Rebirth of the Excellent Daughter of the Marquis Household (REDMH) - Chapter 84

To negotiate cooperation with these people, it would not be appropriate for Run Ying to be the one to do it. Many of these dock workers were somewhat shady, but they were not strictly criminals. Run Ying was a young girl, how could she meet with these individuals? If they were regular businesspeople, Run Ying would have been fine, but facing these people were like bandits with a rough edge, her status was clearly insufficient.

Gu Yu Qi had long asked Yan Zhi to prepare a set of men’s clothing.

Gu Yu Qi was aware that even if she wore men’s clothing, her appearance would not make her look like a man, so she had also prepared various props.

She asked Yan Zhi to make a pair of shoes for her that could increase her height, essentially heeled shoes. They looked like regular men’s boots on the outside, but inside they had built-in heel cushions. Yan Zhi had done an excellent and sturdy job, so when Gu Yu Qi put them on and took a few steps, she did not feel any discomfort. Her height had increased by half a head.

She was already quite tall to begin with and now, with these height-increasing shoes, she was nearly the same height as an average man.

Gu Yu Qi’s frame was not particularly large so she had Yan Zhi add some shoulder pads to this set of men’s clothing. Yan Zhi tailored the outfit based on Gu Yu Qi’s physique, so once she put it on, her shoulders immediately appeared broader and there were no visible flaws. Additionally, there was a fabric belt used for binding her chest. Gu Yu Qi had Yan Zhi design it to look like part of the clothing. When she tightened the belt, it would flatten her originally prominent chest.

After this transformation, Gu Yu Qi’s figure looked very much like that of a man. However, her face was another matter.

This required Qiu Yue’s good skills in makeup. First, she darkened Gu Yu Qi’s complexion and then thickened her eyebrows. Gu Yu Qi’s eyes were exceptionally beautiful. Qiu Yue could only conceal their natural allure. Once everything was ready, Gu Yu Qi looked at herself in the mirror and could not help but laugh.

In the mirror, she had transformed into a handsome young man. Fortunately, Gu Yu Qi had always practised martial arts and there was a vibrant spirit in her eyes, so even though her features were exceptionally beautiful, the transition to male attire did not seem too odd. However, those who saw her would likely find this man was a bit too handsome.

After completing her outfit, Gu Yu Qi hurried to the previously arranged time and place with Zhao Wu and Chun Xing by her side. With these two beside her, Gu Yu Qi felt much more confident.

As expected, the entire second floor of the He Feng Tea House had been reserved by the merchants from Jiangxia City. When she entered, Gu Yu Qi felt like she had stepped into a scene from an old gangster movie for negotiations. As soon as Gu Yu Qi appeared, all the people on the second floor fixed their gaze on her, staring at her with hostile intent.

Maintaining a smile on her face, she greeted everyone with cupped hands, “I am Liang Yu, pleasure to meet you, bosses.”

A burly middle-aged man walked out from the crowd. He was dressed in a silk robe with a square scarf on his head. He had a huge jade ring on his left hand, and he had a shallow scar just below the corner of his left eye. His stern expression could be intimidating, but he had a decent appearance with thick eyebrows and large eyes.

“Are you the boss of Ji Shun Express?” he said as he approached, arrogantly scanning Gu Yu Qi from head to toe.

“I am not, but I have decision-making authority,” Gu Yu Qi replied with a smile, bowing to him. “May I know how to address you?”

“My surname is Li. Just call me Li Da,” Li Da curled his lips, swaying his body as he cupped his hands in return, displaying the demeanour of a charlatan. “So, you’re the one who invited us here to discuss cooperation? Haha, how much business has Ji Shun Express taken from us, why should we cooperate with you?”

“Dare I ask if Boss Li Da’s words can represent all the bosses involved in this business?” Gu Yu Qi asked politely.

Li Da glanced at the others and then nodded toward Gu Yu Qi, “Yes!”

Gu Yu Qi knew he could. She had done her homework beforehand. There were a total of 26 shops in Jiangxia City specialising in transporting goods for merchants between the docks, and Li Da in particular controlled one third of the city’s cargo transportation. The other 25 shared the remaining two thirds.

