Chapter 70
Even if Cui Lanyin had never seen such a sight before, the moment she stepped onto this pleasure barge, she could tell this was by far the most lavish craft sailing on the Wuyang River.
Its hull was coated in rich vermilion lacquer, and the three-story structure rising from the deck was covered in intricately carved beams and painted rafters. Silver-red curtains, thin as mist, swayed in the river breeze, wafting a delicate, orchid-like fragrance that made anyone long to step into this little haven of indulgence to see what lay within.
When they entered the largest central cabin, they found chairs made of red sandalwood carved with peony blossoms arranged in a circle. A winding, meandering trough had been carved into a central jade platform, its banks lined with exotic rocks and rare herbs to mimic a natural landscape. Water flowed in a continuous loop through the trough, carrying several unadorned, antique tea cups along its current. The rich steam rising from the water carried the aroma of the finest West Lake Dew tea.
They had set up a flowing water tea banquet right here inside the barge cabin, in the style of the ancient "winding water poetry gathering". The Jiuxing Trading Company truly had deep pockets, and Chief Steward Ji really did never settle for anything less than the best.
When Cui Lanyin's gaze fell on the line of women waiting at the side, she saw they were dressed in plain white skirts stitched with thin silver threads, their faces bare of any heavy makeup save for a faint, elegant sweep of dark eyebrow pencil. Their outfits made them look as chaste as proper daughters of good families, yet they could not hide their innate, captivating charm.
These people were truly clever, Cui Lanyin thought to herself. Since they were not allowed to host banquets for drinking and merrymaking, they had arranged for courtesans to pose as maids to wait on their guests and serve tea. She had to admire their resourcefulness.
If Cui Lanyin could see through the ruse, it was only natural that the Chief Clerk and the others would notice it too.
The Chief Clerk, Uncle Qing, and Uncle Xuan first glanced at Cui Lanyin, and saw that she remained completely unflustered even in front of these women of the pleasure quarters, looking around with undisguised curiosity. The three of them immediately regained their composure, all sharing the same thought: now that they were already here, the last thing they could do was lose face and embarrass the Second Miss.
If the Emperor decided to investigate later and punish them, they would simply accept whatever penalty was due.
Only Liu Heipi was trembling from head to toe, feeling as if the path ahead was swallowed in total darkness.
Once her curiosity was sated, Cui Lanyin turned her attention to the people seated in the chairs, and to her surprise, she spotted a familiar face.
The Chief Clerk leaned in and whispered to her, "Second Miss, the one in the stone-blue silk robe on the right is Steward Lu from the Prince Ping's manor."
Cui Lanyin raised an eyebrow. So that was it. No wonder that man surnamed Ji had spoken so boldly. They had really managed to latch onto a powerful backer.
The Chief Clerk continued, "Second Miss, a prince's official salary plus the income from his royal estates adds up to barely twenty thousand taels a year. Even with other sources of revenue, after covering the expenses of a lavish noble lifestyle, there cannot be that much left over. This matter..."
Cui Lanyin was thinking exactly the same thing. The great noble families all looked down on associating with merchants. Even if they coveted the Jiuxing Trading Company's wealth and wanted a share of its profits, they would always have their stewards handle all contact behind the scenes.
And those stewards, acting on their masters' orders, would never openly associate with Jiuxing Trading Company, let alone appear at a gathering like this in public.
Cui Lanyin said, "Send them all away. Don't let them disturb us while we talk business."
"Rest assured, Second Miss." The Chief Clerk already had a plan in mind.
Fang Dai had been watching Cui Lanyin and her party since they walked in. He noticed that they had not been awestruck by the opulence surrounding them, nor had they shown any sign of fear after laying eyes on the people seated around them.
Steward Lu rarely went out in public, so it was understandable that he might not be recognized, but the man sitting on the left was a well-known figure that anyone who had been in Yingcheng for any length of time would know. How could these people not react at all?
He leaned over to Ji Sheng and said, "These people must have some notable background. We ought to treat them with more courtesy."
