Catching adulterers
"Xiao Niang, I can hire you and find you a courtyard in Pingkangfang to recuperate." Jiang Jin grabbed Xiao Niang's hand in a flustered manner, but she slowly pulled away.
"Little Moon, I'm waiting for someone, someone who will never come back." Xiao Niang's voice was weak, but when she mentioned that person, her eyes shone with a powerful vitality.
"Tell me who you're looking for, and I'll find them for you!" Jiang Jin looked at Xiao Niang anxiously. She was willing to try anything, whether it was royalty or a nobleman.
"Kou Lang will never come back, he's never coming back." A tear rolled down Xiao Niang's cheek. "Little Moon, go, don't come back."
Xiao Niang coughed a few times, closed her eyes, and refused to look at Jiang Jin anymore. Left with no other choice, Jiang Jin had to go outside and find the madam.
"This is a gold ingot. I want to know everything about Kou Lang and Xiao Niang." Jiang Jin stuffed a gold ingot into the madam's hand, but the madam shook her head.
"Madam, please sit in my room for a moment. I can tell you a story for free. Mei Niang, please take Madam to my room." A pretty woman smiled and led Jiang Jin up to the third floor.
“My lady, you needn’t be afraid. Although the madam looks fierce, she’s actually a very kind person. If anyone else knocks, please don’t open the door. Although this place is peaceful, there are always drunk customers, and it wouldn’t be good if they offended you.” Mei Niang bowed gracefully and then closed the door.
After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the madam's voice came from outside the door, "Madam, it's me. You can open the door."
Jiang Jin got up and opened the door. The madam looked tired. "I suppose you and Xiao Niang were acquainted but lost contact afterward?"
"I saw it a few times when I was young, but my family became stricter and I stopped drinking it as often." The madam chuckled as she looked at the untouched teacup in front of Jiang Jin. "Xiao Niang taught you not to drink tea indiscriminately outside, especially not from Pingkangfang, right?"
"I've spoken a little bit about it." Jiang Jin poured the madam a cup of tea. "Please have some water first."
"You're different from the other ladies," the madam said, showing no disgust whatsoever as she looked at Jiang Jin.
"There's no difference. Women have it harder in this world, so some people just want to transfer their pain onto others." Jiang Jin shook her head helplessly.
"Xiao Niang met Kou Langjun at a banquet. At first, it was just a business relationship. In Pingkangfang, how many people dared to be sincere? They were all just pretending."
Jiang Jin nodded in agreement, "Xiao Niang once said that a man's words should be taken with a grain of salt, and if a woman takes them to heart, she will become a pawn to be discarded."
"Unfortunately, people aren't made of stone; how could they truly be without any feelings?" The madam shook her head helplessly.
"But did that young master Kou betray Xiaoniang?" Jiang Jin had heard many stories of heartless and unfaithful men, and recalling Xiaoniang's appearance earlier, she had some guesses.
"No, it's not that. Although Mr. Kou is a businessman, he's also sincere. He kept Xiao Niang as his mistress for two years in a row. At the time, we thought Xiao Niang was lucky to escape her misery. Unfortunately, after a casual farewell, Mr. Kou disappeared without a trace." The madam's face showed a hint of regret.
"Back then, we all thought that Kou Langjun had changed his mind. Xiao Niang was unwilling to give up and even asked people to look for him, but unfortunately, there was no news. As time went by, we gradually let it go. Anyway, this kind of thing is quite common in Pingkang Ward." The madam took a sip of tea and then sighed deeply.
"It's just that some things are too coincidental. One day, Xiaoniang saw the jade pendant she had given to Kou Langjun hanging on a strange young man. Xiaoniang was a little angry, so she went over and asked the man if he knew Kou Langjun's whereabouts." A bitter smile appeared on the madam's face.
"She still couldn't let it go. At the time, she thought that if seeing was believing, then it would be fine. But the young man said he had found it, and then she left without a second thought." The madam got up, opened the window, and looked at the moon outside.
"My wife, people like us can only see the moon at night; the sunlight during the day would melt us."
The madam leaned against the window and whispered, "After much trouble, we found out that the man was a tomb raider. We used some methods to find out that the jade pendant was in a tomb outside Beizhou City. I heard that a merchant had a conflict with a Beizhou official and unfortunately fell off a cliff."
The madam closed the window. "It was all because of money, but at the time, Master Kou genuinely wanted to marry Xiao Niang, because a marriage certificate he personally wrote was found in that tomb." The madam looked at Jiang Jin with a bitter smile; she knew the person before her was no ordinary person.
"Madam, do you still want to get involved in this mess?" The madam stared at Jiang Jin's expression, but saw no sign of backing down.
“I will send someone to investigate this matter, and if the situation is true, I will make arrangements.” Jiang Jin stood up and looked at the madam. “Thank you for telling me this.”
"My lady, why would you, a woman of such high status and privilege, disrupt your peaceful life for our sake?" Did the madam not understand why a woman dressed in finery and pampered in every way would choose to confront corrupt officials?
"The honor and wealth are based on the peace and prosperity of the Great Yan Dynasty. How can we feel at ease if we don't get rid of the parasites? I'm just helping myself. Besides, aren't all women in the world the same? The only difference is between a good cage and a broken cage."
Jiang Jin put her veil back on and looked at the madam. "There's a curfew outside. I need a superior room. I can give you another gold coin. Please make sure Xiao Niang lives."
"Don't worry about today's expenses, consider it my treat for you, madam." The madam led Jiang Jin to the last room. "It's quiet here and you won't be disturbed, but don't open the door casually. Not every guest is reasonable."
