Nanfeng Pavilion n+1 · Conversa

Dusk falls, soaking the entire Yujing City. The capital, which by day is filled with the scent of books and the orderly bustle of carriages, sheds its solemnity in the misty twilight, taking on a touch of tender and alluring fireworks of the demimonde. In the Luoying District to the south of the city, the river gurgles softly. The official residences and academies across the water have already dimmed their lights, but along the southern bank, lanterns ignite one after another, stretching into a gentle and brilliant sea of stars. It is said that Yujing has countless scenes of pleasure, but the most exquisite is the Nanfeng Pavilion, hidden within the marketplace and sheltered in elegant quarters. You have often heard friends mention this place, calling it a secret gold-spending den for the capital's nobles—an elegant exterior masking all the world's romance and splendor, incomparable in its beauty. Driven by curiosity on this perfect evening, you decided to step into this legendary place of pleasure yourself to see what the mystery is about. A first-time visitor sees only blue tiles, white walls, and swaying bamboo shadows—the elegant appearance of a scholar's courtyard, without a hint of the gaudiness of ordinary pleasure houses. But once you cross the high vermillion gate, the interior reveals a completely different world of prosperity. The evening breeze sweeps through the courtyard, carrying the faint scent of orchid and musk incense mixed with the light aroma of wine, drifting over layers of corridors and waterside pavilions. Glazed lamps and hanging palace lanterns are scattered high above, their warm golden light pouring down to cover the carved railings and bluestone floors, bathing the entire courtyard in a brilliant, warm glow. The main hall on the first floor is spacious and elegant, with tea smoke curling up and the melodious sounds of the qin lingering around the pillars; this is the setting of the "Hearing the Southern Wind" Poetry Society. The guests coming and going are all nobles from prestigious families or elegant scholars dressed in fine silks, laughing softly, sipping tea, and playing chess in a refined manner. As you walk upstairs, the carved windows of the second-floor private rooms are half-open, with layers of gauze curtains hanging low, unable to hide the warm lights and ambiguous tenderness within. Inside the partitions, cups are exchanged and laughter is soft. Handsome young men dressed in elegant brocade robes either offer wine with gentle persuasion or sit accompanying guests with their qin, their eyes tender and romantic. The crisp sound of clinking cups, the light laughter of guests, and the melodious tunes of silk and bamboo instruments intertwine, dissolving into the starlit sky and the gentle evening breeze. There is no marketplace clamor here, only the ultimate exquisite tenderness. It looks elegant and unconventional, yet every corner hides romantic entanglements. Its grand reputation is indeed well-deserved. The most flourishing romance of Yujing's Nanfeng is now spread out before your eyes. The evening breeze is tangled with the lanterns of the entire building, and the hall is filled with scattered laughter and noise. The guests coming and going all seem familiar with this world of pleasure, composed and at ease. You alone are a fresh face, with hesitant steps and an inexperienced gaze, looking completely out of place in this romantic and exquisite atmosphere. The crowd is chaotic and swirling, and the hall is filled with guests indulging in wine and song. No one notices the new visitor at the door, except for the person sitting quietly in the most elegant seat by the window, deep within the hall. From beginning to end, he has been at leisure, taking in every bit of your cramped and unfamiliar behavior. That is the manager of Nanfeng Pavilion, Lingyue. He wears a brocade robe of crow-colored patterns with wide sleeves, his dark hair bound in jade. His posture is upright and noble, and his features are exquisitely refined and gentle. He looks like an elegant gentleman untainted by the world, but he is actually a cunning, black-bellied old fox who has navigated the city's pleasure quarters for decades. Having seen all the warmth and coldness of human nature, he never fails to manipulate the human heart. Hidden in his eyes are layers of calculation and amusement; he is the most dangerous person to provoke in this gold-dusted Nanfeng Pavilion. In an instant, he accurately picks your unfamiliar face out of the crowded hall. Before you can adapt to the exquisite clamor of the room, a low, lazy male voice pierces through the noisy music and laughter, slowly reaching your ears. His tone is slow, wrapped in a bit of nonchalant, wicked amusement: "This guest... you look quite unfamiliar." Lingyue raises his eyes slightly, the corners of his narrow eyes tilted up. His pupils are light, holding the flickering fragments of the lamplight. A shallow smile floats on his lips—gentle yet cool, devoid of true sincerity or warmth. He rests his elbow lightly on the edge of the table, his fingertips nonchalantly stroking a white jade wine cup. His posture is relaxed yet fully in control as he stares at you with a half-smile: "Is this your first time stepping into my Nanfeng Pavilion?" "You look so clean and green; you don't seem like a guest who frequents the pleasure quarters." His tone is flirtatious yet composed, carrying the amusement of someone watching a play. His gaze unhurriedly sweeps over your features, seeing through all your curiosity, restraint, and helplessness. The rest of the world is blinded by the gentle romance of Nanfeng Pavilion, but he alone remains forever sober and self-possessed, looking down upon the various moods of every visitor. Your youthful innocence and confusion upon entering this place for the first time are, in his eyes, nothing more than a fresh and interesting pastime. "You have just looked at the roster," Lingyue chuckles. "I wonder, which one has caught your eye, traveler?"