Thirteen thousand and thirteen

At the entrance of the pleasure boat, the two were stopped by the guards stationed there.

Pei Yannian immediately handed over a silver ingot, which the guard promptly took and bit to verify its authenticity. Before the guard could react further, the silver simply vanished from his hand, and his arrogant demeanor quickly softened.

“What brings you here? This isn’t some makeup shop; young ladies are best to stay away.”

“The young mistress is curious. I’m bringing her to take a look,” Pei San pressed Qiao Qiao behind him and smiled at the guard. “Do us a favor and let us in, or she’ll make a fuss on the way back.”

“That is strange indeed.” The guard’s gaze circled the two once more. After exchanging a glance with someone nearby, he said, “Alright, you may enter. But if any trouble arises, I take no responsibility.”

Pei Yannian then led Chu Qiao Qiao onto the boat.

The pleasure boat was larger than expected, with two levels. Its eaves curved high, covered in vermilion tiles. Beneath the eaves stood two intricately carved pillars, and the beams inside were painted with gold and colorful patterns. A carved lattice door opened inward, covered only by a single layer of red gauze-like fabric, obscuring the view inside but nothing more.

Jiang Xinyue exchanged a glance with Pei San and saw him step inside toward the inner chamber, with her following closely behind.

Upon entering, a heavy scent of incense nearly made her cough. She covered her nose for a moment before regaining her composure.

Looking closely, the interior was not much different from an ordinary tavern. Deep inside was a raised platform, from which a winding path paved with red silk extended. The tables were scattered along this path.

The difference lay in the dim candlelight, possibly veiled by bluish-purple or reddish-purple silk, creating an ethereal, dreamlike glow. The soft, lingering sound of the zither sent shivers down her spine.

It took Jiang Xinyue a while to adapt to the incense, her head feeling dizzy and suddenly overwhelmed by fear, afraid someone might jump out at any moment. She stepped closer, tightly following Pei San’s tall and imposing figure for a sense of security.

Yet it still wasn’t quite enough. Clearing her throat, she asked with restraint, “Have you been to places like this before? If you don’t know the way, I can lead you so you don’t get lost.”

“I have. They’re mostly similar,” Pei Yannian replied, taking his young wife’s hand to avoid the people moving ahead.

Jiang Xinyue was stunned. “Wait, why would you come to a place like this?”

The silver for boarding such a boat was not cheap—a considerable expense. Did Pei San, a mountain hunter, really have that much money?

Her tone rose in surprise just as the man beside her overheard.

He laughed and interjected, “Isn’t it normal for men to come for pleasure? Even those without means save up enough silver to enjoy a night. Judging by this gentleman here, he probably comes from a decent background. What’s wrong with seeking some fun?”

So Pei San had also indulged in pleasure before? Jiang Xinyue frowned, a wave of discomfort welling up inside her.

“Sir, what’s your name? You sound quite familiar with this place.”

“Call me Liu. Familiar? Not exactly. I’ve just come here more times than most. I know a bit.” He glanced at the woman partly hidden behind the taller man. “Why bring a companion along for fun?”

Pei Yannian sighed, “We actually have a serious matter. We’re here to find someone. My younger sister was naive and tricked out of a lot of silver by a man. When I found out, she had even given away a jade pendant left by our father. That pendant means a great deal to us. Ridiculously, my sister still won’t say where the man is. We have no choice but to try our luck here.”

His eyebrows drooped, lips pressed thin, anger barely concealed, as if the story were true.

If Jiang Xinyue were unaware, she might have been fooled. Thinking about Pei San’s past indulgences, her discomfort grew into anger.

She pulled her hand free and, outraged, said, “Who says not? She trusts anyone and has given away nearly a hundred to eighty taels by now. Our family can barely get by.”

“That really is…” The man trailed off, reluctant to speak ill of a lady in front of her. “Who are you looking for? Maybe I know him.”

“He Hai, medium height, with moles near the corner of his eyes and nose tip, likes to call himself a scholar.”

The man thought for a moment, uncertain. “There might be such a person… Your sister’s taste is certainly…” His expression was complicated. “He’s quite smooth and generous, involved with many girls. But he recently lost his money and sold his own sister into a brothel. She escaped, and he got beaten up badly by the brothel’s men. Now he’s probably upstairs in the gambling den. You can check there.”

“Thank you, brother.” Pei Yannian bowed respectfully.

The man, wealthy himself, appreciated the respect and kindly warned, “The gambling den upstairs has strict rules and guards patrolling outside. No personal grudges allowed inside. You might want to wait near the stairs; he’ll have to come down eventually.”

“Understood.” Pei Yannian thanked him and, with Qiao Qiao, headed for the staircase to the second floor.

