“Alright, now there’s no one else around – you can cry.”

Shanghai had numerous waterways with interconnected channels. In the middle of a relatively quiet small river, a small boat floated silently.

The cabin was cramped, and Su Minguan couldn’t straighten up and could only sit cross-legged, generously extending both arms toward the person across from him.

After waiting a while, Lin Yuchan didn’t throw herself into his embrace. With a shy smile on her lips, she turned her head aside, playing with a hanging hemp rope.

“Let’s talk business.” Her voice was thick with nasal congestion.

Her eye sockets were red, her face dotted with tear stains, her nose tip also red, eyelashes heavy with moisture, her small chest rising and falling as if she’d just been bullied and wronged.

Su Minguan stared intently for a long while, his tone slightly disappointed: “You’ve already cried.”

Lin Yuchan’s eyes welled up again, but she couldn’t help pulling at the corners of her mouth, saying with heavy nasal congestion: “I can cry again… wuu…”

Thinking of that lifeless empty house and the pomegranate peels in the corner, she immediately broke down again, naturally letting Su Minguan embrace her, breathing deeply the faint soap scent from his chest to calm the aftershocks of her emotions.

Su Minguan took out a handkerchief, wrapped it around his index finger, and slowly wiped away the tear stains from her eyes.

Having waited long at the government office, he’d estimated the time, politely dismissed the two “friendly merchants” who’d been stood up, exchanged pleasantries – they had no complaints.

Then Boya’s Manager Zhao came running, repeatedly apologizing and angrily recounting Old Huang’s despicable actions.

Su Minguan thought: as expected.

When Lin Yuchan had first described the situation, he’d vaguely felt this man was old but unstable and wouldn’t be so cooperative.

But he hadn’t stopped her, not expecting some people’s moral bottom line to be so low.

Now it was too late to say anything. He asked about Miss Lin, but Zhao Huaisheng looked confused: “Ah, ah, don’t know, maybe she went back to Hongkou? She said she was taking a day off.”

Su Minguan was simply speechless. What kind of manager was this? Wasn’t he worried about a crying little girl encountering trouble on the road?

It wasn’t his company, so he couldn’t interfere. He thought if he won the betting agreement, the first thing he’d do was fire both scholar-soldiers under her.

Thinking it over, he figured she’d probably come to pour out her grievances.

So he estimated her route to Yixing and slowly searched back along the way. Sure enough, before long, he encountered a dejected girl coming toward him, wiping away tears.

However, she didn’t burst into tears like he’d expected, and his prepared words of comfort went unused.

But he sensed she might have some private matters to discuss. So he had her board the boat.

“Let go a bit,” Su Minguan said gently, “Speak louder – no one can hear.”

Lin Yuchan chuckled, then drooped her eyebrows, speaking through her stuffy nose in a small voice: “You can laugh at me. Don’t hold back.”

Su Minguan hugged her tighter.

Having struggled in society for many years, he’d encountered enough weird people and situations to fill a book. Characters like Old Huang, who were blinded by profit, weren’t even the most disgusting.

Different rice feeds all kinds of people. Some people just think that on society’s stage, they’re naturally the only protagonist. Others’ emotions, careers, interests, dreams… are just props on this stage. Everything should make way for their ambitions.

Even if someone provided help in times of need, curing his chronic ailment and pulling him up from the muddy bottom without asking for reward, he wouldn’t truly be grateful – he’d just think his luck was good, that he was destined to have noble people’s help.

Such people were good at disguising themselves, making their true nature hard to see through.

One could only say, those who often walk by the river will get their shoes wet. The business world was especially a gathering place for scum. When encountering them, one could only accept bad luck and cut losses in time.

What use would laughing at or lecturing her serve? Smart people learn from setbacks without needing others’ false sympathy and criticism.

He simply asked: “What do you plan to do?”

The little girl nestled in his arms, docile and gentle, her soft breath carrying warmth, wisps of it blowing across his hands.

But the light in her eyes was cold. She said: “Old Huang was on the Small Swords Society list, yet now he’s calculated against me and broken our contract. According to the rules, what should his punishment be?”

Su Minguan looked down at her and smiled slightly.

An inexplicable faint pride arose in his heart: the girl he favored was not a coward who only knew how to cry when faced with trouble.

