Chapter 97 Brothel

If I could live well, like a normal person.

Even if it means hard work and having to dig for food in the fields, they are willing to do it.

Almost no brothel girls or young men from the south wind would take the initiative to step through this door.

The vast majority were sold.

Some were sold by their parents, and some were sold by their husbands.

The situation in Nanfeng Pavilion might be better, because there are almost no families selling their male offspring, and in Nanfeng Pavilion, most people are struggling to survive and are looking for a way to make a living.

In addition to these situations, there are also cases of being deceived and trafficked.

In another world, if anyone dares to objectify women, there will definitely be messengers of justice.

But this doesn't seem possible in this world.

Children, whether male or female, are the property of their parents.

Jun Qiulan sighed. They created more jobs so that more people could realize their own value and not be ignored. They also wanted their families to see the value they created and not be easily sold out by their parents.

As for human trafficking, there must be zero tolerance.

After figuring out this problem, Jun Qiulan suddenly understood.

This kind of place still needs to be closed down.

Only by closing down such places can we prevent the emergence of human traffickers to a greater extent in the future.

As for being sold to rich families as maids or servants, we can gradually improve the employment contract in the future.

After Jun Qiulan figured it out, he first went to the largest brothel in the border town.

Even in broad daylight, it is still very lively.

Jun Qiulan was in a complicated mood. As soon as she reached the door, she was stopped by the madam.

"Young Master, you don't look like you're here for some fun."

Jun Qiulan was also embarrassed. It was indeed his first time in such a place.

The madam looked at Jun Qiulan's appearance and found that she was more delicate than the most beautiful girl in his building.

If you really come here to play, you can’t tell who will be the prostitute.

Jun Qiulan gave a wry smile and handed over a piece of silver: "Sister, please be kind. I just want to broaden my horizons and listen to your stories, not to have fun. After all, I will pay."

The madam looked at him again and again, and weighed the silver in her hand.

"Okay then, come with me."

As soon as he entered the door, Jun Qiulan attracted countless gazes, both men and women.

They all seemed very curious, why did a young man like him need to come to a brothel for fun?

The lobby on the first floor is full of low-spending people, and there are all kinds of people in it.

Not all of the people who came in were here for that kind of thing; some just came in to listen to some music and touch some hands.

Of course, it doesn’t mean that they don’t want to, it may just be that they can’t afford it.

After all, this is the largest brothel in the border town.

Jun Qiulan had mixed feelings since he entered the room.

Those girls who were dressed coolly and put on makeup were all very young, probably around the same age as Wan'er.

In modern times, it is the age of junior high and high school students.

But they entered the world of mortals early, put on a masked smile, and greeted and saw off people.

And those customers.

It seems that they can be seen everywhere, including peddlers, people from all walks of life, scholars and students, merchants and wealthy people.

Jun Qiulan was in a mixed mood and was led by the madam into a private room on the second floor.

"Tell me, sir, what brings you to our Yihonglou?"

She sized up Jun Qiulan's demeanor and asked, "Is he a new official, or was he once exiled?"

Jun Qiulan: "Sister, please sit down and chat slowly. It's not a bad thing after all."

The madam was skeptical: "Just call me Sister Chang."

Jun Qiulan readily agreed: "Sister Chang, have you ever considered changing your career?"

Sister Chang laughed, and she laughed so hard that she cried.

"Changing careers? What does the Master want us, the withered and broken women, to do? Is he going to let all the sisters go home and wait to get married?"

She stared into Jun Qiulan's eyes and said, "Young Master, you should also know that almost none of those who come to my building came here voluntarily. They were all sold here by their families. If we send them back home, the fate that awaits them will be that they will be sold a second time."

"What if parents can no longer sell their children at will? What if girls can find new ways to make a living?"

The madam was choked. "Who are you, and what is your identity?"

Jun Qiulan smiled and said, "Sister Chang has a sharp eye. Didn't you guess that I was exiled?"

He sighed, "Sister Chang must have heard about the incident of the exiled prince."

Sister Chang was really stunned. There were all kinds of people coming to this brothel, so they were naturally well-informed.

