Chapter 51 World Three (Part Two)

The woman gave a slight gesture, and the maid behind her handed the bundle wrapped in indigo cloth to Liu Fang. While the maid was talking to Liu Fang, she pulled the treasure fan aside.

"I've had the pipa carefully packed up and will take it with you. But it's precious, so you'll have to take care of it on the journey, to make sure it doesn't get damaged by the reckless boatman."

Bao Shan nodded in agreement, her dark eyebrows slightly wrinkled, her eyes moving like ripples, filled with reluctance to leave: "Mother loves me. But if I leave Yangzhou City, I'm afraid I won't have the chance to come back in this lifetime, and then Mother will definitely forget me."

Her voice was soft, mixed with a hint of sadness. Her words touched people's hearts, making them feel a pang of pain in their chests.

Seeing this, the woman was even more reluctant to let go. Baoshan was always obedient, always doing what she was told to do, never talking back or making a scene. With her natural beauty, she had mastered a wide variety of techniques. In the woman's eyes, it wasn't just a tool to acquire wealth, but her most proud work.

The woman felt a little nervous, and took out a fist-sized booklet from her bosom, wrapped it in a handkerchief, and handed it to Baoshan.

"My dear fan, keep this thing safe."

Bao Shan took a quick glance and discerned her true face from the corner of the booklet. Her cheeks were flushed with shame, like a red cloud covering her face. The woman knew that a young lady of her age would be thinner than paper, so she didn't take it to heart and gave her careful instructions.

"Beauty is just a stepping stone. If you want to seduce a man, you need to use some tricks.

If you put more effort into these secrets of the boudoir, no matter how cold-faced a demon is, he will fall at your feet.

You must be obedient and watch all of these pictures of boudoir sex."

Baoshan's face turned red with shame, but she had always been well-behaved and sensible.

Now that he was leaving his wife, he couldn't change his old habits, so he suppressed his shyness and replied, "I listen to my mother."

By the river, on the boat.

Liu Fang had already stepped onto the boat and called out from afar, "Young lady, come on board with me!"

Baoshan replied "OK" and hurried towards the boat, his figure as slender as a willow branch on the shore.

When the boatman saw that everyone had arrived, he dipped the bamboo pole into the water and pushed it back. The boat then moved forward slowly with the help of the water power.

The boat was large enough, with inner and outer doors, and the decorations on board resembled a long, misty, waterside village.

Layers of thin gauze cover the window frames, and the doors between the compartments are blocked by carved wooden doors.

Baoshan lifted the curtain and entered the inner room. The high price of this boat was indeed justified. The room was fully furnished. Fresh seasonal fruits bought from the shore were placed on the table. There was a soft couch under the window frame. Just by sitting up straight, you could see the sparkling water outside the window.

Baoshan took off her embroidered shoes and leaned back on the soft golden pillow. Her eyes were filled with fatigue, and there was no trace of the reluctance she had just felt.

She closed her eyes, listening to the sound of wind and water, and her heart was slightly moved.

This time when she left Yangzhou City, she was not going to a place of pleasure, but to her place of escape.

Everyone thought that anyone who could afford five hundred taels of gold to buy a skinny horse from Yangzhou must be extremely wealthy, and that Baoshan would definitely enjoy a high bed, soft pillows, and a world of wealth and luxury when she left this time.

The precious fan in the dream was just as they imagined. However, when they arrived in Lin'an City, they found out that the owner of the house had a beloved concubine who was cherished and loved by the master. She had never even been close to the master. Just because she angered the concubine, she was stuffed into a bamboo cage and drowned.

Baoshan was born in a water town and saw water the most. Unexpectedly, he died in the freezing cold river water in the end without any dignity.

Knowing the dangers of this journey, Bao Shan did have the thought of retreating, but another young man in Yangzhou City valued Bao Shan and was quite attentive to him.

But Baoshan saw from his occasional uneasiness and restlessness, as well as from the words of others, that this man had a cruel temper and liked to torture and kill his lowly servants.

Time was running out and Baoshan had no time to plan carefully, so he could only agree to Liu Fang's side while the man was raising money.

In order to avoid the tragic scene in the dream, Baoshan needs to be extremely careful.

In her dream, she only saw the dignified and solemn mistress and the delicate and soft concubine, but her impression of the young man was extremely vague.

Baoshan didn't take it to heart, nor was he worried about the man's age or appearance.

The older he is, the easier it is to fool him. He can be fooled by sweet words. He is plain-looking, and the precious fan is not a worry for him. If a beautiful woman throws herself into his arms and expresses her true feelings, he will definitely lose his mind and be willing to die for her.

Baoshan was used to seeing nobles who came to personally select skinny horses from Yangzhou, and the spoiled children from wealthy families. The easiest to coax were the silly ones.

Baoshan's expression slightly restrained. She took out the handkerchief wrapped in the embroidered handkerchief and looked at it carefully, without any shyness or emotion on her face.

Respectable families despise these vulgar methods the most. Only before the wedding night, the wet nurse stuffed the booklet in their mouth and they took a quick look at it.

But Baoshan was so engrossed in the painting, occasionally frowning slightly, that he felt that the legs of the two people in the painting were not legs, and the hands were not hands, and the painting was too crude.

The door opened, Baoshan put away the things in his hands, and stood up to open the door.

The boat boy stood outside the door, holding a tray with two dishes, a soup, and a small plate of snacks.

Bao Shan let the boat boy in and asked softly, "Have you had your meal, Liu Langjun?"

"Not yet. I'll send my wife off first, and then I'll send Mr. Liu off later."

Baoshan looked at the food on the tray. The water town is rich in rice, so rice is often seen in the meals.

