Chapter 9 The Top Scholar Who Murdered His Wife and Daughter (Part 9) A Farmer's Son's Counterattack Against the Emperor...
After the two of them left, Song Ce went forward and closed the door. The commotion earlier was quite loud, and now there were three or five women outside whispering among themselves, watching this side of the street.
Granny Zhao found a wooden stool and sat down. When she saw Song Ce looking over, she said sadly, "I thought he was a good person, but I never imagined he was a wolf in sheep's clothing. It's a good thing that Ayan didn't leave him any children when she left, otherwise I don't know how much suffering the children would have endured in his house!" Her eyes reddened as she finished speaking.
Song Ce didn't know how to comfort Granny Zhao, so he just called out, "Auntie..."
Granny Zhao wiped her eyes with her sleeve and sighed, "It's all fate! Heaven is blind. My poor Ayan was so young, in the prime of her life, how could she..." Before she could finish, she patted her lips and said, "Look at me, why am I saying all this? It's no use bothering you, young man, to keep this old woman from getting upset. Young man, you must be tired after all this. Go back inside and rest for a while."
Upon hearing this, Song Ce quickly knelt down and said softly, "Aunt, please rest assured. I believe that Sister Ayan in heaven would not want to see you so distressed over her. You still have me! You have always treated me like your own child, and I remember all of that. If it weren't for your hard work and care in taking care of everything for me, how could I have focused on my studies? Please take good care of yourself, Aunt. I promise to make sure you live the best life possible in the future!"
"Good...good...good." Granny Zhao's voice choked slightly as she said "good" three times in a row: "With such a heart from you, young man, this old woman will no longer be afraid."
"Auntie, go back to your room and rest for a while," Song Ce said softly, helping Granny Zhao to her feet.
Grandma Zhao nodded, patted Song Ce's hand, and slowly went back into the house.
By lunchtime, Granny Zhao had a smile on her face. This finally put Song Ce's mind at ease.
...
The next day, when Song Ce was about to go out, he realized that it had rained lightly during the night. The sky was clear and the gentle sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground.
Song Ce was reading some old books he had recently acquired when someone approached and patted him on the shoulder. It was Zhao Wei and Chen Haoren standing together, with two other students from the county school behind them.
Song Ce frowned slightly, and Zhao Wei smiled and said, "Brother Song, school's over. Didn't we agree to go to Miaojin Pavilion yesterday? Hurry up and tidy up the books on your desk so we can get there quickly and find a good spot."
Song Ce nodded, put the book into his book box, then got up and followed them out of the county school, heading straight to Miaojin Pavilion.
As soon as the group arrived at the entrance of Miaojin Pavilion, the pimp guarding the gate hurriedly ran over, bowed, and greeted them.
Zhao Wei nodded, took out a small silver ingot from his purse and tossed it over, saying, "This is the entrance fee for us gentlemen, keep the change!"
The pimp took the silver and said with a fawning smile, "Please come in, gentlemen! This is your token, please keep it safe." As he spoke, a maid in pink came forward and gave Zhao Wei a round wooden token.
The group followed the pimp into the main hall of Miaojin Pavilion. Song Ce found that the setting of this brothel was completely different from what he had seen in TV dramas before. If he had to describe it, Miaojin Pavilion was a luxurious and exquisite elegant residence.
The first thing that came into view was a lotus-shaped platform paved with white bricks, with a beaded curtain separating the musicians from the guests. Through the beaded curtain, Song Ce could vaguely see what appeared to be a woman in yellow playing a soothing and melodious tune.
On either side of the lotus platform are the seating areas for guests, with each table about a meter apart and separated by floor-standing screens. The screens are painted with beautiful women in elegant attire, adding a unique charm.
Perhaps noticing their unfamiliar faces, the pimp proudly led the way, saying, "This must be your first time here, gentlemen. I'm not exaggerating, all the decorations and furniture in our Miaojin Pavilion are made of the finest sandalwood, the pillars are cast in gold, and even the lamps for guiding the way are made of crystal and jade, which can shine at night!"
