The Sleuth of the Ming Dynasty, Chapter 52: The Kidnapper, the Official, and the S.lutty Conniving Woman

The Sleuth of the Ming Dynasty《成化十四年》Chengnian Shisi Nian
The Sleuth of the Ming Dynasty, Chapter 52: The Kidnapper, the Official, and the S.lutty Conniving Woman

the Ninth Madam stroked her hair back and turned her face into a delicate smile. “You're worried about him spilling the beans then wouldn't it be better to let him join the sect once and for all?"


Deng Xiucai sneered: "Are you still dreaming? He's an official of the imperial court. He's a man of the highest integrity, how could he be willing to associate with bandits like you and me?"

The Ninth Madam laughed: "That's wrong, even a self-righteous saint has to eat and sleep? How much is your annual salary, Tang Da-ren? "

Why is that question coming again?

Tang Fan shook his head: "It's a shame to say that according to the rules laid down by the Emperor's ancestor, officials of the Lower Sixth Rank like me are to be given 96 pounds a year, but most of them are converted into cloth and treasury notes, which are like waste paper and may not be able to exchange much silver. "

The Ninth Madam covered her mouth and smiled: "Then you wouldn't be able to afford to eat meat on weekdays? "

Tang Fan chuckled: "It's embarrassing that I have to write a few books to support my family. "

the Ninth Madamsaid: "Now I have a generous gift for Tang Da-ren if you dare to accept it. "

She fetched a few scented silver bills and asked her men to show them to Tang Fan.

Tang Fan, looked at this.

What can we do with 1,000 taels? We can buy a mansion like Sui Zhou has and still have some more remain.

This is because of the high prices in the capital city. If it were anywhere else, it would be more than enough to be a landlord with no worries about food.

The Ninth Madam smiled and said: "This is just a gift from me to you, if you would like to join us, there is a lot of money waiting for you. "

Deng Xiucai shrugged: " the Ninth Madam is so generous with so much money, how about helping me out? "

The Ninth Madam looked askance at him: " the Second Boss, don't be sour, you've built up a fortune a hundred times over the years. It's all my personal money. I was just happy to see a man like Tang Da-ren, so I recruited him for the sect. You know, this sect is always in need of resourceful people. I've been at the headquarters for a long time, and I've heard from the Master that we need to recruit more people like the Second Boss to strengthen our sect. "

Tang Fan coughed: "Thank you the Ninth Madam for your kindness but as an imperial official and by the emperor's grace, I can't become a bandit. "

the Ninth Madam chuckled: "Don't be afraid, I'm not asking you to resign, you can still be an official and join our sect. This way you can continue to be an official and have extra income, isn't that the best of both worlds? "

Tang Fan asked: "If I say yes then I'm in? "

The Ninth Madam smiled before answering Deng Xiucai: "You've got a good mind, if you agree to join, you'll be branded with the sect's mark in case you go back on your word. "

Tang Fan knew that Deng Xiucai was telling the truth when the Ninth Madam did not object.

He looked at the silver with a look on his face that was both a bit heartwarming and torn: "Would you guys let me think about it? "

The Ninth Madam smiled: "Of course, but don't think too long, our time is limited. Think it over and if you agree, we can return the children to you at once and you will be the one to do the honors. "

Deng Xiucai grunted: "I don't think I've said yes yet? "

The Ninth Madam laughed: "If you agree, I'll ask for a waiver of 10% of your duties this year. "

Deng Xiucai stopped talking the Ninth Madam looked at Tang Fan with affection before sending him back.

As usual, he was blindfolded this time but Tang Fan had memorized the route twice.

He had secretly matched the layout of the place to the ground, and with the words of Big Brother Liu, it was not difficult to conclude that he was in a place where the South City Gang had connected the cellars of the houses in the deserted village. These people are close to each other and it is not difficult to dig the connection between the cellar and the cellar, and few people here give them sufficient conditions for arbitrary action.




No wonder Big Brother Liu said this place is safe if the original entrance to the cellar is sealed and the people outside can't find a new one then they cant enter.

But it's not much better than the secret passageway that Tang Fan and the others took, so this is an only temporary shelter and not a permanent residence.

Deng Xiucai and the others had to hide out here because things got too big and the wagon broke down because it was carrying too many people, but they must have been anxious to get out of here and back to the surface.

If Tang Fan could get out now and the Western Depot or the Jinyiwei were out there, they could wipe out the whole gang, but that's not going to happen now.

The truth is he's trapped here with his life on the line unless he joins their gang and is branded as an alibi.

