Chapter 48

After Zhou Chong and Manager Xu left the Xie residence, they immediately rushed to the Flower Lane. It was only around three or four in the afternoon, the sun had already begun to set, but it was still quite a while before it would fully descend.

However, the Flower Lane was already bustling with activity. Revelers from all corners of Songjiang City gathered here, some heading straight to their regular courtesans, while others roamed the streets in search of new prey. Red lanterns hung at the entrances of the brothels, and women dressed in their finest stood by the doors, cracking sunflower seeds and chatting, occasionally glancing at the passing revelers and giggling behind their hands.

Zhou Chong and Manager Xu had no interest in seeking pleasure, and they ignored the women on both sides of the street. They quickly arrived at a secluded courtyard at the eastern end of the Flower Lane. Compared to other brothels, this courtyard was unusually quiet. There were no women standing at the entrance, but instead, two stone lions guarded the gate, and two muscular guards stood watch. If one didn't know the inside story, they might mistake it for the residence of a wealthy family.

Manager Xu led Zhou Chong forward and took out a finely carved wooden plaque from his chest. The guards immediately let them pass, but after Zhou Chong and Manager Xu entered, the guard who had seen their plaque ran off to inform the madam.

Manager Xu hadn't had the time to visit Su Niang recently. When he learned that she was carrying his child, he had desperately wanted to come and see her, but considering the situation at the Zhou residence, he could only shed tears alone. Fortunately, Zhou Chong had seen the letter; otherwise, Su Niang and her child might have suffered greatly, and Manager Xu would have regretted it for the rest of his life.

Thinking of Su Niang, whom he hadn't seen for over two months, and the child in her womb, Manager Xu felt a burning passion in his heart, and his steps quickened. Zhou Chong, who was following behind, had initially wanted to take a good look at this special brothel, but as Manager Xu walked faster and faster, he had to jog to keep up, which surprised him. He hadn't expected that Manager Xu, with his build, could move so quickly.

Soon, Zhou Chong and Manager Xu arrived at the secluded courtyard where Su Niang lived. Compared to other courtyards, this one was poorly located and looked rather dilapidated and shabby.

At this point, Manager Xu stopped and looked at the courtyard with an excited expression. His lips trembled as he said to Zhou Chong, "Young Master, Su Niang has been with me since she was eighteen. Unlike the girls in other courtyards who always ask their patrons for this and that, she always thinks of me and even chose to live in the worst courtyard. She said she was sold here by a human trafficker from her hometown and had never had enough to eat. Now, having a place to live and warm meals to eat is enough for her!"

Tears streamed down Manager Xu's face as he spoke. He had been the head steward of the Zhou residence, and it wasn't hard for him to make some money, but he always thought of the household and never took more than he needed. His annual income was only a few dozen taels of silver, which, after his own expenses, was just enough to provide Su Niang with the bare necessities. However, Su Niang never complained and never looked down on him for being old, which was what Manager Xu loved most about her.

Manager Xu had originally planned to wait until Su Niang was pregnant and then ask Zhou Chong's father for help to redeem her, thinking that, given their long-standing relationship, it wouldn't be difficult to raise a few hundred taels of silver to free her. However, Su Niang had never been able to conceive until now, and it happened at this inopportune time.

Seeing Manager Xu in tears, Zhou Chong sighed and patted his shoulder, saying, "It's alright, Uncle Xu. Don't be sad. Today, we will redeem Su Niang, and your family of three will be reunited. When the child is born, I'll be waiting to celebrate the full moon ceremony!"

Hearing Zhou Chong's words about a happy future, Manager Xu's spirits lifted. He nodded vigorously and then knocked on the door. Soon, hurried footsteps were heard from inside, and the door opened to reveal a woman in a blue cotton jacket. When she saw Manager Xu, her face lit up with joy, and tears streamed down her cheeks as she threw herself into his arms and sobbed.

Although the scene was touching, to avoid embarrassing Manager Xu, Zhou Chong turned away. After a while, Manager Xu managed to calm the woman down, and they both came to Zhou Chong. Manager Xu, somewhat embarrassed, introduced her, "Young Master, this is Su Niang. Su Niang, quickly greet the Young Master!"

