Records of the Cattle and Horses of Chang'an

Cui Bianxu didn't expect that after what happened to Jinfenmeng before, it was normal for her to still be able to gain a foothold in Pingkangfang, and it was still the same as before.

"Shaoqing, you don't know~"

Wang Leisheng shook his head as if addicted to it. "Shaoqing has also been to Jinfenmeng. Look at all the brothels and houses in Pingkangfang. Which one is more magnificent than Jinfenmeng?"

He raised his arm and pointed. "That's all? Well, it's beautiful, but it's still a little inferior."

He spoke with a beaming expression, his spirits high. "The ladies of Jinfenmeng are all extremely beautiful and talented. Even a random one of them speaks softly and slowly. The top ladies are soothing with every frown and smile..."

Cui Bianxu nodded, feeling a little strange, and glanced at him sideways: "Wang Sizhi, are you scared?"

Although this person is usually a chatterbox, he would not talk so much, let alone casually judge a woman in public.

The passionate Wang Leisheng paused, and his endless words stopped briefly and quickly like a rooster with its throat pinched. His face turned red at first, and he stammered and tried to quibble, but couldn't say anything.

After a while, he slumped like a deflated ball, his back hunched and hunched. When he raised his head, his face was pale as a sheet of paper. He said with a mournful expression, "Shao Qing, I know I'm not very talented. I've been in the Dali Temple for so many years and am still a Sizhi, but I've handled quite a few cases."

Cui Bianxu nodded, saying that rich experience was beneficial to handling cases to some extent.

"But I have never seen such a horrific killing method..." So he was uneasy and couldn't help talking more.

"We all felt chilled to the bone when we saw that scene, let alone the common people?"

Cui Bianxu looked up. Snow fell from the sky, coming from nowhere, drifting slowly and landing on the ground. The pure white snow seemed to be able to cover all the sins in the world. "So, we must catch the murderer as soon as possible and bring him to justice, so that this will never happen again."

Luoshui Tower

It was indeed as Wang Leisheng said, this place seemed unremarkable in Pingkangfang. Perhaps it was because the most popular top lady in the building did not come out. Even though it was a booming time, there were still very few customers, and many people left directly.

Hearing they were from the Dali Temple, the two were immediately invited upstairs. The thin madam was not with the guests, but now she could hardly hide her worry: "My two superiors, is there any news about my Qiu Niang?"

Cui Bianxu shook his head: "I wanted to ask about the case."

The brothel owner showed disappointment on her face, but people from Wannian County had just come during the day, and it was normal that there was no news after only a few hours.

She took out a handkerchief and gently wiped the corners of her moist eyes. "Qiuniang was the top performer at my Luoshui Tower. Business was bad back then, and we were barely making ends meet. She was a stubborn girl. When she came here at the age of eight or nine, other kids would make a scene and only behave themselves after being taught a lesson. But she was different."

"How is it different?" Wang Leisheng felt much better after being comforted by the warmth in the room.

The brothel owner's tears smudged her makeup, and after wiping it off, her yellow skin and slightly reddened corners were revealed. "When she came, she asked me if there was no way she could leave. I told her that if she saved enough money in the future, she could redeem herself, but the cost would be huge and difficult to come by. Or maybe she'd age and lose her looks, and no one would be willing to redeem her, or she'd run out of clients and be kicked out."

She sobbed, tears streaming down her face. "From then on, she practiced her dance diligently every day, even in the coldest days of winter, without a break, until she made her debut on stage at the age of thirteen, where her dance wowed the audience. From then on, guests came to see her in an endless stream, and my Luoshui Tower became lively again because of her, and she gained a bit of fame in Pingkangfang."

She sniffed and said with a strong nasal voice, "It's only been two years. Although I haven't saved enough money yet, I know it won't be long. She told me before that in a few years, she would have saved enough to redeem herself and live on for the rest of her life. It would be just the right time to help me survive for a few more years so that I can train another dancer to take her place. So, Shangguan, the Shangguan of Wannian County said that she might have run away on her own or with her lover. That's absolutely impossible. I know all her family assets, and they are all there."

Cui Bianxu took a deep breath. Besides Wu Sanniang, this was the second brothel girl he knew. Unexpectedly, she sounded completely different from the former. "Does she have any...clients who share the same feelings?"

Because of their miserable life experiences, many brothel girls would place their hopes of escaping from this quagmire on a certain customer.

"No."

The brothel owner said with great confidence: "Although I am a brothel owner, I have always had a very good relationship with Qiu Niang. She will tell me everything. If she wants to leave, as long as she pays enough money to redeem her, I will agree long ago."

"Take us to Qiu Niang's room to see if her maid is there?" Cui Bianxu stood up. A top courtesan like this would definitely have maids around her.

Qiu Niang's maid was a little girl who was no more than eleven years old. Her hair was a little yellow and sparse, but she was plump.

Wang Leisheng was stunned. It was rare to see a girl with this figure in a brothel, even if she was only eleven.

The name is also very down-to-earth, called Huangya.

"My two superiors, this is the maidservant who will take care of Qiu Niang. I have something else to do, so I'll let Huang Ya take you there." The madam bowed and left only after Cui Bianxu nodded. Before leaving, she whispered to Huang Ya, "Answer whatever your superiors ask. Don't say anything nonsense. Do you understand?"

Huang Ya nodded with a dull look in her eyes, turned around without saying a word, and led the two of them towards Qiu Niang's house.

Cui Bianxu's left hand, with the thumb passing through three fingers, was touching a golden ring made of an unknown material.

He slowly traced the pattern above and exchanged a glance with Wang Leisheng. Both of them felt an indescribable weirdness.

Qiu Niang's room is in a corner. Logically, a courtesan like her should live in the best room. Why would she choose one like this?

He thought so and asked.

Huang Ya said dully, "My wife said she doesn't like having people living on both sides of her. Although this house is next to the street, it's an alley. Not many people walk there on weekdays, and it won't make any noise with the windows open. She likes it very much."

Cui Bianxu surveyed the furnishings in the house. Having been into women's boudoirs so often, he had some experience. Although this house faced the street, it was quite large, and the items inside were exquisitely decorated with bright colors. "Who lives next door?"

"It's the madam."

Cui Bianxu raised his eyebrows. Is this a real good relationship, or is it to prevent the cash cow from running away?