Chapter 511 – Post-Wedding Extra Chapter: A Dance That Captivated the City and Spread Across the World – Action and Escalating Action (03)
“P-please, Young Master, let me go~”
The young man’s voice was soft and delicate. Rather than sounding like a genuine request, his words came across more like coquettish pleading.
Jiang Liangwu lifted Bai Tang’s delicate chin and gave him a mischievous smile.
“What if I say no?”
Apparently, the lesson I gave Tang Tang last time wasn’t memorable enough.
It hasn’t even been that long, yet he secretly sneaked down here to play. And of all the worlds he could have chosen, he picked one where the story begins in a pleasure house.
Why is Tang Tang so obsessed with places like this?!
Seeing that his master seemed angry, Qiu’er opened his mouth to explain, but Jiang Liangwu silenced him with a single look.
“We’ll settle this properly when we get back. For now, Tang Tang is in my hands. You two can go enjoy your time together.”
Jiang Liangwu communicated with Qiu’er through their shared consciousness, then signaled with his eyes for Xiao A to take Qiu’er away and stop getting in the way.
How could Qiu’er possibly leave?
He was afraid that the Northern Emperor would get angry and scold Tang Tang, so he took all the blame upon himself.
“Master, you can’t blame Tang Tang. I was the one who chose this world. If someone has to be punished, punish me instead.”
Xiao A covered Qiu’er’s mouth and dragged him away.
Qiu’er was simply too worried about Tang Tang to think clearly. Xiao A could see the situation more clearly. The Northern Emperor was so distressed over his host that there was no way he would actually punish him.
And even if he did, it would merely be a little private fun between husband and wife—something outsiders had no business knowing about.
With so many eyes watching, Bai Tang didn’t know whether he should continue clinging to Jiang Liangwu or get down from his arms. The countless gazes around him made him wish he could dig a hole and crawl into it.
“Y-Young Master, please, let me go…”
Bai Tang’s little face was bright red, whether from holding back his tears or from embarrassment, even he couldn’t tell. Tears welled up in his beautiful, watery eyes. He didn’t dare blink, afraid that the slightest movement would make them spill over.
The senior courtesan had told him that he must never cry anywhere outside his room. If he cried too often, no one would pity him anymore.
And if no one pitied him, the madam wouldn’t make any money from him. Without income, he would no longer be able to maintain his comfortable material life.
He was already trapped in this place. If even his material needs couldn’t be guaranteed, then his life would truly be miserable.
Bai Tang desperately tried to hold back his tears.
But when he met the tenderness and affection in the man’s eyes, the tears finally escaped on their own.
“Waaah…”
Crystal-clear tears rolled down his cheeks as Bai Tang burst into tears. His delicate little hands clenched into fists and pounded against Jiang Liangwu’s chest.
“Waaah… Why did you take so long to come?”
The moment Jiang Liangwu heard his little squirrel crying, it felt as though his heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys all ached at once.
He gently kissed the young man’s eyes, then the tip of his nose and his lips.
“It was my fault. I came too late and made you suffer.”
Bai Tang didn’t even know why those words had slipped out of his mouth. But once he’d said them, there was no taking them back.
He had originally been worried that the man might become furious and push him away. Instead, the man was humbly soothing him.
How could I possibly deserve this?
“Don’t cry. If anyone here has bullied you, tell me. I’ll deal with them.”
The gentler the man became, the more Bai Tang wanted to cry. His tears fell continuously, like pearls slipping from a broken string.
Bai Tang shook his head and threw himself into Jiang Liangwu’s arms.
For the first time, he boldly voiced what he truly wanted, his voice filled with helplessness and pleading.
“I don’t want to receive any more customers. Young Master, will you buy me? Please?”
He didn’t like this place.
He didn’t like the way those men looked at him.
If he really had to give himself to someone, then he would rather that person be the gentle Young Master standing before him—the one who held him tenderly and knew how to comfort him.
“Okay.” Jiang Liangwu took out a handkerchief and gently wiped Bai Tang’s tears.
