“I am Lu Linqiu, pleased to meet you.”

This was the first thing Bai Fanlu said to Mu Yunhe. After saying it, the young Lord Mu felt awkward and quickly got off the carriage to find some wine.

But later, Mu Yunhe couldn’t stop thinking about it, feeling unsettled by the person and that voice. So, being someone who always followed his impulses, he decided to sneak into the Lord Meng’s residence on a moonless, windy night. He climbed over the wall and stealthily approached the guest courtyard, where he first paused to listen carefully.

“Hmph, Old Wu doesn’t want me to see, but I’m going to see anyway,” Mu Yunhe muttered to himself. He slowly poked a small hole in the window, but as soon as he adjusted his eye to it, he immediately backed away and crouched down to hide.

By the time his dazed mind caught up, he could faintly hear the sound of water coming from inside. He dared to take a quick peek and saw the flickering candlelight inside a lantern, and through the window paper, he could just make out a silhouette. It seemed like clothes were being spread out, and the outline perfectly traced the curve of someone’s shoulders.

Was this… a bath?!

Even though he knew it was a man and only saw the back, Mu Yunhe inexplicably felt a bit flustered. His nose tickled, and he had to try hard not to sneeze.

Bai Fanlu had already noticed the commotion. He was now completely used to relying on his hearing, and his once exceptional hearing had become even sharper due to the loss of his sight.

He stepped out of the bath and draped a robe over himself. The maid waiting outside the screen entered to help him dress.

Suddenly, the maid exclaimed, “Young Master, is this something you dropped?”

“Hmm?” Bai Fanlu took the item with some confusion and felt it in his hand. It turned out to be the two little grass-woven rabbits. He held them in his hand for a moment before putting them in his sleeve.

Mu Yunhe waited outside for a long time, and finally, when he could hear nothing, he pushed open the window and lightly slipped inside.

The room was dimly lit, and Mu Yunhe moved cautiously toward the inner chamber. With his full attention focused, he didn’t notice that someone was sitting just a few steps away at the table.

So, when he suddenly felt the brush of fabric against his hand, he didn’t react at first. Only when the sensation became clearer did this notorious troublemaker feel his hair stand on end.

Could it be a ghost?

The “ghost” in white clothing leisurely walked back to the chair and sat down, then calmly poured a cup of tea.

“Young Lord, your late-night visit has caught me off guard.”

When Mu Yunhe heard the voice, he realized that the other person had been prepared all along. Embarrassed at being caught sneaking around, he said, “Since you weren’t sleeping, why didn’t you light a lamp? What are you doing in the dark?”

“Light a lamp?”

Bai Fanlu repeated the words and then shook his head with a light laugh.

He had deliberately gotten close to Mu Yunhe just now, but without spiritual power, no matter how close he got, he couldn’t tell if this person was Yun Zhan.

“It seems I forgot to light a lamp to welcome the young lord. My apologies, I’ll offer you a cup with water instead of wine.”

With that, he reached for the cup on the table.

In the dim light, Mu Yunhe could only see a vague outline of the person, who moved with smooth, unhurried motions.

After a moment of hesitation, Mu Yunhe asked uncertainly, “Do you really never light a lamp when you’re alone?”

Bai Fanlu didn’t pause in his movements, his fingers landing with precision. He slightly lifted his head, as if looking at Mu Yunhe.

“Lighting a lamp or not makes no difference to me,” he said, handing over the cup.

Mu Yunhe took the cup in the dark, and their fingers briefly touched, intentionally or unintentionally. Bai Fanlu’s hand paused, and the cup almost slipped from his grasp.

Mu Yunhe, with his strong martial skills, quickly caught it. “Careful!”

His voice was steady, showing no signs of concern, so Bai Fanlu thanked him, “Thank you, young lord.”

Mu Yunhe took a sip, the warm water carrying a hint of bitterness from the tea. He seemed not to fully grasp the meaning of Bai Fanlu’s words.

