Xing approached The Red Lantern, and hand over the child’s head, ensuring she didn’t get wet.

Two women in red silk hanfus looked at him confused, but smiled as he passed them, ushering him inside with their hands.

As Xing walked into the Red Lantern tavern. He was met with red floorboards and walls To his left and right were eight white pillars with red silk bands spiraling up.

The silk bands had small golden bells interwoven within the bands, dinging whenever the wind blew through the corridor.

As Xing strolled into the tavern. Voices from the tavern came alive, like a river flooding through the corridor. A zither thrummed, making the cheers and jeers sound pleasant, despite its short distance.

He walked up a small flight of stairs. Then made a left turn, then a short right. Another beautiful woman stood further down the corridor wearing a white and red hanfu, with peacock embroidery stitched around the waist and sleeves.

The woman’s faced lit the moment she saw Xing, ignoring the child in his hands. She curtsied to him with a smile, golden bells dinging from her hairpins. The red rouge on her lips matching the walls perfectly.

Behind the woman, Xing could see the interior in its entirety, which was designed to impress, which it did.

The inside of the Red Lantern was made up of three floors, two of which Xing could see from where he was standing.

Xing’s lips curled into a smile as his eyes traced the entirety of the tavern. It was immaculate in design, with three floors, all red, with men and women dressed elegantly, roaming around as if this was their home.

On the first floor, men sat in a semi-circle with female companions who fed them and massaged their shoulders in perfect union, whilst three women performed on stage.

As Xing spied each woman that passed him, he noted how beautiful they were, but all of them held the eyes of a seductress, ready to take every coin and tael he had in his pouch.

The woman who played the Zither was well clothed in yellow and green robes. Her hair was styled with a variety of braids, then sat in front of her left shoulder, hiding her best with each stroke of the zither. Her eyes were warm, unlike the dancers, but held a distance, that felt like a void…a void Xing wanted no part of.

The cheers that rang through the room, were louder than those on the streets of Shaanxi, which filled Xing with a feeling of familiarity.

The room’s scent luckily wasn’t that of the streets of Shaanxi, which were filled with whet stones, grime and worst of all excrement.

Each city had a distinct smell, and for some reason, Shaanxi’s own was wet and full of excrement, or something closer to it, in his mind of course, but luckily the brothel quelled that scent upon entry.

At least it doesn’t smell of wine Xing thought, smelling the sweet aromas of the women that sauntered around, smiling as beautiful as fairies.

The lavender incense that waft around the room, fluttered into Xing’s nose making his lips water. He drew a wry smile and walked up the short flight of stairs, feeling the eyes of everyone speak for them.

The few eyes that spotted him said one thing. ‘Is that a child?’ with their eyes? It is, Xing thought. Xing walked up to the woman with the peacock embroidery, smiling broadly. “Welcome to the Red Lantern, how may I assist Big Brother today?” The woman in white asked.

“Madam.” He said nestling the child. “A room please.”

She twinkled her nose, looking down at him, despite him being taller than him. Xing laughed in his head, it wasn’t his first time, nor would it be his last.

“Is this enough for a room?” He asked, pulling two silver coins free from his pouch.

“You’re short two silver coins, three if you plan to keep the child here also.” She said firmly. “And… if you do plan to keep her here. I have my own rules for such a thing. So before we discuss anything further. Decide now.”

“There’s nothing to decide,” Xing said, looking back. “A thunderstorm’s brewing outside. I just need warmth and shelter for my daughter.”

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The Hostess tilted forward trying to get a peek of the child, but Xing turned, making it seem as if someone had caught his eye. He then, pulled out three more silver stones, dropping them on her without her realising.

“Big Brother’s a patron of the arts, may I ask who your Master is? We may know him and could provide you with a discount.”

“There’s no need, I'm a simple traveler, seeking shelter for my daughter. If my coins aren’t satisfactory. I can take my leave.”

Xing stepped forward, and so did the hostess. Her lips curled into a smile, and he watched as the gleam from the silver stones sparkled in her eyes. “Your room is this way!” She said and began walking waist swaying from left to right as if it were a bell ringing.

The trailing scent of the lavender she wore was aromatic and hypnotic. It made Xing smile, any other day or time, he would’ve teased her…but not today.

He followed her up a spiral staircase, dodging an old man chasing a young woman who smiled from ear to ear.

A woman standing on the right side of the staircase with feline-like eyes smiled at him and stroked her hands against his bicep. “Big Brother can lift me for a long time tonight?” She said blowing a case, then trailed off into a seductive smile, eyeing him from the corner of her eyes as she walked away.

