“That was before. Ever since the incident…”

“What nonsense are you spouting?”

Before the words were finished, they were interrupted by a high-pitched voice.

Turning around, they saw Chang’an Place’s Bao Niang swaying her somewhat plump body, fanning herself with a fluffy cattail fan as she walked over.

She reached out and pushed several women aside.

She didn’t forget to scold them, “You few, instead of properly serving the guests, what nonsense are you spouting here? Why don’t you hurry and attend to other guests?”

“Yes!”

The women didn’t dare talk back and all dispersed, having to go pull in other guests.

Bao Niang smiled at Ji Yunshu and said, “So it’s Young Master Liang who has come. We’ve been remiss. Why not go up to the third floor? I’ll have our best girls attend to you, young master.”

So she’s the madam!

That outfit covered in glittering gold was quite ostentatious.

Ji Yunshu withdrew her appraising gaze and asked, “Has something happened to Miss Yu Yin? Why is her fortune not good?”

“No, no, how could anything happen to Miss Yu Yin? She’s our most famous dancer. Many people rush here from thousands of miles away just to see her dance. It’s just that she’s not young anymore. I, Bao Niang, watched her grow up and have always treated her like my own daughter. That’s why tonight I’ve set up a stage. Whoever can pay the price can take Yu Yin away.”

“An auction house!”

“Auction house? What does that mean?”

“Nothing. Since Miss Yu Yin is being presented tonight, then this young master will wait until evening.”

“Good, good, good. Then why don’t the two young masters go occupy seats on the third floor first? Otherwise, it might be full later.”

“Fine.”

Agreeing readily!

Completely disregarding whether Jingrong was willing to go to the third floor or not.

Just as the two stood up, Bao Niang noticed Jingrong, who had been silently quiet the whole time. Her body intentionally moved toward him, picking up an odd tone as she spoke.

“This young master is quite handsome. You must be Young Master Liang’s friend. I wonder… what type does the young master prefer? Bao Niang can arrange it for you.”

“No need.”

“Isn’t coming here about having fun? Anyway, there’s still some time before evening, so why not…”

Jingrong swept her with one sharp, fierce glance, “I said no need.”

Bao Niang’s whole body shuddered. Rebuffed, she could only wave her cattail fan and give up.

After taking seats on the third floor, Ji Yunshu asked Jingrong for an ingot of silver and stuffed it into Bao Niang’s hand.

“No need for service. Just bring a pot of good tea. We don’t want to be disturbed.”

“Yes, yes, yes. Good tea will come right away. Then I won’t disturb you two gentlemen.”

Clutching that ingot of silver, Bao Niang happily went downstairs.

“One ingot of silver. How will you repay it?”

Jingrong tapped his finger on the table!

Ji Yunshu glanced at him, “You seem to still owe me some money, don’t you?”

“What do you mean by this?”

“I agreed to take the Lin Capital Case and solved the disappearance case. You said you would grant me a sum of silver. It’s been so long now, yet I haven’t seen even one coin.”

“Little money grubber.”

Ji Yunshu snorted with laughter, “With money, you can travel the world. Without money, you’ll suffer losses.”

Jingrong said, “Once you become Princess Rong, will you still worry about money? Everything this prince has, you can have. When the time comes, this prince will have people craft a bed made of gold for you to sleep on to your heart’s content.”

Ji Yunshu: “…”

The two bickered, never tiring of it!

After Bao Niang collected the silver, she had people bring tea and pastries to serve the two.

From morning they waited until evening, and Jingrong talked incessantly about many things.

Things from his childhood at the Eighth Prince’s Manor, later entering the palace, being enfeoffed as a prince and leaving the palace to establish his manor, or interesting things he had encountered…

He even told Ji Yunshu everything he had previously told Liu Qingping, word for word without omission.

Stones blooming with flowers!

Willow trees weeping blood!

River monsters!

…

Ji Yunshu’s ears were growing calluses from listening.

So she asked, “What about your mother consort? I’ve never heard you mention her.”

Jingrong’s expression immediately darkened. He picked up his tea and drank deeply.

“The past, I don’t want to mention it.”

Ji Yunshu wasn’t the type to press aggressively. If he didn’t want to talk about it, she wouldn’t ask.

Who would have known—

Jingrong spoke up on his own, “My mother consort died long ago. Because she made a small mistake, she was thrown into the Cold Palace. The next day she hanged herself. From then on, I, this prince, also had no place to stand.”

Finishing, he drank another mouthful of tea.

Ji Yunshu looked at him with heartache, saying nothing.

This must be why all these years, Jingrong had never gained Emperor Qizhen’s favor.

But what mistake had his mother consort made?

The two just sat like this in Chang’an Place for a whole day.

As dusk fell, more and more people came to Chang’an Place, most coming for that Miss Yu Yin.

Looking down from the third floor, people packed against people!

The lanterns outside the door were all hung up, in various colors, making the circular stage in the middle look very luxurious.

Ji Yunshu: “I think no one actually knows that the three deceased saw ghosts at Chang’an Place before they died. Only people in the yamen and people at Chang’an Place know. Otherwise, if they knew what happened in the Moon Appreciation room, probably not so many people would have come tonight. Bao Niang is also worried that eventually it can’t be hidden, so while others still don’t know, she’s selling Miss Yu Yin off, and can still make some silver.”

“So what exactly do you want to do?” Jingrong was puzzled.

“Highest bidder wins. Bao Niang just said so.”

“You want to buy her?” Jingrong was shocked.

Ji Yunshu shrugged, “Otherwise, what do you think we’ve been sitting here all day for? Just to drink a few cups and go back?”

“Ji Yunshu, has your brain been flooded with water? What are you buying a woman for?”

“Your brain is the one flooded with water.” She shot back. Her shrewd eyes narrowed slightly, “Since it happened in the Moon Appreciation room, that means Miss Yu Yin must have been present at the time. She definitely saw something, but the case files at the yamen say she knows nothing. Isn’t that strange? Since there are no ghosts in this world, Miss Yu Yin definitely knows something, but she’s not saying.”

Jingrong understood.

“So you want to buy her, then get information from her.”

“Wrong!”

“Hm?”

“It’s not me buying her, it’s you buying her.”

WHAT?

Suddenly—

Screaming began below.

Everyone started to stir, pairs of wolf-like, tiger-like eyes staring tightly at that circular stage.

Bao Niang stood outside the light gauze, waving the cattail fan in her hand, smiling at everyone and saying, “Young masters, you’ve waited long.”

“Hurry up, we can’t wait any longer.”

“I know you’ve all come for Yu Yin. My Yu Yin is Chang’an Place’s top dancer, but I, Bao Niang, am parting with her today. You all know the rules. To get Yu Yin, there’s only one requirement—you must be able to pay. Whoever offers the highest price can take Yu Yin away.”

Below, waves of excitement began to surge.

“Yu Yin is mine.”

“This young master has nothing else but lots of money.”

“For Yu Yin, this young master rushed here from very far away. Today, I must have her.”

The noble young masters all began competing with each other.

Bao Niang quickly said, “The rules have been stated. As long as you can pay, you can take her away. Alright, let my Yu Yin come out.”

Finishing!

A graceful figure descended from the third floor, spinning down while holding a long strip of cloth!