However, the prince was deposed and exiled to a border town. What does this have to do with them?

Shouldn't they continue to engage in their own sex trade and live their lives as usual?

In their spare time, they would chat about how the prince must have been surrounded by beautiful women in the past, and wondered if they would patronize their business. How did they compare to the girls in the capital? Could they catch the prince's eye?

However, this is just casual conversation after dinner.

Sister Chang didn't expect that she would actually meet the legendary deposed prince today.

He was very handsome, much more handsome than they had imagined, and the girls in the building felt ashamed when they saw him.

Sister Chang was silent for a long time. "I don't know if you and the government have any plans, but I only know that as long as my building is open, the girls will have a meal. I have a group of thugs, and as long as they are not from powerful backgrounds, ordinary people would not dare to cause trouble in my building."

If the brothel is closed, what should the girls do?

With their identities, how can they survive after getting out? They will be drowned by saliva.

Jun Qiulan: "After all, this kind of livelihood is not a long-term solution. I think Sister Chang is a well-educated and well-mannered woman, so she should understand these principles."

Sister Chang gave a wry smile. "Back then, my father got into trouble and the whole family was exiled. My mother died on the way. After arriving in exile, my bastard father sold me to this building in order to settle down there and for my brother. I've been staying here for eighteen years. I went from being a virgin to the madam of Yihonglou."

Her tone was calm when she said these words.

But Jun Qiulan could hear how much blood and tears were hidden behind her calm tone.

If one really couldn't survive, selling his daughter as a maid or even a concubine would be better than selling her to a brothel.

The only reason could only be that Sister Chang’s father was not a human being, and the price offered by the brothel was higher.

He was also silent for a while, and after a long time, he finally spoke.

"If there is no trafficking, there will be no harm. If we eliminate the root causes of human trafficking, such tragedies can be reduced."

Sister Chang still smiled: "Most of the girls were sold here by their parents, a few were abducted, and only one or two came here voluntarily."

Although this place is not decent, it is no problem to make some money and survive.

Jun Qiulan shook her head: "Sister Chang should also know that this business is also based on youth. When the girls get older, where will they go?"

After these words were spoken, Sister Chang fell silent.

She herself had been through the same thing and had seen countless different endings for the sisters in the building.

Some were deceived by customers, who said they would redeem them to be concubines, but when they got tired of playing with them or were too old, they were inevitably sold again.

By then, the place that was sold would be no match for her Yihonglou, no, there would be no comparison at all.

What's worse, they just made them disappear quietly.

Some of them redeemed themselves and returned home, but all the money they brought back was cheated away by their parents and used to support their brothers.

It is impossible for people like them to marry into a good family.

Either she would be sold to a poor widower as a concubine, or they would try to make her die of illness, and even after her death they would not let her go, perhaps even using her for a ghost marriage.

A slightly better ending would be being married to a disabled and mentally retarded man from a poor family, thus ruining her entire life.

There are also those who, after redeeming themselves, do not return home but buy a small yard of their own, hoping to live an ordinary life, but there are always disputes and endless gossips at their doorstep.

Within two years, he became depressed.

People like her who can make money and take over Yihonglou from the previous madam are rare.

Jun Qiulan said, "If I can provide some solutions to help Yihonglou transform, would Sister Chang consider it?"

Sister Chang also hesitated.

She was originally a girl from a good family, and she had endured so many hardships to get to where she is today.

To be honest, in the business of prostitution, she is considered a relatively conscientious madam. When the girls are sick, she pays for their doctors. When the girls are not feeling well, she also agrees to let them rest for a few days. If they encounter difficult customers and the girls don't want to receive them, she can also ask her thugs to kick the person out.

She knew that this business was not easy, and it was just a matter of getting by. If she could successfully earn enough money to redeem herself and leave this place, without having to worry about what would happen next, this would be considered a relatively good situation.

What’s even more pitiful is that they suffer from heart diseases.

But changing careers is not that easy.

To put it bluntly, this business is not decent, but it makes money quickly.

They may earn in just one month what ordinary people earn in a year.

After all, this is a brothel, not a low-class whorehouse.

