The Young Marquis Regrets Too Late - Chapter 65

Since Jiang Jingchun had already said that, Gu Huaisheng saw no reason to press further.

Their conversation had gone unusually smoothly, so a rare smile appeared in Gu Huaisheng’s expression. He said, “Alright, then go and explain things to him clearly. Make sure not to go there anymore in the future.”

Gu Huaisheng still had some official matters to handle. After saying this, he got up and headed outside. As soon as he stepped out of their inner chamber, Shuliang approached him.

Today, Shuliang had come to report an incident involving Shen Changqing’s subordinate.

Ever since the autumn hunt, Gu Huaisheng had instructed him to investigate the lead about disguise techniques. Sure enough, they found some clues.

They followed the trail of events from the night of the wedding and traced the lead in the northern part of the capital. They searched every corner of the area where the subordinate was reported to have been seen. They combed through shops and questioned whether anyone had noticed anything unusual that day.

They had never considered the possibility of that subordinate using disguise techniques before. They had assumed the person had vanished into thin air. No matter how they retraced their steps, they couldn’t find any traces.

But if it was a case of disguise… perhaps someone might have seen what the person looked like after altering their appearance. So they returned to that area to investigate again.

A couple of months had passed since that night, so normally, no one would remember events from that day. However, that day coincided with Gu Huaisheng’s grand wedding, and the streets had been extraordinarily lively. Many people had vivid memories of that day.

As they continued investigating, they indeed found someone suspicious.

On that day, a strange man had come to a two-story women’s clothing shop. He appeared to be middle-aged, short, and quite thin, with a scar on his face. Everyone had been outside watching the festivities, and the shop had been mostly empty. That was why the shopkeeper had immediately noticed this unusual guest. She asked him what he was looking for, and he said he was there to find his wife.

The shopkeeper thought it odd since there hadn’t been any women in the shop. She kept an eye on him but didn’t overthink it. After a while, a woman came downstairs from the second floor. However, the shopkeeper distinctly remembered that there hadn’t seemed to be anyone upstairs earlier.

She asked the woman when she had arrived, but the woman teased her with a laugh, saying the shopkeeper must have been so caught up in the excitement outside that she forgot.

Hearing this, the shopkeeper didn’t press further. She asked the woman if she had encountered a man and whether he was her husband.

The woman smiled and confirmed that the man was indeed her husband. She said he had just come to see her briefly before leaving. She joked that the shopkeeper must have been too distracted by the commotion to notice anyone coming or going.

The shopkeeper thought it strange—there had been hardly anyone in the shop that day, so how could she have failed to notice people coming and going?

But the woman said nothing more. She turned and left. The shopkeeper sent an assistant upstairs to check, only to find no sign of the man. She chalked it up to her own mistake and let it go.

When the shopkeeper was later approached by Gu Huaisheng’s secret guards, she realised that what had happened that day wasn’t a result of her confusion.

As someone who worked in a clothing shop, she had a sharper eye for women’s appearances. Moreover, since she had exchanged a few words with the strange woman, she also retained some impression of her features.

The secret guards extracted a description of the woman from the shopkeeper and created a sketch.

Shuliang showed the sketch to Gu Huaisheng, who, after taking a look, gave a cold laugh.

“He thought we’d never find them, so he became emboldened and dared to let this person roam freely in the capital. It’s been a while, so that person might not look like this anymore. Be cautious. Even if you find someone resembling this person, monitor them for some time. Don’t alert them prematurely.”

Shuliang acknowledged the orders and was about to relay them when Gu Huaisheng called him back.

“Do you have further instructions, Young Master?” Shuliang asked.

After a moment of thought, Gu Huaisheng asked, “Is there any news on Cen Yin?”

Shuliang shook his head. “Not yet. It’s been over ten years. Even if we check the household records from back then, it will take some time.”

Gu Huaisheng said no more, and Shuliang took his leave after finishing his report.

---

A few days later, Jiang Jingchun visited the teahouse once again. This time, she had made up her mind. She would not return here to listen to opera in the future, nor would she have further contact with Lou Guan.