He'll be damned if he's going to be branded and if he was branded not even jumping into the Yellow River would wash it off.

On the way back from the Ninth Madam, Xin Shitou was a little less rude than before, because the Ninth Madam was trying to recruit him.

When Tang Fan went back to the original cellar, Big Brother Liu wasn't there anymore, but maybe that was because he was told to do something.

He took the opportunity to laugh at Xin Shitou: "Brother Xin you see I'm about to become one of your own, can you help me untie this rope strangling me really uncomfortable anyway I'm a scholar can't run away! "

Xin Shitou doesn't just say: "Then you'll have to ask the Second Boss. "

Tang Fan laughed: "The thousand taels that the Ninth Madam gave me just now, I thought that if I agreed with her, then we would be family afterward, you and Big Brother Liu were the first to bring me here. Even if I don’t know each other, I look at you and feel that I am more troublesome than others. Brother Xin took it in his arms and took out five hundred and two. After you broke up with Big Brother Liu, don’t let me get things wrongs."

Xin Shitou's eyes brightened for a moment but then he excused himself: "It's no good after all, it's from the Ninth Madam. "

Tang Fan staring up with a face: "If Brother Xin doesn't take it, he's being out of line with me! "

Xin Shitou now has a smile on his face: "Tang Da-ren, you are one of us, why do you need to be a stranger? If you join the sect, you will immediately become the head of the sect, and your status will be much higher than this brother. "

He said as he reached out to untie Tang Fan.

By this time, Tang Fan's wrist was already bleeding from the abrasion, but he didn't care about this and took the initiative to give Xin Shitou five silver taels. You've been around for a long time, so I'm counting on you to teach me more! "

Xin Shitou took the money and put it into his arms and sighed: "I've been with the Second Boss for six years and I'm still in the South City Gang, but I didn't even know what the First Boss looks like until I met the Ninth Madam. I've never seen the face of the South City Gang.

They chatted a bit more and seemed to be getting closer to the silver tael. Xin Shitou said: "I have to check the exits to make sure no one finds out where you are. "

Tang Fan smiled and nodded: "I understand Brother Xin you go ahead but can you give me a bowl of water to drink? I'm thirsty! "

It's money that does the trick. Xin Shitou said quickly: "How hard can it be? "

He went to get a bowl of water for Tang Fan and then left again.

Xin Shitou smiled as soon as he left.

Although we were blindfolded, he could always hear voices and footsteps along the way. According to a conservative estimate, Deng Xiucai would have brought in no less than ten or twenty of his men. He knew that the place is not spacious enough to accommodate so much talent has brought so little, otherwise, the family business of the size of South City Gang under Deng Xiucai's status will certainly not be so small.

Now that I think about it, Deng Xiucai and the others were in a hurry because they were too worried that the gang would escape if they were too late, so they didn't have time to think it over and listen to the man's confession, so they hurriedly went up the mountain underpass as he said.

On the other hand, even if Sui Zhou and the others found out about the deception and turned back now, it wouldn't do any good. The bandits would be helpless if they put a knife to the children's necks unless Wang Zhi could get here in time.

Tang Fan isn't the one who sits around worrying.

He poured the bowl of water in the corner and threw it on the floor with his skirt off, wrapping it around him.

There was no dull noise but when he untied his skirt the bowl inside had broken into several large flaps.

Tang Fan collected the pieces and casually left the cellar where he had been imprisoned and headed for the room where he remembered holding A-Dong.

There were two men guarding there and as soon as they saw Tang Fan they stood up fiercely and said: "Who are you! "

Tang Fan smiled archly: "Two brothers, I am the guest invited by the Second Boss to see the children. "

He's seen what's going on inside as they spoke.

A dozen children tied hand and foot and gagged in the corner with fear in their eyes, all cowering in the corner shoulder to shoulder as if they were the only way to feel safe.

And Tang Fan also saw one of them, a chubby little girl with one side of her cheek slightly swollen and red, looking at him with a look of excitement that she would have shouted right away if her mouth hadn't been blocked.

Tang Fan gave her a calm look which A-Dong understood and quickly quieted down without making a sound.

They wouldn't let Tang Fan in, so they yelled at him and shoved him around.

"What's going on?" behind Tang Fan’s back came a dainty voice, and he knew who it was right away without looking back.

"Ninth Madam." The two guards were busy saluting hee.

"Ninth Madam, Hello." Tang Fan also said, "Yes, the Ninth Madam knows that one of the children here is my sister and I am here because of her."

