Huangming

Chapter 470 Exploring the Secrets of Love and Lust, Uncovering the Collusion

Inside the tent, wisps of tobacco swirled and curled, carrying with them an ambiguous atmosphere between the two.

Wang Wei's eyes flickered, and her originally cool gaze became moist, like the misty waters of the Qinhuai River. Her fingers unconsciously gripped Zhang Zhiji's sleeve, and her breathing became more rapid than before.

Zhang Zhiji's technique was skillful; each time he touched a sensitive spot, he would place it there.

This caused the water to flow gently.

He was clearly a seasoned pro, and she, a woman who had frequented the world of pleasure but rarely felt moved, actually felt a bit confused and infatuated.

Just as she leaned forward slightly, almost touching Zhang Zhiji's shoulder, Zhang Zhiji suddenly withdrew his hand, which was slightly wet.

Wang Wei's movements froze in mid-air, her eyelashes trembled, the moisture still lingering on her eyes, and her tone carried a hint of bewildered grievance:
"Distinguished guest... what is the reason for this?"

Zhang Zhiji raised his hand to straighten the cuffs of his brocade robe and said with a smile, "Let's talk about business first."

"Business?"

Wang Wei was completely stunned, her affectionate eyes widening slightly as if she hadn't understood his words.

In the Shuyu Pavilion of Yihong Courtyard, facing her, the top courtesan of Qinhuai, isn't the so-called "proper business" just now the intimate bedroom affair?

A sense of disappointment swept through her heart; the feelings that had just ignited seemed to have been doused with cold water, and even the blush on her cheeks faded a bit.

Zhang Zhiji ignored her disappointment, leaning back slightly on the embroidered stool, his gaze sweeping over the guqin on the table, his tone slow and leisurely:

“You famous courtesans of the Qinhuai River deal with gentry, cloth merchants, and officials from Jiangnan every day. You are probably the only ones who hear the most complete things they say when they drink and the most complete things they let slip when they discuss matters.”

What I want to know are these 'secrets'.

Wang Wei then suddenly realized what was going on.

It turns out he wasn't there for pleasure, but to gather information.

Her disappointment deepened, but she quickly suppressed her previous tenderness and regained some of her composure in the world of romance.

She adjusted her wide robe, sat up straight, and slowly said:

"I have indeed heard some rumors, but I will not speak of any secrets involving officials, gentry, or merchants."

"This is the rule of Qinhuai River. If someone gossips and spreads things they shouldn't, no one will dare to come looking for me again."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Zhiji neither got angry nor tried to persuade him; he simply took out a silver note from the inner pocket of his brocade robe.

The banknote is printed with the words "One Hundred Taels" in red ink, and there is also a security seal across the corner.

He held the corner of the silver note and gently placed it on Wang Wei's chest.

The fabric there was thin and soft, and you could feel the rise and fall of her chest.

"A mere hundred taels of silver, and you think you can make me break the rules?"

Wang Wei glanced down at the silver note on her chest, her tone carrying a hint of feigned arrogance, but she didn't push it away with her fingers.

One hundred taels of silver is enough for an ordinary person to live on for ten years. Although it is not a small amount for her, the top courtesan, it is not enough to make her abandon the "rules".

Zhang Zhiji smiled and took out another silver note from his inner pocket, this time for "five hundred taels".

"Five hundred taels is enough for you to buy ten bolts of brocade and a set of jewelry."

Wang Wei's breathing suddenly became rapid.

Five hundred taels...

That's quite a large number.

Her tone softened, but she remained defiant:
"Even if you add another five hundred taels, I won't say anything."

Rules are rules. "

But even she herself didn't feel confident saying those words.

Zhang Zhiji saw this and chuckled to himself.

Instead of taking out the silver notes again, he reached out and gently pinched the corner of Wang Wei's clothes, slowly pulling out the two silver notes again.

"Stop it!"

Zhang Zhiji folded the two silver notes neatly, put them back in his inner pocket, and made as if to get up.

"Since you, Master Wang, are so compliant with the rules, I won't force you to comply."

You're not the only famous courtesan in Nanjing. I'll just go ask at Xinghualou.

Maybe the girls there don't have so many rules.

As he spoke, he stood up, propped himself up on the embroidered stool, straightened the hem of his brocade robe, and was about to walk out the door.

Wang Wei immediately became anxious.

Five hundred taels!

Just gone?
She bit her lower lip, watching Zhang Zhiji's retreating figure, her mind racing:

It's just answering a few questions, not selling anyone's life. If she can really get five hundred taels, this deal is too good to pass up.

