Chapter 1832 - Suspension for Rectification
Today she had been silently practicing pipa tunes in her room. He Xiaoyue possessed no natural talent for the four arts of refinement—zither, go, calligraphy, and painting. Though her natal family had been wealthy, girls were not valued at home; knowing a few characters was considered a proper upbringing. Now, learning from scratch proved harder than for the younger pipazai. Her constant mistakes in fingering had put an increasingly unpleasant expression on Mu Yun's face.
He Xiaoyue had been beaten into terror by Sister Yao and dared not slack off. Though Miss Mu Yun wielded neither bamboo board nor rattan cane, He Xiaoyue understood she was meat on the chopping block—they could prepare her however they wished.
Midway through practice, a cleaning maid had suddenly appeared. Without explanation, she seized He Xiaoyue, led her through a passageway, out the back, and onto this pleasure boat. There they bound her hands and feet, threw her onto the cabin bed, stuffed a rag in her mouth, and warned: "No talking, no moving around. Someone will attend to you shortly!"
Terror gripped her. From the idle chatter of maids, servants, and prostitutes over recent days, she had learned that the brothel sometimes sold "has-been" prostitutes with poor business or advancing age to foreign merchants or water-based brothels. If the woman was unwilling, they simply bound her and shipped her out by boat. Had the brothel concluded she was "rotten wood that couldn't be carved" and decided to sell her off?
Being sold to a foreign merchant as a concubine could be considered "returning to virtue"—leaving prostitution behind. For He Xiaoyue, this should have been a blessing. But she thought otherwise. Foreign merchants came from all corners of the empire. Once sold, she would never return to her hometown. Furthermore, those who bought "has-been" prostitutes cheaply were mostly mid-level traveling merchants from remote areas with modest finances. Such men invariably had a First Wife running the household back home. Buying a former prostitute would hardly lead to a life of luxury—it amounted to purchasing a servant for the family. And with husbands away on business for years at a time, household authority rested with the First Wife. A kind one might allow survival; a cruel one would drive the concubine to labor like a slave until she died of exhaustion and abuse within a few years.
Worse yet would be sale to a water-based brothel. That fate defied description.
The thought of resale struck her like a thunderbolt, just as when she had first learned she was sold to this place.
He Xiaoyue struggled upright on the bed. Fortunately, the ropes only bound her hands and feet separately rather than hogtying her into complete immobility. She managed to shift from the bed to the floor, and leaning against chairs and tables, inched her way toward the window.
Though she didn't know this pleasure boat belonged to Fangchun Court, judging by the cabin's furnishings, it must belong to a wealthy family. Her fear intensified—were they truly selling her to a water-based brothel?
The windows of this pleasure boat weren't fully fitted with Australian glass. Though glass was transparent, it proved inconveniently too transparent for those engaging in "flower boat" activities. Thus the windows bore a unique design: surrounding frames of fine wooden lattice pasted with colored silk gauze, with only a lotus-shaped pane in the center inlaid with glass.
This allowed light and viewing while preventing the "spring scenery" inside the cabin from leaking to the outside world.
He Xiaoyue managed to stand by leaning against a small table. Peering through the glass pane, she saw a river jetty outside where many pleasure boats and flower skiffs appeared to be moored.
Amid her terrified hesitation, she suddenly heard voices. Glancing sideways, she spotted a young man with close-cropped "Kun-style" hair dressed in black, speaking with someone—someone she recognized: Sister Yao.
She had seen such young men on the streets of Guangzhou. They were called "policemen," similar to the former bailiffs and yamen runners. After escaping the Hall of Chastity and being placed in the Benevolence Hall, He Xiaoyue had observed the policemen's conduct. She knew their reputation was good—far superior to the old bailiffs.
What is a policeman doing here? Puzzled, she watched him appear to reprimand Sister Yao, while Sister Yao blocked the gangplank at the bow, seemingly preventing him from boarding.
He Xiaoyue shivered. This policeman wants to board the boat!
Though she didn't understand why, if a policeman wanted to board, there must be a case. She wanted to cry for help but feared the police and brothel were in collusion—that shouting would only bring more beatings and abuse. As she hesitated, a thought struck her: If they truly were in league, why would Sister Yao so desperately block his way? Clearly something on this boat was meant to stay hidden from the police.
Certainty crystallized within her. But her mouth was stuffed with cloth; she couldn't speak to cry for help. She knew that if she didn't make a sound now, she would never have another chance.
Yet the cloth was jammed too tightly; her tongue couldn't push it out. He Xiaoyue looked around. Nothing in the room could help. Fearing the policeman might give up and leave—that she would lose her last chance—she steeled her heart. She managed to seat herself on the table, pulled up her legs, closed her eyes, and kicked as hard as she could at the glass window pane, heedless of the consequences.
Li Ziyu was tangling with Sister Yao. Watching her invent excuse after excuse to block his inspection, he became increasingly certain that Mingnu was on board. Just as he was about to order soldiers to seize Sister Yao, a crash rang out from the boat. He looked toward the sound and saw a cabin window shattered, with two small feet protruding through the broken glass.
