Chapter 299 Pei Shisan Niang
Lead the distinguished guest to the entrance of the secluded courtyard.
The pretty maidservant finished her task, bowed her head, and quietly withdrew.
Not far away, she turned past a small artificial hill and pond, passed through a screen wall, and entered a dark courtyard next to the secluded orchid courtyard.
The lights were off in the small courtyard next door.
The pretty maidservant silently walked inside.
In the pitch-black hall, a noblewoman in a black dress draped in purple and gold sat alone, her face veiled, head tilted back and eyes closed.
A melodious pipa tune drifted from the brightly lit plum grove courtyard next door into the dark hall.
The lady in the black dress seemed absorbed in the sound of the pipa, paying no attention to the person who had come from outside.
"Madam Pei."
The pretty maidservant called out cautiously, knelt obediently, and began to report:
"The Chief Secretary has brought Lady Qin into his courtyard."
The noblewoman surnamed Pei seemed not to hear what was said. She remained motionless, slightly raised her chin, turned her head towards the plum grove courtyard, and listened intently with her eyes closed.
The pretty maidservant lowered her head deeply, not daring to utter a sound.
The sound of a pipa lingered in the unlit lobby for a while.
Pei Shisan Niang, who had been listening intently, suddenly spoke:
Why is there still the sound of a pipa?
Her voice was languid and magnetic, with a slight soft Wu dialect accent.
At this moment, a small, round face with its eyes closed was full of confusion.
The pretty maid was slightly taken aback: "Huh?"
Pei Shisan Niang frowned slightly, then suddenly changed the subject:
"Did this Chief Secretary say anything on the way you brought him here?"
The pretty maid thought for a moment and answered truthfully, "The master asked for my name and then didn't say anything more."
In the darkness, Pei Shisan Niang opened her eyes, looked at the pretty maidservant in front of her, and asked the same question:
"May I have your name?"
"Reporting to Madam, my nickname is Hongxiao."
Pei Shisan Niang stood up, circled Hongxiao once, and then stopped behind her, raising her jade-like hand high:
"Smack—!"
With a crisp sound, a slap landed squarely on the maid Hongxiao's bottom.
"Ah!" Hongxiao exclaimed.
Pei Shisan Niang nodded to herself: "She has a nice, perky bottom and knows how to dress. The skirt is cut very tight to accentuate her figure. Heh."
He chuckled and offered his comments.
Hongxiao looked stunned.
Pei Shisan Niang, whose arms were draped with a floor-length purple-gold shawl, suddenly pointed with her index finger to the secluded orchid courtyard next door, where the faint sound of a pipa could still be heard, and said calmly:
"She took off her skirt, removed her bodice and underpants, brought a plate of pastries, went in naked, knelt down and begged the Chief Secretary to enjoy the delicious food."
Hongxiao's face flushed red to her ears, and she knelt on the ground, her voice trembling: "This lowly servant is but a withered branch and a fallen leaf, how could I possibly be worthy of the young and promising Chief Secretary? I... I dare not bring shame upon myself."
Pei Shisan Niang looked down at her, her voice cold: "How old are you?"
"This servant is twenty-eight years old this year."
Pei Shisan Niang chuckled: "Heh, no matter how old a man is, he will always like girls who are eighteen or twenty-eight."
He paused for a moment, then said, "Unless there's some kind of unusual fetish. Qin Siyu is a bit too young, eighteen won't do, so let's try twenty-eight."
She pinched the pretty maid's chin, her tone indifferent:
"Alright, take off your clothes and bring out the plates. Let's go inside while the pipa music from next door hasn't stopped yet."
Hongxiao's face turned bright red as she desperately kowtowed:
"Madam Pei, I beg you, please spare me. I came here at eighteen and have been here for ten years. I have always been cautious and have never done anything wrong. My master has taken pity on me and has tacitly allowed me to refuse to sell myself..."
"After the winter solstice at the end of this year, I will redeem myself and return to my hometown. Madam Pei, please let me go. I know all the young ladies in the brothel who are willing to sell themselves. I can call them over for you right away. They will definitely satisfy you and the Chief Secretary."
