The owner casually uttered a word of "welcome," and the young maid, not daring to pause despite her panting, let her skirt fly as she scurried downstairs to relay the message.

  Aunt Shuang, still worried, also descended to observe, allowing herself to slowly adjust her clothing and makeup.

  Her outer garment had been torn off during the earlier commotion with the Golden Hair guests, her silk skirt was wrinkled, and her hair slightly disheveled. With a "distinguished guest" visiting for the first time, not being impeccably dressed would surely tarnish the reputation of the "Flying Cloud Tower"owner.

  Bending to pick up the shawl that had nearly flown off the rooftop, she spotted a small, palm-sized clay pot on the corner floor. Approaching, she lifted the lid to peek inside, a smile curving her lips. She wondered which of the Golden Hair guests had forgotten to take it with them. The pot contained a small gecko, which was fed cinnabar daily. This little creature was essential for marking the "chastity mark" on a woman's skin.

  However, what need would the Golden Hair guests have for "chastity mark"? It was likely they had kept it as a pet, finding amusement in it, one after another. Alas, poor little thing.

  She squatted, resting her chin on her knees, and picked up a slender bamboo twig nearby, intending to prod the contents of the pot. Just then, the purple gauze curtain by the edge of the rooftop swayed and brushed past her. Like a wave, it parted, and she saw a pair of sheepskin boots.

  Such large feet!

  She recognized the astonishing size and her heart tightened. Raising her gaze, she followed the imposing boots upward.

  Everything was as she had expected. The owner of the boots was exceptionally tall and broad, with a back like a tiger and a waist like a bear. A single iron arm was almost thicker than her slender waist.

  This giant who had silently leaped onto the rooftop and into her boudoir appeared to be furious, seething with immense anger. The way he looked down at her reminded her of a great eagle that had locked onto its prey and was about to swoop down for the kill, ferociously so.

  Ah, what must come will come. Moreover, she had been anticipating his arrival.

  "Lord Resalang has stepped mud prints on the floor!" she said, meeting his hawk-like eyes with a hint of teasing in her voice.

  Resalang had already experienced the extraordinary nature of this woman's conduct quite thoroughly.

  Seeing that she was not the least bit afraid and even had the leisure to tilt her head and examine him from head to toe and back again, he felt a grudging respect for her courage, even amidst his anger.

  He glanced at the imprints of his boots and his gaze naturally shifted to a long silver chain peeking out from beneath her skirt, and of course, to her bare, sockless feet.

  His rugged brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, and something flashed through his mind and his chest, his breath catching.

  At that time, it was these very feet and this silver chain that had nearly choked him to death.

  He had thought that by using a man's advantage to pressure a woman, he would be in the superior position, that she would be terrified and beg for mercy. He had never anticipated her sudden provocation.

  A life-and-death struggle, a savage entanglement, that experience was earth-shattering.

  Retaliation.

  He accepted the challenge and sought survival within her, hating and fiercely, without any tenderness, wanting only to carve out a path. He penetrated too deep, so deep that he felt he had died once in that intimate place.

  Thoroughly!

  "I am looking for you," he said, his voice deep, shifting his boot slightly, not minding leaving more mud prints.

  She paid it no mind, rising gracefully, the small clay pot cradled in her arms, and softly hummed, "Lord Resalang, who else would you be looking for but me? I've taken away your 'heart's desire.' Such acts of stealing what others love have always been my pleasure. If you're not happy, naturally, you'll come looking for trouble with me."

  "So you took Lan Qi'er to force me to seek you out?" His iron frame, like a behemoth, suddenly pressed closer.

  He deliberately stepped on the silver chain on the floor with his large foot, one arm encircling her waist, and the other grasping her throat. The pressure on her throat was light, but the threat was palpable, as if daring her red lips to utter another word would result in his giant palm crushing her slender neck.

