Chapter 280: Entering the Theater

 Chapter 280: Entering the Theater

"We'll follow them first, see where they go, and then discuss what to do next," said Daohua to Dong Yuanyao and Li Zixin.

Dong Yuanyao immediately nodded, "Alright!"

Li Zixin, who wasn't as bold as Daohua and Dong Yuanyao, was still hesitant. Although she also wanted to help test her future brother-in-law's character, she was unsure.

Seeing this, Daohua didn't want to force her and said, "How about you stay here and order some food while we go take a look?"

Li Zixin hesitated a bit.

At that moment, Dong Yuanyao spoke up, "This way, I'll go with Daohua. We both know how to handle ourselves, and even if we get discovered, we can escape quickly. Besides, we're not part of the Li family, so even if the Fang family finds out, they can't blame your family."

Daohua felt that Dong Yuanyao's reasoning was sound and nodded in agreement.

Seeing that both of them were determined to go, Li Zixin reluctantly agreed. "Please, just don't make a scene and embarrass anyone," she warned.

Daohua patted her hand reassuringly. "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing," she said before instructing the Li family maid and then heading out with Dong Yuanyao.

On the street, Fang Liangji was leisurely walking with his friend, chatting as they strolled down the street.

Soon, Daohua and Dong Yuanyao caught up with them.

Daohua glanced at a nearby ready-made clothing shop, her eyes flashing as she instructed Wang Man'er to keep an eye on Fang Liangji. Then she grabbed Dong Yuanyao and entered the shop.

Moments later, the two of them emerged dressed in men's clothing.

Upon seeing them, the waiting Gu Yu and Dong Yuanyao's maid, Hong Yu, quickly approached.

Dong Yuanyao asked, "Where did he go?"

Hong Yu, looking a bit uncomfortable, glanced at Dong Yuanyao and Daohua before answering, "Young Master Fang entered Anle Street ahead. Hong Fang and Man'er have already followed him."

Hearing this, Dong Yuanyao immediately furrowed her brows.

Daohua, confused, asked, "Is there something wrong with Anle Street?"

Dong Yuanyao leaned closer to Daohua and whispered, "Anle Street is the most famous red-light district in the city, full of brothels and theaters. Don't you remember? The year before last, during the Lantern Festival, you and the young prince accidentally ended up at Nanfeng Pavilion."

Daohua's eyes widened as the memory came back to her. She stood still for a moment, then said, "So Fang Liangji really has questionable character? They're about to get engaged, and he's already hanging around such places!"

Dong Yuanyao quickly grabbed Daohua's arm, "Shh, keep your voice down. Well, what should we do now? Do you still want to follow him?"

Daohua immediately nodded, "Of course! If I catch him drinking at a flower house, I’ll go straight home and tell Uncle and Aunt to break off the engagement."

Dong Yuanyao fully agreed, "Exactly. We can't let a man like that marry into the family. Let's go take a look."

Anle Street.

Compared to other streets, this one had noticeably fewer women.

Wang Man'er and Hong Fang walked along the street, attracting curious glances from passersby. When they saw Fang Liangji enter a theater, Hong Fang quickly pulled Wang Man'er into a clothing store.

While picking out fabric, they kept peering outside.

Not long later, Daohua and Dong Yuanyao appeared in their line of sight.

"Miss, we're over here!"

Wang Man'er stepped out of the shop and waved to them.

After a while, Daohua and Dong Yuanyao entered the shop.

"Where is he?"

Hong Fang pointed across the street at the theater. "He went inside."

Daohua, seeing it was a theater, relaxed slightly but then caught sight of a brothel next door. Her expression darkened with both curiosity and displeasure.

Fang Liangji frequented such places—his character was definitely suspect.

Dong Yuanyao spoke up, "Should we go inside and check? I wonder whose play is on today."

At the familiar mention of a play, Daohua immediately looked over. "You're familiar with this place?"

Dong Yuanyao gave a sheepish smile but didn't respond.

In the past, she had occasionally disguised herself as a man and come here to watch plays. She wasn't exaggerating—she had been to almost every theater in this area. Otherwise, she wouldn't have happened to see Daohua and the young prince at Nanfeng Pavilion during the Lantern Festival two years ago.

The shopkeeper had already noticed the group and immediately smiled at them. "Today, we have a performance by the Shuangxi Troupe. If you're lucky, you might even hear a performance by the famous actors An Xianggong and Ning Xianggong."

Seeing Daohua’s puzzled expression, Dong Yuanyao immediately explained, "An Xiang and Ning Xiang are the heads of the Shuangxi Troupe. They're highly favored by the nobility and are often invited to perform at private gatherings. They rarely perform in public theaters."

Daohua nodded. "I know them. I’ve heard their performance at the Zhou family before," she said, pausing for a moment. "They're quite good-looking."

Dong Yuanyao immediately gave Daohua an appreciative look, as if silently agreeing.

The shopkeeper, overhearing their conversation, smiled even more. Earlier, when he saw Wang Man'er and Hong Fang lingering without buying anything, he had almost wanted to chase them out. But now, hearing their conversation, he was more than happy to serve them.

Clearly, these two were either wealthy or noble, so he dared not offend them.

Having come this far without much result, Daohua decided it was time to take action. She turned to Dong Yuanyao and said, "Shall we go in and listen to the play?"

Dong Yuanyao, without hesitation, agreed. "Sure!"

In the past, she would sneak in alone; now, with Daohua accompanying her, she felt braver. Moreover, she felt that doing something mischievous together would strengthen their bond.

Daohua glanced at Wang Man'er and the others. Since they were dressed as women, it would be difficult for them to enter the theater. She said, "You stay here and keep looking at the fabric. We'll be back soon." Before Wang Man'er could reply, Dong Yuanyao had already pulled her out of the shop.

Wang Man'er and the others watched the two of them leave with a helpless expression.

Wang Man'er turned to the shopkeeper, "Do you have men's clothing?"

The shopkeeper's heart skipped a beat. He had thought the two young "masters" were exceptionally handsome, but now it made sense—they were actually women.

Hong Fang slapped the counter and asked, "Do you have any or not?"

The shopkeeper, coming back to his senses, immediately nodded, "Yes, yes, we do!"

Soon, the four of them were dressed in men's clothing and ready to leave the shop. Before they could exit, Hong Fang glanced at the shopkeeper, who, sensing her intent, quickly said, "The shop knows nothing."

Hong Fang smiled in satisfaction, and the four quickly left the shop.

On the other side, Daohua followed Dong Yuanyao into the theater. While Dong Yuanyao seemed accustomed to the bustling noise, Daohua felt a little uncomfortable with the chaotic atmosphere.

They entered just as a play had finished, and the audience was cheering.

As soon as they entered, a servant approached to greet them.

"We'd like a private box on the second floor," Dong Yuanyao said with a casual toss of a silver coin.

The servant smiled broadly, thanking her for the tip, but then his face showed some hesitation. "Unfortunately, the private boxes are all full. Would you like to sit in the main hall? It’s the same, really."

Dong Yuanyao glanced around at the noisy main hall and frowned, "I know you always reserve boxes. We’ll have one, please."

At that moment, in the closest second-floor box to the entrance, Fang Liangji, having just greeted some elders, turned his attention to the argument happening below. When he saw the two "young masters" entering the theater, his brow furrowed.

"To think they followed me here!" he muttered.

(End of Chapter)