The Ninth Madam smiled: " It turns out that, it is no wonder that Tang Da-ren dared to insulate himself by the fact that the slave family admired it very much is here!I see, no wonder Tang Da-ren dares to risk his life for her! "

Tang Fan bitterly smiled: "Isn't it true that if my sister hadn't been caught I would have eaten my fill and not given you a hard time? "

the Ninth Madam said: "In that case, it would be unkind of me not to agree, Tang Da-ren, just go in and visit me in a quarter of an hour in the room where you were before. "

Tang Fan blushed when she tosses her eyes at him, as if she wanted to look at him more but doesn't dare.

The Ninth Madam was giggling at him and turned around and walked away swinging.

Not to mention that she's so attractive to men just from the way the two guards looked at her.

With the Ninth Madam's permission, Tang Fan was able to get in.

The children's faces and clothes were dirty, but you could still see their pretty faces and nice fabrics.




Tang Fan noticed that one of the girls and the boy were particularly good looking and would be even more so in a few years when they grew up, these were probably Zhu Yong's youngest daughter and Minister Geng's grandson, who was the object of much of the searching.

And look at the other kids, all well-bred and pretty.

The most conspicuous one here is A-Dong, but perhaps because she was born white and tender, the traffickers took her with the mentality that there would be one without the other.

Tang Fan ignored the others as he squatted down in front of A-Dong and stroked her head, whispering close to her ear: "I said listen and be quiet. "

A-Dong nodded his head and stared at Tang Fan for a split second.

Tang Fan pulled out the ball of cloth from her mouth: "I know you are sensible, so big brother wants to ask you to help watch over these brothers and sisters if someone rushes in to save you, these bad guys will definitely fight to the death so you can't run around because of fear, stay here and wait for us to save you, understand?"

A-Dong nodded and said in a mosquito-like voice: "Brother, don't worry I'll take care of them as you say. "

Tang Fan is glad that his biggest concern is not the danger to the children's lives, knowing that they are Deng Xiucai's money-spinners, Deng Xiucai will never abandon them or else he wouldn't come here to hide for them.

What he was worried about was that if Sui Zhou and the others could find their way here, there would be a terrible battle, and the kids would panic and run around, and if they were injured by the unsuspecting swordsmen, then the purpose of their trip would be wasted.

They didn't get to talk much either, but a quarter of an hour goes by and Tang Fan knows that the Ninth Madam may seem like a nice person to talk to, but she's also a cunning one, and it's only because she has a problem with Deng Xiucai that she seems to have an easy time of allowing him to have all this free time.

He didn't tarry long and hurriedly finished A-Dong's explanation before getting up and leaving.

A-Dong had the cloth ball removed from her mouth by Tang Fan, but she didn't make a fuss and instead tried to persuade the other children to calm down. Her age was relatively large among those children and she was slapped by Zhu Yongping, the young daughter of Zhu Yong She trusts her more and listens to her, although she is still choking, she finally calmed down.

The two guards saw that she could calm the others down and was happy to keep her mouth shut so they didn't stuff the ball back into her mouth.

It's just a bunch of kids who can't take any action in their eyes anyway.

But from an angle they can't see, A-Dong has a large, sharp piece of porcelain in her hand.

However, when Tang Fan went back to her original room, he saw the Ninth Madam sitting there in a curvy and graceful posture, even more, beautiful than her sister Chen-shi, the Li Man's concubine.

It’s a pity that her beauty is a beautiful snake.

The Ninth Madam pursed her lips and smiled at the sight of Tang Fan: "You're back? "

It's so ambiguous it sounds like a wife talking to her husband who has just got back home.

Tang Fan looked unchanged and pretends not to have heard: "Thank you, Ninth Madam, for waiting so long and seeing that my sister's mind was so agitated that she took a little time."

The Ninth Madam smiled: "It's only natural for a brother and sister to meet, but we're so well acquainted that my dear Official Tang doesn't need to call me the Ninth Madam, it's just my nickname. "

When did I become my dear Official Tang...?

Tang Fan thought depressedly but looked flattered: "This is wrong?"

"What's wrong with it?" smiled the Ninth Madam. Doesn't the name sound good? "

Tang Fan shook his head: "Nature is not a fragrant lotus blossom with a clear fragrance that floats to the gentleman who recollects the of his times in Yangzhou. How can it be bad to think about beauty? "

The Ninth Madam gave him a rapturous look: "I don't know much about poems, but it sounds so beautiful, and bookworms are different, even when they're flattering. "

Tang Fan smiled: "I'm an educated man but I can't turn right and wrong. The Ninth Madam is as beautiful as beautiful as her name implies, so should I say no? "

There is no woman who doesn't want to be praised for her beauty. "

Tang Fan got a reply from her: " A-Han. "

The Ninth Madam happily reached out and pulled Tang Fan to sit down.