Jun Qiulan didn't try to persuade her further: "Sister Chang, maybe you should consider it. I still need to research what kind of business you want to pursue. Ultimately, I hope everyone can live a normal life."

He also knew in his heart that it was very difficult for the girls in the building to live a normal life.

Just like Sister Chang said, even a drop of saliva could drown them.

Even if you can't completely change your career, you can still do the business of prostitution. From a brothel to a prostitute, it is still an improvement.

He knew too little about the entertainment industry. No matter which world it was, he had never been exposed to a similar industry.

Still need to study it.

Sister Chang smiled and said, "Let's not talk about it for now. I'm afraid that my husband didn't come here today to save Fengchen."

Jun Qiulan then remembered his important business.

A little embarrassed, "Sister Chang, could you please ask a few girls who are good at dancing to dance for me?"

Sister Chang laughed again.

It can be seen that she also has a cheerful personality.

"Okay, then you wait."

After a while, Jun Qiulan smelled the fragrance of cosmetics, which made him feel a little dizzy.

Several girls in cool clothes filed in, and some musicians followed behind with their instruments.

Sister Chang didn't leave either: "Today we have a distinguished guest, and he only wants to see us dancing. The sisters have to show off their best skills."

Several girls covered their faces and laughed so hard that they were shaking.

It seemed that she had not expected that this handsome young man who could afford the money would only want to watch dancing and did not want to have fun with his sisters.

It's normal, I think.

They were all considered good-looking girls in the building, but when they stood in front of Jun Qiulan, they were completely outshined.

How can a man be more handsome than a girl?

The string instruments in the hands of the musicians make soft sounds.

The girls started dancing at the sound.

Jun Qiulan also became serious.

He came here to learn.

To be fair, the girls' dancing skills are all very good.

If you want to make a living from this, you must have studied it carefully.

From the posture, to the dancing posture, to the facial expressions, everything is exquisite.

Jun Qiulan watched it seriously, which made Sister Chang confused.

What on earth is this deposed crown prince doing here?

After all, you're not here to learn how to dance from girls, are you?

There have been some changes in the city this year. She comes into contact with many people, so naturally she has heard some rumors.

But, to be honest, as long as the war does not reach the city, it seems to have nothing to do with them who becomes the emperor or who rebels against whom.

The commander of the border town is General Huo. With General Huo guarding the border, they can do business and live their lives with peace of mind.

If we really have to fight with the imperial court... General Huo should be able to withstand it, right?

Otherwise, the money she donated to Mrs. Huo every year would be wasted.

There is no other way. To work in this industry, if they don’t have a strong background, they are all lowly and will only be bullied to death.

Ever since she took over Yihonglou, she knew that Madam Huo made clothes for the soldiers every year, so she tried to contact Madam Huo and gave her a sum of money every year in order to seek stability for the building.

To be honest, she was moved by what the deposed crown prince had just said to her.

She herself has been through so much hardship, so of course she knows that this road is not easy.

You can live a good life and be a good person. Who would want to live a life like a ghost here?

But, can the words of the deposed prince really be believed?

Those in power are the most fickle and the most ruthless.

She must be worried that the deposed prince might have other motives.

But what if... he really has a way to change the current situation?

Apart from anything else, the deposed prince's words about solving the problem of human trafficking from the root really moved her.

She had been sold, and she wanted to take control of her own life all the time, but at that time, she couldn't do it even if she wanted to die.

Let's observe and see.

Jun Qiulan watched three dances in total. Although he was in a learning state of mind, he still couldn't help feeling uncomfortable.

Sister Chang was also happy when she saw Jun Qiulan's expression.

Originally she thought that the deposed prince was not young anymore and should have experienced the world. She remembered someone saying before that high-ranking officials like the deposed prince would be arranged to have concubines when they reached a certain age to teach them about the world so that they would not be seduced by beautiful girls like them.

But looking at it today, this deposed prince is probably still a rookie.

Seeing that this young man was so dignified, the girls didn't actually perform any seductive dances, and acted quite seriously.

At least in a brothel, it is considered a serious dance.

"Okay, girls, go down."

Jun Qiulan raised his hand, "Wait."