The food the boat boy had just brought included two special snacks and a bowl of black and white mixed rice.

Bao Shan took a few sips and felt a little full. He washed his mouth and hands with clean water, took out the oil-paper bag from his bag, walked out of the inner room, and went to look for Liu Fang.

Liu Fangzheng was in a dilemma over the food on the tray. He had almost finished both snacks, but he hadn't touched the bowl of mixed rice at all.

Hearing a noise behind him, Liu Fang turned around and saw Baoshan, wearing a lotus-pink dress, walking towards him with graceful steps.

Liu Fang quickly stood up and asked, "Young lady, is there anything important?"

Bao Shan opened her mouth slightly, "No. I just—I just want to ask Liu Langjun for help with something."

"Young lady, please speak."

Bao Shan handed him the oil-paper package. Seeing Liu Fang's puzzled expression, he softly explained, "This is a shortbread I bought in Yangzhou City. I wanted to try it for a new taste, but after buying it, I forgot about it for a while..."

Bao Shan frowned slightly, as if she was having trouble speaking: "This pastry can't be kept overnight. Since Mr. Liu hasn't eaten yet, can we -"

She stopped talking abruptly. Seeing that Liu Fang had already eaten most of the food, her face flushed. "Master Liu has already eaten the food. I'll take the pastry back."

Liu Fang quickly stopped her and unwrapped the oil paper. The pastry was still slightly warm, golden brown, and crumbly, looking more delicious than variegated rice. Liu Fang said happily, "Young lady, you came at the right time. I have been in Yangzhou for some time now, so I can still endure the rest.

The only thing that is intolerable is the use of rice as the staple food.

Look, I didn't touch this colorful rice at all.

Fortunately, the shortbread that the young lady sent me saved me from starvation."

Baoshan hung her head, and the hairpins and rings on her temples jingled.

"Lord Liu is in a serious condition."

Liu Fang took a bite of the pastry with a smile, and tasted the roasted and fragrant sesame seeds. As the pastry entered his stomach, he felt like he came back to life and finished the pastry in just a few bites.

When Liu Fang looked at Baoshan again, he felt a little closer to her. He saw Baoshan standing at the bow of the boat, with his brows lowered and a look of worry on his face.

"What are you worried about, young lady?"

Baoshan shook her head slightly, and her lotus-pink dress was blown by the breeze from the river, making her look even more slender and fragile.

“No.”

Bao Shan lowered his eyes, staring at the slowly flowing river below him, and said, "I'm just worried that my behavior might be vulgar and cause dislike from the noble."

Liu Fang rolled his eyes and comforted her, "No, my wife is very tolerant. As long as you behave yourself and don't become arrogant because of your favor, that's all."

Baoshan's eyes flashed slightly. After hearing what Liu Fang said, he came to Yangzhou City this time not on the orders of his master, but at the will of his mistress.

The mistress can tolerate others, but she cannot tolerate those who take advantage of their favor and become arrogant. That is to say, the mistress and the concubine are not on good terms, and the concubine takes advantage of her favor and becomes arrogant, which angers the mistress.

Perhaps the mistress bought the Yangzhou skinny horse intentionally because she was dissatisfied with the mistress's behavior.

Bao Shan spoke softly and obediently, "I know my status. When a woman enters the harem, she naturally prioritizes the master and mistress. It is my duty to be respectful and considerate. How dare I become arrogant because of my favor?"

"It's good to know your duty. The lady likes people who know when to advance and when to retreat and who understand etiquette."

Seeing this, Liu Fang became more and more satisfied with the treasure fan, and couldn't help but reveal more of Wang's preferences in his words.

I memorized all the precious fans in my heart.

evening.

A faint sound of good music came from the shore, it was the sound of a woman singing and playing the guitar.

The water country tune she sang was so charming that others could not understand the detailed words, but they felt that the tune had a unique charm that was intoxicating.

Baoshan lifted the gauze curtain, listened carefully, and hummed a few lines softly. The voice was so weak that no one on the boat could hear it.

Tiny lights hung from the eaves. Boats on the river also hung lanterns. The light wasn't dazzling, just enough to illuminate the area.

The light cast a shadow of Baoshan on the soft couch. Her jade fingers moved lightly, tracing the outline of the pipa through the silk.

In Lin'an City, a boat was docked on the shore.

A slender and delicate woman walked down from the boat. She had picturesque features and walked softly. Passersby took a quick glance at her and felt that this woman did not look like someone who grew up in Lin'an City. She had such a slender and gentle figure, and her features showed the gentleness and tenderness of a water town.

After Baoshan got off the boat, Liu Fang took the bag on himself, including Baoshan's pipa.

Liu Fang has already sent a letter to the mansion, and I think Wang knows that they are returning to Lin'an City today.

Wang sat upright in the upper seat, savored the Huangshan Maofeng tea in her hand, and looked out the door.

"Are you coming back today?"

The maid said, "It's today."

When Liu Fang arrived at the front of the house, a familiar servant greeted him with a smile: "You're finally back. Hey, where's that guy?"

The servant looked around and saw a beautiful woman walking out from behind Liu Fang.

There was tenderness in her eyes and brows. When she saw someone looking for her, she lowered her brows and looked obedient.

The servant's eyes widened immediately, and he said hurriedly: "The lady has been waiting for you for a long time, please go in quickly."

When Baoshan's figure gradually disappeared from his sight, the servant turned around and thought to himself: With such a beautiful woman, his son Xiao Langjun is really blessed.

Liu Fang held the precious fan and stood in front of Wang.

He bowed and said, "Madam, this is the young lady with the precious fan I brought with me from Yangzhou City."

Baoshan stepped forward and bowed softly to Wang Shirou: "Baoshan greets the Madam."