Ji Sheng did not share his view. "Qilin Hall used to operate entirely in the northern regions, and only came to Yingcheng in the third month of this year. How many local dignitaries could they possibly recognize?"
He ignored Fang Dai, walked over to Steward Lu from Prince Ping's manor with a wide smile, and began to make introductions. "This is Steward Lu. I won't say which manor he serves, so as not to startle you all." Then he turned toward the left side, "And this one is..."
Before he could finish, no one paid him any mind. The Chief Clerk walked straight over to the main seat in the center, bowed respectfully, and said, "Second Miss, please take this seat."
Geng Dayou moved swiftly to drag four chairs over and place them on either side of the main seat. After that, he, Chiyun, Chiyue, and the four older Qilin guards who had accompanied them took up their positions standing at attention nearby.
"You all sit down too," Cui Lanyin said, gesturing for Uncle Qing, Uncle Xuan, and the Chief Clerk to take seats beside her, before she gracefully settled herself in the main seat.
Ji Sheng and Fang Dai were both stunned where they stood. Now where were they supposed to sit? They had never seen anyone so brazenly take over a host's home and act as if they owned the place.
Steward Lu and the other men sitting with him were all staring back and forth at the group, trying to figure out what kind of important people they could possibly be.
After sitting down, the Chief Clerk smiled at the man on the left. "Commander Xue..." He then slapped his forehead in a mock gesture. "Oh dear, my memory is failing me. You are Commander Xue now. It has been a while, I hope you have been well?"
Xue Cong looked over at him, his mind racing with confusion. As a senior officer of the Five City Infantry Division, the most important skill for him to master was knowing every detail about the noble families and high-ranking officials in the city. He had to be able to recognize who someone was with just a quick glance or a few words.
When Cui Lanyin and her party first walked in, they had all seemed like unfamiliar faces, yet Xue Cong felt a strange sense of familiarity about them. That kind of familiarity where you cannot place a person was the most dangerous feeling of all, and he had been racking his brain to think of a reasonable excuse to slip away.
Before he could come up with a way to leave without offending Steward Lu, his name was called out directly.
The man speaking had a full beard but did not look rough at all. His friendly smile made that sense of familiarity even stronger.
With the man speaking to him in such a familiar, casual tone, Xue Cong dared not be careless. He cupped his fists and bowed. "Sir, you look very familiar to me. I am sure we have met somewhere before, but I cannot recall the occasion right now. Could you give me a small hint?"
The Chief Clerk did not answer him. Instead, he turned to Cui Lanyin. "Commander Xue truly has a memory that forgets all but the most important matters. What do you think, Second Miss..."
When Xue Cong heard him put deliberate emphasis on the words "Second Miss", his eyes widened in shock. Could this be that Second Miss?
As that thought crossed his mind, the voice of the bearded man lined up perfectly with the voice of the Prince of Wei's Chief Clerk he had heard once before. Then he looked at the two female guards standing on either side of Second Miss, their builds looking exactly like the two women who had led the raid on the Xin family mansion that day.
Beads of sweat began to pop up all over Xue Cong's forehead. He was now completely certain that this Second Miss was the very same one everyone was talking about, the infamous "Cui the Second Fiery" that no one in Yingcheng dared to provoke.
Then he looked at the six guards around Cui Lanyin, all men in their forties, carrying themselves with an imposing, domineering air that could only belong to the Emperor's personal shadow guards.
The more he thought about it, the more certain he was. At that moment, even if the Prince Ping himself had been in the room, Xue Cong would not have hesitated to offend him to save himself.
He kicked his chair away, rushed forward, and bowed so deeply to Cui Lanyin that his waist was almost parallel to the ground. "Second Miss, this blind fool here failed to recognize you..."
The Chief Clerk waved a hand to stop him from saying anything further. "Second Miss has matters to attend to here. Commander Xue, you may leave now."
"Yes, sir." Xue Cong did not dare straighten up. As he backed respectfully toward the cabin door, he hurried to explain, "Second Miss, I was dragged here by Steward Lu. I have absolutely nothing to do with Jiuxing Trading Company."