He went out today and didn't bring much money with him, so he gave each person a piece of silver.

"Thank you for your hard work, ladies. Please have a cup of tea."

The girls were still a little at a loss. After Sister Chang nodded, they took the silver, bowed gracefully, and then turned and walked out.

Jun Qiulan didn't stay any longer.

"Sister Chang, you really should consider what I said today. Since you were born into a wealthy family, you should know the difference between a brothel and a prostitute."

Sister Chang saw him out and said, "After you resolve the issue of human trafficking, find someone to talk to me."

Jun Qiulan nodded, "I understand."

Of course he could see Sister Chang's worries and concerns.

After walking out of the gate of Yihonglou, he felt melancholy.

There is one thing that is true, a brothel is at least better than a whorehouse.

If reforming brothels is so difficult, what about places that are even worse?

I'm afraid that by then we still have to draw up a set of appropriate regulations. At least after closing this kind of place, the girls can have a stable job that can support themselves.

Otherwise, simply closing such places roughly would undoubtedly be sending the girls to their deaths.

After leaving the brothel, he walked around a street and went to Nanfeng Pavilion.

Also when he reached the door, he was stopped by the madam.

"Young Master, I remember you." The madam smiled. "Last year, you were running around looking for work. I asked you to come to me, but you refused."

Someone with such a divine appearance is truly unforgettable upon first sight.

Jun Qiulan was embarrassed.

At that time, I had just arrived in the border town and went everywhere to find a job.

Of course, he didn't come to Nanfeng Pavilion for that, but to ask if he needed an accountant or something like that.

But how could there be such a handsome and upright official in Nanfeng Pavilion?

So I gave up.

He said, "I also remember you saying that the wind in the border town was made of knives."

The madam saw that his current attire was completely different from before.

"It seems like you're here to have fun today?"

Jun Qiulan hesitated. He really liked men. Wouldn’t it be inappropriate for him to come to such a place again?

After thinking for a while, he spoke.

"Is there anyone in the building who is good at dancing? I just want to see the dancing, nothing else."

The madam didn't know what was wrong with him, but he came to Nanfeng Pavilion to watch men dance.

If you want to watch dancing, go to Yihonglou, for example. The girls there dance gracefully and elegantly, so beautiful.

But how could I refuse business that came to my door?

The young waiters in the building also have to learn these things.

It can be said that one should master all eighteen martial arts.

Otherwise, how can they compete with the girls in brothels?

It’s still the private room on the second floor, but the private room here is different from the one on the Yihonglou side.

In the private rooms here, you can open the window and see the stage downstairs directly from the second floor.

Their business here is not as good as that of a brothel. After all, there are not many people who like Nanfeng.

Especially during the day, business is even quieter.

The madam went out to greet them.

Before the dancers came on stage, the food and drinks in Jun Qiulan's elegant seat had already been served.

They all look pretty good.

After running all day, Jun Qiulan was indeed a little hungry, so he just ate a few bites.

Before he had finished eating, the stage downstairs had been set up.

Jun Qiulan tilted his head in confusion. The stage was covered by red curtains. Then he saw a scene that almost made him want to poke his eyes out.

The madam just came in and said, "How's it going, young master? Our dance is pretty good, isn't it?"

Jun Qiulan closed her eyes. There were only two men on the stage embracing each other, and there was nothing to do with dancing.

"Can we have a more normal dance?"

The madam giggled. "What do you mean by a normal dance? Don't you like this kind of dance?"

Jun Qiulan turned his head away, not daring to look again.

"If not, forget it. Pay the bill, boss."

There is a table full of food. Even though I haven’t eaten much, it’s time to pay the bill.

The madam was sure that he really didn't want to see this, so she clapped her hands and stopped him immediately, "Don't be anxious, young master."

She called downstairs, "Go and wake up Master Rui and have him dance for our distinguished guest."

The madam had spoken, and the people below naturally hurried to move.

"Don't worry, sir. Our Nanfeng Pavilion's Master Rui's dancing is not inferior to Yihonglou's. Even guests who are not good at Nanfeng have to come and support him."

