After Du Qiuluan and his entourage left, Yu Xinruo furrowed her brows and called Zhong Shuwen over, asking, “Do you know what extraordinary skills and abilities Du Qiuluan possesses?”
Seeing his arrogant and provocative demeanor, she suspected he couldn’t be all that capable. She finally understood why so many women were obsessed with him. Despite Du Qiuluan’s charm and undeniable attractiveness, even though countless young women were infatuated with him, Yu Xinruo would not be one of them. She found someone like Qu Yang, who maintained his integrity, to be far superior to such a dashing rogue.
Zhong Shuwen looked at her with curiosity, realizing she didn’t know much about Du Qiuluan. He then explained, “Du Qiuluan is the third young master of the Du family, the wealthiest in the capital. He is extraordinarily gifted and renowned as a prodigy in the business world…”
Before he could finish, Xiao Li and Xing’er interrupted with astonished cries, “Chief Zhong, is that true? Was that young man Du Qiuluan, who is so highly regarded in the capital? He truly lives up to his reputation!”
“What, even you know Du Qiuluan?” Yu Xinruo was surprised. She had heard of Du Qiuluan at the Qu estate, mostly about his reputation as the most charming young man in the capital, ranking alongside Qu Yang, the Cold Moon Prince. Seeing him make an appearance at the Empress Hotel had caused a frenzy, and it wasn’t an exaggeration to call him a heartthrob.
“I don’t know him personally, but I’ve heard of him while at the palace,” Xiao Li said excitedly, her face flushed and eyes sparkling with admiration. “Miss, you wouldn’t believe it, but Du Qiuluan is almost every young woman’s dream in the capital. Half of the palace maids constantly mention his name. I even heard a woman say she didn’t need to be with him forever; just one night with him would be enough. I also heard that Master Du is quite skilled…”
Xing’er, her face reddened, cleared her throat, and Xiao Li immediately fell silent, feeling embarrassed for speaking too much.
Yu Xinruo rolled her eyes, exasperated. “Is that all?” She wasn’t interested in hearing about Du Qiuluan’s amorous escapades.
Zhong Shuwen observed her expression and continued, “Du Qiuluan took over the Du family business at the age of fourteen. In just five years, he managed to brand half of the capital’s industries with the Du family name. He is considered a once-in-a-century talent in the business world…”
Yu Xinruo listened quietly, not reacting with the same exaggerated awe as others when hearing about Du Qiuluan. Instead, a sly smile gradually appeared on her face.
So, he’s a formidable opponent. But even if he’s a legend in the business world, Yu Xinruo had her ways to challenge his legend!
That evening, Du Qiuluan arrived as promised, without a single servant in tow. During the day, he was full of vigor and charm, but at night, his aura was ethereal and his smile seductive, especially with his narrow, enchanting eyes that seemed to captivate hearts under the dim light.
The maids at the Empress Hotel, having heard that Du Qiuluan would be staying, had already hidden nearby to catch a glimpse of him. When they saw him, they were all mesmerized by his otherworldly charm.
Yu Xinruo greeted him with a calm and welcoming smile, “Young Master Du, you’ve arrived! The royal suite has been prepared for you. Please follow me.”
As she stepped forward to lead the way, Du Qiuluan unexpectedly grabbed her wrist and looked at her with a smile in his narrow eyes. “Hold on. I have something I’d like to discuss with you, and I hope you’ll agree.”
Yu Xinruo’s eyes flickered as she tried to pull away, but his grip was firm. She smiled and said, “Go ahead.”
Given his cunning appearance, she suspected he was up to no good.
“Does your hotel offer any special services?”
“Special services?”
“I’m afraid of sleeping alone at night, so I would like you to stay with me tonight,” Du Qiuluan said with an innocent smile as if it were the most natural request.
The people in the Empress Hotel immediately turned pale. How bold of Du Qiuluan to ask the lady to accompany him!
Yu Xinruo’s eyes twitched slightly. What a flimsy excuse! As expected, his nature hadn’t changed.
Zhong Shuwen’s face darkened as he said sternly, “Young Master Du, this is not your Du family’s inn. Don’t be so presumptuous!”
Du Qiuluan blinked, still holding her hand, and said somewhat innocently, “How am I being presumptuous? This is just my usual practice. I can’t sleep without company. Besides, you haven’t even said anything yet, so why are you in such a hurry?”
Yu Xinruo looked at his expression coldly, her lips curving into a sardonic smile. She raised her hand to signal Zhong Shuwen to step back and said sweetly to Du Qiuluan, “If Young Master Du wants me to stay with you, it’s possible, but it will cost more.”
Du Qiuluan readily agreed, “Fine. As long as you agree to my request, I don’t mind how much more you charge.”
If she wanted to catch a big fish, she couldn’t be stingy with the bait.
Yu Xinruo’s eyes sparkled charmingly as she continued, “Well, the royal suite costs ten thousand taels of silver per day. If Young Master Du wants me to stay, the price will be ten thousand taels of gold. Additionally, while I’m staying with you, you mustn’t make any inappropriate advances. Otherwise, I won’t hesitate to report you to the authorities and clear my name.”
Her tone was calm, but when Du Qiuluan heard this, his eyes twitched violently. Ten thousand taels of silver had instantly become ten thousand taels of gold! And he wasn’t allowed to make any advances! He had never encountered such a steep charge in his life!
