Following Joo Hyeol into the pleasure house, Yunmeng Tower.
Just like its name, it was a dreamlike place spread out atop the clouds.
Of course, it was a dream utterly foreign to me.
Crossing the threshold, the interior was a completely different world.
A fragrant scent tickled the nose, and crimson curtains fluttered down from the ceiling.
Beyond the entrance stretched a vast open space.
There, countless men and women were drinking.
How could men and women be so uninhibited!
The scene unfolding before my eyes was a far cry from the propriety and etiquette I knew in the Central Plains.
Had they all cast aside their pretenses? It was a space where physical intimacy flowed with utter freedom.
Beneath the soft red lighting, courtesans revealed themselves here and there.
Gaudy, sheer fabrics draped their bodies—or so one might say, but the word "draped" hardly fit their boldness.
Among them, powdered and adorned with hairpins, shaking their wrists—some boasted prominent bosoms, others flaunted the allure of their legs.
No wonder Joo Hyeol had praised this place so highly.
I hid behind him, rolling my eyes around.
"You've arrived. This way, please."
Joo Hyeol must have been a regular, as one courtesan spotted him and led the way.
I figured we'd just walk straight and grab a seat somewhere on the first floor.
But instead, we headed for the stairs.
"...Brother Joo, where are we going?"
"Seojin, don't worry. Since it's your first time at a place like this, I got a bit carried away in my excitement."
"Pardon?"
"Let's head to a private room. For real men sharing drinks, that's the least we deserve."
The Central Plains elite sure live differently. Even so, this was starting to feel a tad overwhelming.
"No, Brother, I didn't expect anything that extravagant..."
Joo Hyeol chuckled.
"...Truth be told, that was just me showing off. Someone from this place wants to guide me somewhere better. Seems the baijiu I supplied before was a hit. This is their way of showing thanks."
"...Oh..."
"What’s with the surprise? Come on, let's enjoy it together. Like I said, I hate drinking or having fun alone—having company makes it way better. Bringing you here for your first time, and now this opportunity falls into my lap. I feel like hot stuff."
"You're the man, Brother. In that case, I won't hold back..."
I pulled down my twitching lips, which were trembling with excitement.
Now that I thought about it, the first floor did feel a bit too vulgar.
What was with everyone doing that stuff right out in the open?
And like Joo Hyeol said, a private room would be better for conversation anyway.
I'd come here to drink, sure, but also to talk.
To connect on a deeper level, you know?
To get closer to Brother Joo, and maybe hear some stories from the courtesans along the way...
As we climbed the stairs, people rushed about busily here and there.
Joo Hyeol's eyes followed them, then flicked away, repeating.
Then, spotting someone, he called out.
"Steward!"
The man called Steward startled at the sight of Joo Hyeol but kept running on his urgent errand.
"...What the?"
Joo Hyeol looked puzzled for a moment.
"This way."
But we pressed on, following the courtesan's lead.
The second floor definitely looked more upscale.
Gone was the first floor's rowdiness and common vulgarity; it was calmer, more refined.
Unlike the wide-open first floor, the second had partitions half-concealing the guests.
Each section had its own space, with bamboo screens shielding the patrons' faces.
The courtesans' appearances stood out too.
If the first floor had popular beauty, this was a step more refined.
Not overwhelming like Cheongwol or Dang Soran, but prettier than Gayeong. Cute, even sophisticated.
If I had to score them, with Cheongwol and Dang Soran at 10, these were about 7s?
Of course, some had off proportions.
Short legs, long torsos, slightly oversized heads... that sort of thing.
...But honestly, was I in any position to critique?
To them, I might look like a beggar myself.
They'd probably just think some lucky wretch had stumbled in.
I let out an admiring sigh and kept walking. Must be tough rounding up crowds like this.
"Huh?"
"One more floor up, Seojin."
"Wow..."
But our steps didn't stop at the second floor.
Joo Hyeol flashed a suave smile and led me confidently onward.
His shoulders seemed broader, his height taller somehow.
Was this aura?
A feeling I'd never gotten around those beggar uncles.
And so we reached the third floor.
Definitely different.
Quieter, more luxurious, with some indescribable... pressure in the air.
The gentle strum of a pipa. A thicker, more seductive fragrance.
I already felt overwhelmed on the first and second floors—backing out now would just leave me regretting it.
