Chapter 398 Making money in the right way
Chapter 398 Making money in the right way
The curfew in Kunming has not ended yet and remains in place.
The entire street was empty, with only the sound of horse-drawn carriages passing by.
The carriage wobbled to the entrance of Qingyin Lane.
Xue Lan, still with a hint of resentment, got off the carriage, her cheeks puffed up, with sadness in her eyes, and slowly walked into Qingyin Lane.
Hu Xiaowu quietly looked at Xue Lan's back, the hazy darkness covering the complex expression on his face.
If possible, he hoped that Xue Lan was a normal girl, so that they still had some chance.
but now,
The enemy is the enemy.
Hu Xiaowu took a deep breath, straightened his slightly hunched back, and his eyes became sharp!
He looked around in the darkness vaguely and lowered his head slightly.
He knew that in the darkness at this moment,
I don't know how many eyes were staring at him and No. 3 Qingyin Lane.
call--
Hu Xiaowu jumped onto the carriage, picked up the whip and whipped it gently.
The stable carriage moved slowly, and the sound of wheels rolling over the ground was heard, from near to far, and gradually disappeared into the darkness.
Not far away, No. 1 Qingyin Lane.
The entire house and courtyard was shrouded in darkness, without a trace of light.
No. 1 Qingyin Lane is close to the street and is the tallest and most respectable house in the entire Qingyin Lane.
Although Qingyin Lane is where the poor people in the city live, it is also the face of Kunming City.
The provincial government had used money to repair the houses close to the street.
At this moment, on the roof of No. 1 Qingyin Lane,
A figure dressed in black was crouching on the main beam.
Holding a new type of magnifying glass in his hand, he kept observing his surroundings.
Occasionally, he would make eye contact with the person on the roof of House No. 4, Qingyin Lane.
Although I can't see it clearly, I can see a vague black shadow.
Similarly, in the alleys adjacent to Qingyin Lane, there were also people lying on the ground and watching.
All eyes are focused on No. 3 Qingyin Lane, the very center!
Time passed slowly, and three hours passed in the blink of an eye.
It was late at night, the weather was getting colder, and a breeze blew occasionally.
Qin Yuanfang, who was at No. 1 Qingyin Lane, did not change his posture from beginning to end.
He just lay there, looking ahead quietly.
At the same time, his ears moved around, catching strange sounds in the air.
He was somewhat relieved. He didn't know where General Lu found these training methods.
In the past, during training, we would have to lie down for a whole day without being able to move, and I didn’t know what the point was.
As soldiers, they can only obey military orders.
But now, it can be used when stalking,
Even though it's cold and dull now, he can continue to persevere.
This made Qin Yuanfang feel deeply moved.
Although there are still many drills in the army that Qin Yuanfang cannot understand, he no longer has any resistance in his heart.
Thinking of this, Qin Yuanfang couldn't help but wonder:
"But why do the bedding have to be folded neatly?"
This is the new military order issued today and will be implemented tomorrow.
Compared to before.
The new military affairs were even more confusing, and we didn’t even know what they were for.
But it doesn't matter. After several wars,
He could already understand why adults said that.
"All military affairs and orders must be carried out if you understand them, and even more so if you don't understand them. Understand them while carrying them out!"
A loud voice sounded in Qin Yuanfang's heart.
While he was thinking about how to fold a square quilt, he looked towards No. 3 Qingyin Lane!
Suddenly, there was an abrupt noise.
click -
The sound was gentle, very noticeable in the silence of the night.
Especially in Qin Yuanfang's ears, it was like thunder.
His eyes suddenly became sharp, and his hands moved quickly.
The world inside the magnifying glass shrank rapidly, taking in the entire No. 3 Qingyin Lane.
Soon, a gleam of light flashed in his eyes.
The originally closed door of No. 3 Qingyin Lane was gently opened. The sound just now was the sound of the door knocker shaking and hitting the old wooden door.
Then, a skinny and small figure emerged.
He was also dressed in black and was not noticeable in the darkness.
The black shadow quickly moved along the wall towards the depths of Qingyin Alley! !
Qin Yuanfang suddenly raised his head and looked into the distance, his face thoughtful.
The next moment, he waved his hand towards the courtyard below and made a "target appears" gesture.
The reconnaissance soldiers waiting below took action immediately.
An equally thin figure flashed and rushed out from the half-open door!