Besides, this young master seems to be of extraordinary status. If one offends him, it will be difficult to establish oneself in Jinling in the future.

She quickly reached out and grabbed Zhang Zhiji's sleeve, her tone softening, even carrying a hint of pleading:

"Honored guest, please wait!"

Seeing Zhang Zhiji stop and turn to look at her, she took a deep breath, gritted her teeth, and said:

"Please ask, esteemed guest! I will tell you the truth as long as I know it."

"This rule... breaking it once in a while is fine."

Zhang Zhiji felt a weight lifted from his heart, but he didn't show it on his face. He simply raised an eyebrow in feigned surprise.
"Oh? So, Master Wang has finally figured it out?"

Aren't you afraid of breaking the rules and then nobody coming to you?

Wang Wei's cheeks flushed again, this time from embarrassment.

She loosened Zhang Zhiji's sleeve, her fingertips twisting the hem of his shirt, and whispered:

"Your distinguished guest is of extraordinary status, and will certainly not make things difficult for me."

Besides... I do know some things that might be of help to our esteemed guest.

She paused, then added, "But... what I said is all hearsay. If there is anything inaccurate, please don't take offense, esteemed guest."

This is right.

Zhang Zhiji sat back down on the embroidered stool, took out the five-hundred-tael silver note from his inner pocket, and this time, instead of stuffing it into her clothes, placed it on the table and pushed it in front of her:
"Don't worry, as long as you're telling the truth, these five hundred taels are yours."

"If you speak well, I'll add another five hundred taels, making it a thousand taels."

"Since you are so kind as to grace us with your presence, I will naturally speak freely and without reservation."

Zhang Zhiji slowly sat up straight and asked:
"Let me ask you, why are those silk merchants in Jiangnan so slow to send their raw silk to the weaving bureau?"

Is it a genuine shortage, or is someone stirring things up behind the scenes?

Wang Wei paused, a flicker of surprise flashing across her eyes.

The prostitute hadn't expected Zhang Zhiji to ask about this.

She put down her teacup, pondered for a moment, and then slowly said:
"In response to your question, young master, the silk merchants in Jiangnan are divided into several factions. The Weng family of Dongshan monopolizes the sales market in Jiangbei with their ice silkworm silk. The Xi family's futures business even makes the cloth merchants in Huguang have to be subservient. The Xu family of Xishan has never given anyone else a chance to make a living on the Yangtze River. There are also the Wang family of Hangzhou and the Cheng family of Xiuning. Which of them doesn't have connections everywhere?"

"To say that raw silk cannot be sent to the weaving bureau, the excuse is that the floods have damaged the silkworm industry, but who doesn't know the real reason? They are all waiting for the price of silk to rise."

Last year, a bolt of Hangzhou satin sold for eight qian of silver, but this spring it has risen to one liang and two qian. If you hoard it for a while longer, it might double in price.

As for whether there's someone behind him...

Wang Wei chuckled self-deprecatingly.

"I'm just a woman who sells smiles at the door; how could I possibly know the inside story of those important figures?"

"Then you should know who is close to these silk merchants."

Wang Wei clenched her handkerchief, hesitated for a moment, but ultimately, for the sake of five hundred taels of silver, she revealed more secrets:

"Zhou Shipu, the prefect of Songjiang Prefecture, drank for three days on the Weng family's boat last month."

"And the magistrate of Suzhou Prefecture also has connections with the Wang family..."

She rattled off the names of four or five officials in a row.

Zhang Zhiji didn't interrupt her; he waited until she finished speaking before asking again:
"Have any officials in the prefectures of Jiangnan recently joined together to resist taxes?"

Who is behind those rumors and those bad things about the Disaster Relief Department?
For example, they would link the "land survey" to "Chen Luotie" during the Hongwu era, create plays that said "disaster relief is like slaughtering people," and even forge petitions saying things like "I would rather suffer from floods than accept imperial favor."

You haven't heard of these things?

Wang Wei's face paled. She picked up the teacup and took a sip, but couldn't taste any tea flavor.

Her eyes were slightly red, and she was a little scared.

This distinguished guest is no ordinary person; the information he seeks delves into the darker aspects of officialdom.

Having witnessed countless power struggles and infighting along the Qinhuai River, she knew that once one became entangled in officials' secrets, one would either become a pawn or a discarded piece.

"There are indeed some rumors..."

Wang Wei's voice trembled.

