“Madam Yan, you have a good eye. Although this boy is lame, he is obedient. You should buy him and raise him like a dog. It will definitely be more cost-effective than a dog.”
Yan Xia felt uncomfortable with what the man in the yamen said.
She pretended to cough twice, and the shrewd person immediately understood.
He quickly shut up.
"Ahem, Xiaolan, right? Who's in your family? Have you ever thought about going back?"
Xiao Lan, whose name was called, had a huge red birthmark on her face that covered half of it. She looked self-conscious, suggesting that she had been bullied since childhood.
“My Lord Yan, my parents are still alive. I have an older sister and two younger brothers. My sister is already married, and my brothers are also married. I don’t want to go back. I would rather be a beggar than go home again. As long as I can have enough to eat, I will do anything.”
Xiaolan is very thin.
The exposed wrists were skin-covered bones, and the cheeks were deeply sunken.
It's obvious that they've been suffering from long-term malnutrition.
He looked like a refugee.
No, they're more like refugees than refugees themselves.
It's like taking a drag.
He's practically a walking skeleton.
"Alright, you come over here too, that's all for now."
"Okay!"
The broker couldn't hide his smile; he had finally sold those two money-losing items.
If we don't sell them now, they'll starve to death and we'll be stuck with them.
The shopkeeper will definitely reward him later.
It was already past four o'clock in the afternoon when Yan Xia finished the formalities.
She brought four servants and bought clothes, bedding, toiletries, cleaning supplies, pots and pans, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, grains, tableware, and so on.
They only returned to the house after buying everything.
"You two will stay in the front courtyard gatehouse, where you'll open the gate for guests and the carriages will also enter through here. The two maids will live in the servants' quarters on the east side of the back courtyard, where they'll do laundry and cook..."
After explaining what they needed to do and where they would stay.
He also told the four of them that someone would come here in a horse-drawn carriage every day to sleep and eat dinner and breakfast.
Yan Xia gave them new names.
"Chunshan will be called Qianshan, Lin'er will be called Qianlin, Xiaocao will be called Baoqiu, and Xiaolan will be called Baodong. Alright, the four of you pack your bags and boil some water to take a bath. Since you've come here, although I can't treat you very well, as long as you don't make any mistakes, you'll definitely have enough to eat and drink, and you won't be beaten or scolded. You can cook your own dinner. Everything has been prepared for you. The remaining bedding is in the other servants' room for the delivery people. You can make do with it tonight, and I'll wash the sheets and change the bedding tomorrow. I'll come back tomorrow, understand?"
"Yes, Master—"
The four of them agreed in unison.
Yan Xia then left.
She went straight to Zhu Changji's shop.
When they arrived, Zhu Changji and his wife were already waiting at the shop entrance.
"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."
"Not at all, not at all, the timing is perfect, Manager Yan, please."
The three of them headed towards the Wan Hua Lou (Ten Thousand Flowers Pavilion).
It's not far away.
It took ten minutes to get there.
The Wanhua Tower requires crossing a river; it stands in the eastern corner and has six floors.
Each floor was brightly lit with candles, and long strings of lanterns hung in the corridors, some yellow, some red, and some white, with poems seemingly written on them. Looking up, you could see all sorts of beautiful girls and guests passing by in the corridors.
A large sign hangs on the first floor.
Three black characters with gold lettering.
Wan Hua Lou.
A madam and seven prostitutes dressed in various colors stood at the door.
From tall to short, from slightly chubby to slender, they were all uniformly beautiful.
"Oh my, isn't this Manager Zhu? You've finally arrived! We've reserved room number 8 on the fifth floor for you. Please come in."
Rong's mother had a face full of wrinkles, and when she smiled, powder would fall off.
I don't know what kind of cosmetics she used, but her face was so white, even a corpse that's been dead for seven days wouldn't be that white.
It was just dusk, and under the glow of the red lanterns, Rong's mother, dressed in a deep red dress, with a pale face and a strange smile, was truly frightening.
However, it was to highlight the seven girls around her.
Compared to her, these seven people seemed like seven celestial fairies.
Yan Xia understood somewhat why she had chosen such an ugly madam.
Green leaves paired with red flowers.
Led by her, Yan Xia and the other two went up to the fifth floor.
She was in good health and didn't feel anything climbing up.
Zhu Changji was chubby, and he was panting heavily after climbing to the third floor.
Yan Xia waited for him as she walked. When they arrived at room number 8, the madam opened the door and let the three of them in.
Then she said a few auspicious words and left.
Two maids arrived and served them tea and ordered food.
"Phew, Manager Yan, please order first. Let me see what dishes you'd like to eat."
Zhu Changji drank two cups of tea and was still panting; his physical condition was truly terrible.
Yan Xia took the menu and ordered a roasted pigeon, a stew of pickled vegetables and tofu, and a meatball soup.
Three dishes are about right, Manager Zhu will definitely order some too.
She then handed the menu to Zhu Changji's wife.
"Madam Zhu, what would you like to eat?"
"I don't need to, I'm fine with anything."
Madam Zhu and Zhu Changji looked remarkably alike, with round faces and plump bodies.
They seem easy to get along with.
"Let's also order some stewed meat, roast chicken, and a plate of braised beef, stir-fried two seasonal vegetables, and a fruit platter, and two jugs of wine, one sake and one apricot wine."
"Yes, sir/madam—"
The maid put away the menu and was about to leave.
Manager Zhu called her back again.
"Bring me a few male prostitutes, they must be the most handsome. Those who like homosexuals, please don't come. Find me some proper male prostitutes."
"Yes, sir, I'll go and fetch someone right away."
Zhu Changji stroked his beard.
He's been to this place quite often.
There's no other way; that's what it means to be a traveling merchant.
It's unavoidable.
He never brought his wife before, but since Manager Yan is a woman, he had no choice but to bring her along to keep him company in order to avoid embarrassment.
Yan Xia wanted to drink some water, but when she heard what Manager Zhu said, she almost choked.
There really are male prostitutes.
Manager Zhu even knows about homosexuality.
It turns out that male prostitutes don't just serve men.
There are also those who serve women.
Good heavens, this place is really open!
Ten minutes later.
Two maids returned carrying wine jugs.
Behind her was a male mother, also wearing makeup, like an older woman.
The moment he speaks, the flavor becomes even more perfect.
"Oh my, isn't this Manager Zhu? You haven't been here for quite some time. What brings you back for male prostitutes? Shall I call Chunhong over for you?"
Manager Zhu was terrified.
He blinked quickly.
"What Chunhong? You've mistaken her for someone else. This is Manager Yan. Pick out a few male prostitutes for her to serve well. Where are they? Come in and let Manager Yan choose. Manager Yan, take a look and see which one catches your eye. Pick any three or five you like."
Manager Zhu was sweating bullets, but luckily he was quick-witted and changed the subject.
However, Madam Zhu beside him gave him a very unfriendly look.
Because Yan Xia was present, she did not lash out.
"Yes, yes, I must have misremembered. In the past, whenever Manager Zhu came, he only drank and talked business. He never called any of the girls. I deserve to be slapped—Please don't be offended, Madam Zhu."
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