Forcing women into prostitution
"Young Master Liu, your Zisun tea is ready," Sanfeng said, forcing a smile, to the three people in the middle.
"Thank you." Liu Weirui nodded apologetically, then turned and returned to his seat. Jiang Jin immediately breathed a sigh of relief, glaring angrily at Wei Shu.
"Bring a plate of cherry crisps," Wei Shu said with a smile, knowing that Jiang Jin wouldn't dare to say much to him right now.
Jiang Jin placed the copper coins on the table, and Sanfeng took the food box and packed the remaining crispy cherries inside. "Wife, be careful of the slippery road outside because of the rain."
Jiang Jin, wearing a veiled hat, nodded slightly, then opened her umbrella and stepped into the rain. Wei Shu glanced at Jiang Jin's departing figure before looking away.
"General Wei, your crispy cherries are ready." Nian Pi placed the plate on the table. The only sound in the teahouse was the patter of raindrops outside. Wei Shu blew on the teacup in front of him.
"Young Master Liu, why sit so far away? If you don't mind, you can dine at the same table with me." Wei Shu's eyes were fixed on Liu Weirui. With a single glance from Fen Yue, Sanfeng and Nianpi left the front hall.
"That's my honor." Liu Weirui stood up, and Fen Yue, understanding the situation, moved Liu Weirui's teacup next to Wei Shu, and also removed Jiang Jin's teacup.
"General Wei, do you also like jade dew dumplings and crispy cherries?" Liu Weirui asked, looking at the two plates of pastries on the table.
“I don’t like it, but Ajin does. When she’s not around and I feel lonely, having some of her favorite snacks is a way to remember her.” Wei Shu took a sip of tea, but his eyes remained fixed on Liu Weirui.
"Madam Jiang does indeed have a fondness for sweets. When she accompanied her parents to the capital to pay respects to Lord Jiang, she was also eating pastries," Liu Weirui added, glancing at Wei Shu's unchanged expression.
"It was just a private consultation about our birth dates and times. The divination showed some incompatibility, so we dropped the matter." Liu Weirui felt a chill run down his spine at Wei Shu's coldness.
"General Wei, please don't misunderstand. I did only meet Lady Jiang once. After that, I returned to Bianzhou with my parents."
"Why don't you agree?" Wei Shu asked, his face grim, enunciating each word clearly.
"They say they're incompatible, but I haven't heard the temple staff say it themselves, so I'm not sure." Liu Weirui took a sip of tea to suppress his fear.
"However, you and Madam Jiang are a match made in heaven; your horoscopes are perfectly compatible, and your life together is destined to be happy and smooth." Seeing that his teacup was empty, Liu Weirui, not wanting to linger any longer, hurriedly left.
Jiang Jin watched Liu Weirui's departing figure before taking off her veil and entering the teahouse to directly question Wei Shu, "Wei Shu, have you gone mad? Why are you asking these questions?"
"Could it be that you're afraid I'll harm Lord Liu?" Wei Shu slowly stood up and looked at Jiang Jin, whose face was full of anger. "You've never mentioned this to me before."
Jiang Jin placed the food box she was carrying on the table. "Wei Shu, you're so unreasonable. I admit that the betrothal ceremony did take place, but it was done secretly to protect our reputation. Few people in the capital knew about it. If there were any discrepancies in the betrothal, we would naturally return the betrothal gifts. Even if there had been a formal betrothal, so what? I haven't gone through the wedding ceremony with him!"
"You sound like you're regretting it." Jiang Jin found this absurd. "What am I regretting? Wei Shu, stop being sarcastic. I think you've had tea leaves stuck in your head!"
"So he's the reason you don't want to go to the Northern Frontier?" A string in Wei Shu's mind suddenly snapped.
“Wei Shu, instead of waiting for my answer, why don’t you think about why you have this question in the first place?” Jiang Jin frowned, the wind outside the door blowing her skirt. “What kind of answer do you want from me? What does it matter to you whether it’s yes or no?”
"I was being presumptuous." Wei Shu instantly understood the meaning behind Jiang Jin's words. Two intelligent people can know what the other is thinking with just a glance.
"Wei Shu, you said you only wanted the title of husband and wife. I hope General Wei won't go back on his word." Jiang Jin picked up the food box on the table, composed himself, and turned to leave the teahouse. His words seemed to be a warning to Wei Shu, but weren't they also a reminder to himself?
She and Wei Shu were originally from two different camps, and might even be on opposite sides in the future. Why rush into a path where the outcome is already predictable?
Jiang Jin returned to the Moon Viewing Pavilion. As soon as she reached the third floor, she saw the door to the opposite room open, and a somewhat familiar person came out. He seemed not to see Jiang Jin and walked straight towards the other staircase.
Jiang Jin returned to her bedroom, filled with doubts. Just as she placed the food box on the table, the man's identity suddenly came to mind: Yun Fan, son of the Marquis of Anling County.
"Yi-ichi, why is Yun Fan in Bianzhou?" Yi-ichi stood behind Jiang Jin. "Should I send a letter back to the capital to have someone investigate?"
“The Marquis of Anling County has never participated in factional disputes, but it’s hard not to speculate when his son suddenly appears in Bianzhou.” Jiang Jin twirled a cherry between his fingers and then waved his hand. “I’ll go ask him.”
After Yi Yi disappeared, Jiang Jin opened the door and called Er San in, "Er San, these are the crispy cherries I brought back from my trip."
"Does my lady require anything?" Ersan bowed, holding the crispy cherries that Jiang Jin had handed her.
