"Missing?"
The waiter brought a pot of hot tea to Tang Huan. After the girl who had spoken poured him a cup, he casually asked a question.
The girl nodded, appearing very obedient.
"May I have your name?"
After asking around, Tang Huan learned that the girl who first couldn't help but speak to him was called Xiaobai, and the one who later brought up the disappearance was called Xiaoqing.
The names of these two people reminded him of two people from his past life.
Xiao Bai is very timid. Even though she was with Tang Huan, she kept looking around nervously after the topic of her disappearance came up.
Xiaoqing was much more composed about this, and even after noticing Tang Huan frown slightly, she immediately explained:
"Sir, don't blame me for being timid. It was ordered by the higher-ups that we should not tell anyone about this. If anyone finds out, they might have their legs broken."
"That serious?" Tang Huan was surprised.
He then said, “Don’t be afraid. With me here, I don’t believe anyone in Chunfeng Pavilion would dare to act recklessly. You wanted to know, right? I can tell you clearly now that Rouge got her current status after drinking with me once. Perhaps you will have the same status as her.”
"Be bold and tell me what happened. Not only will the people at Chunfeng Tower not dare to do anything to you, they will treat you like royalty."
Xiao Bai couldn't help but ask, "Really?"
Tang Huan smiled and did not continue to explain.
Xiaoqing, however, did not suspect anything and said directly, "Since last month, people have been going missing in the building, but because there are many people in the building, no one has paid much attention to it."
"But more and more people are disappearing one after another. By the day before yesterday, the sixth one had appeared. The explanation from the building is that they have saved enough money to redeem themselves and go home. But we all know that the youngest one in the building has been in business for less than half a year and has no money at all."
“The building staff repeatedly told us not to tell anyone, which scared us a bit. We usually don’t dare to talk about it.”
Tang Huan countered, "Then why did you tell me?"
Xiao Bai hesitated and said, "Because you are the Poet Immortal, you can help Sister Rouge, and you can definitely help us too. Please save us!"
Xiaoqing said helplessly, "Ever since one of our close friends disappeared, she has been feeling uneasy, always thinking that someone might harm us."
"But girls like us, who were sold by our families at a young age and forced to work as prostitutes, have no money, no support, and no one will care even if we die silently," Xiaobai said, her voice trembling with tears.
Tang Huan asked a lot more questions and learned some information from the two girls.
At noon, Tang Huan simply stayed at Chunfeng Tower for lunch. When Yan Zhi learned that he had come to Chunfeng Tower, she immediately rushed over to keep him company. The two girls' eyes were filled with envy for him.
After lunch, Tang Huan sat in the hall and had the two girls, Xiao Qing and Xiao Bai, play the piano and dance in front of him. Yan Zhi also did not leave and served him the whole time.
"Do the girls at Chunfeng Tower have to start learning the zither at a very young age?"
Tang Huan took a sip of tea and asked Yan Zhi a question.
Rouge continued to gently massage Tang Huan's shoulders, while replying, "Any girl sold into the Chunfeng Pavilion must learn to play the zither and dance from that day on, under the madam's arrangement. Even if she can't be proficient in all of them, she must know them all, until she reaches the age where she can entertain guests."
Tang Huan's gaze fell on the two girls, whose movements were slightly awkward and whose piano playing was occasionally intermittent.
But Tang Huan showed no sign of disdain and continued to listen attentively.
"My lord, do you like Xiaoqing and Xiaobai? They're not old enough to be entertaining guests yet," Rouge said with a hint of sorrow in her voice.
"Does that mean you've reached a certain age?" Tang Huan asked softly.
Her rosy cheeks flushed slightly. "I was already sixteen when I met you last year..."
As she spoke, Rouge lowered her head, too embarrassed to look at Tang Huan.
Several months had passed since their first meeting, and Tang Huan had visited Yan Zhi quite a few times, but he had never stayed overnight at Chunfeng Tower.
He had never had any intimate contact with Rouge, which made Rouge feel very wronged.
Even though I haven't done anything wrong, the adults just won't touch me.
Just as Rouge was about to speak again, she suddenly saw someone walk in from outside the hall. She immediately leaned close to Tang Huan's ear and whispered, "My lord, that person is a junior official of the Court of Judicial Review."
Upon hearing the words "Shaoqing," Tang Huan perked up and immediately looked towards the newcomer.
She's not that old, probably only in her early thirties, and to have achieved this much is already quite an accomplishment.
The man had a smile on his face the whole time, appearing very kind.
He wasn't wearing official robes, just a dark blue long gown, which looked rather shabby, and he didn't look like a junior minister at all.
How did you meet him?
While looking at the newcomer, Tang Huan asked Rouge a question.
“He has come many times in the past month, and each time he specifically asked to see me. At first I kept refusing, until later my boss found me and asked me to see him.”
The fact that the boss took the initiative to speak means that he already knows the identity of this Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. However, did he come to Yan Zhi just for her beauty?
Tang Huan thought it was unlikely.
"Lord Tang!"
As soon as the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review entered the hall, his gaze did not linger on the girls, nor did he even glance at Yan Zhi, and he walked directly toward Tang Huan.
Tang Huan stood up and extended his hand to the other person, "I am Tang Huan, and you are?"
The man smiled and said, "Lord Tang, I have long admired your name and have wanted to meet you for a long time. I am Cheng Yuan, the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review."
"So it's Lord Cheng, I've heard so much about you." Tang Huan shook the other's hand with a broad smile.
Cheng Yuan sat down on the other side of Tang Huan as if they were old friends. He still didn't look at Yan Zhi, but focused all his attention on Tang Huan.
Tang Huan noticed this and asked with a smile, "I heard that Lord Cheng has been coming to see Rouge frequently since the beginning of winter?"
"Lord Tang, please don't misunderstand. I came to see Miss Rouge simply to see you. I have no other intentions."
Tang Huan turned her head to look at him. "If you want to see me, you can visit me at my residence, or during the morning court session, which would be more convenient than what you are doing now."
Cheng Yuan gave a wry smile. "My lord, don't you remember how long it's been since you last attended the morning court session? Moreover, I have been refused an audience with you several times when I went to your residence. I had no choice but to resort to this tactic and use Miss Rouge to get your attention."
"Sorry, I forgot." Tang Huan scratched his head awkwardly, realizing that it was indeed his fault and he couldn't blame the other party.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
