Chapter 9: Ransom

  Ransom

  The old procuress heard Yao Feng calling her, not knowing what big thing had happened, and hurriedly rushed in with a flustered heart. As soon as she entered the door, she asked: "Young Master, you called me? Young Master, do you have any orders?"

  The madam came in and saw San Jie kneeling on the ground as soon as she entered, thinking that she had offended Yao Fang. She scolded loudly: "You cheap thing! Speak up! How did you offend Young Master Yao?"

  Yao Feng stretched out his hand in front of him and waved it, interrupting the conversation: "This has nothing to do with her, I'm telling you, I've taken a liking to your third sister and want to take her home. Don't beat around the bush, name a price."

  The old procuress turned her thoughts over and pondered, thinking that previously this Young Master Yao was on a brotherly terms with the Magistrate of the Prefecture, the Patrol Officer, and the Defender, so it's not like he didn't have any backing. This request for ransom is something she herself had no reason to refuse, only wanting to get a good price.

  The old prostitute's face, covered in thick makeup, smiled as if she was about to squeeze out oil.

  "Good girl! You're really lucky to have married Mr. Yao, this is a great honor!"

  Turning around, she smiled at Yao Fang with a greasy face and the handkerchief in her hand: "Young Master Yao, you must treat our family's third sister well. This daughter of mine is the pillar of our family, the most precious woman. I've raised her since childhood, raising her to be fair-skinned and knowledgeable, but it has exhausted my heart."

  You don't know, San Jie's monthly expenses for food and cosmetics are enormous, even the daughter of a provincial governor can't compare to her. But such extravagant spending is nothing compared to the care I've put into raising her as a mother...I've used countless heart and soul every day to raise such a good daughter...

  Yao Feng listened to her and thought it didn't sound like human language, so he suddenly had an idea and imitated the image of a villain from TV dramas. He stiffened his face, squeezed out a pair of triangular eyes, pulled the flesh on his cheeks tight to make his chin jut out, and turned down the corners of his mouth to completely assume the appearance of a despicable scoundrel. With a gloomy and ferocious tone, he interrupted her: "Shut up and stop wasting my time! I heard you bought her for 17 taels back then? Well, today I'll double that amount and give you 34 taels, and we can consider the account settled."

  "That's not going to happen! That's not going to happen! Young Master Yao, you can't bully people. I've raised this third sister since she was ten years old. This year, she just started doing business and hasn't even seen a penny yet! Although she's not a virgin, the number of men who have slept with her can be counted on one hand."

  Yao Feng dug into his suit pocket, pulled out a pack of Taishan cigarettes that he hadn't had the heart to smoke since crossing over, lit one up with a disposable lighter, and spoke in the tone of a hoodlum from a movie: "Don't try this crap on me! How much do you want? I'll tell you, if I don't get San Jie today, I'll make sure you go in white and come out red! I've got methods for both the light and dark paths, and I can make you wish you were dead - believe it or not?"

  Yao Fan knew that in any society, pimps and gangsters were the dregs of society who made a living by preying on others. These people were used to bullying the weak and fearing the strong. If you didn't pretend to be tougher than them, you would inevitably suffer losses. Moreover, he had some concerns, what if this old pimp was unwilling to ransom or simply opened his mouth too wide, leaving himself unable to afford it at this time when his pockets were empty.

  The old procuress saw Yao Fang suddenly put on a domineering air, and although she was used to mixing with the world, she was also subject to the control of local officials, especially that guard Wei Guofu. That kind of rough and unrefined military man was not someone she could afford to offend. These corrupt officials might fawn all over her in ordinary times, but when it came down to it, they only recognized silver, not people.

  She pondered that this little guy with the surname Yao dared to be so arrogant, and must have colluded deeply with Wei Guofu and Sunzhou Judge Liu, these birds in human clothes with hats on their heads, not one of whom she could afford to offend.

  So she didn't dare to turn against Yao Fan, and after quickly thinking it over in her mind, she immediately put on an oppressed and indignant expression, with a sorrowful tone of voice saying: "I'm just a helpless and dependent old wife, a law-abiding citizen, how did I end up encountering such an unreasonable master like you?"

  "My humble business has just started to show some promise, all thanks to the help of my good daughter Sanjie. If you take her away from me, isn't that taking my life? I've been doing business honestly and haven't offended anyone. Even if this lawsuit goes all the way to the Emperor's court, I'm not afraid!"

  Yao Fang didn't expect that his arrogant words used to lower the price would actually meet with a tough opponent, and at this time, San Jie, who was kneeling on the ground, was also a little afraid of Yao Fang's performance. She stole a glance at Yao Fang's face, but saw that he was smiling slightly back at her with pursed lips.

  Three sisters were previously intimidated by Yao Fang's arrogant aura, thinking to herself that she shouldn't have escaped from the wolf's den only to enter the tiger's mouth. But now seeing Yao Fang's eyes and smile, the heroism, justice, and respect in them inexplicably gave her a surge of confidence.

  "Mr. Yao must be acting! He's not only a righteous person but also an extremely clever one, I need to play along with him."

  Third sister thought of this, and rushed to hug the old prostitute's leg, shouting: "Wang mom, you raised me for five years is not wrong, but you sold my virginity for 200 taels this year, which is several times more than what you spent on me. Although I only started accompanying guests in the spring of this year, I have helped you sell a lot of fruit and tea water in these two months, and I have earned almost 200 taels. Wang mom, you're not losing out!

