accompanied me out enough times that they knew exactly where to go.

With them on me, people no longer saw them as children but saw me as a weirdo in some exotic armor—perfect for disguising our true nature.

“H-huuuh! Are those the venomous beasts you raised?!”

The old beggar, Master Wind Staff, was visibly startled by their sudden appearance.

I smiled and introduced them.

“Yes, this one here is Hyang—my second daughter. And this little one is Hongdan, the youngest.”

“Daughters, you say?”

“Come on, kids, greet the elder.”

—Tssrt.

—Pii.

The two bowed politely to Master Wind Staff, who muttered in amazement,

“Never seen anything like that in my life...”

“You probably wouldn’t have. Shall we go?”

Seriously, who else in the Central Plains would show you something like this? No one but me.

I said this nonchalantly as I stepped onto the gangplank leading down to the harbor. But just then, Master Wind Staff’s flustered voice called out from behind me.

“W-wait a moment!”

When I turned around, I saw him making a troubled face.

I tilted my head in confusion, and he explained hesitantly,

“I was a bit thrown off by the sudden appearance of your little ones, but this... this place we’re going... isn’t somewhere you should just go looking like that. I mean, we’re not heading into battle or anything. If you’ve got something nicer to wear, maybe change into that?

I mean, I’m just a beggar—I can show up like I’m begging. But you...”

“Pardon?”

What is this? A dress code?

Where in the Central Plains would there be a dress code? The streets were filled with those shirtless grandpas—what they used to call ‘Beijing bikinis’ in my past life. Those guys strolled into restaurants and ate like it was nothing. This was the Central Plains, after all.

Seeing my dumbfounded expression, the elder scratched his head and added,

“Well... the place is a brothel, you see...”

At the mention of a brothel, I hadn’t even opened my mouth before two sharp voices pierced from behind me.

“A brothel!?”

“A brothel!?”

When I turned around, Hwa-eun and Sister Seol were staring at me, their eyebrows looking like those V-shaped antennae from mecha anime I liked in my past life.

So, that was why they insisted on coming along.

“I don’t think we should let So-ryong go alone.”

“I feel the same.”

“Can’t a guy just go to a bar for work once in a while?” Apparently, that kind of line only existed in TV dramas.

They said my father’s generation could get away with it—but clearly, in this older Central Plains, it wasn’t happening.

This is why you shouldn’t learn life lessons from drama characters.

So that’s how I ended up sandwiched between Hwa-eun and Sister Seol, being escorted through the streets toward Baekhyangru—reportedly the top brothel in all of Yeongcheonbu.

As we walked, with me being practically dragged along, a thought crossed my mind.

Wouldn’t it be better to visit the Hao Clan’s headquarters rather than a local branch?

After all, this was about attacking the strongholds of the Blood Cult and the Five Venoms Sect. Meeting with someone from the main headquarters, rather than a local rep, seemed more appropriate.

Like, shouldn’t I be speaking to the union president, not just a local union rep?

And their HQ might not even be in a brothel. Maybe I wouldn’t have to walk around like this.

From what I’d heard, the Hao Clan was like a union of various professions—coachmen, boatmen, clerks, porters, traffickers, thieves, pickpockets, and courtesans. So if that’s true, their main office might not be in a brothel at all. If we’d just gone to the headquarters, I wouldn’t be stuck walking around like this.

I was drawing far more attention now than when I’d gone out alone in armor.

“Must be rich, that young man.”

“No way those beauties would cling to him like that if he weren’t.”

“Ugh! What a sick world we live in.”

As I heard the murmurs from both sides of the street, I leaned toward Master Wind Staff and asked,

“Wouldn’t it be better if we just went to the Hao Clan’s headquarters instead of this local branch?”

“Right? We should probably be talking to their top guy,” Sister Seol agreed, supporting my suggestion.

Master Wind Staff munched on the jerky we’d given him earlier and answered mid-chew.

“The Hao Clan’s headquarters is in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province. By the time we got there, the Blood Cult and Five Venoms folks would’ve scattered. Chomp chomp.”

“Oh, so their base is in Guangzhou?”

