Chapter 182 Look at that pipa player, who does he look like?
Soon, the news that Su Xiaoyu had been conferred the title of county princess spread like wildfire throughout the capital, becoming a popular topic of conversation among the people.
After all, Su Xiaoyu's background was what it was. She was a servant girl born into a marquis's household. By saving the emperor, she rose to become a county princess with a title. Ordinary noble ladies would have to bow to her.
This truly proves the old saying: "A carp leaps over the dragon gate, and a noblewoman emerges from a humble family."
Some people were envious, some were amazed, and some privately gossiped and scoffed, thinking it was just a lucky break, that she was unworthy of her position, and that they were waiting to see Su Xiaoyu make a fool of herself at the banquet.
While the outside world was in turmoil, Su Xiaoyu was worrying about the clothes and jewelry she would wear to the banquet the next day. Having previously worked at the Marquis's residence, she knew that everything about attending a banquet—clothing, accessories, and jewelry—needed to be prepared from scratch.
Just as she was wondering where to buy some decent clothes and jewelry, an uninvited guest arrived at the gate of the general's mansion.
"Miss Lingxi? What brings you here?" Su Xiaoyu asked, somewhat surprised.
Inside the carriage, Xiao Lingxi explained the reason: "I heard that the Princess sent you an invitation, which is the first one in the capital. My... cough, I thought that since you just moved out, you probably don't have any suitable clothes. Since we have nothing else to do, I'll take you to pick out some nice outfits. We can't let down our Marquis's mansion... you are now the county princess!"
Seeing how enthusiastic she was, Su Xiaoyu felt a warmth in her heart and readily accepted her kindness.
"Thank you, Miss Lingxi."
The two first went to the most famous clothing store in the capital. Xiao Lingxi had a sharp eye and chose clothes not for their most flamboyant designs, but for those made of superior materials, with excellent tailoring and colors that would make her skin look fair and her temperament more elegant.
She picked out a set of light blue ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) embroidered with magnolia branches for Su Xiaoyu, which was elegant yet noble. She also picked out a set of begonia red jacket and skirt with gold and white butterflies, which was bright and beautiful without being vulgar. Even her everyday clothes were extremely beautiful.
Afterwards, the two went to jewelry shops and cosmetic shops. After a shopping spree, Chun Tao, the maid behind Su Xiaoyu, was carrying large and small bags, her face flushed with exhaustion.
When Xiao Lingxi finally watched Su Xiaoyu try on her new clothes and accessories in the private room, Su Xiaoyu's appearance made even the shopkeeper and maid stare in disbelief.
The girl in front of me still had the same face, a round and pleasing face, but her makeup made her even more charming and lovely. Her almond-shaped eyes were bright and sparkling, and the hair ornament on her head swayed gently with her movements, rippling with tiny sparkles.
The girl before me was no longer the gluttonous little maid, but a beautiful and refined young noblewoman with a budding elegance. She possessed both the charm of a young girl and a quiet grace tempered by the world.
"Wow! Look at this, now that's more like it! Clothes make the man, and a saddle makes the horse, that saying is so true!" Xiao Lingxi exclaimed sincerely.
"If I were to see you looking like this..."
She abruptly stopped speaking, a hint of unease flashing across her face, before quickly changing her words: "Oh dear, I mean, if you dressed like this for the flower viewing banquet tomorrow, wouldn't you outshine all those self-proclaimed beautiful young ladies at the banquet? You'd definitely charm a whole bunch of young men."
But secretly, he was thinking that he must remind his older brother to be on guard when he got back tonight.
We absolutely cannot let Xiaoyu be 'snatched' away at tomorrow's banquet.
Su Xiaoyu felt a little embarrassed by her teasing, and her cheeks flushed slightly.
"Miss Lingxi is teasing me again. It's just a change of clothes, why make such a fuss?"
"I'm going to the banquet tomorrow. I don't need to stand out, just be polite."
"I know, our Lady of Jiahe is just being modest," Xiao Lingxi said with a smile. She then took Su Xiaoyu's arm and suggested:
"We've been walking around for so long, our legs are getting sore. I know there's a teahouse next door. I heard they recently got a new opera troupe, and their plays are quite interesting. Let's go rest our legs, have some tea, and listen to the opera. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"
Su Xiaoyu was also tired from shopping, so she nodded in agreement and instructed Chun Tao to load the things onto the carriage first. She then went with Xiao Lingxi to the teahouse next door.
