When that courtesan spoke of Zhao Zhiwen, she was disgusted, angry, and contemptuous.

Another courtesan chimed in, “We’ve been in the capital for so long, and this is the first time we’ve encountered someone like him. Whether there’s business or not, he’d come looking for us sisters. Really annoying to death.”

“Isn’t that the truth!”

“Now that he’s dead, he deserved it!”

…

They began speaking one sentence after another again.

Minister Yu interrupted, “Enough. Since you know him, did he go to Spring-Full Tower last night after the Hour of the Dog?”

“He didn’t come!”

“Did he really not come? Or are you not telling the truth?”

One courtesan waved the handkerchief in her hand and raised her willow-leaf eyebrows. “Sir, we’re all law-abiding citizens who never lie to deceive people. President Zhao really didn’t come last night. If you don’t believe us, there’s nothing we can do. Besides, a person like him never brought anything good whenever he came. Last night when he didn’t come, we sisters were so happy—we even took on an extra customer who was very generous with his money.”

Good grief!

The Court of Judicial Review continued questioning, “Do you have some kind of grudge against Zhao Zhiwen?”

“Not a grudge—bad luck.”

“Why?”

“Bad luck is just bad luck. Why so many questions?”

Minister Yu grew angry. “How dare you! This official asks you questions, you answer them.”

The woman in blue twisted her body to the side. “Aiya, sir, we already said it was bad luck. What more do you want us to say?”

“Very well. This official will ask you again—does Zhao Zhiwen’s death have anything to do with you?”

At this question, the courtesans froze for a moment, then became agitated. “What does his death have to do with us? You officials won’t let us common people speak carelessly, but you shouldn’t wrongly accuse good people either. Don’t be the kind who only allows the magistrate to set fires but forbids the common people to light lamps!”

They say women of the pleasure quarters are bold, and that’s certainly true.

After all, when chastity is already gone, what’s there to fear about life and death?

Minister Yu’s mouth twitched. Rendered speechless by these women, he glanced at Jingrong and Ji Yunshu seated on the left side, as if inquiring.

Immediately, Jingrong stood expressionlessly and walked before the courtesans. Straightening his posture with thin, cold lips curved, he said, “Minister Yu has time to waste on you. This prince does not. If you don’t answer properly, the Court of Judicial Review’s rods will have to strike your bodies. If you survive the beating, you’ll be thrown into prison where snakes, insects, rats, and ants… will gnaw at human flesh and bone.”

Uh!

The courtesans were frightened!

They shrank back.

“Does Zhao Zhiwen’s death have anything to do with you or not?” His words were cold and severe, chilling to the bone.

The woman in blue sighed and told the truth. “Your Highness, his death truly has nothing to do with us. The reason we say it’s bad luck is because that man would eat and drink for free every time he came to our Spring-Full Tower. After doing his business, he wouldn’t pay and would just leave with a pat on his bottom. If it weren’t for the fact that he was one of the four commerce association presidents, we wouldn’t have served him at all. Isn’t that eight generations’ worth of bad luck!”

This resonated with the others. “Exactly! So you see, he deserved to die.”

“Deserved it!”

Visiting brothels without paying—deserved!

Looking at the angry faces of the courtesans before him, Jingrong asked again, “Since he often went to your establishment, you must know some things about him, right?”

The woman in green thought for a moment. “We do. He liked to gamble!”

“Liked to gamble?”

“Yes! Not only that, he also loved gambling with money. Many times after losing at gambling, he’d come find us.”

One courtesan’s eyes rolled as if remembering something, and she quickly added, “I remember once when he drank too much, he told me something about… some fool who kept giving him money to use, so he never worried about losing money because someone would cover his debts. I wonder who that fool was? Originally I wanted to ask more, but he was already drunk unconscious.”

The courtesans spoke one after another, non-stop!

Truly worthy of being in “the business.”

Wait, aren’t we getting off topic?

Jingrong’s sharp gaze swept across them, and they all fell silent.

He said, “What you just said better be true. If you dare lie, it’s a serious crime.”

The courtesans trembled and nodded several times.

“Your Highness, everything we said is true, every single word.”

“It better be!”

Facing Jingrong, such a cold-faced handsome man, the courtesans’ female hormones rose considerably.

The woman in blue blinked her seductive eyes forcefully at him twice. Her slender body became even softer, wishing she could lean her entire body against Jingrong’s chest. Then, biting her lip and showing a coquettish expression, she continued, “Your Highness, this humble woman is called Taohong, but you can also call me Little Hong. I can play the qin and sing songs. If you like, come find me at Spring-Full Tower. I guarantee I’ll sing until you’re satisfied.”

Seeing this, the other women also slowly moved closer.

“This humble woman is called Hui’er. I not only play the qin and sing songs, but I also paint. I’m especially good at… painting on people’s bodies.”

“Your Highness, this humble woman is called Dongmei. Everything they can do, I can do. I can also give massages.”

They swarmed forward in a rush.

“What they know is nothing! What I’m best at… is playing the flute!” The woman in red moved forward seductively. Just as she was about to drape her handkerchief over Jingrong’s shoulder, her wrist was suddenly grabbed.

Looking up, it was Ji Yunshu!

Her face was expressionless, unreadable. After a brief pause, she applied force with her palm, pulling the courtesan’s hand down, then instructed the bailiffs of the Court of Judicial Review.

“You can take them away now.”

How boring!

The courtesans snorted, waved their powder-scented handkerchiefs, twisted their shapely bottoms, and reluctantly followed the bailiffs out.

Women were truly terrifying!

They’d only been there a short while and already made everyone’s heads ache.

Jingrong looked at Ji Yunshu. Her expression clearly showed she was jealous, quite angry indeed.

He smiled inwardly—this woman was beginning to have the bearing of a princess consort!

Ji Yunshu watched those “colorful” “things” leave and sighed helplessly. Then she glanced at Jingrong and asked softly, “Why didn’t you dodge just now?”

“Waiting for you!” He grinned.

Ji Yunshu shot him a fierce glare.

Minister Yu approached and asked, “Your Highness, Master Ji, it seems Zhao Zhiwen really didn’t go to Spring-Full Tower last night. So where would he have gone?”

“Didn’t they already say?” Jingrong replied.

Hmm?

They said?

Minister Yu thought back and suddenly understood. “Your Highness means… a gambling house?”

“Exactly!”

Suddenly—

Someone came running from outside.

He reported, “Your Highness, several people suddenly went to Wenlai Pavilion and caused a disturbance.”

“What happened?”

“They keep shouting that they want Zhao Zhiwen to repay his debts.”

Repay debts?

Jingrong frowned. “Where are they?”

“Already arrested.”

He swept his large sleeves. “Bring those people here!”

“Yes.”

Before long, four burly men were escorted in.

“Don’t think that just because he’s dead, the debt doesn’t need to be repaid.”

“Written in black and white, stamped with his handprint.”

Those people argued all the way from Wenlai Pavilion to here.