Although Danzhou City and the former capital were large cities of nearly the same scale, Danzhou’s geographical location allowed it to avoid the trampling of iron hooves during the war between the two countries. Unlike the former capital, which had experienced the baptism of warfare, famine, and earthquakes, Danzhou City had always retained its former appearance.
The streets and markets of present-day Danzhou City were as prosperous as those of the capital. Walking through alleys paved with blue stone, everything visible consisted of white walls with black tiles and high upturned eaves. Even the vendors’ calls carried the soft charm of local dialect, as if arriving here made life less hurried and people more refined.
Qin Yining held Pang Xiao’s arm, perfectly mimicking a beautiful concubine desperately flattering and pleasing her master. She acted coquettishly and foolishly all the way, using her soft body to brush against him intentionally or not. As she walked, her silk scarf fluttered lightly, creating waves of fragrance.
With her natural beauty, deliberate dress, and purposely frivolous behavior to attract attention, passersby and vendors couldn’t help but stop and stare open-mouthed at the outstanding pair. Even women couldn’t resist taking extra glances.
“Young master, I’ve also taken a fancy to those shrimp whisker bracelets.”
“Give me a kiss, and let alone a pair of shrimp whisker bracelets—I’ll give you an entire set of ruby jewelry, hmm?”
“You’re so wicked.”
Though the beauty called him “wicked,” she still nestled closely against the gaudily dressed wealthy young master.
The crowd watched with amazement. Some matrons spat in Qin Yining’s direction, while unmarried girls wearing veiled hats stopped to look toward Pang Xiao. However, seeing his crude and vulgar behavior, even the most handsome man with an unpleasant personality would become annoying.
The pair, along with their two maids and Huzi, paraded through the city. Qin Yining bought plenty of rouge and jewelry, many new fabric samples, and even children’s toys like little tigers, rattle drums, and delicate pinwheels.
“The fabric samples to take back for the family to make clothes, and we can’t forget gifts for the children.” After lunch, the group had arrived at Bi Qing Lake and boarded the two-story pleasure boat they had just purchased.
Qin Yining rubbed her aching calves: “Let’s rest on the pleasure boat this afternoon. I see the scenery here is quite beautiful, and there are singers on other pleasure boats—it would be nice to listen.”
“How novel—do we need to listen to others’ music? We’ve hired our own performers, though they won’t arrive until this afternoon.” Pang Xiao smiled. “Since we’re here to show off wealth, how can we lack such displays?”
Qin Yining found a comfortable position lying on the imperial concubine’s couch and sighed contentedly: “Showing off wealth is quite tiring too. It’s not that I’m afraid of going out and strolling, but having to act while outside is quite exhausting. So the saying ‘every trade produces its master’ is true—those who specialize in cheating and swindling aren’t having it easy either.”
“Of course. What in this world is easy to do?” Pang Xiao pulled over a small stool to sit beside Qin Yining, his large hands massaging her legs and feet.
Qin Yining turned to lie on her side: “Ah, have you arranged for people to investigate the city’s situation? What exactly are the Lu family’s arrangements here? Danzhou is a large city after all, and it hasn’t been baptized by warfare. I suspect most of the business here should have Lu family involvement.”
“I’ve already arranged for investigation.” Pang Xiao continued massaging Qin Yining while speaking in low voices. “During this waiting period, let’s make ourselves as conspicuous as possible—preferably letting all of Danzhou City know that a wealthy young master has come to Danzhou, the kind who’s brainless and loves showing off.”
“Good.” Qin Yining’s eyes sparkled brightly with an eager expression.
“It seems you’re quite enjoying playing a concubine?”
Qin Yining simply gazed at Pang Xiao with gentle eyes and smiled, making his heart pound.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
Qin Yining shook her head and said softly: “I’m not enjoying playing a concubine—rather, we two rarely have such opportunities to be together. Going out strolling with you, watching you spend money like water, I find it very interesting.”
Pang Xiao’s heart was about to melt.
He understood—Yi Jie’er enjoyed being with him. Whether pretending to be a concubine or anything else, as long as she was with him, she was happy.
How could she be so soft, so well-behaved?
“Good Yi Jie’er, you’re truly wonderful.” Regardless of everything else, Pang Xiao hugged Qin Yining like holding a child.
Bingtang and Ji Yun, who were serving nearby, both blushed and tactfully withdrew, taking all the guards from this level with them.
The two spent the afternoon in the room talking and laughing, truly cherishing the present opportunity, as if they had specifically come out to travel and not waste such good times.
For the next several days, Qin Yining and Pang Xiao continued touring Danzhou City and several famous scenic spots in the surrounding areas. Since Danzhou was by the water, they mostly traveled by pleasure boat. Along the way, they enjoyed lake views and mountain scenery with cool breezes on their faces, seeing expansive vistas of high skies, broad waters, and geese flying thousands of miles, as if even the melancholy in their hearts had dispersed.
Soon, the scouts Pang Xiao had arranged brought back their findings.
“Without looking closely, we wouldn’t have known—fully half of the large and small businesses here are Lu family properties, with operations involving all trades and industries. There’s also a large Lu family residence locally, seemingly a branch closely related to the main family. The local Master Lu is a cousin of the current Lu family head.
