Chapter 14 You Can't Touch My People
Huamanlou faces south and north, and is a three-courtyard building. The first three floors are used to entertain guests, and the courtyard at the back is where they rest and train.
At the end is the warehouse, the kitchen, and the upstairs where the thugs and the musicians live. The yard is so crowded that few people go into the back except for the front.
But Jiang Jiu had been in there.
She didn't really come to find Lu Yunyang, and she didn't know which room Jiao Niang would be in. Logically, delivering rouge to the girls in broad daylight should be done in the backyard.
The Huamanlou is much quieter during the day than at night, especially at this time when the guests are still asleep.
The madam followed Jiang Jiu closely and served him. After all, Lu Yunyang was a big customer of theirs, and it would be bad to offend anyone.
When the madam heard Jiang Jiu asking about Jiao Niang, her face turned embarrassed.
"Ah, this, on...also on the third floor..."
Jiang Jiu suppressed his anger and asked again: "She is on the third floor? She is not a girl here, she doesn't serve guests..."
The madam sighed and said helplessly: "She actually came to give rouge to the girls, but somehow the customer fell in love with the girl..."
Jiang Jiu frowned slightly: "Jiao Niang is a decent girl. Isn't this forcing her into prostitution? Mudan... go and report to the police..."
The madam immediately stopped him and said, "Oh, don't do that. We are already dealing with her. We are aware of her situation. There is no need to report her to the authorities, no need to report her to the authorities..."
The madam had an unclear expression and looked at Jiang Jiu in embarrassment. She stammered for a long time.
"In fact, the one who fell in love with the young lady... was Mr. Lu..."
Jiang Jiuren had already reached the third floor. Suddenly, she wondered how the third floor in ancient times could be so high. She even felt a little dizzy.
"Who?" she asked uncertainly.
The madam had to explain the details. It turned out that in the morning, the maid gave rouge to the girls, and one bottle was for Nichang. But when the maid entered Nichang's room, she found another man there and quickly left.
But just when she was about to leave, the man in the room called her back.
He actually said that he liked her and wanted to take her as his concubine.
The girl naturally refused, saying that she was a good woman.
Not long after, Jiao Niang's man came and even took out Jiao Niang's indenture and forced her to put her fingerprints on it. Jiao Niang refused and the situation was in a stalemate.
The angry voice of the lady came from the room: "If you dare to attack me again, I will fight you..."
Jiang Jiu quickened his pace and came to Nichang's room. Without saying a word, he kicked the door open.
"Lu Yunyang, you bastard..."
In the room, Jiao Niang was crying beside her. Lu Yunyang was sitting in the main seat, holding a cup of tea and sipping it leisurely. Jiao Niang's ex-husband Wang Dazhu was arguing with Jiao Niang...
This scene looks like Lu Yunyang forcing a good woman to become his concubine.
Jiang Jiu kicked the door open, and Lu Yunyang just raised his eyelids and glanced at her, then continued to threaten Wang Dazhu.
"Have you made up your mind? You have to sell this person today whether you want to or not."
Before Wang Dazhu opened his mouth to speak, Jiang Jiu began to lose his temper.
"What are you selling? The girl is not yours. You have already divorced her. Your wife has torn up the contract of sale. The government has already given the all clear. You can't decide what to do with the girl."
Unexpectedly, Wang Dazhu took out a contract of sale from his arms and handed it to Jiang Jiu proudly.
"Madam, my son, Little Stone sold my daughter to me again. You know how powerful my tigress is, so I naturally didn't dare to take her. That's why I thought of selling her again."
Little Stone sold his own mother?
"Impossible. The little girl has already established her own household. Even if her biological father comes, he can't sell her." Jiang Jiu found it unbelievable. He took the indenture and looked at it carefully. It was indeed the indenture, but the date on it was three months ago.
It was the day before Jiao Niang went to the government office to register her household registration.
The laws of the Kingdom of Li stipulate that if a woman is not free, she cannot establish her own household.
But when Jiang Jiu looked at the indenture again, he could clearly see that the ink was new.
