Ming Dynasty Detective 1546

Chapter 161 Yan Shifan: My wife is about to be bought by someone?

"Young Master Yan has come to listen to music again!"

"Young Master Yan, don't just focus on Xiaoqin and Xiaofeng, come and sit in my room too!"

As soon as Yan Shifan arrived at Pitiao Hutong, the young women surrounded him, smiling at him.

Amidst the fragrant breeze, Yan Shifan casually waved his hand and skillfully tossed out a few pieces of silver.

"Oh! Thank you for the reward, Young Master Yan! Thank you for the reward, Young Master Yan!"

The crowd dispersed with smiles, leaving only Yan Shifan standing tall and enjoying the moment before turning to Haiyue and saying, "Mingwei, please!"

This is to fulfill our duty as hosts.

Seeing how impressive this kid was, Zhao Wenhua was a little envious.

Before he entered officialdom through the imperial examination, he did frequent Piao Tiao Hutong with other scholars, but later, as a principal officer in the Ministry of Justice, he was too busy with official duties and also sold wine in his spare time, so he had no time for it anymore.

Looking back now, I was so busy all day long that I almost ended up in prison. What was the point?

Why not just enjoy life while you can!
Haiyue knew that Yan Shifan would come here whenever he had some spare money, but seeing is believing. After confirming his position in Pitiao Hutong, she immediately asked, "Where are the two buyers?"

"That's the Golden Valley Pavilion!"

Yan Shifan didn't mince words either, pointing to a magnificent golden pavilion in the distance and saying, "Qian Jinbao is the manager of Jingu Pavilion. It is said that he was originally a concubine of a Shanxi merchant. After being driven out by the first wife, he entered this pavilion and later rose to the position of manager."

Zhao Wenhua sighed from the side, "I really didn't expect this name to belong to a woman..."

A woman's given name is usually only known to her family. Even in other brothels, young ladies usually use stage names. However, Qian Jinbao is her real name, which is quite rare.

Yan Shifan said, "This woman is extremely good at accounting. Jingu Restaurant was originally ranked at the bottom in the alley, but since she took over, it has immediately stood out. The restaurant may seem vulgar, but it is increasingly favored by wealthy merchants from all over the country. It often makes a fortune overnight. Therefore, Qian Jinbao is also known as 'Money-Eyed Master'."

Zhao Wenhua added: "She is familiar with the customs of all over the country and knows a lot about famous wines from various places. She may have gotten inspiration from Southeast Asian witchcraft to make the Hundred Flowers Wine."

Haiyue asked, "What illness does Madam Qian have?"

Zhao Wenhua replied, “I have a headache that is often accompanied by dizziness and fainting. As a result, my personal maid stole money from me. I reported her to the Shuntian Prefecture government. Zhou Shi'an picked out the case file, and I gave her Baihua Wine once. After that, she started buying wine every month.”

Haiyue understood and looked away: "Where is Aunt Sun?"

Yan Shifan turned around and pointed to a deserted restaurant at the end of the alley: "That is Shuiyunjian. In previous years, it was the most famous place in the alley, far surpassing Biyutang, simply because it served female relatives of convicted officials."

Many of the women in the Jiaofangsi (Imperial Music Bureau) were convicted of crimes. They were once wives of officials, but later resorted to using their beauty to entertain others, all out of necessity: "Madam Sun came from an official family. After her father was convicted, she fell into prostitution and was once the leader of the Lotus Terrace Fairy Gathering, with a reputation for beauty that spread throughout the capital."

Haiyue asked, "And then?"

Yan Shifan said, "It is said that this woman wanted to elope with someone, which almost caused a disaster. When she returned to the alley, her appearance was disfigured. Some people even called her the 'Ghost Mother'. Shuiyun Village also plummeted in popularity, and everyone avoided her."

Zhao Wenhua continued, "She bought the Hundred Flowers Wine to suppress the pain from the wound on her face. As for the money, it was money she had saved up before. I didn't have any doubts at first, but now I think that this woman was originally the wife of a disgraced official. After suffering another misfortune, she probably has a deep hatred for the court. It's not surprising that she joined the Liyuan Society."

Yan Shifan's eyes darted around: "It's fine that the Golden Valley Pavilion is full of beautiful women, but the Water Cloud Pavilion is deserted. If we rashly go up to investigate, we might arouse suspicion. We need to find a way."

Haiyue looked at him: "What are Donglou planning to do?"

Yan Shifan laughed and said, "Naturally, we'll use the people in the alley to inquire. Why don't we go to Biyutang first and have the ladies there send people to both places to gather information before making a decision!"

"Alright."

Although it might seem like using public office for private gain, it was indeed a prudent approach. Haiyue nodded: "Let's go!"

"Oh my! I heard the magpies chirping on the branches and knew that Young Master Yan was coming tonight!"

Upon entering the Jade Hall, the madam, Yunniang, greeted them. As soon as she saw Yan Shifan, her eyes lit up with the joy of seeing a god of wealth. When she saw Haiyue, she immediately recognized him: "Isn't this Young Master Hai? It's been so long! You look even more radiant than before!"

Haiyue nodded slightly and followed Yunniang up to the second floor, casually asking, "Have Brother Yan and Xiaochuan come here recently?"

The last time he and Yan Shifan came to investigate the case of Zhao Qilang's death at the Imperial Academy, it was thanks to Xiao Chuan, whom they knew in Guangzhou, who led the way. They were able to meet Yun Shao, the popular court lady who was in charge at the time, thanks to her giving face to the wandering swordsman Yan Xiu.

The brothers had only made an initial appearance after returning to the capital before disappearing again. Although Haiyue wasn't particularly concerned about them, she took the opportunity to ask them about it since she was revisiting the place.

