Jiuxi

Chapter 1043 Extra 07 [Abyss]

The situation seems to be on the verge of breaking out, but in fact no one is willing to act rashly.

The guards employed by Jinxiu Tower were not stupid. Although they could not tell the girl's true identity, when they walked to the courtyard, the way their cloud-like shoes stepped through the gaps in the blue bricks clearly showed the demeanor they had cultivated since childhood - not half a step more than half a step, not deviating by more than three inches, just like the steps of a jade spinning wheel.

More than a dozen long swords were hanging on the waist, but no one dared to draw the blades. The leader's thumb repeatedly rubbed the gold and silver patterns on the handles. The black iron ring hanging on the waist was engraved with viper patterns, which was faintly hot with the pulsation of blood, like a dormant cheetah smelling the scent of its own kind.

"Miss, be careful."

The bell on Qi Min's sleeve trembled slightly, and the seven-star pattern flowed like a star track. She exchanged glances with Liu Fanzhi, then took a half step to block Lu Xinyi behind her, and whispered: "Miss, these people are not weak in martial arts, and they are full of murderous aura. They must have killed many people."

Hearing the last two words, Lu Xinyi's eyes narrowed slightly.

Of course there are not so many coincidences in this world.

She accidentally learned that there was a secret in this Jinxiu Building, so she wanted to ask her brother the Crown Prince to come with her to find out. Unfortunately, he had to accompany his father to summon the officials of the court today. In this case, she came alone. After all, there would be no danger in the capital.

In addition to Qi Min and Liu Fanzhi, the two maids in public, she also has a group of guards hiding in the dark and ready to appear at any time. They are elite masters carefully selected by Lu Chen, Lin Xi and Wang Chulong, and are capable of dealing with most unexpected situations.

When Lu Xinyi decided to force her way in, the tightly closed door with hanging flowers opened a little, and a young man with an arrogant look and dressed in silk walked out.

He first looked at the girl opposite him, his eyes brightened, and then he coughed lightly and asked the trembling shopkeeper in the corner, "What's going on?"

The shopkeeper glanced at Lu Xinyi and replied timidly, "Sir, this guest trespassed into the back hall for no reason. I and my staff tried to stop her, but were beaten back by the maid beside her."

The young man snorted coldly, and did not immediately punish the shopkeeper and the waiters. Instead, he looked at Lu Xinyi and smiled, "Miss, the dining area is in front. This is a private residence. It is not appropriate to barge in."

"A private residence?"

Lu Xinyi looked past the young man and towards the half-closed hanging flower door behind him. She said crisply, "I heard there's another world behind this door, where dignitaries often come and go, reveling in pleasure every night."

The young man's eyes were slightly cold. He carefully examined Lu Xinyi's makeup and the expressions of the two maids, and smiled again, "The young lady obviously heard wrongly. Jinxiulou is one of the most famous restaurants in Beijing. Its delicacies are unique. This is a well-known fact. It has no other business. I see that the young lady is either rich or noble. I wonder which mansion in Beijing is she from?"

"Want to find out about me?"

Lu Xinyi smiled faintly and said frankly: "Why not tell you? I was born in the Longlin Gao family and only came to the capital half a year ago."

Longlin Gao Clan...

The young man's mind raced, thinking to himself that this person was indeed someone powerful.

Twenty years ago, the Longlin Gao family was neither high nor low among the Jiangnan clans. They were not as prominent as the Jinlin Li and Qingyuan Xue families, but they were definitely not small characters that could be bullied. Later, because of their firm support for the current emperor, their status gradually rose. Now, with the cabinet minister and the Minister of Revenue Gao Huan supporting the Gao family, their influence in the court should not be underestimated.

Judging from the girl's demeanor, she is most likely the daughter of an aristocratic family. I wonder what her relationship with Gao Huan is?
Although the visitor had ill intentions, the young man showed no fear. Gao Huan alone would not frighten him greatly. After all, the real boss behind this Jinxiu Building was one of the powerful factions in the military.

At this moment, Lu Xinyi asked, "Who are you?"

The young man calmed down and replied calmly: "My name is Hu Qingyan, and I am honored to be the third owner of Jinxiu Tower."

Lu Xinyi said bluntly: "You don't look like someone who can make the decision. Don't beat around the bush. Who is the boss of your Jinxiu Building?"