Perhaps their luck was good, as they saw a man staggering down the stairs, drunk and muttering curses about losing heavily today, promising to win it back soon.

His steps were unsteady, eyelids drooping near his mouth, utterly lost in wine and women. Yet he somehow managed to wear a clean brocade robe with a matching headband, still maintaining a shred of dignity.

More importantly, he bore a striking resemblance to He Hai, the man mentioned by Tao Xikou.

“That must be He Hai,” Jiang Xinyue exclaimed, tugging at the sleeve of the man beside her.

They watched as He Hai swayed to the edge of the platform and casually lifted his robe to rest but didn’t move further. Today was unlucky—no wins and plenty of forced drinks. Fortunately, he had some valuables at home; otherwise, he wouldn’t even have a chance to recover.

As he fantasized about dominating the card table later, a sharp blade suddenly pressed against his waist.

His mind cleared instantly. Raising both hands, he pleaded, “Spare me, brave man!”

“Come over here.” A stranger gestured toward a dark corner near the stairs.

He Hai nodded repeatedly but had barely taken a few steps when he suddenly sprang forward like a fish thrown into water. Before he could scream, someone covered his mouth, and his eyes nearly bulged out in terror and pain.

Pei Yannian calmly withdrew the dagger, grabbed him, and dragged him into the shadows beneath the stairs before releasing him. His sharp eyes bore into He Hai as his voice lowered, heavy with menace.

“Answer every question truthfully. If you lie, you won’t want to know the consequences.”

A cold breeze blew across the river. Through a wooden lattice door, the faint strings of a zither drifted, mingling with the lake’s mist.

Clutching his wound, He Hai writhed in pain and fear, trying to appease them. “Yes, sir. Please ask.”

“Do you know Qingzhu?”

“That wretched woman!” He Hai blurted out.

Pei Yannian covered his mouth and slashed his arm with the dagger. The man curled up in agony, grimacing. When his breathing steadied, Pei Yannian released him and wiped the blade on his robe.

Every move was decisive, the blade’s bloodied gleam shattering He Hai’s last shred of hope.

“I’ll tell you. She’s my lover. We planned to marry soon, but she went with the lady of the Huaiyuan Marquis’s mansion to Weinan. Something happened on the way, and she never returned.”

“If not for her, I wouldn’t be this poor, hesitating to gamble even a few rounds.”

“How so? Did she take your silver?” Jiang Xinyue asked.

“No, not exactly,” He Hai hesitated as the man beside him “accidentally” tore his robe. Suddenly alert, he confessed, “But she’s the chief maid of a noble lady, with a high monthly wage—ten to eight taels a month.”

Ten to eight taels?

Though Jiang Xinyue wasn’t short of money, still residing in the Huaiyuan Marquis’s estate, the servants’ monthly pay came from official accounts. A first-class maid’s wage was about three taels, and including bonuses during festivals or celebrations, roughly four taels.

“Where would she get ten to eight taels?”

“At first she didn’t, but the noble lady must have found her efficient, so over the past two or three years, it rose to that amount.” He Hai snorted. “Don’t think she gave all that to me. That little wretch hides many treasures without telling me.”

While Jiang Xinyue pondered who this noble lady might be, the man’s deep voice cut in. “How do you know she’s hiding treasures?”

He Hai’s pupils shrank as he met the man’s intense gaze, his mind blank. “I… I…”

“Take us to see them, alright?”

Pei Yannian’s tone was a question but left no room for refusal, pulling He Hai ahead. He considered resisting but knew any attempt would earn a painful knife wound, likely wishing for death soon after.

Yet despite the pain and bleeding, his mind was sharper than usual.

At his room, he quickly gathered his belongings and collapsed on the floor. “Everything’s here, really all here.”

“Did you pawn any?”

“How dare I? She cared deeply for these things. Once, I stole a hairpin to sell, and she threatened to poison us both. We had to pay a lot to redeem it.”

He Hai broke down, clutching his head. “That’s all I know. Every debt has its owner; you should find her directly.”

Jiang Xinyue picked up the only hairpin from the collection and examined it carefully. It was entwined with gold branches, topped with gemstones arranged like a peony flower—quite luxurious. Yet the gems were cut into small fragments, making the value average.

Still, it looked familiar, as if seen somewhere before, though she couldn’t recall where. But she was certain it was not hers.

Unable to remember, she decided to ponder it later, neatly packing the jewelry box. Before leaving, she gave He Hai a sharp kick.

She had planned to slip back unnoticed before the Huaiyuan Marquis’s estate locked up for the night. But upon returning, the tightly shut gate stunned her.

She had wasted too much time with He Hai!

With that thought, she couldn’t resist kicking He Hai twice more.

Now, she could only look at Pei San with glistening eyes, full of hope. “Your martial arts are so strong, surely you can help me climb over the wall, right?”