Cypress Boat Floating

Lu Ciqiu's face suddenly turned pale, which frightened Shufei and Lu Zhixing. They thought that Lu Ciqiu had some physical problems, so they stood up one after another. However, the mother who was worried about her son was always faster. Before Lu Zhixing could react, she had already rushed to Lu Ciqiu, held his hand and asked nervously, "Xiao Ba, what's wrong with you? Are you feeling uncomfortable?"

The nervous look on Concubine Shu's face made Lu Ci Qiu react. In front of his mother and brother who knew nothing, his attitude made people even more curious.

Lu Ci Qiu shook his head gently and held the fair hand of Concubine Shu with both hands: "Mother, I'm fine, but the way you just said nothing to me made me think that you were bullied in the palace, but you didn't dare to tell me and my brother."

"Oh, you scared me to death." Seeing Lu Ci Qiu recover as before, Concubine Shu was relieved: "Are you really okay?"

"It's okay, it's okay." Lu Ci Qiu comforted her, but he didn't notice that Lu Zhixing's confused eyes kept moving between Ta and Shufei.

In the end, Concubine Shu still didn't tell them what happened. Lu Ci Qiu had let the cat out of the bag and was now worried that Lu Zhixing would notice his abnormality, so he didn't dare to say much. The three of them spent the day in a friendly manner before opening the lid of the water caltrop cake.

Although the two wanted to stay with Concubine Shu for a while longer, Lu Zhixing had official business to attend to, so he took some supplements and left the palace.

After Lu Zhixing left, Lu Ci Qiu felt it was not appropriate to stay any longer, so he left with Lu Zhixing.

...

Ye Jianqing quickly returned to the palace, but she didn't expect that Lu Ci Qiu had already returned.

The two met at the door. As soon as Lu Ci Qiu got off the carriage, he saw Ye Jianqing walking back in a hurry from outside.

"what happened?"

"Why are you back?"

They stood still and spoke at the same time.

Lu Ci Qiu raised the food box in his hand and smiled at her: "I went to my mother's house to make water chestnut cakes. My mother's water chestnut cakes are very delicious. Come and have some."

Ye Jianqing smiled bitterly in her heart, how could she have time to eat pastries now? The work assigned by her superiors was suddenly messed up, collapsed, and went off track. How could she still have the heart to eat the pastries given by her boss?

"Please leave it there for now." Ye Jianqing said, "Now that you're back, I don't need to ask anyone else to pass on a message to you. I have to go out tonight and may be back late."

"Where to go?"

The two of them walked towards the mansion while talking.

When Ye Jianqing heard this question, she didn't want to answer it. On the one hand, it was because she didn't want to deceive Lu Ci Qiu, and on the other hand, she didn't want to tell him about this matter for the time being.

Without hearing Ye Jianqing's answer, Lu Ci Qiu turned his head and looked at her, only to see her walking forward in silence, as if she had no intention of saying anything.

In this case, Lu Ci Qiu did not force her, but a little sour feeling rose in his heart.

I thought the two of them should be very close, but I didn't expect that Ye Jianqing had more secrets from me without me realizing it.

Ye Jianqing had been paying attention to Lu Ciqiu in silence, and naturally noticed his loneliness when he didn't hear the answer. Worried that he might overthink it, he quickly said, "I'm just going to Chunmanlou tonight. I'll tell you when I find out. I didn't tell you just now because I was afraid you would worry."

"Okay." Knowing that Ye Jianqing was explaining to him, the sour bubble in Lu Ci Qiu's heart suddenly disappeared, and was replaced by a smile on his face.

Ye Jianqing looked at him with relief and smiled at him.

She just didn't want Lu Ci Qiu to think too much and interfere with his work.

"Then you have to be careful. Chunmanlou is no different from other brothels. People who come and go are all dignitaries. Even my second brother has to be wary of some of them. You should be careful alone." Lu Ci Qiu thought about it and still felt that it was inappropriate. Ye Jianqing was just an ordinary maid. If she went to a smoky and dirty place like a brothel, who knew if she would be bullied.

"Why don't I go with you?"

