The splendor of the Red Chamber, the power that reigns supreme.

Chapter 210 Gui Jie and Jin Lian beg the master in a coquettish manner; Chang Zhijie borrows money three times.
Leaving aside the immense power and influence of Grand Tutor Cai...

Meanwhile, at the Ximen residence...

Ximen Qing was sprawled out on the drunken chair covered with brocade, his eyes half-closed.

Jin Lian'er rolled her eyes and stood to the side holding a copper basin.

Li Guijie leaned to one side, half-crawling and half-leaning, wiping her master's body. Her slender, jade-like fingers were dipped in fine green salt, and her alluring eyes were scrubbing as she carefully and meticulously cleaned the master's teeth.

Her breath was sweet and fragrant, her movements were light and alluring, and her fingertips occasionally brushed against her lips and tongue, sending shivers down her spine.

After finally brushing her teeth and getting clean, Li Guijie didn't pull away. Instead, she pressed her soft, fragrant body even closer, her eyes sparkling with desire, and said in a sweet, coquettish voice, "Good sir... I... I have something to say, but I don't know if I should..."

Ximen Qing lazily opened his eyes, a playful smile on his lips: "Oh? You little vixen, what tricks do you have up your sleeve this time? Tell me about it."

Li Guijie quickly put on a sweet smile, her voice becoming even softer: "The other day, the master's mansion was filled with distinguished guests, either civil officials in gauze hats or generals in armor. Even if I had the guts of a bear and the gall of a leopard, I wouldn't dare mention this matter in such an occasion. Today, since the master has specially invited Master Ying and his brothers to drink and reminisce, I dare to ask for a favor on behalf of my aunt Li Jiao'er from the Lichun Courtyard..."

She glanced at Ximen Qing's expression and said cautiously, "Aunt...Aunt has asked someone to pass on messages several times, begging Master to have mercy and allow her to bring the new children from the courtyard to the mansion today to kowtow to Master and sing a few festive songs to congratulate Master on his promotion..."

Upon hearing this, the official chuckled and pinched Li Guijie's smooth cheek with his finger: "You little slut! Your aunt has such a clever tongue! What congratulations? Perhaps the Lichun Brothel is deserted and has no customers, so they can't bear it anymore and have come to you hoping to borrow my influence to bring back some business?"

When Li Guijie's thoughts were exposed, her face flushed red, and she twisted her body in protest, saying, "Oh dear! My lord! I truly can't hide anything from you!"

She sighed, her face showing genuine worry: "Isn't that right...? Sir, you are such a person in Qinghe County. If you don't go out and make connections... then all those prominent gentlemen will follow suit... Now the threshold of Lichun Courtyard is almost blocked by cobwebs!"

“Right now,” Li Guijie’s voice was filled with indescribable complexity, “all the money in Qinghe County is flowing into Lianxianglou like water! Now it’s all going to Wu Yin’er, the newly established top courtesan in the brothel, who has become the number one cash cow!”

The official raised an eyebrow: "Wu Yin'er? The one who sang on the first day?"

Li Guijie laughed and said, "Yes, her singing is really excellent, although she is still a step behind me. The other day, Eunuch Xue listened to her sing for a long time at our mansion. When she left, he actually put her in a sedan chair and carried her away!"

As she spoke, she suddenly lowered her voice, leaned close to Ximen Qing's ear, and breathed into his ear, adding a touch of mystery: "There's another matter... I just heard it from my aunt... that Wu Yin'er is now being eagerly taken by the neighbor, Master Hua, Hua Zixu!"

Upon hearing this, the official snorted softly and hooked Li Guijie's chin with his finger: "You know how to talk! Your aunt and that madam treated you so badly back then, don't you resent them at all?"

Li Guijie trembled slightly, lowered her eyes, and remained silent for a long while before gently shaking her head, her voice so low it was almost a whisper: "Back then... in the brothel... who truly treated me like a human being? In the madam's eyes, I was a money tree; in the men's eyes... I was nothing more than a lustful toy..."

She raised her eyes, her gaze suddenly glistening with tears. "Only my aunt... still has a shred of familial affection for me. Whether she's hot or cold, she's still willing to ask after me... To be honest... it was I who first harbored the ambition to climb the social ladder and schemed against my aunt..."

