Xie Zhifei wore a righteous expression.

“No, absolutely not. When I get drunk, I can’t control myself and easily do bad things.”

“Master.”

Madam Xia laughed until her body shook, her bosom trembling. “Our Office of Music is a place for doing bad things.”

Xie Zhifei smiled. “Madam, quickly tell me—what kind of bad things?”

“Aiya…”

Madam Xia cried out coquettishly, stood on tiptoe, and whispered a string of words in Xie Zhifei’s ear…

Man and woman with heads together, shoulder to shoulder—Yan Sanhe felt her ears instantly burn.

She couldn’t help sighing internally: In this world, was there any woman Xie Third Master couldn’t handle?

As they spoke, everyone arrived at a very elegant private room on the second floor. Inside the room stood two handsome young men on the left and right.

The young men had fair skin, delicate features, and slender builds. Seeing guests arrive, one served tea while the other handed over hot towels, becoming busy.

Madam Xia smiled. “The two masters come rarely. I’ll have Miss Fangling and Miss Fangfei keep you company. How about it?”

Xie Zhifei slanted his peach blossom eyes. “I don’t care if she’s Fangling or Fangfei. If Madam doesn’t come, this master won’t drink this wine.”

Clearly it was a lie, but Madam Xia’s heart still felt comfortable hearing it.

“Master Xie is a straightforward person. Straightforward people should drink straightforward wine. How about Bamboo Leaf Green for the wine?”

Hearing it was Bamboo Leaf Green, Xie Zhifei smiled again. “Is Madam helping me save silver?”

This time, Madam Xia threw her embroidered handkerchief directly onto Xie Zhifei’s face. “Yes, Master can’t keep his silver in his pocket, so Madam will help Master keep it.”

Having said this, her beautiful eyes lightly swept over Li Buyan once more before she covered her lips and left.

Li Buyan’s eyes observed in all directions, ears listening in all eight directions.

This Madam Xia took a first glance at Sanhe, and now a second glance at her—clearly she had discovered something.

Li Buyan whispered a few words in Yan Sanhe’s ear. Yan Sanhe raised her gaze to ask Xie Zhifei, “Won’t she expose us?”

Xie Zhifei was completely unconcerned. “Who argues with money?”

Yan Sanhe asked again, “What riddle is Bamboo Leaf Green?”

“The Office of Music’s banquets are graded by the wine served.”

While allowing the attendant to wipe his fingers, Xie Zhifei patiently explained, “The lowest-grade opening wine here is yellow wine—ten taels per table. Bamboo Leaf Green is third grade—one hundred taels per table.”

Yan Sanhe: “What’s the highest?”

“The highest is tribute wine, also called spring wine—five hundred taels to open a table.”

Xie Zhifei lifted the young attendant’s chin with his index finger, looking frivolous. “Sweetheart, is this master correct?”

The young attendant’s face flushed red as he replied in a voice softer than a woman’s, “Master is correct in everything.”

Having said this, his eyes carried hooks, looking at Xie Zhifei with seeming reproach and seeming pleasure, then gently lowered his neck.

“What a pity—Pei Master and I don’t favor the cut sleeve. Otherwise, I’d pamper you properly today.”

Xie Zhifei withdrew his hand. “Zhu Qing?”

Zhu Qing pulled out several taels of silver from his breast pocket and tucked a bit into each person’s hand. “You may go rest.”

“Yes!”

The two beautiful young men took the silver and left happily.

As soon as the door closed, “Guard” Li Buyan couldn’t wait to ask, “Third Master, are they the legendary young male prostitutes?”

Xie Zhifei nodded. “Every room has two. They see if the guests have that taste. If they do, they serve as companions.”

Li Buyan was completely dumbfounded. “The consideration is truly thorough.”

“This is thorough?”

Pei Xiao fanned his fan with a flourish. “Where is this in the grand scheme of things?”

No matter where it was in the grand scheme, handling proper business came first. Yan Sanhe rapped the table with her knuckles.

Li Buyan, Zhu Qing, and Huang Qi very quickly gathered around.

“Third Master is responsible for Madam Xia. This person is around forty years old—she should know something about Jingchen’s affairs.”

Yan Sanhe: “Buyan and Zhu Qing go out and walk around. Huang Qi stays behind.”

Huang Qi pursed his lips, giving Yan Sanhe a resentful look that said “why do I have to stay behind?” “I’ve scouted this place once. I know the layout best.”

Zhu Qing: “Miss Yan, Huang Qi is right. Let me stay behind.”

“Alright.”

Yan Sanhe looked at Huang Qi. “Be careful.”

“Miss, rest assured.”

Huang Qi signaled Li Buyan with his eyes. The two left the private room one after the other.

Yan Sanhe looked at Xie Zhifei again and asked, “Third Master, what are the possible outcomes for women of the Office of Music?”

“One kind is like Jingchen—being redeemed and taken out. Another is like Madam Xia—when youth and beauty fade, managing seven or eight official courtesans under her authority, growing old at the Office of Music. These are all considered good fates.”

Xie Zhifei: “Those with bad fates—some die from disease, some can’t bear the humiliation and take their own lives. And there are also…”

“What?”

“Those sent to military camps, eventually becoming camp prostitutes.”

To become a camp prostitute meant endless torment and violation. Except for death, there would never be a day of rising again.

Yan Sanhe suppressed the discomfort in her heart. “So her fate was good.”

“Quite good.”

Xie Zhifei: “Redeeming someone from the Office of Music isn’t easy. It’s not just a matter of spending some silver.”

Yan Sanhe: “Why do you say that?”

Xie Zhifei: “The status of criminal officials’ female family members is very special. Each one is recorded in the registry. To redeem someone, first you must see if the Office of Music will release them, second whether a good man dares to take them.”

Yan Sanhe: “With her status and her family’s charges, would the Office of Music release her?”

Xie Zhifei: “Generally, no.”

Yan Sanhe thought of that person “Li San” and stated definitively, “Then her redemption is problematic.”

Xie Zhifei looked at Yan Sanhe’s clear black eyes, his voice unconsciously becoming very gentle. “There is a problem. Let’s investigate carefully.”

Not knowing if it was this person’s voice being too gentle or the powder scent in the room too heavy, Yan Sanhe felt her heart suddenly beat faster.

Just then, an attendant brought in wine and dishes. Yan Sanhe shifted her gaze to look out the window, thinking to herself: Lately something’s been off—my heart always beats fast when I see this person.

A moment later, Madam Xia returned, with two very young and beautiful women following behind.

One of them held a pipa, her eyes shy—clearly she had only recently begun receiving clients.

Fangling, holding the pipa, stepped forward. “What tunes would the two masters like to hear?”

“Play whatever.”

Xie Zhifei pointed to the position beside him. “Madam, come sit.”

Madam Xia was clearly startled.

All men in this world shared one trait: loving the new and despising the old, disliking age and favoring youth.

Don’t look at how warmly they called “Madam, Madam”—once a fresh young lady entered, who would spare her another glance? They all found her old.

“Come sit. What are you standing there for?”

Madam Xia’s lips curved upward as she laughed until her body shook like flowering branches. “You’re truly my nemesis—unable to wait even a moment. You must drink a penalty cup.”

Pei Xiao’s hand holding the wine cup suddenly paused.

Damn it, is the word “nemesis” used like this? What about my Yan Sanhe—what is she supposed to feel?

Xie Zhifei lazily pulled the person into his embrace. “Madam, you feed me!”

Yan Sanhe’s hand holding the teacup also paused.

Damn it, Third Master, this playacting is a bit much!