Chapter Forty-Six: The Argument

"Dear cousin, I need to step outside for a moment. Please, continue your conversation with Miss Leng," Su Mu whispered softly.

Ji Changgeng nodded slightly.

Su Mu pushed open the door and walked out, his expression shifting uncertainly. He had only taken a few steps before turning to find Uncle Quan following at an unhurried pace. Su Mu chuckled, "Uncle Quan, shouldn't you be protecting your young master? Why follow me instead?"

Uncle Quan remained silent, as if he hadn't heard a word. Whenever Su Mu walked, he walked; whenever Su Mu stopped, he stopped as well.

Su Mu's face darkened, but he could not bring himself to make a scene, so he allowed the man to tail him.

Inside, after Su Mu had left, Leng Yijun said coolly, "If you have questions for me, sir, you may speak plainly."

Ji Changgeng curled his lips. She was indeed a perceptive woman—just a few glances and she had discerned he was not there for idle amusement. He set his teacup down and lowered his voice, "Has anything unusual happened at the Peony House lately?"

Leng Yijun replied indifferently, "The Peony has two blooms, yet only I remain here."

Ji Changgeng was startled. Could the woman's corpse be that of Lu Hongjian, the other courtesan of the Peony House?

At that moment, the door opened and Su Mu returned.

He saw Ji Changgeng reach out and lift Leng Yijun's veil with a teasing smile. "Miss Leng, with your beauty, why hide behind a veil? As they say, a woman adorns herself for the one who appreciates her."

A sharp slap rang out.

Leng Yijun's face was full of anger as she struck Ji Changgeng across the cheek.

"Insolence!" Su Mu exclaimed in shock. So the rumors about Leng Yijun being cold and fierce were true.

"Ouch, what’s going on here?" Madam Chun hurried in from outside.

Clutching his cheek, Ji Changgeng snapped, "If you are a courtesan, why all this pretense? Today, I’ll buy out the Peony House and make you yield to me!"

Leng Yijun laughed in fury, "I'd rather die."

"Die? I’ll make you beg for death!" Ji Changgeng sneered, a cruel glint flashing in his narrow eyes.

"Aren’t you going to apologize to Young Master Ji?" Madam Chun strode over and slapped Leng Yijun as well. Leng Yijun only cast Ji Changgeng a cold look, standing her ground without flinching.

"Perhaps, gentlemen, we should introduce you to some other girls," Madam Chun said with a sycophantic grin. "This little minx never knows her place."

Ji Changgeng let out a cold snort. "Fine. I was only here for some fun anyway. No need to argue with a wretch who doesn't know how to appreciate kindness."

At the word "wretch," Leng Yijun's eyes flickered. Even knowing this was all a show for Madam Chun, her heart could not help but ache. The stronger one appears on the outside, the more sensitive and easily hurt they are within.

"Madam Chun, I heard that the Peony House once had two peerless beauties. Where is the other one?" Ji Changgeng asked, his interest waning.

"Ah, you must mean... Miss Qiao Qiao?" Madam Chun replied mysteriously. Then she added, "I bought her at great expense from foreign lands. Those big eyes, oh, so enchanting!"

"Qiao Qiao? I've never heard of her. I only know of two: the ice-cold Leng Yijun and the fiery Lu Hongjian. Is Miss Lu otherwise engaged tonight?" Ji Changgeng said, feigning displeasure.

A slight sheen of sweat appeared on Madam Chun's brow as she darted a glance at Su Mu. "No, that's not it. She married a good man a few days ago and left the life behind. We won't see her again, but I’m happy she found happiness."

Ji Changgeng looked disappointed. "So it was all for nothing tonight—what a wasted trip."

"You little harlot!"

"Well, look who's talking!"

Suddenly, a commotion broke out in a room nearby.

Madam Chun's eyes narrowed, then she quickly forced a smile. "Apologies for the disturbance, honored guests. I’ll be back shortly."

Ji Changgeng followed behind.

Inside the room, two women were scuffling, their clothes and hair in disarray. Upon seeing Madam Chun enter with a scowl, they immediately let go of each other.

"Madam, you must stand up for me! Boohoo..." The younger girl burst into tears.

"Madam! She's the one at fault. She started it by tearing my clothes!" protested the older courtesan, her mouth wide as she wailed.

"You stole the hairpin that Sister Hongjian left me!"

"You hadn't even moved into this room yet—finders keepers!" the older one retorted, clutching her sleeve as if afraid the younger would snatch it from her.

"Hmph! I saw you tuck it away while cleaning this room. Since Madam gave me the room, everything here is mine—including Sister Hongjian’s favorite jade hairpin."

Ji Changgeng listened and thought, So this was Lu Hongjian's old room. If she had truly married and left, she wouldn't have left her favorite hairpin behind—unless she was dead, not simply gone by choice.

"Hongjian is gone. Her belongings belong to all of us. Why should you have them just because the room is yours?" the older woman protested angrily. She resented the younger for her youth and beauty. Once, she too was the top courtesan—everyone grows old and loses their charm, and now, even trying to scrape together a little for her old age, she was being harassed.

"Enough! There are guests outside. What a disgrace!" Madam Chun snapped.

Both women fell silent.

Ji Changgeng casually glanced around the room, noticing that the walls had recently been coated with fresh dye.

"What a disappointment. The Peony House is not as legendary as they say. Madam Chun, farewell," Ji Changgeng said carelessly, heading for the door.

"I apologize for tonight, Young Master Ji. Please don't hold it against us," Madam Chun replied with a forced smile.

Ji Changgeng merely waved a hand and walked out.

Once Ji Changgeng and Su Mu had left, Madam Chun's face turned icy. A burly man approached and whispered something in her ear.

"Calm yourself. Go to the back gate of the magistrate's office. Make sure you’re not seen," she instructed.

"Cousin, the Peony House is not as impressive as the rumors say. What a frustrating night—I only wanted some amusement, but who would have thought..." Ji Changgeng muttered irritably.

"We just came at the wrong time. If you had come half a month earlier, you’d have met Miss Lu," Su Mu replied nonchalantly. As expected, no man can resist the charms of beautiful women—dying under the peony is still a romantic fate, after all. After a pause, he added, "Cousin, when we return, if the county magistrate asks, what shall we say?"

"Tell the truth. The Peony House is normal; it seems the corpse must have drifted from another county. We'll wait for Constable Nie to return and discuss further," Ji Changgeng replied.

"That’s all we can do," Su Mu said, quietly relieved.

In the darkness, Ji Changgeng's face turned grim. Had he been wrong? Were these two separate cases after all?

The two walked on in silence, each lost in his own thoughts. Outside, the night wind howled past their ears, and a few drops of rain suddenly began to fall, tapping sharply against the carriage roof.