Rejected Beauty Practices the Villain Play
Chapter 221 Mudan Building

Chapter 221: Chapter 221 Mudan Building

The Marquis Zhenbei Mansion holds power over the court, and the Su Family’s immense wealth rivals nations—both are latent threats. Fortunately, the new reform has shown progress. Su Yuejiao plans to use the opportunity of the reform to disperse and reorganize the Su Family’s enterprises, reducing their trading house’s influence on Yanyang’s overall economy.

Fengyu rested in the mansion for three days, her health improving. Wen Shisan sent a message, hoping to meet her. Fengyu took Qiuxiang, Chunlu, and Zhang Da along as she left, arranging to meet Wen Shisan in the backyard of Linlang Pavilion.

"Miss, congratulations on such a fine match." Wen Shisan gave an ambiguous smile, propping her chin lazily as she asked, "If the young marquis drinks and carouses at Mudan Building again, should we still charge him, or let it slide?"

"Why would we not take his money?" Fengyu replied coolly, sipping her tea. "Charge him double."

Wen Shisan covered her mouth as she chuckled, leaning back lazily on the soft cushion much like Fengyu. Her smile gradually faded, and her voice lowered significantly. "Last night, Beiman men came to Mudan Building to drink and listen to music. After getting drunk, they began harassing the girls. During this, for some unknown reason, Lin Xiao seemingly held back a lot of anger and ended up brawling with them. The Beiman were fierce. Lin Xiao and Zhang Boxin stood no chance against them. In desperation, Zhang Boxin invoked the young marquis, seemingly to intimidate the Beiman. But who would’ve thought the Beiman would be so brazen? One of them blurted out that disaster was about to befall the Marquis Mansion, but was quickly silenced by his companions. Later, I had the girls sweet-talk them into drinking more. Though they spoke quickly in Beiman dialect, I managed to piece together fragments—words like ’extermination,’ ’priest,’ and ’princess.’"

Wen Shisan regretted not being more fluent in the Beiman dialect, but Fengyu was already shaken. There were few in Yanyang Capital who could speak Beiman dialect well. Su Yuejiao was adept, but not Feng Changqing. Most military generals could only understand basic commands, and when it came to the dialect, Xie Jue was the most proficient.

Disaster befalling the Marquis Mansion... extermination... priest... princess... how were these connected?

"Do they come to drink every night?"

Wen Shisan shook her head. "They only came last night, five of them in total. Judging by their attire, their status seemed high. I’ve inquired at Hongxiu Pavilion—Beiman men are known for their lustful nature and often spend nights at brothels. However, unlike at Mudan Building, they don’t get drunk there, so it’s unlikely we’ll learn anything. I instructed the girls to use all their charms to captivate them. Whether or not they return remains uncertain."

Wen Shisan only paid attention to the Beiman men because Fengyu was engaged to Xie Xun. Without this connection, she wouldn’t have bothered. Contemplating for a moment, Fengyu asked, "Is there something we can give them to make them spill everything they know?"

"Miss, if such a thing existed, the Jinyi Guard and the Ministry of Justice wouldn’t have unsolved cases."

Fengyu was clearly grasping at straws in her concern. She instructed Wen Shisan to monitor the movements of the Beiman men before getting up to head to the Kyoto Capital Guard Office to find Xie Xun.

Xie Xun came running the moment he learned of her arrival. His scarlet official robe shone strikingly under the early summer light. From afar, Fengyu saw him and couldn’t help but smile. Red suited Xie Xun, magnifying his unparalleled elegance.

He ran all the way to her but grew reserved as he approached, knocking lightly on the carriage window with his slender fingers. With a playful smirk, he asked, "Third Miss, just passing by?"

The Kyoto Capital Guard had not been a focus of the court in recent years, and its office was located in a remote area. Third Miss’s shops were all in bustling districts, leaving no plausible reason for her to be in the vicinity. Xie Xun preferred to believe she had come to see him, unable to resist her longing.

"Have you had lunch?"

"Are you inviting me?" The young marquis had no qualms about accepting her kindness.

"Yes!"

"Then I want a meal from Wangjiang Restaurant."

"Alright!"

The Kyoto Capital Guard’s assignments had been finalized earlier that morning, leaving little to do in the afternoon. Xie Xun accompanied Fengyu to Wangjiang Restaurant for lunch. The easternmost private room on the third floor was perpetually reserved for Fengyu’s guests. Chunlu had gone ahead to order the dishes. By the time Xie Xun and Fengyu arrived, the table was fully set. The young marquis mused that if Ayu kept him company every day, even meals would be a delightful experience.

Xie Xun, accustomed to military life, ate quickly but with impeccable manners. Every gesture reflected the elegance of a noble upbringing. Fengyu, by contrast, was more casual. She enjoyed common pleasures yet often acted with exaggerated refinement. The two were polar opposites— and perfectly complementary.

"What’s brought you here to share a meal with me today?"

Having ensured Zhang Da and Chunlu were standing guard, Fengyu wasn’t worried about eavesdroppers. She recounted everything she had learned at Mudan Building in full detail. The smile on Xie Xun’s face slowly faded as he listened.

"How fluent is Wen Shisan in Beiman dialect?" Xie Xun asked gravely.

Fengyu wasn’t entirely sure. "Wen Shisan grew up near Shaling River, quite close to Guanlan Town where the Beiman reside. She occasionally interacted with Beiman people and picked up some of their language. After tensions escalated and her whole family relocated to Ningzhou, she lost further contact with the Beiman. Naturally, she became less proficient. By her account, she can understand short sentences."

Xie Xun’s heart sank slightly as he made his decision. "I’ll find a way to lure them back to Mudan Building. Have Shisan arrange for a few girls to entertain them. If they refuse, borrow some girls from Hongxiu Pavilion."

"The girls from Hongxiu Pavilion might not be willing," Fengyu mused. The girls at Mudan Building sold their skills, not their bodies. If entertainers were needed, they would have to borrow from brothels. Luckily, Wen Shisan had extensive connections, so this wouldn’t be difficult. The main concern was whether the brothel girls would agree to serve the Beiman. Today, Wen Shisan mentioned the girls were reluctant to serve Beiman men, though she said she didn’t pry further, as it wasn’t appropriate for an unmarried woman to inquire about such matters.

The girls knew that Yanyang and the Beiman were in peace talks, and both Xie Zhang and Xie Jue had been troubled by the Beiman. Even if the girls endured grievances, they dared not complain, simply hoping the Beiman would leave the capital soon.