Dragon Sea Empire

When the boat arrived in Nanjing, everyone went ashore and entered Nanjing through the water gate. Soldiers from Luo Aquan's special battalion also entered Nanjing in various identities. Outside the business hall, there are many shops under the name of Huaxing Bank and Zeng's family. There are also several small houses that are in the hands of the Department of Commercial Affairs and the Department of Military Affairs of the old camp. They are used as secret contact points, but there are very few people in these places Living, already covered with dirt and cobwebs.

Therefore, everyone still used the Ganzhou businessman as their guide, and found a clean hotel to live in. According to the original plan, a dozen of Luo Aquan's subordinates found accommodation in nearby areas, either working part-time or dressing up as hooligans. Some of them entered Huaxing Alliance to work; the rest of the special camp masters temporarily gathered in a warehouse of Huaxing Alliance to stand by.

Yin Feng and others also went out to inquire about the news according to the plan. This time, they could not appear as scholars. There are many wealthy businessmen in Nanjing, so Yin Feng still appeared as a businessman.

Relying on the affluent south of the Yangtze River, Nanjing presents a completely different bustling scene from the north, especially the famous Qinhuai River area, which is more prosperous and prosperous. In the late Ming Dynasty, lay scholars and bureaucrats gathered together, often talking about Zen and preaching, which was very lively. Celebrities like Buddhism and Zen, but the problem is that they often go to romantic places to discuss the principles of Buddhism and Taoism, because listening to music is an important part of the elegant life of scholar-officials, and even the princes of the Donglin Party have to go to In the romantic place, the revolution does not forget the enjoyment of life.

Therefore, at Zeng Shan's suggestion, Yin Feng, Chen Zhongji, Xu Hongji and Luo Aquan set off for a trip to the Qinhuai River.

At present, I hired several small sedan chairs and walked all the way, crossed the Wuding Bridge, and soon entered the center of the Qinhuai River - the old courtyard, known as Quzhong, the front door is facing Wuding Bridge, and the back door is on Chaoku Street. The houses vary in size, but they all look exquisite and clean. There are shiny copper rings on the doors of each house. Some doors are open, and you can see the flowers and trees, bonsai and rocks in the small courtyard. Covered, the tall tree sticks out its branches from inside the wall, and the cicadas sing and pass each other.

Although Yin Feng had been to Nanjing once, but that time he did not have time to linger in Fengyuechang in order to do business and make connections. It was also his first time to come here.

The few people who just came from the north were a little strange, and Zeng Shan couldn't help saying: "Compared to the kilns in the north, this place is simply a fairyland."

Xu Hongji said with a smile: "I have traveled all over the world, and this is the first time I have come back to the Qinhuai River. Hehe, it is really an eye-opener."

The prostitution industry in China reached its peak in the Ming Dynasty. Xie Zhaozhe, a man of the Ming Dynasty, said in his book "Wuzazu": "Today, prostitutes are all over the world, and there are thousands of them in the metropolis. There are often people in the remote towns of remote states who rely on the door to sell laughter and prostitution for a living. Their livelihood is so pitiful, and the officials of the Jingshi Jiaofang collect their tax money, which is called fat powder money. Those who belong to the county are called happy households. In the Tang and Song Dynasties, official prostitutes were used to serve wine. At the beginning of the country, it was still the case. At the beginning of Xuande, there was a ban, and the gentry did not care about those who lived in the house. Therefore, although they disappeared in the public court, they often filled the house, and they were not affiliated. Those who sell traitors to officials and live in their homes are commonly known as "private nests", and there are countless people." From this, it can be seen that the Ming Dynasty was a period when official prostitutes and private prostitutes flourished.

The Ming Dynasty attached great importance to the "color" of prostitutes. There are two points of emphasis: one is natural beauty, such as "two wrists like lotus root", "skin body jade color", "white female jade fat", "skin jade snow" , "Pupil pupils dotted with lacquer" are all examples of emphasizing the beauty of the original color. Second, it must be petite and exquisite, such as "slim and pretty", such as "light waist", such as "elegant and beautiful", such as "juanyan" and other styles. The beauties here were all admired by the kings and grandsons of Zouma at that time, that is to say, they were famous in Beili. Since the Tang and Song Dynasties, the beauty of the beauties in the southern countries has emerged. Almost later.

Yin Feng said: "In the capital, there are many women from the Yanzhao area who are prostitutes. Here are all beauties from the south of the Yangtze River. Brothers, who is familiar with this place?"

Everyone shook their heads quickly. If there is no money, there is no chance to come to this kind of place. Xu Hongji was just a wandering Taoist priest begging for food. Of course, it is impossible to come to this kind of place. Zeng Shan stayed in Beijing for a long time, and it was the first time for Qinhuai River in Nanjing to be famous. Now, Chen Zhongji and Luo Aquan have been working overseas all year round, and they have no chance to come to such a high-end romantic place.

Nanshi, Zhushi, and Jiuyuan are three locations for Fengyue places in Nanjing. The so-called Nanshi is a place where low-level women receive guests, and there are generally no literati. In Zhushi, women sometimes have special colors , most of them are the nostalgia places of merchants from all over the country, and officials and gentlemen rarely go there; and the old courtyard where Yin Feng and others are now is the so-called "Shangting Xingshou" - the place where high-ranking officials are located. In brothels, there is absolutely no scene of leaning on the door to sell laughter. Every courtyard is like the residence of a wealthy businessman. There are at most one or two guards or maids at the door. Even those maids are all bright and beautiful. Toothy, pure and beautiful, Luo Aquan, who seldom comes to the bustling places, stared straight at his eyes.