  His eyes blazing, he spoke again in a low voice. "Stealing what others love, obstructing good deeds... The renowned name of Hua Duo Mei, theowner of 'Flying Cloud Tower,' I have long heard of. It turns out it has such a meaning. This time, I have truly experienced it."

  In a perilous situation, she laughed, clear as a bell, gazing directly at his suddenly close male face.

  "Is that so? So you've heard of me. How do people praise me?" Her chin lifted slightly, her beauty tinged with a proud air, she said playfully, "Do they say I am exquisitely beautiful, unrivaled in the world? Or do they say I am both delicate and fragrant, worthy of being the king of a hundred flowers?"

  "Theowner is quite confident in herself."

  "Naturally." Her pretty eyes blinked.

  The giant hand lightly pressing her neck felt the pulse in her carotid. Or perhaps, she was not as calm as she appeared?

  Resalang slightly lifted her face with his thumb and forefinger, studying her intently, trying to see through the thoughts beneath her detestable beauty. After a moment of confrontation, he said, "I have heard a different version."

  "Please elaborate. This humble woman will listen with all her ears." How well-behaved and courteous she was.

  His hawk eyes narrowed. "Rumor has it that theowner of 'Flying Cloud Tower' is licentious and promiscuous, cruel and savage, arrogant and unbridled, morally corrupt and wanton, disregarding all propriety..."

  "Eh? Someone so malicious would slander me like this?!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide with feigned innocence.

  "...with not a shred of mercy, especially towards men. When a man is in a difficult position, unable to advance or retreat, she will deliver a fatal blow."

  "This 'fatal blow' has its own art," she said, nodding her head as if to say, 'the sea of learning is boundless and profound.'

  "Furthermore, this 'Flying Cloud Tower' is a den of iniquity, gathering free-spirited and lustful women from all over the land. The Twelve Golden Hair guests, the Twenty-Four Silver Flute maidens, and the Thirty-Six Jade Celestial Maidens, each with their unique talents and astonishing skills. Yet, men come here not for pleasure, but to be played with at their fingertips, only to return again and again, willingly humiliated."

  "For men to enter my 'Flying Cloud Tower,' they must also see if their women agree!" She wrinkled her delicate nose and glanced at him.

  "Meaning, theowner has already made me her man, and you agree, so you allow me to be here?" The arm around her waist suddenly tightened, his thick thigh pressing between her delicate legs.

  The breath of Duo Mei grew hotter, her fragrance more potent. Unwilling to concede, she said, "It is I who allow you to be my man. In this world, men can choose women, and women can also choose the men they fancy. Lord Resalang is strong and robust, with an appearance unlike that of Han men, and his dimensions are extraordinary. I have always been courageous in challenges. Defeating you would truly give me a sense of accomplishment."

  In the quiet boudoir, a man's suppressed gritting of teeth could be heard.

  "Theowner is truly... unique." His fingers itched to knock her unconscious.

  Her cheeks flushed, she curved her lips, gazing unashamedly at the dark, handsome face close to hers, and suddenly asked, "Then, you've spoken a lot about the rumors of 'Flying Cloud Tower' just now. What do you think of those words, those events?"

  Believe? Or not believe?

  Resalang pursed his lips and tightened his jaw, not answering. Then he heard her softly hum—

  "They say rumors stop with the wise..."

  "Your Han people have a saying, 'No wind, no waves.'" he retorted.

  She smiled charmingly, her starry eyes sparkling.

  "Who is Lord Resalang? To find this place within ten days, and to even befriend Old Master Meng, who has dealings with my Aunt Shuang and the Twelve Golden Hair guests, and to have him lead your group of fierce men as vanguards to enter the tower, it must be that during these ten days, you have thoroughly understood the secrets of my 'Flying Cloud Tower.' As for those rumors, whether true or false, even if they stir up storms in your heart, it is only temporary. Once you look closely, you will understand, won't you?"

