“I have my own residence in Lingyang, which is Zhan Garden behind Liujiang Street. You can go there to find me when you have free time.”
Cui Shenghe interrupted Zhao Zhi.
His return to Lingyang this time also included visiting the Zhao residence.
But now is not the time for him to show his face.
He turned and stepped out of the carriage, instructing Cui Jiu, "Take good care of Miss Zhao and escort her back to the manor. Then go to Cangchun Tower to pick me up."
Upon hearing the words "Cangchunlou," Cui Jiu's eyelids twitched.
Throughout the entire Great Sheng Dynasty, everyone knows that if you come to Lingyang, you must visit the Hidden Spring Pavilion.
However, not just anyone can enter the Hidden Spring Pavilion.
Each of them possesses a unique, meticulously crafted identity tag.
These identity tags are made of special materials that are sturdy, durable, and not easily damaged; their surface is smooth as a mirror and engraved with the owner's name.
Of course, only the people at Cangchunlou know how to verify these things.
Most importantly, this identity token costs a fortune.
The Hidden Spring Pavilion also has an interesting rule: each male guest may bring a maximum of one female companion.
Cui Jiu watched his young master's retreating figure, and although he had some doubts, he still agreed.
He turned his horse around and said to Zhao Zhi, "Miss Zhao, let's set off now."
Zhao Zhi nodded and got into the carriage. They traveled in silence and soon arrived at the Zhao residence.
Zhao Zhi got out of the carriage, thanked Cui Jiu, and then turned and entered the mansion.
Cui Jiu watched Zhao Zhi's departing figure, lost in thought. Remembering Cui Shenghe's instructions, he hurriedly spurred his horse towards Cangchun Tower.
The Hidden Spring Pavilion has three floors. The first floor is used for trading erotic paintings. The plaque hanging above the sign reads "Painting Spring".
Erotic paintings are also known as secret love paintings or spring palace paintings.
Erotic paintings were popular not only in the imperial palace and among officials and gentry, but also in the streets and shops of ordinary people.
Some high-ranking officials and nobles even specially commissioned people to come here to buy erotic paintings as part of their daughters' dowry.
For women in the inner quarters who were often kept in the dark, erotic paintings could serve as a guide, allowing them to understand in advance what they would face after marriage. This would prevent them from avoiding matters of intimacy between husband and wife as if they were the plague.
Cui Shenghe entered a room, handed the painting by Zhao Zhi to a man named Zhang Fang, and instructed, "Make one thousand copies of this painting, five hundred taels each."
Zhang Fang was overjoyed to see the lifelike painting.
"Who painted this? It's so lifelike! Even the mole on the woman's breast is painted so realistically. Are you sure it's only five hundred taels? Judging by the quality, it would sell out quickly even at a thousand taels!"
Cui Shenghe said coldly, "You talk too much." Then, he put on a mask and went upstairs.
A plaque reading "Enjoying Spring" hangs on the second floor.
Guests on this floor are required to wear masks to protect their privacy.
The so-called "appreciating spring" means that a man and a woman can be honest with each other and reenact the content of a spring painting.
A gauze curtain separates the performance venue from the audience, creating an indistinct, dreamlike atmosphere. Many guests have experienced nosebleeds or other embarrassing incidents while watching.
The third floor is named "Gathering Spring".
This area is usually reserved for guests on the second floor. Some guests, still wanting more after enjoying the spring scenery, will spend tens of thousands of dollars to go up to the third floor.
There are nine private rooms on the three-story building. Except for one room that is booked by a single guest year-round, the other eight rooms are always packed with people.
Cui Shenghe sat on the second floor for a while before going downstairs and returning to the place where he sold paintings.
"Have any new paintings arrived recently?"
Zhang Fang bent down and took out a stack of paintings from under the counter, saying with dissatisfaction, "I called you a few times just now, but you didn't hear me. I knew you would come back to me. Look, they're all here."
Cui Shenghe sat on a chair to the side, carefully flipping through a stack of paintings, then shook his head, "These are not what I want."
"By the way, if any paintings are sent from Yunchao, bring them to Zhan Garden immediately. They must not be sold without my permission."
"I know, I understand the rules after all these years." Zhang Fang carefully put the painting away and said with a grin, "It's all money."
Cui Shenghe left Cangchun Tower with a gloomy expression. Cui Jiu was already waiting there.
Cui Jiu silently drove towards Zhan Garden.
Every time he returned from the Hidden Spring Pavilion, the young master would be in a particularly bad mood.
Cui Jiu sighed inwardly, thinking to himself, "If only the young master had a confidante to guide him. But the young master's mysophobia is too severe; he can't stand women getting close."
“Let’s go to Liujiang Street,” Cui Shenghe suddenly said.
Cui Jiu turned his horse around and headed towards Liujiang Street. Miss Zhao lives at the Zhao residence on Liujiang Street. Is the young master going to visit her?
"Young master, isn't it a bit inappropriate for a man to go to a woman's house empty-handed?" Cui Jiu kindly reminded him.
The people inside the carriage fell silent.
The carriage rumbled past the Zhao residence. Cui Shenghe didn't tell him to stop, so Cui Jiu could only continue walking.
The Zhao residence.
When Zhao Zhi returned, she found the flower hall filled with people kneeling on the floor.
There was Aunt Liu, Zhao Yun, and Zhao Rou. Also present were her two maids: Chao Yan and Nan Ying; Zhao Yun's maid, Yu Ming; and Zhao Rou's maid, Le Kui.
Mother Zhang Wan sat at the head of the table with a displeased expression, slowly sipping her tea.
Liu Yun was kneeling on the ground, sobbing.
Yesterday, after she returned with Zhao Yun, she learned that Zhao Shouzhen had gone out of town on official business and that the mistress Zhang Wan had not yet returned from the palace. She breathed a sigh of relief.
Only after the mistress returned to the manor did she apologize, saying that she had lost sight of the second young lady.
"What a lively scene!" Zhao Zhi, always eager for excitement, pushed past the crowd to her mother's side, snatched the teacup from her hand, and drank it all in one gulp. "I'm so thirsty!"
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