Chapter 9 A smile worth a hundred taels of gold is worth a thousand taels of gold; a glance back is as easy as looking at a city wall.
As the afternoon sun began to set, golden rays streamed through the windows, flowing over the lichen on the east wall and down to the west window, weaving shimmering patterns of light on the floor.
A gentle breeze suddenly blew through the curtain, causing the unfinished beaded necklace on her skirt to tinkle softly.
Su Jinxiu, dressed in a light green shirt and pale yellow skirt, sat in the light, her eyebrows slightly furrowed, her hair tied up with a simple hairpin, and a few strands of black hair fluttering in front of her forehead, focused on embroidering the Chinese dress.
Hanging on the ebony clothes rack were dresses brought from Zuichunfang, some in smoky hue with gold embroidery, some in moon-white silk with subtle patterns, and some in lake-blue brocade, all with novel combinations and dazzling brilliance.
As light and shadow shifted, her delicate hands moved with incredible grace, as if a celestial maiden had descended to earth to weave a tapestry of clouds, adding a touch of enchantment to the afternoon in an ordinary household.
Su Jinxiu stretched and rubbed her back, a light smile on her face: "Finally done!"
She carefully packed the four dresses into a blue cloth bundle, then, with a thin veil over her head, she walked briskly towards Zuichunfang.
Once these clothes are delivered, I should get at least ten taels of silver. There's another plan; if it works, it will definitely cover Aqin's school expenses.
Before long, they arrived at Zuichunfang. In the afternoon, gilded lanterns were already hung up, and colorful silk archways were tied at the entrance. Servants carrying food boxes were running back and forth, and the faint sounds of sheng, xiao and pipa could be heard from inside the building. It was a scene of dancing pavilions and singing stages, bustling with the noise of the marketplace.
Unable to find Yu Sheng, she asked a maid and learned that Yu Sheng and Ning Zhu were having a pipa duel on the Mingyu Courtyard stage, competing for tips from the spectators.
So he went to Mingyu Courtyard, climbed the steps to the second floor, and leaned against the carved railing to look down.
The flower-covered terrace was adorned with flowers, and two beautiful women, still holding pipa and half-concealing their faces, stood there. On the left was Yusheng, exuding charm, and on the right... it must be Ningzhu.
She wore a pale white Xiang-style skirt, as pure as a white lotus glistening with dew, radiating a clear, ethereal light. As she plucked the strings, her brow furrowed slightly, her sorrowful gaze sweeping across the audience. She happened to meet a handsome young man in a Shu brocade round-necked robe, a white jade belt around his waist—clearly the son of an official. He immediately smiled and said to his servant, "Reward him!"
Ten taels of gold were then poured into the silver plate.
The servants below the stage shouted "Greetings!" and Ningzhu's reward was about to surpass Yusheng's.
Just as things were about to be settled, a casual voice suddenly rang out from the private room downstairs:
"One hundred taels of gold, to reward Yu Sheng."
Su Jinxiu's heart skipped a beat, and she looked in the direction of the sound.
In a secluded corner seat, a young master leaned against a table, wearing a jade crown, his black hair hanging down, his shoulders and back as straight as pine and bamboo, his brocade robe gleaming with understated elegance, and casually waving a bamboo-ribbed fan.
With her elegant demeanor and graceful figure, and her tender and affectionate nature, she is more captivating than any spectacle on stage. Who else could she be but Ying Bumei?
The fact that he could casually toss out a hundred taels of gold like that must mean he's no ordinary person. Just who is he, and why would he have to deal with me so many times for no reason?
It is said that possessing a treasure is a crime, but after thinking it over, Su Jinxiu realized that she really didn't have anything about herself that he could covet.
Yu Sheng, having received a generous reward, smiled radiantly and secretly flirted with Ying Bumei. Ying Bumei, holding his cup, offered a polite but dismissive smile, his demeanor relaxed and composed.
Su Jinxiu's gaze was fixed on that figure.
Ying Bumei's fan froze for a moment, then he turned around abruptly. Their eyes met, and both of them were momentarily stunned. Then, he raised an eyebrow, a lazy smile playing on his lips, and mimicked Yu Sheng's earlier gesture, giving her a flirtatious wink.
No one knows how he pierced through the hazy barrier and became certain that the gaze belonged to her.
Su Jinxiu frowned, quickly looked away, and fled.
Just as they approached Yusheng's room, they suddenly heard a woman's whisper coming from the opposite side room: "Master Ying is really generous today, throwing away a hundred taels of gold as if it were nothing."