Bang bang bang—!
A series of muffled kowtows echoed through the hall from the pretty maidservants.
Pei Shisan Niang looked at her with a strange expression:
"Why would you kowtow to me? I would never ask the owner of Xunyang Tower to force you. I never do such vulgar things. I am a merchant. It is consensual. This is the top rule of our Yangzhou merchant group."
"Our ancestors said that when traveling the world, one should be harmonious to make money, and one should not force others to buy or sell."
Pei Shisan Niang shook her head.
"real?!"
Hongxiao was startled, then immediately knelt down, hugged her legs beneath the black skirt, wiped her eyes, and said timidly:
"Madam, please spare me... After I marry into a respectable family, I will definitely burn incense and pray to Buddha for you every day,"
"Okay." Pei Shisan Niang nodded, patted the head of the pretty maid with a pert bottom at her feet, and smiled, saying:
“I didn’t expect that you, a mere maid, would also ‘sell your art but not your body,’ just like the young lady Qin next door. Jiangzhou is indeed quite different from our Yangzhou. I remember who said it again, ‘The scenery of Mount Lu is so beautiful that it cultivates a noble and virtuous character.’”
Hongxiao forced a smile and agreed a few times.
Pei Shisan Niang pushed her head away and turned her back to walk towards the door.
Hongxiao exhaled carefully and wiped away her sweat.
The next instant, a magnetic, languid voice belonging to a noblewoman drifted in, accompanied by the faint sound of a pipa from next door, reaching Hongxiao's ears:
Thirty taels.
Hongxiao was stunned.
Pei Shisan Niang continued to quote calmly: "One hundred taels."
Hongxiao's mouth opened wide.
Without much pause, the noblewoman's voice drifted over:
Five hundred taels.
A slight pause:
"If five hundred taels isn't enough, then one thousand taels will do. If one thousand taels still isn't enough, then two thousand taels will do. Right now, go in naked and carry the tray inside. After tonight, you can take two thousand taels back to your hometown."
The lobby was deathly silent.
Finding no sound behind her, Pei Shisan Niang pouted:
"Three thousand taels."
In the center of the dark hall, a pretty maidservant knelt on the ground, dumbfounded, her expression unreadable.
"You won't even go for three thousand taels?"
Pei Shisan Niang did not turn around, but smiled and nodded:
"Very well, then I'll have to deliver it myself. However, the price of three thousand taels per delivery is valid for one hour. If you change your mind, you can come to my place next door."
Pei Shisan Niang smiled, carrying a plate of pastries, and slowly walked out of the dark hall.
He acted as if nothing had happened, showing no sign of anger.
She walked towards the courtyard gate with a normal expression.
Before she had taken two steps, a figure suddenly rushed out from the dark hall behind her and hurriedly stopped Pei Shisan Niang.
"Madam Pei! I'll go, I'm willing to take off my clothes and go!"
Hongxiao's face was flushed an unnatural red, and her hands trembled as she anxiously reached out to take the plate of pastries, worth as much as gold, from the hands of the noblewoman in the purple and gold robe in front of her.
She missed her target.
It turned out that Pei Shisan Niang had nimbly stepped back to dodge, holding the plate in one hand, tilting her head and smiling:
"Didn't you say you only sell your art, not your body? Didn't you want to redeem yourself and marry into a respectable family? Are you sure you want to go? I never force anyone, and Qin Siyu next door can vouch for that."
"Yes, yes, yes! It was my own choice."
Hongxiao nodded vigorously, as if to prove it, and began to undress in the open courtyard, unafraid of the biting winter wind.
Her fingers trembled as she untied her belt and took off her clothes one by one. Although the cold wind was blowing against her back, Hongxiao felt burning hot all over.
She swallowed hard and asked in a low voice:
"Madam, when will you give me the three thousand taels...?"
Pei Shisan Niang shook her head to interrupt, and held up one finger:
"It's not three thousand taels now. It's taken so long and it's not very convenient. I'll only pay one thousand taels."