“You also know the Hongmen’s organizational discipline is very poor,” he said helplessly, using her terminology. “The Small Swords Society’s ashes have long scattered – those past wandering ghosts aren’t under my management…”

“Then he’s also bullying members of our ‘Huguang Hometown Association.'” Her logic was clear, immediately switching arguments, saying firmly: “That one silver dollar of mine can’t be given for nothing.”

Su Minguan thought for a moment, then also used a business-like tone: “I can spread word to let merchants connected to our ‘Hometown Association’ know about that old bastard’s deeds. In the future, if they encounter him, no one will do business with him. That’s all I can do. Is that acceptable?”

Lin Yuchan calculated for a moment and felt she could accept this.

Old Huang had lost all conscience, breaking contracts, selling his house and granddaughter – wasn’t it all to make a comeback and get rich again? Then let the business world boycott him, make him universally despised, unable to open for business.

For such a shameless gambling merchant, this would be much more painful than “tying him up for a beating.”

Of course, she secretly calculated that if she encountered this old man in the future, she’d quietly pay someone to beat him up, not going through the Heaven and Earth Society’s accounts. Yixing’s big brothers had been idle for a long time and should be happy to earn this side income.

Lin Yuchan’s mood brightened somewhat. She emerged from Su Minguan’s embrace and, familiarly, found a box of preserved fruits from the small cabinet, opened the lid, tossed one in her mouth, and pushed the box toward him.

“Mm, there’s one more thing.” Her breath carried fruit fragrance as she said brightly: “Perhaps it’s not within the Heaven and Earth Society’s business scope, but I’d like to inquire…”

Su Minguan’s expression became serious as he listened carefully.

He said nothing, but the light in his eyes was captivating, like a winter lake frozen over – clear and cold, with the girl’s reflection visible within.

This made her somewhat embarrassed: “…Um, in Shanghai county, how many human trafficking markets are there? Where are they located?”

Su Minguan was slightly surprised, reaching out to pick up a dried apricot without eating it.

“Indeed not within the Heaven and Earth Society’s business scope.” He wondered: “You…”

He quickly understood her intention and gently shook his head.

“A’Mei, forget it. Shanghai is so big. It’s a thankless task.”

“Alright, you’ve advised me now – you’ve done your duty.” Lin Yuchan had anticipated his reaction and insisted: “Name your price. As long as I can afford the fee, I must find her.”

Having said this, to show sincerity, she leaned forward slightly and lightly touched her lips to his face.

Then quickly withdrew. Lowering her head, her small face slightly flushed.

Autumn wind swept across the water surface, stirring up ripples. The small boat swayed gently left and right.

Su Minguan held his breath, his ear tips flushing suspiciously red, the scent of dried apricot drifting past his nose.

This wasn’t a transaction of money for sex – this was asking him to receive both money and affection!

Although, but, it was rare for her to be so proactive once, and it was for someone else…

He collected himself, maintaining composure, turning half his face, and indicating with his eyes.

“Does this mean you agree?” Lin Yuchan’s eyes widened, still red-rimmed with tear stains, innocently and directly asking: “Can I get a discount with another kiss?”

“No,” Su Minguan immediately regained his composure, giving her a light glance while smoothly stuffing the orange-yellow dried apricot into her mouth. “Besides, this matter has risks – the fee will be a bit expensive. I’m warning you again – you’ll lose more than you gain.”

She immediately asked: “How much money?”

Su Minguan’s features relaxed as he looked at her gently with a smile.

“How much can you offer?”

Lin Yuchan immediately became anxious, chewing the dried apricot and speaking unclearly: “No price gouging allowed!”

Su Minguan curved his lips. Now she’d finally thrown that sad emotion to the back of her mind, her eyes full of fighting spirit.

He took her hand, gently stroking each slender finger, touching them to his lips one by one while considering his words.

“Each price range has its methods,” he finally said. “The more you’re willing to pay, the smaller the risk.”

Lin Yuchan said quietly: “I won’t lie to you – I… just bought a lot of cotton, money’s a bit tight right now.”

Su Minguan gently kissed the back of her hand.

“Those jewelry pieces you collected from the pawnshop last time – you still have them, right?”

