Selling Myself Is Out of the Question

After listening to Eight Lord's account, Huang Shaojie rubbed his chin and frowned in thought.

A sound from the wall?

The figure had vanished, then emerged again?

Could there be a secret chamber?

A possibility immediately came to Huang Shaojie's mind: there was another hidden chamber inside the courtesan Ningxiang's room.

Cao Renqi must have entered that secret chamber to hold a private meeting with that chairman.

If this assumption was true, then Cao Renqi's secret meeting with the Japanese chairman had to involve something highly confidential and significant!

In addition, Huang Shaojie thought of something else.

The entire Fountain Pavilion was suspicious, not just the courtesan Ningxiang alone.

The secret chamber in Ningxiang's room was enough to prove that the Fountain Pavilion was an intelligence outpost established by Japan in Suzhou.

The Fountain Pavilion was a high-class brothel. Most of the women inside might have been trained Japanese female spies. The men they received were all high officials and nobles, and it was easy to coax important intelligence from them in bed.

Otherwise, it would have been difficult for Ningxiang alone, as a Japanese spy, to conceal her identity.

Moreover, Cao Renqi had told Ningxiang that everyone here was one of theirs, so no one else would overhear them.

Huang Shaojie considered all these matters in his mind and concluded that the Fountain Pavilion was indeed an intelligence outpost of the Eastern Ocean Japanese Pirates.

He said to Eight Lord, "Fly back to Cao Manor and continue watching Cao Renqi."

Eight Lord fluttered up from Huang Shaojie's shoulder and cried, "I provided such important intelligence tonight. Don't forget to buy Qi Gathering Pills for me to eat!"

Huang Shaojie waved a hand. "Don't worry, you won't be short of pills. Now get lost!"

Only then did Eight Lord fly out of Huang Manor in satisfaction and vanish into the night.

Huang Shaojie watched the direction in which Eight Lord disappeared, an excited smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

"Cao Renqi, I was just worrying about not being able to find evidence of your corruption. Who would have thought you were colluding with Japanese pirates and selling out your country for glory!"

"Hmph! This New Year, I'm afraid you'll be squatting in the Imperial Guard's Imperial Prison!"

The next day.

After the morning meeting in the main hall of the Third Guard Post, Huang Shaojie went straight to the Imperial Guard's main hall.

"Your subordinate greets Commander Niu." Huang Shaojie clasped his hands and bowed to Niu Ren.

"Battalion Commander Huang, have you uncovered any illegal deeds by Cao Renqi?"

Niu Ren had only just arrived in the main hall. Before he could even take a sip of his freshly brewed hot tea, Huang Shaojie had come calling. He must have had something important to report.

Huang Shaojie clasped his hands. "Reporting to Commander, this subordinate has discovered that Cao Renqi is suspected of colluding with the Japanese."

"What? Colluding with the Japanese?" Niu Ren was startled. He could not help lowering the hot tea he had just raised to his lips. "What evidence have you found?"

Although Niu Ren knew Cao Renqi to be greedy for money and lustful for women, he had never imagined that he would collude with the Japanese and betray his country.

Huang Shaojie said, "Last night, Cao Renqi went to the Fountain Pavilion to see the courtesan Ningxiang. This subordinate overheard him calling Ningxiang Miss Naizi."

"Miss Naizi?" Niu Ren's brows drew together. "Could it be that Leng Ningxiang, the Fountain Pavilion's courtesan, is a Japanese spy?"

Huang Shaojie said, "Not only is this Leng Ningxiang a Japanese spy, the entire Fountain Pavilion is very likely a Japanese intelligence outpost."

He then recounted, from beginning to end, everything Eight Lord had overheard to Niu Ren.

After hearing it, Niu Ren slapped the table and rose in fury:

"Cao Renqi has some nerve! He actually dares to collude with Japanese pirates. Even a hundred heads wouldn't be enough for him to lose!"

"Battalion Commander Huang, take men to Cao Manor at once. Arrest Cao Renqi and seal up Cao Manor!"