I knew a bit about that place.

Back when I was living alone on Hainan Island, most of the goods that arrived by ship came from Guangzhou.

They said it was responsible for the richest southern trade routes in the Central Plains.

“That’s right. But you don’t need to worry. The clan head in Guangzhou is about to kick the bucket. The successor has already been chosen.

And that successor is the very man we’re going to meet here in Yeongcheonbu. This branch is always run by the next Hao Clan leader.”

“I... I see.”

So that meant we still had to go to the brothel.

We walked along the river for a bit, passing a few brothels that had closed down after the whole Eunuch Heo incident, until finally, a five-story building came into view.

Baekhyangru (Hundred Fragrance Pavilion).

A brothel said to offer one hundred different scents.

***

Since we’d arrived at the brothel—a place that operated only from evening until dawn—the doors were naturally shut.

We headed around to a side entrance.

After scanning the area, Master Wind Staff knocked on the side door.

—Knock knock!

“Hey in there, spare a bite for the hungry, will you?”

His bold cry made me feel unnecessarily embarrassed, as if we were actually here to beg along with him.

Even though I stood slightly apart from him, I still felt the secondhand shame.

—Knock knock!

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

At his second knock, the door creaked open and a young woman—clearly a courtesan—emerged with a sigh.

“Master Wind Staff, didn’t you say you’d stop begging at our brothel?”

Looking flustered, the old man glanced at us, then straightened his face.

“Ahem! When have I ever begged here? I’ve brought important guests today—take us to your head madam.”

“Guests? Why would the Beggars’ Union be bringing guests here?”

She looked at us in disbelief, like it made no sense that one renowned informant faction would hand-deliver customers to another. Especially when they could handle things themselves. There was simply no reason to introduce competition.

She peeked at us past his shoulder, still looking baffled—until Master Wind Staff leaned closer and whispered.

“We have joint business today. Please notify your head madam. Behind me are none other than So-ryong, the famed Poison Dragon and son-in-law of the Sichuan Tang Clan, his betrothed Tang Hwa-eun of the same clan, and Seol Pyo of Beast Palace.”

The moment he introduced us, the girl’s eyes went wide in shock.

Realizing who we were, she quickly stepped aside and let us in.

“Oh—! P-please wait here a moment. I’ll inform the madam right away.”

We stepped through the door into the back garden. A few more courtesans were milling about, and I soon heard the whispered voices of Hwa-eun and Seol-sister in my ear.

[So-ryong, all the courtesans here know martial arts.]

[Be careful. They're trained.]

I subtly looked at the temples of the women present. Sure enough, their taeyang pressure points were slightly pronounced.

A trait of those who had cultivated internal energy—something that set them apart from ordinary people.

But I had already reached the Third Flame and Purified Essence level, and both Dong-i and Hongdan were hidden within my sleeves and cuffs.

Hwa-eun had Sandan hidden in her hair as well. So I wasn’t particularly nervous.

What really caught my attention was the familiar scent wafting through the courtyard.

Not flowers or perfume—but a distinct smell I associated with Dong-i.

And what did that mean?

It meant that birdcages hung thick around the garden. The pond was full of mandarin ducks, ducks, and geese swimming lazily.

Even a few peacocks wandered about.

These feel like kin.

They might be different species, but this was definitely a fellow enthusiast’s home.

Especially since the mandarin ducks had ducklings and weren’t fleeing. That kind of trust meant they were extremely well cared for.

“This way, please.”

As I stood admiring the pond, I heard a voice behind me.

Turning, I saw the young courtesan from earlier.

She led us past the pond to a pavilion deep within the garden.

“It’s an honor to meet you. I’m Eun-bi, the madam of Baekwolru.”

The woman who greeted us had crimson lips, a teardrop mole by her eye, and a haughty, elegant demeanor that clearly marked her as a high-class courtesan. She wore a sheer blue robe...

But before I could take a closer look, Hwa-eun’s hand covered my right eye, and Seol-sister’s hand covered my left.

“I see you again, Eun-bi.”

“I am Tang Hwa-eun of the Sichuan Tang Clan.”