Still, she wanted to inform him. The thought of disappearing suddenly and never coming back without even so much as a word didn’t sit well with her.

In the past, she had indeed viewed him as an opera performer—a beautiful one. But upon deeper reflection, she realised that was disrespectful.

Gu Huaisheng wasn’t wrong. No matter how beautiful Lou Guan was, he was still a man.

When she arrived at the opera theatre that day, Lou Guan had just finished performing Ocean of Sin again. She went to his dressing room to find him, but something felt off. For some reason, two servants were stationed at the door.

Jiang Jingchun approached and asked, “Is Lou Guan inside?”

The two servants belonged to the theatre. Today, they were stationed there because an important guest was inside, and they couldn’t afford to allow any interruptions. The two exchanged glances. One of them, who recognised Jiang Jingchun, said, “He’s unwell and can’t see anyone right now. Please return another day, Miss.”

Something felt wrong. Jiang Jingchun’s instincts told her something was amiss. Unwell? Hadn’t he just been performing? He’d seemed fine while singing, so how could he suddenly be unwell?

Besides, the two servants stationed here were unusual—there were never guards at this door. Why were they here today?

She thought back to the last time she saw Lou Guan and felt something was off. She said, “I have something important to tell him. I’ll just see him briefly—it won’t take long.”

The two guards exchanged a glance but eventually relented. The troupe leader had instructed them not to upset her for the time being. 

Since she was a patron, it wasn’t entirely out of the question for her to meet Lou Guan.

One of them knocked on the door, then cracked it open and slipped inside. Jiang Jingchun tried to peer through the gap to see what was happening in the room, but the other guard quickly blocked her view.

After getting caught in her act, she awkwardly touched her nose and refrained from trying again.

Before long, the person inside returned, and after waiting a moment more, Jiang Jingchun was led into the room.

The room had a strange smell that she couldn’t quite place. It caused her to instinctively frown.

Lou Guan sat before a bronze dressing mirror. His ornate headpiece had been removed, but his makeup was still intact—mostly. 

Strangely, his lip rouge was smudged…

A sense of unease grew in her heart.

Jiang Jingchun approached him. Lou Guan seemed lost in thought as he stared blankly at his reflection. It wasn’t until her figure appeared in the mirror that he finally snapped out of it.

He smiled at her. It was a smile no different from the ones he’d shown her before, yet somehow, it now felt hollow—like the grin of a marionette.

He looked at her and said, “Miss, it’s been several days since you last visited.”

During the past few days that she hadn’t been here, the troupe leader had him serve Master Li.

Master Li came today.

Unexpectedly, so did Jiang Jingchun.

Jiang Jingchun pressed her lips together and asked, “Lou Guan, what happened to your lips? Why are they smudged?”

Lou Guan’s expression froze for a moment before he quickly smiled again. “I was about to start removing my makeup when you arrived, so I wiped my lips.”

He was lying. Even Jiang Jingchun could tell.

She asked further, “Why did the person outside say you weren’t feeling well?”

Seeing her determination to get to the bottom of things, Lou Guan deftly changed the subject.

He said, “Miss, it’s been days since you last came. Why did you come looking for me today?”

Lou Guan didn’t mind Jiang Jingchun’s visits. In truth, he quite liked them. She was far easier to deal with than Master Li—infinitely so.

Jiang Jingchun explained her reason for coming. “Lou Guan, I won’t be coming to the theatre anymore.”

Lou Guan’s expression faltered. His smile stiffened further.

Jiang Jingchun noticed the change and realised her words might have been too abrupt. She explained, “I’m sorry. I’ve always thought you were beautiful, that your voice was lovely, and that you were gentle. I… I blurred the lines between your gender… I’m sorry. I know you hate being misunderstood like that. I’ll never see you as a woman again. But since you’re a man, it’s not appropriate for me to associate with you.”

A man with the qualities of a woman—gentle, beautiful, and delicate… This was indeed a source of fascination for Jiang Jingchun.

