Chapter 1831 - Pleasure Boat
Li Ziyu had no interest in the painted beauties arrayed before him. His gaze swept past them to settle on the pipazai—the young trainees. Fangchun Court maintained six or seven of them year-round, ranging from early childhood to eleven or twelve years of age. The older ones had already acquired an air of coquettish charm; the younger remained blissfully ignorant of what awaited them.
But Mingnu was not among them. Anxiety coiled in Li Ziyu's chest. Gao Chongjiu's intelligence was usually reliable. If the girl wasn't here, Sister Han Qiao must have hidden her somewhere.
"Master Yu, here is the house roster for your inspection." Huang Xiang approached with a stack of account books. Under the new management regulations, every brothel was required to maintain "sound ledgers" available for Public Security Section review at any time.
The authorities had recognized that comprehensive record-keeping posed difficulties for such establishments, so currently only two types were enforced: a personnel roster documenting every employee from the madam down to the cleaning maids, and a guest register following inn conventions for anyone staying overnight.
Li Ziyu opened the roster and turned the pages slowly, his eyes unfocused until he reached the section registering the pipazai. Seven names were recorded, each listing both their "flower name" acquired upon entering the house and their real name—a regulatory requirement that Fangchun Court had dutifully obeyed.
Neither flower names nor real names included Mingnu. He reasoned that since Cao Huangshi had sold her from her natal home, she might be registered under the surname Huang—but none of the seven girls bore that name either. He counted the pipazai present; the number matched.
Li Ziyu set down the roster. "Is everyone in the house gathered here?"
"All here! Every soul!" Sister Han Qiao assured him. At a pointed glance from Huang Xiang, she hastily added, "There is one Miss Yue Wan who was originally of our house, but she has been 'combed' by the Eldest Young Master of the Liang family. She is now considered Young Master Liang's kept woman. Though she still resides in a courtyard here, she no longer receives guests and is not under the house's management—"
"I'm aware of this." Li Ziyu nodded. He had learned as much during his last "investigation" accompanying Lian Nishang. Such arrangements were common in brothels. "I mean, is there anyone not recorded in the register?"
Sister Han Qiao's heart lurched. Has this policeman caught wind of something? She stole an involuntary glance at Old Man Fang, her smile never wavering. "No, no—how would this humble servant dare violate your rules? Everyone is truly recorded in the books. Anyone else would be Miss Yue Wan's personal maids, but they belong to the Liang household and have nothing to do with this establishment."
Li Ziyu caught that tiny flicker of unease. He knew something was amiss, and confidence settled into his bones. Closing the register, he said pleasantly, "I trust Madam Han's word. No need to call roll. However, the new regulations include provisions for fire and theft prevention. I wonder if you've implemented them all?"
"Master Yu, since you yourself ordered these measures, how would we dare neglect them? The water buckets and fire sand you mentioned last time are all prepared. If you doubt me, I'll take you to inspect them personally."
Li Ziyu laughed heartily. "Good, good! I did intend to inspect. In that case, please send someone to lead the way. I wish to examine the premises." Before Sister Han Qiao could respond, he added, "As for everyone else, please remain here. After my inspection, I still must deliver a lecture on the regulations. No one is to disperse." He turned to Ah Gui. "Keep order here. Don't disturb anyone, and don't let anyone wander off. I'll return shortly."
"Yes!" Zhao Gui responded.
The order to remain in place meant no one could move freely through the brothel. Finding a hidden person would be far simpler this way, and it prevented them from relocating her on the fly.
Sister Han Qiao felt another jolt of alarm. Li Ziyu was behaving strangely indeed. She had no grounds to refuse a police inspection—moreover, his stated reason was legitimate, and she herself had just invited him to "go look if you don't believe me." Those words had been mere courtesy; he had seized upon them immediately.
An old woman collapsed by a child—she had walked straight into this youngster's trap! She cursed inwardly while maintaining her radiant smile. "Very well, allow this humble servant to lead the way—"
"That won't do," Li Ziyu interrupted with a slight smile. "Madam, you are the master of this entire house. I dare not trouble you. I think this Sister-in-law Yao should guide me."
Sister Han Qiao wanted to protest, but his expression permitted no argument. "Yes, yes," she relented, turning to Sister Yao. "Go lead the way for Master Yu. Serve him well!" She winked meaningfully as she spoke.
Though worried, Sister Han Qiao wasn't completely panicked. Recent weeks had brought frequent police visits to Lefang Street for random inspections and lectures, and she had made certain preparations.
Sister Yao curtseyed hastily. "This servant understands!"
Li Ziyu selected a few capable National Army soldiers to accompany him through the courtyards one by one.
