Madam Jin was truly startled.
Over the years, she had bought countless girls. Among them were those from well-to-do families who had been kidnapped, and some had even offered to pay several times the price for their freedom. However, they either cried and begged, or used harsh words and threats. This young lady before her, so calm and collected, who wanted to buy her Lingyan Pavilion outright, was a first.
Madam Jin took a sip of hot tea to calm herself. "I must have misjudged you, girl. I didn't realize you came from such a wealthy family. But my Lingyan Pavilion is the foundation for these girls' lives and futures, and it absolutely cannot be sold."
"Madam Jin, won't you hear my offer before making a decision?"
"It has nothing to do with money." If it were about money, why wouldn't she have sold Lingyan Pavilion long ago?
Lu Nianfu smiled and asked, "What if I guarantee that you can continue to manage Lingyan Pavilion and ensure all the girls here have a peaceful old age?"
A peaceful old age was the cherished goal of all the elder courtesans at Lingyan Pavilion. To hear it so easily from a stranger left all four of them stunned.
Feng Xinyao, however, grew more confused the more she listened. What was Madam actually talking about?
Madam Jin was the first to react, staring at Lu Nianfu. "You know my Lingyan Pavilion very well, girl."
"As a businesswoman, it's always good to know more."
"Since you're a businesswoman, profit must come first. How can I be sure this isn't just a fabricated story to get yourself out of trouble?"
Lu Nianfu smiled confidently. "I can present a plan right now. You can listen and see if it can revive Lingyan Pavilion."
Wow, such big talk?
Liu Rumei and the others gasped in unison.
Madam Jin was skeptical. "Young lady, boasting too much can lead to trouble."
"It won't cost you anything to listen, will it? If you feel the plan is unworkable, I'll pay ten times the price for my own freedom."
In earlier years, none of them would have cared about ten times the price for their freedom. But times had changed, and this sum was no longer insignificant for them.
Finally, Madam Jin decided to hear her plan.
"I definitely won't disappoint you, Madam Jin."
Looking at her smile, Madam Jin suddenly realized she was being led by the nose by a bound girl.
This girl's way with words was too potent! It made her unable to resist looking forward to the possibility that Lingyan Pavilion might truly find a new lease on life. With a complex expression, she untied Lu Nianfu and led her to her private room.
Darkness had already fallen. The maids waited with anticipation. Qingya even ran to the main gate several times, yet Lu Nianfu and Feng Xinyao had not returned.
Qingya couldn't wait any longer. "No, I have to go out and look."
Qingmiao, usually the calmest of the three, couldn't offer any comforting words either. Their young lady was always so considerate. If she had any unexpected engagements, she would always send word back to the manor.
There were beggars and children all over the streets. For a few coppers, there were plenty of people willing to run errands.
Mian'er thought for a moment and instructed, "The young lady specifically took Miss Feng out, likely to shop at boutiques. When you look, ask more at clothing and jewelry shops."
Qingmiao hurried, "We can't just ask around randomly. What if people outside think the young lady has gone missing?"
This was the capital, a place of strict propriety.
Not to mention that now that their young master had become the Prince Rui, countless girls in the capital were so jealous they could grind their teeth to dust. They were all waiting for their young lady to make a mistake so they could take her place as the Prince Rui's consort.
Even if they couldn't, witnessing someone fortunate meet misfortune was a welcome sight.
Therefore, rumors of the young lady being lost had to be avoided at all costs.
Qingya agreed heartily. "Don't panic yet. Maybe the young lady is just lost in her shopping and lost track of time. I'll go out and look first. If I don't find her, I'll go find the master for help."
The master had been extremely busy with a case lately. Otherwise, he would have been back by now, and they wouldn't have to worry about it, these maids.
Qingmiao and Mian'er had no other options, so they could only agree.
Because she couldn't casually ask people, Qingya walked three streets without any progress. Seeing the night market gradually becoming lively, she had no choice but to hurry to Dali Temple to find him.
Gu Yanchen had been interrogating suspects in prison for a long time with little success. He wasn't too concerned; these people lived by the blade, so their bones naturally weren't soft. He hadn't expected to capture them so easily.
And that fourth concubine, appearing delicate and frail, had a backbone that was incredibly hard. He wondered what kind of trained assassin she was. Even after being given softening agents, she had almost managed to commit suicide.
Gu Yanchen became even more certain that this person's mouth held vital information. If he could pry it open, he might get unexpected results. He moved her to a solitary cell with strict guards, planning to wear her down slowly. After all, the person was in his custody, and he could afford to wait a few days.
