"You know that’s not what I’m asking." Yang Chuxia snatched the cup from his hand and said, "I’m asking what you actually discussed, and why you’ve suddenly become interested in this matter. Last time I mentioned this to you, you didn’t seem particularly interested."
"My dear wife, you are really impatient, not even letting me finish my tea." Ye Zi’an laughed and pulled Yang Chuxia into his arms, holding her for a while before lifting his head to say, "Brothels have always been the easiest place to gather information. And the brothel in Wangshui Town is a place where everyone in Funan Prefecture loves to go."
"But how does this concern you?" She was well aware of the information gathering role of brothels. She had once considered getting involved, but she didn’t like the insincerity of the people there, so she didn’t want to meddle in the affairs of the Jade Beauty Pavilion.
"Xiaxia," Ye Zi’an sighed, "We are inevitably tied to Baili Yan. Linhao siblings are staying with us, and Mu Shaoling often comes by. Sooner or later, our relationship will be found out. This can be seen from the time someone traced a small arrow here."
"So what are you trying to say?" Yang Chuxia saw that Ye Zi’an was quite serious at this moment, a seriousness she had never seen before.
"Xiaxia, when it comes to regime change, the defeated side always ends tragically. At best, they are exiled; at worst, their families are exterminated. And none of the people who can compete for power are kind-hearted. If he fails, the other side may well eradicate us completely, and we’ll all be implicated, including Old Mu, and Mu Shaoling." He paused before continuing, "The current situation is still unclear, and he may not lose. In that case, we should help him as much as we can. If he wins, that’s great; if he loses, it’s fate."
"I understand what you mean, you want to use the Jade Beauty Pavilion to help him gather information about the Funan officialdom. But this is just Funan Prefecture, not the Capital City."
"We don’t need to worry about the Capital City. He has spent many years there and has his own channels, not to mention Mu Shaoling and Old Mu." As Ye Zi’an spoke, he picked up a geographical book. "Look, Funan is close to the sea. If he really fails in the future, as long as we can control the entire Funan, we can retreat from this place to the Great Zhou. As far as I know, there are many uninhabited islands at sea, and their locations are intricate. If we really retreat to these islands, it will be almost impossible for anyone to find us, and this may be an opportunity to make a comeback."
Yang Chuxia looked at the person in front of her in amazement, seeing the self-confidence in his eyes. She had never realized that he had thought so far ahead, even planning out their escape routes.
"Did you discuss this with Old Mu and the others?"
"I talked to Mr. Luo. If he knows, then Old Mu must know too." Ye Zi’an thought for a while, seemingly afraid she would object, and explained further, "Xiaxia, he’s been good to me these past two years. I should help him both emotionally and rationally. Of course, that’s only if I can help. I know you don’t like him and don’t want to get involved in these matters. But as time goes on, we can’t avoid them. Actually, I don’t like him either. I’ve disliked him since he tried to separate us. But we must separate our emotions from our reason."
"Why bother saying all this?" Yang Chuxia grabbed his face with both hands and laughed softly. "I didn’t say I wouldn’t let you do it. But how do you plan to do it? One Jade Beauty Pavilion won’t be enough."
"Of course. I told Li Shan to find a way to take over all the brothels in Wangshui Town. Then, gradually, we’ll take over the brothels and courtesans in other parts of Funan, eventually making it the number one pavilion in Funan. By then, we’ll be able to get firsthand information about Funan’s officialdom and commerce."