Chapter 59: Jinfeng Tower

Seeing that it was getting late, Dong Yun ended her teaching for the day.

Pear Blossom felt a bit reluctant to leave, but she stood up as instructed. Just before leaving, she stopped and said, “I will go to the city the day after tomorrow to discuss some matters with Murong Jin. I won’t be back tonight and will only return the day after tomorrow.”

Dong Yun didn’t expect her to share this with her. Their relationship now had an added layer of ambiguity compared to before, but it had not reached the point where they would report every detail to each other.

It was not that she was indifferent. On the contrary, she had once been a little girl who liked to ask a lot of questions, seeking to understand everything. But the people around her were all deep and inscrutable, like an abyss. No one ever explained what they were going to do or why they did it. Even that person, despite having hidden matters behind them, had never considered explaining it to her.

She had been disappointed before, but over time, she had learned not to ask too many questions.

However, the foolish girl in front of her, after having hugged her twice, began to share her plans. This made her heart stir with an indescribable feeling.

But she simply nodded silently, “I understand.”

Pear Blossom noticed that she didn’t ask further, pursed her lips slightly, seeming a bit disappointed, but still added, “While I’m gone, you should pay attention to what’s happening around you. If anything seems wrong, go to my house and hide in the cave with the teacher. My younger siblings are your eyes.”

Dong Yun felt warmth in her heart and softly replied, “Okay, I will be careful.”

Only then did Pear Blossom turn and walk away, looking back three times.

---

On November 8th, Pear Blossom, as usual, headed to the city early in the morning. Little did she know, just after she left, the group of bandits who had been lingering by the main road received orders from above to break into groups of three to five and go to various villages. Their determination to find that woman and the killer was relentless.

The village of Daliushu also greeted five uninvited guests. As soon as they entered the village, they began questioning every household to see if anyone had seen a strange woman.

The situation was chaotic. Everywhere was unsettled, with collusion between officials and bandits rampant, and no one dared to intervene. The bandits grew increasingly bold.

The villagers were fearful of the armed men and shook their heads, saying they had not seen any unfamiliar faces. Those with young daughters hid themselves indoors to avoid attracting the bandits’ attention.

Zeng Guangjin had returned to the school a few days ago. Dong Yun received a notice from Daniu the moment the bandits entered the village and rushed to the newly dug pit that Pear Blossom had prepared. Fubao, being young, was not targeted and refused to stay in the enclosed space, so she was left outside under the care of Mrs. Zeng.

However, when Dong Yun opened the concealed grass door, she was stunned to see a familiar face.

Xia Xunyan, seeing her frozen at the entrance, slowly stood up, a wry self-mocking smile on her lips. “It’s me. Didn’t expect that, did you?”

Dong Yun remained silent, closed the door, and lay on a wooden couch with her back to the other person. She shut her eyes, hiding the redness in them, and did not acknowledge her.

The cave, though small, was well-equipped by Pear Blossom with various tools, including a wooden couch, a table, and several chairs, allowing for sitting or lying down.

Xia Xunyan sat at the table, her posture dignified and upright, though her fists were tightly clenched under her sleeves.

The two remained in silence for a long time.

Eventually, Xia Xunyan broke the silence, “Fubao… is she really your child?”

Dong Yun, hearing this, felt a surge of unnamed anger rise from her heart. She suddenly turned her head, her eyes flashing coldly, “What? Am I such an extraordinary woman that I can’t have children? Even you, who keep talking about practicing, can still marry and enter the world again. Why can’t I have a child?”

Xia Xunyan’s face showed a trace of embarrassment, and she lowered her head. The cave once again fell into silence.

---

The five intruders continued their search, questioning every household about the whereabouts of the strange woman. Every time they visited a house, two stood guard while three others rummaged through every drawer and box. Each visit disrupted the peace, and the villagers could only watch helplessly, angry but too afraid to speak.

When they reached the Xiang family, the leader of the group, a man with a knife scar, sneered as he looked at the elderly and young members of the household. “Here we meet again. Last time you were ungrateful, lost both your wife and soldiers. This time, you better be smart, or your family will suffer again.”

Mrs. Xiang, who had been unlucky ever since she sold Pear Blossom to these people, now shrank into a corner, afraid to speak.