“You said it makes no difference whether the lamp is lit or not. How can that be?”

As soon as he asked the question, Mu Yunhe regretted it, sensing that he had realized something.

But Bai Fanlu didn’t avoid the topic and quickly answered in a calm tone, “Because I am blind.”

Mu Yunhe was stunned.

The second time they met, Mu Yunhe felt guilty for having offended the other and awkwardly sat for a while before taking his leave.

In that short time, Bai Fanlu still couldn’t determine if this person was Yun Zhan.

Ling Qingzi had said that Yun Zhan’s appearance might change in this life, or it might not. What about his own appearance? Now that he couldn’t see, he had no way of knowing if he had changed or not. Everything was unclear—what seemed easy in thought was hard in practice.

But since he had Yun Zhan’s soul within him, there should be some kind of mutual attraction between them.

The brief contact of their fingers was too short, or perhaps he should try to get closer to Mu Yunhe to see if he could find any clues?

As Bai Fanlu thought this, he considered his current situation. After Meng Qi had brought him here, people had carefully attended to his needs, but Meng Qi hadn’t returned.

However, Bai Fanlu could sense that the mysterious person from the carriage had appeared twice, not even bothering to hide, just watching him from outside the door.

In the evening, Bai Fanlu had asked a servant, and learned that the person was the fifth prince, Duan Wang Han Ling.

Hearing that it was a prince, Bai Fanlu thought that Mu Yunhe was indeed audacious to refer to a prince as “Old Five/Wu.” But he later heard that Mu Yunhe’s father, General Mu, was a sworn brother of the current emperor, and they had fought together to establish the kingdom.

Unfortunately, General Mu had died young in battle, so the emperor, in gratitude, had great affection for Mu Yunhe, treating him with more care than his own sons. The emperor had even allowed Mu Yunhe to inherit the title of prince at an early age.

But in a royal family, true affection is rare. It’s safer to trust a carefree prince with no ambitions for the throne.

In this light, Meng Qi bringing Bai Fanlu here was likely on the fifth prince’s orders.

Bai Fanlu lay on the bed, turning over and touching the jade pendant by his pillow, which the maid had removed when helping him change earlier.

He had thought it was just an ordinary object, but now, feeling its contours more carefully, he found two small engraved characters on it: Yun Zhan! This was the jade pendant Yun Zhan had given to the original owner!

The next day, Meng Qi arrived and told Bai Fanlu that Han Ling had arranged for him to stay here.

As for the fifth prince’s intentions, Meng Qi claimed not to know. He only mentioned that Han Ling had been present on the day Bai Fanlu had fallen from the building.

When asked when he could leave, Meng Qi said that Han Ling was currently occupied with court affairs and would likely stay at the prince’s residence without coming by. He didn’t mention letting Bai Fanlu leave, suggesting he should stay a while longer.

Bai Fanlu had no choice but to continue staying at the Lord Meng’s residence. Now, without spiritual power or martial arts, he couldn’t fly over walls or pass through them, and being blind, he had to bide his time. Fortunately, his daily needs were well taken care of, and he could leisurely enjoy tea in the bamboo grove, finding some peace.

Meng Qi had also provided him with writing materials, and Bai Fanlu would try his hand at “blind painting” when alone. He would then pretend to ask the maid to check his work, always receiving praise, though Bai Fanlu couldn’t be sure if it was genuine, as he couldn’t see.

Bai Fanlu wasn’t in a hurry to leave for another reason—he had a feeling someone would return.

Sure enough, after just a day—

“How long does the young lord plan to stay in the tree? Why not come down for a chat?”

Reluctantly, Mu Yunhe jumped down from the tree. “How did you notice me as soon as I arrived?”

This was clearly a cover-up, but there was no way the young lord would admit that he had been hiding in the tree, watching Bai Fanlu, hoping to catch a glimpse of him without the hat.

Instead of seeing what he wanted, he was distracted by Bai Fanlu’s elegant painting.