  The establishment of "Flying Cloud Tower" originated from Hua Duo Mei's maternal aunt, Du Yin Shuang. Initially, it was to accommodate unfortunate women who had been divorced or had suffered other misfortunes and had nowhere to turn. Later, by chance, two former renowned courtesans from Jiangnan and Jiangbei, who had once been famous and popular, retired from the pleasure quarters before their beauty and favor waned. Each leading several good sisters, they flocked to "Flying Cloud Tower."

  Now, after more than ten years, there are seventy-two sisters with artistic names in the tower, plus the young maids, older servants, and elderly nannies, bringing the total to over a hundred.

  However, "Flying Cloud Tower" is quite spirited; it doesn't shy away from supporting so many mouths.

  Even if a woman is as frail as a willow, she can be independent and strong, holding up half the sky, no longer at the mercy of men.

  They each perform their duties according to their specialties. In addition to general handicrafts like embroidery, weaving, and straw weaving, those with good culinary skills are naturally arranged to help in the restaurants or pastry shops opened by "Flying Cloud Tower." However, among the more than a dozen trades, the most effective in generating silver to support the leisurely lives of the sisters is the "Secret Art of the Jade Chamber," which was taught by the two former courtesans and later integrated and refined several times.

  Resalang's mind had been filled with countless "legends" about "Flying Cloud Tower" for ten days while tracking her.

  Lan Qi'er was taken, and he was furious and anxious, but finding "Da Xiang" was not easy.

  This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

  She had said that day that her target had never been Lan Qi'er. If that was the case, her target was actually him, wasn't it?

  This was his first time in Jiangnan, bringing a large quantity of rare spices. His identity as a merchant was simple. Being targeted must be due to business conflicts. Following this line of reasoning, he had worked hard to build connections and gather information, which had led him to her today.

  "I do understand," he said, gripping the woman's slender waist and moving her, easily pressing her delicate body against the wall with his large frame, completely looming over her.

  "Mmm... can you tell me?" Her jade legs were difficult to keep together, as if straddling his taut thighs. Hua Duo Mei's desire stirred, her voice like soft silk.

  "I understand why men who have visited 'Flying Cloud Tower' both hate and love this place, why they endure humiliation yet grit their teeth and return again and again."

  "Oh?" she giggled, her alluring face tilting slightly.

  "It's because of your 'Secret Art of the Jade Chamber' from 'Flying Cloud Tower,' which can restore potency to elderly men." Although he said this, his tone was slow, as if he didn't fully believe it and still held reservations.

  "More than that, more than that!" As the esteemed owner, she had to vigorously promote her own exquisite benefits. "Lord Resalang overestimates men! It's forgivable for the elderly to be impotent, but some young or even middle-aged men are weak no matter how you tease them, or they collapse after only a moment. If a woman's own man is such inferior goods, then the woman is truly pitiful! Our 'Flying Cloud Tower' respects women; how could we bear to let our sisters suffer?"

  "So, old and young... impotent men, urged by their wives at home, tearfully enter 'Flying Cloud Tower,' and you charge them a considerable 'consultation fee' to treat men's 'grave illnesses'?" Even though he had heard Old Master Meng stammer and blush while describing it, he became even more astonished, his thick brows rising.

  Hua Duo Mei swayed her little head, an obvious smugness on her face.

  "The rule of 'Flying Cloud Tower' is that one man and one woman must come together for consultation. We don't concern ourselves with whether the woman is actually his wife; of course, if the man is not the master of the woman's household, we don't care either. However, it is true that several wives from official families and wealthy households have secretly sought our help. Old Master Meng is one example; initially, Mrs. Meng had her household servants drag him in through the back door."

  She paused slightly and blinked with a smile.

  "Entering 'Flying Cloud Tower' requires complete honesty. Men and women embrace and perform their duties. Outside the layers of purple gauze curtains, seventy-two skilled female masters, such as the Golden Hair guests, provide escort and guidance, teaching those seeking consultation how to learn the secret art while making love. It is especially important to let the female guests learn to enjoy the process. This is a great merit!"

