Water Margin: The opening scene involves assassinating Emperor Huizong of Song and forcibly taking L

Yuan Miao said with great sorrow,

"If you keep dancers in your own mansion, you can dress them however you want, and no one will care even if they don't wear clothes."

"But Bodhisattva Man dances in a restaurant, which can be seen by all the diners. This is a kind of immoral and scandalous act."

Chen Dong became much calmer and said with a smile, "Just keep an eye on Li Bangyan. If he dares to break the law, report it to the Dali Temple immediately."

“Especially for Bodhisattva Man, there will definitely be buying, selling, and gifting in the future.”

"Go and thoroughly investigate which official has a Bodhisattva statue in their home!"

"Right."

Yuan Miao nodded in agreement, suggesting that Li Bangyan could be used as bait to catch corrupt officials.

Meanwhile, Qin Hui was working in the Ministry of Works when he went to the toilet and overheard two of his subordinates talking about the Bodhisattva's Lament.

One of them had seen the performance and raved about it.

Qin Hui was quite tempted and wanted to go and take a look, but he was too embarrassed to show himself due to his status.

As for bringing the Bodhisattva Man home, Qin Hui didn't even dare to think about it—his wife would definitely explode!

He abandoned the idea, but Li Bangyan took the initiative to send someone to contact him, wanting to use his connections to get a piece of land at a low price.

...

Qin Hui was a man who wanted to improve himself, so how could he possibly have contact with a dismissed cabinet minister?

There wasn't even time to hide!

"Master Li, this business deal is off. My brother-in-law refuses to see you at all."

"You even scolded me and told me to stay away from you too," Wang Huan said helplessly.

Wang Huan was Qin Hui's brother-in-law and the grandson of Wang Gui, a prime minister of the Northern Song Dynasty.

The adopted son that Qin Hui kept at home was actually Wang Huan's illegitimate son!

Wang Huan, though he didn't get an official position in the Ming Dynasty, had many relatives and friends who could help Qin Hui build a network of connections.

Li Bangyan smiled and said, "Why bother Minister Qin with some things?"

"You and I can do it."

Wang Huan waved his hands repeatedly and said in a low voice, "You know the court is cracking down hard."

"Selling land at a low price in violation of regulations might be possible in other places, but who would dare to do that in Luoyang?"

"They'll lose their positions at the slightest provocation, and if things escalate, they might even lose their heads!"

Chapter 3560 Divorce

Li Bangyan asked, "It's been several years, hasn't the storm passed yet?"

“That gust of wind has passed, but who knows when the next one will come!” Wang Huan said.

"clear,"

Li Bangyan took out a precious paper.

"I still want to thank Brother Wang. I hope we can keep in touch in the future."

It's just a hundred strings of cash, not a large amount; it's purely for making a good connection.

Wang Huan accepted it with satisfaction: "If you need anything in the future, just come to me."

"Master Li is a respectable man, I'll help if I can."

"But there are some things I definitely can't help with; after all, the Ming Dynasty is not the former Song Dynasty."

"I know," Li Bangyan said with a smile.

After getting rid of the guy, Li Bangyan sighed to himself.

He thrived in Hangzhou, but his fortunes failed him when he came to the capital, where officials regarded him as a plague.

Those lenders are also asking for exorbitant rates; the interest is fucking high!

It seems the only option is to buy land through legitimate channels and gradually grow the business.

First, buy an abandoned small temple in the city, without demolishing and rebuilding it, and simply renovate it to start business.

The Buddha statues had long been moved away by the monks, but the Bodhisattvas could perform inside the hall, which perfectly matched the theme and atmosphere.

The two Bodhisattva maidens who have already been trained, along with more than ten girls who are currently being trained, along with their servants and musicians, all live in the monks' quarters.

They regularly host banquets for prominent figures, and the number of guests is limited.

He only sells his art, not his body.

To sleep with a Bodhisattva, one must first win the heart of a beautiful woman.

Spending money like crazy is fine, talent and looks are also acceptable, but you have to date first; going straight to bed is just too low-class.

Li Bangyan personally visited the entire city of Luoyang and eventually selected a small, abandoned temple.

This temple was banned for eight years and still needs to be carefully repaired.

Li Bangyan took out paper and pen and wrote the name of his brothel: Alanruo.

.....

Ten-day break.

Qin Hui left the official residence of the Minister and returned to his private residence.

The more Qin Hui thought about the Bodhisattva's Lament, the angrier he became.

It wasn't that he had lustful thoughts and insisted on bringing one home.

The question is, why can't I take it home myself?

Even their own sons have to be raised outside the family?

He decided to confront his wife!

"Finally, I'm back home again!" Wang exclaimed with delight as soon as she entered the inner courtyard.

To demonstrate their diligence and integrity, he and his wife usually lived in the official residence of the Minister.