The difference is, compared with the previous black shadow.
After the soldiers of the exploration team rushed out of the door, they went in completely opposite directions!
He wanted to take a detour from the outside and go directly to the end of Qingyin Lane in front to meet up with the soldiers there.
Along the way, countless secret sentries were awakened.
One by one, they head towards the designated mission destination!
They used military methods.
Once the enemy's target is confirmed,
They will attack in advance based on the inferred location.
Rush to the preset location to ambush, continue to confirm, and continue to attack in advance.
So, although it looks like tracking.
But it formed a real encirclement and was always one step ahead of others.
Only a spy who is proficient in terrain mapping and has sufficient experience can perform such tasks.
The person who led today's investigation,
It was Sun Sian, the best scout in the front army.
He set up sixteen exploration sites around the entire Qingyin Lane, spreading outward like roots.
Once the direction is confirmed, the entire "root" will change accordingly and spread deeper.
At this moment, the skinny kid who walked out of No. 3 Qingyin Lane,
Walking in the shadows of the streets, if you encounter a night watchman, you will hide.
Wait for the night watchman to leave, then continue moving forward!
As time goes by, as the direction is determined again and again,
The tracking target has completely turned into an encirclement target.
If you look down from a high place, you will find that the reconnaissance soldiers of the front army's scout unit are escorting the soldiers forward.
After wandering around, the thin black figure came to a dark alley and stopped in front of a big door.
After waiting for only three breaths, he disappeared through the crack in the door.
In the darkness, figures spread rapidly.
The soldiers were assigned tasks in an orderly manner, including delivering messages, surrounding the house, and exploring locations.
When the commander of this trip, Sun Sian, arrived here, he stared at the gate.
His eyes couldn't help but look strange, and after confirming again and again, he recognized this place.
This dark street is the back street of Taihe Street in the north of the city!
Taihe Street is one of the most lively areas in Kunming.
There are wine shops, tea houses, brothels and prostitution houses everywhere!
The most famous Qingyin Pavilion and Hongcaofang are both here.
If I remember correctly, this place is the back door of Qingyuan Pavilion.
Holding a magnifying glass, Sun Sian looked back and forth at the outline of the building and soon memorized it in his mind.
His figure flashed and disappeared into the darkness, and soon appeared at the main gate of Qingyuan Pavilion.
Compared to the darkness in the back street, it is brightly lit here.
Despite the curfew, the streets were deserted.
But at this moment, the Qingyuan Pavilion was filled with people who had come early to spend the night here.
Looking at the antique archway and plaque in the front, Sun Sian's face was full of frost.
"Keep an eye on the front and back doors. Anyone leaving during this time must be followed and monitored."
"Yes!"
A low roar was heard in the darkness, followed by the sound of brisk footsteps spreading outwards!
Sun Sian also returned to the original back street,
Quietly watching the half-open door from a distance.
In less than half an hour, the door opened gently.
A thin dark figure emerged, headed in the direction from which he came, and disappeared into the darkness.
At this point, Sun Sian's lips curled up into a smile.
There is a give and take, this is the normal process of delivering letters.
Sun Sian looked at the Qingyuan Pavilion in front of him, which was emitting orange light, and gave the order in a deep voice:
"Set up defenses at No. 3 Qingyin Lane tonight, and also monitor Qingyuan Pavilion. If anyone leaves, follow them!"
"Yes!"
In Qingyuan Pavilion, the shopkeeper Miao Hong sat in a slightly dark room.
He read the letter in his hand over and over again.
The slightly old, bearded face was half hidden in the flickering candlelight, but a hint of pride could be seen in his eyes.
After an unknown amount of time, the sculpture-like body finally began to move.
A faint laugh appeared in the empty house.
"They are all strong men who just finished fighting. How can they resist the temptation of a beautiful woman?"
From the slightly dim corner, a figure slowly walked out.
He was dressed in white, in his twenties, with a feminine look and very handsome.
"Master, since ancient times, heroes have been unable to resist the temptation of beautiful women.
No matter how strong a man he is, he cannot resist the tenderness of a beautiful woman. "
Miao Hong sat there, glanced at him quietly, and chuckled:
“Have the follow-up arrangements been made?
Pulling and pulling is the right way to relax and tighten, don't let anyone see any clues."
“Don’t worry, everything has been arranged.
