Di Ming

Chapter 160 The mother-in-law repays her sister-in-law!

Along the Qinhuai River, which stretches for ten miles, painted boats drift like smoke, and brothels stand in rows.

The most luxurious pleasure boats on the Qinhuai River are not actual boats, but rather vermilion buildings and red courtyards built along the water.

The so-called "painted boats" were merely "dispatch boats" of these top-tier brothels.

This place is truly a paradise of pleasure. Not only are there brothels and brothels full of women, but there are even elephant brothels that sell male sexuality.

Nanjing did have the Jiaofangsi (Imperial Music Bureau). Originally, the Sixteen Towers, Lichun Garden, and Fuleyuan, which were under the Jiaofangsi, were the most prestigious brothels in Nanjing, located on the banks of the Qinhuai River.

However, the old brothel on the sixteenth floor of the Jiaofangsi has long been replaced by private brothels.

The brothels of Qinhuai happen to be mostly located on Chaoku Street, near the Confucius Temple. One represents sex, another money, and yet another power—it seems quite symbolic.

Along the bustling Chaoku Street, one is greeted by "green bricks, blue tiles, horse-head walls, corridors, hanging screens, and lattice windows."

These upscale brothels and entertainment venues were all riverside buildings facing the street. The side facing the river not only had a waterfront terrace, but also a private dock where their respective pleasure boats were moored.

Without the enchanting and seductive Qinhuai River, this elegant southern capital of the Six Dynasties would lose its most captivating charm.

Today, the most famous brothels along the Qinhuai River include Meixianglou, Ruyifang, and Liuchunyuan, all of which are known for their abundance of beauties and boundless romantic encounters.

Therefore, this area is also known as Pingkangfang.

Because it's the Dragon Boat Festival today, there aren't many customers. The female scribes follow the custom and mostly don't want to open for business on such a sweltering day.

The Dragon Boat Festival is a day to ward off the five poisonous creatures and misfortune. It is not advisable to engage in sensual or sexually suggestive businesses, as it is easy to fall ill.

However, in Liuchun Courtyard, the birds were still singing and dancing, and the place was bustling with activity.

Because a group of wealthy young men had arrived at Liuchun Courtyard. One of them was the son of the Duke of Wei, the behind-the-scenes owner of Liuchun Courtyard.

Just by looking at the ornate car parked in front of the gate, you can tell who the guests are.

These young nobles who frequented brothels even on the sweltering Dragon Boat Festival were none other than Wang Ruifang, Xu Jinyuan, Dong Shi, Xu Hongji, and others.

Inside the fragrant, intoxicating hall, melodious music filled the air, and laughter and cheerful conversation filled the air.

Several pampered young men, surrounded by beautiful women, were so engrossed in their pleasure that they forgot all about home and became slightly tipsy.

At only fourteen years old, Wang Ruifang was already a regular in the world of romance and a seasoned veteran among women.

As for his skill in manipulating and degrading women, he was truly a child prodigy. At such a young age, he was already very interested in women, and his secret collection of erotic picture books was enough for him to be proud of.

At this moment, Wang Ruifang, dressed in white, lay barefoot in the arms of a young girl, happily drinking her wine.

While drinking and carousing, they also made unwanted physical advances.

"You slut, you're clearly a wolf in sheep's clothing, sucking the dirt dry, yet you act like a saint. Do you think I don't know that?"

Wang Ruifang chuckled, her restless hand displaying a rather lewd expression.

The young woman was still a virgin; how could she bear such behavior from him in public? She wanted nothing more than to slap him.

But she could only feel contempt in her heart while forcing a smile on her face.

In reality, these women were all putting on a brave face.

They were indeed women of the night, but they were not without dignity. They were not like those prostitutes in low-class brothels who could be treated with contempt.

The girls felt humiliated by the boys' unseemly and uncivilized eating habits.

Even the madam of Liuchun Courtyard couldn't stand it anymore.

She sent out a seasoned female scholar, a former courtesan named He Niang, who greeted her with a smile:
"Brothers-in-law, they are all new 'skinny horses,' not yet 'opened their bridal chambers,' and the young girls are quite shy. In my opinion, it would be better to wait until after the wedding banquet before introducing them to the bridal chamber..."

"Or, how about another day, brothers-in-law? Today is the Dragon Boat Festival, it's really inconvenient."

In brothels, customers are respectfully addressed as "brother-in-law."

Wang Ruifang laughed and said, "Then let's make a hairpin! We have plenty of money!"

Turning to Wang Shu, he said, "Put it on the public account of the Chrysanthemum Society!"

Yes, it's still public funds as usual.