Lou Guan understood what she meant. So, that was why she’d been willing to spend time with him before. It was because she’d thought of him as a woman.

Lou Guan let out a soft laugh, so faint and light that it seemed as though it might vanish in the very next moment. Lou Guan said, “It’s because I belittle myself that you, Miss, would think this way. It’s not your fault.

“It’s not other people’s fault when they see me as a woman, considering how I appear and act.”

What was the point of worrying about being seen as male or female when things had come to this?

Nevermind.

It was what it was.

This was his fate.

Compared to others, Jiang Jingchun was already incredibly kind to him. By saying what she did today, she was at least treating him as a human being.

He didn’t even want to take her money anymore.

The fact that she could say such things was already a great kindness.

Lou Guan had never heard anyone speak to him like this in his entire life.

Hearing her words was better than anything else he could have asked for.

As he looked at Jiang Jingchun, his eyes filled with an indescribable sorrow. “Miss, you should leave now. I understand.”

What she said was true. Her visits to listen to his performances were one thing, but if their association were to spread, it wouldn’t bode well for her.

Jiang Jingchun, however, couldn’t stop worrying as she looked at him. His face was still adorned with beautiful rouge, but his entire demeanour seemed dim and lifeless.

Suddenly, she asked, “Lou Guan, what if I buy your freedom?”

She added, “No one would ever force you to do things you hate again.”

He was too pitiable.

He was so beautiful—so beautiful that everyone wanted to hurt him. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something terrible had happened to him in the days she hadn’t visited. Had he been mistreated?

Lou Guan’s eyes seemed to brighten slightly at her words but dimmed just as quickly. He said, “But I’m very expensive, Miss.”

It was easy to imagine how costly a popular young male performer like him would be.

Though she respected him, he couldn’t see himself as worth such a price.

Jiang Jingchun replied, “Don’t worry, Lou Guan. I have money.”

She had learned how to manage shops and make money from Madame Gu. The old female servant by her side had also taught her a lot. She wasn’t just some useless person who only sought pleasure. She had learned how to earn a living.

Even if he was expensive, it didn’t matter. Anyhow, from now on, she wouldn’t waste time playing around anymore; she would focus on earning money.

Everyone’s life was filled with hardship, but Lou Guan’s plight was laid bare before her. At the very least, he had entertained her for so long. She didn’t care whether he did it sincerely or not.

Everyone was the subject of their own circumstances, which dictated their actions. Lou Guan wasn’t exempt from that.

Lou Guan bowed his head so low it seemed it would touch the ground. He said, “2,000 taels.”

2,000 taels…

That was undeniably expensive.

Just as Lou Guan was about to take back his words, Jiang Jingchun spoke up first.

She said, “Lou Guan, wait here for me. I’ll go home and get the money right now.”

Lou Guan hadn’t expected her to agree so readily. He was stunned. “Miss… 2,000 taels—I’m not worth that much. I couldn’t repay it even in a lifetime.”

Jiang Jingchun reassured him by saying, “You don’t have to repay it, Lou Guan. Just consider it my thanks for cheering me up these past few days.”

Even though Jiang Jingchun wasn’t particularly clever, she understood that for her, earning that kind of money was as simple as moving her lips. But for him, it would be a debt he couldn’t repay in a lifetime.

These 2,000 taels had enough weight to crush him and break him.

Though her heart ached, Jiang Jingchun decided to treat this as a lesson to herself. She had to stop frequenting places like brothels and theatres. Such places were filled with far too many unfortunate souls.

She told Lou Guan to wait for her. She would return shortly with the money. Once she had the silver, she would go directly to the troupe leader and buy Lou Guan’s freedom.

Before Lou Guan could even process what was happening, Jiang Jingchun had rushed out the door.

Jiang Jingchun headed outside. She intended to return home with Huayun to fetch the money. But halfway there, an image of Lou Guan’s bright red lips flashed in her mind.

The two servants who stood at the entrance, even though they usually weren’t there…

After a moment of thought, she said to Huayun, “You go home and get the money. Call for a few people to come along with you when you return.”

