Volume Two: The Great and the Small Chapter Forty-Four: Zheng Ziyan

The "thank you" gift from the Twelve Pavilions was, unexpectedly, a living person.

This certainly caught Huang Ming by surprise, but after a moment of reflection, he understood the logic. The Twelve Pavilions was a brothel; what did they have the most of? Naturally, women—young, beautiful women.

As expected, at a signal from Zhao Jian, the men standing on either side of the girl pulled back the cloak that had been covering her, revealing the true face of this stunning beauty. Even Huang Ming, who considered himself well-acquainted with various internet celebrities and idols from his previous life, felt a jolt of genuine awe upon seeing the young girl before him.

She had fair skin, a high bridge of the nose, a small mouth, and almond-shaped eyes of the perfect proportion. Her figure was not yet fully developed, clearly due to her youth. However, her entire demeanor held a mix of grace and fragile resilience—a kind of stubbornness that made her impossible to forget. What was most captivating, however, was her temperament. She lacked the cheap, powdery vanity typical of brothel women; instead, she resembled a lonely orchid in a valley that had weathered storms, soft yet unyielding in character.

As she met Huang Ming’s scrutinizing gaze, her face flushed slightly, then turned pale with panic. Her eyes filled with unease, much like a fawn encountering a hunter in the woods.

After a brief moment of distraction, Huang Ming regained his composure and shifted his gaze away. "Master Zhao, what is the meaning of this?"

"As I said, Master Huang, this is to thank you for helping us defeat the Ministry of Rites' music bureau these past few days. This is the gift the Twelve Pavilions wishes to bestow upon you!"

"She is a person, not an object. Besides, the age gap between us... this just doesn't feel right." Huang Ming still wished to decline. The girl was only thirteen or fourteen—in his previous world, she would be nothing more than a middle-school student—and such an arrangement clearly clashed with his values.

Zhao Jian chuckled. "Master Huang, you are being too modest. Though Ziyan is young, she is very sensible. We know you have always kept to yourself and have never shown interest in the women of our establishment, which is why we specifically chose her for you..."

"You may not know this, Master Huang, but since Ziyan was sold to the Joyous Abode, she has only been taught the arts of the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting. She has never been involved in the affairs of men and remains a virgin. I originally had other plans for her, but now, we only wish to repay you properly. Only a beauty such as her is worthy of your status, so please, do not refuse."

Seeing that Huang Ming still seemed hesitant, he added, "Furthermore, if you truly refuse her, Ziyan's future will likely be grim. Even if she is never forced to entertain, she will inevitably be sent as a concubine to some official's household, with her fate entirely in the hands of others. I believe you would treat her far better than anyone else."

Well, wasn't that a moral dilemma served on a platter? Huang Ming felt a mix of exasperation and amusement, but his resolve was softening. Nearby, Huang Bingkun chimed in, "Master Huang, since this is a sincere gesture from the owners of the Twelve Pavilions, and this girl is of such high quality, it would be best not to decline."

Under the gaze of several pairs of eyes—and particularly because the girl, Ziyan, was looking at him with a silent, pleading hope that he would keep her—Huang Ming finally conceded. "Very well, I shall accept your kindness. But let this be the only time!"

"I understand. Thank you for your grace, Master Huang!" Zhao Jian was overjoyed and offered repeated thanks.

While it might seem strange for the gift-giver to thank the recipient, there was a deeper meaning. Accepting the gift signified a closer relationship. The strength Huang Ming had demonstrated—from the comprehensive plan for the "Top Courtesan Contest" tailored for the Twelve Pavilions to his connections with the Imperial Guard—was something these brothel owners desperately wanted to secure. Thus, today’s gift was both a token of gratitude and a seal on their friendly alliance.

Since they had shown such sincerity, Huang Ming responded in kind. He had Huang Zhong settle Ziyan in the back courtyard and ordered refreshments to host his two guests. After some pleasant conversation, the two men took their leave after the second watch.

As Huang Ming walked them to the door, Zhao Jian slapped his own forehead. "My memory! I almost forgot the most important thing." He handed a document to Huang Ming. "Master Huang, this is Ziyan's deed of sale. Please, keep it safe."

After seeing them off, Huang Ming unfolded the document under the lamp. "So her name is Zheng Ziyan... that sounds better than Ziyan. And she is from Ruyang, Henan... that place sounds familiar."

The deed of sale detailed not only her name and hometown but also her physical description. This was the tragedy of people like her—their lives and deaths were entirely controlled by others. If they could not bear the mistreatment of their masters and attempted to flee, the masters could use this contract to have the authorities hunt them down, leading to an even more miserable end.

Huang Ming sighed softly. Though he disapproved of such practices, he could not change the world. The only thing he could do was ask her later: if she wished to return to her family, he would let her go and grant her freedom.

With this thought, he headed to the back courtyard. As he reached her door, he hesitated, remembering it was already the middle of the night. It would be intrusive to wake her. He sighed and turned away.

He did not know that behind that door, Ziyan—or rather, Zheng Ziyan—was staring at the silhouette on the paper screen like a frightened fawn. Her small hands were tightly clutching her hem, terrified that this young master might be the type to say one thing and do another, and would burst in to force himself upon her. She had heard enough horror stories from the older sisters at the brothel about hypocritical guests who turned into monsters once behind closed doors.

Fortunately, it seemed this Master Huang was not that kind of man. He lingered for a moment before turning away. Zheng Ziyan let out a long breath of relief. At least for tonight, she was safe. Perhaps she was truly lucky to have been sent to a good person. If that were the case, she would gladly serve as his maid and take good care of him. After all, her fate had been sealed years ago.