She took a deep breath, her face showing an almost devout light, and stared at the master with adoration: "Now in your mansion... not only does the master treat me like a human being, but also... and cherishes me so much... if I were to continue living with old resentment, wouldn't I be ungrateful, courting death, and failing to repay the master's boundless kindness?"

The official stared at her for a moment, the playful smile on his lips gradually fading. He patted the back of her hand and said, "Alright! It's not for nothing that I've spoiled you so much that you can think this way."

He waved his hand lazily: "In that case... let them get ready for today's banquet and come over to sing a few songs."

Li Guijie was immediately overjoyed. She knelt down with a thud and kowtowed deeply, saying, "Thank you, Master, for your great kindness! I will go and deliver the message right away!" After saying this, she got up and walked away lightly, her skirt trailing a fragrant breeze.

As soon as Li Guijie lifted the curtain to go out, Pan Jinlian, like a cat that had received a signal, swayed her serpentine waist and "slipped" up to her.

Instead of sitting in a chair, she plopped down on the man's lap, her plump buttocks swaying and rubbing from side to side, as if she wanted to knead her flesh into his legs. Her two lotus-like arms wrapped around his neck like vines, and her cherry lips, breathing hot air, came close to his ear, her voice sweet as honey.
"Father...you haven't shown your poor, good servant any affection in quite some time...every time...every time you bring that little harlot along...and sometimes you even bring that little hussy Xiangling along...I'm practically just a decoration now..."

The man, aroused by her caresses, laughed and playfully pinched her buttocks hard, saying, "You little slut! You're so sharp-tongued!"

He suddenly changed the subject, pinching her chin and saying, "You just saw Gui'er get a favor for her aunt... In this little head of yours... did you also think of your old mother struggling to survive in the poor streets and alleys? So... that's why you're acting so coquettish and clinging to the master, wanting to 'spare you alone' right away? Hmm?"

Pan Jinlian's heart was exposed by these words, and her whole body stiffened abruptly. The charming smile on her face froze instantly, and the hands and feet that were clinging to the master loosened their grip. Her eyes lowered in panic, not daring to look at her father. Her little mouth was so dry that she couldn't utter a single affectionate word.

The official sighed inwardly.

This adorable girl's usual attempts to win favor are simply because she's been sold off by her mother a few times, leaving her with an extreme lack of security.

Seeing her like this, the official patted her beautiful little face and said, "Alright! Tomorrow is a proper family banquet, and your aunt's two brothers will be coming too. They're all relatives anyway... so invite your old mother as well."

But Jin Lian'er neither welcomed him nor saddened him; she neither nodded nor shook her head.

The official raised an eyebrow: "What, you're unwilling?"

Pan Jinlian trembled again, slowly sliding down from the master's lap, inch by inch. Head bowed, her fingers unconsciously twisting her sash, she finally managed a soft, mosquito-like murmur: "Master...this...this servant doesn't know...whether I'm willing...or not."

"I said I was willing, but in my heart I hated her for selling me so many times. I would wake up from nightmares every night still gritting my teeth. I said I was unwilling, but I also wanted to see her! But when I thought about seeing her, I would grit my teeth with hatred again when I thought about how happy she was to sell me slaves and get the money."

The official glanced at her distraught appearance, a meaningful smile playing on his lips. Without pressing further, he simply said, "Then call them over."

He picked up his teacup, took a slow sip, and then added, "When they call... you'll know for sure."

At this moment, Wu Yin'er received the news that she was going to sing at Lord Ximen's mansion again. She dared not delay and hurriedly took the newly dressed Xiao You'er and her personal maid from Lianxiang Tower, dressed them up like flowers, and carried them to Lord Ximen's mansion in a small sedan chair.

She was first led to the inner courtyard, where she respectfully kowtowed to Wu Yueniang.

After getting up, Wu Yin'er put on an extremely sweet smile and moved closer to Wu Yueniang, acting as if they were really sisters: "Auntie! My dear Auntie! It is truly a blessing that I can step into this mansion again today to pay my respects to you!"