Huayun didn’t know what Jiang Jingchun was planning, but she obviously disapproved of leaving her alone. She said, “Miss, this isn’t safe! How could you stay here by yourself?”

Jiang Jingchun replied, “Don’t worry. Just hurry back and bring help.”

The theatre wasn’t far from the marquis’ residence; if one moved quickly, it would only take as long as the time it’d take a single incense stick to burn to travel between the two places.

This was one of the reasons Jiang Jingchun had been visiting the theatre so often these days. Its proximity to her home made her feel that even if something happened, she could quickly summon help.

Seeing Jiang Jingchun’s urgency, Huayun didn’t dare waste time. She quickly ran back as instructed.

Meanwhile, Jiang Jingchun returned. This time, she didn’t enter through the main entrance but circled around to the side window.

Outside was a patch of grass. She crouched down and peeked in, trying to see what was happening inside.

Sure enough, not long after she had left, someone emerged from the shadows.

Jiang Jingchun was shocked by what she saw. Her eyes widened, and she almost gasped aloud.

She covered her mouth as she stared at the scene before her. She was momentarily unable to react because of the sight.

A middle-aged man in his forties, dishevelled and furious, strode toward Lou Guan. He grabbed Lou Guan’s hair and slammed his head onto the table, all the while cursing loudly, “You filthy scoundrel! How dare you flirt with someone else behind my back!? What did you do to that girl to make her fork over 2,000 taels for you? Do you even know who she is? She’s the young madame of the Gu family in the capital—a young marquis’ wife! You’ve really climbed high this time, haven’t you?!”

This man was a court official who had been present during the autumn hunt. Naturally, he recognised Jiang Jingchun.

Jiang Jingchun had never seen a scene so horrifying. It was terrifying… truly terrifying.

The dull thud of Lou Guan’s head hitting the table echoed painfully in her chest and made her head hurt as well.

The man treated Lou Guan with shocking brutality. He spewed curses and insults at him without stopping.

Jiang Jingchun had always felt that Gu Huaisheng was forceful and that he bullied her. But now, faced with this situation, she realised how kind Gu Huaisheng actually was.

She didn’t have time to dwell on that thought. What happened next left her utterly stunned.

The man—Master Li, suddenly tore Lou Guan’s clothes apart. Lou Guan struggled, but he was slapped hard across the face.

“You dare move, you wretch! Let me tell you, even if you escape, I have a hundred—no, a thousand—ways to ruin you!”

The man was in his forties or fifties, overweight, and still full of strength. Lou Guan, who was thin and weak, was pinned to the table by him and couldn’t move away.

Jiang Jingchun watched as the man stripped Lou Guan of his clothes and began to remove his own undergarments…

The thick winter clothes didn’t slow him down. With just a few quick movements, his pants were undone.

Jiang Jingchun couldn’t bear to look. She covered her eyes.

She was no longer naive—she knew exactly what was about to happen.

Could two men do it?

However, Jiang Jingchun knew this wasn’t the time to think about that. Lou Guan was about to be hurt.

Why? Why was he doing this? Why was this happening?

Lou Guan clearly didn’t want this. He was crying so desperately.

Jiang Jingchun had planned to wait for Huayun to return with help before intervening, but it’d be too late. If she waited any longer, Lou Guan would be assaulted by that old man.

Her heart pounded with fear. The man was terrifying, like a monster. However, she couldn’t just stand by and let this happen. 

What he was doing was too cruel, too inhumane. She couldn’t even imagine how devastated she would feel if she were in Lou Guan’s position, being forced in such a way.

She stood up, poked her head through the window, and covered her eyes to avoid seeing anything indecent. Then she shouted at the man, “Stop!”

Master Li was startled by the sound and squinted to see who had come. To his surprise, Jiang Jingchun had unexpectedly returned.

His expression turned especially sour after having his plans interrupted. After all, he held an official position in the court, and he needed to bear some semblance of dignity, even after being caught red-handed doing something improper. He hastily shoved his genitals back into his pants.