So when Gu Yu Qi’s Ji Shun Express opened for business, Li Da felt the impact first.

Previously, he had sent thugs to Gu Yu Qi’s shop, but they encountered Yun Ke and he did not dare to act rashly. Hence, when Gu Yu Qi sent the invitation, they all came. Their livelihoods were at stake, so how could they refuse?

Li Da scrutinised Gu Yu Qi for a moment. This young kid had the support of the prince, but given her young age, he could not be sure if she was the real owner. Either way, she claimed to have decision-making authority.

He wanted to assert his dominance over Gu Yu Qi but did not dare to overdo it, considering there was a prince backing Ji Shun Express. If he provoked them, he might end up in trouble. So, he put on an arrogant demeanour, hoping that Gu Yu Qi would not underestimate them too much.

These people were seasoned wanderers of the world and could discern who held the upper hand. If they acted too subservient now, Gu Yu Qi might perceive them as pushovers. Cooperation was inevitable, if they did not, how would they sustain their livelihoods? How would they support their underlings? However, the terms proposed by Gu Yu Qi would also determine whether they agreed or not. If the conditions were overly demanding, they would refuse.

In reality, Li Da was quite conflicted. He appeared arrogant on the surface but deep down, he was quite anxious.

They had been in Jiangxia City for many years and they were familiar with each other. Many of them had started out as labourers at the docks. They never expected that Ji Shun Express would snatch all their business in just a few days. Ji Shun Express’s business model and methods were completely unheard of in all their years of working at the docks.

Gu Yu Qi smiled and presented the prepared terms of cooperation, which she had Chun Xing hand over to Li Da.

Chun Xing had silently stood behind Gu Yu Qi until now. When she nodded and walked forward in response to Gu Yu Qi’s instructions, Li Da was momentarily stunned.

How can she look so similar?! A thought flashed through his mind, and he immediately wanted to grab Chun Xing’s wrist. However, Chun Xing saw that he was not using his strength. Despite being a maid, nobody had ever dared to make inappropriate advances towards her. With her skills, how could Chun Xing be caught by Li Da? She swiftly flipped her wrist and lightly pressed her fingers against Li Da’s wrist and elbow. The effect was almost instantaneous and Li Da’s arm went numb, making him unable to lift it.

Witnessing Li Da making an attempt to grab Chun Xing, Gu Yu Qi frowned. She stepped forward and pulled Chun Xing behind her, then said sternly, “Boss Li, we came here to discuss cooperation. What are you intending, laying hands on my maid?” She gazed at Li Da with a cold expression, “Is this how you treat guests in Jiangxia City? If you are having any indecent thoughts, then we might as well not proceed with this cooperation!”

After saying this, Gu Yu Qi was about to pull Chun Xing and leave. However, Li Da grabbed her sleeve, preventing her from doing so. His arm hung limply and his arrogance had vanished from his face. Nevertheless, his gaze remained firmly fixed on Chun Xing, causing her to frown in discomfort.

Zhao Wu, who was with Gu Yu Qi, also appeared displeased. He stepped forward alongside Gu Yu Qi in front of Chun Xing. He asked with a sneer, “Boss Li, are you considering using force?”

“Of course not,” Li Da hurriedly shook his head, his arm still throbbing with pain. With Chun Xing completely shielded by Gu Yu Qi and Zhao Wu, he could not see her and had no choice but to redirect his gaze towards Gu Yu Qi. “Boss Liang has misunderstood.”

“Misunderstood?” Gu Yu Qi frowned, her voice stern, “So, did I just see it wrong? You didn’t make inappropriate advances toward my maid?”

“I wouldn’t dare to make advances. I just thought that Boss Liang’s maid looked very familiar, and in my haste, I acted rashly. I hope Boss Liang can forgive me.” After his explanation, he deeply bowed, completely reversing his attitude from arrogance to extreme respect. This sudden transformation left Gu Yu Qi somewhat puzzled.

