Chapter 125 Redlight: Brothels and pleasure houses.

Chapter 125: The World of Wind and Dust: Pleasure Houses.

In the capital.

The weary spring breeze swept over every tile and grain of sand, awakening this bustling, ancient kingly city. On the ridgepoles, mythical beasts were joined by a few gray doves resting their feet. The streets were crowded with people, winding rooms and secret chambers, all descending into darkness as the day faded with the setting sun.

"Drifting Years" was the most exquisite pleasure house in the capital. Its guests were all high-ranking officials, nobles, and imperial relatives, individuals of such weight that disrespect was unthinkable. Thus, the establishment's security was exceptionally tight, with a labyrinthine, airtight wooden structure, and on every floor, burly thugs patrolled and kept watch.

At dusk, thick and heavy, the business of Drifting Years was at its peak. The girls, having rested and gathered their energy all day, donned red and green, fluttering their handkerchiefs to lure customers, bustling and noisy, so loud that one could not hear a word from a foot away. The fragrant powder permeating the air was like an invisible viper, hissing and spitting its venom, enticing the passing men to open their purses.

The girls of the establishment were famed far and wide for their beauty and wit, their sweetness. In the back courtyard, there were specially trained "thin horses" (courtesans). High officials and nobles flocked to the venue, so much so that the madam had to set aside a separate area for parking carriages to avoid blocking the streets. Even so, carriages and horses frequently clogged the entrance, creating an impassable jam.

Tonight, the situation was unusual. The jostling carriages and horses voluntarily made way, and a low-key yet luxurious blue wool carriage pulled up to the entrance of Drifting Years. Onlookers gasped, whispering that it carried a famed courtesan from Jiangnan, a peerless beauty comparable to Xi Shi or Bao Si.

Madam Liu Ruyan came to greet her in person. She was in her forties, with fine wrinkles carved by time at the corners of her eyes, and her figure had grown somewhat plump. Yet, her business had flourished without end for many years.

Over the years, she had relied on being diplomatic, making friends far and wide, and absolutely never offending those who should not be offended. Tonight's young lady was of paramount importance. She had to oversee the operation herself, or years of business would be ruined in an instant.

"Miss Yingge has arrived, please."

As soon as the carriage stopped, Liu Ruyan shook out her handkerchief, put on her practiced fake smile, stepped forward, and lifted the ornate tasseled curtain of the sedan chair.

In their trade, there was a rule: the girls used stage names, not their real names. First, because their true names were given by their parents, and they dared not defile them. Second, it made it easier to shed their brothel identity once they left the life.

Yingge was naturally not the real name of the woman in the sedan chair. Liu Ruyan lifted the curtain and saw a young woman with apricot eyes like black mercury pellets, her features bright and sweet, a cascade of hair flowing over her shoulders—a breathtaking beauty. Her blue gown was embroidered with roses.

Liu Ruyan had been in the pleasure trade for years, yet even she felt her heart skip a beat at the sight of such beauty, clicking her tongue in amazement.

Recalling the instruction from above—"The young lady is the master's sister, but she is rather stubborn. She is here to learn the rules. Under no circumstances may she be defiled"—Liu Ruyan knew at once: this was a noble concubine, a darling toy in the palm of a high official, a pampered and cherished seductress.

With a single glance, Liu Ruyan lowered the veil of the hooded hat according to the rules, covering the young woman's face tightly.

The girl's hands were tied behind her back. She was quiet, not struggling, showing no sign of stubbornness or defiance.

A clever one, Liu Ruyan thought. In this place, the more you struggle, the more hardship you'll eat. Even if you're a phoenix flying in the sky, you have to tuck in your feathers and lie low.

The girl's true nature was certainly not as docile as she appeared. She must have done something treacherous, like cursing or striking her master. Otherwise, with such a captivating appearance, her master would want to keep her at home and cherish her—why would he be so cruel as to send her here for "instruction"?