The area there was not large, and the decoration was simple. It was also very close to the imperial city, so there was no way to enjoy it.

Even having a few more servants would feel a bit cramped.

A maid had already brought over a reclining chair, and Wang lay down in the courtyard to enjoy the breeze.

Then a servant took ice from the cellar to make cold drinks and carefully presented them to Wang.

Wang was reclining on a chair, enjoying a cold drink, while two maids massaged her legs and fanned her.

After feeling stifled for several days in the official residence, Lady Wang exclaimed, "This is what life should be like!"

"You all go out first." Qin Hui walked over slowly.

The servants didn't move; instead, they all looked at Madam Wang.

Wang said, "Go down."

The servants then took their leave.

Qin Hui stood with his hands behind his back, mustered his courage and said, "As a high-ranking official, it is ultimately wrong for me to divorce my wife."

"What?" Wang thought she had misheard.

Qin Hui repeated it again.

"It's the other way around!"

Wang suddenly stood up, pointed at Qin Hui, and cursed, "You, surnamed Qin, were a penniless man back then. You couldn't even afford to rent a nice house in Kaifeng!"

"If it weren't for the dowry from my Wang family, you would have starved to death in Kaifeng long ago..."

"It's true that you later passed the imperial examination, but without the support of my Wang family, would you have been directly appointed as an instructor at the Imperial Academy?"

"Several people were vying for that official position back then!"

Qin Hui had been traumatized by this, and the mere sound of his wife throwing a tantrum would send shivers down his spine. He would instinctively take two steps back and say, "Times have changed."

"Yes, you are now the Minister of the new dynasty, while my Wang family has long since lost power. Now it is my Wang family that is begging you..."

As Wang was speaking, she suddenly burst into tears.

"Why is my life so miserable? I married a poor but successful scholar, provided him with food and lodging, and even had to swallow my pride and beg my family to help him get an official position."

"In the end, he became successful, and then he looked down on me because I'm old and unattractive... Waaaaaah~~~~"

Qin Hui forced a smile and said, "You're a smart man; you should know very well what's going on."

"Of course I know, you just think my Wang family is powerless and weak, and you want to divorce me and remarry into a powerful family. I...I..."

Wang suddenly lunged forward.

"I'll fight you!"

Fearing that his face would be scratched, Qin Hui quickly pushed Wang away and angrily said, "You shrew, all you know how to do is argue and make excuses. When you can't win an argument with your own logic, you resort to shrewish behavior!"

"You dare to fight back?"

Wang's expression turned to disbelief, then she lunged at him even more frantically: "I'm done with this life! I'm going to die with you!"

"Go away!"

Qin Hui kicked out, hitting Wang Shi squarely in the abdomen.

Wang, wincing in pain and clutching her stomach, squatted on the ground and said sternly, "Fine...fine...you want to divorce me, is that it?"

"Just kill me already. As long as I'm alive, I'll go to the Dali Temple and accuse you of embezzlement and perverting the law!"

Chapter 3561 They've Fallen Apart

"According to the Great Ming Code, you will be beheaded, and I will be exiled."

"I'm a woman, and I'm getting old. Who knows if I can stay in Luoyang? You old bastard, you're definitely going to die!"

Upon hearing this, Qin Hui truly harbored murderous intent.

He suppressed his anger and said, "I am a high-ranking official; divorcing my wife would have a bad influence. Don't you understand?"

This time, Wang understood, and asked in an icy tone, "What do you plan to do?"

Qin Hui said, "We are still husband and wife, so you can continue to enjoy your life."

"But your brother's bastard child can no longer live in my house."

"I am a high-ranking official of the Ming Dynasty, capable of having my own children. Do you expect me to raise someone else's son?"

"You want to take a concubine and have children?" Madam Wang sneered. "With your looks, you're done in bed in no time. How could you possibly have children?"

Qin Hui angrily retorted, "I'm only in my forties, in the prime of my life, why can't I have children?"

Wang remained silent, lost in thought.

Qin Hui said, "From now on, we will still be a loving couple."

"But don't interfere in my affairs. I'm the one who makes the decisions in this family."

"You can report it to the authorities, but if it's a lose-lose situation, neither of you will benefit."

Wang remained silent; she was used to being domineering and couldn't swallow this insult.

Qin Hui continued, "I have a son outside. I will raise him and his mother in the official residence."

"You and your trusted servants must move out of the mansion."

"During holidays, I'll come back to this private residence and we'll invite friends over for a party together. How about that?"

Wang did not agree.

She acted as if nothing had happened, lay back in her chair, picked up her cold drink and continued eating, and shouted outside, "Are they all dead? My legs are sore and no one's here to massage them!"

Qin Hui smiled, feeling extremely pleased.

If it weren't for the change of dynasties, given the Wang family's extensive network of connections, even if he became prime minister, he wouldn't have dared to be so assertive.