Yu Shang’s mind worked quickly. After asking a nearby brothel keeper, she learned that Lu Xi would be leaving soon. If she brought up selling the woman now, it would inevitably lead to a direct confrontation with Lu Xi, which would be counterproductive.
So she turned back to Pang Xiao with a face full of smiles to negotiate: “Young master, Fuxue still has a client right now, so it’s not convenient to call her out immediately. How about I personally arrange to have her sent to you later?”
Pang Xiao raised an eyebrow, feigning displeasure. “What’s this? I’ve paid silver and still have to suffer such indignity? Is my silver not real silver?”
“Oh, heavens no!” Yu Shang slapped her thigh and shook her head. “You are such a handsome, romantic, and magnanimous gentleman—how could you stoop to our level? Besides, even if someone gave us ten thousand times the courage, we wouldn’t dare deceive you. I’ll definitely have her sent to you later. If I don’t, our Caixiang Pavilion is right here—you can come back and smash it to pieces, and I’ll have absolutely no complaints. You can do whatever you want with me!”
Upon hearing this, Pang Xiao seemed somewhat appeased.
“Fine, since you put it that way, I won’t make things difficult for you. Give me her indenture contract first, and we’ll write up a deed. Then send her over later.”
“Ah, you truly are reasonable, my lord.” Yu Shang giggled and ordered someone to fetch Fuxue’s indenture contract, while having others prepare written documentation on a tray, complete with handprints.
Qin Yining stepped forward to receive these two items, examined them to confirm they were correct, then presented them to Pang Xiao.
Pang Xiao seemed impatient to look at such things, casually tossing them to Huzi behind him, then swaggered away with his arm around Qin Yining’s shoulders.
Yu Shang watched Pang Xiao’s retreating figure and couldn’t help but clasp her hands together and murmur a prayer.
Heaven be praised—they had finally gotten rid of their hot potato!
She just hoped the Lu family’s eldest young master wouldn’t come looking for trouble.
But even if the Lu family sent people, she wasn’t afraid. She would simply claim someone had forcibly bought the woman, completely absolving herself.
Qin Yining returned to the painted boat with Pang Xiao.
Bingtang and Ji Yun brought tea and refreshments, then withdrew to the side.
Qin Yining picked up a painted porcelain tea bowl and took a sip to moisten her throat. “Now that we’ve bought her, the Lu family will probably come looking soon. Have you thought about how to handle them?”
“We’ll meet soldiers with generals, water with earth. No matter how tyrannical the Lu family is, can they be more so than me?” Pang Xiao moved to sit beside Qin Yining, his large hand unceremoniously wrapping around her shoulders to pull her into his embrace.
Qin Yining burst into laughter and pushed at him. “You’ve become addicted to this embracing! Don’t make it a habit—when we return home, if you act like this, you’ll probably frighten everyone. It’s undignified and will make people laugh if they see.”
“What’s to fear? I’m originally a military rogue—what’s the point of being dignified? Besides, those big men in the army camp—how many of them haven’t left wives and children behind to fight and earn money? When they get a chance to go home, who doesn’t immediately dive into their woman’s bed? You and I are rarely together—I wish I could keep you in my arms every day. Now that we finally have a chance to be together, you still want me to follow rules? That’s completely unreasonable!”
As Pang Xiao spoke, his large hand unceremoniously roamed over Qin Yining’s body, finding her ticklish spots for sneak attacks.
Qin Yining was most afraid of being tickled, laughing heartily as she tried to dodge.
Pang Xiao controlled his strength as he teased her, loving most to see her panting with flushed cheeks, laughing as she begged for mercy. He only stopped when his beauty’s eyes glistened with tears, looking at him with a mixture of resentment and annoyance.
Bingtang and Ji Yun, accustomed to serving them, had long since withdrawn, never appearing at inappropriate times.
After the two had played and laughed for a while, Pang Xiao suddenly raised his finger in a shushing gesture.
Qin Yining looked at him in confusion, straightening up. Only then did she notice Huzi talking with someone on shore, and there were sounds of a woman’s suppressed crying from the bank.
Qin Yining was amazed by Pang Xiao’s hearing—they had been playing just now, and she hadn’t heard anything unusual.
The two left the bedroom and walked to the corridor to look out the window.
By the light of the red lanterns on the painted boat, they could see two burly men restraining a young woman wearing a short jacket and long pants with her hair in a large braid. The woman was being forced to kneel on the ground, struggling frantically with her mouth stuffed with a torn cloth, making muffled crying sounds.
Qin Yining couldn’t help but feel compassion. “She’s also a pitiable person. Once this matter is resolved, let’s release her.”
Pang Xiao smiled. “I’ll listen to you in everything.”
The two walked hand in hand onto the deck. Pang Xiao walked to the gangplank with a smile, one arm around Qin Yining, the other on his hip, legs apart, back hunched, speaking carelessly: “I told your Caixiang Pavilion to send someone—why so late? Are you looking down on this young master? Let me tell you, this young master is the eldest son of the Wan family of Guangtong Trading Company—the entire Guangtong Trading Company will be mine in the future! You people better be careful—offend me and watch your skins!”
Hearing Pang Xiao put on such airs, Qin Yining nearly couldn’t contain her laughter. She quickly buried her face in Pang Xiao’s chest and grinned to her heart’s content.
Seeing the person in his arms like this, Pang Xiao almost couldn’t maintain his act either, but relied on superhuman willpower to endure.