Xiang Laohan sighed helplessly, hunched his shoulders, and said, “Ask whatever you want. We will tell you everything we know.”

The knife-scarred man grunted, “You at least know how to show respect. Let me ask you, in the past five days, has anyone new appeared in the village? A woman, exceptionally beautiful, like a fairy?”

Xiang Laohan shook his head, replying, “We haven’t seen any unfamiliar women these past few days.”

Just as his words fell, Xiang Dalang, who had been bedridden after being beaten by Pear Blossom over a month ago, suddenly spoke up, “There was no unfamiliar beautiful woman, but there was one beautiful woman!”

When the old woman heard this, she immediately knew what her grandson was trying to do. She instinctively scolded him, “You good-for-nothing, what nonsense are you spouting now!”

She no longer dared to stir trouble with the people in the village, especially the two families at the edge of the village. Anyone who got involved with these families would face bad consequences. However, her grandson, despite having suffered so much and being taught a lesson countless times, never seemed to learn. Now, when the matter was over and he should have kept quiet, he had to speak up again.

Mrs. Zhou, upon hearing her son’s words, remembered how the old woman had scolded them all day in front of their door. She also thought about her son, who had been bedridden for almost two months, all because of that widow and that fool Pear Blossom. She immediately took over the conversation, “Isn’t it the case? As long as they’re pretty, whether they’re strangers or not, who cares?”

The others, including Dagen, brightened at her words.

“I don’t believe that there’s any woman in Daliushu Village who could be called a fairy-like figure. I’ll go take a look. If she’s not beautiful, I’ll make sure you stay in bed for a few more months.”

The old woman and the others were shocked and scared, but the grandson, Xiang Dalang, sneered and said, “If she’s not more beautiful than a fairy, I’ll die willingly.”

Dagen laughed loudly and immediately led his men toward the Zeng family at the village’s edge.

Looking at their retreating figures, the old woman’s face turned pale, and she muttered, “Why did you bring this up again? If that dead girl Pear Blossom finds out it was you who caused this, she’ll go crazy and might kill you.”

Xiang Dalang gritted his teeth and said, “That slut made me like this, so why should I let her off? Isn’t she so fond of that widow? I’ll see how she plans to rescue her this time! I hope this group of people kills both those families and kidnaps that widow, selling her into a brothel. Only then will my hatred be relieved!”

The old man sighed and squatted down by the door, lighting his pipe and taking slow puffs.

The other two rooms of the family had different expressions, each feeling uneasy.

Xiang Youcai said, “You better pray this doesn’t escalate and involve our family. Otherwise, without anyone from outside doing anything, I’ll be the first to deal with you.”

Xiang Laoer looked at Xiang Youcai and said unhappily, “You’re always siding with outsiders. You think you’re so clean, huh? You’re just like Laosan—avoiding bad things, pushing your son to take the fall, and thinking you’re better than others! Hmph! If our blood is dirty, yours is just as dirty!”

Xiang Laosan, hearing this, became unhappy. “Why bring me into this? Go on and curse, but don’t drag me into it.”

The old man, listening to the argument, became irritated and shouted, “Enough!”

The brothers exchanged glares, all displeased, and finally walked off in their separate directions.

…

Outside, the group headed straight for the Zeng family but found the door locked tight.

After knocking for a while, an old woman slowly appeared, leading a child. She asked warily, “Who are you looking for?”

Dagen immediately recognized the child as Fubao. He sneered, “Oh, I thought it was someone else. Isn’t this the little brat who was bought by that dead girl a few months ago? So it’s your family, huh?”

The old woman saw the hostility in their eyes and felt a sudden tightness in her chest, but she didn’t show fear. “If there’s nothing else, I need to get back to work.” She pretended to close the door.

Dagen snorted. “You can go work, but we’re here for this child’s mother. We suspect she’s the person we’re looking for!”

The old woman snapped, “If you’re looking for a stranger, what does that have to do with my daughter-in-law? She’s been in the village for years and hasn’t gone anywhere. How could she possibly be the person you’re looking for?”

“Isn’t it for us to decide after we see her?” Dagen said impatiently.

At that moment, Daggen and his wife, along with others, hurriedly approached.

