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The next morning, just as the sun rose above the first roof ridge, Granny Liu came to knock on the door of Qin Sang's house.
After knocking for a while, Ying'er opened the door and said that the young lady had already gone out.
"Out?" Granny Liu's lips twitched. "Slipped out again?"
To avoid arguing with Granny Liu, Qin Sang got up before dawn, yawning as she took Lingding out the door.
As the morning glow painted the streets, businesses began to open one after another.
She planned to visit those houses first.
Qin Baoyun drove the carriage, first taking her to the place closest to the Prime Minister's residence, which was located on Zhaoping Street, south of Xuanhe Street where the Prime Minister's residence was situated. The location was good, and the surrounding area was inhabited by officials and wealthy merchants of decent rank. With Qin Sang's limited resources, she could only find a small house, not even a two-courtyard house, just a siheyuan (traditional courtyard house), and it was old.
Qin Sang stood in the courtyard and looked around, then asked Qin Baoyun to go to the next two places.
The next two places are much farther away, requiring you to cross Shenwu Street to reach the west of the city.
Both residences are located not far from the West Market. One is a three-courtyard house, and the other is a two-courtyard house that is closer to the Imperial City and Shenwu Street.
After looking at them, Qin Sang ultimately chose the one that was bigger and farther away.
A more spacious room could accommodate more people, and she could live more comfortably. After all, she didn't have to go to the capital every day to report for duty, unlike those officials or servants.
“This house was formerly the residence of a wealthy merchant, but his descendants were unworthy and squandered the family fortune. After guarding the house for so long, it has fallen into disrepair. If you want this place, young lady, it will need to be renovated,” Qin Baoyun said.
Qin Sang naturally had no objection: "Then I'll trouble you, Uncle Qin."
So the group went to look at the shop again.
“Yanyunlou is a century-old establishment, and the shop is too large. I’m afraid we don’t have enough money to buy it.” Qin Baoyun frowned slightly and looked serious when he talked about this.
Qin Sang naturally knew she couldn't buy it, but if she couldn't buy it, she could invest in it. However, she needed to find someone skilled in this field to manage it and revive the terminally ill restaurant.
This restaurant is so big that if managed properly, it could be a hub for information for her.
"Speaking of business, young lady, why don't you go see someone first?" Qin Baoyun suddenly brought it up again.
Qin Sang: "Who?"
Qin Baoyun: "The person I mentioned to you before is someone who shares your interests. She has been in brothels and taverns for many years. She is calm, intelligent, and skilled in this field."
So the carriage changed its route and went to Yunxiufang, the most famous place in Kyoto.
Before entering, Qin Sang and Ling Ding disguised themselves again, dressed as men, and followed Qin Baoyun into this famous brothel.
Yunxiufang was a licensed brothel with a luxurious yet elegant interior. Its clientele consisted of the wealthy and powerful, and the women were not merely prostitutes; most were beautiful and skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Many were daughters of fallen officials from the capital who had been imprisoned and forced into prostitution, changing their names and living in seclusion here.
Once inside, the sounds of music and elegant tunes filled the air, making it a truly refined place for relaxation.
After Qin Baoyun spoke to the madam, the madam glanced at the group and was about to make things difficult for them when Qin Baoyun took out a silver ingot from his sleeve and threw it over. The madam smiled and had the pimp lead the group upstairs.
Qin Sang waited in the private room for a while, then heard someone knock on the door. When the door opened, a young, slender woman with delicate features and clear eyes walked in.
Her expression carried a hint of arrogance and an obvious scholarly air. After glancing at Qin Baoyun, her gaze landed on Qin Sang's face, and she said, "So you are a daughter of the Su family?"
Qin Sang smiled, gestured for her to sit, and said, "Please sit down, sister."
The woman expressionlessly held out her hand: "A casual chat, ten taels."
Qin Baoyun knelt to one side, about to speak, when Qin Sang had already taken a jeweled gold hairpin from her hair and placed it on the table.
The woman then gracefully walked over and sat down.
She scrutinized Qin Sang, who let her look at her. Finally, the other woman asked, "What do you want with me?"
Before coming, Qin Sang knew that Qin Baoyun must have already spoken with her, and judging from the other party's expression, he must also know her identity.
The woman had a calm gaze and a steady mind. She was stubborn and proud at heart, and even though she had suffered hardships over the years, it had not completely erased her mind.
Qin Sang felt a sense of liking and thought to herself that Qin Baoyun's words were true.
Her smile grew even more gentle and friendly as she asked, "How should I address you, elder sister?"
The woman stared at her without saying a word.
Qin Sang then said, "Uncle Qin must have already told me. I am Su Yun'er, the granddaughter of the former Minister of War Su Weiqin, and the second daughter of General Su Mo of Baoding."
The woman's gaze was deep and unfathomable, but a hint of hatred suddenly arose in her eyes as she stared at Qin Sang: "You're still alive."
"..." How so? Actually, he's dead.
Qin Sang sighed softly: "The matter back then involved a wide range of people. My father and grandfather were both wronged, so someone secretly protected me in order to secure my future."
The woman looked at her intently for a long time before finally lowering her eyelashes, her expression forlorn: "There are many more wrongful cases in the capital than just ours. You are just a weak woman, what can you do?"
“A weak woman is nice,” Qin Sang said, picking up the teapot to pour tea. “But a weak woman is always better than those cowards. I can tell that even though you are in the mud, you are still pure and untainted. I know that you have never been corrupted and that you will definitely agree to my request.”