Lu Yunyang fell in love with Jiao Niang and used some tricks to make Xiao Shitou sell Jiao Niang to her ex-husband, who then sold her to Lu Yunyang, which was in accordance with legal procedures.
If Jiang Jiu wants to prove that Jiao Niang is free, he has to prove that the indenture is a forged one.
But once Jiang Jiu proves that the indenture was forged, Xiao Shitou, who was just seven years old, would be the forged person and would be guilty of the crime and would be arrested and put in jail.
The child is still young, and he must have been instigated by the villain.
If Jiang Jiu is cruel, he can report to the authorities and have them arrest Xiao Shitou for interrogation. Once it is confirmed that Xiao Shitou was deceived, the indenture will be invalid.
But how could Jiang Jiu be so cruel as to let Xiao Shitou be caught?
Jiang Jiu glared at Lu Yunyang fiercely, his mind was in turmoil, and he instantly understood Lu Yunyang's methods.
"How despicable! You even take advantage of a child. Are you really attracted to the girl?"
Lu Yunyang's methods were indeed not very sophisticated, but they worked, at least they could control Jiang Jiu.
"I like her... I plan to marry her and make her my ninth concubine..."
Jiang Jiu gnashed his teeth and said, "You are really shameless. You have so many beautiful concubines at home, yet you still want to take in a concubine..."
Lu Yunyang raised his eyebrows: "So what? Having many wives and concubines is my ability..."
Jiang Jiu was so angry that he really wanted to slap him: "You can't even support eight children at home, can you afford to support another one?"
Unexpectedly, Lu Yunyang smiled triumphantly.
"Don't worry about that. My wife is richer than any of you. If you marry her, your wife can also reduce her burden. It's a win-win situation..."
Jiang Jiu narrowed his eyes slightly: "Jiao Niang is just the shopkeeper, where does the money come from?"
Lu Yunyang raised the corners of his lips and smiled sarcastically: "I checked, she is the owner of this shop. Among all the rouge shops in Xiang County, hers has the best business. If I marry her, does that mean the whole shop will be mine?"
Jiang Jiu took a deep look at Lu Yunyang and suddenly felt that this man was not simple. At least he could come up with such a despicable idea, and he was not the dude he seemed.
The maid wiped her tears with great determination and said, "Madam, I am willing to write a letter of donation and give the whole shop to you. In this way, even if I become your concubine, the shop will not fall into the hands of Master Lu."
Lu Yunyang frowned, he didn't expect that the girl could be so courageous.
But she didn't give it to anyone else, just to Jiang Jiu. Lu Yunyang's eyes flashed and a meaningful smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
"That's fine too. With a way to make money, I can prepare the money for my wife's wedding gift..."
Jiang Jiu took a deep breath. She had run the Rouge Shop with great difficulty, so how could she let Lu Yunyang take advantage of it? She raised her hand and tore up Jiao Niang's indenture.
"Wang Dazhu, there is nothing for you to do here, please leave."
Wang Dazhu had wounds on his face and his legs were not very flexible, and it was obvious that he had been beaten.
At this point, who forced him to sell his concubine and even forged a contract of sale for his concubine?
It must be the person in front of me, Lu Yunyang.
Wang Dazhu glanced at Lu Yunyang, who threw him a piece of silver. Wang Dazhu left happily.
Jiang Jiu looked at Jiao Niang again: "You should go back first, and don't scold Xiao Shitou, he is young and deceived..."
Jiao Niang looked at Jiang Jiu worriedly: "Madam...you..."
"Don't worry, I'll be fine." Jiang Jiu waved his hand, and Jiao Niang also went out.
Jiang Jiu slowly walked to the window and looked coldly at the beautiful crabapple flowers blooming outside.
"Tell me, what do you want?"
Lu Yunyang suddenly drank a cup of tea, a smug smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, and he walked leisurely in front of Jiang Jiu.
"you guess……"
"I guess it won't be me..."
Lu Yunyang smiled: "It's you I want..."
Jiang Jiu really wanted to roll his eyes at him, but he forced himself to hold it back.