Her eyes sparkled as she deliberately tried to connect the dots, saying, "Speaking of which, my surname is also Wu. All those with the surname Wu in the world were one family five hundred years ago! When I see you, madam, it's like seeing my own family. I feel a deep sense of kinship from the bottom of my heart!"

After showering Wu Yin'er with flattery, her smile gradually faltered. Her large, almond-shaped eyes betrayed her barely concealed panic. She glanced around before lowering her voice and asking in a trembling tone, "Madam... if I may be so bold as to ask... today... today's banquet at your residence... that... Eunuch Xue... won't... won't be coming, will he?"

Wu Yueniang was still a little dizzy from her "family warmth" when she heard this and was taken aback. She asked in surprise, "Today, my master specially invited a few old brothers to have drinks and catch up. They are all family. Minister Xue is a nobleman from the palace. Why would he come here?"

Seeing Wu Yin'er instantly let out a huge sigh of relief and almost collapse, she was even more surprised: "Huh? After you sang at the manor that day, wasn't Eunuch Xue extremely fond of you? When the banquet ended, he even pulled you into his sedan chair..."

Wu Yin'er forced a bitter smile that was more like a grimace. She looked around to make sure no one was coming, and then suddenly pulled down the collar of her brand-new peach-colored Hangzhou silk jacket!
From that fair and delicate neck down to her barely visible chest... there was a shocking patch of bluish-purple and red marks!

The dark spots resembled ripe purple grapes, while the lighter ones looked like freshly scraped skin. Several areas were even broken, with dark red scabs forming. The dense, layered patches looked as if the skin had been gnawed by countless poisonous insects, or as if the person had just endured some kind of torture!
“Auntie…look…” Wu Yin’er smiled bitterly: “In the sedan chair, he…he pinched and squeezed like iron pliers! He…he even bit with his teeth! Like…like a dog gnawing on a bone! He specifically targeted the thinnest and tenderest parts and used all his strength…I was in so much pain that I was almost dying, and my soul was almost squeezed out of my body and flew to the King of Hell to cry out for justice!”

Wu Yueniang had never seen such a sight before.
Although she was a housewife, she came from a respectable family and had only heard about the secrets of the inner quarters. She had no idea about the miserable lives of those who served the powerful in the brothels.

He was so shocked by the mess of flesh before him that he gasped and turned pale!

She instinctively covered her mouth with her handkerchief and blurted out, "Oh...oh dear! What a tragedy!...But...but at least he...he's a castrated...incomplete person..."

She comforted him, saying, "He didn't actually take your body... this physical pain will heal with time..."

Wu Yin'er smiled bitterly: "I would rather he really take my body! Anyway... anyway, it's just a matter of closing my eyes and gritting my teeth! How can it be like this... like being cut with a dull knife, suffering this piecemeal torture? The feeling is truly... worse than death!"

Wu Yueniang opened her mouth, unsure how to respond, and could only assure them, "Don't worry... that Eunuch Xue definitely won't be coming today..."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Furthermore, by the third winter of this year, Changzhi was truly desperate, with nowhere to turn and nothing to hide. His pockets were empty, and he was not even close to winter. He would be kicked out of this dilapidated room by the landlord in no time.

Having no other choice, he had to swallow his pride and slowly make his way to where Earl Ying was.

Although it was a somewhat tidy little courtyard, it also had a rather shabby feel to it.

After reporting to the servant, he pushed open the door and went inside. The charcoal fire in the hall and room was half-extinguished, and a chill ran straight to his bones.

Lord Ying, wrapped in a shiny, worn sheepskin coat, was lounging on the heated kang, legs crossed, cracking sunflower seeds with a "crunch crunch" sound, leaving a small pile of shells on his feet.

Seeing Chang Zhi shrink his neck and shrank in with a miserable look, Earl Ying lazily lifted his eyelids, slowly sat up, and his words became warmer:

"Hey! Seventh Brother! What gust of wind blew you to my humble temple today? Come on, have a seat! Have a seat!"

He said this, but his body didn't move an inch. He just stretched out his toes and hooked the dusty low stool under the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) to Chang Zhijie with a "whoosh".