“Boss Liang, please don’t be angry. I just wanted to check if your maid has a red mole on the inside of her wrist,” Li Da explained hurriedly.

A red mole? Gu Yu Qi had been with Chun Xing for so long but had never noticed any red moles.

“Boss Li must have mistaken her for someone else,” Gu Yu Qi said slowly. “There is no red mole on her wrist.”

Li Da looked quite sceptical. Hearing this, Chun Xing confidently stepped forward. She rolled up her sleeves, revealing both wrists to Li Da. He scrutinised her wrists, seeing the flawless, fair skin. There were no red moles anywhere.

His face fell and he let out a sigh, his expression turning somewhat remorseful. He offered a smile tinged with sadness and said, “I have been impolite. My apologies to you, Miss.” He then bowed respectfully to Chun Xing.

Chun Xing was not one to make a fuss over such matters. She saw that Boss Li did not seem to be pretending. Since the misunderstanding was cleared, she nodded in acknowledgment and handed Gu Yu Qi’s cooperation agreement back to Li Da.

Li Da, however, continued to study Chun Xing intently, his eyes betraying a hint of disappointment.

She looks so much like her, too much alike… But his Ling’er should have perished… He had seen her being stabbed in the chest by a gangster and falling into the icy waters of the Heng River.

Li Da stared at Chun Xing as if lost in thought and it was only when Gu Yu Qi cleared her throat a few times that he snapped out of it.

Li Da offered an apologetic look to Gu Yu Qi and then turned to examine the cooperation agreement along with the others present.

Gu Yu Qi leisurely took a seat and poured herself a cup of tea. She contemplated drinking it, but after a moment’s thought, she decided to leave it untouched.

The business owners in Jiangxia City engaged in a lively discussion for quite some time before unanimously agreeing to sign the cooperation agreement.

Gu Yu Qi’s terms were quite simple. She proposed a partnership through equity investment or leasing, without requiring them to provide capital. Instead, they would contribute labour and resources. The orders received by Gu Yu Qi would be allocated reasonably among the various companies for execution based on their transportation capabilities, but they had to adhere to the standards set by Ji Shun Express. Completion of tasks on time would earn them a proportionate reward, but if they failed to meet requirements, there would be deductions from their remuneration. Of course, each company could continue to handle their own businesses separately, but they were prohibited from using Ji Shun Express’s name to take new jobs. If discovered once, they would lose their eligibility for cooperation. At the end of the year, bonuses would be distributed based on the volume of cargo each company transported. In other words, these business owners could entrust their horse teams or fleets to Gu Yu Qi’s management and receive money while doing nothing.

This was such a fantastic opportunity, who would not want it? It was almost guaranteed success, no matter the circumstances. Gu Yu Qi’s allocation based on transportation capacity with larger companies naturally receiving more money, and smaller ones getting less was a fair arrangement.

Those who had been in this business for a long time knew that you had to wear a hat that fit your head. Transporting goods was not easy and overextending oneself could lead to heavy losses.

Moreover, Ji Shun Express had the backing of a prince which added a great deal of prestige to the venture. So, after discussion, everyone agreed that this was a feasible plan. Li Da represented everyone and accepted Gu Yu Qi’s proposal. However, Li Da proposed the need to have a detailed discussion about the specifics.

If they wanted to talk specifics, then she would talk specifics. Gu Yu Qi also wanted to hear their opinions. They discussed details well into the evening, carefully going through each clause of the agreement. Once everything was settled, everyone was in high spirits. Some of them suggested taking Gu Yu Qi out for a meal to celebrate. Gu Yu Qi, pleased with the successful negotiation, did not object. They decided to dine at Ji Qing Pavilion.

Gu Yu Qi had spent a considerable amount of time in Jiangxia and was well aware of what kind of place Ji Qing Pavilion was. It was the grandest pleasure house in Jiangxia, a hub of extravagance. While she was not particularly interested in visiting brothels, out of respect for everyone’s sincere invitation, she reluctantly agreed to accompany them.