Hongxiao's flushed face froze.
"This servant...this servant..." she stammered, her face full of regret, trying to explain.
Pei Shisan Niang extended the tray of pastries in her hand, gesturing for her to take it, and asked in a casual tone:
"Are you going to do it or not? Why are you being so indecisive?"
"Yes! One thousand taels, this servant will do it!"
Hongxiao hurriedly reached for the pastry tray, but her hands grasped nothing.
Suddenly, Pei Shisan Niang's expression changed, and she dodged away, coldly avoiding the impatient Hong Xiao, and walked towards the courtyard exit, uttering a sarcastic remark:
"Don't you even look in the mirror? Do you think you deserve a thousand taels? You lowly thing, I can only offer a hundred taels at most. If you don't do it, there are plenty of others who will. There are plenty of prostitutes in Xunyang Tower, and I've kept a bunch of Yangzhou's slender horses. I can buy two good ones for a hundred taels."
"It's only one hundred taels. If you want to do it, kneel down, crawl over, and take the plate. If you don't want to do it, get out of here immediately."
After a series of dramatic ups and downs, like a bolt from the blue, the pretty maid fell to the ground.
Pei Shisan Niang didn't even glance at her. She carried the tray and left the courtyard with leisurely steps and an unhurried expression. As expected, just as she reached the courtyard gate, she felt her calves being tightly hugged by two arms again.
"Madam Pei, I'll do it, I'll even pay a hundred taels, please, Madam, give this lowly servant a chance..."
Hongxiao buried her head deep in her hands, her voice hoarse.
Pei Shisan Niang bent down, patted the obedient head below, and finally smiled as she handed over the pastry tray.
"That's more like it, much better than Qin Siyu, and it saves a lot of time too." She patted Hongxiao's lowered head.
"Let's go, don't keep the Chief Secretary waiting. It's more interesting to have someone like you with a virtuous air. Don't change the uniform of the beautiful maid in Xunyang Tower; men all like this kind of proper attire."
A moment later, a white figure carrying a tray walked shakily into the secluded courtyard.
Pei Shisan Niang straightened the purple-gold shawl she loved on her arm, and a bright smile suddenly appeared on her face.
She's good at spending money, and she's also good at making money.
Tonight is no different.
...
Inside the secluded courtyard, the main hall was brightly lit.
Ouyang Rong stepped inside.
All around was a familiar pipa melody, being played by the world-weary-faced young woman, but it was slightly different from the way Qin Xiaoniangzi played, which Yuan Huaimin had vividly described to him every day when he was on duty.
Ouyang Rong silently raised his hand and supported his waist knife.
I checked several times to make sure I wasn't seeing things.
He glanced at Qin Xiaoniangzi, who was completely open with him and treated him like family.
Yes, I guessed correctly. This world-weary courtesan is not only very thin from the outside, but also from the inside. She's thin not only from above, but also from below...
Ouyang Rong looked away.
Anyway, with her melancholy, furrowed brows, and world-weary little face, in her previous life, she would have been called a sophisticated, slender beauty.
Furthermore, he was now quite certain that tonight's events had nothing to do with Yuan Huaimin, and besides... he figured it was best not to tell his friend, who was a fan of celebrities, about it...
The lobby was filled with lamps and candles, all free of charge, making it incredibly bright. Light from all directions shone on Qin Siyu, making her shine like a white sheep, revealing every detail.
She bowed her head deeply, clutching a pipa tightly, barely able to cover one of the white rabbits, leaving the other one exposed.
The beautiful woman playing the pipa was about to rise and greet her.
"Keep playing, don't stop yet."
Ouyang Rong waved his hand to stop her, then looked at her again, his hand on his waist knife, and circled the hall once.
It was confirmed that no "spectators" were hiding.
Ouyang Rong turned back.
He walked directly to Qin Xiaoniangzi, pinched the pipa player's chin, and carefully examined her melancholy, furrowed brows, and world-weary face.
There was no sign of her being manipulated or delirious; instead, her eyes, which she avoided looking away in shame, were bloodshot, as if she had been crying. Even with light makeup, her red eyes were hard to hide.