"What's so special about this? Last month, at the gambling den in the west of the city, someone also spent a fortune just to see the owner's wife play music." Another person said with a hint of smirk, "This playboy is a regular at the brothels and knows how to seduce people."
"But you have to have the looks, right? With such good looks and such generosity, which woman in this Drunken Spring Brothel could escape his gaze?"
As Su Jinxiu listened, she gripped the straps of her bundle tightly, her desire to stay away from him growing stronger.
After waiting in the room for a while, Yu Sheng came in, fanning herself with a feather fan. Her face was beaming with joy. As she walked, she smiled and sighed with her maid, "Master Ying really gave me a lot of face today. He threw away a hundred taels of gold so readily. In this Drunken Spring Brothel, only he has such generosity!"
The maidservants, busy as ever, flattered her, their every word implying that the man was not sleepless and lived a life of luxury.
Su Jinxiu cut to the chase and took out a ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) from her bundle.
Yu Sheng's eyes lit up at first sight. The smoky gold pattern and the moon-white gauze were exactly what she wanted. She immediately fell in love with them and handed over twenty taels of silver as payment.
Taking the opportunity, Su Jinxiu whispered another matter to her, and Yu Sheng smiled, patting her fan: "What's so difficult about that? Leave it to me!"
Su Jinxiu thanked her, and Yu Sheng sighed again: "Apart from Sister An, the embroiderers in the proper embroidery workshops all look down on us as courtesans and are unwilling to take on jobs. Only you are willing to put your heart into it."
Upon hearing this, Su Jinxiu said softly, "If given a choice, who would want to enter this world of pleasure? But even if one comes, earning money through talent and strength is better than those lazy bums who live off their family's wealth. What is there to be ashamed of in earning a living through one's own abilities?"
Yu Sheng's eyes welled up with tears and her heart warmed. She felt an even stronger connection with her and repeatedly assured her that she would definitely handle the matter entrusted to her.
Su Jinxiu took her leave, her mind filled with thoughts of Yu Sheng's promise, so she was completely unaware that Mi Li was in Yu Sheng's room.
As I went out, the sky was getting darker, and the red lights in the brothels of Zuichunfang were lit up in an ambiguous way, the halo of light appearing both real and unreal.
Su Jinxiu followed the dimly lit stairs down, only to bump into a wealthy young man reeking of alcohol. His eyes were blurry with drunkenness, but when he looked up and saw Su Jinxiu, he suddenly widened his eyes: "Oh, when did such a pretty young lady arrive at Zuichunfang?"
As he spoke, he staggered forward and reached out to grab her wrist.
Startled, Su Jinxiu stepped back, nearly tripping in her haste. She staggered a few steps to regain her balance and then turned and ran.
The wealthy young man behind her, however, thought she was playing hard to get and chuckled as he pressed on, saying, "The girls trained at Zui Chun Fang are getting more and more interesting!"
Su Jinxiu was only thinking about running back to Yusheng's room as quickly as possible. She turned a corner in a panic and bumped straight into a strong embrace, accidentally stepping on the other person's foot.
"Hmm." The man groaned, but instead of pushing her away, he held her firmly in his arms.
A familiar, deep voice came from above, tinged with a hint of mockery: "Your skill at stepping on people has really improved."
Su Jinxiu looked up abruptly, meeting Ying Bumei's smiling eyes. His usual flippant manner instantly calmed her down.
The wealthy young man behind them caught up. Seeing Su Jinxiu being held by someone, he flew into a rage, pointing at Ying Bumei and cursing, "This girl was first taken a liking to me, how dare you snatch her away?"
Before she finished speaking, Ying Bumei held Su Jinxiu firmly in her arms, raised her knee and kicked the wealthy young man in the chest. The young man screamed and was kicked several steps away, falling heavily to the ground, wincing in pain.
"So, can you let go now?" Ying Bumei looked down at Su Jinxiu, her tone gentle.
Su Jinxiu suddenly came to her senses and hurriedly withdrew her foot from his, saying in a low voice, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I was in a hurry and didn't notice."
The wealthy young man on the ground gritted his teeth, still unconvinced. He squinted his drunken eyes and struggled to make out Ying Bumei's appearance. When he finally saw Ying Bumei's face, he was like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. He stiffened his neck and cursed angrily: "You stinking Taoist priest! So it was you!"
It turns out that this young master had a lover at Zuichunfang recently, but he was attracted to Ying Bumei a few days ago and became much colder towards him. Now that his love rival had ruined his plans, he was even more furious and kept cursing, "You only deserve to pick up the woman that I don't want!"