Hu Qingyan's eyes were slightly raised, and his fingers under his sleeves slowly rubbed the jade ring: "Miss Gao, I respect the Grand Tutor as an important minister of the country. The Longlin Gao family has a long tradition of poetry and etiquette, so we treat him with courtesy. But if someone wants to throw dirty water on Jinxiu Tower, even if the Grand Tutor comes in person, he must give an explanation, not to mention you, a young girl who is inexperienced."

"presumptuous!"

Qi Min shouted harshly, and murderous intent flashed in the eyes of both her and Liu Fanzhi.

Hu Qingyan frowned slightly. This maid from the Gao family was so tough. Why did she look a bit like a general?
"Sister Qi, don't be angry."

Before Hu Qingyan could re-examine her, Lu Xinyi said calmly, "Boss Hu, although I am young, I like to meddle in other people's business. If I didn't know, it would be fine. But since I know that you guys in Jinxiu Tower have been taking lives lightly, then I must intervene."

Hu Qingyan said angrily, "Don't keep slandering me. Do you really think Jinxiu Tower is a place where a little girl like you can do whatever you want?"

Lu Xinyi nodded and said, "Maybe it's possible."

Hu Qingyan's face was uncertain. He had begun to doubt the girl's true identity. Even if a girl from Jiangnan had a backer like the Minister of Revenue, she would never have the courage to remain calm like this. However, he thought about it quickly in his mind and did not find any noble lady from a duke's mansion who matched the girl's identity.

Could it be...

Hu Qingyan's heart skipped a beat. Could she be the phoenix in the palace?

Rumor has it that the imperial family is now prosperous and the emperor has many children, but he loves Princess Changle the most.

However, Princess Changle had never appeared in public. Except for a very small number of important ministers who were trusted by the emperor, most court officials had never seen her, let alone Hu Qingyan, who just followed a certain important figure.

Fortunately, he was smart enough and his mind worked quickly. He noticed something strange when Qi Min scolded him. Now, thinking back, he gradually confirmed his inference.

A girl of fourteen or fifteen years old, with such noble and graceful demeanor, is most likely Princess Changle!
Hu Qingyan secretly wondered why this proud girl would come to trouble Jinxiu Tower, and said calmly, "Miss Gao, I don't understand what you are talking about. The so-called disregard for human life is ridiculous. Jinxiu Tower is just a restaurant after all, how could it be involved in a murder lawsuit? If you have nothing else to do, please go back and don't interfere with the normal business of Jinxiu Tower, otherwise I will definitely sue Shuntian Prefecture, and then even the Grand Tutor will not be able to protect you!"

Even if he was 60% sure that the girl was Princess Changle, since the other party deliberately concealed her identity, he would definitely not be foolish enough to expose her, because once the truth was revealed, he would have no choice but to obey the other party's orders respectfully and would not dare to disobey in any way.

Competing with Princess Changle?

He and the entire Hu family haven't lived enough.

Lu Xinyi chuckled and said, "Why are you so nervous? If you have nothing to hide, let me take a look behind that door. I don't think you are afraid of a little girl like me, right?"

Hu Qingyan felt a cold sweat on his back. If the other person was really Princess Changle, and he was so stubborn as to make sarcastic remarks, what if she went to the emperor to complain...

He resisted the urge to go weak in the knees and said, "What if I don't agree?"

"Then I have no choice but to take offense."

The implication is that she wants to force her way in.

Hu Qingyan gritted his teeth and said, "Okay, today, for the sake of the Grand Master, I will invite Miss Gao to come in and take a look so as to clear up the misunderstanding!"

He waved his hand, and the guards around him retreated to the corridors on both sides, and the hanging flower door opened completely.

Lu Xinyi gave him a meaningful look and then walked straight through the hanging flower gate.

Qi Min and Liu Fanzhi followed closely behind, with no concealment of the vigilance and alertness in their eyes.

Hu Qingyan turned to look at the cowering shopkeeper and gave him a vicious look, indicating that he should pass the message to the boss immediately.

Inside the Chuihua Gate, while the other party hadn't caught up yet, Qi Min whispered beside Lu Xinyi, "Don't worry, Your Highness. Our people have been properly arranged."

"It doesn't matter."