Bai Fanlu set down his brush and turned slightly toward Mu Yunhe.

“Young lord?”

Mu Yunhe snapped back to attention. “Ahem! I was just passing by. Uh… by the way, where’s Old Five?”

Obviously trying to change the subject, Mu Yunhe unceremoniously sat on the stone bench opposite Bai Fanlu, pouring himself a cup of tea and downing it in one go.

Bai Fanlu calmly replied, “The fifth prince is not here.”

He resumed painting on the paper, drawing a stalk of bamboo with ease.

Mu Yunhe looked at the painting, then at the bamboo grove, and suddenly waved a hand in front of Bai Fanlu’s face.

“What is the young lord suspicious of?”

Mu Yunhe immediately retracted his hand and explained, “You misunderstood! I wasn’t suspicious of you; it’s just that your painting is so lifelike, I couldn’t help but think…”

“Think that I should be able to see?” Bai Fanlu smiled softly, his brush strokes flowing as a few bamboo leaves appeared, as if swaying in the wind.

“I only paint what I remember. Listening to the sound of the wind in the bamboo allows me to paint it. If I had never seen it before, I wouldn’t be able to draw it.”

“Oh…” Mu Yunhe seemed a bit disappointed.

“Why the sigh, young lord?”

Mu Yunhe hadn’t expected Bai Fanlu’s hearing to be so sharp. “I don’t know why, but it suddenly seems a shame that you’ve never seen me…”

He then burst into laughter, feeling quite pleased with himself. “Speaking of which, for someone as handsome and dashing as me, it really is your loss not to have seen me.”

Bai Fanlu shook his head. This man was truly narcissistic.

“But seriously…” Mu Yunhe stroked his chin. “You’re so skilled at painting, it would be great if you could paint my likeness.”

“If the young lord wishes, I can try.” Bai Fanlu wasn’t sure if it was possible. If he painted Yun Zhan’s likeness, would it resemble the young lord?

He tried several times to begin, but painting a person was different from painting objects. He was lacking inspiration and didn’t know where to start.

Meanwhile, Mu Yunhe was watching Bai Fanlu, wondering what kind of face was hidden under that veil. He felt an unusual curiosity but didn’t want to be so abrupt as to lift it and look directly.

The two of them sat together, each lost in their thoughts, and before they knew it, an hour had passed.

Mu Yunhe glanced at the sky and asked, “Have you been staying here the whole time?”

Bai Fanlu was puzzled. “Why does the young lord ask? I only arrived yesterday.”

“You just got here yesterday?” Mu Yunhe suddenly felt a wave of relief. “Do you want to stay here?”

Bai Fanlu was perplexed. “Whether I stay or not is entirely up to the fifth prince’s orders…”

“Judging by what you said, you don’t want to be here. If that’s the case, I’ll take you away.”

Before Bai Fanlu could respond, Mu Yunhe had already grabbed his hand, even taking his brush away. Unable to see, Bai Fanlu felt a strong arm wrap around his waist, and then his body was lifted as they bounded away.

Finally, they landed somewhere, and Bai Fanlu reached out, feeling something hard and slightly coarse, accompanied by the faint sound of snorting and hoofbeats. It was a horse.

And soon, someone sat behind him, the heat from their chest wrapping around him instantly.

This sensation… it felt as if it had happened somewhere before. Bai Fanlu was confused. Had he ever ridden a horse this intimately with Yun Zhan? He had no memory of it, so where did this familiarity come from?

The horse began to run, and Bai Fanlu asked, “Where is the young lord taking me?”

Mu Yunhe’s voice was light and cheerful. “To a good place, of course!”

Then he added, “Stop calling me ‘young lord’; it’s too long-winded and dull.”

Bai Fanlu thought for a moment. “Then… Brother Mu?”

Mu Yunhe still seemed conflicted, as if that wasn’t quite right either. “I suppose it’ll do for now.”

What did he mean by “for now”? And what was the alternative? Bai Fanlu didn’t quite understand.

