Chapter 34: Haunted "My husband has always been responsive to my requests."
It rained suddenly last night. Although it cleared up early today, the floor tiles are not completely dry yet, and a whiff of earthy smell wafts in the breeze.
There is an attic in the house named "Dexian". It has excellent lighting. The second floor is filled with ancient books and historical documents that are almost as tall as a person. Although the first floor is not very spacious, it has all the necessary desks and writing materials. Therefore, Zhu Haoshun uses it as his study. He usually reconciles accounts and does embroidery here. Therefore, there are also many fabrics displayed on the wooden shelves on both sides.
Zhu Hao was holding a piece of crimson fine linen satin, and following the needle's strokes, she faintly sketched out a budding flower branch. Zhu Hao's two fingers were twisting a silver needle, but his mind was wandering somewhere unknown.
Recalling two days ago, after Liu Rutang heard Zhu Hao's opinion, she met Song Xieqing. Although she did not give an immediate answer, she did not reject it immediately. Liu Rutang was more or less shaken. She told Zhu Hao that she still needed some time to make a choice.
Zhu Hao just laughed it off. After all, Liu Rutang must be more anxious than her, and the time he would take to consider would probably not be too long, otherwise she wouldn't have to rush to sell the clothing store.
As for why Song Xieqing got through this...
Thinking of this, Zhu Hao's eyebrows curved. Although Song Xieqing did not grant all her requests, he would not refuse if he showed up at Mingyue Tower that day and made a box of lipstick for her.
At that moment, a scream broke into Zhu Hao's inner ear. She was in a trance and her finger technique of twisting the needle was extremely casual. When Zhu Hao heard the scream, she rubbed the silver needle directly against the side of her finger. Immediately, a drop of blood popped out.
She didn't have time to cry out in pain. She dropped the cloth and needle and ran out of the door. Seeing Miaoli still standing safely in the inner courtyard, Zhu Hao finally breathed a sigh of relief.
However, her chest and lungs were in pain due to her rapid running. She held her chest and coughed softly. It was not until Miaoli smoothed her back that she felt a little better.
After such a toss, Zhu Hao's face turned red and white, sweat broke out on her forehead, and she gasped and asked Miao Li: "What's wrong?"
Miaoli's face suddenly showed a strange expression. She didn't look directly at Zhu Hao, but stared at a rocking chair by the pool.
Zhu Hao followed her gaze and frowned, "What's wrong with the rocking chair? Just say it straight."
Miaoli then trembled and said, "Sister, our house... must be haunted!" She swallowed hard, shaking like a sieve. "Sister, do you remember the Jade Dew Balls from yesterday? I clearly made four! I put them in the kitchen and just swept the inner courtyard for a while, and when I came back, only three were left! I thought I had misremembered it, but today, I remember it clearly. I clearly moved the rocking chair under the pomegranate tree, and in the blink of an eye, it ran to the pond by itself! Just now, there was clearly no wind, but it was still... rocking by itself!"
"Sister, how about we ask a Taoist priest to exorcise the evil spirits?" Miao Li grabbed Zhu Hao's hand and said in a panic, "Isn't this house of ours quite old? It's said to have been left by a nobleman from the previous dynasty. The house is certainly nice and comfortable to live in, but... an old house this old is bound to be invaded by filth..."
Zhu Hao was stunned for a moment, then laughed for no apparent reason. She patted Miaoli's hand and said comfortingly, "Alright, little Miaoli, leave this matter to me. There's no need to be afraid. Where are ghosts in the world? You can see those who pretend to be ghosts."
Miaoli didn't understand the hidden meaning of Zhu Hao's words, and was about to ask in detail when they heard a knock on the door.
Miaoli was inevitably still feeling anxious because of what had just happened. She hid behind Zhu Hao and saw Zhu Hao opening the door wide. Outside the threshold stood a pretty little girl. She was wearing an extraordinary pearl hairpin, but her pair of flowery shoes were stained with mud. She looked a little younger than Miaoli.
The visitor bowed and greeted her. She had a charming smile. Although she was young, her eyes and eyebrows had a charming charm that made it difficult to look away. "My name is Yusha, and I am the maid of Miss Qiao Mei in Baihua Tower."
Baihua Tower? Zhu Hao was stunned. Baihua Tower was the only brothel in Huaicheng, and its reputation spread far and wide across the counties of Linzhou. Many nobles came here to admire its reputation. The young lady Qiao Mei mentioned by Yusha sounded familiar to her, but Zhu Hao couldn't remember any connection between herself and Baihua Tower. Why was she looking for her for no reason?
Miao Li guessed that Zhu Hao didn't understand this, so she reminded him, "Madam Qiao Mei is the most famous musician among the courtesans at Baihua Tower! She can play a qin tune that can carry thousands of miles!"