At the sight, Sister Yao's entire body trembled and she nearly collapsed. Li Ziyu knew something was definitely amiss on that boat. He immediately shoved Sister Yao aside, shouted "Take her!", leaped onto the gangplank in one stride, and boarded the pleasure boat.
Two doufenshui—male servants—had been guarding the vessel. Seeing Li Ziyu board with his men in aggressive formation, they realized the game was up. Not daring to obstruct officers on duty, they stepped aside.
"Search!" Li Ziyu commanded. Several National Army soldiers immediately fanned out.
Within moments, the soldiers brought out a woman. She appeared seventeen or eighteen, with a pretty face but looking haggard and pale. Her clothes were bright, but her hair was disheveled and her frame gaunt. Blood seeped from her feet—presumably from kicking through the glass.
The moment she saw Li Ziyu, she collapsed to her knees, crying, "Officer, save me! Officer, save me!"
A soldier reported, "She was alone in the cabin, bound hand and foot, with a cloth stuffed in her mouth..."
Seeing it wasn't Mingnu, Li Ziyu felt his anxiety spike and his face turn iron-cold. He addressed Sister Yao with ice in his voice: "No wonder you refused to let me inspect. So your pleasure boat harbors quite a distinct 'illness.'"
Realizing she could no longer conceal the truth, Sister Yao stammered, "This... this lowly one doesn't know where she came from..."
Sensing an opportunity, He Xiaoyue hastily crawled forward on her knees, knocked her forehead against the deck several times, and wailed, "I beg the officer to save me! They... they are forcing a respectable woman into prostitution!" She collapsed on the ground, weeping.
Though Li Ziyu hadn't found Mingnu and remained anxious, He Xiaoyue's appearance proved Fangchun Court had major problems. He had originally intended to force Sister Yao to reveal Mingnu's whereabouts then and there. But on second thought, with He Xiaoyue as leverage, Fangchun Court had run straight into the muzzle of the "Custom Industry Rectification Campaign." They would be at his mercy. He could tear the brothel apart board by board searching for Mingnu if necessary—no need to stand here negotiating politely. His mind made up, he addressed He Xiaoyue:
"Don't cry, Miss He. I understand your plight. Come back with us to assist in the investigation. Don't be afraid. The laws of the Great Song are the guardian gods of the people. We will never wrong a good person nor let a bad person escape. Whatever grievances or mistreatment you've suffered, you can tell us in detail at the station."
Hearing this, He Xiaoyue's heart finally settled. She kowtowed again: "This humble servant prays to gods and Buddhas for the officer's enduring prosperity! Everything is as the officer decides!"
Li Ziyu turned to Sister Yao with a cold sneer. "Fangchun Court isn't your family property. Is it worth such devoted loyalty? Like a clay bodhisattva crossing a river, you can barely save yourself. I suggest you be sensible."
He signaled to the soldiers: "Chain them all! Take them away!"
Li Ziyu ordered two soldiers to remain on the boat and search it thoroughly, ensuring no secret compartments remained. He led the others back to the flower hall. Sister Han Qiao had been waiting in mounting anxiety. She had wanted to send a maid to check the situation, but Zhao Gui—who looked dull and slow—proved absolutely immovable. When he said no one was leaving, he meant no one was leaving, no matter how she wheedled.
Just as her anxiety peaked, she saw Li Ziyu emerge from the back with a stern face. Sister Han Qiao sensed disaster. Then she spotted He Xiaoyue stumbling along behind him.
It struck her like a thunderbolt to the skull. She nearly collapsed.
Li Ziyu walked up to her and sneered, "Madam Han, I see your establishment has quite a few tricks up its sleeve..."
Sister Han Qiao suppressed her panic and forced a smile. "Master Yu, this humble servant doesn't understand..."
Old Man Fang saw things had gone south and hurried forward to smooth things over. "Master Yu! Madam Han was confused for a moment. She's an old resident here, someone who knows rules and reason. Since the Great Song arrived, she hasn't dared violate any regulations. It's merely old habits that couldn't be changed immediately. I beg you to show mercy..." He winked repeatedly at Sister Han Qiao as he spoke.
Sister Han Qiao was about to add something, but Li Ziyu gave them no opportunity. He cut them off: "Save those words for the bureau. Fangchun Court privately concealed women of unknown origin and forced respectable women into prostitution. Business is suspended for three days for rectification! Punishment will be determined after investigation. Ah Gui, take all involved personnel into custody!"
The courtyard erupted into chaos. Prostitutes, maids, and male servants all held their breath, not daring to speak. They had never witnessed such a thing—a mere policeman looking around, and because of one purchased woman, he arrested the madam and shut down the brothel! Even the headmen of the Fast Squad in the old days had never done such a thing.
Li Ziyu instructed Zhao Gui to take Sister Han Qiao back first and report the situation at Fangchun Court to Lian Nishang, the Executive Deputy Leader of the "Clean-up Custom Industry Working Group."
"Tell the Second-Level Commander: I believe there may be other illegal activities here requiring further investigation. Requesting reinforcement from the bureau." Li Ziyu announced this with deliberate authority.
(End of Chapter)