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

Chapter 95 Fighting
Ying Bojue punched twice, pointed at Wang Sanguan who was slumped on the ground like mud, and shouted with spittle flying, "This thieving prisoner is shameless and itchy-skinned. He stole my treasure and even dared to carve words to frame me. He's clearly got a death wish! As brothers, why bother arguing with such a filthy scoundrel? Just tie him up, strip him naked, and send him to the gate of the Zhaoxuan Prefecture with gongs and drums, then take him to the county government! Let everyone in Qinghe County see what kind of petty thief this prince's descendant is! Let's see where the Zhaoxuan Prefecture will put its face!"

"Yes! Report to the authorities! Report to the authorities!" "Send him to jail! Let the jailer 'serve' him well!" "Tear off his little fig leaf of a prince's mansion!" Xie Xida, Chang Shijie and others immediately started clamoring, their foul language like a dam bursting, ready to expose Wang Sanguan in the street and trample him into the mud.

Upon hearing the words "strip naked," "beat drums and gongs," and "send to the county yamen," Wang Sanguan felt as if he had been thrown into a pot of boiling oil, his body convulsing with terror. He struggled, wailing, "Spare...spare my life...I'll pay...I'll pay anything...I just...I just beg you don't report it to the authorities...don't...don't let my family know..."

Earl Ying coldly observed Wang Sanguan's disheveled appearance: "Alright!" Everyone immediately fell silent, their eyes all focused on him: "That may be true, but we should be lenient when we can. After all, Brother Sanguan is a descendant of a prince, 'his roots are in Qinghe, and his reputation is in the capital,' he is a man of considerable standing. If this matter really escalates and gets out, it will damage the prince's reputation."

He paused for a moment, then said, “All the brothers present today are witnesses. Brother Sanguan was confused for a moment, and he did something dishonest and said some nonsense. We brothers have taught him a lesson and vented our anger. As for this jade toad, it was originally mine and is also evidence, so I took it.”

How could Wang Sanguan dare to utter even a single word of "no"? Like a drowning man grasping at the last straw, tears streaming down his face, he kowtowed repeatedly, "Thank you... Thank you for your kindness, Brother Ying! Thank you for your kindness, Brother Ying!!" At this moment, he only wanted to escape, and he no longer cared whether the jade toad was his or not.

Earl Ying waved his fan as if shooing away a fly: "Alright! Remember today's lesson, and watch your hands from now on!"

As if granted a pardon, Wang Sanguan scrambled out of the door like a stray dog, ignoring the filth and pain all over his body. Amidst the scornful and jeers of the crowd and their laughter, he disappeared into the darkness of the corridor outside the door in the blink of an eye.

Earl Ying spat at the figure and said, "Pah! What kind of descendant of a prince!"

This group of people are beating up Wang Sanguan.

Inside the lobby of Lichun Courtyard.

Ximen Qing then turned around, his gaze like two cold boning knives, slowly sweeping over Li Jiao'er and the madam, who were already pale and trembling like leaves.

The room was deathly silent, save for the madam's suppressed sobs and the clattering of Li Jiao'er's teeth.

Ximen Qing smiled and said, "Mother, you should give me an explanation. Since I've taken her in, didn't you tell me yourself..."

He tilted his head slightly, glancing sideways at the madam, "...She said she's not feeling well, her period has started, and she needs to rest properly for a few days, so it's inconvenient for her to take care of me. She asked me to give her a couple of days off?"

The madam was terrified, kowtowing repeatedly: "My lord... I... I was foolish... I deserve to die..."

Ximen Qing ignored her, his gaze sweeping over Li Jiao'er's deathly pale face, streaked with tears. His voice turned stern: "What? Is my money, Ximen Qing's money, burning your hands? Or feeding the dogs? I just paid you your 'burden' and the next day she's finished her period and can serve this Wang Sanguan? Hmm? Once is never enough. I was wondering why Li Jiao'er's period has been getting longer and longer this year?"

"Thump! Thump!" Li Jiao'er and the madam kowtowed heavily at the same time, crying and begging for mercy: "My lord, please forgive us! I was blinded by greed! I broke the rules! Please, my lord, forgive her this time, for the sake of Jiao'er's past dedication to serving you!"

"My lord... I... I know I was wrong... I'll never dare to do it again... I... I was forced... Please, my lord, spare my life..."

The official was silent for a moment, a silence that weighed heavily on Li Jiao'er's heart like a thousand-pound boulder. He seemed to recall something trivial, and lightly tapped his forehead with the handle of his fan: "Oh, right. When I came in just now, I bumped into a young maid with her hair combed up. She was pretty and delicate, quite charming. I heard from the servants that her name was… Sister Li Gui? Who is she?" The madam was weeping her heart out when she suddenly heard Ximen Qing ask about Li Guijie. Grasping at this like a lifeline, she quickly looked up and hurriedly replied, “Replying to...replying to your Excellency! That...that's Jiao'er's own niece! Over the years...I've spared no expense, poured everything I had into sending her to the brothels and ‘Xiefanglou’ in the capital to study under renowned teachers! She's mastered everything from music, chess, calligraphy, and painting to playing musical instruments and singing! She only recently returned after completing her studies, still a virgin! We've raised her like a precious jewel, as our future queen of the courtesans! We're counting on her to compete with the two most famous courtesan houses in the capital.”

