The fifth month of the lunar calendar had passed, and the dog days of the summer had arrived. It was extremely hot in June, and the sun was scorching. The cicadas were singing, and the sun high up in the sky seemed to be steaming hot waves on the streets. Under the eaves and the trees, dogs lay there with their tongues out, looking at the scenery in the alley, feeling a little cool. Occasionally, when carriages and horses passed by, they kicked up a cloud of dust, and then quieted down in the heat.
In this kind of weather, those who didn't have to go out probably wouldn't have to suffer on the streets under the scorching sun. Because of this, the businesses of the merchants were much quieter. Only the tea houses with better locations were always full. After entering a tea house, one could order a pot of herbal tea and take advantage of the shade of the ancient wooden building and the big trees outside the door to listen to stories and eat snacks. This way, one could have a good day. Of course, if they were really rich, they would most likely leave Hangzhou City and go to a shady villa in the nearby mountains to avoid the heat for a period of time.
Although Hangzhou was not as famous as Jiangning's Qinhuai River, along the Grand Canal, Yangzhou, Suzhou, and Hangzhou were also well-known places of entertainment, and there were many brothels. Every night, the lights of the city stretched out, and beautiful brothels and courtyards were filled with singing and dancing. It formed an atmosphere of ecstasy that was even more enthusiastic than this summer. Of course, such a scene could not be seen during the day. After a busy night, the women would either rest, or sit in the shade of the courtyard until the afternoon, watching the colorful butterflies fluttering in the air, and indulge in self-pity …
There were only a few places that were slightly different.
Located on the northwest side of the city, there was a "Lotus Garden" that lived by the water. It was also open during the day. Lotus Garden was not big, but its location was very good. Even in the hot summer, there was a cool breeze during the day. Outside the courtyard, there were old camphor trees and cypresses, and the green trees were dense, and it was quite cool. Usually, it looked like a tea house, but in fact, it was a place where a few women who had left their status in the brothel lived together.
The leader of these women from the brothel was Ding Wanjun. She used to be known as the Top Courtesan in Hangzhou. Later, she retired from the brothel and lived here. She was often remembered by her benefactors and came to visit her. She was also very picky with her customers. She would only see one person a day to taste tea and chat with them.
Later, a few women left their residences one after another and lived here with her. Gradually, the place was cleaned up and became the quiet place it was today. During the hot and cold winter, the business became better and better. In the summer, the tea rooms were cool, and the garden was filled with the sounds of cicadas accompanied by bursts of music. It was said that it could calm people's minds.
Long Boyuan usually liked to come here to sit. Of course, there was not always a place for him. He actually liked this feeling. Occasionally, he would be blocked, but he didn't get angry. After all, in his opinion, he and Ding Wanjun could be considered a friendship between gentlemen. She had no choice but to deal with other people, and he understood that.
Among Ding Wanjun's … friends, his status wasn't the highest, but it wasn't the lowest either. He was the head of the Hangzhou Cloth Merchants Association. The Long family had been doing business for generations, but in this generation, there were a few who were good at studying. He and his younger brother, Long Bofen, had some talent in poetry and literature. But later, their parents said that one of them had to take over the family business, so he took it.
Now, he and his younger brother were already over 30 years old. Long Bofen had the status of a Juren, but he had a leisurely job in the Hangzhou magistrate's office. He didn't have a bright future, but he was passionate about poetry and landscape. Although he only participated in poetry gatherings every day, he became a rich and idle person in the literary world of Hangzhou. He got to know many people, so he became a big backer for the Long family. Long Bofen, on the other hand, was doing well in his family's business. He was in high spirits. Because he had studied literature for a period of time when he was young, he had a completely different temperament from other merchants who reeked of money. Others said that he was a Confucian merchant. Perhaps because of this, he was able to get to know Ding Wanjun and become good friends.
The location of Yihe Garden was excellent. If Ding Wanjun and the others didn't have a backer, this place would have long been occupied by people who coveted it. He could be considered one of the backers. There were a few times when someone tried to force Ding Wanjun to sell this place. He spoke up for her. It was said that there were also people with a higher status than him who spoke up for her.