Lu Xinyi said with a half-smile, "This Mr. Hu is very smart. No wonder he can help others manage the business at such a young age. He must have guessed my identity."

She looked at the long winding corridor in front of her and continued walking forward.

After passing the corridor and going through a moon-shaped door, the girl couldn't help but stop. At this moment, even the knowledgeable Qi Min and Liu Fanzhi were a little surprised.

What appeared in their sight was actually a group of pavilions and towers hidden among the greenery of flowing water. From a distance, carved beams and painted buildings could be seen, and even the sound of stringed instruments could be faintly heard.

The so-called other world is actually such a different world.

Hu Qingyan came with a few followers and said truthfully: "To be honest with you, Miss Gao, the owner of our building spent a lot of money to buy this piece of land at the back. Originally, he just wanted to have a small gathering with a few friends in his spare time. Later, some nobles came here because of our reputation. In the end, the owner simply built more than ten small buildings for others to have fun."

Hearing this, Qi Min and Liu Fanzhi's faces looked unhappy.

Lu Xinyi thought for a moment, turned to look at Hu Qingyan and asked, "So the front is a restaurant and the back is a brothel? No wonder it's named after Jinxiu. Your boss is really brave. I only heard that the emperor praised the new policy with the words Jinxiu Jiangshan, but I didn't expect a brothel to be named after Jinxiu."

At this moment, beads of sweat appeared on Hu Qingyan's forehead, and he said in fear: "Miss Gao, please be careful with your words. How dare I have such a rebellious heart?"

"As far as I know, there are many brothels in Beijing. All you have to do is report to Shuntian Prefecture and keep it on file, and follow the court's rules. Your Jinxiu Tower is so mysterious and weird, it seems like you really have some secrets that cannot be revealed."

Lu Xinyi smiled expressionlessly and then walked towards the nearest small building.

Hu Qingyan wanted to stop her but didn't dare to. However, when she thought carefully, there was nothing strange in the building, so it would be okay even if she was allowed to go in and take a look. So she deliberately talked about this and that to try to delay time.

Lu Xinyi turned a deaf ear to him and suddenly stopped outside the gate of the small building.

Standing here, you can clearly hear the music in the building, and you can also see several men standing cautiously in the corridor of the courtyard. They should be the entourage of a noble person in the building.

Qi Min hesitated and said, "Miss, I'm afraid it's unsightly in here..."

She was a few years older than Lu Xinyi. Although she had never been to a brothel, she had heard some related stories and knew that such occasions must be rather absurd. She did not dare to pollute the eyes of the emperor's most beloved Princess Changle.

"There's nothing interesting in there."

Lu Xinyi said lightly, then looked towards the tree-lined path on the left.

Hu Qingyan noticed where her gaze was going, and his face suddenly became inexplicably nervous.

"Miss Gao, please stop!" Hu Qingyan stopped Lu Xinyi who was about to move forward, lowered his head and did not dare to look directly at her.

Lu Xinyi asked curiously, "Are you going to stop me?"

As soon as these words came out, Hu Qingyan realized that the thing he feared most was happening.

As expected, the girl said bluntly the next moment: "Hu Qingyan, I'll ask you again, do you really want to stop me?"

In the world today, apart from Princess Changle, there is no other royal noble lady aged fourteen or fifteen.

"The villain dare not."

Hu Qingyan stood aside and bowed, saying in fear: "I am blind and failed to recognize Her Royal Highness the Princess. Please forgive me, Her Royal Highness!"

"You are a smart person, don't make a mistake."

Lu Xinyi said this and walked along the tree-lined path. Qi Min shot a cold gaze at Hu Qingyan like a knife, and then she and Liu Fanzhi followed Lu Xinyi's footsteps. At the same time, she gave a signal, and soon twenty or thirty people appeared from all directions.

Hu Qingyan was horrified when he saw this scene. He knew that Princess Changle must be accompanied by an expert, and it was impossible for her to have only two maids. However, he never expected that the other party had already sneaked into the important area behind Jinxiu Tower, and the so-called experts he raised and the sentries he arranged did not react at all!
Now I just hope the big boss can show up soon.

Hu Qingyan's face turned pale, and after a slight hesitation he followed.

The group came to the end of the tree-lined path, where there was a pond full of lotus flowers and a few small buildings scattered around it.