Since there is already a hero saving the beauty today,
Tomorrow I will arrange a scene for him to throw himself into my arms.
Then we'll see how he handles it."
The slightly feminine voice echoed in the room, accompanied by chuckles.
After a while, the feminine man complained:
"Boss, when will this curfew end? Our business has been affected a lot." Speaking of this, Miao Hong also felt a little annoyed and sighed helplessly:
"We need to wait a few more days. What happened in Dali Prefecture a few days ago frightened the three government offices, and they are now conducting a strict investigation.
I guess we have to wait until the army returns victoriously.
The Beijing army and the various garrison troops left Kunming."
"Oh? Then it will be soon?"
The feminine man's eyes flickered and his orchid fingers swayed in the darkness.
Miao Hong nodded gently:
"It's almost there, and the people you arrange should move faster too.
If all else fails, just take off all your clothes and send them to my door. I really don't believe those soldiers are saints!
If we can’t arrange for people to come in, and the superiors blame us, neither you nor I will have a good ending.”
The feminine man's face became more serious and he nodded slightly:
"Please rest assured, we will start the operation tomorrow."
"Ah."
Hearing this, Miao Hong's serious expression eased a little and he nodded slightly:
"Get some rest early."
The feminine man smiled after hearing this, took a step forward, and slowly knelt down:
"Master, do you want me to serve you?"
Miao Hong raised his hand and gently pinched his brows, then waved his hand:
"not in the mood."
"Then I'll find Xiaolan for you.
She wants to be an oiran, so she should enjoy herself first.
If we do something else, it will still be a big deal, and some people will spend a lot of money."
Hearing this, Miao Hong snorted:
"Forget it, Master. I have been helping adults with household chores since I was a child. I have tasted countless courtesans and beauties. I am already tired of them."
“Let’s do the work first. I was reckless when I was young.
Nowadays, people are more afraid as they get older.
Looking back, I am a little surprised why I had such courage. "
Miao Hong was full of self-mockery at the moment. Although he said so,
But his face was full of glory, like a general talking about his past battle experiences.
"Master, you are worrying too much. There is an adult standing behind you.
Even if those local rich people find out, they will have to keep silent and dare not go against you."
The feminine man chuckled.
Miao Hong waved his hand:
“We are not afraid of local rich people, but if there are too many ants, they can kill elephants.
A few days ago, a letter came from Beijing, saying that the situation was becoming increasingly serious and that some things should be restrained. "
The feminine man curled his lips with some disdain:
"The mountains are high and the emperor is far away, so the court has no control over this southwestern region.
This time, I have set my eyes on Mr. Li from the east of the city.
His family has some shops that supply warhorse feed to the pastures outside the city, and he likes Xiaolan very much."
Miao Hong showed interest and asked:
"Oh? This is a good candidate. When will the oiran be chosen?"
A look of resentment flashed across the feminine man's face:
"It was originally scheduled for the night after tomorrow, but the curfew has not been lifted yet.
So the time was changed to tomorrow afternoon, and I have already arranged the people.
At that time, Xiaolan would be sent to Mr. Li's house with three thousand taels of silver.
Xiaolan needs to pay another 3,000 taels to redeem herself, so the total income is 6,000 taels of silver.”
The feminine man became more and more excited as he spoke, and he seemed to be excited when he heard about the money.
He moved closer, lying on Miao Hong's legs, and murmured:
"I'd better bring Xiaolan to you, Master, so you can enjoy her first.
When Xiaolan enters the Li Mansion, I will arrange for Xiaolan to have a secret meeting with the Master, and then let her get pregnant with the Master's child.
After the child is born and grows up a little, Mr. Li can kill him.
By then, all the shops and trade routes will be ours.
I have already calculated that if this is implemented, it will only take two or three years to make at least 50,000 taels of silver."
“It’s indeed a lot.”
Miao Hong licked his lips, this was his way of making money, selling courtesans to give birth to children and steal the family fortune!
Compared to this, how much money can a brothel make?
More importantly, the grassland outside the city has always been confidential and no one is allowed to approach it.
If we can find some clues through the feed delivered every month.
Seems worth the risk.
Miao Hong's eyes flashed with sharpness. Although he was timid now,
But it doesn’t mean you don’t dare to do it!
After taking a deep breath, Miao Hong's eyes flashed with ruthlessness, and asked:
"Is Xiaolan trained?"
