Tough Princess : Once Upon A Brothel Chapter 23

Qiao Shu went into the study. She said in a gentle voice, “My Lord, is there anything you want to talk with me?”

“Would you like to come here more frequently in the next few days?” Shuo Ling said in a cold voice. He even didn't raise his head.

Qiao Shu cheered up. She thought that since Shuo Ling asked her to come more frequently, he must take her as a close friend. It seemed that her efforts of so many years paid off.

She suppressed her inner excitement. Meanwhile, she doubted his words, “I'd like to, of course. I just hope that I will not make trouble for Your Lords.h.i.+p.”

“Don't worry about that. You're a skilled doctor. I need you to help Yang for his recuperation and don't make him suffer in the future.” His simple words hurt Qiao Shu a lot.

She clenched her fists under her skirt. Her nails pierced her skin. It was Yang Zijin again! It seemed that she needed to make a plan for dealing with the girl.

“I'm a doctor. I will help him, of course. Trust me. But I need to check his injury frequently. I'm afraid I will be late sometimes. I can stay here until he recovers.” Qiao Shu looked calm with a smile, but a hint of jealousy appeared in her eyes.

“That would be the best. You can live in the courtyard next to his. Even if you know something, you should act as deaf.” Shuo Ling said in a cold tone.

“Yes, I understand. I'm going to get a prescription. I hope he can get better soon.”

Qiao Shu wanted to leave immediately. She didn't want to see the man she admired express his concerns about another girl.

“Okay.” Shuo Ling simply responded.

Perhaps it was because she was lucky enough, her opportunity came soon. Yang Zijin could recover by taking some nouris.h.i.+ng herbal cuisine for a long time and taking hot baths frequently.

But Qiao Shu found a rare poison and added it to the medicine soup of Yang Zijin. “Yang Zijin, you brought this on yourself. You can't blame me.” She thought.

In the evening, Qiao Shu took the soup to Yang Zijin. She saw Yang Zijin drinking the soup and then she went back.

Yang Zijin just wanted to recover soon so that she could do something for people in Spring Breeze. She was planning to ask Lord Protector for some money to buy a house for them. It was unsuitable for them to stay in the yard. Although Shuo Ling promised to help her, she was used to relying on herself, so she would not owe a favor.

At the dead of night, Yang Zijin thought it was necessary to inform Madam Yang of her current condition, lest she worried. Moreover, she needed to tell Madam Yang about her plan and let Madam Yang and others in Spring Breeze make preparations in advance.

Yang Zijin secretly called a carrier pigeon and tied a letter on its leg. It soon disappeared in the night.

In the early morning, Yang Zijin got up. She wore men's clothing with a cynical appearance. She took the money compensated by Lord Protector. She could not wait to buy a house for people in Spring Breeze. It was the most important thing currently.

Yang Zijin's behavior was seen by the guards who were ordered by Shuo Ling to protect her secretly.

Shuo Ling arrived at the door before Yang Zijin got out of the mansion. He then saw Yang Zijin coming out in a hurry.

“Where are you going so early?” Shuo Ling's narrowed his eyes slightly.

“I have something to do.” Yang Zijin leisurely smiled.

“Don't you afraid of being harmed by people in the mansion of Duke Mu. What are you want to do? Just tell me. I will do it for you. You don't need to go out personally.” Shuo Ling said with a strong intonation.

But Yang Zijin refused soberly, “I think they won't harm me now. I need to do something now. I don't want to bother you.” then she went out.

She had a lot of work to do today, and she didn't want to waste her time.

Staring at which direction Yang Zijin went, Shuo Ling didn't feel angry about her refusal. He didn't know the reason. On the contrary, he became more interested in her. He wondered there was how much of the girl that he still didn't know. Thinking about that, he smiled gladly.

His att.i.tude surprised Mo Li a lot. When did His Lords.h.i.+p become so different? In the past, the person who dared to say “no” to him could be killed immediately, but now he looked at the back of a man with a rare smile!

Yang Zijin went to a small alley, whistling toward the inside. Then a man looked like a beggar came out.

This man was a know-all named Xian. He knew all the things in this city, no matter big or small. This was why Yang Zijin came here. She needed a big house with a good geomantic omen.

There was a big smile on Xian's face, “Oh, you are the Young Master of Spring Breeze. What do you want to ask? I will tell you all I knew.”

“Is there a big house to sell recently. I want one with good location and geomantic omen.” Yang Zijin looked at Xian.

“Yes, there is. The location is a little bit away from downtown. But the geomantic omen is excellent. There are a vast peach forest in front of the house and a pond beside it.” Xian said, scratching his hair.

“I want to have a look.” She wanted to see the layout of the house.

“Okay. Just follow me.” Xian said excitedly.

If the transaction concluded, he would be able to buy a house of his own, and he would no longer have to sleep in the open air.