Upon hearing this, He Niang hesitated for a moment, "Brothers-in-law, these younger sisters are all new and need some training. How about we serve them today..."

"Get out!" Wang Ruifang roared. "Just because I spoiled you before, you think you can take advantage of me? I only love virgins now! I don't love you prostitutes!"

He Niang was Wang Ruifang's lover in the brothel, and she was even a concubine of Wang Ruifang. They had once been "affectionate" together. Unexpectedly, Wang Ruifang turned on her so suddenly.

But she wasn't angry. She smiled and said, "I'll leave now. Brother-in-law Wang, don't get upset."

Well, before, he was called Wang Lang or Ju Lang by nicknames, but now he's called brother-in-law directly, just like the other female school teachers.

After finishing her sentence, He Niang stopped arguing, gave Wang Ruifang a cold, piercing look, and then left.

However, as soon as she stepped out, several guests entered. Leading them was a refined-looking man nearing forty, followed by several attendants.

Although He Niang was only seventeen years old, she had seen all sorts of people in Nanjing and could be considered a connoisseur of character. She could tell at a glance that this person was not only an official, but also someone of considerable importance.

"Sir, do you have any close sisters?" She didn't know his temperament and dared not call him brother-in-law rashly.

The other party then asked, "Does your Liuchun Academy have any scholars from Nanyong?"

He Niang was taken aback, then nodded, "Yes, yes, this gentleman..."

Before she could finish speaking, she saw the other person stride confidently into the room. Not daring to stop him, she quickly followed.

The middle-aged scholar led his men into the fragrant flower hall, only to find it filled with smoky, foul air and utterly unsightly conditions.

When Wang Ruifang and the others saw a man enter, one of them angrily said:

"This hall is reserved by us! How dare you let others in! Madam..."

However, Wang Ruifang felt that this person looked familiar, as if she had seen him at home not long ago, and that he might be a guest who came to visit her grandfather.

"Are you all scholars from Nanyong?" the middle-aged clerk asked coldly, his gaze sweeping over the crowd with a chilling intensity.

"Indeed." Dong Shi seemed to sober up instantly. "May I ask your esteemed presence..."

"The provincial examinations are in August!" the middle-aged scholar shouted. "Yet you are here on the Dragon Boat Festival, indulging in debauchery and revelry! Such behavior is utterly outrageous and insane!"

"Don't you know the imperial examinations are this month?! Look at your disheveled appearance! Where is your decorum?!"

Wang Ruifang trembled, and suddenly remembered who this person was.

The newly appointed Imperial Inspector of Yingtian, Qiao Bixing!
The Imperial Inspector of Yingtian wielded immense power, overseeing almost everything in the twelve prefectures south of the Yangtze River in Southern Zhili, including administration, criminal justice, civil affairs, public security, and education.

The Imperial Inspector of Yingtian was appointed to inspect the capital on behalf of the emperor. He was responsible for major matters and minor matters. He and the Governor of Yingtian were collectively known as the Inspector and Governor, and their power was above that of the Three Offices.

What terrified Wang Ruifang even more was that this Taoist priest, Qiao, was said to be a serious and strict person. This old man from Shanxi was very upright and inflexible.

Wang Shu, who had seen Qiao Bixing, also realized what was going on.

"Taoist Priest!"

"Ministry of Administration!"

The two hurriedly got up and bowed deeply in worship. In their panic, the wine spilled all over the floor.

"Master, please forgive me! I was wrong..."

"Please forgive me, Your Excellency, I will never dare to do it again..."

Xu Jinyuan, Dong Shi, and the others were also terrified and turned pale. They apologized like quails, calling him "Daoist Master" or "Minister Xing".

The officials the students feared most were the two censors.

The first was the Imperial Censor (or Education Commissioner), who was respectfully addressed as Grand Master; the second was the Circuit Censor, who could supervise education and examinations.

For Wang Ruifang and others, the people they feared most were Grandmaster Ke Ting and Imperial Inspector Qiao Bixing.

What a coincidence that I ran into one today!
But how did Master Qiao know that they were enjoying themselves here? Who betrayed them? The informant is a despicable scoundrel!
Qiao Bixing was also very annoyed at this moment.

He was appointed as the Inspector of Yingtian in March of this year. As soon as he arrived in Nanjing, he went to inspect the three prefectures of Suzhou, Songjiang and Changzhou. In April, he went to Huizhou and Ningguo.

