Why am I, a cook, always involved in cases?

In that secret room, connecting the secluded harem with the bustling world, Liu Wu's sudden question was like a stone dropped into a calm lake, leaving Lin Zhiruo stunned:

"How much silver would it cost to set a prostitute free?"

This time, the inquiry was not conducted through letters. Instead, Liu Wu personally sent someone to summon Lin Zhiruo here, making her mistakenly believe that there had been new progress in the previous case.

(What a naive guy.)

"Just listen to me, little girl!"

Liu Wu held his head in his hands and slammed the table heavily, his tone full of urgency.

At both ends of the room, eunuchs stood like statues, their eyes sharp as they watched every move of the two men, but the expressions on their faces revealed impatience.

It turned out that Liu Wu had recently visited a brothel called Hongxialou and accidentally overheard a conversation about a prostitute redeeming her freedom. The protagonist of the conversation was actually one of the three top courtesans in Hongxialou.

Liu Wu was obsessed with Yuqin, one of the three most beautiful girls, so naturally he couldn't stay out of the news.

"The price of redemption varies from person to person." Lin Zhiruo answered calmly.

"So what about the best ones?" Liu Wu followed closely, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.

"……I see."

Lin Zhiruo half-closed her eyes and looked at Liu Wu, with a plan in mind.

She borrowed pen and ink from the eunuch on guard, and the paper was carried by Liu Wu.

"Everything in the world has its price. All I can provide is a rough guide."

Lin Zhiruo picked up the pen and slowly wrote the word "two hundred" on the paper.

This was almost what a farmer earned from a year's hard work, while an average prostitute only needed twice that amount to regain her freedom.

After hearing this, Liu Wu nodded repeatedly, but there was still a hint of doubt in his eyes.

“However, this is only the basic redemption fee and does not include other additional fees such as celebration money.”

The price of redemption is usually calculated based on how many years of life a prostitute can still earn for the brothel, plus some miscellaneous expenses. The final number, multiplied by one or two, becomes her worth.

Because this place of brothels has always had a tradition of celebrating redemption and holding a grand farewell ceremony for prostitutes.

"Please tell me directly, how much silver do you need in total?"

Liu Wu looked serious, his eyes fixed on Lin Zhiruo, but Lin Zhiruo was lost in thought, not knowing how to answer.

(That's a really tricky question.)

Since entering the brothel, Yuqin has won the favor of countless guests with her beauty and talent, and has earned a considerable income.

She had never borrowed money from the brothel to buy clothes or accessories. Her contract had expired long ago, but she still stayed in the brothel because her temperament was perfectly compatible with this business.

If redeeming oneself was to pay off debts, Yuqin would have been debt-free long ago.

(How old is this beautiful lady?)

Yuqin's skin is always as smooth as silk, and her dancing skills are improving day by day. Although she had entered the brothel before Lin Zhiruo was born, she was the oldest among the three courtesans.

Her appearance seemed to remain forever youthful, so much so that there was a rumor that "Yuqin maintained her youth by absorbing the essence of others."

There is a secret method in the world called the art of bedroom, which is said to be able to maintain vitality through lovemaking between men and women. Lin Zhiruo sometimes can't help but speculate that Yuqin might really be proficient in this method.

In terms of age, she had long lost her competitiveness in the brothel, but her beauty had not diminished at all and she was still as energetic as ever.

However, the madam could not let the three courtesans dominate the scene forever, so it was time to send the eldest, Yuqin, away.

When Lin Zhiruo returned home a few days ago, she heard the brothel owner complain about this matter.

When Hongxialou was in turmoil, Yuqin became a solid pillar and an iconic figure of this brothel, but we cannot rely on her forever.

It is necessary to cleverly implement the replacement of the old with the new while the brothel business is stable, otherwise, it will be filled with the dust of time without being noticed.

Lin Zhiruo scratched the back of her neck and fell into deep thought.

"If anyone is willing to redeem Miss Yuqin, there are two suitable candidates."

Lin Zhiruo searched through her memories.

If someone really redeemed her, it would probably be one of her regular customers.

Hongxialou has never easily accepted new guests.

One was a wealthy businessman who was good at trade. He was very generous and never cut off his relationship with the family even when Hongxia Tower was in turmoil. He was a kind old man who often gave candy to the young Lin Zhiruo.

He came to Hongxia Tower not just for a night of passion, but more for drinking and watching dancing. He had mentioned the matter of redeeming Yuqin many times, and although the madam had cleverly resolved the issue every time, now he might be the one to give Yuqin freedom.

The other was a high-ranking official, still young, probably in his early thirties.

Although I don't know his specific official position, but recalling the warm-colored jade ornament on the hilt of the sword on his waist a few years ago, I know that his official rank was already higher than Liu Wu at that time, and he must be promoted step by step now.

He and Yuqin seemed to be quite compatible in bed, and Yuqin was always in a good mood the next day.

There was only one thing that made Lin Zhiruo feel suspicious, that was that compared with Yuqin, who had rosy skin and was full of vitality, this official often looked a little tired.

Thinking about her life after redeeming herself, both of these candidates made Lin Zhiruo feel uneasy.

Although Yuqin is famous for her exquisite dancing skills and stunning beauty, she is also a strong person who never loses at night.

Sometimes, when she was burning with desire, not only the male servants in the brothel, but even other prostitutes or apprentice girls were not spared - in other words, she was an out-and-out sex maniac.

In addition to considering letting Yuqin redeem herself, the brothel madam also intended to let her manage Hongxialou, mainly based on this characteristic of hers.

Another way is for Yuqin to leave the brothel on her own, but given her personality, this is almost impossible.

(This is probably the most peaceful way.)

On the surface, she can retire, but she can still receive guests on special occasions, and she can freely fall in love in her spare time.

Compared to her previous life, she will have more freedom, and perhaps she will accept it with pleasure.

(Um--)

Lin Zhiruo's gaze fell on Liu Wu.

Liu Wu was about twenty-five years old and had a strong physique. His upper arms, which were trained like those of a military officer, were exactly what Yuqin loved.

Moreover, when Liu Wu first stepped into Hongxia Tower, he stayed in Yuqin's room for more than two days. Even when Lin Zhiruo returned to the palace, he still did not show any signs of fatigue.

"May I ask, Lord Liu, how much is your annual salary?" Lin Zhiruo asked softly.

"Why are you asking this suddenly?" Liu Wu seemed a little flustered, with a hint of confusion in his words.

"Could it be eight hundred taels of silver?" Lin Zhiruo asked tentatively.

"Oh, why are you so direct, girl?" Liu Wu's face stiffened slightly, but he remained calm.

"What about the one thousand two hundred?" Lin Zhiruo continued to test.

"..."

Liu Wu remained silent, thinking that his salary was somewhere in between, about one thousand taels of silver per year.

Considering his age, this is a high salary.

However, even so, to redeem a high-class prostitute, one would need at least 10,000 taels of silver.

After all, this prostitute would charge a hundred taels of silver just to drink a pot of tea, and it would be as high as three hundred to accompany a customer for a night.

Liu Wu later spent several more nights with Yuqin.

Considering his annual salary, this was obviously an unaffordable expense, but all this was most likely a deliberate arrangement by the brothel owner.

Perhaps she wanted to use Liu Wu's hand to relieve Yuqin's burning desire.