Translator: Cinder Translations
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Fatty: "..."
"Doctor," Fatty asked, "Where are we going next?"
Jiang Cheng held the half pouch, on one side of which were embroidered a few characters. After staring at it for a while, Jiang Cheng muttered to himself, "Mei Xian Yuan, Xiao Wan."
Fatty licked his lips, his face showing anticipation, "Doctor, this Mei Xian Yuan sounds a bit shady to me."
"It depends on who's going," Jiang Cheng put away the pouch, "If more decent people go, it becomes decent."
As soon as Fatty saw the words "Mei Xian Yuan," he subconsciously associated it with a brothel, but judging from the doctor's reaction, he guessed right.
They chose a quiet path to the edge of the courtyard wall, then climbed over one by one. Fatty kept asking the doctor if it would be dangerous to leave like this, and what if the middle-aged woman came looking for them...
"If you're scared, go back first," Jiang Cheng said naturally as they walked down an inconspicuous alley.
Fatty, following closely behind the doctor with small steps, shook his head repeatedly, "Doctor, you know me, that's not what I mean." He explained, "I mean, should we inform Xia Meng before we leave, so if the middle-aged woman comes, she can help us deal with it."
Hearing this, Jiang Cheng stopped, turned around, and looked at Fatty sideways.
Fatty felt a chill down his spine.
After a moment, without Jiang Cheng prompting, Fatty figured it out himself.
Given the relationship between the doctor and Xia Meng, if the latter knew the doctor had sneaked out to look for clues, she would probably report it to the middle-aged woman and Butler Zhou immediately.
Finally emerging from the alley, Fatty had been worried that their costumes were too conspicuous, but once they were on the street, he realized no one paid them any attention.
After asking a few people along the way, they quickly found the luxurious building.
Located at a street corner, before they even got close, a mix of rouge and powder wafted over.
Fatty entered with the attitude of broadening his horizons, but Jiang Cheng wasn't; Fatty felt he was there to learn.
The first floor of Mei Xian Yuan wasn't much different from a normal theater, with a wooden stage directly opposite. Perhaps it wasn't peak time, so there weren't many people below.
The performance on stage wasn't very captivating, and the people below chatted and drank, enjoying themselves.
"Doctor," Fatty looked around, unable to hide his disappointment, "Is this a brothel? It's too plain, not even as good as the KTV at the entrance of my neighborhood."
Pulling Fatty to a secluded spot, Jiang Cheng said, "Not everyone in a brothel is a fallen girl waiting to be saved. There are different levels here."
"Those at higher levels are talented, skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. They chat with guests, making them feel at home."
"They don't easily do what you're thinking, or they'd lower their status," Jiang Cheng said animatedly, "Only those at lower levels, with tragic backgrounds, would do that." He paused, pointing at the stairs, "And not here, they're usually upstairs."
Fatty glanced upstairs, eager, "Then doctor, let's go up quickly, save as many as we can, make this trip worthwhile."
Jiang Cheng sighed, "Did you bring money?"
"We're here to save them," Fatty said righteously, "Why would we need money?!"
"Let's go upstairs!"
"Doctor," Fatty said as they walked, listening carefully to the surroundings, "Do you think this Xiao Wan might be the ghost's name? Was she here before?"
"Probably," Jiang Cheng explained, "And because of her status, Young Master Huang couldn't marry her openly, only sneak her into the mansion at night in a sedan chair."
Fatty nodded as he thought, which matched the night wedding scene.
Jiang Cheng suddenly stopped in front of an unusually ornate door. Fatty followed his gaze to a wooden plaque beside the door, inscribed with the name "Xiao Wan."
So this was it...
Just as Jiang Cheng was about to push the door open, a sound came from inside, the sound of a zither.
"Someone's here!" Fatty was startled.
Without hesitation, Jiang Cheng instructed Fatty to keep watch nearby, then slipped inside.
The room was spacious, tastefully decorated, with zithers and pipas hanging on the walls. A low lacquered table held an unfinished game of Go, the pieces delicate and translucent, the nearby porcelain vase also of fine quality.
It was clear that the woman named Xiao Wan held a high status here.
Jiang Cheng estimated she was the top courtesan, just like himself.
Following the sound of the zither, he walked deeper until he saw a graceful figure behind a curtain. The woman sat sideways, her head bowed as she played the zither, the melody lingering in the air. A white fox fur shawl was draped over her shoulders.
It was early autumn, the weather merely cool, yet the woman needed such attire indoors, indicating her frail health.
Jiang Cheng cleared his throat, "Miss Xiao Wan?"
The zither stopped, and the woman turned around. Seeing Jiang Cheng, her face changed, "Who are you? How did you get in?"
"So you're Xiao Wan," Jiang Cheng approached, pulling out the pouch, "Can you explain this? Why is your name on it?"
"Don't come closer!" The girl named Xiao Wan sounded terrified, "I'll call for help if you come any closer!"
"Go ahead," Jiang Cheng sat down two meters from the curtain, poured himself a cup of tea, and said leisurely, "But think about what I'll say when people rush in."
Jiang Cheng showed a rogue smile, "I'll say you seduced me first, invited me here for a secret rendezvous, and our affair has been going on for a while," he paused, putting on a fierce expression, "I'll ruin your reputation."
Xiao Wan angrily said, "You think I've never met scoundrels like you?"
Jiang Cheng casually grabbed a handful of melon seeds, cracking them as he said, "You might have met scoundrels, but I guarantee you've never met one like me."
"I not only lust after your body but also your heart!" Jiang Cheng picked up a pear from the fruit plate.
Through the curtain, Xiao Wan gradually saw the rogue's face. After a moment, the young girl shook her head, "I don't believe you're that kind of person."
Jiang Cheng tapped the pouch on the table, grinning, "What, should I take off my pants to liven things up for you?"
"You're not that kind of person," Xiao Wan said firmly.
Just then, the door suddenly opened, and a big head poked in, "Doctor, hurry up," Fatty said anxiously, "There are a lot of people outside..."
He paused, his gaze instinctively falling on Xiao Wan, then he unconsciously licked his lips.
The next second—
"Don't do this!" Xiao Wan immediately looked at Jiang Cheng, pleading, "Ask whatever you want to know, sir."
(End of the Chapter)
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