Chang Zhijie's hands were red from the cold, and he kept rubbing them. He sat down on the icy bench, half of his bottom barely touching the seat. Forgetting all pleasantries, he made a few gurgling sounds in his throat, forced a smile that looked more like a grimace, and stammered:

"Brother Ying... I'm truly at my wit's end... My house is empty, the stove is cold, the landlord is demanding rent, it's like he's killing me... I'm about to be evicted... I desperately hope that you'll remember our past relationship and lend me five or six taels of silver... at least... at least get me through this hell..."

Upon hearing this, Earl Ying spat out the melon seed shells from his mouth onto the ground with a "pfft," let out a long sigh, and his face immediately contorted with deep sorrow. He patted his belly and said, "Oh, my seventh brother! You're being too distant! We're brothers, we should help each other out! But..."

He changed the subject, his brows furrowing even more deeply. "To be honest, I've been penniless these past few days. I look good on the outside, but I'm completely broke inside! I'm gritting my teeth and tightening my belt to manage to scrape together a tael or two of loose silver for you in an emergency. But you need to borrow five or six taels?"

He felt as if his heart had been ripped out: "Oh dear! Isn't this like tearing out my heart and liver? It's really... really beyond my power, I have the will but not the strength!"

As he spoke, his eyes darted around Chang Zhijie's face, which had instantly crumbled and turned ashen. Suddenly, he slapped his forehead and feigned surprise, saying:
"Hey? I say, Seventh Brother! You're confused! Why don't you go and worship the real Buddha, Master Ximen, instead of burning incense in my dilapidated temple? How rich is Master Ximen? Even a little bit of gold dust leaking from between his fingers would be enough for your whole family to eat and live a life of luxury and wealth! Why bother coming here to suffer a famine?"

Upon hearing the words "Ximen," Chang Zhijie's face grew even more ashen.

He sighed heavily, his voice barely audible, "Ah... Brother Ying... please... please don't mention it... I... I shamelessly went to the Ximen family's residence twice, the day before yesterday and yesterday..."

"Oh? How so?" Earl Ying suddenly straightened up, his eyes wide open, as if he had heard some incredible tale from overseas, and eagerly asked:

"Brother Ximen will definitely agree without hesitation!"

Chang Zhijie slowly shook his head, a bitter smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, as he forced out a few words through gritted teeth: "Brother... I didn't even step inside..."

"What?!" Ying Bojue straightened up abruptly, as if pricked by a needle, his eyes widening like bull's testicles. "No way?! Chang Laoqi, don't try to fool me! What kind of respectable man is Uncle Ximen? He's the most loyal and righteous! He's always been so kind and considerate to us old brothers!" "...It's true." Chang Zhijie swallowed hard, his throat tight, and managed to squeeze out a few words:
"Brother Ying, times have changed. Brother Ximen, you are such a distinguished person now. Your mansion is frequented by civil officials in gauze hats, military officials with swords at their waists, and even eunuchs in python robes from the palace. They are all regulars who never leave the palace. What am I?"

The confident smile on Ying Bojue's face froze instantly, and his brows furrowed into a deep knot.

Just then, a servant boy came running in, handing over a name card: "Second Master, there is a merchant named Mr. He from Huzhou who requests an audience."

Then Mr. He rushed in, bowed deeply, and said that he had just unloaded over a thousand taels of fine silk at the dock and was on his way to the capital, but an emergency had occurred at home and he needed the money.

Hearing that Master Ying was a hangman of the most powerful road man in Qinghe County, I begged him to find a buyer so I could sell it immediately! The goods, originally priced at one thousand taels, were sold for only seven hundred taels!
Earl Ying's eyes darted around: "Don't worry, Master He! Leave it to me! Such cheap and good stuff, how could I not find a discerning buyer? But..."

He paused, rubbed two fingers together, and chuckled, "Our trade's custom is twenty taels of silver for 'shoes and socks delivery.' What do you think, sir?"

The merchant from the lake was in a state of extreme anxiety. Upon hearing this, he hurriedly nodded and bowed, saying, "Of course! Of course! You've gone to great trouble, Master Ying. Twenty taels it is! As long as the goods can be sold immediately, I will have no objections!"