Daggen stepped forward and stood in front of the old woman. “You’re looking for a stranger, but everyone here is from our village. There’s no one here that you’re looking for.”

Dagen’s subordinate looked at the tall Daggen and his men, and his tone softened. “I said, we need to see her. If she’s not the one, we’ll leave right away.”

Mrs. Xiong recognized them as the ones who had kidnapped her daughter a few months ago. Filled with rage, she spoke in a harsh tone, “Widows shouldn’t meet strange men. Besides, everyone in the village can vouch that she’s not the person you’re looking for. If you don’t believe it, we can call the village chief. Are you trying to kill someone just like you did with my daughter?”

Dagen’s subordinate’s face immediately darkened at her words. “I only want to meet that widow. This has nothing to do with you. Why are you making a scene? If you keep this up, don’t blame us for not being polite!”

“The widow you want to meet is my daughter’s savior!” Mrs. Xiong stood firm, “If it weren’t for her, my daughter would still be lost! She was here when you came months ago. What does that stranger from three or four days ago have to do with her? You’re bullying us! Are you trying to drive the whole village to their deaths?”

By now, several villagers had gathered, pointing and murmuring.

Dagen’s subordinate, stunned into silence by Mrs. Xiong’s words, was furious but had to suppress his anger when he saw the wary villagers around them.

“You damn woman, you’ve got guts,” he gestured to his men, “Let’s go!”

…

In Jinyang City, as dusk fell, the group began their action.

Two young attendants from the escort agency, Lin Mu and Xu Shi, also joined in. They grew up with Murong Jin and were trustworthy individuals.

These two attendants changed into specially prepared satin clothes and glued on fake beards, transforming into elegant young gentlemen. They walked with confidence into the grand entrance of the Jinfeng Tower.

Pear Blossom disguised herself as a servant, following closely behind.

Murong Jin remained on the outskirts, ready to assist.

Inside Jinfeng Tower, the crowd was bustling, filled with laughter, shouting, and indecent sounds. The mingling of all kinds of people provided excellent cover for their actions.

Pear Blossom, equipped with a system, moved through the crowd with ease, like a fish swimming through the sea. She skillfully avoided any bouncers inside the building, sidestepping them with ease.

During their reconnaissance the previous day, they had already figured out the internal structure of Jinfeng Tower, including the location of the old madam’s room.

Murong Jin and the others were certain that the girls’ contracts were in the old madam’s room, which was the focal point of their attention tonight.

However, only Pear Blossom knew that, aside from the contracts, the old madam’s room also hid more than 10,000 taels in silver notes, three boxes of silver, and several pieces of jewelry.

According to their original plan, they only needed to set the room on fire, and the mission would be halfway complete.

But Pear Blossom couldn’t stop thinking about the silver notes. While the silver was too heavy to carry, the silver notes were easier to transport. If they were to burn everything, it would be a waste.

However, the old madam’s room was the most heavily guarded place in Jinfeng Tower. Not only did it have a conspicuous, large lock on the door, but two strong men also stood watch outside. Getting to the silver notes from such a tightly secured room was a tricky problem.

To get the silver notes, Pear Blossom would first need to get the key from the old madam and take care of the two strong men before entering the room.

The old madam always carried the key with her, and the two strong men had well-built muscles. Taking them on would require some effort.

Pear Blossom dared not create any further complications and decided to follow the original plan to start the fire.

Jinfeng Tower had a tradition of holding an extraordinary performance every night at 3 a.m. Pear Blossom and her group chose this captivating, audience-entranced moment to take action.

The building was mainly made of wood, with curtains and drapes inside, meaning that once the fire started, it would spread quickly.

As the cheers from the crowd echoed below, the fire ignited according to plan. The staff inside the tower quickly realized there was a fire and rushed to organize people to fight the flames. But to their surprise, the fire started in multiple places and kept spreading. They couldn’t put it out in time, and the fire soon engulfed the entire building.

The inside of the tower was in chaos. The bouncers fought the flames while searching for the arsonists.

Pear Blossom didn’t immediately retreat as planned. She hid in a corner, pretending to be frightened, trembling with fear, but her sharp eyes, like those of a hawk, stayed fixed on the old madam’s room in the distance.