Yin Feng casually pointed to a courtyard and said, "This courtyard is called Danyan Shuyu, let's go and have a look at it."

Five people climbed the steps, and immediately a maid shouted, "We have a guest,"

A madam in her forties greeted her at the door, and she immediately judged with vicious eyes that the tall man in the middle should be the leader of the five, with a calm demeanor, either a high-ranking official or a wealthy businessman; The short black guy (Luo Aquan) has sharp eyes and quick movements, so he should be a bodyguard; the younger one is also tanned, and he should be the entourage of the leading guest officer (Chen Zhongji); It's the tall man in the middle, the diner's staff.

She greeted Yin Feng very politely, and said in a greasy voice: "It's the first time for you guests to come back. I am the second wife of the Lin family, please come in, please come in, girls from Danyan Bookstore I'm still bathing and dressing up, and when the sky gets darker, I will come out to meet guests, please sit inside."

Luo Aquan glanced at Yin Feng, saw Yin Feng nodded slightly, immediately turned around and stood at the door, intervening and standing.

The old bustard skipped a beat, but Chen Zhongji said kindly, "Mother Lin, we came from a long way away and don't know the rules here. Please arrange it as you like."

The old bustard Lin Erniang repeatedly said please, and secretly whispered to a turtle slave who was following behind: "Be careful, these guest officials are extraordinary."

"Why did mother say that? Judging from their accents, the left and right are just wealthy businessmen from Fujian and Guangdong," Gui Nu asked cautiously.

Lin Erniang frowned and said, "You idiot, haven't you seen the demeanor of the man in the middle, and his bodyguard, with vicious eyes and a faint murderous look, you can go outside and have a look, I can assure you, there must be someone outside our yard. There are many more strangers watching here,"

Turtle Nu was startled, ran to the door and looked out, then came back with an unnatural expression and said to Lin Erniang, the old bustard, "Mom, the streets and alleys outside seem to have been sealed off, and people who come and go can't even see them." arrive,"

The old bustard stomped his feet: "I'm going to die. This man is not only a rich man, but also a great nobleman. He doesn't know how many bodyguards he has in the open and in the dark. There are still a large number of gentry students coming at night. What should we do?"

Gui Nu asked: "Then let that young lady receive them."

At this time, Yin Feng and the others had been led into the inner courtyard by the little maid at the door. The maid stopped at a door and opened the bead curtain. The furnishings are elegant, and there are bucket-colored porcelain vases, sandalwood ruyi, jade-carved Guanyin, and a few books on the shelf. On the wall are Lu Tingzhen's silk flowers and birds and Dong Qichang's running script. He was about to take a closer look when he heard a strange screamed:

"Xiao Cui makes tea! Xiao Cui makes tea!"

Everyone looked back and saw that there was a delicate bird cage hanging from the roof beam with colorful ropes, and a parrot with a string tied to its leg was chattering, and the maid named Xiaocui shook her fist at the parrot. Laughing Then ran into the side room.

Xu Hongji and Zeng Shan, both literati, were very temperamental, and they kept clicking their tongues in amazement. They looked around at the furnishings here. Chen Zhongji kept the habits cultivated in the military camp, and didn't like the too gentle and extravagant furnishings here. He also had no interest in extravagant paintings and calligraphy. So he sat impatiently behind a table of the Eight Immortals, and sighed: "Boss, we don't have such a place in Taiwan. Look at the things here, it's too extravagant. There are also brothels in Taiwan Hong Kong now, and you can live for a tael of silver." For one night, ladies here, how much is it worth?"

Yin Feng smiled: "We're not here to play, Ji Zai, are you afraid that your family will not let you go to bed if they find out?"

Chen Zhongji blushed: "What are you talking about, captain, I just think that the contrast between what we saw and heard during this journey is too great; one side is full of hunger, and the other side is full of life and wine, what is this? "

Xu Hongji smiled coldly: "Mr. Chen doesn't know, if the young lady here wants to redeem her body, she can pay three to five thousand taels of silver."

"Good guy!" Zeng Shan called out. When he was hanging out in Beijing, he knew that many rich people in the north took concubines, bought girls, and redeemed kiln sisters. The prices were very cheap. Some people have heard that it costs several thousand taels. Of course, some people went to the south of the Yangtze River to hunt for beauty and brought back a beauty who was soft-spoken by Wu Nong. Zeng Shan never thought much about money before, only now did he realize that the price is so amazing.

Yin Feng said coldly: "Officials and gentlemen are the parents of these sisters. Hehe, these high-ranking officials and nobles in the court have never been stingy with money in these matters." He thought of his wife Zeng Qian, In fact, Zeng Qian's mother is from Qinhuai River.

In the evening, a group of literati who were calling for friends and friends poured into Danyan Book Apartment, and soon several sedan chairs also stopped at the door, and several honorable children with personal guards also came, and the nightlife of Qinhuai River officially began. up,