Chapter Six: Renovating the House

On Baizhifang Banbed Alley, Fang Wei stood on a wooden ladder, carefully laying bricks onto the wall. He then called down to Gu Yu, who was by the wall, “Hand me another brick.”

Gu Yu, crouched on the ground, was vigorously mixing the glutinous rice lime mortar. Hearing Fang Wei’s request, he picked up a brick, smoothed some mortar onto its surface, and passed it up. Fang Wei was skilled at this; he placed the bricks smoothly along the width of the wall. When the last brick was set in place, Fang Wei clapped his hands together. “Done. All set!”

He climbed down from the ladder slowly. Gu Yu supported him under the arm and helped him to the ground. Fang Wei waved off the concern. “It’s just a small injury, barely worth mentioning. It’s nearly healed already.”

Gratitude and guilt mingled on Gu Yu’s face. “I didn’t want to trouble you, senior brother...” Orphaned early, this house was the only inheritance left to him. Having followed Dong Xinwu on an assignment for some time, the dry capital had been battered by several heavy rains, and upon returning, Gu Yu faced the immediate challenge of guarding a collapsed outer wall all night. Upon learning this, Fang Wei kindly brought tools and materials to Gu Yu’s home, for which Gu Yu was deeply thankful.

Fang Wei waved his hand. “Your parents are gone, and it’s no easy task for a young man like you to keep this place. Since you called me senior brother, I may not have many skills, but I can certainly help with small things like this.”

Gu Yu had already set up a square table in the courtyard. Fang Wei washed his hands and face in a basin, then moved a low stool to sit by the table. Gu Yu poured tea and handed him a cup. Fang Wei accepted it but did not rush to drink, instead looking around the courtyard. Gu Yu’s home was a single enclosed compound, a tile-roofed house facing south to north, with a kitchen to the west and nothing else besides.

“My father passed away two years ago, and not long ago, my mother followed him to the west. Before she left, she pulled some strings to get me a position as a constable in Shuntian Prefecture. Without her, I wouldn’t even know how to support myself,” Gu Yu said, pointing to the courtyard. “This house is what my parents worked a lifetime to earn. It’s my only hope.”

Fang Wei nodded. “To own property in the capital, where every inch of land is precious, your parents must have been exceptional.”

Gu Yu pressed his lips together, then finally asked, “Senior brother, they haven’t caused you any trouble again, have they?” The sudden question startled Fang Wei briefly, but he quickly realized that even someone as inexperienced as Gu Yu was worried about him. He smiled wryly. “It’s true, I was at fault first. If the officials want to punish me, I’ll have to accept it...”

He didn’t want to dwell on the matter and pointed to a cloth sack by the wall. “I picked up some meat on the way here. Let’s heat it up in the pot and make do for dinner.”

Night fell. A shadow moved like a kite over the high wall and landed silently like a cat. Such a grand residence was naturally well-guarded, but the man in black slipped past the sentries as if no one was there, heading straight for the back courtyard and climbing the embroidered tower. From his pocket, he drew a short knife and slipped its blade into the door crack, gently moving the latch. After a few attempts, a faint click sounded. The man re-sheathed the knife, pushed the door open, and closed it behind him.

“Who is it? Is that you, Xiao Hong?” A woman’s lazy voice came from behind, evidently roused by the noise.

“I am Tang Haiqiu, paying my respects to the young lady in the dead of night. I beg your pardon!” The man spoke with surprising politeness.

The woman was terrified. Born to a sheltered noble family, pampered and protected, she had never encountered such a strange scene. Just as she opened her mouth to call for help, Tang Haiqiu leapt forward, covering her mouth with one hand while tapping her spine with his thumb. The woman seemed to lose all strength and sank softly to the ground.

In her ear, Tang Haiqiu whispered, “You are naturally beautiful and charming, my lady. I have admired you for a long time. The clear breeze and bright moon are the perfect time for heartfelt confession. Why do you reject such feelings?” His warm breath brushed against her ear, sending chills through her. Helpless and unable to call out, she suddenly felt light as he lifted her up.

Up close in the moonlight, she saw his handsome features—arched brows, bright eyes, and refined bearing. Noticing her gaze, Tang Haiqiu smiled confidently. “Am I pleasing to your eye, my lady?” He took a few steps, placing her on the bed, then knelt by the edge, inching closer.

To Tang Haiqiu, there were only two kinds of women: obedient and disobedient. Whether a woman yielded to him willingly or succumbed under force, both counted as obedience. For those stubborn women who defied him, he had other methods. This lady had long been the object of his desire, and tonight he could no longer resist visiting her under the cover of darkness to consummate their affair.

Seeing Tang Haiqiu’s handsome face, the woman’s resistance weakened, bolstering his confidence. She said, “You are dignified and refined, sir. I am captivated at first sight. But coming at this hour scared me terribly. Please, slow down, do not harm me.”

Tang Haiqiu smiled with satisfaction and straightened. “As long as you’re sensible, I will only bring you pleasure. How could I ever hurt such a delicate lady?”

Her heart raced, her body trembling. “I-I’m so nervous, I don’t know how to... to...” The words “pleasure” caught in her throat, her voice growing faint.

Watching her shy demeanor, Tang Haiqiu felt a surge of heat in his chest. He reached for her wrist, but she quickly dodged. “It’s hot tonight. The servants brewed plum wine to cool off. I kept some in my room. Stay with me, let’s drink and talk, and I won’t be afraid anymore.”

Though it was dark, her shy blush and the faint outline of her fair skin beneath the thin nightgown intoxicated him. As she rose and walked toward a cabinet, Tang Haiqiu’s greedy eyes followed her closely. She took out a bottle, and a thought struck him: if she planned to drink, why was there no scent of alcohol?

Before he could ponder further, she suddenly spun and hurled the object at him with force! Tang Haiqiu was close and quickly raised both hands to shield his head while kicking toward her!