  Resalang's mind instantly went numb.

  He finally understood why she, who had been a virgin at the time, could be so bold, as if she didn't care about exposing her naked body in front of him.

  Matters of men and women were too common for her.

  Although she hadn't personally experienced it, she watched "live" performances every day, practicing that infernal secret art! Could it be that her upbringing environment was like this, which had shaped such a shockingly unconventional disposition?

  Taking a deep breath, he thought he could steady his nerves, but the scent of the woman's fragrance permeated his nostrils, making him feel dizzy.

  Damn it!

  "Since you lured me to seek you out, why did you knock me out and disappear without a trace then?"

  "You knocked me out, and I pricked you unconscious. It's quite fair!" Whether she sensed her effect on him or not, Hua Duo Mei deliberately tilted her face higher, her soft lips almost touching his stubbled, handsome jaw. "Besides, for those two months serving at the Zhou residence, I had to kneel every time I saw you. If you didn't pity me, I pitied myself! Making you search hard for me was just to dissipate some of my resentment..."

  "You!" Was it his fault that she had been hiding in the Zhou residence? Resalang moved closer, his dark brows furrowed as if to embed her into the wall.

  "Don't press, don't press, you'll break the small clay pot in my arms!" Her delicate hand held the item high to her chest, protecting it.

  Hearing this, he instinctively lowered his head to glance. He saw a small, four-legged creature, completely red, in the pot, motionless at the bottom.

  Hua Duo Mei, as if showing off a treasure, rubbed the small pot against their touching chests and then down to his jaw, saying sweetly, "Look, isn't this little gecko beautiful? It's fed cinnabar every day. It takes seven catties to achieve this lovely red color. Then, after several processing steps, it's ground into a crimson powder, which can be used to mark the '守宫砂' for women."

  "Do the women in 'Flying Cloud Tower' still need '守宫砂'?" A superfluous act!

  Resalang suddenly felt a inexplicable anger, fiercer than before.

  His gaze involuntarily fell on the woman's bare shoulder. In his memory, there had been a cinnabar mole there. But looking now, that touch of crimson was gone. After being with him, his body heat and essence had entered her flesh and blood, leaving behind the red marks on her legs and shoulders.

  The woman still looked harmless, wrinkling her nose and shrugging her smooth shoulders. "It is precisely the women in 'Flying Cloud Tower' who need '守宫砂' more. It's a reminder! If one is over twenty and still has this crimson mark, it means they have no experience with men whatsoever and will be looked down upon by their sisters."

  The man's dark face, whose features were too stern, turned even darker, so dark that black energy seemed to emanate from his forehead. Yet, she continued.

  "I am already twenty this year. Fortunately, I met you to help me out of this predicament. Otherwise, as theowner, I would be extremely embarrassed and lose all face!"

  Grinding his teeth and clenching his jaw, the man made a strange sound. He couldn't understand why, as a dignified man, he had become so hesitant, delaying crushing her neck and listening to those outrageous words from her mouth.

  Was her neck too beautiful, her skin too smooth, that he couldn't bear to?

  Damn it! He could no longer distinguish who he was angry at, her, or himself.

  Suddenly, golden light flashed, drawing a streak of brilliance.

  Another trick?

  If he fell for the same trick again, he might as well cut off his head and let this woman play with it!

  As the golden light flickered at the corner of his eye, Resalang reacted with lightning speed.

  He tightened his grip on her throat with his fingers, and with one hand, he seized her raised wrist. Her delicate fingers held a fine golden needle, seemingly produced from nowhere, its tip aimed at the spot where he had been pricked last time.

  Hua Duo Mei struggled, unable to breathe, no longer caring about the clay pot in her arms. The small pot shattered with a loud crash.

