In the main courtyard, wisps of smoke still curled from the bronze incense burner shaped like a toad carrying a lotus flower; the finest sandalwood incense was invigorating. The princess held an iron key in one hand and a small iron shovel in the other, her fingers, adorned with gold-plated enamel nail guards, gently stirring the incense in the burner.
"Is a gardener going to be hired in the South Courtyard?" The Fujin had just learned that a new servant had been added to Lanqin's courtyard. It was said that she had requested it herself, and the Fourth Prince had personally instructed the head nanny to do so.
“Yes, it’s a servant named Chen Shou who has been serving in the flower room for three years. I asked Hai Dayou, and he said that one day when Lady Niu went to the flower room to relax, this servant was serving her. I guess he took him in because he was clever,” said Granny Li.
The princess handed the incense-dispensing tools to Chunliu, who was serving her, and then raised her hand to fan the incense towards her nose. She closed her eyes, took a deep sniff, and felt that the room was filled with fragrance.
"Go, have Hai Dayou find out all the details about Chen Shou, and then report back to me personally," the Fujin said, opening her cold eyes.
Naturally, with a new servant added to Lanqin's courtyard, the others, like flies eyeing a cracked egg, wouldn't let go of the slightest stench, and all fixed their eyes on the South Courtyard.
Yan Yu was naturally unhappy to learn that the gardener she had punished had been taken in by Lan Qin.
As for Chen Shou, after hearing the task Lan Qin had given him, he first inquired about Que'er from the other maids who knew her.
Que'er was also born into the Imperial Household Department, into a minor official family that was caught in the crossfire of a power struggle. Her peaceful and comfortable life was reduced to that of a servant. Que'er was clever and shrewd, and was highly valued by Lady Li. After Lady Li fell from power, everyone in the courtyard was laid off by the Fourth Prince. Que'er could have stayed, but she voluntarily left.
It's clear that Que'er didn't have much affection for Li Shi as her mistress; she quickly left when Li Shi was in trouble. After finding out all this, Chen Shou had a better understanding of this woman: she harbored resentment and was disloyal to her master.
After everything was prepared, Chen Shou took Lan Qin's waist token and went out that day.
After leaving, Chen Shou first went to buy a set of long gown, mandarin jacket, and silk shoes costing ten taels of silver to change into. As the saying goes, clothes make the man, and a saddle makes the horse. Indeed, the first thing that catches the eye is a person's clothes and appearance.
After a thorough makeover, when Chen Shou emerged from the clothing store, he had transformed from a servant into a handsome and refined young gentleman. Holding a fan to his chest, he truly possessed a dashing and debonair air.
"Sir, please slow down!" A slightly childish voice came from outside the car.
Chen Shou naturally arranged for a luxurious carriage; otherwise, walking there on foot wouldn't have been the style of a noble young man.
Before his feet even touched the ground, someone immediately placed a small stool under his feet as he got off the bus, and extended an arm over to him.
Chen Shou, however, also took the arm that was being extended and, using a small stool, got off the carriage.
"Young master, please come in. You look unfamiliar, perhaps this is your first time here?" The waiter didn't look like a typical brothel madam or pimp, who was all smiles and flattery. Although he smiled, he was never obsequious, and his attentiveness was very measured.
"Hmm. It is said that all the girls here are exceptionally beautiful and talented, especially a girl named 'Cui Nong'. I have come here because of her reputation, and I wonder if this girl lives up to it." Chen Shou, with an air of authority, merely glanced at the pageboy-like servant.
"Young master, although Miss Cui Nong has only been here for a few months, her pipa playing is exceptional. You will not be disappointed. Please come in!" The servant helped Chen Shou into the art gallery.
A man-made "stream" separates this "Red Mansion," a place of renown among the nobility, from the mundane world. A small, arched wooden bridge connects them. Ordinary people would not cross that bridge without a welcoming servant.
In other words, this place is similar in nature to the "high-end clubs" popular in the 21st century.
Chen Shou had witnessed the splendor of the Fourth Prince's mansion, so he was naturally able to handle this scene.
After crossing the small bridge, the servant quietly withdrew, and a middle-aged woman dressed in a purple-gold cheongsam gracefully walked over.
Before the person even arrived, the fragrance wafted to Chen Shou's nose. It was a rich, perfumed scent.
"Young master, shall we listen to music today, or...?" The middle-aged woman, though past her prime, still possessed exceptional beauty and charm.
"I've come to hear Cui Nong play the zither." Chen Shou had learned from Lan Qin that Que'er had changed her stage name to "Cui Nong" after she started performing.
The middle-aged woman, her eyes sparkling, gracefully led Chen Shou across the sandalwood floor. The sound of a pipa drifted from inside the room, and her elegant figure was reflected in the window paper.
It is said that you can spend any amount of gold here, making it a veritable gold-spending den.
Lanqin only gave Chen Shou one hundred taels of silver, which was probably only enough to listen to Cui Nong play the zither for an hour, along with a table of food and wine, and that would be about all he had.
The woman kept looking at Chen Shou's clothes and his expression, then, with her rosy lips pursed, she led him to a room on the second floor.
"Young master, please wait here for a moment. I will go and call Cui Nong over for you." The middle-aged woman, who looked like a madam, pushed Chen Shou into the room, closed the door behind her, and then left.
Chen Shou walked around the room, and all the items were of the finest quality. Although they couldn't compare to those in the Fourth Prince's mansion, they were certainly not something an ordinary family could afford.
A carved sandalwood daybed is located at the very back of the room, separated from the reception area by a circular archway.
With a creak, the door was pushed open.
Chen Shou turned around and saw a woman wearing a light green gown and a moon-white pleated skirt, carrying a pipa in her hand, walk in.
Her hair was styled in a round bun, and her headdress was simple, consisting of some silver hairpins and a few silk flowers. She wore pearl earrings.
Perhaps due to lack of sleep, Cui Nong's makeup looked somewhat cakey, and her expression was rather blank. It seemed she had long since stopped expressing her true emotions, having smiled at countless different people.
Chen Shou immediately recognized the woman in front of him as Que'er, the maid who had served Consort Li that day.
"This servant greets you, young master!" Que'er bowed to Chen Shou, then lowered her eyes, awaiting his instructions.
"Miss Cui Nong, please have a seat," Chen Shou said, suppressing his surprise.
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