Mysteries of the Great Zhou Dynasty

Chapter 219 Extra Chapter: Rong Junye (2)

"Tell me! Tell me!" The madam was very enthusiastic. After all, this was her cash cow. As long as it wasn't too outrageous, she was willing to agree. As long as the girl was obedient and helped her earn more money.

"Mother, you're so kind." Yu Nishang picked up a handkerchief and gently wiped the corner of her eye, as if there were tears in it. "It's my little sister, the one you bought with me last time, the one who's now thrown among the lowly maids. Why don't you give her to me?"

"Ah? This..." The madam was a little embarrassed, wondering what tricks the girl was up to.

Seeing the madam hesitate, Yu Nishang said, "Oh, you know, the person in charge of purchasing has no taste. My little sister, although she's only five years old now, is quite pretty. I can teach her some music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Once she starts school, she'll naturally fetch a good price. But now, she's just left among the servants. When she grows up, she'll be clumsy and rough. How will those refined gentlemen look at her? Then she won't fetch a good price!"

The madam's eyes lit up, and she thought to herself, "That's right, those two brats can't come up with anything, so what's wrong with giving them to them?"
"Alright, I'll have someone bring it to you right away!" The madam gritted her teeth and said resolutely, "You should wash and dress yourself up properly, and you'll be entertaining guests tonight!"

“Mother, no, it’s not that. Ni Chang is making excuses. How can we treat the courtesan so rudely? Why don’t you build up some momentum these next few days, and I’ll get to know the sisters at Hongwu Pavilion, rehearse a few dances, and then hold an auction on the first day of next month.” Yu Ni Chang’s lips curled up slightly as she looked at the madam. “Anyway, it doesn’t matter who it goes to. The highest bidder wins. It’s a win-win situation.”

The madam looked at Yu Ni Chang suspiciously. In all her years in the business, she had never encountered a woman like this. She couldn't quite tell if it was real or fake, but regardless, at least she couldn't escape! If she dared to run, she'd catch her and beat her!

Rong Junye, standing outside the window, had a hunch that the girl was acting, and acting quite well at it. The more Rong Junye looked at her, the more he felt he had seen her somewhere before; why did she look so familiar?

"Ah!" Rong Junye clapped his hands. This girl looked so much like Rui'er, whom he had seen in Medicine King Valley! If this girl wasn't actually the eldest daughter of the Yu family, he would have suspected that Rui'er had come.

However, although the two women look very similar, their tone of voice and expressions are completely different, so it is obvious that they are not the same person.

"Who goes there!" The madam shouted when she heard the noise outside the window, and gestured with her chin to her two thugs to go out and check.

The door creaked open, and two burly thugs came out and patrolled the area.

Fortunately, Rong Junye and Yin Zhi were skilled and had already climbed onto the roof.

"Mama, there's a man with two guards searching every room! He's incredibly fierce! He said his name is... oh right, Lan Muhe! He's looking for Miss Yu! Please think of something, they're almost at the back courtyard!" The waiter stumbled in, looking panicked. "And also, our entire Hongwu Pavilion is surrounded by guards, no one is allowed to leave!"

The madam, fanning herself with a feather fan, was pale and her hands trembled slightly. She recalled the time she bought Yu Ni Chang, when the auctioneer, a servant familiar with her, had privately warned her that the girl was very unlucky and should not be touched! She was a curse! Whoever encountered her would be doomed! However, at the time, the madam was lost in her fantasies of making a fortune and still bought her for five taels. Now, thinking about it, she was right; if she weren't unlucky, why would she have been so cheap?

The madam was fanning herself rapidly with her feather fan, but she still feigned composure, glaring at the waiter as if trying to reassure herself, "What's the panic? Who cares about Lan Muhe? As long as he can't find that girl, it's all for nothing!" "Mama, I heard that Lan Muhe is a ruthless killer. Rumors have long circulated that he has barbarian blood, is inherently cruel, and works for the Sixth Prince. It's said that he's at odds with General Rong, so the Sixth Prince specifically appointed him as a military supervisor. Even General Rong can't do anything to him!" The waiter's forehead was covered in sweat, but he didn't bother to wipe it away.

"Is that really true?" The madam was somewhat surprised, swallowed hard, and said, "Go and lock that girl in the woodshed first. Remember, whatever you do, don't talk to her!"

"Hey!" the boy quickly replied.

"Wait! I'll go myself. You go and stop this He!" The madam turned and rushed into the west wing.

Rong Junye pried open a tile and looked down. No matter how noisy it was outside, Miss Yu remained calm and composed, still applying her eyebrows!
The proprietress grew increasingly uneasy and quickly pulled Yu Nishang into a dark room, saying earnestly, "Nishang, hide well and don't come out. No matter what happens, don't come out. A bully has come to Hongwu Pavilion! He's searching for you in every room right now! If he finds you, you'll be in big trouble! Losing an arm or a leg would be the best you can hope for. I'm kind-hearted, and I can't bear to see you girls suffer."

"Thank you for your concern, Madam. What about my sister? If she comes, I will hide well and not let that scoundrel get away with it!" Yu Nishang said with a righteous expression, as if she shared the same hatred as the madam.

The madam sighed deeply. Well, after all, she was her future cash cow. Since she had asked, she would give in to her this time, so as not to throw a tantrum at this critical juncture.

So the madam stamped her foot and told the waiter to bring over the second daughter of the Yu family.

Immediately, the madam's eyes darted around, and she pulled a pill from her pocket, stuffing it into Yu Ni Chang's mouth and forcing her to swallow it.

Caught off guard, the pill slipped inside Yu Nishang's body.

"If you behave, I'll give you the antidote later. If you don't, this medicine won't kill you, but you'll probably be mute for the rest of your life!" The madam pinched Yu Ni Chang's chin and warned, "Don't think I can't see through your tricks. I'm just coaxing you to make money for me. Don't think you're too smart! No matter how smart you are, you can't escape my grasp! Now, if those people outside really are looking for you, you'd better hide well and behave, or you'll suffer less."

Seeing that things were going badly, the madam decided to throw caution to the wind, since she might as well take a gamble since she could lose everything anyway.
-
The second daughter of the Yu family entered Yu Nishang's room, and the two were then shoved into a secret room. At that moment, the back gate was smashed open, and a group of people surrounded the madam. Looking out from the back gate, everyone at Hongwu Pavilion was kneeling in the courtyard awaiting their fate.

"My lord, everyone is here." A guard reported, bowing. This guard was the same one who had just served as a footstool for Lan Muhe.

Seeing his impeccable manners, Lan Muhe was pleased. She then put on airs, stretched out her foot, pointed to the dust on her shoes, and said, "Here, wipe it off!"

The guard's face turned pale, but he had no choice but to lower his head and wipe it.