Translator – Xiao He Lian
This is a translation hosted on KnoxT, copies found elsewhere are either stolen or plagiarized. Please support the translator by reading it at KnoxT.
Chapter 26.2
Lu Yan replied: “The Wei family’s motto is that it doesn’t matter what kind of business you do, the important thing is to adapt to local conditions. When I came to Yangzhou, I saw that the streets were full of cloth shops and they were all high-quality goods. If I intervene halfway, I’m afraid I’ll have to go back disappointed.”
After hearing this, Zhao Chong was delighted, “So making wine is profitable?”
“As the saying goes, a gold bottle of sake is worth ten thousand1(This sentence uses extremely exaggerated techniques to vividly depict the richness and preciousness of fine wine). With such a high profit, it is naturally worthwhile for the Wei Family to take a gamble for it.” Lu Yan emphasized the word “high profit”.
It is true that Lu Yan’s desire to make wine was playing into Zhao Chong’s hands.
Anyone who has ever made wine knows this – three kilograms of grain and one kilogram of wine2(3 kilograms of grain can produce 1 kilogram of pure grain solid (traditional craft) liquor). If Lu Yan wants to make wine, where will the grain come from?
At present, all the grain shops and mills in Yangzhou are in Zhao Chong’s hands.
Undeniably, “Wei Huan” really caught Zhao Chong’s eye.
In his opinion, this is still a small profit at the moment. The Wei family has a big business. If Wei Huan can be recruited, it will definitely be of great use in the future.
It’s just that Zhao Chong is suspicious by nature. He has been an official for many years and has always been cautious in doing things. He has always believed that the smoother things go, the more careful he should be.
After the song in front of them ended, a few maids walked in slowly, holding lanterns, and then removed the curtain in front of them with smiles.
Five graceful women came into view.
Lu Yan suddenly realized that the drinker’s heart is not in the cup3(to have ulterior motives).
Zhao Chong didn’t want to invite him to watch a show, he clearly wanted to put a spy next to him.
Zhao Chong tapped his lips with his index finger, then turned to Lu Yan and said, “This year’s most charming Yangzhou thin horses4(During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, “raising thin horses” became a hugely profitable investment, and a large number of people specialized in this occupation. First, they financed the purchase of good-looking girls from poor families and trained them, teaching them to sing, dance, play music, chess, calligraphy and painting. When they grew up, they sold them to the rich as concubines or entered the brothel to make profits. Because poor girls are often thin and weak, the name “skinny horse” comes from this.) are all here.”
Lu Yan said nothing.
There are so many Ya Po5(牙婆 [yá pó] 名 a woman trafficking in young girls) in Yangzhou who make a living by buying and selling young women like flies clinging to the mut and they are hard to get rid of.
At this moment, a lady wearing a purple mandarin jacket took the first girl’s hand and said: “Girl, greet the guests!”
The thin horse quickly bowed her head and saluted.
Yapo called again: “How old are you?”
The thin horse said slowly: “Fifteen years old.”
“Girl, walk again.”
The thin horse responded and took two more steps.
Yapo said again: “Girl, can you turn around again?”
The thin horse moved her little feet and walked to Lu Yan. At this moment, Ya Po said again: “Show the young master your hands.”
Normally at this time, if a man falls in love with the person in front of him and is willing to hold the thin horse’s hand, then the deal is considered a deal.
But how could Lu Yan reach out?
His temples were twitching. and it was obvious that none of these five were fuel-efficient lamps. They were all trained by Zhao Chong.
Zhao Chong saw that Lu Yan had not moved yet, so he said to Ya Po: “Next!”
The unkind tone made Yapo shrink her lips in fright, and she quickly went to hold the second girl’s hand.
But after the second and third people walked around in turn, Lu Yan still made no movement.
When the fourth one made no move, Zhao Chong picked up the tea cup on the table and threw it to the ground with a “bang”.
Everyone in the room knew that Lord Zhao lost his temper, not at the Ya Po, but at Young Master Wei who was sitting on the side.
This is a translation hosted on KnoxT, copies found elsewhere are either stolen or plagiarized. Please support the translator by reading it at KnoxT.
After all, this was not the first time Zhao Chong had done this, and it was not the first time Zhao Chong had dropped this tea cup.
After all, Concubine Zhao of the county magistrate’s family, was stuffed in by Zhao Chong.
Feng Zhixian was originally a henpecked husband but he was suddenly given a concubine. The main wife in the family threw a big tantrum for a while and Feng Zhixian even regretted it for a while.
But later, don’t know what kind of charm Concubine Zhao used but in less than three months, she became pregnant with the county magistrate’s child.
The child born was a boy, and the county magistrate loved him so much.
Being forced by Zhao Chong, Lu Yan’s face was expressionless, but in fact he was furious.
After all, he is not Wei Huan of the Wei family. In his eyes, Zhao Chong is just a dog official. Even Princess Jing’an has never succeeded in stuffing concubines onto him.
Lu Yan turned the ring in his finger.
He really couldn’t do it….sacrificing himself for his country.
But he knew that as long as he wanted to board this pirate ship, he should pick one girl out of the five. If he accepted, everything would be fine. If he refused, he would not be able to stay in Yangzhou any longer.
The Supervisor of the County government, the provincial governor and the governors not far away from Yangzhou colluded with each other. If they wanted to kill a merchant’s son, it would be too easy.
Lu Yan turned his head and said coldly: “Which one does Lord Zhao find agreeable?”
When Zhao Chong heard this, his face lit up with joy.