“I am Seol Pyo.”

“So-ryong.”

Even while blinded, I cupped my fist in greeting. The woman responded in a soft, apologetic voice.

“Normally, guests of your standing would be brought to the fifth floor. But since Master Wind Staff is with you, we’ve brought you to this garden pavilion instead. I hope you don’t mind. Tea has been prepared—please, sit and let’s talk.”

I wasn’t sure what she meant by that, but Hwa-eun explained via whisper.

[These kinds of brothels seat guests based on social standing.

The fifth floor is for the most prestigious. The lower the floor, the lower your status.

She’s apologizing because Master Wind Staff’s... aroma made it difficult to take you upstairs.]

I nodded. As we were seated, my eyes were finally uncovered—replaced by a screen of Eun-bi’s fan as she fanned herself, veiling her body.

“So then, what brings you here today? I was told there’s something we’re to work together on?”

“Well, you see... it’s about the Blood Cult and the Five Venoms Sect.”

“The Blood Cult and the Five Venoms Sect!?”

Her eyes widened in alarm.

Master Wind Staff nodded and calmly explained the situation—how we’d uncovered several secret businesses operated by those sects and hoped the Hao Clan would join us in dismantling them.

“······So that’s what it is. Would you be willing to lend a hand?”

The madam, Eun-bi, gave a wry smile.

“Surely, Master Wind Staff, you know our Hao Clan doesn’t work for free...”

I remembered Hwa-eun once telling me the same. The Hao Clan never moved without compensation.

So she wasn’t declining—just stating they required payment.

But Master Wind Staff flashed his rotten grin and replied.

“With Heo the Eunuch’s brothel gone, seems like someone stands to profit. Do you think his was the only operation those sects had across the Central Plains?”

“!”

That surprised her.

She hadn’t thought of it, but now that she mentally ran through the list, she realized—many of the Blood Cult and Five Venoms Sect's operations overlapped with those of the Hao Clan: brothels, taverns, restaurants, and more.

Since their operations were clandestine, they often brushed against lower-class laborers—the Hao Clan’s domain.

Taking those out would be a direct benefit to the Hao Clan.

Clearly, Master Wind Staff hadn’t come on a whim. He knew exactly what he was doing.

As expected of the Beggars’ Union.

While I admired him silently, Eun-bi leaned toward the tea table and asked,

“So then?”

“Well, here’s a gift to start: Taeweolgak in Guangzhou.”

“Taeweolgak!? Is that real?”

“Of course. So-ryong here personally interrogated the Blood Cult’s branch lord. Oh, and isn’t the brothel in Fuzhou facing trouble these days?”

“!”

The moment he struck that nerve, Eun-bi’s previously flustered face returned to its poised elegance.

She smiled with calm composure.

“The Hao Clan, too, is a part of the martial world. For the sake of peace, we’ll gladly lend a hand.”

It sounded like she agreed—though with one condition.

“However, our rules don’t allow us to work for free. So we’ll need to do this as a formal exchange. Is that acceptable?”

“An exchange?”

“Yes. Nothing major. In return, share with us one piece of information. It’s just a formality. The Hao Clan has strict rules—we don’t work without compensation.”

The martial world was full of unspoken rules, and this seemed to be one of theirs.

So, although it aligned with their interests, they still wanted to follow their code.

“Understood. What kind of information are you asking for? I’ll hear it before deciding.”

I hoped it wouldn’t be anything related to the kids. I’d listen first and decide accordingly.

Eun-bi smiled and asked,

“We’ve heard that a palace maid recently boarded your ship—one that the Crown Prince had taken a liking to. She hasn’t been seen since. Rumor says she may be his future concubine or even empress. Can you tell us who she is?

Nothing ill-intended. We’re just hoping to build a connection.”

At her question, Hwa-eun and Seol-sister gasped, hands flying to their mouths.

“W-what!?”

“S-So-ryong!?”

“I heard she’s very beautiful—the Crown Prince’s been searching for her for days.”

As Eun-bi continued, their eyes bulged even wider.

Every hair on my body stood straight on end.