After hearing this, Jun Qiulan endured the discomfort and forced himself to sit down again.

Just now in Yihonglou on the other side, Jun Qiulan had another level of understanding of Fengchen.

But he felt it was not enough.

Men and women are different, and their mental states are completely different.

Especially in the ancient world.

Although both of them were humiliated here, ancient men seemed to be more arrogant.

It would probably take some time for the so-called Mr. Rui to get up, pack up, and wash up. Judging from the madam's tone, he must be quite famous and even more arrogant. Jun Qiulan waited for a cup of tea but didn't see anyone, so he simply talked to the madam about the rectification issue again.

"What? Close down? Change your business? Then what are you going to feed me?"

The attitude and tone of this madam are much worse than Sister Chang's.

Jun Qiulan: "This kind of livelihood is not a long-term solution."

The madam rolled her eyes almost to the sky. "Where there is demand, there will be business. My dear, you must understand this principle."

Jun Qiulan also choked.

Therefore, it is not only necessary to solve the problems of brothels, but also to solve the problem of these customers from the root.

Without customers, their business would be impossible to continue.

Jun Qiulan was silent. Nowadays, visiting a brothel or Nanfeng Pavilion was actually an elegant thing for many people.

The madam continued, "In the city, I'm the only one who runs the Nanfeng Pavilion. Besides that, there's another alley full of prostitutes. For ten or twenty cents, you can go there and have some fun. That's the real cancer. So many diseases are transmitted from there."

She thought Jun Qiulan wanted to close such places to prevent the spread of dirty diseases.

She continued, "If there weren't places like ours, how would those girls and prostitutes make their livings? Where would those lonely men find pleasure? Without places like this, their lust wouldn't be satisfied. Surely they wouldn't attack decent women?"

Especially since they are in Nanfeng Pavilion.

Among the literati, Nanfeng Pavilion can be considered an elegant affair, but in the eyes of the general public, using the back door is even more shameful.

The reason why their business is so quiet during the day is because those people only dare to come secretly at night.

Many people who look serious during the day will turn into demons when they come here.

Only here can they vent his original animal desires.

Jun Qiulan fell into deep thought.

Of course, what the madam said was right.

If they could vent their anger at a low price, many people would not risk committing a crime by violating the laws of decent families.

However, the very existence of such a place is wrong.

Many women in families work diligently all their lives, but suddenly one day they find themselves sick, and it is a shameful disease. There is no need to say how this disease came about.

Jun Qiulan raised his eyes and looked at the madam.

He knew that he couldn't communicate with her.

Let's wait for him to go back and discuss, come up with a specific set of rules, and then implement them.

This matter is indeed a bit too complicated.

After another cup of tea, Master Rui finally came on stage.

The curtain on the stage has been lifted. Master Rui is dressed elegantly and has very handsome features. He doesn't seem like a man who has fallen to this place to make a living.

Master Rui raised his eyes and glanced at Jun Qiulan.

Jun Qiulan suddenly felt that this person's face was somewhat familiar, but he couldn't remember it no matter how hard he tried. He was sure that he had never met this Young Master Rui.

The strings of the zither were plucked, and Master Rui began to dance gracefully.

Every frown and smile, every glance back and every twist of the body seemed to be carefully designed.

It gave Jun Qiulan a great visual impact.

You can tell that he dances a low-class dance meant to please people and seduce them, but you can't associate him with that kind of person.

At this moment, he suddenly felt that it might be very appropriate to give Yan Jing's script to this Mr. Rui to play his role.

The song ends.

Jun Qiulan stood up and clapped his hands, "I wonder if Master Rui would be so kind as to come upstairs for a drink."

The madam rolled her eyes again, "Our Master Rui is very noble and doesn't easily accompany others."

As soon as he finished speaking, Master Rui bowed to Jun Qiulan and said, "I respectfully obey your command."

The madam was choked.

Look left, look right.

After all, she is in her Nanfeng Pavilion and cannot escape.

Of course, she was referring to Master Rui.

As for the guest Jun Qiulan, she didn't dare to make any plans now.