Ding Wanjun was a woman with money and power. She had a lot of connections. He didn't mind. At the age of 40, he had played with all kinds of women he wanted to play with. Now, what he liked was the noble and pure side of her. Occasionally, they would sit together for a cup of tea and talk for a while. It was fine if they didn't talk, but they didn't have to go to bed. When it came to sex, she would talk without restraint in front of him. He liked this. If they really hooked up, he would get tired of it.
He didn't think that just because she was noble and pure, she shouldn't be a prostitute. Or that she shouldn't talk to this kind of man. In life, there were many times when one's actions were beyond one's control. One had to struggle along the way. It was one thing to have a kind heart. When he was young, he read the books of sages. Later, when he became a businessman, he did many things that were beyond his control. Therefore, he felt that the other party was similar to him. They were both unwilling, but they had to do it.
Usually, he wouldn't bring things outside of the tea room here. He would come alone and sit for half a day before going back. Of course, today was different. In addition to him and Ding Wanjun, who was playing the zither, there was another man sitting opposite him. This man was also a big cloth merchant in the Suzhou and Hangzhou area. His name was Fang Min. He was a good friend of Miss Bai Qianqian of Yihe Garden. They happened to meet today. Fang Min wanted to get close to him and came over to talk about business. So, he also entertained him. On the surface, he naturally wouldn't show any impatience.
"… Speaking of which, the war in the north doesn't affect you and me too much. It's just that Fang La has really caused a lot of trouble in the southwest. Recently, another batch of cloth from the Fang family was robbed. This business is getting more and more difficult …"
"Fang La has caused a lot of trouble, but I don't think it'll last long. I heard that the imperial court has sent Lord Tong Guan to lead troops south. This time, they're definitely going to exterminate Fang La."
"It's just that I think our Wu dynasty will definitely send troops north when the Jin and Liao start fighting in the north. Now that General Tong is going south, who else can go north to attack the Liao? We can't fight on two fronts. "
"Ha, how would you and I know about this? The imperial court will naturally worry about the imperial court's affairs. We'll just focus on our own business …"
He didn't have much of a relationship with Fang Min. They just chatted about the things that everyone was talking about. After chatting for a while, Fang Min talked about something else.
"… Su embroidery and Hang embroidery are originally one family. Although the cloth industry in Jiangning is also developed, most of the business is done in the north. This time, the woman from the Su family came south to do business. Did she pay you a visit? "
"Yes, we met in May. What do you think, Lord Fang?" At this time, all the businesses in the big cities had their own guilds. If they wanted to do cloth business in Hangzhou, they had to report to the head of the trade no matter what. Therefore, the first person they paid a visit to was probably Long Boyuan.
"Ha, I'm just saying. I don't really feel anything. That woman seems to be quite dutiful. Recently, she's been keeping a low profile and is very polite. She paid me a visit a while ago, and I only learned that there's a new person coming in. The Su family is also a big cloth merchant in the Jiangning area. Boyuan should know about her family's background, right? "
"I only know a little. The cloth industry in Jiangning is led by the Wu Family, and the Su family is temporarily second. We don't have close contact with them, so I don't know much about this Su Tan'er. I only heard that the elder in her family used to be a powerful figure, but he's probably old now."
