Chapter 15 Brothel

Qi Cheng first went back home to change his clothes, then walked towards another street in a swagger. "Strange, I remember the academy is not on this street." Qi Sui whispered, "The second house actually let him idle away." She knew the character of the original owner's cheap second uncle very well. He regarded Qi Cheng as his apple of the eye and would always sent two or three servants to follow him when he went out

Cheng An hummed, his expression gloomy. "Has he been here before?"

"Yes."

Qi Sui looked back at him, feeling strange: "You didn't tell me."

But he turned his head away, his ears were a little red, and he was silent for a moment, then he uttered: " That's not a good place."

Qi Sui didn't understand and felt that she had to see it with her own eyes to know what it was.

Luoshui Town is the largest town in Pingyang County, with four streets in the shape of a tic-tac-toe. Qi Sui usually sells fruit on West Street. Most merchants and farmers do business on this street. Most of the North Street is teahouses, restaurants, and snack shops. She often goes to Liu Guanmin to do business and buy Some cakes. South Street is where blacksmith shops and the like are located. Carpenter Cheng's shop is also on South Street.

As for East Street, she was in a dilemma. This street was close to the residences of wealthy people and the prices were higher than the other three streets, so she had never been there. It turned out that the place Qi Cheng went to was East Street. Qi Sui looked along the street and saw shops everywhere with various signs and flags. It could be said that they had everything, and it was similar to the shopping malls in the old city in modern times.

She was just about to tell Cheng An that it felt good here, but she saw him stop and just look ahead. She looked in that direction and saw Qi Cheng turn around and enter the pavilion, which was called Yanchun Tower.

Qi Sui brainstormed and asked in surprise: "Is this a brothel?"

Cheng An nodded and repeated his previous words: "That's not a good place."

Qi Sui's understanding of brothels is still only based on the interpretations in film and television dramas. Although she doesn't know the real brothel situation, but Cheng An's reaction aggravated her stereotype of brothels, and she didn't know what to do for a moment.

System: "Host, you are not here to visit a brothel, so you don't need to worry."

"Yes!" Qi Sui thought, "I am only here to expand the industry sector."

This statement completely convinced herself, and she said to Cheng An: "Go find a shady place and wait for me there." Then she took out a tael of silver and gave it to him, "If you are tired, go to the restaurant to have a drink."

Cheng An didn't take it, as if he wanted to say something but hesitated. However, Qi Sui forced the money into his hand and turned around and walked towards Yanchun Tower.

Although she felt a little nervous, she's more curious. She felt that the brothel here might not be what she imagined. When she actually walked in, Qi Sui's mood suddenly calmed down. The layout of Yanchun Building was clear. There was a stage downstairs, and private rooms upstairs. The potted plants were placed in a staggered manner, and the overall look was very elegant.

It was past noon, the time when Yanchunlou was opening. Business was even better than that of Liu Guandi's restaurant. Although the dishes ordered by the customers were not very rich, they were more than those ordered in North Street. Qi Sui was watching intently. At this moment, a woman came forward and said with a smile: "Young lady, do you want to have a drink here? Or do you want to recite poems with the young lady in our building?"

She turned and looked at the woman. The woman wore a crabapple flower in her hair and several gold-thread carved hairpins in her temples, which made her look elegant yet not vulgar. Qi Sui guessed that she must be the madam of Yanchunlou, so she said honestly: "I am not a scholar, so there is no need to waste the literary talent of the girls. I came here today to taste the delicacies. After all, this is the famous Yanchunlou that's famous throughout the city."

The madam raised her hands to cover her mouth, revealing only her eyes, which were full of tenderness: "Young lady, you are so honest, and what you say is so comforting. It's a rare occasion for you to come here, and since it's your first time i must treat you well"

Her voice made people's hearts itch. Qi Sui took a step back calmly and said, "Don't be polite. I just come to drink."

The madam called the waiter and said, "Let Ying'er come upstairs." Then He led Qi Sui to the private room on the second floor and said, "Young lady, please sit down. Ying'er has the softest voice in the building. She can play the pipa very well and her songs are very pleasant to the ears." Qi Sui dared not accept it. She wanted to decline politely, but the madam beat her to the punch and said, "Young lady, please don't despise me. Ying'er is a prostitute in the building, and this is her first time to accompany a guest."

She frowned, feeling uncomfortable, and said seriously, "You are too polite. We are all women. We all make a living by our own skills. How can there be a distinction between high and low? They live much harder than me."

The madam was stunned, not knowing what words had made her so serious. A sound came from outside the door, like the wind blowing through the mountains and forests, rolling up a whistle, melodious and lingering.

"Madam, Sister Yun is looking for you."

Qi Sui looked over and saw the woman holding a pipa, with her eyes lowered and a faint smile. She must be the Ying'er that the madam mentioned. After the madam left, Qi Sui nodded and said, "Miss Ying'er, I'm sorry to bother you."

Ying'er shook her head slightly and walked lightly. "It's my blessing that you can come to visit me, young lady. What song do you want to listen to?" Her fingers plucked the strings of the zither, "I'll play it for you."

Just as Qi Sui waved her hand to say no, the waiter came in with a few dishes and placed them on the table one by one. Before leaving, he said to Ying'er, "Madam asked me to tell you that since it's the young lady's first time to come here, don't let her down "

Ying'er lowered her eyebrows and whispered, "Yes."

Qi Sui didn't dare to say anything else. Ying'er just raised her face slightly, with a tearful look on her face. She looked like she was about to cry, and even her voice contained a hint of grievance, "I hope the young lady can listen to my song."

"Okay... just one song, and we'll eat after you finish playing." She looked serious.

After listening to the song, Qi Sui quickly set the table and asked her to sit down with her, but Ying'er was reluctant to eat. She said, "It's okay if you don't want to eat, but can I ask you about what's going on in the building?"

Ying'er said softly, "Just ask, young lady, I will tell you everything I know."

Qi Sui pointed to the lotus water on the table and said, "The dishes here are very delicious and the dishes are more diverse than those in the North Street. I just don't know which farmers these dishes come from?

Ying'er wasn't familiar with the kitchen, but she occasionally heard the Madam and the shopkeeper chatting. So she said, "I really don't know, but I heard from the Madam that the vegetables sold by the Zhang family are much more expensive than before, so I think they are from the Zhang family."

It seems that Yanchunlou has a fixed seller. Qi Sui thought to herself, she asked again: "Then do you know which do you know which girl in the building the people in the academy care about the most?"

"Of course it's Sister Yun." Ying'er answered quickly, with a hint of pride in her eyes.

This was the second time she mentioned Sister Yun. Qi Sui became interested and wanted to know whether Qi Cheng came to Yanchunlou for Miss Yun as well.

"Then she..."

"How long will you stay?"

She was interrupted by Cheng An who came in suddenly, "Cheng An, why are you here?"

Ying'er was stunned when she saw him.

Cheng An said calmly: "You've been delayed for too long, and I was afraid you couldn't come out, so I came to find you."

But his eyes looked back and forth between Qi Sui and Ying'er.

Qi Sui hurriedly explained: "I was just talking to Miss Ying'er, it's not what you think."

"What does it have to do with me?" Cheng An's face showed no emotion, and he said indifferently: "Since there is nothing wrong, I'll go back first, Baojie is hungry too."

Just as he turned to leave, Ying'er asked, "Are you... Baojie okay?"