Liu Ruyan understood and silently remained vigilant.

"Come, Miss Yingge, we're home."

Liu Ruyan called two strong girls to help the honored guest down, untied the ropes around her ankles, and slowly supported her into the building.

The other girls cast curious glances, a mix of envy, jealousy, and hatred. Even the customers forgot to be served.

In all these years, when had the fierce Madam Liu ever personally attended to anyone? The most famous courtesans or the most fiery women would be locked in a dark room for three days, starved and dehydrated, then given a round of needle torture before they submitted. There was no need for Madam Liu to be as respectful as if she were serving a Bodhisattva.

Look at Madam Liu's waist—she was bending lower than the girl herself.

"Miss Yingge, this is your private chamber. Cool in summer, heated in winter. Maids and servants are at your beck and call. There's a separate small kitchen for you. Just tell us if you need anything. The outside is noisy and chaotic, but your chamber has an extra door that is usually locked to keep out any lecherous men who might disturb your peace. Are you satisfied?"

Liu Ruyan introduced with enthusiasm.

The woman in the hooded hat sat quietly for a while, as if getting used to the sticky air of the brothel, before nodding gently.

Yingge was not her real name. Her name was Tian Qin. When her mother gave birth to her, it was in a brothel. Now, after all these twists and turns, she was back again.

Tian Qin lifted the curtain. Her eyes, which had only recently regained their sight, were devoid of joy or sadness. After all, in the hands of that man, any cruelty was to be expected.

Liu Ruyan saw her cold, resilient demeanor and knew she was indeed not easy to handle. In her establishment, the thing she feared least was a person with desires—the desire to escape, the desire for money, the desire for food, the desire for material things. Desires meant weaknesses. What she feared most was a "dead person"—a walking corpse without desires or wants, a living dead. Such people had no family, no attachments, nothing to seize upon, and thus they would never compromise.

Normally, when encountering such a "dead person," Liu Ruyan would lock them in a dark room, beat them, and let them slowly die. But this time was different. This was a valued guest. The master had repeatedly instructed that not a single piece of her flesh was to be harmed. Only "gentle training" was allowed. She was faced with a truly thorny problem.

"Then, Miss Yingge, you rest for now. Tomorrow I'll take you for a walk around the establishment," Liu Ruyan said, seeing that the other remained silent. A walk around the establishment meant little; this girl was her master's exclusive forbidden fruit, not to be seen by anyone.

Tian Qin remained unmoved.

She was not entirely a "dead person" yet, but she was secretly observing her surroundings.

The business of Drifting Years was divided into three types. The first was in the elegant front-yard rooms, where guests only listened to songs and did not stay overnight, often a gathering place for young nobles of the capital—the cheapest rate. The second was for overnight stays, slightly more expensive. The third and most expensive was when guests directly bought well-trained young ladies to take home as concubines or for private entertainment—the trade in "thin horses."

No matter which type, the girls had absolutely no dignity. The guest was heaven, the madam was earth. They were playthings serving high officials and nobles. If a drunken noble beat or injured a girl to death, the compensation went to the brothel, not to the girl's family.

Escape was absolutely forbidden. Any thought of leaving without being redeemed was a pipe dream, punishable by the harshest penalties, such as being locked in a water dungeon—a taboo not even to be mentioned.

Liu Ruyan had set a series of rules for the girls under her. Bodyguards patrolled constantly. At night, when serving clients, they could not fully close the doors, nor could they secretly keep any gifts from the clients. The girls appeared to live in silk and finery, but they were truly caged birds.

At this moment, Tian Qin's expression was as tough as silk flower vine. She neither caused a fuss nor wept. She was terrifyingly quiet. The location of her chamber was on a closed attic. She had been secretly sent here, and no one knew that the Five Finger Mountain pressing down on her was the Xie family.

Here, she would serve only Xie Tanwei.

Placing her in a brothel was indeed a good method: she didn't have to become a concubine, and he didn't have to sacrifice his legitimate wife for a perfect solution.

