The Fragrant Pavilion.
Lin Lang sat in a private room on the second floor, cracking melon seeds. "Put all the expenses of those Jinyiwei who came yesterday on my tab. Deduct it from my share of the profits."
He wasn't short of money now, and he couldn't be too harsh on the madam. He still needed her to work hard running the place and make him more money.
Besides, if he said to put it on his tab and the madam didn't give him a ninety-percent discount, she really wouldn't know how to behave.
This was spending a little to accomplish a lot.
The madam poured Lin Lang a cup of tea. "My lord, someone from the Datong Money House came and settled the bill. They said it was to thank the brothers for their hard work recovering the Datong Money House's losses."
Those men's expenses yesterday had amounted to several thousand taels, but the person from the Datong Money House hadn't even blinked.
"Hua Manlou really leaves nothing to criticize in how he handles things. Remember, whenever you need to deposit money or exchange banknotes, go to the Datong Money House."
The madam bowed. "I'll remember. My lord, I bought some more young girls these past two days, at a high price from the Jiaofang Office, no less. Would you like to take a look?"
"Any who can sing new songs? No? Then forget it."
The women from the Jiaofang Office were all relatives of convicted officials. They might know something of poetry, songs, and verse, which greatly appealed to nobles and scholars, but he had no interest whatsoever.
Never assume that officials' daughters were necessarily beautiful. If they really were, they would have been married off long ago.
"Have you heard any interesting news since coming to Capital