As dusk deepened, vendors whose businesses were not doing well packed up and went home early, and the bustling market gradually quieted down.
Unlike usual, Gu Zijun ordered his servants to light ever-burning lamps in the Lotus Garden, just in case Gu Qianluo fell when she returned.
When Gu Qianluo returned to the Lotus Garden, she found the corridor brightly lit, and she understood Gu Zijun's intention, which warmed her heart.
Her room was at the very back, and you had to pass Gu Zijun's room to get there.
Gu Zijun has doted on her since she was a child. If he knew that she had broken the rules and entered a brothel in order to find Xiao Cui, he would definitely confine her to Heyuan.
Why isn't Gu Zijun asleep yet?
As soon as you pass through the corridor, the bright light from Gu Zijun's room leaks out through the cracks in the window.
Gu Qianluo's brow twitched slightly. She carefully took off her shoes, bent over, and walked barefoot slowly towards her room.
However, she was unaware that her figure in the corridor had already been seen by the people inside the house.
Liu Yue's eyes lit up, and just as she was about to open the door, her wrist was grabbed by an iron fan.
"Master, it must be Miss who has returned."
"Yes, don't disturb her. Let her rest well."
Gu Zijun noticed that she had returned, and felt a sense of relief. He relaxed his tense body and slowly lay down on the couch.
Seeing Gu Zijun's brows relax, Liu Yue felt a sense of relief as well, and picked up the teapot to refill Gu Zijun's cup of tea.
"Master, now that the young lady is back, you should get some rest! We have important business to attend to outside the capital tomorrow!"
"Hmm, I'll lie down for a while. Sigh, my little sister is such a worry. I must have owed her something in my past life. I'm so heartbroken over her in this one."
As soon as Gu Qianluo returned to the house, she searched everywhere for silver and various valuable jewelry.
"Hehe, all of this adds up to at least 10,000 taels. That should be enough to redeem Xiao Cui from her servitude, right?"
She deliberately hid her valuables in her sleeves and carefully closed the door.
A moment later, a slender figure slowly passed by the outer corridor.
Gu Zijun's eyes narrowed slightly. Just as he was about to pick up his teacup and drink, he asked in surprise, "Why did she go out again?"
Liu Yue followed Gu Zijun's gaze and saw that the figure outside the house was much more robust than when he returned, as if he was hiding a lot of things in his sleeves.
The master and servant waited quietly until the figures outside had disappeared from sight. Liu Yue frowned, looked at Gu Zijun, and asked...
"Master, shall I go and take a look?"
"Let's go! Let's go check on her room."
The two entered her boudoir one after the other, only to find that all the spare silver, hairpins and jewelry they had given her had vanished without a trace.
Gu Zijun's eyes narrowed slightly, his heart sank, and he suddenly realized the seriousness of the situation. "Oh no!"
Liu Yue saw Gu Zijun run towards the gate like the wind, and followed after him.
"Young master, have you discovered something?"
"Luo'er must have found Xiao Cui."
"Huh? I didn't expect that even with so many people sent down from Lotus Garden to search, there wasn't a trace. Miss is truly amazing!"
"Liu Yue, do you know which brothel has new girls arriving tonight?"
"According to my investigation, Mingchunlou, Qingyouge, and Qiaochunlou all have new top courtesans today."
"Let's go! We'll search each room one by one!"
"good!"
Gu Qianlu, panting as she carried the treasure, arrived at Mingchun Pavilion and ran straight to the central stage.
She struggled to squeeze into the crowd, and with great effort pushed aside a bunch of idlers, she arrived at the stage, only to find that the girl on stage had been replaced.
Her eyes narrowed slightly, her heart sank, and a bad premonition flashed through her mind. "Where is Xiao Cui?"
She looked around and finally spotted a few familiar faces. She anxiously stepped forward and asked for directions.
"Young master, where is Miss Xiao Cui from earlier?"
The man glanced at her sideways and said impatiently, "Young master, are you talking about Miss Cui Ling? You're late!"
She was already betrothed! This girl, Butterfly, isn't bad either!
"Young master, who exactly decided to take this route?"
"I heard it's the head of Baodingxuan, Young Master Qi!"
Qi Ruxuan? Is that the infamous playboy who favored his concubine over his wife?
No way! Xiao Cui absolutely cannot fall into the hands of that kind of scumbag!
Gu Qianluo's eyebrows twitched slightly as she looked up at the various rooms on the second and third floors, her eyes suddenly darkening.
Gu Qianlu walked slowly through the crowded people toward the cash box of Mingchun Tower.
The manager of the money box was busy fiddling with his abacus when he saw Gu Qianluo. He slightly raised his eyelids and asked softly,
"Young master, what are your orders? Just tell the waiter!"
"Tell me! Where is Xiao Cui?"
A glint of fire flashed in Gu Qianluo's eyes, but the man didn't seem to care and replied dismissively.
"Oh my! So it's Miss Cui Ling's infatuated guest!"
Young master, she's just a girl from a brothel. Why are you so devoted to her?
"Young master, don't be in a hurry. The girls become more and more beautiful as we go on, several times prettier than Cui Ling!"
Upon hearing this, Gu Qianluo's anger flared up. She grabbed the shopkeeper by the collar and warned him sharply.
"Enough nonsense! Tell me, which room is Xiao Cui in?"
"Hey? Why are you being so unreasonable? You're not strong enough yourself, yet you're taking your anger out on me? You're just being a nuisance!"
"Guards! Escort this unreasonable young master out of Mingchun Pavilion."
At the shopkeeper's command, eight guards flew towards Gu Qianluo from all directions of Mingchun Tower.
Gu Qianlu's heart sank. She quickly took off her coat, removed the fake beard from her chin, and secretly blended into the crowd.
"Damn, this Mingchun Pavilion is huge. How many wayward girls must have fallen into its clutches?"
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