On my way back to Nanjing from Guangde Prefecture, I passed through the southern suburbs of Nanjing and encountered the willow-shooting gathering held by Zhu Yin. I learned that there were even scholars from the Southern Academy of Sciences who were still loitering in the Qinhuai River during the Dragon Boat Festival, the year of the imperial examination. According to the rules, students should not be hanging out in brothels, let alone on the Dragon Boat Festival, which is considered an unlucky day, with the important examinations approaching.

This is a sign of declining academic standards!

The group of Yangzhou "skinny horses" quickly knelt on the ground, not daring to breathe, trembling all of them.

Qiao Bixing said to them, "Don't be afraid, this is none of your business, go down."

"Yes!" The courtesan quickly backed out, leaving only the "Nine Bosses" of the Chrysanthemum Society and Qiao Bixing.

He Niang also performed a curtsy, gracefully withdrew, and a cold smile appeared on her face.

Hehe, Wang Ruifang, that cold-hearted, fickle little thing, is going to be in trouble today.

This matter needs to be reported to the family; the head of the household will soon know.

Since becoming a member of the extended family and spying on Wang Ruifang, she felt she had found true belonging and support.

The head of the family asked his brother (Kangxi) to tell him that even if Wang Ruifang no longer favored him and he could no longer understand his affairs, the family would not mistreat him or abandon him.

The brother said that the head of the family would buy Liuchun Courtyard, and even more brothels, and hand them over to him for management.

What I need to do is use the various brothels to gather important information and monitor those who need to be monitored.

The head of the household is truly astute; he knows that brothels and theaters are the places with the best information.

The atmosphere inside the flower hall was solemn, quite different from before.

"State your names," Qiao Bixing said coldly. "Now that I've discovered you, I must know who you are."

"Master..." Wang Ruifang looked extremely troubled and pitiful, "This student...this student is a member of the Wang family of Taicang..."

Qiao Bixing stood with his hands behind his back. "I'm not asking about your family's ancestral home, I'm asking about your name."

Wang Ruifang didn't want to sign up, but she didn't dare not, so she could only bite the bullet and say, "Student... Wang Ruifang."

Dong Shi and the others had no choice but to give their names.

As for using a false name to get through the checkpoint, the risk is too great, and they really wouldn't dare to do it.

"Heh, so it's the famous Chrysanthemum Society's top nine members." Qiao Bixing sneered. "I've heard that the Chrysanthemum Society is a major society in Southern Zhili, with over a thousand members, and its influence is unparalleled."

"I never expected that you leaders of the Chrysanthemum Society would be such frequent visitors to brothels. Is this the academic atmosphere of Nanyong, or Nanjing? Or is it your family tradition?"

"If you are like this, what kind of society is the Chrysanthemum Society?"

His impression of the Chrysanthemum Society also worsened considerably.

Wang Ruifang and the others were filled with shame and indignation, but dared not refute in the slightest. They could only hold their breath and listen respectfully to the reprimand.

People couldn't help but worry whether this matter would affect the provincial examination.

The provincial examination had two chief examiners, four co-examiners, and one supervisor. But there was actually another chief examiner in name only: the imperial inspector!
The imperial inspector had the authority to supervise examinations and retrieve examination papers. He also reviewed the papers of those who passed the provincial examinations. So, in effect, he was also an examiner.

Offending the imperial inspector is no laughing matter.

Just based on the current situation, with just eight words like "dissolute and immoral," he could strip us of our student status and expel us from the Imperial Academy with a single sentence.

Then you wouldn't be eligible to take the exam.

Qiao Bixing looked at the group of scions of noble families, at their disheveled clothes and heavily made-up appearance, and couldn't help but sigh.

Nowadays, the provincial examinations are rife with corruption and bribery, gradually becoming controlled by powerful families. Scholars sarcastically remark that the selection criteria are: "We don't need Confucius, we don't need Mencius, we only need sons of noble families."

As a result, most of those admitted were sons of high-ranking officials and dignitaries.

Despite their unruly behavior and dissolute conduct, and their youthful indulgence in fine wine and beautiful women, most of these young people will likely pass the imperial examinations and have promising futures in the civil service and officialdom.

Scholars from humble backgrounds spend their entire lives studying, yet their hopes remain slim.

In recent years, most of those who passed the imperial examinations, whether they were Juren or Jinshi, were from aristocratic families, making it increasingly difficult for students from poor families to pass.

There's a risk of a major cheating scandal in the imperial examinations, which could ruin the nation's talent selection ceremony.

Qiao Bixing had people write down the names of the "Nine Heroes" of the Chrysanthemum Society, but he couldn't condemn everyone with a single blow.

"I will record the names of the nine of you for now. Whether or not to punish you is entirely up to me. You should take care of yourselves and not say I did not warn you."

