Zuixian Tower was packed with people, business was still booming, and people were talking about today's news with great interest.
Li Qing stood in the corridor on the second floor, looking down, admiring the graceful dancing on the stage below.
The Madam looked like she was about to cry but had no tears. She stood timidly on Li Qing's side, full of fear.
The prince-in-law was banished, the princess was demoted to a commoner, and Zuixianlou's backer was completely gone. She could no longer boss her around and say:
"There's someone above us!"
Li Qing turned to Liu Qiang on the other side and asked, "Brothers, are you ready?"
"Don't worry, Sir, we have surrounded you and are waiting for your order." Liu Qiang cupped his hands and said, "The files have also been found. More than a dozen of Ouyang Lun's immediate relatives are in the capital, and his parents are in his hometown of Huizhou. He has been appointed to his humble position.
Went to check."
"Yes." Li Qing nodded, looked at the red-eyed Zhang Jing, and said with a smile, "Thank you for your hard work. After your hard work tonight, have a good sleep."
Zhang Jing said reservedly: "It doesn't interfere with anything. It's not hard to serve the emperor."
Li Qing smiled, turned around and said to the Madam, "Since Zuixian Tower is such a good business, you will only hand over thirty thousand taels. If money is found again later, don't blame me for being unkind."
The bustard said with a bitter face: "Sir... ah no, sir, the slave family really only has so much in hand, the rest have been given to the former princess!"
"How much did you pay?"
The bustard thought for a moment and said, "About one hundred thousand taels."
After a pause, he said, "The courtesans, oirans, and top-ranking people all have a lot of private money. If you want to search, you can at least find more than 10,000 taels."
Li Qing teased: "The shepherds alone can earn hundreds of taels a day. With so many of them together, they only earn more than 10,000 taels. You guys are really shady!"
"Uh-huh..." the Madam said with a smile, "Only Wanling can earn a few hundred taels a day if she can master your poetry. She couldn't earn so much before. Besides, this was decided by the former princess, and the slave family is just a steward.
Yes."
Li Qing didn't care about this anymore and asked: "At this point, everything that should come has almost come, right?"
"Your Majesty, this is a warning." The Madam flattered her appropriately.
Li Qing glanced at Liu Qiang and the two, "Let's get started. Don't let any of the clients or prostitutes go, but don't hurt them and drive them to the backyard."
"Yes, sir." The two of them took the order and left.
…
A quarter of an hour later, there was a lot of noise outside, with screams, begging for mercy, arguments... one after another.
The prostitutes in Wanling Pavilion didn't know what was going on, and they all panicked. After a while, dozens of guards with swords and uniforms rushed in, and the lobby was suddenly in chaos.
"Quiet!"
Li Qing's voice was clear and penetrating. The noisy crowd fell silent and all looked towards the corridor on the second floor.
"It's Mr. Li." someone exclaimed.
"What Mr. Li? It's Mr. Li who is right." The discerning prostitute retorted, "Um... Mr. Li, the villain is just here to pick up a prostitute, has he not violated the law?"
Li Qing smiled slightly, "Of course not.
Don't worry, I'm not here to punish you for your crimes. Zuixian Tower is the property of former Prince Consort Ouyang Lun, and now I'm ordered to inspect it. As long as everyone cooperates with the investigation, everything will be fine."
Hearing what he said, everyone slowly breathed a sigh of relief.
"Sir, what do you want us to do?"
"Go to the courtyard, stand with the clients, don't make any noise, don't move around, I will let you go when the work is done." Li Qing said calmly, "Everyone should go to the courtyard immediately, without delay."
Wan Ling looked at the second floor through the gauze curtain, was stunned for a long time, and then slowly walked down the wooden platform.
Normally, one would have to spend hundreds of taels to catch a glimpse of her beauty, but now she is showing it to everyone without reservation.
However, with the Jin Yiwei looking at him eagerly, everyone had no intention of admiring it. They were amazed and walked out of the lobby honestly.
After waiting for a quarter of an hour, Wanling Pavilion finally became quiet.
Zhang Jing walked up to the second floor, cupped his hands and said, "Master Li, everything is ready outside."
"Yeah." Li Qing said, "Take someone to search all the rooms, don't miss any details."
"clear!"
Li Qing breathed a sigh of relief and slowly went downstairs.
In the courtyard, men and women stood in two groups. There were about 700 people, and there were more women, about 400.
Li Qing jumped on the wooden table, raised his voice and said in a melodious voice: "Zui Xian Tower is the illegal income of the former consort Ouyang Lun, and it is now going to be inspected."
His voice was not loud, but everyone heard it clearly, "Don't worry, the court will not make things difficult for you. Now, if you are willing to be kind, take three steps forward."
After a while, someone moved, and then more and more women came forward slowly.