Following the direction the pimp pointed, everyone saw that the pillars on both sides were decorated with openwork landscape and pavilion lanterns. Song Ce took a closer look and, sure enough, there were glowing luminous pearls inside.
Seeing Song Ce's surprised expression, Zhao Wei and Chen Haoren exchanged a glance and looked amused.
Further to either side, you'll find elegant rooms draped with light gauze curtains. The brightly colored silk curtains are embroidered with a bamboo forest in the mountains using silver thread, and hollowed-out jade pomegranate incense balls hang on both sides of the curtains, making them look extremely elegant.
"Gentlemen, we have arrived at the bamboo chamber."
The pimp waved his hand, and a maidservant, with keen insight, lifted the gauze curtain of the bamboo room and ushered the group into the private room. Then, she used a ribbon of the same color to secure the layers of gauze curtain on both sides, leaving only a thin, light gauze curtain hanging down, which could ensure privacy while allowing a clear view of what was happening outside.
When the music ended, the self-proclaimed romantic scholars seated on either side of the lotus platform, feeling penniless, wrote sentimental poems praising the musician and asked their maids to send them to the stage. The wealthy young men in the private rooms, who were not short of money, were much more direct, simply sending silver up to the stage.
The maidservants serving them poured wine for each of them in turn. After Song Ce thanked them, he heard a scholar in a gray robe say, "I didn't expect that Brother Song is not only outstanding in talent and appearance, but also has a tender and gentle nature. He speaks so softly to a maidservant."
The speaker was named Sun Tan, and he was on good terms with Zhao Wei. Upon hearing Sun Tan's words, Zhao Wei smiled and replied, "Brother Song is a scholar; showing tenderness and affection to a woman is a refined matter. Brother Sun was joking; please don't take it to heart!"
"Brother Song has a great capacity for tolerance, how could I possibly hold a grudge against you? Come, let's all toast Brother Song!" Chen Haoren stood up, holding his wine glass, and said with a smile.
Zhao Wei, Sun Tan, and the student named Yu Lou all stood up and raised their wine cups to Song Ce.
Song Ce smiled, picked up the wine glass in front of him, stood up and nodded slightly: "Brothers, please."
Seeing that Song Ce was sitting upright, Chen Haoren laughed and said, "Brother Song, we're here to relax, not to take an exam. Relax." After saying that, he waved to the pimp waiting outside, took out a silver ingot and handed it to him: "Call two girls to serve you."
The pimp took the silver, weighed it in his hand, readily agreed, and quickly turned to find the madam.
Before long, the madam of Miaojin Pavilion brought two beautiful and well-mannered girls over to pay their respects.
"Gentlemen," the madam said, pointing to the girl on the left. "This is Miss Qiuqing, who is skilled at playing the zither." She then pulled the girl on the right forward a step. "This is Miss Bishuang, who is skilled at poetry."
Miao Jin Ge was quite perceptive in this regard. Generally, when these scholars came, unless they made a special request or had a specific girl in mind, the madam would bring a good girl to pay her respects.
The two girls' bowing posture was very standard, clearly showing they had practiced diligently. Chen Haoren was very satisfied and waved for the madam to leave.
“Miss Bishuang, my brother Song is the youngest scholar in Qingzhou. His knowledge and insight are first-rate. Why don’t you go and ask him for some pointers?”
Bi Shuang bowed again, sat down in front of Song Ce, and said softly, "I'm sorry to bother you, young master."
The young lady Bishuang wore quite heavy makeup, especially after she sat down next to him; the fragrance made him feel a little dizzy. Seeing Qiuqing standing there alone, Sun Tan beckoned her to sit down in front of him and said with a smile, "I would like to trouble Miss Qiuqing to play a tune."
Qiu Qing nodded, gently plucked the strings, and a melodious and ethereal melody slowly rose into the air.