Waiting for his eyes to meet hers she has sat down without being next to each other, but she has not sat too far.

the Ninth Madam barely expressed satisfaction and looked at Tang Fan with emotion: "Dear Official Tang, do you know how dangerous your situation is now?"

Tang Fan gave her a very surprised look: "Danger? How do you say that? Didn't you say that whatever sect is trying to recruit me? "

The Ninth Madam was amused by his expression: "It's my White Lotus Sect. Yes, we do want to, but that's just what I think. Deng Xiucai wants to kill you, this my honest with you. "

Tang Fan gave an aha moment to reveal some reaction.

This has to be done in the right way: not to react too fearfully or cowardly, which will make the Ninth Madam look down on him, because the other party is trying to recruit Tang Fan, so Tang Fan can't act too sissified; not to react too weakly either, which is too fake.

"A-Han, it's just that, I don't understand what killing me would do for him? "

The Ninth Madam was so relieved by his A-Han call, she smiled a little and then said with a heavy face: "Earlier I advocated that you join the sect and then let the children go back to the government anyway, the government's people are coming for them so it is possible to make peace with the government's people."

At Tang Fan's nodded she sighed: "Unfortunately, Deng Xiucai strongly disagreed and wanted to take the children with him, but at least he could sell them at a high price and have a large income, have a large sum of income, and he would not kill them. As for my Dear Mantis, since he doesn't want to bow his head to the government or its people, he naturally feels that it is cumbersome to keep you."

Tang Fan wondered: "A Han, I have something strange in my heart and I don't know if I should ask it inappropriately."

the Ninth Madam put a hand on his thigh and kneaded it with a smirk: "You ask, you're so polite!"




Tang Fan was really uncomfortable with her behavior and almost got goosebumps all over his skin and resisted the urge to slap her hand away, trying not to focus on the hand on her thigh and asked: "I heard you say earlier that you are from the White Lotus Sect, so you should be higher than Deng Xiucai, why do you have to listen to him instead? "

The Ninth Madam: "Who said I have to listen to him It's just that he has many people under his hands. I'm not good at fighting him openly. Let me say that South City Gang was founded by him..."

Tang Fan interrupted her: "Isn't there still a First Boss Ding Yimu?"

The Ninth Madam laughed: "You're silly, that Ding Yimu is just a fabricated front puppet to deceive outsiders, Deng Xiucai is the real gangmaster and the First Boss! "

Makes sense, Tang Fan suddenly asked: "To tell you the truth, I followed the Jinyiwei to track us down, but now they have been lured to the mountains, but if they can't find someone, I'm afraid they will turn back to the time if they are in the wild. Digging the ground three feet in the village may soon find our place. If you are the best of both worlds, but if Deng Xiucai refuses to surrender, how can he escape?"

The Ninth Madam said: "Why haven’t you a scholar have heard of the Cunning Rabbit Three Caves Holes? From here, here is a fortress in the mountains that is another stronghold of Deng Xiucai. If the carriage had not broken down, he would not be trapped here and is still waiting for his men to come to meet him, lest he is run over by the Jinyiwei's men. "

Tang Fan whispered: "Then won't I be killed when he gets out? "

the Ninth Madam said, "Why else would I come to you? If you want to save your life, you must join our sect. I'm trying to save you, I'm trying to save you. When the lotus mark is branded on you, it is my holy sect rules in the teaching that is against killing fellow members. Friends are going to be chased and killed by the congregation. At that time, Deng Xiucai would not dare to deal with you. Take off your clothes and I'll tattoo you with the brand."



Now that he has touched this giant beast, he has come to understand how powerful the White Lotus Society is, and how much it has bribed government officials and colluded with the underworld life, no wonder a single demon Taoist Li Zilong was able to stir up trouble in the capital and even then was not able to land in the royal jail.

He didn't reply to the Ninth Madam but showed a slight longing: "A-Han, I'm not going to lie to you, I've been the Lower Sixth Rank official for so long that I've been poorly paid and frustrated, although I was born for a Studious Hanlin Academic, it's worthless now. I don’t know what kind of person your leader is able to stir the bright winds and rains with my own body. It is really beyond my generation. I don’t know if I have the honor to visit the old man after joining the holy sect."