"But these are all the officials' secrets. Even if I knew them, I wouldn't dare to say them."

She looked up at Zhang Zhiji, her eyes pleading. "Honorable guest, think about it. If those people knew it was me who said it, even if I hide in Yihong Courtyard, I can't escape their knives."

No matter how much money you give, you can't buy back a life, can you?

"hehe."

Zhang Zhiji chuckled softly.

"You don't need to be afraid."

His voice deepened, becoming more penetrating.

"I came to Jiangnan to deal with these corrupt officials and businessmen who collude with each other."

If they're really up to something, they'll be in deep trouble themselves in the future, so why would they have time to bother you?

Wang Wei's heart skipped a beat when she heard Zhang Zhiji's tone.

She had seen many wealthy merchants at the Yihong Courtyard, but none of them would speak so casually about "dealing with officials."

She bit her lip, as if she had made up her mind, yet there was still a hint of hesitation in her expression.

"If you, esteemed guest, can truly protect me, I will risk my life."

Wang Wei bit her lip lightly and said slowly:
"I heard that Zhou Qiyuan, the governor of Yingtian, sent a secret letter to Wang Yingjiao, the minister of the Ministry of Revenue in Nanjing, last month. It seems that the letter mentioned the matter of 'setting the price of raw silk'."

Kou Shen, the prefect of Suzhou, also frequently met privately with members of the Xi family.

"And back in the capital, Qian Qianyi's protégés came to Jiangnan a few days ago to deliver a letter to the Wang family..."

She paused before finishing her sentence, as if recalling details or considering whether she should say it. She added a few more names here and there, including local county magistrates and minor officials from the textile bureau. The names strung together formed a vast net covering the Jiangnan region.

Zhang Zhiji listened quietly, his gaze gradually darkening.

Some of these names he had heard of before, while others were new clues. Put together, they perfectly matched the thread he was investigating on this trip.

"Today's trip was not in vain."

After Zhang Zhiji came to his senses, he slowly exhaled a breath of stale air.

"If I have been of any help to you, young master, then that would be the best outcome."

Seeing that Zhang Zhi was extremely satisfied, Wang Wei was relieved.

Zhang Zhiji handed her two silver notes, each worth five hundred taels.

An ordinary prostitute earns only a few taels of silver a month from her clients. This thousand taels would be enough for her to buy a small courtyard in Suzhou, but at this moment she dared not go to receive the client immediately. She only looked up at Zhang Zhiji.

"This is a reward for you."

"Then I'll continue to investigate, whether it's the stockpiling activities of silk merchants or the private dealings of officials. As long as it can be used, I have plenty of money."

These words reassured Wang Wei, and only then did she dare to accept the silver note.

She quickly folded the banknotes into small squares and stuffed them into the brocade pouch close to her body.

"Thank you... thank you for your generous reward, young master."

She curtsied.

Zhang Zhiji watched her hide the silver notes, his smile deepened, but his eyes changed.

The composure he displayed when questioning about serious matters had vanished, replaced by a more intimate scrutiny, like a hunter eyeing its prey.

He raised his hand and stirred the candle wick on the table. The flame flickered, clearly illuminating the desire in his eyes:
"Now that the important business is done, it's time to take care of some personal matters."

Wang Wei blushed, still feigning ignorance: "I don't know what private matter you are referring to, young master?"

Zhang Zhiji stood up, walked closer, and said with a smile:

"I spent 1,500 taels of silver today, so tell me, how should I be served?"

His voice was low and slightly teasing, but he gently lifted her chin with his index finger, forcing her to look up at him.

Wang Wei's cheeks instantly flushed, and she avoided his gaze.

She took a deep breath, slowly straightened up, and began to unbutton the buttons at her collar.

The outer garment with its pipa-shaped collar slipped down first, revealing the moon-white inner garment underneath. Then the belt loosened, and the hem of the skirt fell to the ground like petals of a flower spreading out.

In an instant, he was completely naked.

"Young master, is this kind of service acceptable?"

Her voice was as soft as the wind, with a touch of deliberate coquettishness, as she walked towards him step by step.

Zhang Zhiji's Adam's apple bobbed, he licked his lower lip, and the smile in his eyes was completely tinged with desire:
"Very good."

The candlelight had been blown askew by the wind, casting the shadows of the two people onto the bed curtains, which swayed gently, masking the sounds inside.

Next.

The two left traces in various corners of the room until the morning light gradually appeared, at which point Zhang Zhiji finally finished.