When Bai Tang had made a mistake during his entrance, the Madam had wanted to rush over and drag him back. He couldn’t even handle such a small matter properly, wasting all the time, money, and effort she had spent training him over the past few days.
However, seeing that the distinguished young master showed no signs of anger—and, moreover, seemed to have taken an interest in Bai Tang—the Madam sized up Jiang Liangwu’s clothes and accessories. He was clearly from an extremely wealthy family. That was why she didn’t immediately go over and separate the two.
But seeing that the other guests were beginning to complain, the Madam swayed over with a smile.
“Oh, my, Young Master. The person you’re holding is one of the new male courtesans we’ve trained here at Wanhua Pavilion. He’s obedient and clever, and I’ve spent a great deal of manpower and money training him. He still has to participate in the Top Courtesan Competition, and he might even become this year’s Top Courtesan. What you’re doing… isn’t that breaking the rules?~”
Jiang Liangwu was showing far too much interest in Bai Tang, so naturally, the Madam intended to hold tightly onto this money-making opportunity and profit from it for as long as possible.
The moment Bai Tang heard the Madam’s voice, he shrank even further into Jiang Liangwu’s arms. He lifted his head, revealing a pair of red-rimmed, pitiful eyes, while his hands clutched tightly at Jiang Liangwu’s collar.
Without saying a word, he silently pleaded, Don’t hand me over…
“Don’t worry.” Jiang Liangwu placed a hand on the back of Bai Tang’s head, shielding him from the prying eyes of the others.
He looked at the Madam and said, “I understand the rules of Wanhua Pavilion. I won’t make things difficult for you. The talent performances for the Top Courtesan Competition haven’t ended yet, so let him accompany me for now. That shouldn’t be a problem, right? When it’s time for the bidding, I’ll naturally buy him.”
The Madam originally didn’t want to agree, but two guards stepped out from behind Jiang Liangwu. The bloodthirsty aura surrounding them made her body stiffen involuntarily.
This young master must have a powerful background. He’s probably someone I can’t afford to cross.
The Madam wanted to make money, but she certainly didn’t want to lose her life over it. After thinking it over, she figured that in front of so many people, this young master probably cared about his reputation and wouldn’t do anything too outrageous. Letting Bai Tang accompany him for a while could also earn her some extra silver.
“Of course! We’re in the business of serving customers, after all. The customer is the Jade Emperor himself!” the Madam said with a smile so forced that the powder on her face had begun to crack in tiny lines.
“Then please have a screen set up on the second floor.” Jiang Liangwu didn’t let go of Bai Tang. He casually tossed a gold ingot to the Madam, then put his arm around Bai Tang and led him upstairs.
Before the bidding began, the Madam would never allow any of tonight’s courtesans—male or female—to enter private rooms. Once they entered a private room, they would lose their value. The money had to be collected first.
Setting up a screen along the second-floor corridor was different. It kept them away from the crowd while still allowing them to watch the performances. At the same time, the screen could separate them from the other guests who had also paid to enjoy some peace and quiet while watching the show from the second floor.
The Madam naturally agreed without hesitation. A young master who was both so easygoing and so generous was a rare sight.
There were quite a few contestants in the Top Courtesan Competition, so by the time Bai Tang and Jiang Liangwu had settled down behind the screen on the second floor, the performances were only halfway through.
Jiang Liangwu waved his two guards away. Now, there were only Bai Tang and Jiang Liangwu behind the screen. Even so, Bai Tang couldn’t relax, because he was currently sitting on Jiang Liangwu’s lap, which made him feel rather uncomfortable.
“Um… Young Master, I can sit on the chair~” the young man said softly.
“Tang Tang.”
The man’s gentle whisper made Bai Tang’s entire body tremble, even his heart fluttering at the sound of his name.
“You…” How do you know my name is Tang Tang?
Bai Tang looked at him, his watery eyes filled with complicated emotions. In his memories, only his parents, who had passed away when he was young, had ever called him that. After he entered Wanhua Pavilion, no one had ever called him by that name again.
Jiang Liangwu tucked the loose strands of hair falling beside the young man’s temple behind his ear, the corners of his lips curving upward.