Last year, he was so thin that a gust of wind could blow him down, and only his facial features could tell that he was indeed superior. Now he is completely different, as if his spine, which was once bent, has straightened up again.

She hadn't even figured out his identity, so how could she dare to act rashly?

Besides, she was also doing business with "conscientiousness" and she didn't dare to do anything like forcing people to stay in the building, otherwise Jun Qiulan would not have escaped last year.

"Please give us another pot of good wine."

Jun Qiulan sent the madam away and said, "I want to have a private chat with Master Rui."

The madam took the money and told people to get ready.

The door was closed.

Master Rui immediately knelt down in front of Jun Qiulan and said, "I greet His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

Jun Qiulan was startled and quickly helped him up. "I don't remember you and I meeting before. Please take a seat."

Master Rui gave a bitter laugh, "It's true that I have never met His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, but I will never forget His Royal Highness's kindness."

This confused Jun Qiulan.

Master Rui then told the story. Three years ago, the imperial palace had just started selecting concubines.

At that time, the emperor had just had his first son, but the women in the harem had basically been brought into the palace many years ago.

Now that he is able to bear children, it is natural for him to select some young women to enter the palace.

Master Rui is also included.

Jun Qiulan was surprised, "But, but you are a man."

There was no way the old emperor would choose a male concubine to enter the palace.

Perhaps his expression was too shocked and confused, and Master Rui couldn't help but laugh.

"Your Highness, do you still remember the Ministry of Revenue Minister's corruption case?"

Jun Qiulan nodded. He was the one who supervised this matter in the early stages.

Young Master Rui continued, "I was originally a bastard son of the Minister of Revenue. No, to be more precise, my aunt raised me as a girl. She knew that my father was a cruel man who would eat people without leaving any bones. My eldest brother was even more domineering. The bastard sons born before me all died young for various reasons."

His biological mother was just a woman from a merchant family, and she did not consider the problem very carefully. She only knew that the eldest son could not tolerate other "brothers", but those concubines' daughters all survived. So, she resorted to this desperate measure and bribed the midwife to say that she had given birth to a daughter.

He was also raised as a girl since childhood.

If the official who was selecting the concubine had not come in and seen that he had a good physique, a body that was traditionally suitable for childbearing, perhaps nothing would have gone wrong. He would have been arranged to fake his death by falling into the water, and from then on, he would have changed his appearance and lived on with a new identity.

He and his mother had been planning this for fifteen years.

But he was chosen.

His father, who had never looked him in the eye, immediately began to take him seriously.

Someone was assigned to watch him all day long.

Even though it was the emperor who was choosing his concubine, many girls of marriageable age were actually unwilling to do so.

Firstly, the emperor is too old. Who would want to marry into the deep palace and serve an old man who is older than their father?

Secondly, anyone who was a little smarter knew that the court was in turmoil at that time, and anyone who was lucky enough to give birth to a child for the old emperor would be truly doomed.

Master Rui also knew what his father had been secretly doing over the years. In addition, his mother was also forced into the mansion, and all the property of his maternal grandfather was swallowed up by his father.

I decided to go all out and secretly collected some evidence.

He asked his mother to lend him some money to buy him some decent clothes so that he could send the evidence out.

"So it was you who sent me the letter." Jun Qiulan suddenly realized.

The corruption of the Minister of Revenue had actually been investigated several years ago.

But the evidence has been insufficient.

Later, he met a woman on the street. There was a letter in her arms. The letter gave him a clue and asked him to follow the clue, but the letter also clearly stated that he had to help him save the woman who delivered the letter.

Jun Qiulan also kept his promise.

"Your mother..."

Master Rui smiled and said, "My mother returned to her ancestral home and settled in a small courtyard. She is living a good life."

Jun Qiulan was not involved in this matter. He had originally arranged for his subordinates to do it.

"But why did you end up here?"

After the case was investigated thoroughly, the matter of selecting a concubine naturally came to nothing, and all the male members of the Minister of Revenue's family were beheaded.

The woman was spared from beheading, but was exiled to several border military camps.

There is no need to say much about what we do in the military camp.

I think he was exiled to the border town by accident.

Among these, Jun Qiulan always felt that something was not quite right.

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