People were screaming and running for their lives, each person focused solely on their own escape. No one noticed Pear Blossom in the inconspicuous corner.

As expected, seeing that the fire was growing uncontrollably, the old madam had no choice but to order the two strong men to escort her up against the flow of people, heading straight for the third floor. The goal was the 10,000 taels of silver notes and those valuable contracts—her lifeblood. She couldn’t afford to let anything happen to them.

The stairs were already packed with people. Everyone was pushing and shoving, desperately trying to escape.

With great effort, the old madam managed to squeeze her way to the third floor and rushed straight to her room. The two strong men guarding the door, anxious and frantic, finally breathed a sigh of relief when the old madam arrived. They hurriedly urged, “Quickly open the door! The fire is about to reach here! If we wait any longer, we won’t even be able to get out!”

The old madam, panicked, pulled the key from around her neck, but her hands were shaking, and the key wouldn’t fit into the lock. The large man beside her couldn’t wait any longer and snatched the key from her, inserting it into the lock.

The door creaked open, and the old madam quickly instructed the four strong men to move the silver. She herself hurried to the small chest that contained the silver notes and contracts.

She opened the chest, trembling, and stuffed a large bundle of items into her bosom, making her chest bulge out as if it would burst at any moment. Then, she rushed out in a panic.

The four strong men each carried a heavy box and followed her closely. They soon joined the crowd.

At that moment, the shadow hidden in the corner finally moved. Pear Blossom blended into the panicking crowd, using the force of people pushing against her to get closer to the old madam.

The old madam and her companions cursed as they hurried forward, unaware that someone had placed a large cabinet in the stairway, blocking the exit. As a result, the crowd, which should have already been evacuated, was still trapped on the second-floor stairs.

Dozens of people squeezed together, and soon a conflict broke out. Men and women were jostling, creating a chaotic scene. The strong men carrying the silver boxes each had their own thoughts—if they could take advantage of the chaos to steal the silver and run off, they could live the rest of their lives in peace.

The old madam was nervous, constantly checking her bulging chest to ensure the silver notes and valuable contracts were still safe. If anything happened, her life would be over.

At that moment, something unexpected happened. A strong man’s box lost balance when someone behind him suddenly bumped into him. The box fell and crashed against the stair railing. With a loud “crack,” it opened, and silver ingots scattered all over the place.

This was like pouring cold water into a hot frying pan. The crowd erupted in chaos. Everyone, no longer concerned with escaping, rushed to grab the silver.

The brothel keeper was furious and cursed the man for being useless. She loudly shouted for everyone to make way quickly; otherwise, they would all die here.

But by now, greed had completely clouded everyone’s judgment. No one paid attention to her words as they red-eyedly scrambled to grab the silver scattered on the ground.

The brothel keeper was shoved by the crowd and stumbled, falling to the ground. She felt countless feet trampling over her body, causing pain so intense she nearly passed out. Struggling to crawl to the side, she realized her clothes had been torn open at the chest, and the small pouch containing the banknotes and the contracts of servitude was nowhere to be found!

She let out a piercing scream, “My money—my contracts—!”

But her voice was quickly drowned out by the chaos, and no one responded.

At some point, the cabinet below had been moved aside. The people crowding the second and third floors instantly found an escape route and poured out like a flood, swiftly evacuating.

Amidst the chaos, three strong men carrying chests exchanged sly glances, tacitly understanding one another. They suddenly quickened their pace and bolted for the door.

Someone in the crowd with sharp eyes immediately shouted, “Look, they’re running away with the silver!”

Hearing this, everyone turned their gaze toward the three men dressed in the distinctive uniforms of the brothel’s errand boys, making them stand out even more.

People from the other buildings hesitated, unsure whether to stop them or not. The three men, unconcerned, ran even faster and soon disappeared into the night.

The brothel keeper finally managed to make it outside. Seeing the raging flames behind her and realizing her “money trees” were all gone, she collapsed to the ground in despair, wailing loudly.

At this moment, the city guards and bailiffs finally arrived, though belatedly. Seeing the brothel in ruins and the chaotic scene, they sternly shouted, “No one is allowed to leave! Arrest everyone and take them back for questioning!”