The two of them rode off toward a new destination.

Equally famous as Lingbo Pavilion, and one of the “Hengchang Twin Pavilions,” Jiang Tian Yise Pavilion is also known for its exquisite food and wine and is bustling with guests.

There is, however, one key difference: while Lingbo Pavilion is renowned for its fine wine, particularly the Jin Gui Dan Brew, Jiang Tian Yise Pavilion is famed for its beauties, specifically the enchanting courtesans.

At this moment, two beautiful women—one voluptuous and the other slender—stood by the entrance of the pavilion. Seeing Mu Yunhe approaching from afar, they exchanged a smile, and the plumper woman in red stepped forward, her laughter charming and sweet.

“Well, well—who could it be? Why, it’s none other than Young Lord Mu! Please, come inside! Yingying, Yanyan, hurry and come out to welcome our esteemed guest!”

The woman’s voice was sultry and seductive, and Bai Fanlu, hearing it, immediately sensed something unusual. The air was thick with various strong fragrances—orchid, osmanthus, and peony among them.

Having experienced something similar once before, Bai Fanlu had a vague idea of what kind of place this was, but he still couldn’t quite believe that Mu Yunhe had brought him to such a place. “Brother Mu, this is…?”

Mu Yunhe draped an arm over his shoulder, playfully saying, “Just relax and come in with me. I guarantee this is a place that will absolutely amaze you!”

A great place. Hmph! What a “great” place indeed!

True to form, Mu Yunhe hadn’t changed at all.

For some reason, Bai Fanlu felt unexpectedly irritated, a discomfort gnawing at him.

Even though he couldn’t see, he could easily imagine the young Lord Mu strutting confidently, surrounded by a crowd, radiating his usual charm.

Ordinarily, this scene would include him holding women on either side, but today, Mu Yunhe only had Bai Fanlu beside him, with the other beauties merely serving as a flowery backdrop.

Although Jiang Tian Yise Pavilion was essentially a brothel, it was divided into different sections of varying class and distinction.

The front courtyard was the typical tavern and entertainment area, while the back courtyard housed three pavilions of different sizes, named Wind, Elegance, and Ode. Among them, the Elegance Pavilion was the most unique, subdivided into four rooms: Mirror, Flower, Water, and Moon.

Without needing a guide, Mu Yunhe led a group of beauties straight to the Moon Room.

At this moment, the hostess of the Moon Room had already been informed of their arrival. She sat cradling a greenwood pipa (lute), with a freshly brewed pot of Dragon Well tea steaming on the table beside her.

As the guests entered, the woman rose gracefully and stepped forward, performing a respectful curtsy.

“Yue Nong greets Young Lord Yunhe.”

Just from the way she addressed him, there was an obvious difference from others—a soft and intimate tone. The woman herself matched her name, wearing a simple and elegant yellow outfit that perfectly complemented her delicate, gentle appearance.

Mu Yunhe moved forward to lightly support her, showing tenderness and care. Then, he pulled the still-pondering Bai Fanlu over, pushing him in front of Yue Nong.

“This is a new friend of mine, Lu Linqiu. His name may be hard to remember, but he’s a truly remarkable person…”

Upon hearing this, several of the women behind them couldn’t help but burst into laughter. It was clear they were not afraid of Mu Yunhe, who carried no airs of authority.

Since stepping into Jiang Tian Yise Pavilion, Bai Fanlu had felt completely out of place. Now, suddenly pushed forward by Mu Yunhe, he had no choice but to offer a polite bow to Yue Nong, saying, “I am Lu Linqiu. Pleased to meet you, Miss Yue Nong.”

The young man in white was calm and composed, and though his appearance could not be seen, his every movement was graceful, and his gentle voice exuded warmth. The women around Mu Yunhe were already entranced, their hearts racing.

Yue Nong bowed her head slightly, softly replying, “I am Yue Nong. Greetings to you, Young Master Linqiu.”

