Chapter 148 But according to your wishes, what are you mortgaging?
When Duan Mingfeng arrived, Ji Qingwu already had a table full of dishes in front of him, which were cooked by the waiter himself.
The taste was so-so; Ji Qingwu took a few bites and then put down his chopsticks.
Seeing Duan Mingfeng standing in front of the table, she greeted him with a smile, "Lord Duan, it's been a long time. Why don't you sit down?"
He didn't bother with pleasantries and went straight to the point: "Miss Ji, what brings you here?"
Ji Qingwu didn't beat around the bush and went straight to the point: "I happened to pass by this place today and saw that this restaurant is looking for a buyer. I'd like to take it over and start a small business."
Upon hearing this, Duan Mingfeng felt a great weight lifted from his heart and immediately breathed a sigh of relief, his tense back relaxing slightly.
On his way here, he had thought about many reasons why Miss Ji had asked him to come, but he never expected it to be because of this.
Without hesitation, he said, "The restaurant's business contract is kept in the office; I will have someone fetch it immediately."
Seeing his straightforwardness, Ji Qingwu couldn't help but ask in surprise, "Aren't we going to talk about the price? Aren't you afraid I'll take advantage of you, Lord Duan?"
Duan Mingfeng said, "The price is negotiable; it will be based on Miss Ji's wishes."
The waiter and his subordinate in black robes standing to the side had very interesting expressions on their faces.
When has this Lord Duan ever been so easy to talk to?
This restaurant was originally confiscated by the government and should rightfully belong to the royal family. Duan Mingfeng made his own decision without reporting it to his superiors.
Ji Qingwu was also taken aback by the phrase "follow your heart".
She said slowly, "Since Lord Duan is so sincere, I will give you the price according to the market price. However, I haven't exchanged it for cash yet. At present, I only have a few shop deeds. I will have to wait a while before I can buy the restaurant after I sell them."
Duan Mingfeng felt that even if this Miss Ji wanted all the shops on the street, his master would give them away without batting an eye.
He said, "That's fine."
Ji Qingwu thought for a moment and then said, "Lord Duan, my words are not enough. I have something here that I can temporarily mortgage to you."
She took a piece of jade from her bosom and placed it on the table.
Duan Mingfeng's gloomy gaze also fell on the jade, a look of surprise flashing across his eyes.
This is......
The last time they bumped into each other on the street corner, Miss Ji had displeased her master in the teahouse. Afterwards, in a fit of anger, her master spent a fortune at the Jade Pavilion to buy the shop's prized jade ring.
Unexpectedly, this priceless jade ring was delivered into her hands.
Duan Mingfeng believed he knew the emperor's temperament to some extent, and the woman before him was the one whose temper he could suppress and coax even in the midst of his rage.
Duan Mingfeng frowned, took a step back with a grim expression, as if this jade was a hot potato.
He said seriously, "Miss Ji, please keep this jade safe."
Ji Qingwu picked up the jade ring and placed it in her delicate white palm. She could feel the fine texture of the jade, its crystal-clear luster, and its exquisite craftsmanship.
She, an amateur, thought it looked excellent, but Lord Duan seemed unwilling to look at it a second time.
Could it really be as Emperor Wusu said, that he bought it casually from a street vendor?
After seeing that Ji Qingwu had put it away, Duan Mingfeng took another step forward.
He said, "If Miss Ji has nothing else to do, you can come with me to the office to retrieve it."
Seeing this jade ring was enough to guess the woman's status in the master's heart. Duan Mingfeng immediately changed his mind. It was best to handle the change of ownership of the restaurant through his hands to avoid any mistakes.
Ji Qingwu glanced at the sky outside. The sun was shining brightly, and it was still early. There was still time to pick up Qiuqiu.
"It would be even better if we could get the business contract directly," she nodded and said, "Then I will go with Lord Duan."
They had just left the restaurant and walked a few dozen meters when Duan Mingfeng suddenly stopped.
His gaze fell on a corner tower at the end of the alley.
Ji Qingwu also looked over. The top of the corner tower was a hipped roof with intersecting corners and beautiful eaves, like stars surrounding the moon.
The building had a unique design, and as she looked at it a few more times, the smile on her lips faded.
The streets were teeming with people, but the corner tower entrance was guarded by several burly men, causing the locals to detour around it.
She asked, "Lord Duan, where is this place?"
Duan Mingfeng naturally knew where this place was, but it was usually bustling with activity and had never been so deserted before. Something must have happened inside.
Seeing that he did not answer, Ji Qingwu turned her head and saw a fleeting look of worry in Duan Mingfeng's eyes.
Who is he worried about?
Duan Mingfeng has done so much for her today, and Ji Qingwu feels she should reciprocate.
She said, "Lord Duan, why don't we go in and take a look?"
The burly men at the gate initially blocked their way, their menacing expressions fully revealed. However, the Imperial Envoy's face was even more sinister. Once one of them recognized Duan Mingfeng's identity, they no longer dared to obstruct them.
As Ji Qingwu approached, he saw clearly the three large characters on the plaque written in the Wei stele style. It turned out that this was the famous Liangxiang Pavilion in Lin'an.
She had never been to such a place before and was incredibly curious.
When they entered, no one came to greet them. They saw that the floor was covered with white jade and inlaid with gold beads, and the hall was extremely luxurious.
There was no one in the hall; the silence was eerily quiet. Only the lamp on the crystal wall was still lit, and the pearl curtains hung silently.
Until the woman's voice and crying could be heard from upstairs.
Duan Mingfeng rushed up first, almost flying up to the second floor.
When Ji Qingwu reached the second floor, he saw a group of graceful women standing trembling on what should have been a stage for opera performances, but the suppressed sobs were coming from the storage room at the back.
That door had already been forced open by Duan Mingfeng.
Ji Qingwu quietly walked to the door and heard voices coming from inside.
The man's voice belonged to Duan Mingfeng, and it was relatively restrained.
"Please, Your Highness, show mercy."
Ji Qingwu frowned. No wonder Liangxiang Pavilion was so deserted; Princess Qingyun had come. Thinking about what the princess was there for, she sighed.
The sounds from inside the door came through clearly.
"Show mercy? Duan Shisi, you also have feelings for the maids of the Two Fragrance Pavilion? She shamelessly seduced my consort and even got pregnant. You expect me to show mercy? Don't you think that's going too far?" Princess Qingyun said angrily.
Before Duan Mingfeng could speak, Mo Lingling's voice rang out.
Her once melodious voice had become hoarse.
“Princess, Lord Li and I were childhood sweethearts. It’s just that my family has fallen on hard times and is now nothing but mud. I am no longer worthy of him. But if you hadn’t been born into the royal family, would he have ever looked at a rude woman like you?”
Princess Qingyun clutched her chest in anger upon hearing her mocking words, her brows furrowing as she said, "You audacious whore, how dare you provoke me! Pour it in!"
The sound of rushing water mixed with the clatter of hard objects rang out.
What exactly is that sound?
Ji Qingwu peeked through the crack in the door and his heart tightened.
Mo Lingling was tied up in a large bathtub. Her once beautiful face and rosy cheeks were now pale and her lips were bluish.
Two rough-looking old women were carrying an iron bucket...
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