Chapter 1: The Miserable Transmigration

  After absorbing the experience and lessons of Qunfang Pavilion, Jiang Xia and Zhu Houzhao decided to change Xiangyashan Villa into a membership-based business after discussion.

  Apart from the first seven days without implementing a membership system, it began to strictly enforce the membership system. Many people have become members of the Carefree Mountain Villa, but each one has undergone strict scrutiny. The wealthy merchants in and around the capital, officials of various ranks, and those with prominent family backgrounds are all part of the membership of the Carefree Mountain Villa.

  The young master of the Weiguo Gong family was once known as one of the most playful young masters in the capital, but after visiting the Xianyao Mountain Villa, he suddenly felt a sense of regret, thinking that his previous twenty-plus years had been lived in vain.

  Xiaoyao Villa was built by Jiang Xia himself, and in just one month, it had already formed a complete industrial chain. There are five major industries here: gambling, pawnbroking, catering, entertainment, and accommodation. People who come to Xiaoyao Villa can first choose to go to the casino to try their luck. If they win, they can go eat, find beautiful girls to have fun with. If they lose, it's okay, they can choose to pawn things for silver to turn over a new leaf.

  The five major industries were all created by Jiang Xia, so each one has its own special features. For example, casinos, the usual gambling methods of Da Ming are just dice, cards, and fighting crickets, while Jiang Xia added baccarat, blackjack, mahjong, and other projects. Although at first everyone didn't quite understand the rules, as the casino slowly promoted them, these new projects quickly became popular.

  In the casino, special drinks and exquisite pastries are provided free of charge, and sexy bunny girls will deliver these things to the gaming table. Compared with those crowded casinos, the Xiangyang Mountain Villa Casino is like a paradise with its spacious environment and beautiful women.

  What's most important is that the Carefree Mountain Villa advocates for fair gambling. All gaming equipment will be checked by customers before use. Many guests have won a lot of silver at the villa's casino and when they leave, there are special guards to escort them home, making it absolutely impossible for something like winning silver at the casino and then being robbed by the casino staff on the way out to happen.

  Gambling has its own characteristics, and eating and drinking naturally have their own characteristics. As a modern person in the 23rd century, they are all people who have undergone the twelve-seasoned tongue training of Huaxia. As a senior foodie, Jiang Xia's chef team at Xiangyang Mountain Villa studied many new and novel dishes and snacks. What surprised Jiang Xia the most was that Zhu Houzhao specially sent him three chefs. The dishes made by these three chefs were even better than what Jiang Xia thought, but what he didn't know was that these three chefs were actually the three imperial chefs from the palace's imperial kitchen.

  As for entertainment and accommodation, it's not necessary to mention more, this is Jiangxia's strong point. So-called entertainment doesn't just refer to brothels and buying spring, but also various performances. Acrobatics, skits, magic, singing, in terms of accommodation Jiangxia has re-designed the beds and decorations. Various different styles of decoration, as well as beds that include waterbeds, spring mattresses etc. are also making guests exclaim freshness.

  Although it has only been open for a month, the Xiangyang Building has already attracted many of the capital's wealthy and powerful people. These people have money and taste, and they like to think of themselves as extraordinary, so they especially like the novel atmosphere of the Xiangyang Building.

  Xiaoyao Building is now not saying that it makes a fortune every day, but it's also a rich source of wealth. Almost every day, Zhu Houzhao would come to Xiaoyao Building once, sometimes playing cards, sometimes watching magic performances. Of course, most of the time he was still socializing with the girls in the brothel.

  Because of spending more time in the Xiangyang Building, they also spent more time with Jiang Xia, and their feelings for each other became better. Due to Zhu Houzhao's deliberate secrecy, Jiang Xia never knew his true identity. On ordinary days, the two would often play-fight, and Jiang Xia would occasionally go kick Zhu Houzhao's butt. Every time Zhang Yong and Liu Jin saw Jiang Xia flying over with a kick, they would become extremely nervous, fearing that Jiang Xia would accidentally anger Zhu Houzhao and have his head chopped off by imperial decree.

  However, Zhu Houzhao had never settled accounts with Jiang Xia before, but instead handed over Liu Jin several times, insisting on protecting Jiang Xia's safety.

  Seeing the relationship between Jiang Xia and Zhu Houzhao growing day by day, Zhang Yong did not forget to win over Jiang Xia. On this day, he came to Xiangyang Mountain Villa with Zhu Houzhao as usual, and when leaving, Zhang Yong specially pulled Jiang Xia aside.

  "Jiang brothers, do you still remember that invitation I gave you before?" Zhang Yong asked.

  Jiang Xia had a special talent for having super strong memory, he nodded and said: "I remember, the appraisal meeting is tomorrow night."

  "That's right. Tomorrow night at the hour of one watch, I'll send someone to pick you up, Brother Jiang." Zhang Yong asked.

  Jiang Xia nodded and said, "Then I'll have to trouble Zhang Da Ge."

  "Jiang brothers are polite, Jiang brothers are willing to go forward, and brother also feels honored."

  "Brother Zhang is being too polite by saying so."