"We'll stop the interrogation here for today. Everyone, let's go to Drunken Fragrance Pavilion for a meal, and continue tomorrow. Once the forged silver is recovered, I'll help you all request rewards."
The mention of rewards excited everyone. If they couldn't get promoted, getting richer was good too.
They were all rough men from the military. Most of them were content with their current official positions. The only shortfall was money. Honest officials in the capital were truly poor, and this place had particularly high living costs.
One could only say: Living in the capital is not easy.
A burst of cheerful noise erupted from the prison, angering the other inmates. They were locked up, unsure when their day would come, and these bailiffs were so inconsiderate, couldn't they be cheerful after leaving the prison?
A group of them drew lots for six guards, and the rest crowded around Gu Yanchen as they walked out. Song Ming said, "Boss, Qingya was a great help today. Why don't we invite her along?"
Before Gu Yanchen could speak, Meng Changdong interjected, "Nonsense. How can Qingya, a young lady, go drinking with a bunch of men?"
"That's debatable. Didn't Qingya hang out with us a lot before?"
"Exactly. Changdong reads too much. It's all about propriety every day." Mao Pengyi slung an arm around Song Ming's shoulder. "Back in the military, Qingya never stood on ceremony with us."
Back then, when she could defeat anyone in the barracks with her brute strength, she never cared about being male or female.
Meng Changdong rolled his eyes. "Is Yangzhou the same as the capital? Be careful not to affect the young lady's marriage prospects."
Mao Pengyi thumped his chest. "What's the big deal? I'll marry her, then. Speaking of which, Qingya looks quite pretty now that she's lost weight. Heh, Boss, do you think I can propose to the Prince Consort?"
He was a swordsman guard now, after all.
Thinking about it, it was time for him to start a family.
Mao Pengyi was lost in his fantasy when Song Ming elbowed him. "You're dreaming. It's better to marry me than you."
Mao Pengyi was also quite loyal. "Brother Song, if you like her, I naturally won't fight you for her."
As the saying goes, one shouldn't bully a brother's wife.
"Hmph, do you think you could win?"
Mao Pengyi: ...
Song Ming was feeling smug when he looked up and saw Qingya running over. His tanned face immediately flushed. "Qing... Qingya, why are you here?"
He really hadn't meant to joke about her. He hoped Qingya would be magnanimous and not hold it against him. Thinking of this, he felt a dull ache all over. Those days when she used him as a punching bag were too painful.
But Qingya didn't have time to pay attention to him. She walked up to Gu Yanchen. "I'm here to see the master. Master, can I speak with you privately?"
Outside, Qingya wouldn't call Gu Yanchen "master." Her urgency now clearly indicated it was related to his wife.
He stepped aside a few paces. "What's going on?"
"The young lady is missing."
"What do you mean, missing?"
"The young lady went out with Miss Feng this afternoon but hasn't returned to the manor yet, nor has she sent any word back. Master, this has never happened before."
Gu Yanchen's pupils contracted. "I understand. I'll have people investigate immediately."
"We can't make a big fuss. It will affect the young lady's reputation."
"My Gu Yanchen's wife is not someone others can gossip about." At this point, finding the person was the most important thing.
Qingya breathed a sigh of relief.
Those who had helped with the interrogation were all brought back from Yangzhou by Gu Yanchen, and were his most trusted men. Hearing that the madam was missing, they naturally couldn't go to Drunken Fragrance Pavilion. These men were very conscientious. They divided the tasks among themselves and dispersed to patrol the streets.
When night fell, the liveliest place was naturally Pinglan Street.
This was the hub of the capital's entertainment establishments, with brothels lining the street from one end to the other. It appeared deserted during the day, but at night it became the most seductive place on earth.
Zhao Yonghe, leading a few friends, had already walked Pinglan Street from one end to the other twice. It was only at the fifth-to-last establishment that he spotted the plaque for Lingyan Pavilion.
He wondered how his subordinates were handling things. He had clearly instructed them to have that woman entertain guests tonight, preferably making it widely known. Yet, they had sold her to a place so small that he had no desire to enter. Even more outrageous, it wasn't open tonight.
One of his dissolute friends couldn't help but ask, "Brother Zhao, haven't you chosen a place yet?"
In his opinion, there was nothing to choose from. There were so many famous brothels in the capital; any of them would be enjoyable.
Zhao Yonghe asked, "Why is Lingyan Pavilion closed?"
Mu Lin Kai's eyes widened. "Brother Zhao, no way. Do you want to go to Lingyan Pavilion?"
"Is that not allowed?"
"They're not open today!"
