Chapter 166 The Noble Young Master of a Marquis's Family (Part 5) The Noble Young Master's Revenge and Love Story...
"Your Highness has shown me the greatest kindness, how could I possibly ruin your great cause? I only know how to do as you command, and I would never dare to act on my own!" Sun Qing'er suppressed her fear and said sweetly.
"Oh?" Zhao Xuanhong straightened up, slowly playing with the thumb ring on his thumb: "Come here."
Sun Qing'er obeyed and crawled a few steps on her knees, obediently lowering her head, slightly revealing her delicate, fair neck.
Zhao Xuanhong looked down at her, his gaze as if he were examining a dispensable object. After a long while, he chuckled softly and grabbed her wrist: "Get up."
"Your Highness..."
Before long, Sun Qing'er, straining to speak, said haltingly, "Your...Your Highness...I beg you..."
Immediately afterwards, a soft laugh came from inside the room, followed by Zhao Xuanhong's slightly hoarse voice.
"Qing'er, what do you want from me?"
The window was slightly ajar, and through the crack, the silhouette of a woman could be vaguely seen. A dark silk ribbon fluttered in the breeze, and soon a gust of wind blew through, tightly closing the half-open lattice window.
After an incense stick had burned, Zhao Xuanhong leaned against the silk pillow, reached out and lifted Sun Qing'er's delicate chin, lowered his eyes and smiled, "Qing'er, you are so understanding and considerate, I really am reluctant to send you away."
Sun Qing'er lay on the brocade quilt, her disheveled hair clinging to her sweat-dampened neck. Upon hearing Zhao Xuanhong's words, she immediately struggled to lift her head.
"It is Qing'er's blessing to be able to share Your Highness's burdens."
"Good, good." Zhao Xuanhong seemed quite pleased with her flattery, and casually tucked the wet hair from the side of her neck behind her ear: "Good girl, you can go back now. I've prepared a carriage for you outside."
"Yes, Qing'er thanks Your Highness for your compassion."
As she spoke, Sun Qing'er stood up, her legs buckling as she nearly fell. She forced herself to pick up the scattered clothes from the floor and slowly dressed, her back to Zhao Xuanhong.
The bronze mirror not far away reflected the crisscrossing red marks on her body, and a clear ring of finger marks around the back of her neck. Ambiguous, yet terrifying.
"Your Highness, Qing'er takes her leave."
"Okay, go ahead."
Sun Qing'er, supporting herself on a pillar, arrived at the outside of Yunding Temple, where she saw Zhao Xuanhong's personal attendant, Huai Jing, waiting expressionlessly beside an inconspicuous carriage.
"Please, young lady."
Sun Qing'er curtsied to him and boarded the carriage with a normal expression.
After the carriage curtain was lowered, Sun Qing'er covered her face tightly with a silk handkerchief until her palms were damp. She suddenly remembered the shy yet clear look in Sun Yiyao's eyes when she looked at Song Ce in the back garden of the Rongguo Duke's mansion a few days ago.
That was the demeanor of a truly innocent young girl, unlike myself... who was already filthy and mired in the mire.
Not long after Sun Qing'er left, Zhao Xuanhong also left Yunding Temple.
After confirming that the group had completely left, Song Ce smiled faintly, went to the old locust tree, untied the horse, and rode quickly down the mountain along another path.
After returning to the city, Song Ce did not rush home. Instead, he went to the largest brothel in the capital—the Hidden Spring Pavilion. As soon as the madam saw the refined, handsome, and well-dressed Song Ce, she immediately came forward to greet him with a series of "Oh dear, oh dear" sounds.
"Young master, would you like to listen to a song or find a girl?" the madam asked with a smile.
Song Ce succinctly stated: "Looking for someone."
"Oh dear, you look unfamiliar, young master. Do you perhaps know a girl at our Hidden Spring Pavilion? Tell me her name, and I'll invite her over for you right away."
Song Ce nodded and asked softly, "Is Miss Man'er here?"
"Man'er..." The madam's eyes darted around, "What a pity, Miss Man'er isn't feeling well today. How about I have Miss Dongshuang and Miss Yanzhi from our brothel come over to keep you company?"