Unexpectedly, Yunniang nodded repeatedly: "Come, come, I saw Master Yan today! But he didn't go into our Jade Hall, he went to another restaurant!"

"Oh?"

Haiyue raised an eyebrow: "What a coincidence! Which house did Brother Yan go to?"

Yunniang said with some emotion, "When Master Yan comes to the alley, he naturally goes to that house. If Young Master Hai is looking for someone, he can go to Shuiyun Pavilion..."

Upon hearing this, Yan Shifan and Zhao Wenhua both showed surprise and looked over. Hai Yue narrowed his eyes slightly: "Judging from Yunniang's words, Brother Yan and Shuiyunjian have a story?" Yunniang was startled, and her face became somewhat embarrassed: "Young Master Hai and Master Yan are good friends, so you can naturally ask him. As for the past, I dare not gossip about Master Yan behind his back!"

Haiyue said, "How about this, you send someone to wait outside Shuiyun Pavilion. If Brother Yan comes out, have him come over to see you, okay?"

"Easy, easy!"

Yunniang then agreed and led the three men into a private room on the second floor with a smile: "Please wait a moment, gentlemen. Xuedian will be here shortly. This is the new young lady. She is aloof and proud, and extremely skilled in chess. She usually only entertains scholars and literati!"

Zhao Wenhua's eyes gleamed with anticipation, while Yan Shifan frowned: "Wait! What snow mat, zither heart, and phoenix flute are you talking about?"

Yunniang's smile stiffened slightly: "Young Master Yan is truly sincere towards my daughter, but unfortunately, yesterday a distinguished guest offered a large sum of money to invite Qinxin and Fengxiao to accompany him for three days..."

Yan Shifan's face immediately darkened: "Qin Xin and Feng Xiao have not yet participated in the Lotus Platform Immortal Gathering. They are still unmarried young women. How can they be expected to accompany you for three days?"

"That's how it's done according to the rules..."

Yunniang's smile finally faded, her brows furrowed, and she sighed softly: "But that distinguished guest has official documents from the Jiaofangsi (Imperial Music Bureau), specifically requesting Qin Xin Feng Xiao to accompany them. Even if they are unwilling, they have no choice! I've also heard... heard..."

Yan Shifan felt a sense of unease: "What did you hear?"

Yunniang whispered, "I heard that distinguished guest wants to redeem Qin Xin Fengxiao from her servitude..."

Yan Shifan suddenly stood up and said sternly, "Which room is it? Lead me there!"

Zhao Wenhua found an opportunity to retaliate and said leisurely, "Brother Donglou, don't forget why we've come. That important matter only has one day to resolve. Now is not the time for jealousy and petty squabbles."

Yan Shifan trembled, his expression shifting between light and dark. After a moment's hesitation, he clenched his fist and slowly sat down.

The Li Yuanshe matter was of great importance, and he dared not slack off at such a critical juncture, lest it affect his father's career, his own future, and the future of the Yixin Society.

My heart was bleeding, and an unprecedented bitterness spread throughout my body.

pain!It hurts so much!
Zhao Wenhua sneered inwardly, finally feeling a sense of satisfaction. Hai Yue pondered for a moment, but instead of letting the matter pass by, she continued to ask, "Is that person the son of an official or a wealthy merchant?"

Yunniang hesitated for a moment: "Young Master Hai, I dare not reveal the origins of our distinguished guest..."

Haiyue said calmly, "As I walked along, I discovered that Qin Xin Feng Xiao is favored by Dong Lou, and everyone in the alley knows that Dong Lou is the son of Vice Minister Yan of the Ministry of Personnel."

Yunniang's expression changed slightly: "Yes..."

"The son of the Vice Minister is infatuated with these two courtesans. Your Jade Hall will naturally publicize this. Whether it's to get a good ranking at the Lotus Platform Immortal Gathering and have the East Tower redeem them, or to sell them for a better price when the courtesan's plaque is removed, it will all be in line with what Jade Hall wants."

Haiyue said calmly, "But if these two courtesans are taken away in advance, it will greatly offend Donglou and make him lose face. I suppose you reminded him when that distinguished guest invited someone to accompany him?"

Before Yunniang could answer, Yan Shifan realized: "They're after me?"

To be precise, it's aimed at your upright father!

Haiyue was well aware that Yan Song had become the target of public criticism for his current purge of the criminals who had conspired to deceive the emperor in the Zhang brothers' case, and the actions of his only son, Yan Shifan, would naturally attract attention as well.

This incident may seem like a simple case of jealousy and rivalry, but the timing is too coincidental, suggesting a scheming plot behind it.

Even if it wasn't, it didn't matter. Since Qin Xin Feng Xiao's people were useful, Hai Yue wouldn't waste time on such trivial matters. She directly threw out a token that Lu Bing had given her when they parted: "Tell this so-called distinguished guest to get lost! Bring Qin Xin Feng Xiao here!"

Yunniang reached out and took it. When she saw the title "Northern Garrison Commander" on it, her legs went weak and she was terrified. She hurriedly said, "Yes!"

Haiyue added, "And tell this person that if they dare to utter a single extra word after leaving the house, they will bear the consequences!"

"Yes Yes!"

Yunniang left trembling. Yan Shifan stood up again, a thousand words swirling in his mind, but in the end, they all boiled down to one sentence: "Mingwei, thank you!"

Why bother with thanks?

Haiyue smiled slightly: "Putting aside our friendship, even members of our Yixin Society would never allow themselves to be bullied like this!"

Yan Shifan's eyes were red.

Zhao Wenhua clenched his fist secretly.

Is this how members of the Yixin Society are treated—so casually leveraging the influence of the Imperial Guard?

I must join!

loyalty!!
(End of this chapter)