Chapter 64: 64 Creating a One-Stop Service in Yonghang! (Please Follow!)

"By the way, how many buildings and how many rooms are there in total in Hua Man Ge?"

Ji Siniang listened, feeling completely bewildered; she slightly regretted not having taken notes.

Hearing Ning Mu's question, she hurriedly said, "Replying to Young Master, currently there is Phoenix Tower, Zhixiang Tower, Wenxiu Tower, Yingyue Terrace, Yingxiang Courtyard, and the Shangxiang Room which is specifically for servants, maids, and the kitchen. There is also a vacant plot of land near the Qintang River; if there were enough silver, two more tall buildings could be erected."

"Additionally, Wenxiu Tower was previously basically vacant and unused, and Yingyue Terrace rarely had guests go there; occasionally, one or two scholars would request to go to Yingyue Terrace to enjoy the scenery."

"Each building basically has four to five floors, and the room sizes on each floor vary, but all in all, there are at least five hundred."

The space was alright; it could slightly overlap with his vision.

If it could be even larger, that would be better; he could set up a casino.

After thinking for a moment, Ning Mu continued to ask, "How much money is left in the account now?"

Ji Siniang was startled, glanced at Liu Qingmei, and said, "The owner took twenty thousand taels last time; now there are three thousand taels left for maintaining expenses, and five thousand taels for emergency needs."

Ning Mu understood.

"Hang up a sign saying that Hua Man Ge is undergoing an operational upgrade and the reopening date is pending, then arrange twenty of the prettier Red Courtesans for me; I will come to take them away tomorrow," Ning Mu said to Ji Siniang.

Ji Siniang was startled, and her expression suddenly turned strange.

Twenty...

With the Young Master's frail physique, could he handle it!

However, despite her doubts, she still nodded.

After all, since Liu Qingmei, the owner, hadn't said anything, she naturally obeyed.

It was just that she didn't know what kind of relationship the owner had with this handsome young master to hand over such a large property for him to mess around with.

This was a true den of gold-spending.

Usually, in a plain year, there would be at least twenty thousand taels in income.

If special circumstances were met, such as a certain top courtesan being hyped up and wealthy gentlemen throwing thousands of gold, the monthly income could even exceed one hundred thousand! The year Ruyan became famous, just the price for her first night was auctioned at a sky-high price of eighty thousand taels! In the history of brothels, this could almost be called unprecedented! After all, eighty thousand taels would be enough to buy thousands of young girls from poor families!

"Young Master, Siniang has a doubt."

"Speak."

"The song and dance performances the Young Master just mentioned, Siniang understands, but what exactly are these things like foot massages, board games, and customized scenarios...?" Ji Siniang asked, full of confusion.

Ning Mu smiled.

What he wanted to create was a one-stop service in Yonghang.

It was to be a high-end, all-encompassing, multi-functional club.

It was to be a true nest of comfort and a den of gold-spending that would make people never want to leave once they arrived!

"It's enough that you know these exist; it doesn't matter if you don't understand for now, I will teach you all slowly later." Ning Mu did not explain in detail and continued, "By the way, do you have a tailor shop you work with? Or a ready-to-wear store that can do bulk customization would also work."

Ji Siniang looked confused, but still nodded and said, "Yes, our clothes are basically ordered from Zhao's Tailor Shop in the west of the city."

Ning Mu asked, "How is their craftsmanship?"

Ji Siniang replied, "Not bad; almost one-third of the brothels, art houses, and taverns in our Yonghang get their goods from Zhao's Tailor Shop."

Women in brothels and art houses are not like ordinary respectable women; they have absolutely no spare time to tear a piece of cloth to cut and sew new clothes themselves, so they can only find such specialized merchants.

"Alright, I know."

Ning Mu nodded and continued, "I think that Jiang Fuling is not bad; has she entertained guests before, or does she have any connections with any scholars?" Ji Siniang was startled, and she couldn't help but feel regret for Jiang Fuling in her heart.

It seemed Fuling would not be able to escape the clutches of this Young Master.

She shook her head and said, "Fuling is the only Qingguan in our Hua Man Ge who sells her art but never has contact with any men; even when playing the zither, she is inside the pavilion and has never met any men. Precisely because of her mystery, many guests hope to gain her favor."

"Sigh... she was originally a wealthy young lady from Qingyang County, but her father was a gambler who gambled his whole life away and eventually even sold his daughter. Fuling is proficient in zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting; she is a true talented woman. In Hua Man Ge, she is ultimately buried, so I have often protected her in my daily life."

A flash of regret and struggle flickered in the depths of Ji Siniang's eyes.

She wanted to continue protecting Jiang Fuling, but seeing the Young Master's resolute attitude, she dared not speak up.

If she were to anger the Young Master because of one person, wouldn't that mean losing the potential path to survival for everyone? "Alright, you can tell her what I told you; have her follow me to handle matters tomorrow," Ning Mu said with a smile.

"Yes, Young Master." Ji Siniang sighed inwardly, but still nodded in agreement.

"By the way, hand over all the intelligence you have collected; I want it now."

Ning Mu looked at Ji Siniang, brooking no doubt.

Ji Siniang was startled, first feeling blank, then her pupils shrank deeply, but she quickly returned to normal.

Before she could speak, Ning Mu smiled and said calmly, "Don't tell me you haven't collected intelligence. Places like brothels, taverns, and art houses have always been a mix of dragons and snakes with news flying everywhere. As the secret pawns planted by the Blood Lotus Sect of the Zhou Kingdom in Yonghang, you are definitely not just doing something as simple as making money for them and cultivating Pure Essence for the Saintess to absorb."

Ning Mu stared at Ji Siniang with a smile.

That smile, which was awe-inspiring without anger and filled with a chilling threat, made Ji Siniang panic in her heart.

After a moment of hesitation, she couldn't help but sigh, nodded, and said, "Young Master, please wait a moment; this servant will go and get it!"

"Xiao Mu, what are you planning to do?"

After receiving the entire box of intelligence that Ji Siniang had organized, Ning Mu and Liu Qingmei walked out of Hua Man Ge.

Liu Qingmei couldn't help but ask out of curiosity.

Ning Mu's series of words just now had left her completely bewildered.

But she did not interrupt.

She thought, anyway, whether the poison in Ji Siniang and Jiang Fuling could be cured was still an unknown, and perhaps Hua Man Ge would cease to exist from this point on.

So she simply let Ning Mu do as he pleased.

Ning Mu turned his head to look at Liu Qingmei and said, "Master, can you lend me the twenty thousand taels you took before to use first?"

"What do you need so much money for?"

Seeing that Ning Mu not only didn't answer her question but instead wanted to take the twenty thousand taels back from her, Liu Qingmei immediately frowned slightly.

"I have a great use for it. The current business methods of Hua Man Lou are too backward; I want to reform the system. Master, rest assured, your disciple guarantees that this money will not be spent in vain. Besides, aren't you still trying to help the disaster victims? You have to give me some capital at least."

Ning Mu chuckled and pestered Liu Qingmei.

Liu Qingmei looked speechless.

She had wanted to refuse, but Ning Mu's guarantee combined with the second half of his sentence still made her waver.

"Fine, I will give you these twenty thousand taels, plus an additional five thousand taels; this is all the wealth I can scrape together. Any more and I would have to use the Ye Family's money. You know that the Ye Family is struggling right now, and unless necessary, I do not want to rely on the Ye Family's power!"

(End of chapter)