Zhao Wei, having received Chen Haoren's hint, stood up with great shrewdness and said loudly, "Sitting here like this is boring. We are all scholars, so let's play an elegant game, how about we change the word order?"
“Very beautiful, very beautiful.” Sun Tan took over and said with a smile, “It is already a wonderful thing that we have just met the two young ladies. Miss Bishuang is also good at writing poetry, so let Miss Bishuang be the official in charge of the event!”
He then bowed to Bi Shuang.
Bi Shuang smiled and agreed, taking a wooden carved fortune-telling tube from a small table. The fortune-telling sticks were carved with various common patterns. The official first asked the person receiving the fortune to draw a stick, and the poem they composed had to match the meaning of the stick they drew. For example, if they drew a stick with a peach blossom pattern, their poem had to contain words related to peach blossoms. These poems could be self-written or quoted from ancient sages. Once the person receiving the fortune had a reasonable and self-consistent explanation, they could designate someone to drink a cup of wine. Those whose answers were not neat or far-fetched were penalized with one cup, and those who were speechless or unable to respond were penalized with two cups.
Bi Shuang walked to Song Ce, who was closest to her, and said shyly, "Please draw lots, Young Master Song."
Song Ce randomly drew a wooden stick from the divination tube, then showed it to everyone before placing it on the table.
It is a "Spring" fortune slip.
Song Ce recited: "The face is gone, I know not where; the rapeseed flowers still smile in the spring breeze."
The student named Yu Lou laughed and said, "Brother Song, this poem clearly describes peach blossoms, why did you change it to rapeseed flowers?"
Song Ce smiled and said, "It's because the peach blossoms have all faded and the rapeseed flowers have bloomed."
"Wonderful! Truly wonderful!" Yu Lou clapped his hands and praised Song Ce. Song Ce smiled slightly at Chen Haoren, "Then please, Brother Chen, drink this cup to the brim!"
Chen Haoren knew from Song Ce's smile that he was definitely planning to trick him. This guy was clearly full of bad intentions, so how could he have any classmates who were deceived by him?
After thinking about his plan, Chen Haoren didn't refuse and drank the wine in one gulp.
Bi Shuang walked over to Zhao Wei and presented him with a divination tube with a smile. Zhao Wei deliberately touched Bi Shuang's fair right hand before slowly drawing a divination stick to show everyone.
Fortunately, the fortune slip was for the character "菊" (chrysanthemum).
Zhao Wei deliberately hesitated for a moment, then said, "When the Double Ninth Festival arrives, I will come again to admire the chrysanthemum leaves." Yu Lou asked again, puzzled, "What is the meaning of changing chrysanthemums to chrysanthemum leaves?"
Zhao Wei smiled smugly, “Indeed: there’s no need for chrysanthemums to bloom here.”
Yu Lou nodded and offered a few more words of praise as usual. Zhao Wei then smiled and sat down, saying to Song Ce, "Brother Song, please!"
Song Ce nodded and drank the wine in front of him.
Sun Tan drew the "Sparrow" lot. He shook his head and said, "A sparrow soars into the clear sky." After saying that, he looked towards Yu Tower.
Yu Lou, ever the quick-witted one, asked, "Please enlighten me, Brother Sun."
A note from the author:
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The "Changing Character Order" originated in the Han Dynasty. (Source: Baidu and historical records. Please save if you like it. Thank you for your support.)
Special note: The sentence that has been the subject of much debate among the little angels: "The rapeseed flowers still smile in the spring breeze"—this is a word-changing game, where "peach" is replaced with "vegetable." It's just one character changed, and there's an explanation that it's taken from Liu Yuxi's poem: "Half of the hundred-acre courtyard is covered in moss; the peach blossoms are gone, but the rapeseed flowers are in bloom." So, this word-changing game involves replacing the character for "peach" with the character for "vegetable." As long as you can find a corresponding line of poetry to justify it, you win.
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