Chapter 14: Bookworm, Sneaking Off To Meet A Girl

Back when Lu Shujin lived with her aunt, she scrimped and saved all year and still couldn’t save up even five taels of silver. After she ran away, she became even more frugal, carefully rationing every coin and reluctant to even treat herself to a decent meal.

But now, she watched in shock as Xiao Jing casually placed a thousand taels of silver on the table.

To put it plainly, she had never seen this much money in her entire life.

Such a sum could completely change the fate of any ordinary household, yet Xiao Jing simply tossed it out to squander for entertainment in a brothel.

Seeing his indifferent expression, Lu Shujin, for the first time, truly felt the vast gulf between herself and Xiao Jing, even though they studied at the same academy, sitting at the same desk. The distance seemed only a few steps, but in reality, it was as vast as the heavens and the earth.

The brothel madam was so ecstatic that she seemed almost manic. Her fan fluttered rapidly, though whether from excitement or trembling hands was unclear. “Young Master, are you serious?”

“The silver notes are right here, and you’re asking if it’s real? Do you even know how to run a business?” Jiang Su, standing beside them, scoffed. “No wonder your establishment is such a dump.”

In a moment like this, even if someone pointed at her nose and scolded her, the madam would still smile brightly, nodding eagerly. “Yes, yes, this humble woman is rather dim-witted.”

Xiao Jing smiled. “But there are conditions. First, the wine must not be diluted. Second, all the girls serving customers must be from your establishment, no replacements with outside girls. If I find either condition violated, I’ll have this place smashed to pieces.”

The madam’s eyes practically squinted shut from smiling so widely. “Of course, of course! How could I possibly deceive such honored guests in the face of such fortune?”

“Then let them drink.” Xiao Jing’s smile was strikingly handsome, his ink-black brows and eyes like a Yuhua.

The madam turned around, waving her hand and whispering urgently, “Drink as much as you can! Whoever drinks the most will be richly rewarded!”

The girls had never experienced anything like this before. Excited, they lined up to pour and drink wine, their cheeks flushing under the watchful gaze of the handsome young men. Even women accustomed to a life of promiscuity couldn’t help but blush, raising their cups and drinking one after another.

The madam was so busy that she barely touched the ground, calling for more girls to join, even pushing aside other customers, who were ushered out to make way.

The seats were limited, so the girls came in batches. Those who couldn’t drink were replaced by fresh faces. The spectacle soon drew a crowd, and many onlookers gathered to watch the drunken girls stagger around, their flushed faces giving them an oddly seductive charm.

As the onlookers grew, the young men at the table grew even more animated, shouting and cheering. Some even started placing bets on which girl could drink the most. Ji Shuoting took out paper and pen, diligently recording the number of cups each girl drank, while Xiao Jing merely leaned back, occasionally making a remark, but mostly watching the spectacle unfold.

Lu Shujin, however, was the odd one out. She didn’t participate at all. Instead, she kept scanning the room, searching for Peier.

As ridiculous as Xiao Jing’s behavior was, it actually gave her a huge advantage. With such a commotion, the madam would surely bring out every girl in the brothel to compete for his silver.

But Lu Shujin couldn’t be sure of Peier’s current state. With time running short, she didn’t want to wait for the girls to get drunk one by one and lose her chance. If they stayed too long, they might miss the academy’s curfew tonight.

She didn’t want to wait any longer. Glancing to her side, she saw Xiao Jing shifting his posture, now sitting with his back to her. It was the perfect chance to sneak away.

Taking advantage of the noise and chaos, she slipped from her seat, hunched low, and stealthily weaved through the crowd.

Most of Yuhua Pavilion’s people were busy with the drinking contest, making the rest of the establishment seem almost deserted. The madam was preoccupied, shouting for the drunk girls to be carried away while urging others to keep drinking, completely overwhelmed.

Lu Shujin first made a quick round of the main hall, then slipped through the corridor toward the backyard.

“Hey, sir! Where is the latrine?” Lu Shujin casually stopped a sweating, wine-carrying attendant and asked.

The attendant, too busy to think, quickly pointed out the direction before rushing off.

Once he was gone, Lu Shujin headed in the opposite direction.

She had noticed earlier that Yuhua Pavilion wasn’t very large. The main hall on the first floor was for guests to enjoy music and entertainment, while the second floor was crowded with small, shabby guest rooms.

