20demayo Chapter 68 Body Search
Chapter 68 Body Search
Batu stood at the entrance of Juxianju, looking up at the plaque with gold characters on a black background.
The lanterns were already lit, and their bright red light made the three characters "Juxianju" appear blood red.
Customers came and went at the door, and the shouts of the waiters rose and fell. Everything was as usual: lively, noisy, and decadent.
But Batu knew that tonight would be different.
His heart was pounding so hard that he could barely breathe.
He subconsciously touched the hidden compartment inside his coat, took a deep breath, and stepped inside.
As soon as you enter, a wave of heat hits you.
The lobby was bustling with noise, the aromas of tea, wine, and cosmetics mingling together, making people dizzy and lightheaded.
On the stage, a girl is holding a pipa and singing a song; her voice is high-pitched and thin.
Batu ignored the waiter's greeting and went straight to the second floor.
He dared not walk too fast, for fear that people would notice his panic; nor did he dare walk too slowly, for fear that his legs would give way and he would be unable to walk.
At the stairwell, it was the same two people from last night.
One was tall and the other short, both broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, standing there like two walls.
Last night when they stopped him, their eyes were full of contempt and impatience.
But today, their faces were beaming with smiles, their backs bent like shrimp, and their smiles stretched from the corners of their eyes to the corners of their mouths—they were completely different from yesterday.
"Young Master, you've arrived!" The tall man stepped forward, bowing and holding his hands in front of him, his posture as respectful as if he were seeing his own father.
Batu paused, glancing at him sideways.
He raised his chin slightly, adopting a condescending posture, and let out a cold snort: "You've met today? Didn't you want to fight me yesterday?"
The short man quickly replied, "Your Highness, you are too kind to hold a grudge against a petty person like me."
Master Gao had already given instructions that from now on, when the young master comes, he doesn't need any credentials; he can do whatever he wants.
We were blind to your greatness, please don't take it to heart.
Batu took out two pieces of silver from his sleeve and casually tossed them over.
The silver coin somersaulted in the air and landed in the tall man's hand.
The tall man quickly covered his face with a fawning expression.
"Thank you for the reward, Your Highness!"
Batu ignored them and went up to the second floor.
His back was soaked with cold sweat.
That arrogant demeanor he was just putting on was all an act.
In reality, his heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was going to jump out of his throat.
There are five or six tables on the second floor, which are considered casual tables, specifically for guests who are not qualified to go up to the third floor.
Small merchants, officials below the fourth rank, and some wealthy families in the capital.
On the table were dice, dominoes, and cups for guessing odd or even numbers. Gamblers sat around them, some with flushed faces and others covered in sweat.
Some lost all their money and slumped in their chairs in a daze, while others won money and grinned from ear to ear.
The dice spun rapidly in the porcelain bowl, and the dominoes clattered onto the table, mingling with the shouts, curses, and sighs of the gamblers.
As Batu walked past the tables, a familiar voice came from the side.
"Oh my, isn't this the young master?"
The voice was shrill and bright, with a hint of sarcastic mockery.
Batu turned his head and saw a middle-aged man sitting at a dominoes table, holding two tiles in his hand, a smile on his lips, but there was no kindness in that smile.
He wore a dark blue silk robe with a dark embroidered pattern on the collar, and a fine jade pendant hung at his waist. His face was shiny with oil, and he looked like someone who had no worries about food and clothing.
He knew this person, surnamed Zhou, who was in the porcelain business and owned several shops in the capital. He was quite wealthy.
Back when Batu was squandering money at Juxianju, this guy would follow him around calling him "Young Master" this and "Young Master" that.
Back then, when Batu lost money, he cheered; when Batu won money, he applauded, treating him like a brother.
Later, Batu lost all his money and went into debt, causing his status at Juxianju to plummet, and he changed his tune completely.
When they see him, they avoid him. If they can't avoid him, they say a few sarcastic things, as if stepping on him a few times would raise their own status.
"I heard you lost quite a bit before. What's this? Here to borrow money from Master Gao again? Have you paid back the one you borrowed last time?"
Several gamblers around them joined in the laughter.
Someone chimed in, "Young Master, why don't you borrow from me? The interest rate isn't high, only 2.5% per month, cheaper than Master Gao's!" This sparked another round of laughter.
Someone else added sarcastically, "That young master has plenty of money; he has herds of cattle and sheep on the grasslands. Why would he need to borrow from you?"
The laughter grew even louder.
Batu clenched his fists in his sleeves, his face flushed red, and the veins on his neck bulged.
His breathing became rapid and labored, and his teeth clenched so hard they clicked.
He wanted to rush over, to slam that smiling face onto the dominoes table, to let that Zhou guy know that the prince of the grasslands' fists were not to be trifled with.
But he held it back.
He remembered Tenth Master's words: "Don't be impulsive, don't expose yourself. Everything you do tonight will determine whether you get out of here alive."
He took a deep breath and swallowed back the anger that had risen to his throat.
He loosened his fist, straightened his clothes, and without even glancing at the man surnamed Zhou, walked straight up the stairs to the third floor.
The laughter behind him continued, but he could no longer hear it.
At the top of the stairs on the third floor stood a stranger; he had never seen him before.
The man was in his early twenties, not very tall, but with not an ounce of excess fat on his body.
His face was expressionless, like a stone statue.
Batu didn't pay attention and started to walk uphill.
Suddenly, an arm was placed across his face, blocking his chest.
Batu frowned and stopped in his tracks.
He looked down at the arm, then looked up at the expressionless face, his tone tinged with impatience.
"I'm here to see Master Gao, move aside."
The man did not speak.
His gaze moved from Batu's face to his body, and then back to his face.
"Anyone going up to the third floor will need to be searched," he said, his voice flat. "Please cooperate, Your Highness."
Batu's heart skipped a beat, not from anger, but from fear.
If what's inside his coat is found, he'll be finished.
It wasn't that Tenth Master's job was over, it was that his life was over.
"Damn it!" he yelled, "Who do you think I am? Why should I let you search me? Get out of my way!"
He leaned forward, trying to overwhelm them with his imposing presence.
But the person didn't move, not even blinking.
The arm remained motionless, still stretched across his face.
"Please cooperate." He seemed to be giving Batu one last chance. "Young Master."
Batu broke out in a cold sweat.
He clenched his hands inside his sleeves, his gaze unconsciously drifting towards his overcoat.
We can't let him search.
Absolutely not.
But what should he do?