Qiao Bixing decided that if any other misdeeds of these people were discovered, they would be punished severely, both for the old and the new offenses.

"Thank you for your teachings, Master Xie. We will remember them forever..." Wang Ruifang and the others could only lower their posture and behave themselves obediently.

At that moment, Wang Ruifang and the others scrambled out of Liuchun Courtyard in a disheveled state, feeling extremely embarrassed in front of everyone.

He Niang immediately sent a message to the family, saying that the Imperial Inspector of Yingtian, Qiao Bixing, had suddenly visited Liu Chun Courtyard incognito and publicly reprimanded Wang Ruifang and others.

Zhu Yin received the news that evening and learned that the middle-aged scholar he had met in the willow grove that morning was indeed one of the big shots.

It turned out to be Qiao Bixing, the Imperial Inspector of Yingtian. In the history of the late Ming Dynasty, he was quite a capable person; it seems he had served as the Governor of Sichuan.

The news reached Nanyong the next day, and even the Chrysanthemum Society became the subject of ridicule.

Wang Ruifang and the others were both angry and resentful, but they didn't know who had informed Qiao Bixing.

They also resented Qiao Bixing for meddling, but what could they do against the imperial inspector?
This incident had an impact at the Imperial College that very day.

On the seventh day of the fifth lunar month, the grand sacrificial ceremony was to select sixty-four young Confucian scholars from the Imperial Academy to serve as dancers and musicians in the eight-row dance and music performance. Wang Ruifang and others were all rejected.

More than a dozen members of the Xuanshe Society, including Zhu Yin, were selected as Dingji Yisheng (a type of ritual dancer).

There were a total of 64 dancers in the Eight-Row Dance, and the Xuanshe family received more than a dozen, immediately becoming the focus of Nanyong.

On that day, there was also a ritual dance performed by Zhu Yin and other officials, who were in charge of rites. The dance was simple but solemn, with each movement representing a character, full of ancient charm.

The seventh day of the month.

Thousands of students from the Imperial College, Yingtian Prefectural School, Jiangning County School, and Shangyuan County School came to the Confucius Temple to hold the Ding sacrifice.

Zhu Yin and others, dressed in the sacrificial robes of Confucian scholars, entered the Confucius Temple with the sacrificial procession.

Those who participated in the sacrificial ceremony were not only students. Many officials and gentry also attended, making it a grand and solemn occasion with a large gathering of dignitaries.

The Ding sacrifice is a major sacrifice and cannot be taken lightly.

The person who presided over the grand sacrificial ceremony was the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy and the Minister of Rites.

The sacrificial ceremony consists of twenty-six procedures, including the most important offerings, which include the first offering, the second offering, and the final offering.

The Ming Dynasty's sacrificial ceremony to Confucius consisted of six pieces of music in six chapters. The music for the ceremony originated from the "Shao Music" of the time of Emperor Shun, while the dance for the ceremony was inherited from the "Da Xia" of the time of Yu the Great.

At this time, the grand sacrificial ceremony had not yet officially begun. Once the "Xuanping Chapter" was recited, the Ding sacrifice ceremony would officially begin, and no one or anything was allowed to interrupt it.

Even if it's thundering and raining, or if the enemy attacks the city, the sacrificial rites cannot be stopped.

Of course, if the ceremony has not yet started, it can be temporarily delayed for other reasons.

Zhu Yin and others, who were fortunate enough to serve as dancers, changed into scarlet robes and Liang crowns, holding flutes in their left hands and pheasant feathers in their right hands, and entered the Dacheng Hall one by one, preparing to step onto the Eight-Row Dance Stage.

Zhu Yin and others will perform the Yi dance in front of thousands of people.

Thousands of people stood in silent silence, for the Xuanping Chapter was about to begin.

This is a brief moment of silence before the grand ceremony.

But at that moment, a woman's shrill voice suddenly cried out from outside the square:

"This humble servant begs the Great Sage and Teacher, the Uncrowned King, and all the gentlemen to uphold justice!"

"This humble servant accuses Wang Ruifang, a student of the Imperial Academy, of committing adultery with his mother and then with his sister-in-law—a heinous crime!"

He would repay his mother's kindness to his sister-in-law!

Upon hearing these four words, thousands of people in the entire square turned their heads in astonishment.

It was as if a magical hand had caused thousands of people to turn their heads at the same time!
Upon hearing these words, Wang Ruifang turned deathly pale and swayed as if she were about to collapse!
P.S.: It arrived today. Thank you to all my readers who still support me. Goodnight. I'm relying on this support to keep writing. I've been writing without any recommendations until now.

(End of this chapter)