"I noticed that the young man across from me is dressed quite well and I'm afraid I might offend him. I wonder when he moved in?"
"It must have been around the same time as my wife. When I took her gold out, I happened to see my husband being led into the room," Ersan said truthfully.
"He only wanted one room?" Jiang Jin asked, propping her head up with her hand.
"No, apart from this room for my wife, all the rooms on the third floor have been booked by that young man."
It was rare to see someone so generous, Jiang Jin thought to herself that she was glad she had worn a veil when she went out. Although she didn't know if Yun Fan recognized her, she didn't want to take any risks.
"Is there anything else you need to ask, madam?" Ersan carefully took a bite of the crispy cherry. Before the accident, she could occasionally eat crispy cherries, but she hadn't eaten them since. Now, eating something familiar made her feel a little sad.
"Please keep an eye on my husband for me; I want to avoid him." Jiang Jin slipped a few copper coins into Ersan's sleeve.
"Alright, go out now." Jiang Jin took out another piece of crispy cherry and placed it in Er San's hands.
"Don't worry, my wife, I will keep an eye out for you, and I won't tell anyone about this."
"Okay." Jiang Jin nodded with a smile, and only breathed a long sigh of relief after seeing the door close. "Yi Yi, let Yi Er come back. There's no need to monitor Wei Shu anymore."
Raindrops fell crisply on the windowsill outside the window. Jiang Jin sat on a stool, holding a cup of hot tea, watching the pedestrians on the street through the half-closed window.
Suddenly a bird flew to her window. "Madam, are you going to throw that bird down?"
A woman wearing a scarlet floral print dress stood on the street and called out to Jiang Jin.
"Is this your bird?" Jiang Jin picked up the little bird from the windowsill. Its black and white feathers and white beak made it look incredibly cute and endearing.
"That bird just put filth on me, I'm going to kill it!" Although she was wearing a veil, Jiang Jin could still detect a hint of arrogance in her tone.
"It's just a bird, not a person. Since we can't control its behavior, why really take its life?" Jiang Jin stretched out her hand from the closed window. The bird flew out of her palm and disappeared.
"You lowly thing, how dare you release what my mistress wanted!" The maid beside the woman cursed at Jiang Jin directly, "You don't even have a household registration, yet you dare to disobey my mistress?"
Jiang Jin frowned as she looked at the two people standing on the street. "Slave status is still status. Besides, aren't you just a slave yourself?"
"I am a servant of the Wang family, while you are merely a lowly prostitute. The difference between us is like heaven and earth." The maid's words, spoken with her head held high, made Jiang Jin laugh.
"In the end, you're just a servant girl. Anyone who didn't know better would think you were a proper lady. So what if the Wang family is powerful? If your master is unhappy and sells you off, will your fate be any better than mine?" Jiang Jin coldly watched the maid jumping around below.
"Is this how the Wang family raises their children, allowing their maids to shout and scream in the street?" Jiang Jin pulled out a dagger and brandished it at the two of them.
"How much do you want? I can redeem you." The woman in the dress remained arrogant, not even sparing Jiang Jin a glance.
"No need, why dirty your hands, Ms. Wang? Besides, I don't believe you're really that kind." Jiang Jin slammed the window shut, leaving the two people below sulking.
A commotion arose from the Moon-Viewing Tower at midday. The incessant chatter outside irritated Jiang Jin, who tore up and rewrote her letter to the capital repeatedly. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, she put on her veil and went downstairs.
"Brother, it's her!" The woman in the crimson dress was standing in front of the Moon Viewing Pavilion that morning, refusing to come in, while Wang Jiulang stood in the main hall, greedily eyeing Jiang Jin.
"Name your price, and I can afford any amount!" Wang Jiulang waved his hand, handing over ten gold ingots.
"This lady really isn't from our Moon Viewing Pavilion. She just booked a room on the third floor." The madam slightly turned to block Wang Jiulang's view.
"Get out of my way! There's nothing in Bianzhou that I can't have even if I want it. I can even turn a law-abiding citizen into a lowly one." Wang Jiulang strode forward, only to be kicked down the stairs by Jiang Jin.
"Wang Jiulang, you're quite the imposing figure. Anyone who didn't know better would think the entire Great Yan Dynasty belonged to your Wang family. I doubt even the Crown Prince or the Third Prince would dare to force a woman into prostitution in public." Jiang Jin stood atop the stairs, looking down at the group.
"Even if you are a virtuous woman, so what? You have shamelessly entered the Moon Appreciation Pavilion. Do you think the entire Great Yan can still tolerate you?"
Although the woman in crimson didn't enter the building, she kept a close eye on the situation inside. Seeing her brother kicked down by the woman, she was naturally extremely anxious, but due to societal norms, she dared not check on his injuries.
"So you're so noble? As a member of an official's family, instead of thinking about providing porridge and medicine to the people, you use your power to act superior and oppress the good people. Even Princess Zhaoyang, who holds a high position, provides porridge to the people in winter and never mistreats the palace maids. Do you think your royal family daughters are more noble than Princess Zhaoyang?"
Jiang Jin exuded an imposing aura, gripping a dagger in her hand, which even frightened Wang Jiulang, who had been helped up.
"What are you idiots standing there for? Grab her now!" Seeing that she was at a disadvantage, the woman in red quickly ordered her servants to hold down Jiang Jin.
"Let's see who dares!" A man in a green round-necked robe pushed aside the woman in scarlet clothes and walked straight towards Wang Jiulang.
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