"The Su family originally had a shop here, but they only produced goods for a few small businesses. They weren't very famous. But this time, she came to observe. I think she wants to do something. Over at Yangba Tou, her new shop isn't doing well for the time being. I heard that she moved a few trees there and went through a lot of trouble. She even prepared sour plum tea for passersby to quench their thirst. She didn't mention selling cloth at all. Although it's a small matter, I think she's after something big. "
"Haha, since she came to Hangzhou to do business and paid a visit to you and me, she naturally wants to do something. It would be strange if she didn't do anything. On the other hand, Lord Fang seems to be quite interested in this young lady from the Su family … "
Fang Min was almost fifty years old, so the other party called him Lord Fang. At this time, he laughed loudly. "Haha, I just thought of it and said it casually. The cloth industry in Jiangning is different from Suzhou and Hangzhou. If she wants to open up the market, it's not something that can be done in a day or two. It's just that she's a woman, so it's interesting. Oh, I heard that she has some relationship with the Lou family … "
Long Boyuan nodded. "I know about this. I heard that when the Su family went south, they happened to meet the young lady from the Lou family and traveled together for a few days. These two people … Their circumstances are somewhat similar. I think that's why they got along quite well. Since Lord Fang met the young lady from the Su family, you should have met the son-in-law of the Su family. I heard that they're quite similar. "
"Yes, he's quite low-key. When I asked him about his poetry, he only said a few words. After that, it wasn't easy to talk to him, so people almost skipped over him. I've met the son-in-law of the Lou family a few times. There are only a few differences. I think he still wants to attract attention, but he's not talented enough. Others don't think much of him … "
Long Boyuan raised his eyebrows. "What's there to say about a man who can abandon his family and marry into the family …"
He didn't think much of this matter and was too lazy to mention it. Fang Min didn't talk about it either. After chatting for a while, Fang Min bid farewell and left. Long Boyuan sat by the window and drank tea. The beautiful woman named Ding Wanjun played a tune before sitting down and pouring tea again.
"Aren't you afraid that someone will overhear and spread the news about business matters here?"
Long Boyuan laughed. "Heh, it's just a small matter. Don't tell me Wanjun is listening to it as a secret?"
"I think it's quite interesting." Ding Wanjun smiled. "Who's the young lady from the Su family?"
"The other young lady from the Lou family."
"Oh."
Ding Wanjun nodded to show that she understood. Many people in Hangzhou knew Lou Shuwan's name. This was because the three siblings of the Lou family were quite capable in the business world. In addition to the Lou family's great influence, they couldn't be underestimated in any aspect. As for how they behaved in private, it was useless even if a normal person pointed out them.
The Lou family had people in the business world and the government. Most people played with women, but Lou Shuwan played with men. Moreover, she played with men openly and confidently. She was very picky about men. Many people knew that she was with men outside in private, but they couldn't be sure who she was with. If you thought you were handsome and wanted to be frivolous in front of her, she would give you a slap. It was said that there were two scholars who wanted to hook up with Lou Shuwan. They didn't use the right method and made her angry, causing the two to lose their reputation.
That woman's behavior was improper. This was something that many people vaguely knew. However, she only interacted with one man at a time. At least in Hangzhou, she tried to keep it a secret. Because her husband married into the family and she was also a strong person, the group of scholars were more willing to imagine her as a lonely and noble married woman. It was a little pitiful, but she didn't have the temperament to be pitied. Instead, she seemed a little arrogant. Therefore, there was a kind of beauty to her … Some scholars were more willing to understand it this way.
"However, this Miss Su, every time she visits, she brings her husband … That husband also married into the family, right?" Ding Wanjun laughed softly.
"When Lou Shuwan first got married, didn't she also go around with that husband of hers? In the beginning, Lou Shuwan wasn't necessarily unwilling to help her husband and teach her children. Men are useless. It's hard for her not to be annoyed when others talk about it … This Su family's Miss' husband, what's his name again … Oh, Ning Liheng. When they greeted each other, it felt okay. After that, they didn't say much. Maybe they practiced those few greetings. Hehe, I'm afraid they won't be able to escape this pattern in the future … Although that Miss Su looks gentle, she isn't petty. Her manners are generous, her words and actions are appropriate. She's a talent. Ordinary men can't control such a woman, let alone someone who married into the family … "
Long Boyuan spoke casually and expressed his opinion. Ding Wanjun was pouring tea and was slightly stunned. "Ning Liheng?"
"Hmm?"
"Just now you said … the person who married into the family is called Ning Liheng?"
"Yes, why?" Long Boyuan looked at her and smiled. "Do you know this person, Wanjun?"
"No, I don't." Ding Wanjun smiled and shook her head. After thinking about it, she continued to pour tea. "I thought of something else … I suddenly felt that this name is quite good."
"Oh."
Although Long Boyuan was called a scholarly businessman, he was after all not in this field. Occasionally, he would read books, but they were classics and ancient books. He snorted at the current literary world. Ding Wanjun thought that this name sounded like the author of Shuidiao Getou and Qingyu Case. However, when she thought that the person married into the family, she felt that it was impossible. Perhaps it was the same name.
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