Meanwhile, on a distant rooftop, Pear Blossom watched the soaring flames. She patted the large bundle of “treasures” in her arms, her face breaking into a contented smile.

Late at night, Murong Jin returned.

Pear Blossom hadn’t gone to bed yet. Seeing her enter, she asked, “How did it go?”

“All the girls have been settled. Wood and Stone came back with me, and I’ve sent them to rest,” Murong Jin replied. “Did you make sure to burn the contracts of servitude?”

Pear Blossom shook her head.

Murong Jin’s face instantly turned pale. “You didn’t burn them? Who has them? Didn’t you set fire to the brothel keeper’s room?”

If the contracts weren’t destroyed, everything they had done tonight would be for nothing.

Pear Blossom chuckled, pulled out the large bundle, and placed it on the table.

Murong Jin’s eyes lit up. “You brought back the contracts?”

She quickly untied the bundle, revealing its contents. Stunned, she almost jumped with excitement, clapping Pear Blossom on the shoulder. “Good, good! Playing the fool to outwit the master, you’re truly impressive.”

Pear Blossom grinned slyly.

Murong Jin gathered the contracts and said, “We’ll burn these in front of the girls tomorrow to give them peace of mind. They can start fresh lives without worry. As for this silver, it wasn’t part of the plan. Since it’s thanks to your efforts, I won’t fight you for it. Keep it.”

Pear Blossom laughed. “It’s not about credit. We all planned this together, each taking responsibility for a part. Without everyone’s cooperation, I wouldn’t have succeeded alone. Let’s split it.”

Murong Jin couldn’t help swallowing hard. Although she was the daughter of a prominent escort agency, her personal funds were only a few hundred taels at most. Faced with over ten thousand taels, she was tempted, who wouldn’t be?

Seeing her expression, Pear Blossom smiled and took the banknotes. “I can’t read. You split it fairly. Leave some for the girls’ resettlement, and we’ll divide the rest equally among the four of us. Then we’ll plan another big job.”

Murong Jin didn’t hesitate and called Wood and Stone over, explaining Pear Blossom’s suggestion.

Hearing this, the two men’s eyes gleamed, their sleepiness vanishing. However, they knew that the credit for planning and executing the operation mostly went to Pear Blossom and Murong Jin. They quickly declined to take much, saying a few hundred taels each would be enough.

After some back-and-forth, Murong Jin finally decided: “There’s a total of 13,300 taels. Two thousand will be set aside for the girls, Stone and Wood will each take two thousand, I’ll take three thousand, and Pear Blossom will get four thousand. The remainder will be our funds for the next operation.”

With that settled, Pear Blossom pocketed her 4,000 taels, feeling delighted.

Wood and Stone, who had never seen so much silver in their lives, were left dizzy with excitement as they held their shares.

“Miss Murong, Miss Pear Blossom, whenever you need us again, we’ll give it our all!” they promised.

Murong Jin smiled. “You’ll definitely have a role to play. Wood, keep an eye on the girls. As for the authorities, Stone, that’s your responsibility. Report back immediately if there’s any trouble, and make sure we’re not exposed.”

Stone reassured her, “Don’t worry, Miss. The brothel’s already burned to the ground. There’s nothing left but ashes, so finding clues will be difficult. The silver chests were carried off by their own people, and those three men are now the prime suspects. I’m sure a city-wide warrant will be issued for them soon.”

Murong Jin nodded. “That’s good, but we still need to be cautious. Don’t spend the silver until things calm down. Pear Blossom, you should wait until midday tomorrow to leave. You’ve been entering and exiting the city at the same time for over a month, and the guards at the gate are familiar with you. Leaving too early might raise suspicion.”

Pear Blossom nodded in agreement.

The arrangements were complete, and after a night of exhaustion, everyone returned to their rooms clutching their silver. Pear Blossom lay on a thick stack of silver banknotes, her heart racing with excitement.

Four thousand taels of silver—so much money! What should she do with it? She could buy Sister Dong an endless supply of rouge.

Thinking back to that scene in the darkness the night before last, her heart couldn’t help but flutter again.

She was so poor, neither fair nor full-figured, and couldn’t even read, yet Sister Dong still let her hold her. She must not be someone who loves money; otherwise, these taels of silver could have been used to win her favor.

What does she like?