Earl Ying immediately beamed with joy: "Excellent! Master He is indeed a straightforward man! Rest assured, it will be no less than one day, or at most three days, and I guarantee you will have the money in your hands!"

After the merchant from the lake left, thanking him profusely and practically on his feet, Earl Ying turned around, his smugness still lingering on his face. He clicked his tongue at Chang Zhijie, whose face was ashen, and said, "Tsk, Brother Chang, I think... Brother Ximen... is probably not such a cold-hearted person after all."

Chang Zhijie clearly saw through his blatant attempt to extort money for shoes and socks. His heart felt like it was being filled with ice. With a bitter expression, he let out a long sigh, his voice weak and feeble: "Second Brother Ying, I won't say anything else, I only beg you, for the sake of our past relationship, lend me one tael and two mace of silver. It doesn't matter how much, just enough to get me through this difficult time."

Earl Ying frowned even more, pinched his chin, and just smacked his lips without saying a word.

Chang Zhijie stared at him expectantly, his face, which had been pale, turned completely ashen and cold.

Just as things were getting messy and awkward, a series of hurried footsteps, like a downpour, suddenly sounded outside the courtyard gate, followed by a clear, cheerful voice like a magpie announcing spring: "Is Second Master Ying home?!"

Before the words were even finished, the curtain was lifted with a "whoosh," and Ping An, another useful servant of the Ximen household, wearing a brand-new, shiny blue satin jacket and trousers, with a warm hat pressing down on his eyebrows, darted in like a gust of wind.

"How is Master Ying?" With a quick glance, he spotted Chang Zhijie, who was huddled on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) with a dusty face. "Oh! Master Chang is here too? What a coincidence! It saves me from having to make an extra trip!"

Ping An smiled and said to Chang Zhijie, "Seventh Master Chang, I was just on my way to your residence! Our eldest master has prepared an exquisite banquet at his residence today, and specially sent me to invite Second Master Ying and Seventh Master Chang, along with the other gentlemen, to sit down and enjoy the feast! They said they want to catch up on our brotherhood!"

Upon hearing this, all the doubts and suspicions that had been swirling around in Yingbo vanished in an instant, blown away by the warm breeze! A smile as bright as a peony bloomed on his face, as if he had found a gold ingot out of thin air!

He sprang off the kang (a heated brick bed) with a "whoosh," his large palm-leaf fan slapping Chang Zhijie's thin shoulder blades.

"Look! Seventh Brother! What kind of fart did I just utter?! I knew Brother Ximen was such a loyal and righteous person! How about that? He specially invited you to a banquet! He even sent Ping An to find you! It's clear that Brother Ximen always keeps us in his heart!"

Then he said to Ping An, "You should tell Brother Ximen that the two of us will arrive shortly after."

Upon seeing Ping An, he responded and left.

Ying Bojue leaned close to Chang Zhijie's ear like a monkey, lowered his voice, and spoke as fast as popping beans: "Seventh brother, listen to what your brother has to say! When you get to the banquet later and in front of Brother Ximen, don't mention that pitiful amount of five or six taels when you ask for money!"

Chang Zhijie froze, his cloudy eyes filled with confusion: "Second Brother Ying... what... what do you mean?"

A glint of shrewdness flashed in Ying Bojue's small eyes, and a sly smile curled at the corner of his mouth: "Fool! My Chang the Fool! Five or six taels? What can that do? Stuff that old hag's teeth? If you want to borrow, then ask for a lion's share, lend him fifty taels of silver!"

"Fifty...fifty taels? No way, no way!" Chang Zhijie was so frightened he almost jumped out of his skin, his tongue tied in knots. "This...how can this be? It's an astronomical sum! I...even if I had the guts of a leopard, I couldn't possibly make such a demand..."

"Hey! You!" Ying Bojue looked at Chang Zhijie with a disappointed expression, his thin fingers practically poking at the tip of his nose. "Why don't you open your eyes and think about it! Five or six taels of silver, what's that to Brother Ximen? If it fell on the ground, he wouldn't even bother to lift his eyelids!"