Fangchun Court was vast. The layered buildings, corridors, and courtyards twisted and turned beneath carved beams and painted rafters. The National Army soldiers, men from poor backgrounds, clicked their tongues in amazement. Even Li Ziyu, who possessed some worldly knowledge, found his eyes widening.
Because the personnel had already been assembled in the front courtyard, the inner premises lay quiet and empty. Sister Yao guided Li Ziyu's group through each courtyard as requested. When they reached the rear quarters with still no sign of Mingnu, his anxiety sharpened.
He had suspected Mingnu might be concealed in one of the rooms, but throughout their tour, he had entered whichever courtyard he pleased. Sister Yao never stopped him from entering any room, clearly displaying the confidence of one who knew no one was hidden there. He wondered if Gao Chongjiu's information had been wrong. Yet he remembered Sister Han Qiao's reaction to his question about "people not on the register," and the look that had passed between her and Old Man Fang—there had to be some trick.
The girl was still in the brothel, hidden somewhere. Li Ziyu steeled himself. Today I'll turn this place inside out if I have to.
Emerging from the back courtyard, Sister Yao visibly exhaled in relief. "Master Yu! You've seen all the rooms in Fangchun Court, high and low. What other instructions do you have?"
She had noticed his anxiety but feigned nonchalance, secretly gloating: Even with your official hat, you'll still drink my foot-washing water! How many days have you been on the job?
Li Ziyu stopped walking and steadied his breathing. He remembered his instructor at Wanshou Palace saying that one must find clues in the details. Was there anything he had overlooked?
His eyes fell upon a small door set into the back courtyard wall. He pointed. "What is this place?"
"Nothing special—it opens onto the river jetty." Sister Yao smiled accommodatingly. "Beyond lies the embankment."
"Open it."
"This..." Sister Yao hadn't expected him to want this door opened. She froze, stammering, "Master Yu, beyond this door is the riverbank. Step through and you've left the courtyard entirely—"
"I told you to open it, so open it." Li Ziyu's face turned cold. "You say it's an embankment, so it's an embankment?"
Sister Yao was caught in a bind. She hesitated. "This... this servant doesn't have the key to this back door..."
Seeing her panic, Li Ziyu knew something strange lay behind that door. He barked: "Men!"
The soldiers stepped forward. Li Ziyu ordered, "Smash the door!"
They immediately complied, raising their rifle butts. Sister Yao's composure shattered. "Don't smash it, don't smash it! I'll fetch the key!"
"You—" Li Ziyu pointed at a soldier. "Go with her."
With no other recourse, Sister Yao retrieved the key and opened the door.
Beyond lay the White Goose Pool. Stone steps descended from the embankment to the water's edge, where a pleasure boat was moored.
Li Ziyu's eyes lit up. "This is your establishment's pleasure boat, isn't it?"
The brothels along Lefang Street often kept their own pleasure boats for water excursions, typically moored at the river jetty behind their premises.
The boat bore a plaque reading "Bang Han"—"Near Cold"—which was indeed Fangchun Court's vessel. Before this inspection, Li Ziyu had done his homework with Gao Chongjiu's help, gaining a rough understanding of the establishment's operations.
Sister Yao's face drained of color. She forced composure: "This pleasure boat isn't ours. Someone probably couldn't find mooring space and borrowed this spot... it happens all the time..."
Li Ziyu let out a dry laugh, confidence surging through him.
He Xiaoyue was locked in the boat's cabin. The brothel's treatment over recent days had broken her. She had long abandoned thoughts of preserving her virtue unto death; survival had become compromise, and compromise had become resignation. Sensing the timing was right, Sister Yao had switched from beatings to gentle persuasion. Someone removed her shackles and applied medicine to her wounded skin. The kitchen began sending elegant dishes with meat and vegetables. Last night's meal had even included a small bottle of Suzhou Hualu wine—she hadn't smelled wine in years.
Under such honeyed inducements, He Xiaoyue's will gradually eroded and her psychological defenses collapsed. Sister Yao visited occasionally with further words of persuasion, and she had effectively surrendered. A few days ago, Mu Yun had come to teach her the pipa. He Xiaoyue knew this was preparation for selling smiles—but she dared not think or say "no" anymore, half-refusing and half-accepting as she learned.
Though she had resigned herself to fate—knowing the rest of her life would reduce her to a prostitute leaning against doorframes to sell herself—He Xiaoyue still felt despair wash over her in the dead of night. Tears soaked her pillow, and thoughts of ending it all crept into her mind.
Yet since ancient times, the only true difficulty has been death itself. Though He Xiaoyue contemplated "dying" again and again, she could never summon the final resolve.
(End of Chapter)