Ying Bumei's face turned cold for once. She stepped forward, raised her foot, and stomped hard on his face.
A piercing scream instantly drowned out the music inside the building. With a soft crack of bones breaking, the drunkard convulsed in pain, unable to utter another word.
"This drunkard's behavior is truly appalling; let's go."
Su Jinxiu was still frozen in place when he half-embraced her and led her back.
As they reached the shadowy corner, Ying Bumei suddenly spoke, his voice so low that only the two of them could hear: "Just now, upstairs in Mingyu Courtyard, you were watching me so intently... Were you trying to guess my identity? Or were you jealous?"
Su Jinxiu lowered her eyes to avoid his probing gaze, and said in a calm tone, "Thank you for helping me out of that predicament earlier."
She gave an irrelevant answer, and Ying Bumei didn't press her further, only looking down at her.
Still shaken from her earlier ordeal, she lowered her head and looked at him with a rare display of docility, a stark contrast to her usual guarded demeanor.
Ying Bumei's heart stirred slightly, and her hand acted before her mind, reaching out to pinch the soft flesh on her cheek. The touch was warm and soft, like kneading a handful of freshly kneaded dough.
Su Jinxiu's cheeks were pinched until they bulged slightly, and even the corners of her mouth were pulled crooked, making her look both comical and charming.
She was utterly baffled by his sudden, wicked sense of humor. She frowned and glared at Ying Bumei, like a rabbit whose fur had been pricked. Just as she was about to raise her hand to slap his hand away, he loosened his grip first, smiling as he gently rubbed the spot where she had been pinched with his fingertips, as if to make amends and soothe her.
Su Jinxiu's mind was in turmoil. She was just an ordinary-looking woman, yet he was provoking her like this. Did he find her identity interesting, or did he have other intentions?
Ying Bumei's gaze fell on the silver lock swaying around her neck, his eyes darkening: "Your longevity lock is quite unique... silver?"
Before Su Jinxiu could answer, he asked again, "Why not change it to gold? I know the best goldsmith in Bianjing, and he can even engrave your name on it."
No sooner had she finished speaking than Yu Sheng's clear laughter rang out from the other side, as if she was about to leave. Su Jinxiu took the opportunity to push him away, creating some distance, the silver lock on her chest jingling softly: "No need to trouble yourself, this is a gift from my younger brother."
Ying Bumei raised an eyebrow, her peach blossom eyes narrowing into slits: "Oh, is that the young man who always follows you around, with eyes like a wolf cub?"
He suddenly stepped forward, his voice extremely low: "It's fate, I suppose."
“A few days ago, I happened to pass by the martial arts arena and there was a spear fighting competition. The instructor chatted with me and said that there was a young man who was extremely skilled with the spear, but he was too hasty. His left arm was pierced and a pool of blood was seeping out, but he didn’t care. It was terrifying to watch, all for the sake of winning a few taels of silver in prize money.”
Upon hearing this, Su Jinxiu looked up abruptly, meeting Ying Bumei's unfathomable dark eyes.
The image of Wen Shiqin returning home a few days ago suddenly became clear to me. His eyes were filled with a light smile, and he shook his head, saying, "There's a surprise." But upon closer reflection, I noticed that his lips were pale at that time, and he hadn't raised his left arm for several days.
All the details she had overlooked came rushing back to her, and her fingertips gripping the silver lock trembled slightly.
Ying Bumei took in the panic and heartache in her eyes, unable to describe the mixed feelings within him. He was usually smooth and shrewd, always knowing how to choose his words carefully, but seeing her so emotionally agitated, the words caught in his throat. He leaned closer, continuing to provoke her: "With his limited abilities, he risked his life to win a silver lock. He can protect you for a while, but can he protect you forever?"
These words struck a nerve with Su Jinxiu, who was fiercely protective of her own and could not tolerate anyone saying a bad word about her people.
When Ying Bumei saw that her eyes suddenly turned fierce and she was about to pounce on him to argue, he felt inexplicably frustrated.
Before, he was so eager to make money, and his eyes would light up at the sight of anything except his wealth, all because of that damned younger brother.
They truly have a deep bond between siblings.
Before she could make a move, Ying Bumei suddenly bent down and picked her up horizontally. Su Jinxiu was completely stunned, and struggled desperately after she came to her senses.
What are you doing!
Ying Bumei coldly threatened her, "Weren't you thanking me for getting you out of trouble? Why don't you repay me by offering yourself to me?"
A note from the author:
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