"As long as there's money, aren't they eager to earn it? A Cai, go and knock on the door." A Cai was Zhao Yonghe's servant. He hesitated. Another friend couldn't help but say, "Brother Zhao, any other establishment is fine, but I cannot accompany you to Lingyan Pavilion."
Zhao Yonghe's heart sank. He quickly asked, "What's going on? Is there something fishy about Lingyan Pavilion?"
"Haha, it's not exactly fishy. It's just... not very suitable."
"How is it not suitable?"
"Brother Zhao, you probably don't frequent these places, so you might not know. The women at Lingyan Pavilion are all past their prime. They usually serve common laborers. Brother Zhao, you're treating us to a rare occasion; you can't be so stingy as to send us off with the girls from Lingyan Pavilion."
"Girls? More like old mamas. Brother Zhao, I'm afraid I'll develop psychological trauma from these women. I haven't even had children yet. What if I get scared and have problems?"
Zhao Yonghe's mouth twitched. His plan to ruin Lu Nianfu's reputation was thus thwarted.
Seeing his friends looking at him warily, as if afraid he would force them to go to Lingyan Pavilion to save money, he could only awkwardly say, "I was just joking. How about we go to Yihong Pavilion instead?"
"That's good, that's good. The madam there was stopping me yesterday, insisting they had a new batch of fresh young girls. Today is a good opportunity to see them with Brother Zhao's treat."
The group of people rushed towards Yihong Pavilion.
Zhao Yonghe had something on his mind and couldn't fully enjoy himself. Seeing his dissolute friends each with a girl, he found an excuse to slip away and questioned his servant.
The servant knew a thing or two. "My lord, this really can't be blamed on Wu the Cripple. He intended to take the woman to Baihua Pavilion, but he ran into the Dali Temple officials on patrol. He didn't dare confront them directly, and while evading them, he was spotted by the owner of Lingyan Pavilion..."
"Are you sure she was sold?"
"Wu the Cripple has already treated people to drinks."
Given the situation, Zhao Yonghe could do nothing for the moment. He could only console himself, it was fine, she was sold. She was in a brothel anyway, and as long as he kept a close eye on things, he wouldn't be afraid of not making it widely known.
Little did he know that the person he thought had fallen into disgrace was currently returning to the manor in a soft sedan chair arranged by Madam Jin.
Lu Nianfu and Feng Xinyao were both dressed in coarse cloth. When the servant, Shuanzi, opened the door, he almost didn't recognize them. "Miss, why are you dressed like this?"
"Something happened. Never mind that. Quickly tell the kitchen to prepare water. I need to bathe." Heaven knows where she found these clothes; she felt completely uncomfortable.
Shuanzi scurried towards the kitchen, but turned back after a few steps. "Miss, I think we should call back the people who went out to look for you."
Lu Nianfu was taken aback. That was true. It was already this late, and she hadn't returned or sent any message. The people inside must be anxious. "Have the people in the manor gone to look?"
"I don't think so. I only know that Qingya sister went out, but she said if she couldn't find you, she would go to Dali Temple to find the master."
"Then hurry up and go tell them I'm back at the manor."
It was still early. If it got any later, she didn't know what kind of commotion Gu Yanchen would stir up.
Her guess was correct. Gu Yanchen, who had been searching for an hour, was already restless and contemplating under what pretext to mobilize a large number of people. Fortunately, Shuanzi's message reached him in time.
When he galloped back to the manor, Lu Nianfu had just finished bathing. Qingmiao and Mian'er were tending to her long, silken hair, using silk cloths to gently dry the moisture.
"You can go out now." Gu Yanchen supported the door frame, his voice hoarse.
Qingmiao and Mian'er exchanged glances and quickly curtsied before leaving. Lu Nianfu didn't know how to explain for a moment and could only watch as Gu Yanchen walked closer, step by step, and picked up a silk cloth.
His large hand touched her smooth hair. Gu Yanchen's movements were slow and gentle, but the bulging veins on his hand revealed his inner turmoil.
Lu Nianfu turned and threw herself into his arms. "Don't worry, I'm back."
They hugged silently for a while before Gu Yanchen finally spoke, "What happened?"
"Why did you dispatch all the people from Dali Temple? Didn't you ever consider that I might have just lost track of time shopping?"
"You are not that kind of person."
Lu Nianfu sighed softly. "That's true. Speaking of which, today was indeed perilous. As soon as Sister Xinyao and I entered a clothing shop, we were knocked unconscious. When we woke up, we were in a brothel."
It was only because she knew Lingyan Pavilion so well that she could escape so easily. Otherwise, any other place would not have been so accommodating.