“My name is Yu Weikang, courtesy name Liangwu. I am the Third Prince of the current dynasty, and my mother is the Empress…”
Jiang Liangwu told Bai Tang about his identity in this world. His intention was to let Bai Tang understand him better and to be completely honest with him.
However, the more Bai Tang heard, the colder his heart became.
The Young Master is the Third Prince, the Empress’s legitimate son, while I’m merely a male courtesan from Wanhua Pavilion. I’m not even a free citizen. Our statuses are worlds apart. How could I possibly stand by his side?
He had been delusional to think that he could stay by the Young Master’s side.
“I-I’m sorry… I-I disturbed you.”
Bai Tang’s face turned as pale as snow as he struggled to pull away from Jiang Liangwu.
The Young Master is telling me about the difference between our identities in this way. I can’t be so shameless as to cling to him.
“If you don’t mind, Tang Tang, could you call me A Wu?”
How could Jiang Liangwu possibly let his wife, whom he had finally gotten back, run away?
He held Bai Tang firmly in his arms and pressed the little squirrel’s head against the hollow of his shoulder.
“Don’t cry. I’m not trying to distance myself from you. I’m simply being honest with you. Tang Tang, I have feelings for you. Would you give me a chance to pursue you?”
Bai Tang lay against Jiang Liangwu’s chest, unable to stop his quiet sobs. His expression was timid, as though Jiang Liangwu’s straightforward confession had caught him completely off guard.
“But… I-I’m not even a free citizen…”
“Your household registration can be changed. Your status doesn’t matter. It’s you I care about. In my eyes, Tang Tang, you are a priceless treasure.”
An older senior had once told him that men were best at sweet-talking. When they were whispering affectionate words to you, you should listen and let them go in one ear and out the other. Never take those words seriously.
But Bai Tang wanted to believe him.
A Wu had been completely sincere when he said those things, and Bai Tang could tell that he genuinely cared about him. He wasn’t forcing him. He was asking him what he wanted.
“A Wu~”
A thousand words condensed into a single name, and Bai Tang finally smiled, like snow melting beneath the warmth of spring.
“A Wu, I believe you.”
“I won’t betray your trust.”
Some things needed no words.
The two gazed deeply into each other’s eyes, their faces slowly drawing closer.
“Tang Tang, may I?”
Naturally, Bai Tang, having received professional training, understood what a man’s heated gaze meant. Since no one could see what they were doing behind the screen anyway, he shyly nodded, his little face flushing crimson as he slowly closed his eyes.
“Mm~” A soft, ambiguous moan escaped between their lips. When the two guards caught sight of what was happening behind the screen, they tacitly retreated several meters away.
Bai Tang didn’t know how to breathe properly while kissing. By the time he had nearly run out of oxygen, he shyly gave Jiang Liangwu a gentle push.
Jiang Liangwu pulled the young man into his arms and steadied his own ragged breathing. Bai Tang was breathing just as heavily.
They hadn’t done anything excessive, which made the sensitive Tangtang trust Jiang Liangwu even more. He finally lowered the last of his defenses and placed his complete trust in him.
Jiang Liangwu gently stroked the young man’s back, occasionally peeling a grape and feeding it to the little squirrel.
Bai Tang was reluctant to swallow each grape, savoring it for as long as he could. Only when the next grape arrived did he finally chew and swallow the previous one.
Mm~ If only I could hide food in my mouth like a squirrel. A Wu peeled these grapes for me, so I’m reluctant to eat them.
Bai Tang thought about it sweetly, though with a hint of regret.
“A Wu~”
Bai Tang lifted his head and looked at Jiang Liangwu, his eyes crinkling into a bright smile. Then, in a voice as soft as a mosquito’s buzz, he said, “I like you.”
After saying it, he was too shy to look at Jiang Liangwu’s expression and immediately buried himself in his arms.
The smile on Jiang Liangwu’s face widened. He lowered his head and whispered into Bai Tang’s ear, “I heard you, Tang Tang. You said you like me. What a coincidence—I like Tang Tang too. I fell for you the first time I saw you. I mean, I really, really like you.”