Chapter 133: The Infuriating Hidden Quest

Zhu Hao listened to Wei Xiaobao’s suggestion and shook his head, saying, "As an imperial envoy and a prince, how could I possibly engage in something as undignified as lingering in a pleasure house? I would never... er, actually, perhaps taking a look wouldn't be so bad!"

Zhu Hao had suddenly changed his tune because he had just heard the prompt from that damned system:

"Ding!"
"Three-star miscellaneous talent, Wei Xiaobao, has triggered the 'Seek Beauty' skill!"
"Congratulations to the host, you have also triggered a hidden mission!"
"Win the heart of the courtesan with Wei Xiaobao’s assistance!"
"Mission reward: One random four-star talent draw!"
"Mission failure penalty: Wei Xiaobao loses the 'Seek Beauty' skill and is permanently downgraded to a two-star talent!"

...

After a long burst of static from the system, Zhu Hao heard the prompt once more:

"Congratulations to the host for successfully accepting the hidden mission 'Win the Heart of the Courtesan'!"
"This mission cannot be abandoned once accepted!"

Zhu Hao’s mind went blank as the system bombarded him with these messages. When he finally came to his senses, his first instinct was to curse the system internally: "You damn cheating system, you’ve set me up again! When did I ever agree to take on this bullshit mission? This is a predatory clause! You are utterly despicable!"

However, after venting a few insults, Zhu Hao stopped. It wasn’t that his opinion of the system had improved; rather, he had grown accustomed to its treachery. If the system didn't trick him every so often, he would have found it strange.

Regaining his composure, Zhu Hao weighed the pros and cons. He realized that while the penalty of Wei Xiaobao losing his skill and being downgraded wasn't catastrophic, the reward was something he desperately needed. Four-star talents were incredibly rare. He had received one for the Zhejiang case investigation, and that mission had been far easier than this one. Especially now, isolated in Hangzhou with few people he could trust, he desperately needed strong talent to assist him.

With that, he cast his righteous refusal aside and, quite unprincipled, agreed to attend the courtesan's debut.

Upon hearing his master agree, Wei Xiaobao beamed with joy. "Your Highness, rest assured! With me by your side, the courtesan will surely be yours! No one will be able to take her from you!"

Zhu Hao wanted to scold him, but the thought of the system’s mission stopped him. He could only offer an awkward smile, cursing the system again for forcing him to visit a brothel and, even worse, to pursue a courtesan. He truly didn't know what to say to Wei Xiaobao, so he just smiled sheepishly.

Seeing his master’s reaction, Wei Xiaobao assumed he understood his intent and grew even more ecstatic, as if he were the one getting married rather than Zhu Hao. Seeing Wei Xiaobao’s overly joyful expression, Zhu Hao wanted to rebuke him, but finding no words, he simply frowned and said, "Xiaobao, I am tired. You may withdraw."

Wei Xiaobao kowtowed and said, "Please rest well, Your Highness. This servant takes his leave," before exiting the room.

After dismissing him, Zhu Hao’s anger toward the system lingered. He feared that if he actually ended up with the courtesan, he would become the laughingstock of the imperial court. He felt stifled and tried to console himself: "I am only doing this to get a four-star talent to help me solve this Zhejiang examination case as quickly as possible. I’m sacrificing my reputation for the sake of the imperial court; it’s a sacrifice worth making! So be it!"

Zhu Hao was clearly overthinking things. Setting aside whether he could even win the courtesan's heart, if he were to bring a celebrated courtesan home, he felt he would be humiliated. If the men of the world knew his thoughts, they would likely drown him in their collective scorn.

However, Zhu Hao lacked this perspective, caught up in his worries about potential criticism from his officials. In truth, such fears were groundless. In this era, scholars and beauties were often the objects of envy and praise, not criticism. Moreover, a top courtesan was akin to a major celebrity. While the social status of such "celebrities" was low, they were still the most sought-after individuals. Clearly, Zhu Hao’s mindset was still influenced by his previous life, failing to realize that the people of this era viewed "courtesans" quite differently.

Troubled by this, Zhu Hao didn't leave his room for two days. He refused to see anyone, neglecting the case entirely. As the day of the courtesan’s debut approached, he finally resigned himself to his fate, thinking that whether he faced it or dodged it, the result was the same. He opened his door to get some fresh air and found Wei Xiaobao standing respectfully outside.

Surprised, Zhu Hao asked with concern, "Xiaobao, why are you standing here? How long have you been out here? Why didn't you come inside?"

Wei Xiaobao smiled sheepishly. "Your Highness, I heard you didn't want to see anyone, so I didn't dare disturb you. I've been waiting outside. Don't worry, I haven't been here long!"

Seeing Wei Xiaobao’s legs trembling, Zhu Hao knew he was lying. He had clearly been standing there for a long time, so long that his legs were twitching from the strain.

Zhu Hao felt a pang of sympathy for the boy. He stepped forward to support him, saying, "Come, let’s go inside."

As Zhu Hao reached out, Wei Xiaobao tried to dodge out of habit, but his numb legs gave way, and he stumbled to the floor. Ignoring his own pain, he cried out, "Your Highness, you are my master! How can I let you help me?"

Zhu Hao reached out again, pulling him up. "Xiaobao, do you remember when I told you that you are my brother, not my servant? Come, let me support you inside."

Deeply touched, Wei Xiaobao choked back tears. "Your Highness, please let me go! I can walk on my own!"

Zhu Hao exerted a little force to pull him up. "Enough, say no more! You are standing outside because of me, and your legs are numb because of me. Why shouldn't I support you? That is an order!"

Wei Xiaobao nodded firmly, his eyes glistening. "I obey, Your Highness! I will say no more!"

After helping Wei Xiaobao inside and having him sit, Zhu Hao called for the traveling imperial physician to examine him, fearing lingering injuries. Fortunately, the physician confirmed it was merely poor circulation from standing too long, and no permanent harm was done. Zhu Hao sighed in relief; he would have carried the guilt for the rest of his life if his impulsiveness had crippled Wei Xiaobao.

Once he was sure Wei Xiaobao was fine, he asked, "Xiaobao, did you have something important to tell me?"

Wei Xiaobao started to rise to offer a formal greeting, but Zhu Hao stopped him. "Xiaobao, your legs are injured; you can skip the court formalities. Just speak freely."

Wei Xiaobao complied, "Thank you for your grace, Your Highness. I came because I have learned that there are three formidable competitors for the courtesan's favor. I have gathered intelligence on all three so that you may know yourself and your enemy, and thus never be defeated!"