“Young Master, the original owner is a businessman. He is not a local. As his father is too old, he wants to return to his hometown. So they decided to sell this house. The layout is quite good. But the price is a little high….” Xian told Yang Zijin on the way.

They arrived at the front door of the house. As Xian said, there was a vast peach forest in the front of the house and a pond beside it. It had to say that the rich knew how to enjoy life.

Xian walked to the door and knocked.

Out came a man of nearly fifty years old, who was the butler of the merchant. He was an intelligent man at first glance.

They went into the yard and saw the magnificent decoration, well-arranged yards, rockeries, small gardens, lotus pools. It seemed that the house was customized for her.

“Very good. I want this house. How much the owner asked for?” Yang Zijin was very satisfied with the house.

Hearing that Yang Zijin decided to buy the house, Xian could not be more excited, “Young Master, he asked for one thousand taels of silver.” He looked at Yang Zijin. There was no other expression on her face.

Yang Zijin took out the money from her sleeve and said to the butler, “This is one thousand taels of silver, please check.”

The old butler took the money and counted it carefully.

“Would you please wait for a moment. I will go and get the property owners.h.i.+p certificate.” He picked up the money and went to get the certificate.

Xian was stunned by what he had seen. He had never seen such a straightforward person. She didn't even bargain with the seller. Anyway, he got his ten taels of silver. He didn't have to live in the alley anymore, and he could buy some furniture.

Yang Zijin was very satisfied with the house, but it needed to be renovated.

“Xian, I wonder if you would like to work for me?” Yang Zijin looked at him.

Xian got in a daze for a while. What a lucky day! All good things happened. He got not only money but also a stable job.

Xian nodded excitedly, “Of course. You can order me anything you want to do.”

Yang Zijin thought the priority was to make a horizontal inscribed board. She looked around, only seeing the flouris.h.i.+ng peach blossom. It seemed to spread as far as three miles. Why didn't we call it the Blossoming Peach? The name was romantic and suitable for the scenery.

“Go and find the best carpenters in the city to make a horizontal inscribed board engraved with ‘Blossoming Peach.' Invite the best craftsmen to redesign the layout of the house. You are responsible for supervising their work. Don't forget to buy some lanterns and hang them on all the places outside the courtyard where available.” Yang Zijin ordered in detail. She took out fifty taels of silver to Xian.

“To make the house as good as you can. If the money is not enough, just let me know.” Yang Zijin looked at him.

Xian never touched so much money. He became stiff. He took the money with his trembling hands. It seemed like a dream. He didn't expect that Yang Zijin would trust him like that. He would not live up to his trust.

“I remember. Please be at ease. I'm willing to do anything for you.” Xian said seriously.

Yang Zijin took the property owners.h.i.+p certificate. She told Xian something in detail and left. She has other things to do.

Xian lived up to Yang Zijin's expectations. The carpenter finished the board before noon. The words “Blossoming Peach” were especially eye-catching. It seemed more spectacular than the original board.

Xian asked people to hang the board, which was wrapped in red cloth, on the top of the door. He also hired some workers to hang lanterns in the yards. The red lanterns attracted a lot of people. They stood together and guessed what was under the red cloth.

Yang Zijin returned to the mansion of Marquis. She was going to change her clothes. She planned to go to the remote yard to have a see. After all, there was something need to talk face to face.

Yang Zijin changed man's clothing, looked like a young master. Yang Zijin's whereabouts soon caused the suspicion of Qiao Shu. Qiao Shu then secretly followed behind her.

Qiao Shu followed Yang Zijin to get out of the city. They walked very far away from the city. Qiao Shu was a young lady who was used to stay at home. She gradually felt exhausted. At the time when she decided to give up, Yang Zijin stopped at the door of a yard and knocked. A man of more than thirty years old opened the door. Yang Zijin looked around and went into the yard.

Qiao Shu walked quickly to the door and looked in through a crack between a door and its frame.

She saw four or five men and a woman of over 50 years old sat around a table. Yang Zijin was seated among them. It seemed that they were discussing something. Qiao Shu moved close to the door, but it was too far, she couldn't hear anything.

In the yard.

Madam Yang held Yang Zijin's hand, “Zijin, you made me worried a lot. You said you were safe in the letter, but I couldn't rest a.s.sured until I see you in person.”

Yang Zijin knew that Madam Yang concerned about her very much. She shook Madam Yang's hand with a smile, “I know you worried about me, so I managed to come over.”

Madam Yang held her hand and felt relieved, “You're so sweet! So what are you want me to do next?”

“You are the one who knows me the best.”

Yang Zijin sat straight, saying to other people around the table, “I already bought a house and had people to renovate it. You don't need to worry about that. What are you going to do is to count and check personnel.”

They nodded.