As they left the teahouse and made their way to Ji Qing Pavilion, Li Da occasionally cast glances at Chun Xing. She glared at him several times in displeasure to which he was completely oblivious.

Upon arriving at Ji Qing Pavilion, Gu Yu Qi realised that her knowledge of ancient brothels was quite shallow. She had really wasted her transmigrated life in vain! Ji Qing Pavilion, the leading pleasure house in Jiangxia, stood four stories tall by the banks of the Heng River. After the disaster, it had swiftly returned to its former splendour. Rows of bright red lanterns hung along the eaves, casting a crimson glow over the waters of the river.

Inside the pavilion, there was an atmosphere of soft-spoken elegance, with the sound of silk and bamboo instruments filling the air. It was difficult to believe that this place had recently endured a major flood and tragic plague.

While Gu Yu Qi admired the opulence of Ji Qing Pavilion, she could not help but shake her head inwardly. Humans truly had a way of quickly forgetting their pain once they had healed from their wounds. The major disaster had just ended and this place was already bustling with guests.

Gu Yu Qi and the others were led into a spacious private room on the second floor. Three large round tables were arranged in a row, and Ji Qing Pavilion had an interesting architectural design where all the private rooms were arranged in a circle around the central area. In the centre of the first floor, there was a large and tall circular raised platform, resembling a performance stage. It was surrounded by red railings, and a luxurious peony-patterned circular carpet covered the centre of the stage. Any private room in Ji Qing Pavilion could easily view the activities on the circular stage by simply opening the windows facing inwards.

Soon, the table in front of Gu Yu Qi was filled with food and wine. While the cuisine in Jiangxia City might not match up to that of the capital, the alcohol was quite good. Gu Yu Qi was dressed in male attire today and people came up to toast her from time to time. She initially resisted drinking, but the guests were insistent on toasting her. She could not refuse their hospitality and reluctantly picked up a glass. Once she started, there was no stopping, and they seemed determined to get her drunk. Gu Yu Qi had a decent tolerance for alcohol, but after a round of drinking, she began to feel a bit lightheaded.

“No, no, no,” Gu Yu Qi said, waving off another round of toasts from the bosses. She pushed open a window to let in the cool breeze from outside. “Please let me take a break before I continue,” she requested.

Zhao Wu was getting increasingly anxious as he stood nearby, but without instructions from Gu Yu Qi, he could not just take her away. If he had known it would turn out like this, he would have never allowed his young miss to disguise herself as a man and come to a place like this.

If she continued drinking like this, he might have to carry Gu Yu Qi back home.

Gu Yu Qi pretended to admire the view of the river outside as she deliberately tried to avoid further drinking. It was already late at night and the outside was pitch black, making it impossible to see anything. Seeing Gu Yu Qi like this, the others hesitated to bring her back, so they began pouring drinks for themselves.

“Everyone, there’s an auction tonight!” One of the bosses, who had gone out to use the restroom and returned, announced this enthusiastically to everyone in the private room. “It’s about to start.” They all turned their attention towards the stage on the first floor.

“What auction?” Gu Yu Qi asked curiously, returning from the window by the riverside.

“Boss Liang isn’t from around here, so you might not know. Ji Qing Pavilion holds a monthly auction on the 12th night of each month where a bunch of housekeepers list their properties. Tonight is the first night for those girls to be introduced so of course, their first night will be up for auction,” one of the patrons, who reeked of alcohol, explained to Gu Yu Qi.

She quickly turned her head to the side, taking in deep breaths of the fresh air. However, she spotted someone pulling and pushing on the fourth floor. She squinted her slightly drunk eyes. Sure enough, she saw someone on the fourth floor breaking a window and jumping out.

“Careful!” Gu Yu Qi instinctively rushed forward. She reached out to grab the gauze curtain that hung from the window while her foot pushed off the window ledge. She soared out like a majestic eagle, heading towards the figure that had just jumped from the fourth floor. Zhao Wu, seeing his young miss leap out, hurriedly followed suit. Everyone inside the building witnessed two figures shooting out of a private room, one graceful like a startled swan, and the other swift and powerful.