Lou Guan looked up at the window. His makeup hadn’t been cleaned off yet, and tears had smeared it into a pitiful mess. When he spotted Jiang Jingchun, he quickly tried to cover himself.

Jiang Jingchun squinted through the gap between her fingers, and seeing that the men had dressed themselves, she finally put her hand down.

She was shaken. The man’s earlier actions had been so rough that even as she watched Lou Guan being struck, she felt an echo of the pain. She was worried he might continue his abuse, so she shouted, “Go ahead, try touching him again! I’ll report you to the Censorate!”

She didn’t know who he was, but judging by his attire and bearing, she could tell that he was a court official.

She stood by the window but didn’t dare to enter the room. Since she was afraid he might turn his violence on her, she resorted to shouting her threats from a safe distance.

The old man merely sneered coldly and retorted, “Oh? And who will you report me to? Aren’t you the one frequenting a theatre? What, is the Young Marquis Gu going to play favourites for you?”

Jiang Jingchun could tell he was spouting nonsense. Her eyebrows furrowed tightly as she snapped back, “And what if I do go to the theatre? I’m not out here forcing civilian men to sleep with me!”

Master Li sneered frostily. “Oh? But you still played around with a young male performer at the theatre. What does that count as?”

He stared at her and clicked his tongue. “How shameless. You’re hardly virtuous yourself, yet you have the gall to stand there, hands on your hips, lecturing me? Why not make a bigger scene? Let’s see whether people believe you or me!”

She was a woman. How could she come into a young male performer’s private room like she had? No matter how hard she tried to explain, she’d never clear her name once other people found out.

Jiang Jingchun countered, “And are the wounds on his face also my doing? What good is your baseless slander? What, just because your mind is filthy, you think everyone else is just as rotten?”

Jiang Jingchun, who stood by the window, knew that he couldn’t reach her to hit her. As such, she fearlessly hurled her insults at him.

However, Master Li, who was enraged by her words, turned and delivered a vicious kick to Lou Guan. The kick sent him sprawling to the ground. Pain contorted his face.

“He’s just a lowly commoner. If he dares offend me, I can beat him to death, and it’ll still be within my rights!”

That kick was so forceful that Jiang Jingchun felt as if it had landed on her instead. She was alarmed and yelled, “Stop! Try touching him again, and see what happens! I’ll go straight home and tell my husband—he’ll have you arrested!”

Gu Huaisheng’s name was indeed intimidating. It wasn’t just because he wasn’t afraid to step on toes—he even dared to oppose someone like Wang Shun. With his solid family backing and his own achievements, it’d be hard for anyone to coerce him into doing anything.

If Gu Huaisheng wanted to make life difficult for someone, he undoubtedly could.

But Master Li wasn’t fazed. His face twisted into a mocking smile, and he said, “Oh, really? Does your husband know you’re defending another man like this?”

He didn’t believe Jiang Jingchun would really dare bring this matter to Gu Huaisheng.

After all, they were both here to have fun, weren’t they? Could she claim to be more virtuous than him?

At that moment, there was a commotion at the door, and it was pushed open.

Gu Huaisheng’s figure appeared in the doorway.

He looked like he had rushed over. Traces of urgency remained in his expression, and his breathing was slightly laboured as well.

Today was Gu Huaisheng’s day off. When Jiang Jingchun had gone out earlier, he had asked if she wanted him to accompany her. At the time, she didn’t think it’d be necessary. After all, she had visited this place many times before without incident. She thought she was simply coming to bid farewell to Lou Guan and didn’t anticipate any other trouble, so she declined.

She hadn’t expected to see Lou Guan being treated so cruelly by that beast.

Fortunately, Gu Huaisheng was nearby and arrived just in time.

“Cousin! I’m here!” Jiang Jingchun called out to him through the window.

When Jiang Jingchun saw Gu Huaisheng, she felt like seeing her saviour. She had never wanted to see him as much as she did now, and she couldn’t wait to call out to him.

When Gu Huaisheng heard her voice, he turned towards her direction. Seeing that she was unharmed and still lively enough to shout, he finally let out a breath of relief.