Ye Jianqing glanced at him and said, "Have you ever been to Chun Man Lou? Do you know the rules of Chun Man Lou?"

How could I take him with me when I was going to hide the matter from him anyway?

“I don’t know if I can’t learn it yet.”

"Be a good man, don't go to those places, stay at home, you will be back soon."

As they were talking, the two of them arrived at the garden, with one courtyard on the left and the other on the right. Ye Jianqing took the food box from his hand, opened it, took out a piece, and stuffed the rest back to him.

"I have eaten the water chestnut cake. You don't have to wait for me for dinner tonight. I'll prepare something and leave." After saying that, he walked towards his yard.

Lu Ci Qiu watched her return to the yard. The food box in his hand was heavy, but his heart was extremely happy.

But Ye Jianqing on the other side was not so happy.

She had just shaken off Lu Ci Qiu and returned to her room. She leaned against the closed door, holding her little heart, feeling very panicked.

She didn't dare to think about what she would do if what Lu Zhixing said was true.

Logically speaking, men in ancient times could have three wives and four concubines, especially those who were princes, who had a bunch of concubines in addition to their principal wife.

Lu Zhixing was special among the many married princes. For so many years, he had only Wei Wangshu and only had one daughter.

Now he went to Chunmanlou, flirted with her, and wanted to take her into his house. This was normal in the eyes of others.

But from Ye Jianqing's personal moral point of view, Lu Zhixing was committing extramarital affair and soliciting prostitution, which was totally wrong.

Although she couldn't accept it emotionally and morally, she knew rationally that she had no right to interfere in this matter.

Even if it was Lu Ci Qiu, his opposition was only against Jiang Wanyin as a person. He was just worried that Jiang Wanyin would continue to harm his brother, that's all. He was not morally opposed to this matter like himself.

As expected, the so-called lifelong relationship between a couple was such a fantasy in ancient times. Not to mention the princes, even ordinary people couldn’t do it.

Ye Jianqing rubbed her aching head. She was just a single woman who had never been in a relationship. Why should she deal with so many old things?

It's so hard to deal with your boss's love life.

He stayed alone in the room until the time was almost up. After having a simple meal, Ye Jianqing changed his clothes, took the things he had prepared, and went out.

According to Jiang Wanyin, Lu Zhixing would come over at around nine o'clock every night, but just in case, Ye Jianqing decided to go there early. Maybe, maybe he changed his mind today.

The sun had just set, and when the sky was about to get dark, Chunmanlou opened its doors.

Big red lanterns were hung high, the door was wide open, and the unique fragrance of Chunmanlou wafted out from inside.

The girls in Chunmanlou don't need to stand at the door to welcome guests, because as soon as the door is opened, people rush in.

At the beginning of the Mao hour, girls will go on stage to perform their talents. If a girl is going to lose her virginity tonight, she will be informed in advance.

When the time is almost right, the girl will be asked to perform on stage, singing, dancing or playing the piano. After the performance, the auction of her virginity will begin.

It just so happens that tonight, a girl in Chunmanlou is about to lose her virginity.

Although this woman had been in the building for some time and had a few admirers, it looked like she wouldn't be able to move up any further, so Aunt Chun wanted to fire her.

If you sell your virginity for a good price, your subsequent customers will not be bad.

In order to protect Jiang Wanyin, Ye Jianqing had been guarding the building since Chunmanlou was opened, so he naturally saw this scene.

The people below were passionately and wantonly shouting out prices according to the copper coins in their pockets. The person on the stage had bitterness in her eyes but dared not say a word. She only hoped that a handsome young man would offer a good price so that her life would not be so difficult.

Ye Jianqing wanted to help, but she was powerless. She could save her now, but what about after that?

She herself had no money to redeem the woman, and the woman would encounter this kind of thing countless times in Chunmanlou.

Her unfortunate life began the moment she set foot into Chunmanlou.

Women are severely objectified here, sold as commodities, and seen as toys that can be summoned and dismissed at will as long as one has money.

The palms of her hands were itching, and the itch came from her heart. She couldn't save anyone and could only feel uncomfortable watching them continue to be objectified like this.