The half-acre square pond was covered with emerald lotus leaves, and the tips of the blooming lotus petals were still condensed with water droplets. The spring breeze brought a faint fragrance, but it was mixed with a faint fishy smell, as if the koi had stirred up the silt at the bottom of the pond that had been there for years.

"Boss Hu, I know you sent someone to call the mysterious boss over, but I don't think he'll come that soon, so you still have some time to consider whether you want to make amends for your crime."

Lu Xinyi turned to look at Hu Qingyan and smiled, "Think carefully before answering. You won't get a second chance."

Hu Qingyan's face was covered with beads of sweat, and he asked with difficulty, "I don't understand what Your Highness means."

"Don't you understand?"

Lu Xinyi retracted her gaze and continued to look at the lotus flowers blooming in the pond in front of her. She said softly, "The rules of Jinxiu Tower are very strict. Ordinary people can't find the way in. Only dignitaries can come here. Maybe it's because it's secretive enough, and your family has a deep foundation. Basically, no officials will come to check, so those dignitaries can play here with peace of mind. But I heard that you have done a lot of evil things to force women of good families into prostitution, and many poor women have been tortured to death here."

Hu Qingyan only felt that his shirt was completely soaked with cold sweat.

Lu Xinyi continued, "How many innocent women's bodies are buried under these seemingly bright and beautiful hibiscus flowers?"

"Your Highness, this is a slander made out of nothing by others!"

Hu Qingyan could no longer bear it and quickly denied it, "If Your Highness doesn't believe me, you can have someone dig the pond upside down. There is definitely no so-called female corpse underneath!"

Lu Xinyi turned around and looked at him steadily, then suddenly nodded and said, "So that's how it is. It shows that you did take human life lightly, but you have already disposed of the body. You are really smart. You deliberately blocked my way to lead me astray. I think you would pretend to be like this no matter where I go. Your Jinxiu Building is so well hidden, how could you leave any evidence inside the building? If I make a scene here and get nothing in the end, my father will definitely punish me, and you can naturally get away safely."

Hu Qingyan was stunned, and his body began to tremble uncontrollably.

He totally couldn't understand. Although this girl was the most noble Princess Changle in the world, she was only fourteen or fifteen years old after all. How could she be so familiar with people's hearts and easily dig out the secrets buried deep in his heart?

"Hu Qingyan."

Lu Xinyi had a blank expression on her face and said coldly, "Are you sure the people behind you can protect you and the entire Hu family?"

Hu Qingyan looked dejected, his legs went weak and he fell to the ground.

……

"I wonder which distinguished guest suddenly came to Jinxiu Tower?"

A slightly sharp voice sounded in the distance, and then a man in his thirties and more than a dozen strong followers quickly came to the vicinity of the pond.

It was as if he had just noticed the group of people standing in front of him at this moment. His eyes first fell on Lu Xinyi's face, and he immediately said in shock: "Your humble servant Xu Ling, I pay my respects to Your Highness!"

Lu Xinyi's willow-shaped eyebrows finally frowned.

She knew that the behind-the-scenes boss of Jinxiu Tower must be a powerful figure in Beijing, but she didn't expect it to be this person.

The reason why Xu Ling could recognize Princess Changle in front of him at a glance was because his father was one of the eight founding dukes of the Qin Dynasty, and now one of the three commanders of the Capital Garrison District, Duke Chengguo Xu Gui!

As everyone knows, Xu Gui is the most loyal supporter of the current emperor. He has followed the emperor to fight on the battlefield countless times and risked his life, especially in the Battle of Miejing, where he made outstanding military achievements. Therefore, he was conferred the title of Duke.

As Xu Gui's eldest son, Xu Ling had attended two palace banquets held by the emperor with his father. He had seen Lu Xinyi from afar and recognized her at a glance today.

After a heart-pounding silence, Lu Xinyi said calmly, "So you are the owner of Jinxiu Tower."

Xu Ling didn't know what had happened. He subconsciously looked at the dejected Hu Qingyan beside him, then smiled and said, "Your Highness, please forgive me. My family has too many expenses, and my father is impatient to take care of these mundane affairs. So I opened this Jinxiu Restaurant two years ago, hoping to add some income to the family."

"That's a good thing."

Lu Xinyi shook her head and changed the subject: "The restaurant in front is doing very well, it should be enough to cover the expenses of the Duke's Mansion. Why do you still want to do this kind of business in the back?"