He did not want to have any formal relationship with her. What could be more suitable than meeting in the wind and dust?

A woman of the wind and dust—born for fleeting romance.

Tian Qin remembered the warm days she had spent with Nanny Chen and Bo Ge in the thatched cottage, recalling the bitterness of the past and the sweetness of the present. The sweet became sweeter, the bitter even more bitter.

The new sister in the building made the other girls curious, and they crowded around, trying to get a glimpse of the "famous Jiangnan courtesan" behind the veil. They heard she was a pure lady from a respectable family, fresh as a lotus emerging from water.

Probably just a reputation. Why would a true pure lady from a respectable family set foot here? If you fall into the wind and dust, you belong to the wind and dust. Sober-minded Madam Liu would sooner or later arrange for her to receive clients.

"All of you, get out!" Liu Ruyan saw the unruly girls and glared at them, shouting in a low voice. "Want a whipping?"

The chattering, craning girls immediately fell silent and slunk away, their faces full of discontent. Madam Liu had given this new famous courtesan too many privileges. One would think she was a customer, not a girl.

Night had fallen. Madam Liu planned to leave Yingge alone for now. Yingge was of extraordinary status, so she had to feel her way forward, depending on the master's attitude. With a gesture, the bodyguards firmly locked the door and stood guard outside.

Tian Qin was left alone in the darkness.

The next day, Liu Ruyan brought a lavish breakfast, smiling warmly as the offensive began.

Tian Qin had not slept well and did not touch the breakfast. No matter what questions were asked, they fell into a bottomless pit, with no response. Her disposition was sullen.

Liu Ruyan took the opportunity to drive home her point: "Miss Yingge, I can see you are a proud one. You shouldn't be here in the first place. But you are here, after all. Since you are, you have to accept your fate. You need to learn your skills well, strive to please your master quickly, and go home. That's good for everyone. Otherwise, your master might leave you here forever, and your situation will be even worse. I can see your master is ruthless, but he also cares about you and doesn't want you to suffer too much. I am paid by your master to handle things. Let's not make things difficult for each other. I manage over two hundred people here. Have you seen any who dared to cause trouble and got away with it? They only hurt themselves."

Having spent years in the pleasure house, Liu Ruyan had honed her eloquence, both harsh and adept at finding people's weak points. She talked a great deal, talking to herself, while the other side remained utterly unmoved. Yet she could neither hit nor scold.

Liu Ruyan felt somewhat frustrated, but the frustration lasted only a moment.

Old ginger is spicier. In her territory, no stubborn mule went untrained. There was still plenty of time.

Just then, word came from outside that the master would visit tonight, specifically to see the young lady.

Liu Ruyan immediately tensed up. She arranged for someone else to continue trying to talk to Yingge, while she hurried off to make preparations. After all, that guest was one no one could afford to offend.

"You heard that the master is coming tonight, especially to see you. He thinks highly of you. Miss, if you know what's good for you, you should swallow your pride when it's time. The pain you think is unbearable will soon pass."

Before leaving, Liu Ruyan added a few parting words, instructing her trusted confidante Yu Zhu to keep a close watch on Yingge during breakfast. Yingge had just recovered from a serious illness; losing weight or falling ill again would bring big trouble.

Yu Zhu was not as slick as Liu Ruyan, and her appearance was plain. As she grew older and her beauty faded, she had taken on the role of bookkeeper in recent years, assisting Mama Liu behind the scenes and rarely receiving guests directly.

"Sister, have some food. No matter how hard it gets, you have to eat. Only by eating can you live, and only by living can there be hope."

Yu Zhu nodded and warmly took Tian Qin's arm, beginning a new round of persuasion.

When Tian Qin heard that Xie Tanwei was coming, a flash of hostility crossed her eyes, vanishing in an instant. Her cold fingers tightened into a grip, concealing her inner emotions deeply.