"Fifty taels? In his vast wealth, that's just a drop in the ocean! Whether you ask for it or not, borrowing ten taels is the same as borrowing fifty! But for you? Five or six taels are practically useless!"

"Just enough to fill the hole in that dilapidated house, get through this freezing winter, and pay for that old hag's coffin for another year or two! Before we know it, we're broke again! But if we had fifty taels..."

Ying Bojue's voice was barely audible, "You can find a quiet, secluded courtyard with a well! Then you can get some decent elm wood furniture, buy some fashionable Lu silk, and make a respectable outfit! When you go out, who won't respect you as 'Seventh Master Chang'? That's the proper way to establish yourself and gain prestige! Understand? My silly brother!"

Chang Zhijie's heart pounded wildly at the promise of fifty taels of silver: "But...but I'm clumsy with words? What if I offend my brother..."

Earl Ying thumped his chest loudly, his face full of confidence: "Isn't it because your Second Brother Ying is here to protect us? Seventh Brother Chang, you can rest assured! Leave it to me!"

Chang Zhijie's Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed a mouthful of bitter saliva: "Then...then I'll have to trouble Second Brother Ying to take care of things...please...please be thorough...if Brother Ximen is even slightly displeased, please immediately take back what you're saying."

“I understand.” Earl Ying laughed heartily, his voice echoing through the roof, as affectionate as if he were a brother. He grabbed Chang Zhijie’s thin arm and said, “We’re brothers, what’s with all this trouble! Let’s go! Let’s go! Don’t keep our good brother Ximen waiting anxiously!”

Ying Bojue and Chang Zhijie walked through the thin frost, meandering all the way to the residence of Ximen Daguanren.

The courtyard was empty at this time; the others had not yet arrived.

When Earl Ying saw that there were few people in the hall, his mouth almost stretched to his ears, and he hurriedly pulled Chang Zhijie straight in.

This Earl Ying was somewhat plump, and when he walked, he wore a worn-out satin jacket, tightly cinched at the waist, as if he were wrapped up like a rice dumpling.

Chang Zhijie was as thin as a bamboo pole, and he had even pawned his coat the day before. Following closely behind, he hunched his shoulders and looked like a trembling quail.

As soon as the two entered the warm hall, they knelt down with a thud and bowed to the high-ranking official sitting in the chair, the sound of their foreheads hitting the ground being clearly audible.

"Your humble servant Ying Er greets Your Majesty!" Ying Bojue's voice was as sweet as honey, while Chang Zhijie could only respond in a low, muffled voice, "Good brother."

The official was enjoying Xiangling'er's small hands massaging his shoulders when he heard this and laughed, "My two brothers have arrived. Why bother with such formalities? Get up quickly. Once the other brothers arrive, we'll start the feast and listen to music. We'll all drink until we're drunk."

Seeing the official's enthusiasm, Ying Bojue hurriedly took another step forward on his knees, almost touching the edge of the kang (heated brick bed) covered with brocade cushions. His smile grew even wider: "Good father! Such a great thing has fallen on my head. I dare not keep it all to myself. I immediately thought of coming to offer it to you!"

He lowered his voice to a whisper, with a hint of flattery: "A ready-made sum of silver, two hundred and fifty taels! It just slips through your fingers, and it's all gone in your good brother's hands!"

The official paused slightly in his hand-warming motion, then casually uttered an "Oh?"

He nodded: "Two hundred and fifty taels? That's not a small amount. But this silver isn't made of paper; it'll probably fall apart in the wind."

Earl Ying was overjoyed and bowed even lower: "Good brother, you are wise! If it weren't for the absolute purity of gold, I would have no courage to bother you."

He licked his slightly dry lips, his eyes darting around, and lowered his voice to almost a whisper, "Yesterday, I bumped into a down-on-his-luck customer from Huzhou. I can't remember his name, but I know he was clutching some top-quality Huzhou silk, desperately trying to sell it to save his life! It was worth a thousand taels, but now it's only seven hundred and fifty taels! The receipt, in black and white, is right there in his pocket!"