  Her counterattack was swift. She lifted her knee to strike his most vulnerable spot.

  Unexpectedly, Resalang had anticipated this. His knees clamped together, and his long legs instead trapped hers.

  If she were willing to submit, she wouldn't be Hua Duo Mei!

  Her unconstrained hand reached out to grasp his thick throat. The hand holding the hibiscus gold needle couldn't get close to him, so she flicked the golden needle using a hidden technique.

  Resalang was greatly startled. To avoid the golden needle, he had to tilt his head forward.

  *Thud!*

  "Mmm..." Pain! Hua Duo Mei's beautiful forehead was roughly hit by him. Dizziness, coupled with the pain in her neck, caused her body to slide down.

  Their limbs tangled, and they were further ensnared by the silver chain, both falling onto the rosewood floor.

  Hua Duo Mei lay on top of the man's sturdy body, her face pressed against his firm chest, coughing violently. Although the pressure on her throat had been released, the lingering force still burned her throat, making her face turn red from coughing.

  Resalang suddenly felt a strange sense of guilt.

  Thinking about it carefully, he had never been so rude and disrespectful to any woman, whether a foreign woman or a Han woman. Let alone overpowering her with his physical advantage or resorting to brute force.

  She had made him break his principles repeatedly, easily provoking his anger twice. Although it was all her own doing, after the physical contact, seeing her hunched over and coughing incessantly, that feeling of "bullying the weak" instantly spread, making his chest feel tight and his throat uncomfortable.

  "You... *cough cough cough*... are you going to pat my back to help me breathe, or... *cough*... do you want to beat me to death?" Her forehead, having been hit, would surely have a small bump.

  Dizzy, Hua Duo Mei rubbed her face against him and punched his firm chest several times, tears welling up in her eyes because her hand hurt again.

  Hearing this, Resalang's giant palm paused abruptly. He realized that he was indeed patting her back, his strength unrestrained.

  "Who told you to play tricks again?" he said, slightly embarrassed, his tone still harsh.

  Meaning she brought it upon herself and deserved it, right? "You grabbed my throat, not quite strangling me, *cough cough*... when I had the chance, of course, I struck first!"

  Unable to suppress her anger, Hua Duo Mei pressed against the man's strong body and rubbed forward. As he opened his mouth to speak, she lowered her flushed face, lightly covered by the soft cloth, and bit his handsome, slightly wide mouth.

  It wasn't a real bite, not entirely. Except for the first bite, which was deliberately painful, the rest was a combination of sucking, nibbling, and licking.

  Resalang furrowed his brows and let out a low moan, faintly tasting blood. The pounding in his chest intensified, his blood surged, and his lips and tongue immediately counterattacked, not allowing this wicked woman to have it all her way.

  The events of that night became increasingly vivid. The incredibly rough confrontation and entanglement. At this moment, he seemed to be lost again in an inexplicable fragrance. Although he detested this overly soft scent, his arms instinctively embraced the fragrant body in his arms.

  No... wait... there was something extremely important, the purpose of his coming here...

  What was it?

  "You look very good like this, just a single vest, your chest slightly revealed, your two muscular arms full of power, much more alluring than when you wore soft clothes in the Zhou residence..." The fragrance seeped into his mouth bit by bit, his tongue being playfully entwined.

  Was he seducing the woman, or was the woman seducing him?

  He was almost remembering that important matter, almost!

  However, as her hands slowly unfastened his belt and slid into his crotch, his life caught in the trap of those deadly delicate hands, many things could no longer be thought about. All his thoughts and intentions were swallowed by the overwhelming tide of desire.

  "Lord Resalang... try our 'Flying Cloud Tower's' secret art with me! You are my first man, and it's considered fate. I must treat you well and make you happy too..."

  Her laughter was coquettish, her soft hands ceaselessly playing in various ways. His blood surged, his ears and eyes burned, and he could no longer hold back. With the force of a fierce tiger pouncing on a sheep, he flipped over and pressed down on the woman who had set him ablaze.