Before the madam could finish speaking, Ximen Qing nodded slightly, interrupting, "Hmm, sounds quite clever. And a virgin? Good, good." He unfolded his gold-flecked fan with a "whoosh," gently waving it to create a cool breeze. His voice was decisive and brooked no argument: "Mama, get up now, and don't count on her anymore. I'll take this Li Guijie from my household. Name your price. She'll be dressed up today. You'll get your money."

"boom!"

These words struck Li Jiao'er like a bolt from the blue!

She still held onto a faint hope that Ximen Qing might remember their past relationship, and perhaps... perhaps there would still be a chance... But the words "combing up" and "carrying into the mansion" were like a red-hot iron, burning her heart with pain!

"Thump!" The last ounce of strength in Li Jiao'er's body was completely drained. Like a clay figure stripped of its spine, she could no longer support herself and slumped backward, crashing heavily onto the cold, filthy floor! Her hairpins and ornaments scattered, her hair disheveled, her eyes staring blankly and desperately at the rafters. Her lips trembled, but no sound came out; she was utterly lifeless. She knew that her dream of entering the Ximen mansion was completely shattered, utterly hopeless!

The madam, Li Mama, was also stunned.

Hearing Ximen Qing say without any room for doubt that he wanted to "name a price," he felt as if a piece of his heart had been ripped out. But looking at Ximen Qing's face, which was half-smiling but with an icy look in his eyes, and then at the menacing eyes of Ying Bojue, Xie Xida and the others around him, as if they wanted to devour him, how could he dare to raise the price?

With a mournful face and a forced smile, she extended three trembling fingers, her voice filled with deep pain and a tentative tone: "My lord... you... you know your stuff... I've poured my entire fortune into raising Sister Gui, treating her like royalty... this... this elaborate headdress... and the buyout of her identity... it'll cost at least... at least five hundred taels of silver... just... just to make all these years worthwhile..."

"Five hundred taels?" Before the madam could finish speaking, Earl Ying jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. His small eyes widened, and he pointed at the madam's nose, spitting almost onto her face, as he began to curse:

"You heartless old hag! Are you running a brothel or a gold mine? Five hundred taels? Do you think my own brother is a sucker? What kind of famous courtesan is this? A virgin brat dares to ask for five hundred taels? Believe me or not, we'll gather some firewood right now and set your den of thieves, this black shop, on fire! We'll burn you and all these rotten, worthless things to ashes!"

Xie Xida, Chang Shijie, and the others immediately joined in the commotion, rolling up their sleeves and looking around menacingly, spewing vulgarities: "That's right! Burn down this shady inn! So it won't rip people off again!" "This old pig-dog is desperate for money! His heart is blacker than ink!" "Find a flint and steel! Find tinder! Where's the kitchen?"

They made a move to find something to start a fire, their murderous aura palpable, as if they truly intended to set the house on fire. The madam was terrified and waved her hands frantically. She knew that these scoundrels weren't powerful because of their fists or foul language, but because they were powerless and fearless! They were like those who have nothing to lose, daring to do anything! They actually dared to burn down her brothel!
As the saying goes: Even a god would have to give way to a poor man who acts like a rogue in the marketplace!
When the madam saw that the group of thugs were really going to start the fire, she was so frightened that her soul almost left her body. She had just stood up when she fell heavily to her knees again with a thud.
"My lord! You living bodhisattva! Have mercy! Three hundred taels!...No, no, no!...Two hundred taels!...Just...just consider it my humble offering to you, my lord...to apologize...I only beg you, my lord, to show mercy...to leave me a way out...Then...the cost of hiring a famous teacher, buying costumes, and learning skills...is really more than three hundred taels...Waaah..." At this moment, she only wanted to save the courtyard, and the price had already plummeted.

He leaned forward slightly: "If I, Ximen Qing, were to recount your 'exciting' deeds today—how you accepted money from Wang Sanguan, how you broke the rules of the brothel, how you sent Li Jiao'er, whom I had booked, to entertain guests, and how you almost caused a murder—in full detail, embellished and told in every brothel, teahouse, and tavern in Qinghe County… and then have a few storytellers weave them into fresh and exciting tales… do you think your Lichun Brothel… would still have any customers daring to come in?"

"Boom!" Ximen Qing's words struck the madam like a thunderbolt, completely crushing her! Her vision went black, her face turned ashen, and she trembled like a leaf in the autumn wind. Even her cries were choked in her throat, leaving only gasps for breath.

Reputation! The reputation of a brothel is its lifeblood! If Ximen Qing were to spread this word, Lichun Courtyard would immediately become a "den of thieves" and a "black shop" despised by everyone. Not to mention Li Guijie, the entire brothel would rot in his hands!

(End of this chapter)