He paused, glancing at the official's expression. Seeing the official's eyebrows twitch almost imperceptibly, he knew the time was right and quickly added more firewood.
"Such quality, such a bargain! In the entire Qinghe County, besides you, sir, with your enormous appetite, who else could swallow this? Who else is worthy of swallowing it? That merchant from the lake is only asking to leave this place of trouble as soon as possible. I think this is clearly the God of Wealth specially bringing you money!"

Upon hearing this, the official remained calm and composed. He slowly tucked his warmed hands back into his sleeves, pondered for a moment, and then glanced back and forth between Ying Bojue's fawning smile and Chang Zhijie's trembling, quail-like demeanor.

This Huzhou silk is considered top-quality silk, a rare commodity everywhere. It's never hard to sell in my shop. If Meng Yulou can make those two pieces of erotic clothing, then with the materials, there's no need to go back to buy more, saving a hundred taels of silver in travel expenses.

That back-and-forth is something we can do.

The hall was completely silent for a moment, with only the occasional soft crackling sound of the silver charcoal in the brazier.

After a long pause, he nodded slightly, his voice low:

"Hmm, that does make some sense. Here's what we'll do: tomorrow you take Xu Zhi with you. Just say it's my idea,"

He paused for a moment, then said, “Let him examine it carefully. If that silk is truly worth a thousand taels, as you say… then I will buy it.”

"Alright!" Earl Ying nodded repeatedly with delight, his voice booming like boiling water, as if the two hundred and fifty taels of silver had already jingled and fallen into his arms.

He kowtowed deeply again, his forehead almost hitting the cold, hard brick floor, and Chang Zhijie hurriedly followed suit.

"My dear father!" He leaned forward, his voice rising as if trying to touch the warmth of the heated kang bed. "There is something else weighing heavily on my mind, heavier than a millstone! I dare not fail to tell you."

The official laughed and said, "Just say what you have to say!"

“Yes, yes, yes, it’s Chang Zhijie, the seventh brother,” Earl Ying nudged Chang Zhijie, who was huddled up like a frozen shrimp, with his elbow.

Chang Zhijie shuddered and lowered his head even further, almost touching the cold brick floor.

"The other day at my brother's lavish banquet, he wanted to beg you, Uncle, to speak up for him, but alas, you were too busy with important matters at the time, and I didn't have a chance to say a few words on his behalf... Now, alas! It's a matter of life and death!"

He sighed heavily, the sound echoing with a profound sense of desolation in the warm hall:
"The landlord of Chang Laoqi's dilapidated house is pressuring him to vacate like a death knell, and the pressure is mounting day by day! His sister-in-law in that house is even more..."

Earl Ying shook his head, looking utterly miserable. “Day and night there’s no peace. He’s always making veiled accusations, smashing pots and bowls, and his resentment is boundless! Poor Seventh Brother, a seven-foot-tall man, has been worn down to the point of being like a tattered piece of burlap, cowering and timid, his soul practically gone! He can manage to get by when the weather is warm, but look at this weather!”

He pointed at Chang Zhijie, "It's bitterly cold in winter! That tattered fur coat he was wearing to show off was pawned at the 'Jishantang' pawnshop yesterday! Now he's just an empty shell of a padded jacket, and the wind chills him to the bone!"

As the saying goes, "One should help those in dire need, and seek help from a true man!"

"Looking around Qinghe County, who is a true man? Besides you, Uncle, is there anyone else?" His knees buckled, and he took another half step forward:
"Please, dear brother, have some mercy and spare a little money to help Old Man Chang this time! Let him at least get a small shack to shelter him from the wind and rain, it doesn't have to be big, just big enough for the two of them!"

"It will save him from that shrew in his house who keeps making a racket every day, disturbing the neighbors. Now that he has a safe place to stay, who in Qinghe County won't remember your kindness and righteousness, Uncle? Isn't all this dignity and prestige thanks to you, sir?"

His words, a mixture of crying and pleading, described Chang Zhijie as being worse off than a frozen dog on the roadside.

Chang Zhi shrank behind Ying Bojue, feeling his face burning with shame and wishing he could disappear into the ground. Yet, what Ying Bojue said was the truth, and he was so cold that his teeth chattered.

(End of this chapter)