He walked to the window, reached through to hold her under her arms, and in one swift motion, half-lifted and half-carried her into the room. She was bundled in thick winter clothing, but he handled her with ease, like he was merely picking up a chick.

Jiang Jingchun was still visibly shaken. Her face was pale, which was understandable, given the shock of witnessing such a scene. That really had been too much for her to bear.

Gu Huaisheng lightly squeezed her fingers to ground her. Then, in a gentle voice, he said, “Don’t be afraid. I’m here.”

After soothing Jiang Jingchun, Gu Huaisheng removed his thick cloak and walked over to Lou Guan. He squatted down, then draped his cloak over him.

Lou Guan’s clothes had been torn to shreds by Master Li, which left him exposed to the bitter wind that blew through the windows and doors. He was shivering from the cold.

Lou Guan froze at Gu Huaisheng’s actions.

He glanced at the pristine white cloak, then at Gu Huaisheng. The marks of humiliation were still evident on Lou Guan’s face—handprints and smudged makeup that had run with tears, which revealed the depths of his misery.

It was a bitter sight.

Lou Guan clutched the cloak Gu Huaisheng had given him. He couldn’t help wanting to cry even more.

He bowed his head and covered his eyes with his hands. His voice broke into sobs as he said, “Dirty… Young Master, I’ll only make your cloak dirty.”

Not long ago, he had harboured thoughts of seducing Gu Huaisheng’s wife. And yet here Gu Huaisheng was, offering him such kindness.

These two people had saved him.

Before this moment, he didn’t understand how Jiang Jingchun could be so innocent and naive. He wondered if all young women from high-ranking families were like her. She spent her days carefree and could take 2,000 taels of silver without a second thought. Now, after meeting her husband, he finally understood… They were just good people.

She was willing to buy his freedom, not because she was naive or had too much money to spend.

It was simply because… she was a good person.

This realisation made Lou Guan feel like he was utterly filthy as he stood in their presence.

So much so that he didn’t dare to accept the cloak Gu Huaisheng handed him.

If this were in the past, Gu Huaisheng might not have made such a gesture. Perhaps it was because of Jiang Jingchun’s influence—seeing the young man in front of him made him truly feel pity.

When Jiang Jingchun heard him say that he’d dirty Gu Huaisheng’s cloak, she immediately understood that the earlier event had left a scar on him. That old man’s mark on him must make him feel uncomfortable. She crouched down, looked at Lou Guan, and said in all seriousness, “Lou Guan, you’re not dirty. After you clean up and take a bath, you’ll be fine.”

Gu Huaisheng added, “It’s fine, just wear the cloak. Don’t worry, we’ll take you out soon.”

After seeing Lou Guan slowly calm down, Gu Huaisheng stood up and turned to look at Master Li.

“Director Li, what do you have to say?”

This man was a fifth-rank official who worked at the Bureau of Chariots and Carriages in the Ministry of War. Though his rank was not high, Gu Huaisheng had a good memory and had some impression of this person.

Director Li paused for a moment, but Gu Huaisheng pressed on, “Were you raping this man?”

When Gu Huaisheng entered, he had already guessed what had happened. The two of them were in this condition, so it was easy to imagine what Director Li had intended to do.

“Which household doesn’t keep a few concubines? Which man doesn’t go out seeking pleasure? He was just a plaything. What I did can’t be called rape.”

“Shut up! Don’t say such nonsense. My cousin wouldn’t do that, and neither would my uncle! Moreover, Lou Guan is a person. He’s not your family’s slave and definitely not your plaything!”

Earlier, Jiang Jingchun had held her neck high and tried to gather her courage to fight this man. However, at that time, it was only her holding the fort. She had no confidence and could only bluff him from afar. After all, this old man was truly fierce and scary.

It wasn’t that she didn’t fear him, but… she couldn’t back down, either. People like this man always bullied the weak and feared the strong. If she softened, that old man would’ve bullied her and Lou Guan, so she had to be tough.