If the missing girls were hidden here, they were most likely in the backyard—certainly not near the latrines.

The backyard was deserted. Word had spread about the wealthy young master in the front hall tossing money around for fun, and everyone flocked there, hoping to snag a tip.

Lu Shujin slipped past the kitchen and found a wide-open space at the back, with several small buildings lined up—likely storerooms or woodsheds. It was already nighttime, and the only light was a lone lantern beside a table, littered with an empty wine bowl and some melon seed shells.

This had to be the place. Someone was clearly meant to be guarding this area, but they had probably joined the chaos in the front hall.

After making sure there was no one around, Lu Shujin quickly stepped forward and called out softly, “Sister Peier! Sister Peier!”

She called a few times before a muffled sound came from one of the rooms, like someone knocking on the door from inside.

Lu Shujin hurried over and pressed her ear to the door. “Is that you, Sister Peier?”

“It’s me,” came the reply. The voice was a bit hoarse, but unmistakably Peier’s.

In that moment, Lu Shujin felt an immense wave of relief. She didn’t know whether to feel joy or sorrow. Though she couldn’t see Peier’s condition through the door, at least she was alive. But how much suffering had she endured in this dreadful place?

“Shujin, I knew you were smart enough to find me!” Peier was clearly overjoyed, almost pressing her face against the door, her voice seeping through the crack.

“Don’t worry, Sister Peier, I’ll get you out of here,” Lu Shujin reassured her, tugging at the chains on the door. “I’ll find something to smash this lock.”

“No, don’t rush,” Peier’s voice remained calm. “We’ve all been forced to sign indenture contracts. Even if you break the lock, it won’t be easy to escape. The owner of this place is in cahoots with the constable of Changqing District. The authorities are protecting the brothel, so you mustn’t act recklessly.”

Lu Shujin’s heart sank. No wonder the constable had been so dismissive when she tried asking about the missing girls—he hadn’t cared at all. It turned out that Yuhua Pavilion was in league with the constables, luring in girls from other regions and forcing them into prostitution.

Realizing Peier had a plan in mind, she quickly asked, “Then what should I do?”

With time running short, Peier didn’t waste words. “In my room, behind the north-facing cabinet, there’s a wooden box with all my savings. Take it and find a woman named Granny Rong at the west end of Changqing Alley. Her son-in-law has a friend working at the southern city constable’s office. Use that silver to see if you can get him to help free me.”

“If it’s not enough…” Peier paused, her tone becoming pleading, almost sobbing. “Shujin, I know you don’t have much money, but this is my only chance to survive. If you can save me, I promise to repay you double when I’m free. Please, help me this once.”

Her words tore at Lu Shujin’s heart. “Don’t worry, Sister Peier. I promise I will do everything I can to save you.”

“Yang Peier here thanks you with three bows first.” Her voice, now choked with emotion, came with the faint sound of her knocking her head against the door. “But remember, you must find the friend of Granny Rong’s son-in-law. This brothel has official protection. Ordinary people can’t help. If it’s another constable, they might at least give him some face. My monthly cycle just started yesterday, so I can delay for a few days. My life is in your hands!”

Lu Shujin felt both sorrowful and anxious, but she didn’t dare stay long for fear of being caught. After making sure Peier was calm, she quickly left.

Though Peier had a plan, the person they needed was a distant connection, and if the silver wasn’t enough, they might refuse to help. Even if they agreed, they might only save Peier alone. Over the past half year, countless girls from other regions had disappeared, most likely ending up in brothels. What about them?

Lu Shujin felt a surge of helpless compassion. She hadn’t even saved Peier yet and was already worrying about the other girls.

Lost in her thoughts, she hurriedly walked away, and as she rounded a corner, she suddenly collided with someone.

She was moving fast, so she practically threw herself against the person, her face smacking straight into their chest. Pain flared in her nose, and a strange smell filled her senses—a mix of cheap perfume, strong alcohol, and a faint hint of sour plum.

Startled, she quickly stumbled back a few steps, rubbing her nose. Her eyes watered slightly from the impact.

The person stood under the lantern light, the warm red glow casting soft shadows over his jade crown and dark hair. The shadows played across his sharp, handsome features, the luxurious brocade of his robes draped in a hazy, ambiguous light.

He stood with his arms crossed, as though he had been waiting for her, and his voice was unceremonious. “Bookworm, which girl were you sneaking off to meet?”

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