Song Ce smiled upon hearing this and took out a hundred-tael silver note from his sleeve. "Mother, is Miss Man'er here?"
"Oh, yes! Yes! Yes! Young master, please go upstairs to the private room for a couple of drinks. I'll have Man'er get dressed up and come over to keep you company!" The madam swiftly caught the silver note, examined it closely, and laughed so hard her eyes practically popped out. "Fifth brother! Fifth brother! Come here! Lead this distinguished guest to the best private room upstairs!"
A rather short man immediately ran over and said obsequiously, "Yes! Madam! Young master, this way please."
Song Ce smiled and casually took out five taels of silver from his sleeve and handed it to the fifth brother, saying, "Thank you for your trouble."
"No trouble at all, no trouble at all!" The fifth brother accepted the silver with a flattered expression, and his attitude towards him became even more respectful.
After that, no matter what Song Ce asked Lao Wu, he answered readily. He even eagerly mentioned things that Song Ce hadn't asked. When they arrived at the private room one after the other, Lao Wu bowed and said, "Young Master, please have your drink first. Miss Man'er will be here soon."
"etc."
"Young master, is there anything else you need?"
Song Ce didn't speak, but took out another ten taels of silver and handed it to Lao Wu, asking, "Tell me, who is the most beautiful and charming girl in this brothel right now?"
The fifth brother's eyes lit up when he saw the ten taels of silver. He immediately stepped forward, took the silver, and bit it hard with his teeth before saying ingratiatingly, "Young master, you've come to the right person. If we're talking about the most famous and beautiful girl in our Hidden Spring Pavilion right now, it has to be Miss Green Pearl."
"oh?"
Having received the tip from the customer, Lao Wu naturally spoke his mind: "This Miss Lü Zhu sold herself into our brothel two years ago. She is proficient in everything, from playing the zither and chess to calligraphy, painting, singing, dancing, and so on. Even the most talented girl in the brothel, Miss Hua Yin, is inferior to her in composing poems! It is said that Miss Lü Zhu can compose poems and lyrics on the spot, and she can also choreograph dances!"
"She is a gentle and refined woman."
"Who says otherwise? It's just a pity that Miss Green Pearl only sells her art, not her body. Otherwise, who knows how many princes and noblemen in the capital would fight tooth and nail for her!" the fifth brother said with a smile.
"Selling art but not sex? Is it because the price offered wasn't high enough, so Miss Green Pearl wasn't tempted?" Song Ce asked.
"No, no!" Upon hearing this, the fifth brother immediately straightened his back: "Back then, a wealthy merchant from the north offered this much, but Miss Green Pearl refused!" As he spoke, he gestured eight with his fingers.
Song Ce, ever the astute one, asked, "Eight hundred taels?"
"Wrong! It's eight thousand taels!" The fifth brother said smugly, "Young master, you may not know this because you come from a high-ranking family, but one tael of silver is equivalent to one or two months' worth of food and clothing for an ordinary family! A full eight thousand taels! Miss Green Pearl refused it outright!"
Seeing the fifth brother's pained expression, Song Ce couldn't help but find it amusing: "Really that much? Or are you just trying to make me happy?"
"Oh, my dear young master! Even if you gave me ten lives, I wouldn't dare to lie to you! Such an important matter could be easily found out by asking around in the building. Why would I bother to tease you about this?"
Song Ce rested his chin on his hand and asked curiously, "So, according to you, this Green Pearl girl neither wants to leave nor sells herself, what is she after?"
"This... I don't know."
Seeing Song Ce's slightly furrowed brows, the fifth brother assumed he was dissatisfied with his answer and quickly added, "But I heard that Miss Green Pearl seems to be looking for someone!"
"Looking for someone?"
Before the fifth brother could continue speaking, a soft knock came from outside the door, followed by a melodious female voice: "Young master, Man'er is here."
Upon hearing Man'er's voice, the fifth brother gave Song Ce a strange look. He touched the heavy silver in his pocket, and finally mustered up his courage to step forward and whisper, "Young master, please be careful. This...this Miss Man'er, she, she...is ill!"
Song Ce smiled slightly: "I know."
