The two seemed to be old friends, chatting about poetry for a long time, while the simple-minded man next to them listened with complete bewilderment, gradually becoming confused.
Compared to Lu Li's perpetually sour face, Wan'er was much more pleasant to talk to. After their conversation, Jing Zhe felt it wasn't enough, and upon hearing that she was leaving, he felt a pang of reluctance.
He couldn't help but ask, "Although I have only been in Yongzhou for a short time, the feng shui and the people here are excellent. Why don't you stay a few more days, Miss Wan'er?"
"Stay any longer? I'd probably be sold off by that madam!"
Huaping, the maid who had been standing silently at the back, suddenly snorted coldly and said with dissatisfaction.
Jing Zhe was curious and after talking with her for a while, he learned that Wan'er had a fondness for poetry and had heard that Chunshui Tower was a gathering place for literati. She thought it was just an ordinary brothel, and that the girls living there were all entertainers who did not sell their bodies, so she did not think much of it.
So he talked to the madam and moved in.
Little did she know that after staying for a few days, she would find that this was not the case. Although she did hear some poetry, the madam had no good intentions. Since she moved in, she not only promoted herself as the top courtesan to attract visitors, but also talked about recruiting male lovers for her.
Wan'er was quite disgusted by this. Fortunately, her maid was quite skilled in martial arts, so she wasn't afraid that anyone inside would harm her. However, she didn't want to stay any longer, so she packed her bags and prepared to leave.
After hearing this, Jing Zhe sighed inwardly and did not try to persuade her to stay. Instead, he asked her where she was going next.
"I have some old friends in Pengzhou, and I'd like to visit them there next."
After saying this, Wan'er looked into the distance, her eyes filled with longing.
Pengzhou?
Isn't that my hometown?
Her mouth was slightly open, the words were on the tip of her tongue, but she didn't know how to ask them, so she thought to herself, "Never mind."
When you meet someone by chance, asking too many questions would be impolite.
"Young master, I just heard you're going to do business with the madam?"
Seeing Jing Zhe nod, Hua Ping reminded him, "That madam is usually very stingy; she's only after money. Young master, please be careful! She spent fifty taels on your poem yesterday, and she regretted it terribly afterwards!"
"Yes, I've already learned that lesson."
Jing Zhe smiled, having lost all goodwill towards the madam.
He spoke a few more words to Wan'er and then withdrew.
Once only Wan'er and Huaping remained in the room, Huaping sat on a chair, propping her head up with her arm, seemingly talking to herself: "This Young Master Akun is upright and honest, much better than I imagined. It's just that his name is too unpleasant to hear."
"Ah Kun... but that's not his real name?"
Wan'er said softly, "Huaping, let's head to Pengzhou today. So many years have passed, and I don't know if we'll be able to see our godfather and godmother this time. I'm so happy. And Zhe'er, I wonder if he's still as mischievous and playful as he was when he was little!"
She covered her mouth and chuckled as she said this, "After so many years, I'm afraid we wouldn't recognize each other if we met again!"
Her lips curled up in a smile, as radiant as the stars.
...
Jing Zhe went downstairs, where the madam had been waiting for a long time.
"How did Young Master Kun and Wan'er get along? You are both so handsome and refined, and Wan'er is so beautiful and charming. You are truly a match made in heaven!"
The madam approached with a smile, "Why don't you persuade Wan'er, young master, to stay in the building a little longer?"
I should make you more money, right?
Jing Zhe sneered inwardly, but said aloud, "Everyone has their own ambitions, how can we force them? Madam, let's talk about the price of ice!"
The madam's face instantly fell, and her previous enthusiasm vanished completely.
"Heh, the price of ice..."
With a cold laugh, the madam said in a deep voice, "Too expensive!"
Is it expensive? It's not expensive, is it?
You make money while lying down—pfft, you're the one who lets others make money while lying down, and this price is still too high for you?
Jing Zhe scoffed at this.
"Of course it's expensive! If you want me to buy ice, young master, the price should be reduced by at least half! Or..."
"Or what?"
"Or, young master, you could leave behind your calligraphy of yesterday's poem about spring water, and promise to inscribe a few more poems for Spring Water Pavilion in the future. I would agree to this price even if it meant taking a loss!"
The madam held her head high, as if she had suffered a tremendous loss.
Jing Zhe glanced at her coldly, "Since that's the case, then there's nothing to talk about. Farewell!"
After saying that, he was about to call Hanhan away.
The madam was stunned.
He quickly stopped the two, panting, and said, "Young master, don't be in such a hurry! Isn't bargaining a part of doing business?"
"A jar of ice costs one tael of silver. Would you buy it?"
Jing Zhe went straight to the point.
"That's too expensive. How about we compromise and each set a price of six hundred coins per jar, and then you can leave your calligraphy?"
I'm always the one cutting other people's prices. You think you're qualified to bargain with me?
This time, Jing Zhe didn't even open his mouth before turning around and leaving.
The madam has been well-connected at Chun Shui Lou over the years and is considered a prominent figure in the city. When has she ever suffered such humiliation?
If you can't stop me, then don't. I'll just darken my face and say coldly, "Even without ice, my Chunshui Pavilion can still thrive in Yongzhou City. But young master, besides Chunshui Pavilion, who do you think would dare to buy your ice at a high price? If you don't sell it to me, this ice will just rot in my hands!"
Let it rot in your hands?
Jing Zhe thought the madam was overthinking things. He'd wait until he was making a fortune selling ice and see if she regretted it!
...
"Young Master, are we not selling this ice?"
Hanhan looked worried as he came out of Chunshui Tower.
As Jing Zhe's close follower, the clever and simple-minded Hanhan felt that he had figured out the specific way to make everyone live a better life.
That is, making ice and then selling ice.
Although he was curious about how the ice was made, considering that Jing Zhe was a ruthless man who could sell a single poem for fifty taels of silver, it seemed plausible that such strange things happened to him.
But the key problem now is that the ice can't be sold, so what should we do?
"Sell it. It's already been made, why not sell it?"
"If Chunshuilou doesn't buy it, who will?"
With a long face, Hanhan tentatively suggested, "Young Chieftain, how about we lower the price?"
A can of ice costs one tael of silver; even a simpleton like him thinks that's too much of a profit.
"Lower your mother's price!"
Jing Zhe cursed in dissatisfaction, "It's her loss if she doesn't buy it. There's more than one brothel in the city, Chunshui Tower! Once I find a buyer, she won't even have a place to cry!"
After saying that, he strode forward.
"I told you I don't have a sister, so why are you asking about my sister?"
Hanhan muttered to himself from behind, then suddenly paused, "Young Master keeps saying 'your sister, your sister,' could it be that he's after Fatty's sister?"
Thinking of that extraordinary woman's weight and appearance, Hanhan couldn't help but shudder.
Young Chieftain, what a real man!
————
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