“Additionally, the local county magistrate also has close ties with the Lu family—the magistrate’s daughter-in-law is a Lu family girl.”
Qin Yining and Pang Xiao exchanged glances upon hearing this.
“So this place has almost become the Lu family’s domain? Whether in court or commerce, the Lu family has their own networks?”
“Exactly.” The scout said. “Therefore, investigating who exactly will be responsible for the Lu family’s dealings with Guangtong Trading House is nearly impossible. First, the Lu family has leaders in all aspects—we don’t know whom they’ll arrange. Moreover, given the Lu family’s capabilities, they might not take Guangtong Trading House seriously at all.”
Pang Xiao nodded, said “thank you for your hard work,” and let his subordinate rest.
Qin Yining draped on a lined jacket, propped her chin, and tilted her head to gaze at the lake surface outside the ruyi window, saying leisurely: “This situation differs little from my expectations. Not to mention just a small Guangtong Trading House—even if the Qiu family came forward personally, those who haven’t been to Jianchuan probably wouldn’t realize what kind of behemoth the Qiu family is. How would they value this ‘small business’ of selling official positions?”
Even momentous affairs, when done regularly without being caught, become ordinary.
Qin Yining couldn’t help but think of Lu Heng.
When returning to the capital, Lu Heng had specifically come to visit. She understood his feelings for her, and he presumably understood her rejection. So Lu Heng never appeared again afterward.
Qin Yining couldn’t help wondering whether Lu Heng knew about such business dealings his family was conducting underneath.
But thinking again, if Lu Heng didn’t contribute effort, how could he influence court appointments? So Lu Heng should know about these matters.
“Now I understand what the Lu family relies on to make money. For the Lu family, such business brings profits of ten thousand percent.” Pang Xiao sat beside Qin Yining and fed her a piece of candied fruit from the table.
Qin Yining opened her mouth to take it, her cheek bulging with a lump, blinking to indicate Pang Xiao should continue.
Pang Xiao couldn’t help but touch her cheek, smiling: “Think about it—the most important thing for officials is court relationships, which is why there are small groups in court. People of the same faction clustering together to support and utilize each other is normal.
“This time the Qiu family is buying an official position. Even if they choose one of their own people, given enough time, this person will inevitably gradually become part of the Lu family faction—this is inevitable.
“The Lu family sells this position, both earning huge profits and planting one of their own in court. Such a business that kills two birds with one stone isn’t done just once. Over time, with many of their own people in court and much silver in hand, no wonder the Lu family has become such a behemoth.”
Qin Yining nodded: “Exactly this logic. I’d say people are too good at thinking of ways to make money—they can come up with any method. It’s just that continuing like this long-term, it would be difficult not to cause trouble.”
“Yes, wanting both fame and profit requires paying a great price and bearing even greater risks.”
Qin Yining looked at the lake water outside the pleasure boat window: “We’ve been here so many days without any leads. With less than a month until their transaction time, might we be too late?”
Pang Xiao’s large hand smoothed Qin Yining’s loosely arranged hair bun, smiling: “If we observe carefully, we’ll always find a breakthrough. At worst, even if they successfully complete their transaction, we still have other methods.”
Qin Yining thought for a moment and smiled with relief: “You’re right—I was too anxious.”
“Don’t be anxious. Just treat this as if we came out to travel. Business is secondary.”
If Mr. Xu and Mr. Xie heard this, they’d probably be quite angry, wouldn’t they?
However, Qin Yining was influenced by Pang Xiao’s carefree attitude and truly stopped being so anxious.
After another day passed, there were still no leads about who from the Lu family would handle this business.
But a major incident occurred in Danzhou City that everyone knew about.
Lu Zheng, the eldest young master of the Lu family in Danzhou City, had sold his childhood companion’s fiancée—someone as close as a brother—to Caixiang Pavilion. This “fiancée” who was sold was also a first-class maid serving in the Lu household, though no one knew what wrong she had actually committed.
Just from the name, one could tell what kind of place Caixiang Pavilion was.
Generally, large families like the Lu family, to preserve their reputation, would find a human trafficker to sell off servants who made mistakes rather than directly selling maids to brothels. Moreover, this sold maid was the unmarried wife of the eldest young master’s closest personal attendant.
Qin Yining sat beside Pang Xiao by a window on the second floor of a teahouse, still able to hear people discussing this matter in low voices.
Pang Xiao said quietly to Huzi behind him: “This matter is interesting. Go investigate what kind of maid this sold woman was, and how close that personal attendant and the eldest young master really are.”
“Yes.” Huzi responded and quickly went downstairs.
Qin Yining smiled: “If this matter is handled well, we might be able to use it.”
“Yes, we finally have such a breakthrough.”
Huzi’s investigation was quick. When Qin Yining and Pang Xiao returned to the pleasure boat, Huzi had already returned.
“That personal attendant is called Lu Xi. He’s an orphan the eldest young master Lu Zheng picked up as a child. They grew up together. Though called a personal attendant, everyone in Danzhou City knows Lu Xi is a significant figure—the person the eldest young master trusts most.”