The woman watched as Qin Sang poured a full cup of tea and pushed it towards her. She raised her eyelids to look at Qin Sang, paused for a moment, and then said, "My name is now Li Xue. My former name was Cao Anmu. My father, Cao Xin, was an infantry captain under your father. Back then, because your father was careless and didn't recognize the villain's schemes, he rashly sent troops, which implicated my father and caused our whole family to suffer... Su Yun'er..." She smiled knowingly and carefully examined Qin Sang, "yet you live a much more carefree life than I do."
Qin Sang knew the other party was angry, but she wasn't there to stir things up.
She listened quietly, then put on a sorrowful and grief-stricken expression and sighed apologetically, "What happened in the past was beyond our control. If it weren't for someone secretly helping me back then, my body would have been eaten by wild dogs long ago, and I wouldn't be sitting here talking to Sister Mu."
Cao Anmu's expression softened slightly.
Qin Sang slowly pushed the teacup forward, her voice low and mournful: "Back then, my whole family died a violent death, not a single one was left alive, not even my three-year-old brother could survive... The hatred in my heart is no less than that of my sister."
Cao Anmu's pride and insistence finally softened after those words.
Something seemed to melt in her eyes, and her expression towards Qin Sang showed a clear increase in pity and sympathy.
"What are you going to do?" she asked.
"I need my sister's help."
Qin Sang didn't mince words, stating her intention to take over Yanyunlou and asking her to negotiate the acquisition and management.
Upon hearing this, Cao Anmu scoffed, "Sister, you're being far too naive. I'm the daughter of a disgraced official, of lowly status. How could I possibly help you manage the business?"
Sunlight streamed in through the window, falling on the tea table and Qin Sang's fair face. She picked up a fan and waved it casually, saying, "As long as you agree, I will naturally find a way to help you get rid of your social status."
Cao Anmu's hand holding the teacup trembled slightly, his fingers unconsciously tightening. Then he looked at Qin Sang and said "Good" crisply.
***
After leaving Yunxiufang, Qin Baoyun drove to Yanyunlou. They paid the madam some money and took Cao Anmu with them.
On the way, Cao Anmu told Qin Sang about the current situation of Yanyun Tower.
Because she had accompanied some pretentious literati to banquets, she knew a little about the grand restaurants that were popular in Kyoto back then.
"The downfall of Yanyunlou was not only due to the incompetence of the new owner, nor just because of the mass exodus of chefs, but also because its equipment and furniture were too outdated."
"Since the old owner of Yanyunlou passed away a few years ago, the new owner was a gambler who was heavily in debt. He had no money to renovate and decorate the place, and his servants were lazy. Meanwhile, Huaqingxuan, which had just opened across the street, took the opportunity to innovate and create something new. Whether it was the dishes, the decorations, or the servants, everything was refreshing. Yanyunlou's downfall was inevitable."
Qin Sang listened and looked at her approvingly: "I knew it was the right thing to ask you for help, sister."
It was afternoon when the carriage stopped in front of Yanyun Tower. The servants at the gate were very attentive, but the somewhat dilapidated gatehouse looked rather shabby compared to Huaqingxuan just across the street.
However, its charm lies in its simple and dignified style, which gives one a sense of the grandeur of its original construction, when it was decorated with gold and inlaid with precious stones.
Qin Sang stood at the door and sighed, "It's not entirely hopeless, is it?"
As the group stepped inside, they found only a few scattered tables of customers in the lobby. The restaurant was poorly ventilated, giving it a somewhat stuffy feel.
I noticed it when I first came, but now I'm examining it with a different mindset, and I'm more critical.
"Would you prefer the main hall or a private room, esteemed guests?" The waiter grinned, his face radiating shrewd calculation. "There are private rooms on the second and third floors. The one facing the river is quieter and most convenient for you to discuss matters."
"A private room, please," Qin Sang said. "Is your boss here today?"
"Boss?" The waiter was stunned for a moment, then realized, "Our boss... he doesn't come here often, and we rarely see him. If you want to find him, you'll have to go to the gambling den."
Qin Sang laughed and said, "The rumors are indeed true. I heard that the owner of your Yanyun Tower spends all his time gambling. I'm afraid that Yanyun Tower will be exported soon."
The waiter smiled awkwardly and said tactfully, "Hey, how would we know about the affairs of these important people? As long as the boss doesn't fire me, I don't care who it is. I'm just doing my job and trying to make a living."
Qin Sang smiled slightly, thinking that the waiter was clever and that if they were to take over Yanyunlou in the future, the little guy could stay.
She walked on the old wooden floor, letting the waiter lead the way, but her eyes kept looking around.
The rooms are arranged in a dense array around the central hall, and a wooden dragon is carved from the roof of the central atrium. Although it is covered in dust, it is still breathtaking.
Qin Sang stared at the wood carving for a long time, then suddenly paused, noticing a familiar figure.
Although the person was wearing a shadow puppet mask, Qin Sang was confident she wouldn't mistake him.
However, being some distance away, she couldn't call out and could only watch helplessly as the person slowly disappeared at the bottom of the stairs.
She leaned against the railing and stopped moving, staring intently at the stairwell on the first floor. She stared for a long time, but no one came out.
At this moment, Cao Anmu followed her gaze and asked, "Who did you see?"
"It's nothing, maybe I saw it wrong." She looked away and asked the waiter to lead the way again. After walking a few steps, she said, "You go in first, I'll be there in a bit."
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