His thinking jumped too fast. Lin Yuchan was stunned, then hummed acknowledgment.

“Tonight at five o’clock, dress as a man and come out with me.”

At the intersection of autumn and winter, darkness fell quickly. Lin Yuchan vaguely remembered that yesterday, when the customs bell tolled, the sky was still bright with the sun hanging on the horizon treetops; today, the customs five o’clock bell rang as usual, but clouds in the sky were already tinged with pale gray.

The Fuzhou Road area had scattered courtyards. During the day it was an ordinary lane, but in the evening it became crowded instead. A row of warm red lanterns hung under the flying eaves, gradually lighting up and casting hazy, ambiguous light.

Different schools of silk and bamboo opera sounds drifted from various windows, combining into a cacophonous hodgepodge.

Fat rats in the gutters suddenly scurried into a lit brothel, causing a house full of women to shriek.

Behind a small torn door curtain, a heavily made-up woman half-reclined in a bamboo chair, slowly smoking opium while deliberately exposing a pair of pointed little feet wrapped in pearl shoes, gently swaying them in an utterly seductive manner.

She wore a garish purple dress and skirt, her head full of cheap jewelry. The hands holding the opium pipe, despite wearing gloves, still showed red warts crawling up her wrists – a sight that made one’s scalp tingle.

A small flag hung on the door frame with some famous person’s calligraphy: “South Market’s First Courtesan Lotus.”

The courtesan’s business was slow. Occasionally, someone was attracted by those jade feet and lifted the curtain to peek, only to spit and shake their head before walking away.

Suddenly, a horse carriage decorated with fresh flowers and colored silk drove up ostentatiously. A group of idle young men chased the carriage, cheering: “This year’s courtesan has arrived! Miss Yuanyuan is here! Miss, smile! Miss Yuanyuan, I’ve admired you for so long!…”

Suddenly, someone screamed – a dandy got too close and was caught by his sleeve on the carriage, falling flat with a slap, belly to the ground, hands suspended, dragged several steps.

The others were terrified and quickly shouted: “Stop the carriage! Stop!”

The small carriage window curtain finally lifted, and a woman in elaborate makeup with a head full of pearls and jade poked her head out, curiously glancing under the carriage wheel.

The idle youths abandoned the unlucky fellow caught on the carriage and cheered loudly, competing to throw things into the carriage window: copper coins, silver dollars, love poems written on scented paper – everything.

“Miss Yuanyuan! Miss Yuanyuan, look at me!”

The person caught by his clothes, fortunately, wasn’t seriously hurt. He struggled to get up himself, gray-headed and disheveled, in complete disarray.

Miss Yuanyuan couldn’t help but smile, covering her cherry lips and turning to someone in the carriage, scolding in dialect: “Look at that foolish appearance – he wants to chase skirts too!”

The idle youths burst into laughter, chasing the departing carriage even more frantically.

The torn curtain fluttered, and the purple-clothed “courtesan” who’d been smoking opium angrily cried out. Her expensive white pearl shoes had been splattered with seven or eight mud spots by the carriage wheels.

The purple-clothed woman suddenly jumped down from the bamboo chair, pointing at the distant carriage and cursing violently.

“Stinking whore, just because you’re young and fresh, acting so proud! Sooner or later you’ll be just like me!…”

She leaped out from behind the curtain, her entire face visible. Though her features were beautiful, she radiated a malevolent air. Despite thick lead powder, it couldn’t hide the festering red sores underneath.

Several young men backed away in disgust, with someone kicking her. She immediately shrieked shrilly.

“Murder! Not paying debts!…”

Several dark, burly men heard the commotion and rushed out from the storefront. The young men were startled, then cupped their hands apologetically: “I was just playing around with this young lady.”

Seeing the victim was just an old courtesan and not a popular new favorite, the big men were too lazy to interfere. They cursed and went back to continue gambling and smoking opium.

The cursing resumed: “Heartless bastards! This old lady fed you plenty back in the day! You trend-following little wimps better die on some vixen’s bed!”

Lin Yuchan watched that foul-mouthed purple-clothed prostitute from afar, hardly believing her eyes.

“Is she really… last year’s Miss Ziyu?”

She still remembered that small flag reading “First Lotus” – it was a prize from the courtesan competition, couldn’t be wrong.