However, seeing Gu Huaisheng’s arrival was like seeing a deity descend from the heavens to him. She didn’t need to force herself to hold on anymore. After the earlier exchange, she clung to his side and became ‘a fox exploiting the tiger’s might’—she might be weak, but now she had his strength on her side.

She had to admit that Gu Huaisheng’s presence was like a source of comfort whenever something happened. She felt empowered to argue with Director Li since he was here.

Director Li was momentarily stunned by her blunt words and couldn’t respond. He felt like he was a soldier meeting a scholar. Even if he’d been right, he wouldn’t have been able to explain himself properly in front of his glib-tongued person.

After a long pause, Director Li finally managed to squeeze out a reply. “He’s just a lowly opera performer. He’s something that others must have discarded before. Why can’t I play with him?”

Jiang Jingchun’s face turned red with anger. She wanted to scold him but was stopped by Gu Huaisheng, who placed a soothing hand on her shoulder. After a long struggle, she finally held back.

Gu Huaisheng looked at Director Li and said, “Even if he has had some sort of relationship with someone else, that has nothing to do with you. He’s a person, not an object. Even if he’s an opera performer, he still has the right to refuse. A performer is different from your slave. According to the empire’s law… committing rape is a death sentence.”

When Director Li heard the words ‘death sentence,’ his face finally turned a few shades paler. However, he still wanted to argue against Gu Huaisheng. He said, “Then what about your wife running off to this theatre? What’s that? Was she hooking up with male performers?”

Gu Huaisheng sneered. “What’s wrong with her coming to this theatre? Are you the only one who goes to the theatre? I’ve never heard of such logic. She likes listening to opera performances, so she listens. If she wants to talk to someone, she talks to them. Just talking to someone doesn’t mean she’s hooking up with them. Are you trying to hook up with me now? Just because you talk to your wife and children, are you also hooking up with them?”

Gu Huaisheng truly didn’t like it when Jiang Jingchun talked to other men, but when it came down to it, what reason did he have to forbid her from it?

He looked at Director Li and said, “You should go to the Censorate.”

Director Li grew anxious. “I only took off my pants! I didn’t do anything! Why are you arresting me?”

Indeed, nothing had ended up happening. There was no point in trying to charge him with a death sentence.

But even then, he could still receive a punishment for his failed attempt.

Just as Gu Huaisheng was about to speak, the troupe leader arrived.

Upon hearing that something had happened, he was terrified. Why had Gu Huaisheng been called here today?

The young madame of the Gu family liked going to the theatre, so her presence was not entirely unexpected. However, today, to his surprise, Gu Huaisheng had come too. On his way here, he heard what had happened and learned Director Li had forced himself upon Lou Guan, and Jiang Jingchun had witnessed it. She immediately caused a scene.

Then, Gu Huaisheng had been called over.

When he arrived, he saw that Gu Huaisheng’s men were about to take Director Li away. The troupe leader quickly said, “A misunderstanding, a misunderstanding! This is all just a misunderstanding!”

If Director Li were arrested, how would they do business here in the future? The theatre was already full of people who made dirty dealings, and if they saw Director Li being taken away now, who would dare come again?

Gu Huaisheng turned to the troupe leader and asked, “A misunderstanding?”

He was somewhat curious to see how the troupe leader would explain this ‘misunderstanding.’

The trope leader, who was now on the receiving end of Gu Huaisheng’s sharp gaze, gritted his teeth and said, “It’s… Master Li was just playing with this young male performer. He accidentally lost control of his strength, and that’s how things ended up like this.”

As he spoke, the troupe leader moved toward Lou Guan. He intended to threaten him into cooperating. However, before he could take a step, Gu Huaisheng blocked his way.

“Whether it’s fooling around or outright rape, I’ll be the judge of that. I don’t need you to explain things on his behalf.”

Hearing this, the troupe leader’s tone turned less accommodating. “This male performer is one of my troupe members. His indenture is with me. Even if Master Li had some involvement with him, it would’ve been at my instruction to serve him. Young Marquis, aren’t you overstepping your bounds here?”

If he had ordered Lou Guan to serve someone, what did that have to do with Gu Huaisheng? 