Xing winked and whispered three words. “No. Thank. You.”

The staircase rounded the main stage in the middle, and acoustics of the zither floated into his ear, making him appreciate the woman’s skill.

A young man, with three bodyguards, stormed downstairs, forcing Xing to hug the wall. He turned left, watching the hostess climb the staircase, not moving.

Once they passed, he looked up, only to see the Hostess standing at the top of the staircase, eyeing him with disdain.

He scampered and continued following her. The hallway was covered in a red carpet and candles and paintings of mountains and lakes.

She led him around a turn, and to the end of the hallway. She pushed the door open and walked in.

The room was red, just like everything else, and had a bed. The middle of the room had a small table with a divider separating the barrel bath.

Xing nodded in satisfaction and strolled back to the hostess. He fished into his pocket, pulled two silver stones and dropped them on the table. “Privacy, Food, Milk and Bean Paste,” Xing said sternly.

“That’s quite a lot for two days, privacy is usually one ten silver stones, I’m sure you know that.” She said wrinkling her nose.

“Are you sure you want to test me?” He said with a smile.

She wrinkled her nose and smiled, she curtsied then left the room with a harrumph, hanfu trailing behind her and walking with such grace and piety.

The child woke suddenly, startling Xing as she grabbed his chest with her right hand. She giggled, and then Xing rested her on the bed, allowing her to feel a true bed.

The moment he placed her on the bed she began wailing and flaring off her hands. Xing scooped her back up, trying to nurse her back into a good mood, but that didn’t happen.

He placed her on the bed, unwrapping the damp cloth around her and wiping her down with a dry cloth.

He checked to ensure she didn’t soil herself and was relieved to see she didn’t. The wailing cries went on for a while, despite his efforts to pace up and down to soothe her into silence.

The problem though, was how noisy the Tavern was. Maybe I should He thought, but the way the rain poured down it was a difficult decision to leave, especially after paying so many silver stones.

It didn’t make sense for him to do, especially after paying five silver stones.

After relenting, he snatched up a gourd of milk and slowly pour into her mouth after warming it.

The baby drank half the bottle before gradually falling asleep.

Once that was done, he wrapped her another cloth and blocked her ears, ensuring she couldn’t hear a thing.

Xing pulled his clothes off and let his body embrace the wind, which happened to be slightly cold thanks to the rain. The window was partially open, and the room was lit thanks to the fire, which gleamed across the room thanks to the red.

If Xing didn’t know any better, he would’ve assumed that the red was to hide the blood, from a massacre, but as this was Shaanxi, that was highly unlikely.

Xing poured two buckets of water into the bath whilst intermittently checking in on the child. He sparked a flintstone against some straw watching them light after a small battle and awaiting for the firewood to start.

After fifteen minutes, the water was warm enough for him to use. He dunked himself in, spilling at least a barrel full on the floor. He scrubbed his neck, back and skull, as best as he could.

Xing wasn’t a cleanly man, nor was he a scum bucket. He showered three times a week, once his travels kept him around a river or lake.

When he was in Kaihua Library, he enjoyed what he could, then drank himself into a hidden stupor, especially with the revelation of his master’s death.

He tried his best to hide his stupor, but he knew that life would only be different. The thing about it too, his master was happy, and chipper, for every passing day he held the child in his hand.

Xing begged him to name her, and so did Susu, but he refused. “To name is to care of, that duty falls on you two.” He said, speaking to both Susu and Xing.

Susu wouldn’t dare do it, because she would’ve never left her, which mean it was up to him to do it. He would’ve gladly done so, but Xing just didn’t know what to call her. It must be something outstanding, something that makes her stand out!

“No…she can’t stand out,” Xing said out loud. “She’s an Axsumite, and being an Axsumite in Huaxia is dangerous.”

Three hard knocks groaned at the door, drawing Xing’s attention. He took a deep breath, and looked on the bed, ensuring the child didn’t hear the knock. She didn’t move or groan from the noise which was good for Xing, so he jumped out of the bath, water dripping like a waterfall heading towards the door, naked.

He curled his lips into a smile, feeling the coldness of the room still the warmth of the water, then pulled the door open. “I didn’t request anything, so either this is free or…”

“…Or you could serve me something to eat.” The woman with feline eyes said. Her eyes trailed down to Xing’s privates, bare as day. “I wasn’t planning on that,” She said coquettishly. “I wasn’t planning on that at all.”