She removed her only covering, instinctively shielding her chest with her hands, hiding the expanse of white.
The maids, knowing it was not proper to stare, lowered their gazes. With practiced movements, they helped her change into a white ruqun.
Seeing her quickly dressed, the other girls also raised their hands in surrender, their faces flushed as they shed their bathing robes and allowed the maids to dress them in new clothes.
When everything was finished, they were led to another place.
It seemed very enclosed, with not even a breath of wind penetrating, save for the oxygen needed for breathing. After leaving, Qin Jiujiu still couldn't feel the fresh air that should have belonged outside; the place made her feel stifled.
After bathing came the meal.
Upon exiting, she saw Cai Momo standing with two maids behind her. Qin Jiujiu noticed Cai Momo’s gaze fall upon them, then slowly retract before she turned and walked forward.
They followed Cai Momo along the corridor they had come through, arriving at another room.
Qin Jiujiu had been to Nanfeng Pavilion before, and seeing the layout here, she could not fail to recognize that every brick and tile was similar to Nanfeng Pavilion.
They followed her into another room, which was still very large. Even before entering, Qin Jiujiu could smell the aroma of food.
As expected, upon entering, their eyes were met with a large table laden with delicacies.
All of it was rich meat and fish!
They had long since passed the point of hunger. They hadn’t felt it so keenly just moments ago, but now, faced with such delicious food, all they wanted was to rush forward and feast.
Cai Momo said unhurriedly, "Young ladies, please be seated and dine!"
Qin Jiujiu observed that Cai Momo remained expressionless, her hands clasped at her waist. Though she didn't know what airs she was putting on, she carried herself with a certain dignity that felt inexplicably commanding.
Given the order, they could naturally eat their fill.
The other girls, despite clearly wanting to eat, still hesitated, unwilling to approach. After all, they didn't know if the food here was clean.
But seeing that Qin Jiujiu displayed none of the usual restraint of a lady dining, they glanced at each other and then took their seats, picking up their chopsticks.
Qin Jiujiu did not usually eat like a woman of ancient times. Now, being truly hungry, she couldn't even tell if the food on the table was good or not, she just kept stuffing it into her mouth.
For anyone else, such eating habits would be quite vulgar, but because she was beautiful and slender, it didn't appear unseemly. Instead, it made her seem endearingly natural and unpretentious.
Seeing that they had eaten their fill, Cai Momo gave a look to the maid beside her, who then went out.
Qin Jiujiu had been very attentive to Cai Momo's every move and naturally noticed this action, immediately becoming vigilant.
"System, where exactly is this place?"
She silently communicated with the system, hoping it wouldn't feign ignorance.
"Host, this is the largest pleasure house in Chunfeng Du, much like Nanfeng Pavilion in Xiliu City, except this is an underground entertainment city that only opens at night!"
"So, it's like a Nanfeng Pavilion that's opened in Chunfeng Du?" She guessed it was likely a modern chain store.
"Yes! Host."
Receiving the system's affirmative answer, Qin Jiujiu began to ponder.
"Then why were these girls kidnapped and brought here?"
"Because Chunfeng Du is very different from Xiliu City. In Chunfeng Du, there are all sorts of black market transactions. What is illegal in Xiliu City is conducted in secret here in Chunfeng Du, with many unsavory dealings. So, Host, you must be extra cautious this time!"
The system's tone seemed different from before, sounding very serious. Qin Jiujiu's heart tightened inexplicably, and her sense of unease grew.
"Are we being sold here? Are we going to become prostitutes?"
The system paused and then said, "It's worse than that..."
Just then, Cai Momo's voice carried over, "Young ladies, let's go!"
Are they going to start receiving clients now?
Qin Jiujiu instinctively glanced at the ruqun she was wearing. The dress wasn't revealing; it covered everything it needed to.
Since arriving here, she had noticed that the clothing and hairstyles were based on the Tang Dynasty. Although the neckline of this ruqun wasn't high, it wasn't too low either, quite similar to her previous dress.
She looked down at her chest and then glanced sideways at her companions.
The young lady beside her had a graceful figure, unlike her, who hadn't fully developed yet. The people here likely shared the Tang Dynasty's aesthetic preference for plump beauties.
She suspected she wouldn't be popular at this Nanfeng Pavilion.
The system, listening to Qin Jiujiu's thoughts, silently worried for her.
How to deal with a host who is too naive?
Even though it had already warned her that this place was unlike Xiliu City, that it had the dirtiest dealings, she still didn't seem to grasp it…
After leaving the room, Qin Jiujiu saw the maid who had helped her earlier. It turned out she had gone out on an errand. She was holding a wooden tray with several pieces of cloth on it.
"Take one each. They will be useful later."
As soon as Cai Momo gave the order, the maids stepped forward and each took one. Qin Jiujiu then saw clearly that these were blindfolds.
After taking the blindfolds, they obediently followed Cai Momo into the back mountain.
As they walked, the surrounding buildings and roads were indistinguishable from those of Nanfeng Pavilion in Xiliu City.
Suddenly, Cai Momo stopped. As she stopped, she raised her hand, signaling those behind her to halt as well.
"Young ladies, cover your eyes with these! Follow me closely. If anyone dares to remove this blindfold and sees something they shouldn't, there is only death!"
Her voice was expressionless, yet Qin Jiujiu inexplicably broke out in a cold sweat. The other girls were no better, their hands visibly trembling as they took the blindfolds.
They shakily tied the blindfolds on. Qin Jiujiu did not dare to delay and obediently tied hers as well, plunging her vision into darkness.
As she wondered how she would walk, someone took her hand to support her.
It was the maid who had been standing beside her, helping her with her toilette. Qin Jiujiu recognized the feeling and scent of her approach.
The scent might have been the same, but the feeling was right.
She heard a clanging sound, a noise she was very familiar with. It was the same mechanism that operated the stone door when she had repeatedly entered the cave.
For some reason, most of the secret rooms in the book written by the author were caves.
This must also be a hidden place, which was why they were blindfolded, to prevent any accidents.
Suddenly remembering what the system had said, her unease intensified. In a place like this, she wondered if the protagonists could find her.
She was just a minor character, without the protagonist's halo. Her presence was not originally meant to be here, and now that she was missing, the plot would not be affected at all.