He pointed at the fifth girl and said, “Come here.”
The fifth girl is called Fuman. She is very charming and seductive. When these girls usually meet guests, they don’t wear much, so it’s really hard to conceal their seductiveness.
Zhao Chong said: “She looks good. Although she is not as good as the one in Brother Wei’s house, she is better because the figure still has some flavor. The skinny horse here have always been docile and will not disturb the Wei family.” .”
Lu Yan chuckled and said in a low voice: “Is that so.”
As long as Lu Yan is willing to accept it, Zhao Chong will naturally not care about his previous anger. After all, in his opinion, this is the biggest difference between court officials and businessmen.
Even if a businessman has gold and silver, they will eventually seek the protection of the yamen. If they obey, they can make a fortune together. If they don’t obey, they will only have to pack up and leave.
Lu Yan picked up the wine glass on the side and drank it in one gulp. His Adam’s apple bobbed and he said coldly: “Then I’ll listen to Lord Zhao.”
Zhao Chong knew that he had agreed.
He stood up and gave Ya Po a sum of money, then turned around and said slowly: “This girl is even a meet-and-greet gift to you from me as your brother.”
Lu Yan did not answer.
Zhao Chong waved to Fuman and said, “Go, you can go home with your husband today.”
Fuman was overjoyed and first said to Zhao Chong, “Thank you, My Lord.” Then she said to Lu Yan, “Greetings, husband.”
Lu Yan didn’t look at her, but stood up slowly, “I’m afraid she won’t be able to go back with me today. The other courtyards in Heron Garden have not been cleaned up yet. Please give me two days, Lord Zhao. I will send someone to pick her up after two days.”
Zhao Chong patted his shoulder and said, “She is yours now. Of course Brother Wei will pick her up when he says he will.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Lu Yan saluted and said, “I still have things to do, so I’ll leave first, so I won’t disturb your honor’s pleasure.”
Zhao Chong narrowed his eyes and still smiled: “Brother Wei, please go ahead, I won’t see you off.”
After Lu Yan left, Steward Wei whispered in Zhao Chong’s ear: “My Lord, I can see that this young master of the Wei family is rebellious, I’m afraid he is not easy to handle.”
Zhao Chong smiled and shook his head, “This Wei Huan is quite a temperamental person. If he accepted it with a smile today,l I would have felt he was no good and I appreciated him even more after he showed his anger at me.”
“But he didn’t take Miss Fu away either?” said Steward Wei.
“The one in his family is really a seducer, otherwise I wouldn’t have sent Fuman out. He went back first this time, probably because he wanted to appease the beauty.” Zhao Chong sighed.
His gaze was like that of a passerby, smiling at all the infatuated men in the world.
Looking back when he was also in his twenties, he only had his wife in his heart.
But people’s hearts are fickle, and no matter how much love there is, it can’t resist the new temptations. If there is one concubine, there will be a second one.
——
After returning to Heron Garden, Lu Yan had a serious face.
He looked like everyone owed him hundreds of thousands of money. Even Yang Zong didn’t dare to say anything.
He walked to the door of Chunxi Hall and happened to see Shen Zhen and Tang Yue arranging vases at the entrance. She was pointing here and there and he didn’t know what Tang Yue said, which caused her to laugh a little.
Lu Yan paused.
He strode towards Chunxi Hall. When Shen Zhen saw him, she quickly called: “My Lord.”
Lu Yan’s eyes were as dark as a pool of stagnant water, and the heavy aura around him was like an underworld envoy coming up from hell to catch someone.
He stopped and said to Shen Zhen, “Come in with me.”
Shen Zhen looked back at Yang Zong and asked him, “What’s going on?”
Yang Zong spread his hands with an expression on his face that said, “If you don’t know, then I don’t know either.”
Shen Zhen entered the room anxiously and stood beside him obediently.
He coughed slightly and said: “Go and clear out the Qiuzhu Garden in the south tomorrow, no, clean the Dongli Garden in the north, and do it as soon as possible.”
Shen Zhen nodded and asked softly: “Is there anyone who wants to stay?”
Lu Yan put his hands on his temples and took a long breath, “Zhao Chong is sending a Yangzhou thin horse.” After saying that, he subconsciously looked into her eyes.
Shen Zhen was a little surprised, Yangzhou thin horse…this was a very foreign word to her.
Lu Yan looked at the surprise in her eyes, guessing that she didn’t know what Yangzhou’s thin horses mean. So he said, “Those skinny horses were trained by someone…” Suddenly, he felt that some words were not suitable for her to listen to, so he said, “Anyway, stay away from her. It’s best not to talk to her. In the future, when you’re at home, remember not to call me My Lord.”
Shen Zhen suddenly realized it and nodded, “I understand.”
On the way back, Lu Yan thought about how she would react in countless ways.
He thought that she would be red-eyed, thought she would say that she doesn’t want to be under the same roof with that kind of woman, thought…
He didn’t expect her to accept it quite happily.
Lu Yan bowed his head and turned the white jade ring on his hand, thinking about what to do in the future, when he heard Shen Zhen anxiously say from the side: “After she moves in, she is your concubine. If she talks to me, how can I not respond?”
As soon as she finished speaking, Lu Yan pinched her face and said in a sullen tone, “You’ve thought this through, haven’t you?”
Seeing that he was angry, Shen Zhen quickly pursed her lips. This means not to say anything anymore.
Seeing her understanding, he slowly loosened his grip again.
But this suffocating feeling that Zhao Chong gave him still made him unable to swallow it down.