Xiao Li and Xing’er lowered their heads and snickered secretly. Their mistress was truly talented; now, let’s see if this dashing Du Shao will dare to have any improper intentions toward their humble household! Their mistress was a grand princess, not someone to be asked to warm a bed for him! Qu Shao Ye was so much better—respectful and considerate towards the mistress, unlike Du San Shao, who asked to have someone accompany him to bed as soon as they met. He deserved to be mocked by the mistress!
“Why isn’t Young Master Du speaking? Are you dissatisfied with my proposal? If you are, then the deal is off. Although I’m not wealthy, I’m not interested in such a small amount of money,” Yu Xinruo said, a hint of amusement in her eyes. Trying to take advantage of her, he should first consider if he has the means! She had heard that Du Qiuluan was quite stingy, so the exorbitant price of ten thousand taels of gold for a night would surely deter him.
Just as she was thinking this, Du Qiuluan laughed and said, “Miss, you’re such a refined person. If ten thousand taels of gold can buy a night of your company, I’m more than satisfied. I have no reason to be unhappy with your proposal. It’s settled then.”
Seeing how ambiguously he spoke, Xing’er quickly added, “Young Master Du, don’t misunderstand. Our mistress will only be accompanying you to sleep, not in that way!”
Du Qiuluan smiled charmingly, “Don’t worry, I understand. Do you have any other concerns?” Now, he understood, but whether he would keep understanding was another matter. While he wasn’t a lecher, he couldn’t be compared to a sage who remained unperturbed in the presence of beauty.
Yu Xinruo looked at him in surprise, “You agree?” Only a fool would accept such an unreasonable condition! Since Du Qiuluan was so shrewd, he surely wouldn’t accept this without some ulterior motive.
Du Qiuluan’s eyes twinkled as he said, “Are you having second thoughts, Miss? You should know that your actions reflect on the reputation of the Empress Hotel. If you go back on your word…”
Yu Xinruo was taken aback and chuckled dryly, “No, no. I stand by my word. Let’s go. I’ll show Young Master Du to the prepared room now.”
This was supposed to be a pretext to scare Du Qiuluan off with her sky-high price. Now, it seemed she was in a tight spot.
Well, as long as she didn’t do anything to harm Qu Yang, it should be fine, she thought to herself.
Xiao Li tugged at her sleeve, frowning and whispering, “Miss, if this gets back to Qu Shao Ye, it’ll be terrible. He will be angry.”
Yu Xinruo pulled her aside and said with a flattering smile, “If you don’t mention it and I don’t mention it, he won’t know. Don’t worry, I will never do anything to disappoint him. Just help me keep this secret, and I’ll make sure to reward you generously in the future.” She patted Xiao Li’s shoulder and headed straight to the royal suite with Du Qiuluan.
Xiao Li and Xing’er exchanged glances and sighed in unison. Was the mistress out of her mind? Is a grand princess going to keep someone company in bed? If this spread, it would only add a stain to her reputation.
Zhong Shuwen watched as Yu Xinruo and Du Qiuluan’s figures disappeared before turning to the two girls with a frown, “Ladies, is this appropriate for the princess?”
Xing’er pulled a stern face and said, “Whether it’s appropriate or not is up to the princess to decide. We are just servants and need to do our duties. Chief Zhong, please make sure this matter doesn’t get out. Otherwise, I’ll have to order your tongue cut out!”
As they walked along the red carpet, they were soon greeted by several beautiful palace women in court attire. The air was filled with the scent of flowers and the tinkling of ornaments. The way they addressed Du Qiuluan with soft, melodious voices and their shy, delicate faces made it a feast for the eyes and soul.
Some of these palace maids were noble ladies who had failed to be chosen by the emperor and were thus left in the palace as mere maids.
The royal suite was indeed extraordinary.
As Du Qiuluan stepped into the specially prepared room, he immediately felt the grandeur of the space.
The room was bathed in imperial yellow, with yellow curtains draping from the ceiling, yellow palace lanterns hanging high from the beams, and the entire room was brightly lit. The soft drapery added a misty beauty to the ambiance.
The most eye-catching feature was the large ivory bed, large enough to sleep ten people, covered with a bright yellow dragon-patterned quilt, and adorned with yellow curtains. The room exuded an air of majestic, untouchable authority.
Yu Xinruo had once sneaked into Jun Yilie’s chambers and noted that the furnishings here were designed to resemble his.
“Young Master Du, let us attend to your bath and changing,” said a woman in red silk as Du Qiuluan marveled at the room’s décor.
Yu Xinruo flashed a sly smile and said, “Treat Young Master Du well. He is a famous tycoon in the capital. If he is satisfied with your service, he will certainly reward you with a generous tip.”
“Yes, Miss,” the several charming ladies replied in unison, smiling sweetly as they led Du Qiuluan towards the bath.
Du Qiuluan smiled wryly. She was truly cunning, setting him up like this. It seemed even ten thousand taels of gold wouldn’t be enough to stay here for a night.
After the bath and changing clothes, and after generously tipping the palace maidens, they reluctantly left, closing the door behind them.
With her long, jet-black hair cascading over her shoulders and her skin glowing with a hint of pink from the bath, her narrow eyes sparkled and her sensual lips curved into a charming smile. The misty steam in the light added to her allure.
He was dressed in a white bathrobe, his tall and fit frame moving slowly to the bedside. As he looked at the bed, his enticing smile froze on his face: she was already lying on the bed, fully dressed, in an extremely unseemly position!
Sam Williams On TYMIMA Chapter 152