"Mm," Cui Lanyin gave a slight nod. "I know."
Xue Cong did not dare linger for another second. Once he reached the cabin door, he turned and strode away. By the time Steward Lu reacted, Xue Cong had already jumped off the barge and was running off as fast as his legs could carry him.
How terrified must he be? The officers of the Five City Infantry Division knew better than anyone exactly which people could never be crossed. Steward Lu began to feel a chill of panic run through him. He stood up, cupped his fists in their direction, and said, "If this young lady has matters to discuss with Chief Steward Ji, then I... this humble servant will not disturb you." He hurried to clear his own name, adding, "Chief Steward Ji only invited me here for tea. I had nothing better to do, so I agreed to come sit for a while."
Cui Lanyin looked at him with a faint smile. "I have questions to ask you. You will stay here for a while."
Steward Lu's heart was pounding, and he did not want to stay there for another second. "Miss, I know absolutely nothing about the Jiuxing Firm's affairs, there is nothing I can tell you. I have to get back to serve my master, I hope you will understand."
Cui Lanyin gestured backward, and two Lin guards of the uncle generation flickered. In the blink of an eye, the two had blocked the cabin door, crossed their arms, and said, "Our Second Miss said no one can leave until she allows it."
Recalling the sight of Xue Cong fleeing in panic just now, Chief Steward Ji, Fang Dai and the others were all terrified, realizing they had run into a female fiend.
In contrast, the group of courtesans were still smiling, their eyes drifting over to Cui Lanyin nonstop, full of unmasked admiration and envy.
Cui Lanyin glanced past Chief Steward Ji and spoke to Fang Dai, "Why haven't you set sail? I was hoping to enjoy the scenery along the Wuyang River."
Fang Dai jolted in fright, darted to the window, and shouted orders to get the pleasure boat moving.
Before long, the painted pleasure boat glided slowly downstream along the Wuyang River.
Cui Lanyin leaned against the window looking out; from the river, the scenery on the opposite bank was clearer. Due to the national mourning period, all shops and establishments were closed, so it was a rare sight to see courtesans walking about on the opposite bank in broad daylight. Some of them were also leaning on railings, looking out at the river. After watching for a while, she spotted quite a few of striking beauty. If she did not have this pile of matters to attend to, Cui Lanyin really would have loved to just sit there and keep watching.
To her, that felt like only a short moment, but to Fang Dai, Steward Lu and the others, the time dragged on unbearably—they did not even dare to breathe too loudly the whole while.
When Cui Lanyin finally turned her gaze back to them, all of them unconsciously hunched their shoulders.
Cui Lanyin, completely unaware of their reaction, asked Steward Lu, "How much of a share did the Jiuxing Firm give your master's household?"
Seeing Steward Lu still trying to evade the truth, Cui Lanyin chuckled softly, "It would be awkward if I had to send someone to ask your Prince Ping directly about this, wouldn't it?"
At her casual, unconcerned mention of Prince Ping by name, Steward Lu's face twitched a few times, and he no longer dared to hide anything. "Chief Steward Ji promised us one-tenth of the total profits."
"What does your Prince Ping have to contribute or do for that?"
"Nothing at all. Chief Steward Ji said our prince's reputation alone is worth that one-tenth share."
"Ha!" Cui Lanyin let out a soft laugh, then turned to the Chief Clerk. "Then two-tenths of the profits for us."
The Chief Clerk caught on to her meaning immediately. He pointed to the empty seat on the left that Xue Cong had vacated and said, "Master Fang, come sit here. I recall that among the nine major proprietors of the Jiuxing Firm, there is one with the surname Fang."
Fang Dai's heart sank, realizing his identity had long been seen through. He stepped forward with his heart in his throat, and bowed deeply just as Xue Cong had done earlier. "I apologize for all the disrespect I showed earlier."
The Chief Clerk insisted repeatedly that he take a seat, so he sat down carefully on the very edge of the chair.
"You heard what our Second Miss said just now," the Chief Clerk said. "Prince Ping only offered his name, and you gave him one-tenth of the profits. Our Qilin Hall provides people, effort, and takes on all the trouble of sorting out problems for you. Asking for two-tenths of the profits is hardly excessive, is it?"