"Thank you for reminding me." Jiang Jin closed the door, locked it, and opened the window. "Yi Yi."
The next second, Yi Yi appeared in the room. "Have someone check the tomb of Kou Langjun outside Beizhou City, and see if anything has happened in Beizhou recently. Also, check if anyone has been in contact with Xiao Niang and the madam recently."
"My lady, do you suspect this is a setup?" Yi Yi paused for a moment, then looked at Jiang Jin.
"It'll be more reassuring to check more. Now that I'm in the public eye, I have to be careful." Jiang Jin sat on the couch, looking at Yi Yi. "Has there been any news from Sangzhou?"
"The matter of the tin mine has already been reported to the court by the governor, and the memorial should arrive in the capital soon." Jiang Jin nodded upon hearing this. "The water is too murky to be suitable for fishing anymore."
"My lady, should we tell General Wei that you're not going home tonight?" Yi asked hesitantly.
“No need, the general isn’t in the manor tonight.” Jiang Jin held out her palm to Yi Yi. “Give it to me.”
"Nothing can escape my wife's eyes." Yi handed the short blade from his bosom to Jiang Jin.
"This blade is nice, is it new?" Jiang Jin weighed the short blade in his hand and nodded in satisfaction.
"It was bestowed by His Highness as a reward for successfully protecting my lady on her return to the capital," Yi Yi said shyly.
"Then you can keep it." Jiang Jin handed the short blade back. "I'm going to wander around Pingkangfang. You can go out now."
"It's my lady." Yi Yi slipped away, but kept a close eye on Jiang Jin. Jiang Jin, wearing a veiled hat, left Yanyun Tower and looked at the dimly lit streets outside. Suddenly, Jiang Jin felt a fondness for this place.
Jiang Jin, wearing a veiled hat, wandered aimlessly, surrounded by the incessant noise of string and wind instruments.
"Wei Shu?" Jiang Jin saw a familiar figure ahead, accompanied by several unfamiliar young men. Jiang Jin followed them into the Yanlong Pavilion.
"Madam, this is not a place for you to come here," the madam stopped Jiang Jin.
"One gold coin. If that's not enough, I have more." Jiang Jin impatiently shoved the gold coin into the madam's hand and followed Wei Shu upstairs. Just as the group turned into a private room, the madam rushed over and grabbed Jiang Jin.
"Young lady, this is truly not a place for you. Here's your gold ingot back; please leave now!" The madam whispered, afraid of startling the distinguished guests inside.
"I want the room next door. There are five gold coins here." Jiang Jin covered the madam's mouth. "Don't worry, I have no shame and won't cause trouble."
"Then you'd better keep your promise, madam." Having no other choice, the madam had to let Jiang Jin into the private room next door.
A moment later, the sound of a zither drifted from the next private room. Jiang Jin crushed a cup, forcibly suppressing her anger, opened the door, and beckoned a maid.
"There are three golden beans inside. Please get me one of your clothes." The pipa player shook her head quickly upon seeing the golden beans.
"My lady, please don't do anything rash!" The pipa player was afraid that Jiang Jin's outburst at Yanlong Pavilion would implicate her and lead to punishment.
Jiang Jin stared coldly at the door of the private room next door. "Either I knock you unconscious and strip you of your clothes, or you take them off yourself."
Seeing that Jiang Jin wasn't joking at all, the pipa player had no choice but to exchange clothes with her. Jiang Jin put on a veil, picked up the pipa beside the woman, and knocked on the door of Wei Shu's private room.
"Who is it?" a drunken male voice came from inside.
"I am a pipa player, and I have come to perform a piece." In an instant, the door in front of Jiang Jin opened, and Wei Shu sat in the main seat. Jiang Jin immediately saw the Crown Prince's faction members beside him, and had a general idea of what was going on.
"Why is your face covered, young lady?" The young man who opened the door tried to remove Jiang Jin's veil, but Jiang Jin nimbly dodged him.
"Like a pipa player half-concealing her face, does my lord know that haste makes waste?" Jiang Jin gracefully sat down, the pipa music flowing smoothly from her fingertips.
The music ended, but the silence lingered for a long time. Wei Shu broke the stillness by clapping, and only then did the others, as if waking from a dream, begin to applaud as well.
"Does Lord Wei think it sounds good?" Jiang Jin stared intently at Wei Shu.
"Beautiful! This music should only exist in heaven." Wei Shu looked at Jiang Jin with great interest.
"Then why doesn't General Wei take this lady home? After all, every man has several wives and concubines," the young man beside him urged.
"Yes, Lord Wei took me home, and I play the zither for him every day." Jiang Jin spoke tenderly, but her hands pressed firmly on the zither strings.
"Ah Jin, are you serious?" Wei Shu walked up to Jiang Jin and lifted her face with his fingers.
"Ah Jin, you can't go back on your word!" Wei Shu pinched Jiang Jin's fingers with his other hand. "Don't get hurt, your husband will be heartbroken."
"Wei Shu!" Jiang Jin swallowed hard, not expecting Wei Shu to be so bold.
"You... are Jiang Jin?" The young man who had just been flirting with Jiang Jin was so startled he almost couldn't breathe.
"What? Surely no one would dare impersonate me?" Jiang Jin removed her veil and looked coldly at the people in front of her.
"My lord, didn't you say you were going to train the Imperial Guards tonight? Has the training ground been changed to Pingkang Ward?" Jiang Jin glanced at Wei Shu and then at the others sitting there.
"If my colleagues have nothing else to say, I'll be heading back with my husband." Jiang Jin didn't even look at Wei Shu, leaving only a cold remark, "Hurry up and come back with me."
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