Huang Shaojie hesitated. "Sir, we still do not know who this chairman Cao Renqi met with is, nor what they discussed. Would arresting him now alert the snake in the grass?"

Niu Ren rose and said, "You mean to capture that Japanese chairman along with him? It isn't that I haven't considered it, but I'm afraid it will be difficult to accomplish for the time being."

"Besides, what worries me more now is what Cao Renqi discussed in secret with that Japanese chairman, and whether Cao Renqi might secretly do something harmful to Great Chu."

Huang Shaojie said, "This subordinate has already sent someone to watch Cao Renqi in secret. Every move he makes is under the eyes and ears of this subordinate."

With his hands behind his back, Niu Ren paced about and pondered for a moment. "Continue watching Cao Renqi for another day. If you discover any unusual movements from him, arrest him immediately!"

"Oh, and that Fountain Pavilion as well. Go investigate that Japanese pirate intelligence outpost yourself and see whether you can uncover any clues."

"Yes, sir!"

Huang Shaojie clasped his hands and bowed, then left the main hall.

After returning to the Battalion Commander's office at the Third Guard Post, Huang Shaojie changed into the clothes of a rich young dandy. He called two Imperial Guard officers, had them disguise themselves as his household servants, then rode out of the Imperial Guard yamen toward the Fountain Pavilion.

"Oh my! What a rare guest, young master!"

In the Fountain Pavilion's reception hall, Madam Hua saw the lavishly dressed Huang Shaojie enter with two household servants. She swayed her voluptuous hips as she came forward to greet him.

"Which young lady would the young master like?"

With his hands behind his back, Huang Shaojie said, "I heard that Miss Ningxiang of the Fountain Pavilion possesses unparalleled beauty and talent. Today, I want her to sleep with me."

Madam Hua smiled apologetically. "My apologies, young master, but Ningxiang sells her art, not herself. Sleeping with clients is out of the question for her. She can, however, drink with you, play the zither, and dance."

Huang Shaojie gave a cold snort. "I have plenty of money. As long as she is willing to sleep with me, she can name any price she likes."

Madam Hua feigned helplessness. "We would like to earn more silver too, but Ningxiang simply refuses to sell herself no matter what. Countless high officials and nobles have been willing to throw away fortunes for her first night, yet Miss Ningxiang has rejected them all."

"In Miss Ningxiang's own words, if she sold herself, she would no longer be valuable. Only by preserving her virginity like this can she keep those high officials and nobles unable to let go, coming back again and again to spend money. That is called a steady stream flowing on."

After probing her, Huang Shaojie secretly thought, It seems this Leng Ningxiang must hold no low status in Japan, or she would not refuse to sell herself.

Still, what the madam had just said did make some sense.

The more unattainable a woman was, the more a man wanted to possess her.

He immediately pretended to be displeased. "Then have Ningxiang come drink with me and sing a little tune!"

Madam Hua held out her hand and chuckled. "For the courtesan Ningxiang to drink and sing with you costs one hundred taels of silver per hour."

Damn, is she studded with diamonds?

At least if she were studded with diamonds, I could give her a try, right?

Huang Shaojie painfully took out a ten-tael gold ingot and tossed it to Madam Hua, then grandly swept a hand.

"No need for change. Keep the extra as your reward!"

Madam Hua glanced at the ten-tael gold ingot, her face speechless. "Young master, where is there any extra here to reward this old woman?"

Huang Shaojie glared at her. "Enough nonsense. Hurry and take me to Ningxiang's room."

"Young master, please follow this old woman."

Upon reaching the rear courtyard pavilion, Madam Hua knocked on Ningxiang's door.

"Miss Ningxiang, a distinguished young master has arrived."

Ningxiang opened the door and glanced at Huang Shaojie. She gave a graceful curtsy. "This humble woman greets you, young master."

Huang Shaojie appraised Ningxiang from head to toe. She truly possessed a face like a flower and a figure as graceful as a willow.