The Ming Dynasty: Reshaping the Land

Chapter 30 Old Zhu's Shop Visit

Old Zhu, accompanied by several guards in plain clothes, quietly arrived outside Tongji Bridge. From a distance, they could see the four large characters "Heaven and Earth".

Old Zhu snorted coldly and was about to step inside when he was stopped by the servants at the door.

"Sir, our club requires a membership card for entry and exit. Without a membership card, we cannot serve you!" The servant at the door said to Old Zhu with a friendly smile, showing none of the condescending attitude one might have seen elsewhere.

"What membership card?" Old Zhu was a little confused. When did you have to pay an entrance fee to visit a brothel?

"Sir, it's like this, our membership card is like a waist tag. Without a waist tag, we don't serve you!" the servant explained with a smile. "If you want to go in, you'll have to go over there and get a membership card!"

After speaking, the servant pointed in the direction of the counter.

Old Zhu was not angry. He gave a wink to the guard beside him, who then went in the direction the servant had indicated.

"Hello, sir/madam, what level of membership card would you like to apply for?" A maid in a traditional Chinese jacket and skirt asked with a smile from behind the counter.

As a commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard serving Emperor Zhu, Song Zhong glanced at the wooden plaque behind the maid and his heart suddenly trembled.

Damn it, even the cheapest bronze medal costs five hundred taels, why don't you just rob someone?

Song Zhong touched the banknotes at his waist and felt like crying. He didn't even have fifty strings of cash on him.

Stealing a glance at Old Zhu, who was still waiting at the door, Song Zhong whispered to the maid, "I am a commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. I'll send someone to deliver the banknotes later. Give me a copper token first!"

"I'm sorry, young master! We have no precedent for this!" The maid smiled, but her tone left no room for negotiation.

"Get your manager out here!" Song Zhong was somewhat annoyed, but dared not lose his temper, after all, he knew very well who was behind this club.

That was the Duke of Cao, who had run off to Beiping and Xi'an and vented his anger on the Marquis of Yichun and the King of Qin because his own caravan was treated differently. What was he, a mere commander of a thousand households, compared to that?

"Young master!" The maid was about to say something when she was stopped by the servant beside her. "Young master, I'm so sorry, it's the rules set by the manager, please don't make things difficult for us!"

Left with no other choice, Song Zhong glared fiercely at the servants and maids before walking outside.

"Your Majesty... even the cheapest bronze plaque costs five hundred strings of cash. I don't have enough money on me to get in!" Song Zhong said to Zhu Yuanzhang with a mournful face.

"How much?" Old Zhu stared wide-eyed at Song Zhong. Taking a door-entry fee was one thing, but now he wanted five hundred strings of cash?

"Five...five hundred strings of cash, and that's the cheapest bronze medal!" Song Zhong said hesitantly.

Old Zhu gritted his teeth and muttered angrily, "That bastard!"

To everyone's surprise, Old Zhu, who is usually stingy and reluctant to spend money on lavish meals, suddenly became rebellious. The more they tried to stop him from going in, the more he wanted to go in and take a look!

"Go and bring Er Yatou here!" Old Zhu ordered Song Zhong angrily.

"Master, you...you can't leave us alone!" Song Zhong was almost in tears. If he left and something happened to His Majesty, would he even have a chance to survive?

"Just go when we tell you to!"

Helpless, Song Zhong had no choice but to instruct his men to run towards the Duke of Cao's mansion.

After Song Zhong left, Old Zhu paced back and forth for a moment before stretching out his leg to go inside.

"Oh, sir!" Upon seeing this, the servant hurriedly chased after him.

Old Zhu walked to the counter, took out a jade pendant from his pocket, and said, "I'll leave this here for now. The money will be delivered later. I'll take a token first and go in to take a look!"

Seeing Old Zhu's angry expression and glancing at the jade pendant, which was clearly no ordinary object, the clerk at the counter nodded and handed Old Zhu a bronze plaque.

After receiving the token, the servant shook the copper bell above it, and eight maids dressed in fitted long dresses came out and lined up on both sides, extending their hands: "Please come in, sir!"

Old Zhu couldn't help but click his tongue, cursing Li Jinglong in his heart for being immoral!

After entering the club, Old Zhu was led to a tea room by a maid. As soon as he sat down, several women with different appearances entered as the maid clapped her hands.

Hu women, Silla maids, Arabs in white robes, Uyghurs—several maids of different skin colors stood together, and Old Zhu was somewhat shocked. Where did Li Jinglong find so many Hu people?

"Sir, which maid would you like to choose to make tea for you?" the maid asked with a smile.

In the end, Old Zhu still chose the Korean woman. After all, those barbarians, with their blue eyes and brown hair, looked awkward to him!

Just as Old Zhu was complaining to himself that such a trick was only worth 500 strings of cash, a maid came in carrying a guzheng. When Old Zhu saw the clothes on the woman, he immediately frowned.

The woman was wearing a red cheongsam with a high collar that supported her chin. When she slightly raised her chin, a line of fair skin was revealed between the collar and her neck.

The frog buttons on the diagonal placket resemble butterflies with folded wings, dangling from the collar all the way to the armpits;

As she walked, the fabric parted and then came together again, revealing glimpses of her slender calves.

The subtle curve between her waist and hips makes one want to reach out and wrap their arms around her.

Even though Lao Zhu felt that such clothes violated etiquette, he had to admit that such clothes showed off a woman's figure to the fullest.

That bastard certainly knows how to enjoy himself!

The melodious sound of the guzheng filled the air, while a maid kneeling before the tea table picked up the kettle from the embers, rinsed the teaware, and then took out tea leaves and placed them in the teacup. As the kettle was raised higher, the tea leaves in the teacup rose and fell with the boiling water.

The maidservant moved gently, and after brewing the tea, she picked up the teacup and presented it to Old Zhu.

"Sir, please have some tea!" The maid's gentle voice, coupled with the delicate aroma of tea, made Old Zhu feel quite intoxicated.

After taking a sip of tea, even Old Zhu couldn't help but sigh with emotion. This bastard really knows how to enjoy life!

This price is fucking expensive!

On the other side, when Song Zhong arrived at the Duke of Cao's mansion, he was already covered in sweat. It was July, the hottest time of the year in Nanjing.

Li Jinglong was at home, enjoying the coolness of the ice cubes around him while sipping her herbal tea. He was lying comfortably in a rocking chair, closing his eyes to rest.

"My Lord Cao, you're still relaxing here!" Song Zhong said urgently to Li Jinglong, not even bothering to wipe his sweat.

"You got up early for court, and now you won't even let me rest when I get back?" Li Jinglong said leisurely.

"My lord, please get up! His Majesty has gone to your private club!"

"What?" Li Jinglong was taken aback and jumped up from the recliner. In his haste, he lost his balance and stumbled.

"My lord, please hurry!" Song Zhong said anxiously, "His Majesty is still being blocked at the door by your servants, and he's quite angry!"

Upon hearing this, Li Jinglong felt as if the sky had fallen. Just thinking about Old Zhu's explosive temper made his legs start to cramp.

"That...that Li Er!" Li Jinglong shouted in a panic.

"Yes, sir!"

"Go to the East Palace immediately and tell His Highness about this!"