"I didn't expect them to come too," Qin Mu muttered.
"Brother, do you know these two people?" Yuchi Baolin asked.
“The taller one is from the Lu family of Fanyang, named Lu Chengli; the other one is from the Cui family of Boling, named Cui Yanxing. I met him in Youzhou, but I don’t know him well,” Qin Mu explained.
"Oh no, oh no, so many people have come again today," Yu Chi Baolin exclaimed with a bitter face.
"What's wrong?" Qin Mu turned his head and asked curiously.
"Didn't I tell you? Miss Su Su is skilled in poetry, song, and dance. She only comes out once every five days to entertain friends with these two arts. Only those who catch her eye have the chance to drink tea and chat with her," Yu Chi Baolin explained, his face falling as he continued, "Today is the day she entertains friends with poetry. I was hoping to use you, brother, to win a round, but now it's hopeless again."
"You really don't think much of me?" Qin Mu asked, his eyes wide.
“Of course, let me tell you, the Changsun family is ostensibly a legalist family, but they are also military strategists; Changsun Chong is good at poetry, music, and all of them, and he is very famous in the Academy of Literature. Moreover, the Lu family and the Cui family are mainly Confucianists, and poetry is their forte.” Yuchi Baolin said with a bitter face.
"Alright! Let's just watch the show today!" Qin Mu said, spreading his hands. He couldn't very well say that he had two defeated opponents.
"Sigh!" Yuchi Baolin sighed and gulped down a large mouthful of wine.
"I mean, is it really necessary? You're not good at any of the things, like poetry, singing, or dancing. Why do you want to compare yourself to others?" Qin Mu asked, giving him a strange look.
"Then what should we do? Miss Su only likes these kinds of things!" Yu Chi Baolin asked blankly.
"Idiot! Where is this? This is a brothel! If you like her, just redeem her!" Qin Mu looked at him like he was a fool.
“No, no, even though this is a brothel, Miss Su Su’s consent is required for me to redeem myself. Besides, I have no money!” Yu Chi Baolin shook his head and said.
"Don't worry, you'll have money soon. Once the wine from the distillery is ready, you can redeem whoever you want!" Qin Mu said confidently.
"real?"
"Of course, haven't you tried it? Why are you so lacking in confidence?" Qin Mu retorted.
"I am confident, but my father knows it too! He has his eye on the money, so how could I possibly get a chance?" Hearing Qin Mu's words, Yu Chi Baolin's handsome face looked even more bitter.
"Miss Su Su is out!" As the music below stopped, Yu Chi Baolin stood up abruptly and exclaimed excitedly.
Qin Mu looked on curiously and saw a group of people slowly walking out from a passage on the first floor of the Rouge Pavilion. In front of them were maids carrying lanterns, and in the middle was a person whose face was not yet clear, but whose figure was graceful. She must be the so-called Miss Su Su.
A hush fell over the entire hall. Once the group reached the main hall, Qin Mu finally got a clear look at the young woman, Su Su. She was dressed in a red gown, the long skirt trailing on the ground, adorned with silk ribbons, her hair piled high, revealing her snow-white neck and a deep cleavage at the chest. With each step, her breasts seemed to surge.
Qin Mu was secretly astonished; how could there be so many people with such outstanding physical development? When he saw her face, a strange feeling welled up inside him. It wasn't that she was ugly; quite the opposite, she was extremely beautiful, with willow-leaf eyebrows and cherry-like lips—a sight that would please anyone. Her large, watery eyes seemed to speak volumes.
"Welcome, esteemed guests, to Rouge Pavilion. It is my great honor to have you here tonight to exchange poems and lyrics. I am but a humble scholar, and I would be grateful for your guidance." A soft, refined voice emanated from her lips, sending a chill down one's spine.
At this moment, Qin Mu finally realized why he had felt a little strange and uncomfortable when he first saw Su Su. It turned out that this woman's every smile and gesture was alluring, coupled with her soft, gentle voice. She possessed a delicate and fragile aura, yet she also had a touch of allure; this contradictory beauty was truly captivating.
Qin Mu felt uncomfortable because she recognized this alluring feeling at Juyong Pass – from the fox clan. However, compared to the fox clan, she paled in comparison. Those fox clan members, even without a smile, possessed an innate allure in their eyes and brows. Her allure, on the other hand, seemed deliberately contrived.
Perhaps it would be difficult for others to distinguish, but Qin Mu had seen the fox clan before, and by comparing it with the memories in his mind, he quickly discerned the difference.
"As expected of a woman of the night; no matter how much she tries to disguise herself, she can't hide her worldly air," Qin Mu thought to himself, feeling somewhat disappointed. Books used to describe pure, innocent girls who admired scholars' literary talent and were willing to give everything for them. Now it seemed that this was mostly just the poor scholar's fantasy.
"It's so beautiful!" Yu Chi Baolin exclaimed, his eyes glued to the ground below.
"Ahem! Brother Yuchi, do you really like her?" Qin Mu coughed twice and asked.
"Of course I like her, brother. You don't know, every time I see Miss Su, I can't sleep all night," Yuchi Baolin said excitedly.
"Then do you know what liking is and what love is? Are you sure it's liking or love?" Qin Mu asked.
"Like? Love? What's the difference? Isn't liking love?" Yuchi Baolin asked blankly.
Based on his behavior, Qin Mu was certain of one thing: Yuchi Baolin simply liked him. But that was normal; any man would be attracted to such a beauty.
"Of course it's different. Ordinary women lack the allure of courtesans, so many people are willing to go to brothels—it's just a matter of liking them. But to love someone is to be willing to give everything for them. As the saying goes, 'What is love in this world that makes people willing to die for it?'"
"Brother Yuchi, ask yourself honestly, are you willing to die for her?" Qin Mu asked.
"What is love in this world that makes people willing to die for it? You speak so well, young master." The woman beside Qin Mu looked at him and sighed.
"Of course not!" Yu Chi Baolin replied after thinking for a moment, then plopped down on the stool. Clearly, he felt somewhat disheartened about his seemingly simple liking for the character.
“Then that’s it. Brother Yuchi, you’re just lusting after her body.” Qin Mu nodded.
"Cough cough!" Yu Chi Baolin almost choked on the wine he had just taken a sip of from Qin Mu's words, coughing repeatedly until his face turned red.
"Hehe! Hehe!" The three girls next to them couldn't help but cover their mouths and laugh.
"You don't need to feel embarrassed. After all, everyone loves beauty," Qin Mu said with a smile, trying to comfort him.
Qin Mu's words drew a resentful look from Yuchi Baolin, who then glanced guiltily at the girls beside him.
The group of them were laughing and joking on the second floor, standing out in the quiet building and attracting everyone's attention.
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