Zhu Hao was so absorbed in sewing and weaving that how could he have heard of these affairs? Miao Li had been a servant since childhood, and Zhu Lanxiang had often conducted business at the Zhu residence, where many of her guests were grown men, who would occasionally talk about their affairs. She had more or less heard of Qiao Mei's fame.
Miao Li explained, "There are two types of prostitutes in Baihualou: Qingguan and Hongguan. Qingguan only sell their art and not their bodies. The head of the music prostitutes is called Yuekui. In addition, there are also Wukui, Jiukui, etc. Hongguan are prostitutes who sell their bodies for a living, and the top one is called Huakui."
"The faces of the most virtuous courtesans should not be glanced at casually. Firstly, courtesans only sell their art, not their bodies, and their looks are often inferior, which might put off the guests. They only play music covered with veils. Secondly, courtesans are innocent. If they are redeemed, since they have never been seen in public before, if they become good wives, they will be free from gossip."
"Baihualou has a rule that only those who work all day and those who redeem their liberties can see the true appearance of the courtesans. Speaking of Miss Qiao Mei, not only is she a brilliant konghou player, but it's also said that even though she's covered in a veil, her beauty can't be concealed. Those who have had the pleasure of personally witnessing her have said that the music queen's beauty can outshine even the most beautiful courtesans and flower girls! She's truly the most famous person in Huaicheng!"
Zhu Hao measured the Yu Sha in front of him. She was indeed the head of the courtesans. The girl who accompanied her was also quite pretty. Zhu Hao asked, "Miss Qiao Mei wants to see me?"
Yusha shook her head, "No, it's me who wants to see Madam Zhu."
Zhu Hao nodded, and Miaoli understood. She invited Yusa into the house and sat down. Miaoli brewed a pot of spring tea for the two of them and placed it on a small table. She glanced at the rocking chair nearby, and after making sure that everything was fine, she bowed and left.
The aroma of tea filled the air. Zhu Hao gestured for Yusha to help herself, then asked, "Does your master need clothes tailored?"
Yusa shook her head again.
Zhu Hao put down the teacup and stopped asking questions, waiting for Yu Shaju to tell the story.
Yusha lowered her head, noticing that the mud from under her shoes had stained the brick floor of the inner courtyard. She said apologetically, "I will clean the tiles for Miss Miaoli before I leave."
Best wishes: "No problem."
Even though it rained heavily last night, the city is mostly paved with stone bricks. How could a short walk have soiled his shoes like this? Furthermore, Baihua Tower was located in the most affluent part of the city, only half an hour away from Zhu Hao's residence. Therefore, Zhu Hao was baffled by the thin mud on Yusha's soles.
The ancient pomegranate tree in the courtyard had been through last night's wind and rain, and its nearly withered flowers were spread out on the fertile soil, making the entire garden look withered.
"Both Liu, the shopkeeper of Qiong Yi Fang, and my master are coy about it. If no one points it out, who knows how long Liu Rutang will drag it out."
I wish you a good meal, "What do you mean?"
Yusha gulped down a cup of tea, her mannerisms much more relaxed than before. Zhu Hao could see a hint of playfulness befitting her age, though her features were still charming. She listened as Yusha continued, "Liu Rutang wasn't from Huaicheng, but was a native of Qizhou. She and her husband had a daughter early in life, and their family was relatively well-off. However, over a decade ago, her husband joined the army and never returned."
"She and her daughter depended on each other for survival. Unexpectedly, when her daughter was about to turn six, she was kidnapped by a matchmaker. Liu Rutang spent all her family's savings to find her daughter, but after a few years, she found that she had no money left. Fortunately, an informant told Liu Rutang that she had seen her daughter in Huaicheng, so Liu Rutang settled in the city. For thirteen years, Liu Rutang never gave up the idea of finding her daughter. Although Qiongyifang had been well-established in Huaicheng for several years and earned a lot of money, Liu Rutang used it all to search for her daughter. Fortunately, God rewards those who work hard, and in the early spring of this year, she finally found her daughter after thirteen years."
Zhu Hao asked, "Qiao Mei is Liu Rutang's daughter?"
Yu Sha nodded. "That's the difficulty. Where is Baihualou? Even if she was abducted by a matchmaker, if we want to reunite, we have to redeem Qiao Mei with a huge sum of gold. She's a prostitute who outshines even the most beautiful courtesan! The madam of Baihualou said Qiao Mei is worth six thousand taels. Although she has saved a lot of money over the years, she suffered internal injuries to her right hand from being beaten by a matchmaker when she was young. As Qiao Mei gets older, the pain gets worse."