  Hahaha...

  Zhang Yong said a few words to Jiang Xia and then didn't dare to linger too long, hastily following Zhu Houzhao as he left.

  After seeing off Zhang Yong and Zhu Houzhao, Jiang Xia wandered around the villa and didn't realize until he lifted his head that he had inadvertently walked to the backyard wing.

  Jiang Xia thought for a moment, since they had all come, they might as well go and see Cui Nian Nu. Since moving to this Xiangyang Mountain Villa, Jiang Xia had rarely seen her. Because usually her sister was there, Jiang Xia didn't want to meet her sister, because every time they met, it wasn't a fight, but rather mutual cold ridicule.

  This morning, Jiang Xia saw Cui Ruxue seemed to have gone out. After thinking for a moment, he quickly walked towards the place where Cui Nianslave lived.

  Jiang Xia saw Cui Ruxue leave, but what he didn't know was that Cui Ruxue had already returned at noon.

  In Choi Yeon-soo's room.

  Chui Nian Nu had already retrieved her own contract and could have left the Xiang Yao Manor, but for some reason, when she moved from Qun Fang Pavilion to Xiang Yao Manor, she quietly followed along.

  What's even more strange is that Cui Ruxiang clearly didn't like Cui Nianslave and Jiang Xia being together, but she didn't stop her from continuing to live in the Xianyao Mountain Villa.

  Compared to the room in the Fragrant Pavilion, Cui Nianshu's current room is slightly larger and more spacious. Jiang Xia had originally assigned two maidservants to serve her, but they have now been deliberately dismissed by Cui Nianshu.

  Inside the room, Cui Ruxue was carefully pouring medicine onto a towel from a bottle. Sitting beside her, Cui Nianshu had a worried expression and tried to speak several times but stopped herself. Finally, she couldn't help but say: "Sister, do we have to do this? Father has already returned, can't we just let bygones be bygones? We shouldn't..."

  "Niang Nu!" Cui Ruxue turned her head to look at her, and at this moment, her face was as cold as her name. "Niang Nu, our Cui family used to be a prominent household in the capital, but look at us now. The first and second madams hanged themselves, and the third madam is still in the teaching department, accompanying men and selling smiles every day. How robust was Father's body originally? What about now?"

  "Can you just let it go with such a deep hatred? Liu Jin, Zhang Yong these two eunuchs, I, Cui Ruxue, will not rest until I kill them!"

  "But sister, Liu Jin and Zhang Yong are both powerful men with high-ranking guards by their side at all times. And I've also heard that Liu Jin himself is a skilled martial artist, how can you possibly take them down alone? It's too dangerous." Cui Nianshu's face was filled with worry.

  "Don't worry, my sister's many years of hard work haven't been in vain. Those two eunuchs, Liu Jin and Zhang Yong, are nothing to me. Besides, I'm not alone - my master and I have joined the Tianji Society, and this time we'll have the help of our brothers from the society when we go to kill that eunuch Zhang Yong. With their assistance, I'm sure I can take down that eunuch's head."

  Cui Ruxue was excited, she waved her hand with the long sword in it and said: "The sword I'm holding is coated with crane-top red that seals one's throat at the sight of blood. When the time comes, as long as my sword lightly scratches Zhang Yong's eunuch dog, even if he has nine lives, he will surely die."

  After finishing speaking, Cui Ruxue suddenly inserted her long sword into its scabbard.

  She carefully plugged the mouth of the porcelain bottle, and suddenly thought: "Right, Nianshu, this time if I succeed, you and your father must follow me together. You staying in this place always makes me feel uneasy, that Jiang Xia's thieving eyes, one look and it's clear he's not a good thing. If he behaves himself, then so be it, but if he has ulterior motives... Hmph! I, Cui Ruxue, won't mind taking his dog life along the way."

  "With your three-legged cat's kung fu skills, you still want to take my life? You're really not afraid of the wind being too strong and your tongue getting cut off."

  "Bang!" Chui Nian Nu's door was suddenly pushed open.

  Jiang Xia walked into the room wearing a white long gown, and after entering, he looked up and down at Cui Nian Nu, making "tsk tsk tsk" sounds with his mouth.

  "I've seen people with thick skin, but I never thought it could be this thick. I've heard of people bragging, but being able to brag so confidently without blushing or skipping a beat is something I'm seeing for the first time. Your martial arts skills are only mediocre, but your boasting technique has reached an unprecedented level - it's hard to find someone who can surpass you in this aspect."

  Jiang Xia walked into the house and a string of cold ridicule instantly enraged Cui Ruxue. Cui Ruxue slapped her hand on the table and shouted loudly: "Surnamed Jiang, what do you mean by this?"

  Jiang Xia looked at Cui Ruxue with disdain and said, "Don't you understand what I mean? A defeated general who has lost to me twice dares to say he wants to take my life. Come on, come on, I acknowledge that you're here, why don't you try to take it? With your skills, it's definitely impossible to succeed by force, but since you look pretty good, I might consider giving you a chance to use your wits. Let me give you a hint, what I hate the most is when people use their beauty to manipulate me."