The Ninth Madam said: "There are many opportunities, but only if you are converted. "

Tang Fan wants to find out where the White Lotus Society is headquartered, but the Ninth Madam is a very clever character who never reveals the truth and wants him to join the Society. She wanted her slutty style to be just a camouflage to ward Tang Fan because she was not in harmony with Deng Xiucai.

Thinking about it, he sighed: "In the old days, Daoist Master Li treated the palace as a home and entered whenever he wanted. "

the Ninth Madam smiles wryly: "How could he have perished so easily at the hands of the court's claws, if you had said he was a god?"

Tang Fan was taken aback by the news and, not knowing if she was telling the truth or not, said in surprise: "Is Daoist Li still alive? "

The Ninth Madam's silence and lack of reply to Tang Fan is the ultimate suspense.

"I'll be honest with you to tell you that the White Lotus Sect are now in dire need of talent like you as an imperial official, although you rank small, but if there is secret support from the Holy Sect, if you want to be promoted it will be just a matter of time? By the time if the Holy Sect has the need you can also lend a helping hand, is this not exactly the best of both worlds, right? And besides, you just live on a year salary, if you join the Holy Sect you are going to be naturally rich and prosperous rolling in the world is there anyone in the world who would rather die poor than this promising splash of heavenly riches? "

To be frank, the Ninth Madam means that Tang Fan will be a saboteur for the White Lotus Society in the royal court.

Tang Fan looks both tempted and hesitant: "You're right, it's the best of both worlds, I'm just worried about the mark, after all, I'm a court official, if someone finds out I have the mark of the White Lotus Society on my body it'll be hard to get rid of it... How about this I agree to join but without the mark first?"

the Ninth Madam smiled: "Of course not Official Tang. How dare I hand over those children to you if you don't show some sincerity? "

Tang Fan smiles bitterly: "But even if I join the sect, Deng Xiucai won't let me take away his money tree?"

The Ninth Madam approached him with a low chuckle: "I'm not going to lie to you, I have the token of the General Seal with me, and unless Deng Xiucai wants to betray the General Order, he wouldn't dare to disobey me. "

Tang Fan has a sudden look of enlightenment.

A slender hand suddenly touched his shoulder and thundered off half of Tang Fan's coat!

"Good Official Tang you are going to do great things, you can not look ahead and think not, if I help you to make a decision well, I will brand tattooed on your back to not let anyone find out! "

Tang Da-ren was horrified, not because he was almost molested, but because he's worried about being found with broken shards hidden in his arms.

"No need to hurry, let me think again! let me think again! "

He tried to pull his clothes back on as he goes along.

The Ninth Madam giggled but didn't seem to want to waste any more time climbing straight up while fetching the tattooed tool from her bosom.

Just then a voice from the sky became Tang Fan's savior: "I wonder where the Ninth Madam has gone to flirt with this guy here! "

Deng Xiucai standing at the entrance of the tunnel faced gloomy: "We will immediately set out, this kid as a burden please allow me to kill him. You will waste your time on this one! "

The Ninth Madam also stood up: "Is there any other young man like him? If I can get him to join the sect, it will be a great achievement! Let's say you and I take a step back, one of the children is Tang Fan's sister, you leave her and the rest of you take your own way out of here, how about we all go our own way and get rich? "

Deng Xiucai said emphatically: "No! He knows too much to be left alone! "

The Ninth Madam also coldly fetched a token from her bosom: "Seeing this General Seal is like seeing the Sect Leader, do you dare disobey?! "

Deng Xiucai's face was gloomy and unpredictable, and it's a long time ago that he reached out and grabbed the seal in her hand while sneering: "B.itch, I've endured you long enough, and you've been holding the seal as chicken feathers as to make things difficult for me! Today might as well finish you off here and then frame this annoying official for the misfortune! "

The Ninth Madam was so surprised that he had the audacity to do this!

She was slow to react and almost lost the token in her hands to Deng Xiucai, who took it away and then drew his long knife and struck at her, she managed to dodge hastily to the side and grabbing the soft whip wrapped around her waist to block the attack immediately.

Tang Fan didn't expect that the two of them would start a feud here and now.




No matter how smart he was, he had no choice but wanted to stall for time until reinforcements arrived.

In the end, Deng Xiucai and the Ninth Madam fought with each other before reinforcements arrived.

The room was almost swept away by Tang Fan, who rolled to the side and fled into the corridor, not to where A-Dong was being held, but not to free them but to get reinforcements for the Ninth Madam.



- The Sleuth of the Ming Dynasty -



Prev: Chapter 51《Chapters Home 》Next: Chapter 53,