  "Now I still have fifteen taels of silver in my hand, and also a silver hairpin given by a guest. All these will be left to Mother, just ask you to sell me and Young Master Yao at a low price, so that I can become a virtuous woman."

  Yao Weng only then knew that the old procuress was called Wang Ma. He saw that Wang Ma's face had turned red with anger, and she stamped her foot, saying: "A grown woman can't be kept here! Alright, alright! Young Master Yao, you take out 1,500 taels, and Third Sister will take her leave!"

  She added: "This is because I'm fond of this girl, so I have this low price! Otherwise, with Third Sister's looks and eloquence, she could earn this much in a year!"

  Yao furrowed his brow, he wasn't without this silver, but five years ago the old procuress bought Eldest Sister for seventeen taels and now she's selling her for one thousand five hundred taels, it was just too damn profitable.

  But from an economic point of view, in terms of net asset yield, the old prostitute's opening price is also normal. A woman like San Jie who is knowledgeable and eloquent, during her peak profit period in the brothel, which is usually around three to five years, can earn over a thousand taels of silver per year. After five years, she would have squeezed out her first bucket of gold, and after seven or eight years when she's old and faded, it's time to sell her off to a lower-class brothel, to be used as a tool for beasts.

  When she heard the old procuress say it would be one thousand five hundred taels, Third Sister was as if struck by a thunderclap on a clear day. She looked at Yao Fang in terror, feeling that this price was really too expensive, and Yao Fang probably couldn't afford to take it out or wasn't willing to take it out.

  She had thought that the ransom would not exceed 200-300 taels, but unexpectedly it was a full 1,500 taels! This can probably only be said to be because Third Sister's performance over these two months has been too good, becoming the madam's cash cow.

  The third sister was about to open her mouth to continue begging, but Yao Fan felt that this price was still acceptable and was actually cheaper than a mobile phone.

  "Can't be bought for this price, seeing San Jie begging that scoundrel of a madam."

  "Alright, I can see that doing business is not easy for you either. 1,500 taels it is, but I don't have that much silver on me right now. How about this: I'll give you 500 taels as a deposit first, and the rest when my goods arrive this month."

  Queen Mother thought for a moment and nodded: "Alright, but before that, Third Sister has to stay with me."

  Yao Fandao said: "During this time, you and San Jie will be well-fed and well-watered, and she is not allowed to receive guests again."

  Wang's mother nodded and said: "Since we have accepted the young master's betrothal gift, it should be so."

  Yao Feng immediately turned around, took out a handkerchief package from behind the old procuress, pulled out a 500-tael silver note and handed it to Wang Ma.

  "Give me a receipt." Yao Feng instructed.

  Wang's mother got the silver ticket and then left.

  Yao Feng helped San Jie up and they sat down on the stool again, facing each other.

  "Third sister, you just stay here and rest assured for the next few days. When my goods arrive at the dock, I'll send over the remaining silver. Don't worry."

  The third sister gazed at Yao Fang with a foolish expression, as if she were looking at a Bodhisattva. Yao Fang tightly grasped her hand, and the scorching sensation almost made her blood boil over. So she replied faintly, as if entrusting him with her entire fate: "Young master, don't be impatient, I can wait."

  Just as they were talking, Wang's mother came back with the receipt. On it was written that if Yao Feng did not deliver the remaining 1,000 taels of silver within twenty days, the 500 taels of earnest money would be considered compensation to Wang's mother.

  Yao Feng looked at it and thought there was no problem, so he asked Wang Ma to press her handprint on it. Wang Ma had to go find Zhu Chi's seal ink again to press it on.

  Yao Feng's face changed as soon as he saw the handprint, and he smiled at Wang Ma: "This is indeed a trouble for Wang Ma. I was rude to you before, please don't hold it against me. After I ransom my third sister, I will definitely set up a banquet to invite you."

  Wang's mother stared at Yao Fan in surprise, probably because Yao Fan's change of face was too sudden, and she couldn't say a word even though she was usually sharp-tongued.

  "This young master Yao is quite a formidable character. When he first came in, I thought he was a refined and scholarly person; just now when asking the price, he looked like a habitual bully; but this moment, with a wipe of his face, he smiled as if nothing had happened. With such skill in changing his expression, his family must have high-ranking officials."

  The old lady thought of this and coldly said, "Young master is joking, I, an old woman, dare not teach you such pampering. What if you get angry and give me a fatal blow, my body can't withstand it."

  Yao Fang looked up at Wang Ma with a cold smile, making Wang Ma feel uneasy all over.

  "Are Lord Sun, Lord Liu and Lord Wei all staying here overnight?" Yao Fang asked with an air of superiority.

  As soon as he spoke, Wang's mother finally got rid of the inexplicable psychological pressure brought by Yao Fan, let out a sigh of relief, and responded perfunctorily: "Sun Gong has finished his business and left. Otherwise, Sun Furen would have made a scene, which wouldn't be good for our reputation. Liu Gong has been smoking opium for twelve rounds to relieve his boredom, and he probably won't wake up for the time being. Wei Gong usually stays overnight."

  Yao Fan thought to himself that he hadn't spent the night anywhere for a while, so he might as well sleep here tonight. He waved his hand and said: "Wang Ma, you can go now, I'll spend the night here too."