Inside 'Yue Ming Xuan', the aroma of tea wafted through the air, yet the noise was not deafening. In the center of the main hall stood an exquisite stage, with several elegant seats scattered below it.
The two of them requested a private room on the second floor by the window, which offered a clear view of the performance on stage while avoiding too many views from below – a perfect location.
The two ordered a pot of fine Biluochun tea, and the show on stage began. It was a newly adapted play about a talented scholar and a beautiful woman. Su Xiaoyu didn't really enjoy this kind of opera and was getting a little sleepy while watching it.
Xiao Lingxi, however, watched with great interest, occasionally offering a few comments, thoroughly enjoying herself.
Finally, after the song ended, a few scattered applause rang out from the audience. The teahouse owner went on stage, beaming with smiles, and announced that the next segment was the 'talent show,' inviting all guests to watch. If a performance received a standing ovation, the teahouse would give away a pot of fine tea and a serving of their signature dim sum for free.
This was a new way for the teahouse to attract customers. One after another, some daring women took to the stage to perform, singing or dancing, winning rounds of applause. The atmosphere was even more lively than when they were watching the play earlier.
Meanwhile, Xiao Lingxi was eating melon seeds and watching with great interest when her gaze was suddenly drawn to a woman holding a pipa who had just come on stage.
The woman was slender and graceful, dressed in a light red gauze dress. Her head was bowed, her dark hair partially obscuring her face. When she raised her hand and plucked the strings, revealing a glimpse of her fair chin and the familiar profile of her face, Xiao Lingxi abruptly sat bolt upright, her eyes widening in shock!
"Little, Little Fish, look!" Xiao Lingxi whispered, tugging at Su Xiaoyu's sleeve.
"Look at that person playing the pipa, who does he look like?"
Su Xiaoyu followed the gaze and saw that the woman on the stage was skilled, and the sound of her pipa was like jade falling onto a plate, melancholic and lingering, which formed a strange contrast with the slightly gaudy gauze dress she was wearing.
But when the woman raised her head, revealing a face that, while pretty, couldn't hide her haggardness and numbness, Su Xiaoyu was also taken aback!
"That's... Miss Du?"
That's the sworn enemy who always liked to oppose the second young lady and couldn't stand each other.
"Wasn't she engaged to Young Master Shen?"
"That's right, it's her!" Xiao Lingxi said gloatingly, her face showing a triumphant expression as if she had gotten her revenge.
"You don't know yet, do you? Right after the autumn hunt, Minister Du was implicated in the case of the rebel king. He was found guilty of embezzlement and forming cliques for personal gain. His family has been raided and he has been imprisoned. All the men have been exiled, and the women have been sent to the brothel as slaves! Du Tingting is no longer a young lady of noble birth; she is now of lowly status."
Women from the Jiaofangsi (a government-run entertainment institution) were often sent to various teahouses and taverns to sing and perform, earning money in the process.
"What goes around comes around! No one escapes the judgment of Heaven! Look at how arrogant she used to be, always going against me. I never thought she'd end up like this! It's truly gratifying!" Xiao Lingxi exclaimed.
Su Xiaoyu listened quietly, her gaze fixed on Du Tingting on the stage, who was mechanically playing the pipa, as if her soul had been ripped away. She felt little pleasure, only a complex mix of emotions.
Life's encounters are truly unpredictable.
Yesterday she was a high-ranking daughter of an official, today she's reduced to a lowly courtesan for all to see. Power and wealth are like fleeting clouds; when they're in favor, you soar to the heavens, but when they're gone, you're plunged into the mire.
While Du Tingting certainly has her hateful aspects, her tragic end is truly lamentable.
On this side, Du Tingting had just stepped off the stage and hadn't even had a chance to catch her breath when she was stopped by a minor official from the Jiaofangsi (a government-run entertainment institution) dressed in a short blue jacket.
"Miss Du, Master Zhang upstairs has taken a liking to you. He specifically requests that you come over and play a piece for him alone, and the reward is quite generous!"
Du Tingting stiffened, her fingertips gripping the pipa strings tightly. "I'm not going."
Even if she were reduced to a lowly status, she would rather not be treated as a plaything and summoned at will.
"Not going?"
The official's smile vanished instantly, and his tone turned cold.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com