Fifth Brother: "..."
What's wrong with these noblemen these days? Knowing that the girl is infected with a sexually transmitted disease, they still dare to ask her to serve them? The fifth brother muttered a couple of words to himself, then bowed and said, "Then I will take my leave. If you need anything, please feel free to call me over."
"Okay, go ahead!"
The fifth brother opened the door and saw Miss Man'er slowly walking over with her zither in her arms. He couldn't help but shake his head.
After the fifth brother thoughtfully closed the door, Song Ce pointed to the chair opposite him and said gently, "Miss Man'er, please sit down."
Man'er nodded slightly and gracefully moved to sit down opposite Song Ce.
"What tune would you like to hear, young master?"
Looking at Man'er's heavy makeup, Song Ce shook his head and asked, "Miss, how old are you?"
Man'er gripped the handkerchief tightly in her hand and whispered, "I'm sixteen this year."
"Only sixteen...that's a pity."
Seeing the regretful expression on the young nobleman's face, Man'er stood up with a pale face and slowly knelt down.
"Young master, I..."
"Get up quickly." Song Ce reached out to help her up, but Man'er fell to the ground in fright, tears welling up in her eyes.
"Young master, no...no...I...I'm not clean..."
"Whether it's clean or not isn't up to you to decide. Man'er, how much is your ransom?" Song Ce asked with a faint smile.
“I…I have contracted a sexually transmitted disease. The regular customers in the building already know. How could I dare to ask Mother for the ransom?” Man’er said, tears streaming down her face.
Song Ce nodded and asked her, "What's your best piece of music?"
"Young master, it is 'Yu Shu Nuan'."
"Play it for me."
"yes."
After Man'er finished singing, Song Ce gestured for her to follow him and led her to the madam who had led him into the private room.
"Young master, are you saying you want to redeem Man'er from her servitude?" The madam looked at Song Ce with surprise, then glanced at Man'er discreetly, thinking to herself that this girl was quite cunning. Right now, she was practically on her deathbed, yet she still managed to seduce this seemingly wealthy young master to redeem her.
"Oh, young master, you don't know, Man'er is the most popular girl in our brothel. I treat Man'er like my own daughter..."
Before the madam could finish speaking, Song Ce interrupted her with a smile: "Madam, isn't Green Pearl the most popular girl in your brothel? Besides, Man'er is currently unwell, so give me a fair price, Madam!"
The madam gave an awkward smile upon hearing this, "Well... young master, may I think about it?"
Song Ce nodded and said, "Then Mother, you can decide. I'll head back to the manor now." With that, he started walking, silently counting to himself, "One, two..."
"Young master, wait a minute! I've thought it over! Man'er's original ransom was three hundred taels, but today I'll only charge you one hundred taels. How about that? Just one hundred taels, and you can take this girl away!"
Song Ce raised an eyebrow and asked in return, "One hundred taels?"
Upon hearing this, the madam assumed the young master thought the price was too high, and immediately gritted her teeth, saying, "Fifty taels! How about fifty taels?"
Without saying a word, Song Ce took out a fifty-tael silver note from his sleeve and handed it to the madam. "Where is her indenture?"
Seeing that the girls with genital diseases had all been sold, the madam was in a good mood and immediately said, "Young master, please wait a moment, I will go upstairs and get them for you."
Before long, the madam came quickly over, clutching Man'er's indenture, and said with a smile, "Young master, here you go, you've really gotten a great deal!"
After accepting the indenture, Song Ce said nothing more and left Cangchunlou with Man'er.
After the two left, a young man standing by the window in the private room on the second floor immediately changed his expression. He bowed to his cronies in the room to apologize and hurriedly left as well.
"What's wrong with A-Chuan? He looks like the sky has fallen." One of the young masters asked drunkenly.
"Hey, you didn't know, did you? That guy who just redeemed the girl in the brothel is A-Chuan's cousin's fiancé!"
"Tsk tsk, this is going to be a good show." The young master drank another cup of wine, hugged the girl next to him and kissed her hard, and chuckled.
"Alright, enough about him! Let's drink! Let's drink!"
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Author's note: I've revised it carefully now [crying emoji]
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