The feminine man smiled and said:
"Master, rest assured. Xiaolan is the most obedient of the girls and can do anything for you."
Miao Hong nodded:
“Well, let her come.
Prepare some Wu Zi Yan Zong pills these days so that Xiao Lan can get pregnant sooner."
"Yes"
The feminine man had a smile all over his face, making him look particularly sinister.
He slowly stood up, slowly backed away, and left the house little by little.
Soon, silence returned to the house.
Miao Hong sat there quietly, his face deep, and he sighed heavily.
His originally straight back slowly bent down, making him look extremely old.
He is the flag and the chessboard, but not the flag bearer.
The situation is tense now. If there is any unrest, people like him will die.
He was worried about this.
"There's no use thinking too much... Let's do things first, get busy. It's better to get busy." Miao Hong murmured.
As night fell, most of the camps near the front scouts and the central army were brightly lit.
Liu Heiying, who was wearing armor and looked quite burly, had just come in to inspect the camp.
Before I could get close, I saw Hu Xiaowu coming up to me with a strange look on his face:
"Sir, Lord Sun is back."
"So fast?"
Liu Heiying looked surprised and quickened his pace.
Soon, he saw Sun Sian pacing back and forth in the camp with documents in his hand!
There were footsteps and the sound of curtains being drawn back.
Sun Sian turned around suddenly and saw that it was Liu Heiying. He breathed a sigh of relief and quickly stood still:
"My lord, fortunately you have lived up to your fate!"
As he spoke, Sun Sian handed over the document in his hand.
Liu Heiying hung the head armor aside, took the document, and quickly read it.
Just at first glance, his expression became strange.
"A brothel again?"
Liu Heiying suppressed his surprise and read the letter delivery process and the preliminary investigation of Qingyuan Pavilion recorded above.
He returned to the upper seat and sat down, then took the map of Kunming City from the side and examined it carefully.
Soon he found the location of Qingyuan Pavilion.
Liu Heiying continued to flip through the booklet and found the page belonging to the shopkeeper Miao Hong.
After a quick look, he raised his head and asked:
"Where did Miao Hong get his intelligence information from? Is it credible?"
Sun Sian pursed his lips and shook his head slowly:
“Sir, the information about Qingyuan Pavilion and Miao Hong.
They were all found in the documents sealed in the military camp. They were the result of the military camp going through these brothels several times to find some women to come, which led to the intersection and records.
As for more detailed intelligence information, we will have to wait until tomorrow when the Provincial Administration Commissioner goes to the yamen and get it from there."
Liu Heiying nodded thoughtfully:
"This matter was originally planned. Brothers have worked hard tonight. Go and rest first.
Brothers who are out on military duty, do not be stingy with your money."
Sun Sian showed a look of joy and nodded heavily:
"Yes!"
Soon, Sun Sian left.
Liu Heiying sat behind the table, thinking thoughtfully about the follow-up plans.
In less than a quarter of an hour, Liu Heiying sorted out his thoughts.
He quickly stood up with the documents and walked out of the military tent!
In the central army tent, Lu Yunyi, who was still awake, took the letter from Liu Heiying and also uttered a sound of surprise:
"So fast?"
Liu Heiying smiled:
"What abilities can a group of brothel people have?"
Lu Yunyi blinked, opened the document and looked at it carefully, thinking:
"So, the planting of the spy was done by Miao Hong, the owner of Qingyuan Pavilion?"
"pretty close."
Lu Yunyi nodded:
"Well, let's ask the people from the Provincial Administration Office to investigate tomorrow to see what Miao Hong is capable of."
Liu Heiying nodded like pecking at rice, looking at Yun'er's dark circles, and couldn't help but remind him:
"Brother Yun'er, find someone you can trust, someone who can't be too high or too low."
"Ah"
Lu Yunyi sneered, threw away the document in his hand, and picked up the teacup beside him:
"I'm not confused yet. If things go fast, we'll have results by noon tomorrow.
Of course, we can't just rely on the intelligence information from the Provincial Administration Commissioner's Office and we can't sit idle.
Send people out to investigate secretly.
Check his relationships, reputation, and find out if he has any enemies."
At this point, Lu Yunyi's tone paused for a moment, and his voice became colder:
"When everything is clear, find a good place and a good time to send him to the west."
(End of this chapter)