Chapter 120: Settling the Xiaoxiang Lodge!

The next day, Li Yi arrived at the Xiaoxiang Pavilion, a place that had always been a source of headaches for him.

Ziyi was the one who opened the door to welcome him. Li Yi had sent Ziyi here the day after the pavilion was sealed; since Ziyi was one of his own and familiar with the place, Li Yi felt at ease leaving him in charge of guarding it.

"Young Master! Something has happened!" No sooner had Li Yi stepped inside and taken a seat than he was greeted with bad news.

"Something happened? What could possibly happen here? Don't rush, tell me slowly," Li Yi said calmly, taking a delicate sip of tea.

"The woman you asked me to keep an eye on has disappeared," Ziyi said with some urgency.

"The woman I asked you to watch? Who? When did I... oh, you mean her?" Li Yi suddenly remembered. Mei Ling was still here; he had been too exhausted last time to deal with her, merely leaving her with a harsh warning to test her character. He hadn't expected her to actually take the hint and run.

"How did she escape?"

Ziyi recalled the situation. "I don't know. She just vanished. I discovered it this morning when I sent Xiao Yi to bring her food."

"Did she leave anything behind?"

"Oh, right! She did. She left this note."

Li Yi took the note and read it, his nose nearly crooked with rage.

"I know you were testing my character, but I also know yours. Whether I leave or stay, you would never make things difficult for my sisters. So, I have left. However, I will return, and I hope by then you will have a better way to test me."

After reading the note, Li Yi picked up a bowl, intending to smash it to vent his frustration. He was a veteran hunter, yet today he had been mocked by the very goose he was trying to catch! But suddenly, he couldn't help but laugh at himself. Damn it, he couldn't break things just because he was angry. This was his own property now; breaking it would only hurt his own wallet.

Setting the bowl down, Li Yi pondered. Logically, Mei Ling should not have known any martial arts, so how could she have vanished so suddenly? He recalled the rules of the three trials he had faced, and a thought flickered in his mind, though it remained elusive. Forget it, as the saying goes, the cart will find its way when it reaches the mountain. Future problems could wait for the future.

"Well, Ziyi, let's put that aside for now. If she's gone, she's gone. Tell me about the current state of the Xiaoxiang Pavilion. How many people are left?"

***

Ziyi had been nervous when he first saw Li Yi’s anger, but seeing him regain his composure so quickly, he felt a sense of admiration. That kind of temperament was something others simply couldn't match. "Young Master Yi, including both the inner and outer wings, there are currently 213 young women at the pavilion."

"Why so many?"

"Well, there weren't this many before. Recently, Aunt Chou brought in a new group from somewhere unknown. They had just finished training and were quite 'clean' when this incident happened."

"I see. Ziyi, of those remaining, how many have no issues with their backgrounds?"

"Those who remain are all clear. The day after the incident, a Magistrate Dai came to interrogate everyone, and those with questionable backgrounds were taken away."

"Good. That's a relief. Ziyi, I wanted to discuss something with you. I plan to divide the Xiaoxiang Pavilion into two sections. One will make a living through their talents—and rest assured, there will be absolutely no physical transactions, just pure performance. I can guarantee that. The other section will handle hospitality, managing guests and reception; that, too, will be a clean profession. I want you to be the manager of one of these sections. You choose."

When Ziyi was first brought back to the Xiaoxiang Pavilion by Li Yi, he had been apprehensive, fearing he would have to return to his "old trade." But he had chosen to trust Li Yi. Still, he never expected Li Yi to make him a manager. In that era, any position with the title of "manager" was a significant achievement. He was hesitant, fearing he might not be up to the task.

"Young Master, can I really do it?"

Li Yi smiled. "Why not? We'll take it slow. Besides, I will provide you with training. As long as you are willing to learn, there is nothing you cannot do."

Ziyi thought for a moment and nodded firmly. "Alright, Young Master! I would like to be the manager of the reception staff."

"Hahaha! I knew you would choose that! Very well, you may go for now. Oh, and please send for our three Heavenly Maidens."

"Yes, Young Master."

Shortly after Ziyi left, the three Heavenly Maidens arrived slowly. Li Yi looked at them carefully and noticed they all looked quite haggard. It was understandable; after such a massive upheaval, how could they not be worried?

Li Yi stood up and gestured for them to sit with a smile. "Haha! Ladies, it’s been a long time. Please, take a seat."

The three women bowed to Li Yi and sat down one after another.

***

Once they were seated, Li Yi sat down as well and poured them tea. Only then did he begin the conversation. "Ladies, we are old acquaintances. I must thank the three of you for showing me the way last time."

No sooner had Li Yi finished speaking than You Lan replied, "Master Li is too kind. We were only doing what we had to do." Among the three, Zhu Yun was the silent type, while Ju Meng was lively, though currently shaken by the recent events. Among them, You Lan was the most composed.

"Hehe, thanks are still in order. I’m here today to chat with you three. I wonder, what are your plans for the future?"

You Lan gave a bitter smile. "After such an incident, we should thank the heavens that we are safe and sound. What other plans could we have? Nothing more than finding a quiet place to spend the rest of our lives."

Li Yi shook his head immediately. "That won't do! You three are women of great talent; to go into seclusion like this would be a terrible waste. I happen to have a business proposal. Would you be interested?"

You Lan looked up and gave a mocking smile. "What is it? Is the righteous 'Jade Qilin' Master Li also going into the flesh trade?"

If anyone else had been mocked like that, they would have flipped the table. But Li Yi was not that kind of man. His character was such that, as long as you didn't cross his bottom line, he never took such harmless barbs to heart. In his own words, he had the belly to tolerate a thousand jeers and insults, as long as it wasn't excessive.

"Hey! You've misunderstood. You three have just escaped from that fire pit; how could I possibly push you back in? I wouldn't be human if I did! I want you to perform—pure performances, not involving any physical trade. I can guarantee that. Furthermore, the performances I want you to do are meaningful and can teach people to be kind. In a sense, it could even be considered a good deed."

The three women looked at Li Yi with suspicion. Ju Meng interjected, "Is there really such a good thing? Master Li isn't just toying with us, is he?"

"Ha! Do I look like that kind of person? Look, before you officially start, you will undergo some training. Try it out. If, before the training ends, you still feel it's not right, I will not stop you from leaving. How about that?"

The three women looked at each other and whispered briefly. In the end, they chose to trust Li Yi’s character. Besides, it was only a trial, and more importantly, they were truly curious about what Li Yi had in mind.

With that, Li Yi had recruited three more capable lieutenants. The framework was laid, and he was now just waiting for it to bloom and bear fruit.