Fang Dai paused to consider, then said, "Sir, you know very well that the Jiuxing Firm has nine major proprietors. Two-tenths of the profits is an enormous sum—no single one of us can make that decision. I have to report this back and get all nine households to discuss it before I can give you a reply."
"Earlier, you yourselves were the ones who offered us a share, and after dragging things on for ages you only offered three thousandths of the profit, and then we didn't see a single copper coin for all that time. Now you're trying to say you'll only give one thousandth? Everyone says the Jiuxing Firm runs its business on trust, what a cheek you all have!" Liu Heipi, who had not gotten a chance to speak until then, cut in.
Fang Dai's face burned bright red with embarrassment, and he regretted not having stopped Chief Steward Ji when the man first brought the matter up—now he had no idea how to clean up this mess. He swallowed the bitter taste in his mouth and said with a forced smile, "It is our fault..."
"Once we disembark, that will be three-tenths of the profits." Cui Lanyin picked up her teacup, a sharp glint in her eyes.
A chill ran up Fang Dai's spine. He looked to the Chief Clerk for help, but the Chief Clerk smiled coldly, no warmth reaching his eyes. "Our Second Miss never speaks idle words."
Fang Dai turned to look at Chief Steward Ji, who had shrunk into a corner without a word. That old fraud, who only knew how to rely on his seniority, had completely ruined the Jiuxing Firm.
Being a decisive man, he made up his mind right then. "Fine, two-tenths of the profits, and Qilin Hall will continue to take care of all the original matters for us as before."
"You pay, we handle the business—no more unnecessary words." The Chief Clerk finalized the deal with one firm statement.
In just that short span of time, Fang Dai felt completely drained. He wanted nothing more than to see these "ill omens" off as soon as possible, so he could find a place to catch his breath and recover.
But unfortunately, that Second Miss seemed to have endless interest in riding the painted pleasure boat. She brought her two female guards to wander all over the boat, inside and out. It was only when Mister Song reminded her, "Second Miss, it is getting late, don't you have to head back soon?" that she ordered the boat to turn back. Half an hour later, the pleasure boat docked again at the Wensi Bridge, and Cui Lanyin finally got off the boat, looking like she still had not had her fill of the trip.
The gangplank had not yet been set firmly on the shore, and the wind was picking up. Chiyun and Chiyue pulled Cui Lanyin to a sheltered spot to stand.
Right behind them was a carved wooden window. Through the silver-red sheer silk curtain, they could see two graceful figures inside—these two women had not been seen in the main cabin earlier.
They clearly had not noticed anyone standing outside, and had no idea there was someone outside this private room. Unaware, they sighed to each other, "Even with a mask on, she looked that stunning. If she took it off, she must be unbelievably breathtaking!"
"If that face were ours, with our skills, we could make even the Emperor himself forget all his duties and spend every night in our chambers."
"I heard the Emperor is already twenty-six years old, and he still has no woman by his side. He must be useless in bed. I love to enjoy life, I don't want a noble life that's no different from being a widow. If I had a face that pretty, I'd take a new handsome, strong young lover every single night. The kind of nights tangled in sheets, how wonderful that would be."
"True enough. That lady has quite the imposing air, but she's still stuck in all those stuffy old rules. She's too reserved and proper, she'll probably never know the true joy of passion between a man and a woman her whole life."
Chiyun and Chiyue could not believe their ears, that two people would dare say such wildly bold things in broad daylight. The two of them stood there red-faced, staring blankly at Cui Lanyin, only to find that Cui Lanyin had already stepped several paces back, as if she had heard nothing at all, admiring the river view.
But if you looked closely, you could see the tips of Cui Lanyin's ears were bright red, standing out against her fair, porcelain-smooth face, looking exceptionally charming.
I saw some readers leaving messages saying they hope I can write more of this story. Right now it's looking like the plot will stretch quite a bit, I'm a bit worried I won't be able to rein it in if it gets too long [shy smile]