Below the painted boat, the brothel keeper who had brought the person quickly bowed and apologized: “Please calm your anger, young master! We absolutely wouldn’t dare have such thoughts. It’s this girl who doesn’t understand—let me speak to her carefully, and she’ll understand immediately.”
Turning around, the brothel keeper’s expression completely changed. He bent down, grabbed Fuxue’s chin to lift her face, and said through gritted teeth: “You wretched girl, I advise you to be sensible! Don’t you see what kind of place this is? This is Young Master Wan’s presence—how can you be allowed to throw tantrums here!
“You think your lover can save you? Let me be frank—no matter how high his status, he’s just a servant, only able to act based on his master’s favor! His master sold you, yet he remains reluctant to let go. If this continues, he’ll eventually lose his master’s heart, and when that time comes, he’ll barely be able to protect himself—how could he protect you? Now look at this gentleman!”
The brothel keeper stepped aside, forcing the tearful Fuxue to look at the boat: “This is a real young master! Since he’s taken a fancy to you, you can’t escape. You might as well submit to him. In the future, if you bear him a son or daughter and are granted a concubine’s status, wouldn’t your life be complete?
“This is the kind of future many girls in the building dream of—you’ve finally obtained it, so stop making a fuss and accept your fate! If you cause more trouble, I’ll throw you in the lake to feed the fish!”
Through a combination of lecturing and threats, the brothel keeper finally got Fuxue to calm down. She lifted her head, staring blankly at the tall figure standing on the deck. The lights on both sides illuminated his handsome face perfectly—sword-like eyebrows, phoenix eyes, elegant and handsome. Such a young, handsome man had specifically requested her?
Seeing her compliance, the brothel keeper finally breathed a sigh of relief. He turned to bow to Pang Xiao: “Young Master Wan, she understands now. Shall we have her come up?”
“Mm.” Pang Xiao drew out his voice and nodded. “Come up.”
The two burly men tentatively released their hold. Seeing that Fuxue didn’t struggle anymore but instead got up, spat out the torn cloth from her mouth, brushed the dust off her clothes, and followed Huzi meekly onto the gangplank, walking step by step onto the painted boat.
Seeing the person board the boat, the brothel keeper bowed with his two companions and quickly ran away like flying, finally rid of their hot potato—everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
Huzi brought Fuxue onto the deck, then stepped back to stand beside Pang Xiao.
Fuxue knelt down and kowtowed: “This servant Fuxue pays respects to the young master.”
Her voice was soft, sweet, and melodiously pleasing.
Pang Xiao hummed in acknowledgment. “Get up.”
“Thank you, young master.” Fuxue stood up and naturally looked up at Pang Xiao. With this look, she immediately froze in place.
Earlier on shore, there had been some distance, and it was night—even with lights, she couldn’t see clearly. Now, seeing him up close, Fuxue’s entire face turned red. She shyly lowered her head: “Thank you, young master, for redeeming this servant. From now on, this servant belongs to you completely. I would go through fire and water for you, be crushed to pieces without hesitation. Whatever you want this servant to do, I’m willing to do it wholeheartedly.”
Qin Yining raised an eyebrow as she watched Fuxue. Had this woman taken a fancy to her husband?
Pang Xiao frowned, saying without emotion: “Such a beauty—how could I let you suffer such hardships?”
Fuxue’s heart trembled violently. She quickly glanced up at Pang Xiao, then lowered her head again: “Whatever you command, young master. Even if you want this servant to serve you for a lifetime, I’m willing.”
So this was the kind of person she was.
Pang Xiao sneered coldly. What a waste of his Yining’s earlier compassion.
“Serving for a lifetime won’t be necessary. My painted boat lacks a rough servant girl. From now on, you’ll work properly on the boat.”
“R-rough servant girl?” Fuxue looked up in shock, her eyes wide, her small nose wrinkling as she pouted aggrievedly. “Young master wants Fuxue to be a rough servant girl? You don’t know—Fuxue was previously a head maid who served with writing implements. I can read and write. Fuxue…”
“What, you’re unwilling?” Pang Xiao frowned in distress. “This young master doesn’t like studying and has no use for a maid who serves with writing implements. I already have plenty of beauties serving me.” He said this while hugging Qin Yining’s waist tighter. “I just need a rough servant girl. If you’re unwilling, that’s fine too—I’ll have someone send you back to Caixiang Pavilion and have Yu Shang refund my money.”
“Young master, no!” Fuxue was so frightened she fell to her knees with a thud, crying pitifully. “Fuxue didn’t say she was unwilling. Whatever you command, Fuxue will agree. As long as I can follow you and serve you, I’m willing to do anything.”
Only then did Pang Xiao nod with satisfaction. He kissed Qin Yining and introduced: “This is Madam Ning, the mistress of this boat.”
Only then did Fuxue shift her gaze, which had been glued to Pang Xiao, to Qin Yining. Upon seeing her, her pupils suddenly contracted.
Her smile became stiff as she reluctantly bowed: “Greetings to Madam Ning.”
Qin Yining leaned boneless against Pang Xiao and let out a sound through her nose: “Hmph!”
Fuxue clenched her teeth and lowered her head.
Pang Xiao was nearly made to laugh by Qin Yining’s “hmph,” his mind repeatedly thinking, “How can my Yining be so adorable, how can she be so adorable!” Afraid he would laugh and give himself away if he stayed any longer, he quickly hugged Qin Yining into the cabin, casually ordering:
“You all, tell Fuxue what work to do.”