"So, you suspect that Wang Fugui is actually being controlled by the Holy Maiden of the Taiping Dao?" Bai Jing suddenly understood.
"That's right," Jiang Wen said with a smile. "But we still need to see it for ourselves."
"Going to a brothel again?" Zi Yun said faintly.
"What do you mean 'again'? We're going there on official business," Jiang Wen said righteously.
… …
Pingqing Garden could be considered one of the largest brothels in the capital.
At this moment, the outside of the building was extremely lively. Several servants in charge were holding two large flags in front of the pavilion, and the madam was shouting at passersby with a smug look on her face.
Jiang Wen and the others were surprised that a brothel could be so noisy.
Li Xiangyue looked at the lively scene and sighed, wondering whose daughter had fallen into it. She thought of her own sisters who had been imprisoned and felt a bit down.
"Let's go in. There will be opportunities in the future," Jiang Wen said, standing in front to comfort her.
Places like this, where people indulge in pleasure, will always reopen even if one closes.
This isn't a legal issue, but rather a matter of the world.
Although the Great Gan Dynasty doesn't have strict requirements for relationships between men and women, and women can travel freely on the streets, it's still a feudal society at its core.
Only when productivity increases and society needs more labor will women be recognized as a necessary part of the workforce.
Only then will they gain widespread support for liberating themselves as laborers.
These things need time to develop slowly.
That way, more people will benefit, and fewer women will be sold into brothels.
Li Xiangyue was quite open-minded. She had been in Chuyun Port for more than half a year, and after a brief sigh, she composed herself.
Jiang Wen took the lead, with Bai Jing and Li Xiangyue following behind.
The madam saw him coming and was overjoyed. She bowed and hurriedly greeted him, inviting Jiang Wen and the others to the VIP area.
The madam naturally speculated about Jiang Wen's identity. Seeing his clothes and demeanor, she knew he was no ordinary person and tried her best to please him.
After all, the madam knew that if she offended these wealthy patrons, it would be difficult for her business to survive in the capital. There were plenty of famous pleasure houses in the capital, and they didn't lack for one.
"I heard you're promoting a new courtesan?" Jiang Wen asked with a smile.
The madam nodded quickly and said yes, saying that the new girl was young, had a slender waist, and fair skin, truly a top-notch beauty.
Hearing this, Jiang Wen simply nodded and said he brought friends to enjoy themselves.
The group walked to the VIP area and sat down. Looking around, they found that the VIP area was indeed the best place.
Not only was it close to the stage, but it also provided a better view of the performers' every move. If they had a favorite, they could ask a waiter to bring them over to serve.
It can only be said that in terms of eating, drinking, and having fun, the ancients were no worse than people of later generations, except for the limitations of conditions. They were all good at having fun.
As the VIP area gradually filled up, the maids of Pingqing Garden brought fruit and pastries and placed them in front of everyone.
Jiang Wen ordered some wine and asked the maids to leave for the time being.
"What would you like to eat?" Jiang Wen asked Bai Jing, who was beside him.
"Anything is fine. I'm just curious about what the courtesan they're talking about looks like," Bai Jing said with a smile. "The madam praised them so highly just now. Why don't I try it out today?"
"… …" Jiang Wen glanced at Bai Jing without thinking. Before coming, she joked about taking her to play with women, but he didn't expect Bai Jing to actually want to play with women.
But how would she play? She doesn't have a man's thing, could it be…
Putting some wild thoughts behind him, Jiang Wen asked the waiter to call for a few geishas.
The people behind the screen had already started playing drinking games, their voices as cheerful as immortals. They also called for entertainers from the building to serve them, and they were having a great time.
The geishas arrived quickly, and their eyes froze for a moment when they saw Bai Jing and Li Xiangyue sitting next to Jiang Wen. Then, a smile slowly appeared on their faces, and they bowed to the three of them.
"This humble one greets the three young masters."
"You may rise," Jiang Wen said.
The geishas stood up, looked at Bai Jing for a moment, and then asked softly.
"I wonder what this master would like to hear?"
"Sing whatever you can sing," Jiang Wen said with a smile.
The news naturally had to be obtained from the geishas. After all, they often sang with people and knew something about Wang Fugui's affairs.
The flower-viewing festival at Pingqing Garden was so lively that Wang Fugui would definitely not miss this opportunity. The noisy crowd was suitable for hiding things, but also for hunting things. This time, they came to Pingqing Garden to catch him.
However, since she had come to the brothel, she knew that she couldn't ask too much and showed a smile to the three of them.
"Then this humble one will make a fool of myself," the geisha said, picking up her zither and slowly playing it.
"Yunshang Dance Music, why do you hate me?"
No mistake, one song, one hair, one inside, one appearance, one in one, look!
… …
A long song, sung with twists and turns, like sobbing and choking.
The melodious and crisp singing voice carried a bit of helplessness and bitterness, which made the women in Pingqing Garden feel sad.
Bai Jing tasted a sip of sake, glanced at Jiang Wen who was enjoying himself, and couldn't help but feel a bit infatuated.
She kicked him without leaving a trace, which relieved her mood a bit.
"Why did you kick me?" Jiang Wen looked at Bai Jing in confusion.
"It was just an accident," Bai Jing said with a smile.
Jiang Wen was puzzled, but he didn't pursue it further.
Only the branch in his sleeve moved, and then there was no more movement.
At this time, firecrackers were set off in Pingqing Garden, bells and drums played together, and hundreds of flowers intertwined.
A lamp lit up on the large flower plate in the center of the pavilion, countless colorful clouds flew across, and flower cloths fluttered down.
There were also bronze mirrors lined up, dancers moving, and musicians singing loudly.
Countless people cheered up and down in the building, and heroes and literati from all sides stared at the flower plate, clapping and praising.
According to the geisha, today was the Hundred Flowers Ceremony of Pingqing Garden, and many guests came.
The group sat quietly in the compartment, and the performance on the flower plate had just begun.
Then there were dances, music, and acrobatics.
After a series of performances, the atmosphere at the scene reached a climax.
Scattered petals fell from the sky and scattered around.
Then, a girl wrapped in gauze and wearing gold and silver slowly walked out from the flower plate.
She wore a necklace of pearls and a fragrant ring of treasures. Her black hair was piled high, and her sleeves fluttered lightly. She wore a plain silk robe and a Jincheng skirt around her waist. Her eyebrows were like new moons, and her mouth was like a red cherry. Her skin was like congealed fat, white and flawless.
She wore golden bells on her feet, and every step she took made a tinkling sound.
Her exposed waist was like a willow, swaying with the dance.
It made everyone present feel itchy and unbearable, and they couldn't wait to hug her slender waist and favor her.
Even Jiang Wen, who was used to seeing beautiful women, had to admire the madam of Pingqing Garden for her ability to find such a charming beauty.
"You old madam are indeed capable. I wonder where this beauty came from?" Jiang Wen asked the geisha curiously.