Xu Ling was stunned. He also didn't understand how Princess Changle knew such a secret. He could only humbly say, "Your Highness, I just want to make more money."

Although restaurants have good profits, how can they compare with brothels?
According to Hu Qingyan, this is a very profitable business!

Of course, he would never dare say this in front of the princess. Xu Ling was not that stupid.

Lu Xinyi ignored his excuses and said slowly, "Even if you want to open a brothel, you should still follow the rules of Shuntian Prefecture, especially not mistreat the women. However, your brothel has been open for more than a year, and it has killed dozens of people. Does Duke Cheng know that you are so bold?"

"what?!"

Xu Ling was filled with astonishment, and said in disbelief: "Your Highness, this...how can you say this? Even if I had ten courages, I would not dare to do this. If my father knew about this, he would beat me to death!"

Lu Xinyi had no doubt that Xu Gui would do this. Although she was still young, she had heard her mother comment on the generals under her father's command. Among them, Xu Gui's evaluation was "loyal, brave and violent", which was appropriate.

At this moment, she suddenly felt that something was not right. Xu Ling's reaction did not seem fake, but if such a bad thing really happened in Jinxiu Tower, he, as the boss, would inevitably be involved. Xu Gui might also be implicated, and he would definitely not be able to escape the charge of not being a good parent.

Just as she was lost in thought, Liu Fanzhi, who had disappeared earlier, hurried over. From her cold and angry expression, she knew that things were developing in an unpredictable direction.

"Your Highness, according to Hu Qingyan's previous confession, I led people to dig out corpses in the deserted corner of the underground not far from Jinxiu Tower. Because there are so many, it is not clear how many there are. I left people there to continue digging and came to report to Your Highness first."

These words exploded in Xu Ling's ears like thunder.

Lu Xinyi's face was frosty.

After all, she was only a fifteen-year-old girl. She usually went out of the palace incognito with her brother the Crown Prince to fight for justice. What she had seen were basically cases of bullying of the weak. How could she have ever heard of such an appalling tragedy?
This Jinxiu Building with elegant scenery was actually a devil's den that devoured countless lives!

She was so angry that she was breathing rapidly. She said coldly, "Xu Ling, you are so brave!"

"Your Highness, I am innocent!"

Xu Ling was so frightened that he looked at Hu Qingyan who was already kneeling on the ground and asked in a stern voice, "What on earth is going on?!"

Hu Qingyan said sadly: "Brother Xu, I asked you for your advice last year, and you didn't object at that time."

"What do you mean? What does this have to do with me?"

Xu Ling was furious and strode up to Hu Qingyan with a fierce look in his eyes.

Although Hu Qingyan was afraid of him, he did not dare to take up the charge in front of Princess Changle. He said hesitantly, "That time I said that many new girls were disobedient and unwilling to serve the guests attentively. You said you could teach them a lesson. Have you forgotten about this?"

"I--"

Xu Ling was furious and gritted his teeth, "I asked you to discipline them well, but never asked you to kill people indiscriminately."

"enough."

Lu Xinyi's words calmed the two of them down. She looked at Qi Min and said, "Sister Qi, the officials from Shuntian Prefecture should be here soon. Hand over all the evidence and the people involved to them. No matter how many people are implicated in this matter, we must not let those poor women die with regrets."

Qi Min saluted and said, "Yes, Your Highness."

Xu Ling's lips moved. He really wanted to tell Princess Changle that he was not the real boss and that Jinxiu Tower was not the property of the Chengguo Mansion alone. However, when he thought of that man's identity, he was speechless.

Soon, Shuntian Prefecture Governor Huang Xianfeng arrived with officials, and with him was Zhong Ming, the chief of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

After a round of greetings, when Qi Min and Huang Xianfeng finished the handover, Zhong Ming respectfully said to Lu Xinyi: "Your Highness, His Majesty orders you to return to the palace immediately."

Lu Xinyi accepted the order, and then said to Huang Xianfeng: "Sir Huang, I'm leaving this case to you. I hope you can judge it impartially."

Huang Xianfeng bowed his head slightly and said, "Please rest assured, Your Highness."

Lu Xinyi turned and left without noticing Xu Ling's desperate and frightened look.

(End of this chapter)