Fewer courtesans visible now.
Probably all in private rooms.
As we walked, I spotted just one.
Her clothes and hair were far more elegant.
Beautiful, without a single flaw.
Similar looks to the second floor, but this one was tall, perfectly proportioned.
If I'd seen her on the street, I'd have stared blankly.
Assuming she wasn't a martial artist, that is. Martial artists get the instant glare-down by default.
"Right here."
Joo Hyeol stopped before a dimly lit room.
Then he said,
"Go on. Since it's your first time, you open the door and head in."
I approached slowly, inwardly awed.
My heart was inexplicably pounding.
"Quit shaking and open the damn door, Seojin. I'm thirsty."
"Wh-who's shaking?"
"There'll be courtesans waiting inside. Go on in."
After seeing everything from first to third floor, now this?
What kind of courtesan would it be?
Anticipation and tension swirled, making my heart race.
Probably because I hadn't had much chance to be around women.
"..."
...Suddenly, two women flashed in my mind—especially Cheongwol—but I quickly shoved away those awful memories.
Right. I came here to forget all that crap?
Enjoy it while it lasts. Uncle's orders.
I slowly pushed the door open.
"C-customer!"
At that moment, someone came rushing up and called out to Joo Hyeol.
Turning back, it was the same guy Joo Hyeol had called Steward earlier.
"P-please, just a moment this way."
Joo Hyeol frowned briefly but gestured to me.
"Seojin, go on in first. Have some fun with the courtesans ahead of me."
"Huh?"
...No, Brother, that's too much.
Hang out alone with total strangers—women I'm paying for time with?
I'll act all awkward, show I'm a total noob with zero experience...
They'll clock me as a sucker right away and upsell booze left and right—what then?
Not even footing the bill myself.
But Joo Hyeol quickly walked off with the steward, leaving me awkwardly in the hallway.
Only the courtesan who'd guided me remained, smiling serenely.
I cleared my throat, steeled my nerves, and finally pushed the door.
The door was so well-crafted it opened silently.
"..."?
The private room thus revealed.
A finely polished high-class table bore an array of delicacies, surrounded by orchids, bamboo, and seasonal flowers neatly arranged.
Plain ink paintings hung on the walls, balanced just right—not excessive, not sparse.
...But no one was there.
Weren't there supposed to be courtesans? With this setup, shouldn't there be at least one?
I cautiously scanned the room.
Maybe some prank where they jump out from hiding? It'd be childish, and this place wouldn't...
"...No one's here?"
I asked the courtesan beside me. She kept her composure.
"Please go on in. We're just taking extra time to prepare even prettier courtesans. We'd be grateful if you see it that way."
"I see."
Better this way, actually.
Felt more at ease with Joo Hyeol around anyway.
I stepped inside with a steadier heart.
The door closed.
****
Wondering if the courtesans weren't ready yet, or if they'd run out of liquor, or what the hell the problem was that they had to drag him away, Wi Chang felt a flicker of irritation as he followed Steward Jo Yeolman.
"What the hell do you want with—"
Before he could finish, Jo Yeolman suddenly shoved something into Wi Chang's bosom.
It was a gold ingot.
Wi Chang's face grew even fiercer at the unexpected move.
"What is this nonsense?"
"I never said it wouldn't be dangerous!"
But it was Jo Yeolman who hissed urgently.
"...Dangerous?"
Wi Chang narrowed his eyes further.
What was so special about prepping drinks and girls?
"Dangerous how?"
"Don't play dumb. I should've checked when you handed over the gold...! Great hero, even under your protection, we don't want to cross a master for business."
"What are you talking about?"
"If that's what you want, handle the master yourself. Until then, we're out. Already cleared it with the Madam. Don't know nothing more."
"No, wait, what the he—"
As he reached to grab the man's collar, Jo Yeolman's gaze drifted past Wi Chang's shoulder.
Wi Chang felt it too, following the look.
A chill crept up his spine.
He turned slowly.
At the end of the not-too-distant hallway.
A woman stood there.
Her face shadowed under a conical hat draped with a veil, clad in white robes. A crude silk sash at her waist.
Whoever she was, Wi Chang instantly averted his eyes. Instinct demanded it.
Only now did he understand Jo Yeolman's behavior.
In the meantime, the woman advanced.
Her light footsteps echoed amid the pipa's gentle melody.