"So, most of her savings went to her injuries. Nearly a decade of treatment and treatment has only been able to maintain or alleviate the pain in her hand." Yusha smiled. "Madam Zhu, are you wondering why Qiao Mei doesn't postpone treatment? She hasn't recovered in years. Why not just save some money to redeem herself? Yes, that's a feasible method. Moreover, with Qiao Mei's fame, redeeming herself in three to five years wouldn't be a problem. But Qiao Mei doesn't want to. She's a prostitute."
Zhu Hao had already understood Yusha's advice. Aren't the so-called "qingguan" (a kind of courtesan) relying on their musical skills to make a living? If Qiao Mei stopped seeking medical treatment, what would she do? If she lost her konghou (a harp) playing, she would only be left with her beautiful face, and naturally, she would have to become a prostitute, selling her body to make a living. This music master certainly didn't want that. So, even though the root of her illness was difficult to cure, he never stopped treating her, even playing despite the pain.
"Qiao Mei, you can't play music anymore." Yusha's tone was very flat. Logically, since Yusha came here to talk with Qiao Mei, she should have a deep friendship with her master. However, Zhu Hao heard her say half-jokingly, "You want to cooperate with Liu Rutang, and I want to completely replace Sister Qiao Mei. However, if Qiao Mei hasn't redeemed herself in three days, she will become a prostitute. This is not possible. She is so beautiful, and she has already won the favor of the young master. If Qiao Mei becomes a prostitute, with her body, she will definitely surpass me."
"I'm different from the other girls in Baihualou. I wasn't kidnapped by a matchmaker, nor was I sold cheaply by my parents. I ran away here on my own, just to have enough food to eat and warm clothes to wear. Baihualou has a rule that girls before they reach the age of marriage can only serve as prostitutes, that is, maids. Those with outstanding appearance can become courtesans or prostitutes after they reach the age of marriage."
Yusha chuckled. "Although God may have allowed me to be born in a humble family, He also gave me a face that can charm men, and hands that can play the pipa. In three days, it will be my coming-of-age day. Then, I will play for Sister Qiao Mei." She raised the corners of her lips and asked with a smile, "Madam Zhu, do you understand what Yusha means?"
Zhu Hao was surprised to realize that although Yusha was only fourteen and her behavior was sometimes a little playful, her eyes did not have the childishness of a little girl, but only the loneliness that had been weathered by wind and frost.
Zhu Hao sipped his tea. Perhaps Miaoli was frightened by the ghost incident, so she shivered and didn't know how much tea leaves she had poured into the teapot. The bitterness was so bitter that it made Zhu Hao gasp. "So, you want me to help Liu Rutang redeem Qiao Mei? So you can get rid of your master and become a prostitute?"
"Yes, why not? If it succeeds, the three of us will all benefit."
"But Qiao Mei and Liu Rutang ordered you to consult with me?"
"Not entirely." Yusha filled her cup with tea and drank until it was empty. "Given Qiao Mei's personality, how could she bear to trouble others? Liu Rutang did talk to me about this in a subtle way. Although she never said it directly, I think my telling you this is exactly what Liu Rutang wants. After all, she can't bear to lose face, and she just hates that I can't redeem Qiao Mei."
No wonder Liu Rutang was anxious to raise money. Zhu Hao asked, "How much ransom money does she still need?"
Yusha was silent for a moment before saying, "Three thousand taels."
Zhu Hao's mouth twitched. Even if he sold her, he wouldn't be able to get a thousand taels.
Yusha pointed out, "Liu Rutang told me that your husband has a fortune of ten thousand. Where is your husband? Can you come up with three thousand taels? Madam, don't worry, the interest will be a penny less."
Zhu Hao felt quite guilty. Three thousand taels was no small sum. She subconsciously recalled last year when Zhu Hao wanted to turn one request into ten. When Song Xieqing heard this, he flicked his finger at her forehead and said, "Don't be greedy."
He indirectly implied that she was greedy and unreliable.
Zhu Hao coughed dryly twice and said, "My husband has always been responsive to my requests."
As soon as he finished speaking, the rocking chair nearby began to sway without wind, which made Yusha tremble with fear. This scene was really weird. Seeing that everything had been made clear, Yusha hurriedly said goodbye to Zhu Hao.
Zhu Hao watched Yu Sha leave, she slowly turned around and blinked at the rocking chair.
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The author has something to say: I could have updated during the day, but I encountered some problems~ so it was delayed until the early morning~ Thank you to the little angels who voted for me or irrigated nutrient solution between 2024-08-17 22:25:26 and 2024-08-20 02:17:12~
Thanks to the little angels who irrigated the nutrient solution: 5 bottles of Yizhennanke; 1 bottle of NANA Little Bear;
Thank you very much for your support. I will continue to work hard!
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