Half a quarter of an hour later, the crowd divided into two teams. There were about 150 women who were willing to be virtuous, less than half of them.
Li Qing continued: "Those who are willing to do good deeds, be divided into mortal women, top-ranking courtesans, courtesans, and court servants, stand still!"
A group of women stood in groups obediently. There was only one courtesan, three oirans, and seven top men. The rest were all ordinary women.
Li Qing secretly said: "It seems that most of these high-end prostitutes are not willing to be good!
Yes, outsiders may think that brothel girls are pitiful, but they are protected from the wind and rain, eat well, live well, and are in contact with wealthy people. They are used to living a comfortable life, so naturally they are not willing to give it up easily."
He looked at those who were unwilling to be a good person and said, "Those who are not willing to be a good person will be sent to the Jiaofang Department. Have you thought about it?"
As soon as they heard that they were going to be sent to the Jiaofang Division, all the red-blooded girls immediately changed their expressions. This was where the families of criminal officials went, and the management was much stricter than that of a brothel.
Once he entered the Jiaofang Division, he no longer even had a lowly status, but directly became a slave.
Scholars, farmers, workers, merchants, humble, slaves; although you can be ransomed by entering the Jiaofangsi, the Jiaofangsi does not accept businessmen, farmers, workers, and have no financial ability, so almost all the people it receives are dignitaries.
Those people are generally unwilling to redeem the lives of women from Jiaofangsi, because women from Jiaofangsi are labeled as "family members of criminals" and can easily be manipulated.
Even if he is redeemed, he will still be a slave unless he is pardoned by the emperor.
It can be said that if you join the Jiaofang Division, you will have no human rights!
How could Li Qing know this? He was still wondering why these prostitutes were running forward when he mentioned the Jiaofang Division.
Wan Ling was stunned on the spot, not knowing what to choose for a moment, but Hongxiu pulled her forward a few steps.
"Sister, stop being so infatuated." Lianxiang whispered, "What is his identity? Even if he really likes you, he will not redeem himself for you. He is still so young, how can he ruin his reputation for people like us?
"
Hongxiu also sighed, "Yes! How can a man like him be short of beautiful women?"
Wan Lingqi said bitterly: "I am not willing to accept it, I want to ask him."
"Don't do anything stupid..." Hongxiu didn't hold her back, so Wanling ran out holding the train of her skirt.
The two girls were stunned for a moment, then quickly picked up their skirts and chased after him.
"Changlang~!"
The Jin Yiwei pulled out his saber and said coldly: "Stop and go back!"
"Put away the knife and don't scare people."
Liu Qiang patted the Jin Yiwei on the head. When he came to Zuixian Tower to find Li Qing the night before yesterday, he took a look into the wing and saw the appearance of the three women.
"What do you want?"
Lianxiang hurriedly smiled and said: "Master, don't be upset, Wanling...she has a stomachache."
"Go back quickly." Li Qing walked over slowly, "There are guards outside, don't try to escape."
"The little girl is not feeling uncomfortable." Wan Ling shook her head slightly and looked at him blankly, "The little girl doesn't know how to make a decision. Please make a decision for the little girl."
Li Qing naturally knew what she was expecting, but... he really couldn't afford the ransom. The ransom price of the widower was at least several thousand taels. How could he have the money?
His money is probably barely enough to redeem Lianxiang, one of the red sleeves, but he still can't make it through life?
It's not that you're bad, it's just that I really don't have any money.
"You three, go to the Jiaofang Division!" Li Qing made the decision for the three women at once.
He didn't know the background of Jiaofangsi, he only knew that it was an official brothel. He thought it was better than being ransomed. At least he could maintain his original life and not be sent back and forth in the future.
Wan Ling's face turned pale and she was fragrant, and Hong Xiu also looked at him in disbelief.
Li Qing didn't have much time to talk to them, "You guys stay here first and wait until I finish arranging them."
He ordered people to build a platform out of tables, called the Madam, then pointed at the team of red-dust women, "Twenty of them will come up first."
After a while, twenty mortal women climbed onto the wooden platform.
Li Qing asked the Madam, "How much silver do they need to redeem themselves?"
The Madam thought for a while and said, "About twenty taels per person."
"Well." Li Qing turned back to the prostitutes and said, "Twenty-two for one, you can't buy it at a loss, you can't be cheated, it's a rare opportunity, I just passed by..."
Before he finished reading his lines, someone couldn't hold himself back and said, "Sir, I want three."
"I'll give you five."
"I want eight."
Li Qingle said: "Don't worry, there are plenty. Whoever pays first will get the first choice."
The prostitute immediately took out the Ming Dynasty treasure banknotes, shook his arms and said, "You have money, you villain has money."
Li Qing didn't expect that the business was so booming, so he had to say: "Those who want to redeem Sister Yao's body should line up and come one by one~"