Three days ago, after she suddenly disappeared from her room, that Zhang gentleman, disappointed, flew into a rage while drunk. Madam Wang first suggested replacing her with another girl, but Zhang gentleman was unwilling. She then proposed returning ten taels of night-spending silver, but he still refused.
To calm things down, Madam Wang painfully offered fifteen taels in compensation, but Zhang gentleman would not let it go, insisting that Madam Wang hand over Miss Yi.
Madam Wang was now furious: “Master Zhang, this Miss Yi ran away on her own. How would this servant know where she is? Fifteen taels – you can’t even buy a pretty young girl for that price!”
Zhang gentleman was relentless, “I don’t care whether you know or don’t know where she is. You have three days to hand her over, or I’ll have someone tear down your establishment.”
Madam Wang scoffed and waved her handkerchief, “Oh, this teaching house is run by the government. Not just anyone can tear it down.”
Zhang gentleman, embarrassed and angry, left after dropping a harsh threat, “If you don’t hand her over in three days, I’ll stop your teaching house from selling wine.”
“Brewing and selling wine required official permission. While ordinary people could brew small amounts of wine at home, selling wine was different – without official approval, it was forbidden. And this Zhang gentleman was in charge of such matters.
Madam Wang was now anxious. Nearly half of her daily earnings came from selling wine. Moreover, without wine, who would come to her establishment? But Madam Wang’s anxiety was useless. She asked everyone in and around the teaching house, but no one had seen Miss Yi leave; she had vanished. Unexpectedly, she returned on her own after three days. Madam Wang was both shocked and delighted, determined to keep Miss Yi to protect her business.
But how could Yu Yi agree? When Madam Wang refused to let her buy her freedom, she had already thought of using other means to force her to agree.
At this moment, Zhang gentleman’s voice came from outside: “Madam Wang, I hear Miss Yi is back?”
Madam Wang quickly stood up and responded, “Yes, Master Zhang, she’s right here!” Then she turned to Yu Yi, “You must entertain Master Zhang properly.” She tried to pull Yu Yi towards the door.