Gu Yu Qi managed to catch the jumper’s arm mid-air. The combined weight caused the curtain she was holding to tear apart with a resounding rip. The two began falling rapidly. Zhao Wu spun in the air, flinging the nearest curtain towards Gu Yu Qi. The curtain coiled around her waist like a graceful serpent, slowing down the two people’s descent. Gu Yu Qi then used this force to fling the person she had caught earlier towards the centre stage. She herself followed suit, landing gracefully and before the person she had rescued toppled to the ground, she steadied him by placing her hands on their shoulders.

Zhao Wu landed right behind Gu Yu Qi.

Zhao Wu and Gu Yu Qi’s dramatic rescue scene left everyone in the Ji Qing Pavilion stunned. The entire grand establishment fell silent. After a long while, someone shouted out, “Bravo!” Suddenly, the room erupted into thunderous applause, catching the half-drunk Gu Yu Qi off guard and causing her to blush.

Ignoring the cheers from the crowd, Gu Yu Qi focused on the woman she had just saved who had jumped. It was a beautiful woman who was not too young, looking to be about in her early 20s. She wore a red gauze silk dress that accentuated her well-proportioned figure. Her hair was elegantly tied up, with a silk flower matching the colour of her dress pinned to the side of her bun. The silk flower was huge and it made her face look more delicate and gentle. She was exceptionally beautiful with an air of refinement and elegance that even her current attire could not hide.

The woman’s eyes stared blankly with a mixture of surprise and despair.

“Miss?” Gu Yu Qi gently called out to her, “Are you okay?”

Hearing Gu Yu Qi’s voice, the woman finally came to her senses. She did not cry or make a scene, but just sighed quietly with sorrowful eyes, “Young Master, why save me? You saved me once, but can you save me twice?”

Gu Yu Qi’s heart stirred at her words, and the calm and melancholic expression in the woman’s eyes touched her deeply.

Yes, she was very familiar with that expression. She had seen that look in the mirror countless times back then, a look of despair and resignation.

“Yes, I can only save you once,” Gu Yu Qi sighed softly. She gently tilted the woman’s chin up, locking eyes with her, “But you can save yourself.”

In the eyes of everyone in the Ji Qing Pavilion, the scene on the stage appeared like a perfect match. Gu Yu Qi stood with one hand supporting the slender waist of the beautiful woman, while the other hand gently lifted her chin. They looked like a harmonious pair of exquisitely beautiful individuals.

The woman was taken aback by Gu Yu Qi’s response, clearly not expecting her to say such a thing.

“Death is not the solution,” Gu Yu Qi continued slowly. She had died before, but she still came back to life. Who could say that death was reliable? “Who are you? And why did you want to end your life?”

“Who am I?” The woman gently averted her face, taking a step back and opening up the distance between herself and Gu Yu Qi. “For someone buried in a place like this, treated as a commodity, what else could I be?” She gave a self-deprecating smile, her eyes filled with deep sorrow.

Gu Yu Qi laughed after hearing this which surprised the woman.

“Does Young Master find it amusing?” she asked, slightly displeased.

“No,” Gu Yu Qi shook her head. “I just find you very much like someone I know, someone with quite the courage. Aren’t you afraid that if you don’t succeed, you might end up severely paralysed instead?”

The woman was taken aback by this. Was it possible that the handsome young man in front of her was standing here with her, discussing how to die successfully…

“No worries, I can always try again,” she replied, thinking that she might be just as crazy and actually accepting Gu Yu Qi’s words.

“True!” Gu Yu Qi agreed enthusiastically, nodding her head. She then added with a touch of insight, “But what if you try again and still can’t die? That would be quite unfortunate.” Or maybe you would be reborn, which would be even more unfortunate!

The woman looked at Gu Yu Qi in astonishment and could not help but burst into laughter, “I didn’t expect Young Master to have quite the character.” She stepped forward and bowed deeply to Gu Yu Qi. “If you have the money, Young Master, why not ransom me? If Young Master can do this, I swear thatI will obey Young Master’s orders for as long as I live.”