"Su Niang greets the Young Master!" Su Niang, who usually referred to Manager Xu as her husband, was deeply moved by Zhou Chong's willingness to borrow money to redeem her. Her eyes were filled with tears as she bowed.

"Don't be so formal. Although I am the master and you are the servant, I have always regarded Uncle Xu as an elder. I couldn't bear to see you and the child suffer. I hope that after you are redeemed, you will live a happy life with Manager Xu," Zhou Chong said with a smile.

Taking this opportunity, Zhou Chong finally got a good look at Su Niang. While she wasn't a beauty, she was quite attractive, and her mature demeanor added to her charm. If her character was as Manager Xu described, she was indeed a flower in the wrong place.

However, Zhou Chong soon realized that in the Ming Dynasty, being beautiful wasn't always a good thing, especially for poor women. The courtesans in the brothels he had passed earlier were all attractive, but their beauty and poverty had led them to this fate. On the other hand, if a woman was too ugly, she might not even be sold and could end up starving to death.

Just as Zhou Chong and Manager Xu were meeting Su Niang, a group of people emerged from a nearby moon gate, and to Zhou Chong's surprise, one of them was an acquaintance.

The group was led by a heavily made-up old woman, followed by a group of burly men, who appeared to be the madam and her henchmen. Next to the madam was a young man holding a seductive woman. This young man was none other than Song Er, Zhou Chong's former potential brother-in-law.

Seeing Song Er and the madam together, Zhou Chong immediately guessed what was happening and felt a sinking feeling in his heart. He only had six hundred taels of silver, and if the madam demanded an exorbitant price, things could get complicated. Manager Xu, who had been sweating profusely since he saw Song Er, shared the same concern.

"Oh, Manager Xu, you're finally here! Su Niang has been waiting for you for a long time. If you hadn't come, her child might have been born already!" The madam, though bribed by Song Er, still put on a warm act, her thick makeup falling off as she smiled, which was quite revolting.

Manager Xu, though nervous, managed a weak smile and said, "I've been busy with affairs recently and couldn't come to visit Su Niang. I apologize for the trouble, Mother Qiu."

"Hehe, the Zhou family is already bankrupt, and yet you and your servant still have the heart to come here for pleasure. If this gets out, many people will praise Young Master Zhou for his gallantry," Song Er suddenly sneered.

Zhou Chong merely glanced at Song Er, his eyes full of disdain, as if he didn't take him seriously. Instead, he turned to the madam and said, "Mother Qiu, today my servant and I have come to discuss the redemption of Su Niang. I don't want any irrelevant people around to cause a disturbance. You can handle it as you see fit."

Zhou Chong's request was reasonable. He was here to conduct business, and Song Er, who was neither from the Zhou family nor the brothel, had no right to be there. The madam, though she had been paid by Song Er, had heard of Zhou Chong's reputation. Despite the Zhou family's decline, Zhou Chong was well-connected and a scholar, so she didn't dare offend him too much.

For this reason, the madam looked at Song Er with some difficulty. She managed the brothel, but she wasn't the owner. If this matter was reported to the real boss, her life might become difficult.

Song Er just wanted to see Zhou Chong's frustration when he couldn't afford to redeem Su Niang. He had already instructed the madam to demand an exorbitant price, so he didn't need to stay and argue with Zhou Chong. Therefore, he didn't make things difficult for the madam and said, "Fine, I was just passing by and have no interest in your family's affairs."

Song Er then retreated to the moon gate with the woman in his arms, but he didn't leave. Instead, he stood there, still watching with a smile. At this distance, he couldn't hear their conversation, and Zhou Chong had no reason to drive him away.

"Very well. Now that the irrelevant people have left, Mother Qiu, can you tell me how much silver is needed to redeem Su Niang?" Zhou Chong said solemnly. Given his understanding of Song Er, his easy departure suggested that he and the madam had already colluded, and Zhou Chong was likely to be overcharged.