Mu Yunhe felt a bit sour inside. He was usually the most sought-after and adored in any crowd of beautiful women. How was it that Bai Fanlu, who had just arrived, and whose face wasn’t even visible, managed to attract more attention than him?

Filled with frustration, the young Lord Mu dismissed the expectant crowd of women, leaving only the clever Yanyan and the gentle Yue Nong.

With the room suddenly much quieter, Mu Yunhe closed the door with satisfaction. Turning back, he saw Bai Fanlu standing hesitantly by the table, clearly unsure of how to handle the situation. Gone was his earlier calm and composure.

A mischievous idea flashed in Mu Yunhe’s mind. He leaned close to Bai Fanlu’s ear and whispered slyly, “Linqiu…”

Bai Fanlu shuddered. That name…

“Let me guess… You’ve never been to a brothel before, have you?”

Bai Fanlu’s hand trembled.

Mu Yunhe couldn’t tell if he was imagining things, but did he just sense a sudden wave of murderous intent?

However, that wasn’t his main concern at the moment. Mu Yunhe caught a glimpse of the reddened back of Bai Fanlu’s neck through the thin veil, and his heart suddenly filled with giddy sweetness.

Was he really that shy from just a little teasing?

Feeling playful, Mu Yunhe draped his arm over Bai Fanlu’s shoulder, leaning close to his ear, which was now practically steaming. “I never expected you to be so innocent, Linqiu. It seems like bringing you here today was the right choice.”

After a moment of thought, Mu Yunhe added, “Though it’s a pity you’re so pure. Now I’m not sure how to teach you to truly appreciate the pleasures of life!”

He was getting carried away with his teasing, completely unaware that Bai Fanlu’s two fingers were already pressing against a vital point on his waist. Even though Bai Fanlu no longer had spiritual power, he still remembered some martial techniques. While this wouldn’t cause any serious harm, it would certainly cause enough pain for someone to experience life’s “pleasures” in a different way.

“Brother Mu…”

Bai Fanlu gritted his teeth and smiled coldly. Then, he gently twisted Mu Yunhe’s wrist that was resting on his shoulder, reversing the situation. Imitating Mu Yunhe’s earlier behavior, he leaned in close to his ear and, with soft but clear words, said something.

The white veil fluttered with the breath of his words, and as soon as Mu Yunhe heard them, he froze in shock.

Bai Fanlu effortlessly slipped away and calmly sat at the table, taking a leisurely sip of Dragon Well tea, looking utterly composed and unbothered.

His words had been spoken just loud enough for Yanyan and Yue Nong to overhear, and even these two, despite being in a brothel, couldn’t help but blush furiously.

What Bai Fanlu had said was this:

“If Linqiu is not mistaken, Brother Mu, despite your reputation as a lady-killer, it seems you’ve never truly experienced the full embrace of a woman, have you? Brother Mu, could it be that…”

Mu Yunhe quickly slapped his hand over Bai Fanlu’s mouth, but those last two words had already escaped.

Bai Fanlu had actually recalled that in the novel, Yun Zhan frequented brothels, but it was all for show. Irritated, he had deliberately tested Mu Yunhe, but he hadn’t expected such a strong reaction. Could it be that Mu Yunhe was just like Yun Zhan, treating brothels like guesthouses?

And the words he had just blurted out—“you can’t”—even Bai Fanlu was shocked by them. It felt like he had said something similar to someone else before.

Mu Yunhe’s face was now bright red, and he wished he could dig a hole and disappear. He couldn’t even manage a proper farewell to the ladies, grabbing Bai Fanlu and rushing out the door.

Behind them, the sign of Jiang Tian Yise Pavilion, with its bold calligraphy of “Dragons and Phoenixes in Flight,” was left far behind in the dust.

After this incident, the legend of the handsome, valiant, and dashing Young Lord Mu Yunhe—the man said to be capable of seven rounds in one night—might just be put on hold for at least half a year. He wouldn’t be returning to the world of pleasure and entertainment anytime soon.