  His movements were too wild, too violent, his strength too heavy, too fierce. He knew it in his heart, but he couldn't stop. The woman beneath him wouldn't let him stop.

  He buried himself within her, falling into a mysterious and abundant water. The water demon residing deep within the water reservoir bound him with her long hair. He fell deeper, and deeper. Every time there was a slight pause or retreat, he would impulsively fall even deeper, losing his soul.

  As the chaos gradually subsided, the passionate roars and moans turned into slightly hurried breaths. The disheveled man and woman still clung to each other, not having withdrawn from each other's hot bodies, pressed close, silent, quietly inhaling the residual scent in the air.

  During their intense, battle-like union, several purple gauze curtains were torn down. The light gauze, having lost its support from the top, fell straight down, one after another, covering the two scorching bodies on the rosewood floor, as if creating a purple gauze tent for them.

  After a while, inside the purple gauze tent, the woman let out a soft sigh with lingering charm, her voice emerging—

  "...I went to the Zhou residence because I wanted to get close to you. I heard from many people that there was a foreign merchant lord who brought several camel loads of rare spices and medicinal herbs, among which the extremely rare 'Dragon's Fascination' was a treasure that everyone coveted and could not obtain..."

  Her fair and rosy arms gently encircled the man's thick neck, her snow-white fingertips rubbing his slightly sweaty curly hair, lazily and languidly saying, "Since Lord Resalang is willing to entrust his lifeblood to this humble woman, why not entrust your 'Dragon's Fascination' as well? With this rare medicine, our 'Flying Cloud Tower' will be like a tiger with wings. And I will certainly give you the benefits you deserve, ensuring you are happy and content, alright?"

  The man, immersed in the flow of desire, felt his back jolt, and his consciousness suddenly awakened.

  She went to the Zhou residence to get close to him... then he found this place, to... to...

  He suddenly pushed up his upper body. The sudden large movement caused another surge of waves between their connected secret places, and both couldn't help but tremble.

  Resalang's forehead veins were prominent. He lowered his head and rested it on the woman's forehead, regulating his breathing. It took all his strength to barely stabilize himself. He raised his eyebrows, his stern eyes looking directly into her mesmerizing pupils.

  "Where is Lan Qi'er? Where did you hide her?"

  Damn it! He had forgotten this crucial matter, only caring about fooling around with her! Absolutely outrageous! "If you dare to harm a single hair of Lan Qi'er, I will—"

  "I didn't hide her," she replied, still lazy and unhurried, facing his anger.

  Her ankle was chained, which was somewhat inconvenient. Otherwise, she really wanted to wrap her arms around his waist and rub his hips with her bare feet.

  "I didn't hide Lan Qi'er..." she repeated, smiling enigmatically. "Your 'heart's desire' is right here. Don't you see?"

  "What nonsense—" His words suddenly choked in his throat. He seemed to realize something strange, his expression changing slightly.

  The next moment, disregarding the woman still clinging to him, he forcefully pushed aside the layers of purple gauze covering them. He poked his head out, and upon seeing the scene, his expression changed from slightly altered to drastically altered.

  The purple gauze curtains fell. With the layers of hanging gauze removed as a separation, the boudoir became much more spacious. In another corner near the rooftop, Lan Qi'er was leaning against a low couch padded with long pillows!

  She should have been there all along, within the small space enclosed by the purple gauze curtains, her face facing outwards, quietly and peacefully basking in the daylight.

  At this moment, she was still motionless, like a white jade statue. Even with the surrounding passion and lust, the man and woman engaged in fierce battle, she remained peaceful and silent.

  His eyes widened, his mind reeled. Resalang was so angry he couldn't speak, filled with rage and... extreme embarrassment!

  Damn it!

  Damn it, damn it, damn it!