Only this face had become completely unrecognizable. Those feet were still somewhat familiar.

In less than two years, these two-inch-eight small feet that had once been pursued by thousands and caught the attention of foreign missionaries who went to great lengths to photograph them, could no longer attract any clients.

Places of pleasure had always been where only new faces were seen smiling while old faces wept unheard.

Su Minguan fingered the money pouch in his hand, giving her a warning look with a cold reminder: “Look less. Think less.”

He somewhat regretted bringing this girl to Fuzhou Road. If she suddenly developed great compassion and wanted to redeem all the fallen flowers on this street, he’d better quickly distance himself from her.

Fortunately, she wasn’t that impulsive. She felt around her waist, smoothed her men’s long gown, and carefully observed the surroundings.

The entire street was filled with pleasure establishments of different levels. From the highest-class “book chambers” to the three- or two-dollar “Long Three Halls” and “Second-Class Teahouses,” all displaying annual inspection licenses – they were legitimate businesses paying donations and taxes.

The Qing Dynasty’s industrial foundation was almost zero, but this particular “smokeless industry” was exceptionally developed.

Lin Yuchan thought for a moment and said hesitantly: “That Huang family little girl wasn’t necessarily sold here. Um, for instance… wealthy families also need servant girls and slaves…”

“Human traffickers have tight relationship networks. People here are most familiar with them, making inquiries convenient.” Su Minguan explained gently. “Can’t help it – insufficient fee, can only take this crooked path. If you had a thousand taels of silver to throw around, you wouldn’t even need to leave home – people would deliver the child to you.”

Lin Yuchan looked at his confident manner and calculated in her heart that even if she paid a thousand taels of silver, this scheming merchant beside her would probably still choose this most efficient method and pocket the bulk of the silver himself.

Su Minguan paused, then said with slight provocation: “Didn’t someone claim to have no taboos? Disgusted by this place now?”

Lin Yuchan wouldn’t back down, whispering back: “What was that Heaven and Earth Society behavioral code posted in Yixing warehouse’s secret room again?”

“First, prohibit opium consumption; second, no excessive gambling; fourth, no harming brothers; fifth…”

Su Minguan smiled as he recited it all, deliberately omitting “third.”

Lin Yuchan rolled her eyes at him. Very well, knowingly violating rules.

A distinguished leader of the Guangdong branch openly violating discipline, no wonder he was sneaking around without bringing a single subordinate.

Rules were meant to be broken anyway. The ancestral laws he’d violated combined would be countless – not missing this one.

Lin Yuchan laughed it off. Looking carefully, none of the brothels and houses had Yixing’s copper coin trademark at their entrances.

These pleasure quarters all had other forces as protection umbrellas. Su Minguan’s moral bottom line was quite low – when he needed to be ruthless, he showed no mercy – but he still had some conscience left and didn’t plan to get involved in this trade.

So right now, they were completely in unfamiliar territory.

Looking more carefully, around the colorful signs and curtains, many dark male figures lurked. They carried underworld airs, their sinister gazes covering the flirtatious girls at the entrances, occasionally glancing to monitor the coming and going pleasure-seekers.

From some deep, secluded alley came the faint sound of women crying.

Female protagonists in time-travel novels all seemed to require a brothel-visiting episode. Lin Yuchan didn’t know what red-light districts were like in other dynasties, but knew that in the Qing Dynasty, this place couldn’t arouse her curious desire to explore and appreciate.

She just felt it was rather creepy. Always feeling someone might give her a knock on the head and drag her into some alley.

Her eyes swept over those dark criminal accomplices lurking about as she asked: “Is it safe?”

“I’m here,” Su Minguan answered quickly.

They’d barely spoken when someone behind them greeted them cheerfully.

“Oh my, young master and miss, haven’t seen you in ages – this servant has been thinking of you daily! – Oh my, young master, this outfit is so distinguished! Where have you been getting rich? Why haven’t you come to patronize our business? We’ve all been missing you terribly!”

Tianxiang Tower’s old madam, Mama Hua, looked the same as ever, her face plastered with two pounds of powder, lips dotted red-bean size, all smiles and curtseys.