Ouyang Rong took off his outer robe and casually tossed it onto her and the pipa.
He turned his body to the side, keeping his eyes straight ahead.
What's so attractive about someone with that world-weary face and supermodel-like skinny, flat-chested look from their past life?
Ouyang Rong shook his head. This is called being young and not knowing how good "Junior Sister" is, mistaking her skinny appearance for a treasure.
Qin Xiaoniang hugged the masculine-looking blue and white robe with both hands, biting her lip in a daze: "My lord..."
"Shh, shut up and don't come near me."
"A silly girl who's very important to me might be coming over soon. If there's a misunderstanding, I might not see the sun rise tomorrow, but you'll definitely be unlucky before me, and you won't even be able to see the moon..."
The senior disciple, whose hand had never left the sword at his waist, curled his lip and continued rambling:
“Now listen to me. Tonight I was only invited here by you. I happened to see you playing the pipa, seemingly seeking relief from the heat or having some strange habit, with barely any clothes covering your body. I did not force you, and even kindly gave you clothes to cover your shame.”
He glanced at the tea set on the table, poured himself a cup of tea, and gently handed it to the table.
"Now that you've finished speaking, it's your turn. If you really have some strange quirks, just drink the tea and I'll leave immediately as if nothing happened. If someone is coercing you, just nod and consider it an urgent report to be handled by me. It's the end of the year, so let me boost my performance record."
Qin Xiaoniangzi quickly shook her head and did not drink the tea.
Ouyang Rong stared at her furrowed brows for a while, then suddenly nodded:
"Alright, I understand. Go and summon your master. Speak frankly and don't beat around the bush."
With a casual instruction, Ouyang Rong went to sit down and began drinking tea.
Lady Qin looked dejected: "My lord is not satisfied with my body, which has remained chaste for over ten years?"
Women's focus has always been rather strange.
Ouyang Rong remained silent.
Just then, a pale figure walked in from outside.
He turned his head and saw the pretty maid named Hongxiao.
She walked in naked, carrying a plate of pastries in both hands. She knelt down in front of him, her ears blood red, and presented the pastries to him.
"You all like to cool off, right?" Ouyang Rong shrugged helplessly. "I don't have any extra clothes."
Hongxiao and Qin Xiaoniangzi were instantly filled with shame.
The music from the pipa in the latter's arms also stopped at the right time.
Ouyang Rong turned his head and said calmly, "If you don't come out now, I'm leaving, and don't ever come out again."
"The Chief Secretary truly lives up to his reputation as a virtuous and upright man, whose character is exemplary and worthy of respect."
A laugh preceded the greeting.
A noblewoman in a purple and gold robe walked in gracefully from outside, curtsied, and said, "You may call me Lady Pei, Lord Chief Secretary."
"So you're testing me with this?" Ouyang Rong asked expressionlessly, silently taking the skirt knife from his waist where no one could see him under the table and pressing it against his abdomen.
He is, after all, a normal man.
"You really don't guard against gentlemen," he exclaimed.
Pei Shisan Niang covered her mouth and chuckled, then suddenly her expression changed, and she turned to speak sharply:
"Who told you to stop playing the pipa? Didn't you know that Lord Changshi enjoys listening to music?"
She stepped forward, raised her hand, and slapped Qin Siyu across the face: "You lowly servant, you can't even play the pipa properly!"
Qin Siyu fell down and covered her face sadly.
Pei Shisan Niang was about to slap him again when she suddenly found that she couldn't exert any force. She turned her head and saw that her wrist was being firmly grasped by a large hand that looked like an iron clamp.
Ouyang Rong nodded and said, "The young lady is as beautiful as a flower, but this lady must not be treated harshly."
"Madam?" Pei Shisan Niang stiffened slightly, glancing sideways at the young magistrate's enigmatic smile. The next instant, she lowered her head obediently, her eyes alluring, and pouted sweetly.
"So, young master likes this kind of thing, and enjoys playing the role of an elder?"
“…?” Ouyang Rong.
(End of this chapter)
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