He smiled, stood up, draped his outer robe over his shoulders, and a satisfied look appeared on his face.

"If there is any news in the future, send it directly to the 'Yuelai Inn' in the south of the city to find Zhang Shisan."

Wang Wei nodded, looking very tired.

She was thoroughly tormented that night.

Earning a thousand taels of silver is definitely not that easy.

"I've noted it down."

After daybreak, Zhang Zhiji and Luo Yangxing walked out of the back door of Yihong Courtyard side by side.

Luo Yangxing took a deep breath, but didn't inhale much freshness; he only felt a tightness in his chest.

Last night, three prostitutes took turns harassing him. Even though he had practiced martial arts since childhood and was physically strong, his eyelids were heavy and his dark circles looked like he had been punched. He walked with a slightly unsteady gait, and there were still a few strands of hair that did not belong to him stuck in the folds of his robe.

"I say you……"

Luo Yangxing rubbed his lower back and complained somewhat:

"Don't make me suffer like this next time. If it happens a couple more times, my bones will fall apart."

Zhang Zhiji didn't reply, but simply raised his hand to straighten his crooked collar.

"You're denying everything now that you've got your pants up; who knows how carefree you were last night?"

Zhang Zhiji made a sarcastic remark about Luo Yangxing, and then said:

"Find a place to eat first, so you don't end up unable to speak properly when you get to the Ministry of War."

The two walked to a small stall at the alley entrance. Luo Yangxing plopped down on a bench and exclaimed, "Two bowls of soy milk and ten steamed buns!" as if he wanted to make up for all the energy he had used up the night before.

Zhang Zhiji sat slowly, holding only a vegetable bun, taking small bites, while his eyes swept over the pedestrians passing by on the street.

By the time the two of them finished eating, most of the morning mist had dissipated, and the sun had climbed onto the eaves.

The two quickly headed towards the imperial city and arrived at the Ministry of War in Nanjing.

The guards at the gate, seeing the Embroidered Uniform Guard badge on Luo Yangxing's waist, didn't dare to stop him and simply raised their hands in a salute.

The two walked straight in, crossed the stone arch bridge in the front yard, and made their way to the entrance of the inner hall. As soon as they lifted the curtain, they heard the rustling sound of papers being turned over inside.

Yuan Keli was sitting at his desk, his brows furrowed.

He went to work before dawn, clutching a land survey report sent by the Disaster Relief Department. The report was filled with dense numbers, revealing the perfunctory attitude of the Jiangnan gentry, but he couldn't get any solid evidence.

Hearing the noise, he looked up at the doorway, his gaze falling on Zhang Zhiji and Luo Yangxing. He immediately noticed their exhaustion, but had no time for pleasantries, and asked directly:

"Is there any progress on the matter I asked you to investigate?"

Knowing that Yuan Keli was anxious, Zhang Zhiji didn't beat around the bush and stepped forward to bow in greeting:
"Minister, we've actually found something."

He reached into his sleeve and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper, on which was the information he had memorized that morning.

"Some of these messages are true, some are false; the minister must verify them, however..."

He paused, looked up at Yuan Keli, and said, "At least we can be sure that the officials and gentry in Jiangnan have not been idle."

Yuan Keli took the paper, quickly scanned the writing on it, and frowned even more.

He casually placed the paper on the table and then rummaged through the pile of official documents to find another document.

That was a record of correspondence between Zhou Qiyuan, the governor of Yingtian, and Wang Yingjiao, the minister of the Ministry of Revenue in Nanjing, which the agents of the Western Depot had finally managed to find.

When the two intelligence reports were placed together, the scattered clues instantly came together:
Silk merchants hoarded raw silk to raise prices and resist the Imperial Textile Bureau; officials resisted taxes to protect the land of the gentry; and the disaster relief department's deep penetration into the grassroots hit their Achilles' heel.

"It seems they really have joined forces."

Yuan Keli's suspicions were now confirmed.

"Whether it's resisting taxes, resisting the Disaster Relief Bureau, or resisting the Textile Bureau, as long as they stick together, Jiangnan will never have peace."

He looked up at Zhang Zhiji, his gaze sharpening.

"We must find a way to break their alliance, otherwise, in a few days, even the imperial edict sent by His Majesty may not reach the counties and villages in Jiangnan."

Your Majesty intends to take control of Southern Zhili.

These people actually dare to resist?

This shows a lack of understanding of the overall situation in the world.

these people.
There is a way to die!
(End of this chapter)