Lou Guan wasn’t a personal servant of Master Li, but he was his indentured worker. The troupe leader could have him do whatever Master Li wanted. Why should Gu Huaisheng intervene?

But Gu Huaisheng merely smiled at this. “So, are you admitting to secretly running a s3x trade business, then?”

A theatre troupe was a theatre troupe; a brothel was a brothel. The former was regulated by the government and strictly forbidden from engaging in improper activities beyond performing. If the troupe leader was running such a trade business, he might manage to do it covertly, but to openly admit it? That would be asking for trouble.

After hearing Gu Huaisheng’s words, the troupe leader froze and realised that he had misspoken.

Before he could backtrack, Gu Huaisheng continued, “Hmm… perhaps it’s time I report this place to the officials at the Ministry of Rites and let them deal with it.”

Did the Ministry of Rites truly not know about the transactions happening under the table here? 

Perhaps not. 

But it was likely that they turned a blind eye due to dealings with the troupe leader. 

However, if an official report were filed regarding it, could they afford to ignore it?

The Censorate supervised all officials. If the Ministry of Rites failed to act, Gu Huaisheng would take it up with them.

The troupe leader’s face darkened. He hadn’t anticipated the situation escalating like this. Not only was Master Li apprehended, but now his entire theatre troupe was at risk.

Finally, Master Li spoke. He glared at Gu Huaisheng with a grim expression and said, “Is it really necessary to make such a spectacle? Officials are supposed to blend harmoniously with the dust of the world. Young Marquis, what good does it do you to act so heavy-handedly and offend everyone?”

Gu Huaisheng fell silent and just stared at Master Li for a moment.

The troupe leader thought that these words had swayed Gu Huaisheng and quickly chimed in. “Exactly, Young Marquis. Why bother making a fuss over something like this?”

However, Gu Huaisheng simply smiled at Master Li. His smile didn’t reach his eyes. He said, “You needn’t trouble yourself with that thought, Director. After all, you’re someone I can afford to offend.”

Who wanted to blend harmoniously with the likes of him?

With that, Gu Huaisheng gestured for his men to take Master Li away. He ordered for him to be temporarily detained in the Censorate’s prison.

The troupe leader felt a chill run through him, as biting as the winter wind outside.

If he had known things would come to this, he would’ve sent Jiang Jingchun away long ago. He wouldn’t have dared to let her get involved in this mess?

Gu Huaisheng turned to the troupe leader, whose face was ashen. “What are you worried about? If you stop engaging in such activities and properly manage your troupe, wouldn’t everything be fine?”

If the troupe leader ceased his clandestine dealings, no one would have grounds to arrest him.

The troupe leader realised he had no other options. He gritted his teeth and said, “Yes, thank you, Young Marquis, for the reminder.”

The troupe leader assumed this would conclude the matter and Gu Huaisheng would leave. Yet, Gu Huaisheng’s gaze remained fixed on Lou Guan. The troupe leader’s heart sank. What now? Was Gu Huaisheng planning to reopen old scores?

This was going too far.

As the troupe leader pondered how to respond, Gu Huaisheng spoke. “I’m buying his freedom.”

Jiang Jingchun stepped forward to help Lou Guan up. Though Lou Guan was tall, his thin and frail frame gave the impression he might shatter at the slightest touch. 

As such, Jiang Jingchun was exceedingly gentle with her movements.

The troupe leader was stunned by Gu Huaisheng’s offer to buy the freedom of a male performer. Did he know this male performer had previously tried to seduce Jiang Jingchun? 

Was he so eager to don a green hat for himself?

But that was their family business, so the troupe leader merely said, “He’s not cheap. He costs 2,000 taels of silver.”

“2,000 taels of silver?” Gu Huaisheng asked. “Was that also the price when you sold him to Master Li?

“My wife may not be particularly sharp, but you can’t swindle her like this.”

Hearing this, Jiang Jingchun couldn’t help but feel something was amiss. Uh-oh… She thought she’d finally gotten smarter, but why did it seem like she was still getting duped every single day?