Last year, when Yixing Shipping was at its most difficult, they took any contracts, including shipping some rouge and incense for the Tianxiang Tower. But the volume wasn’t large, and Su Minguan was too lazy to handle it personally, always having subordinates negotiate.

So since last year’s Lantern Festival photography incident, Mama Hua hadn’t seen him. Being able to recognize him at first glance today showed truly formidable professional ability.

With Mama Hua chatting beside them, Lin Yuchan felt those vague monitoring gazes disappear from her.

“Aren’t we here now?” Su Minguan wore a professional smile, jingling the small money pouch in his hand. “Not busy?”

“Not busy, not busy,” Mama Hua also hung up her commercial smile, eight teeth sparkling – one of them gold. “Young master, please come in.”

Lin Yuchan was once again treated as air. She bit her teeth, glaring fiercely at Su Minguan with a warning expression.

You’re going in?

Su Minguan saw her gloomy expression, a gleam flashing in his eyes as he suppressed a smile, boldly taking her hand and squeezing it.

This was Fuzhou Road – being a bit unrestrained, no one would interfere.

“Insufficient fee, so I’ll have to make some sacrifices.” His eyes were full of reluctance as he said quietly: “A’Mei, wait for me here, don’t wander off.”

Lin Yuchan became anxious: “I’ll pay more!”

Mama Hua saw them whispering together and noticed their clasped hands. Her professional instincts suddenly came back online, realizing something was wrong.

Wait, they don’t seem like siblings!

Last year, she’d misjudged!

She quickly came over to smooth things: “Just having tea and conversation – if Miss enjoys liveliness, why not come together! Whatever regional tunes you’d like to hear, this servant will call the singing girls!”

Lin Yuchan: “…”

Women could enter, too?

In this regard she was completely illiterate. In the Qing period, those licensed pleasure quarters had quite diverse functions: tea, cards, singing, conversation… all within the service range.

The typical entertainment process for visitors was first “tea socializing”: served peanuts, melon seeds, and tea while chatting with the girls, playing cards, smoking opium to build relationships; when hungry from cards, they’d have a flower banquet to set the mood; finally came staying overnight for romantic fulfillment.

Overnight stays were expensive, beyond most people’s means, and would cause family crises. But “tea socializing” was relaxed and pleasant, could even be split among several people, truly excellent value, and wives at home wouldn’t say much.

In the rigidly proper feudal society, being able to relax and chat with beauties, hugging and embracing, was already quite transgressive entertainment.

For instance, the Republican master Hu Shi, as a student, had once been passionate about going to brothels to play cards until dawn (unable to afford overnight stays), then reflecting on his degeneration in his diary.

Some sleazy merchants conducting business would arrange meetings at pleasure houses for atmosphere, equivalent to visiting nightclubs.

And “tea socializing” customers weren’t limited to men – some male clients would bring their concubines for a change of scenery; some wealthy daughters seeking novelty would dress as men to see the world; even a very few women who compared themselves to men, regretting not being born male, would visit pleasure quarters to experience a man’s pleasures in their wild moments.

How could brothels pass up money? So the rules stipulated: women could enter, at their own risk, double price.

Su Minguan feigned difficulty: “A’Mei, our budget is insufficient – perhaps I should go alone.”

Lin Yuchan glared at him fiercely, then, following his lead, smiled sweetly: “Fine. I’ll wait. Have fun.”

Spoiling him.

Getting addicted to teasing people?

Su Minguan had been pushing his luck, but suddenly having his ladder pulled away and being outmaneuvered, he was slightly stunned and felt his face heat up.

He simply grabbed her hand and threw the prepared money pouch into the madam’s arms.

Mama Hua opened it and counted – exactly six silver dollars, double the tea socializing fee.

Her face lit up with joy as she called for her people to welcome them in.

While pulling out a stack of service tickets from her sleeve, licking the pen tip, about to take orders: “How many girls would you like? We have singers, entertainers, and card players…”

Mama Hua thought to herself: Don’t call last year’s Ziyu. A withered flower carrying disease would ruin the establishment’s reputation.

Fortunately, this young master seemed to have forgotten Ziyu too. He thought for a moment, extended his index finger toward Mama Hua’s fleshy nose, carefully avoiding the white powder on her nose.

“You. You alone are enough.”