Zuichunlou only opens its doors to guests after noon. Top courtesans like Huaiyue are even more demanding and often don't come out to meet people until evening.
Last night I rewarded the Commander with a bowl of sweet soup, and Huaiyue had a rare good dream last night.
When Xiao An helped her wash up, she lost her usual morning grumpiness and cooperated lazily.
"Let's wear this white jade hairpin today. With your looks, young master, any hairpin would look perfect on you."
"No wonder so many important people are eager to gain your favor day and night."
Huaiyue rested her chin on her hand, lazily lifting her eyelids. The face in the mirror now only had a few traces of color left.
It has become both unfamiliar and vulgar.
"Speaking of which, it's been a long time since we've seen the young master of Prefect Zhang's family. I guess he was driven away by that nobleman. That nobleman is really domineering."
Huaiyue let out a soft laugh, her fingertip lightly tapping the dressing table in front of her:
Do you know why this dressing table, along with many other items in the room, has been replaced with new ones?
"Isn't it because Mom treats the young master well that she gave him a new one?" Xiao An said naively.
Huaiyue shook her head, turned to the side and pointed to the door: "The son of the prefect you mentioned had his heart ripped out right here that day."
He seemed to be reminiscing about something, his eyes slightly narrowed as he stared at a spot: "He was alive and well, still breathing when his heart was ripped out."
The wooden comb in Xiao An's hand fell to the ground with a snap and broke in two.
He stared wide-eyed in horror and said, "Young master, are you joking with this servant?"
Huaiyue first kept a straight face, then burst into laughter: "Hahahaha..."
Seeing him like this, Xiao An felt inexplicably relieved, but also a little resentful:
"Young master, you really are just trying to scare me..."
But it's also his own fault for being so foolish. If the prefect's son had died in their Drunken Spring Pavilion, all of them would probably be beheaded by now, and wouldn't be alive to be laughing and joking here.
"But young master, you really can't keep embarrassing that nobleman. As the saying goes, even a clay figure has three parts fire."
"Even if he likes you a lot, he can't stand you taking advantage of him time and time again. After all, he is a person of great importance."
"He admires you now, so naturally he thinks everything about you is good."
"But if someone else catches his eye one day, we'll become like the rice stuck to his collar, needlessly annoying him."
"If he's a magnanimous person, that'll be fine. But if he's vengeful, then we're in for a rough time. There's a limit to how much you can take advantage of his favor..."
The master and servant were not usually very formal, and Xiao An, being a worrier, couldn't help but lecture Huai Yue.
Huaiyue gave a perfunctory reply, it was unclear whether she actually listened. Xiao An was so worried her hair was almost falling out.
But he knew his young master's temperament well. He looked gentle and mild-mannered, but deep down he was more stubborn than anyone else and could not be persuaded.
Why.
He sighed inwardly, picked up the broken comb, took a new one, and tied Huaiyue's hair back up.
He continued to wear only red clothes, which was almost a habit of Huaiyue's; Xiao An had never seen his young master wear any clothes other than red.
He was actually quite curious about this and couldn't help but ask, "Why is the young master only wearing red?"
At first, he thought Huaiyue liked red, but after following Huaiyue for so long, he discovered that his young master actually hated this color.
Once, his mother ordered the cook to make a bowl of amaranth soup, and the young master immediately vomited.
That day, the young master bluntly stated, "I hate this color the most. From now on, don't put red in my food. It makes me feel nauseous."
Therefore, Xiao An couldn't understand why the young master would wear his most hated color every day.
"Because your young master has a blood feud that he hasn't avenged, and he's afraid of forgetting the blood debt he carries, he has to use this method to remind himself so that he never forgets it," Huaiyue said.
Xiao An had been fooled by him before and didn't believe him at all: "You're just trying to fool me again."
Huaiyue smiled gently, as if acknowledging this.
"I suddenly crave chestnut cake from that shop at the East Street intersection. I'll send someone to buy some later, along with some almond candy."
"Why are you craving sweets again? Didn't you complain that the white fungus soup was too sweet last night?"
Huaiyue slapped him on the forehead: "Just go when I tell you to. Stop nagging and don't you know who's in charge?"
"Do you want to climb over me like that black-faced demon?"
His words were utterly reckless. Xiao An covered her head and drawled, "Okay, I know."
Then she couldn't help but advise him, "But you should at least watch your words and actions. I'm really afraid that important person will get angry. He looks very intimidating."
Huaiyue lifted her eyelids slightly, completely ignoring his words.
"Oh, right, young master." Xiao An carefully reached into his chest and pulled out a tattered money pouch.
"That esteemed person was here last night, but I didn't dare to say it. This is the reward he gave me; it's too much, so please accept it."
Huaiyue slowly took it: "Tsk, still golden melon seeds. Our lord has really made something of himself."
He emptied the purse, piling it like a small mountain on the dressing table. Huaiyue leaned against it, head bowed, counting the coins one by one.
"one two three……"
Xiao An followed closely, looking on expectantly: "Even if you bought me, it wouldn't cost that much money..."
The children sold to Zuichunlou were priced according to their appearance and age. A child like Xiao An, who was of average appearance and a bit older, could be bought for just a few taels of silver.
Sometimes, a poor child's life is not even as good as a box of the finest rouge.
Huaiyue gathered the pile of gold melon seeds, put them back into the money bag, and handed it back.
"If it's for you, take it. His mansion is overflowing with gold and silver; even the emperor's treasury isn't as wealthy as his. What's this little bit?"
Xiao An said timidly, "But..."
As the two were talking, footsteps approached, accompanied by Hua's mother's shrill voice, as if she was trying to stop someone from coming over.
Huaiyue glanced at the doorway and sneered, "Which blind fool has come here to seek death again?"
Then he sighed again, feigning melancholy, and said, "Alas, at this rate, all my patrons will die, and I'll be washed up..."
Xiao An: "..."
Xiao An couldn't understand what he was saying at all. She only felt that his expression changed faster than turning the pages of a book, one moment he had a cold face and the next he was smiling.
And is it something to be happy about when all your clients die out?
"Oh dear, Master He, you really can't come in! Huaiyue has caught a cold recently and isn't feeling well. She doesn't dare to see such an important person..."
“Mama Hua,” He An stuffed a few silver notes into Hua Jiao’s hand and patted them, “Are you afraid to see me, this important person, or do you only want to see some other important person?”
Hua Jiao, who was capable of running such a large establishment as Zui Chun Lou, was certainly not stupid. She pushed the stack of silver notes back:
"Since the advisor knows about that important person, he must also know that this is that important person's intention: Huaiyue is not receiving guests recently."
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