What? Running a brothel business in your own home? This is too weird! Zhao Xiaofei was a little bit unconvinced when he heard this.
Li Sisi made Zhao Xiaofei look incredulous, and then she said, "Young Master, you don't know, this was my father's villa. It was later sold by my stepmother. But this house has two deeds, one for the other courtyards, and another for my small building. So this small building and this courtyard are mine."
Zhao Xiaofei immediately said, "Miss Li! In that case! I'm willing to pay 5,000 taels for this building! I wonder if you're satisfied?" Then he thought to himself: "Miss, don't you feel uncomfortable? If your father knew about entertaining these so-called literati in the courtyard he left for you, he'd probably jump out of his coffin."
Xiaohong covered her mouth and laughed, "Master Zhao! Don't you understand what my young lady means? Money isn't enough to get this house! Unless you win my young lady's favor and surpass her in poetry and song, that's the only way."
"I am not very talented or educated, and I'm afraid the only thing left for me when I'm poor is money!" Zhao Xiaofei said, pointing to his head.
"Mr. Zhao is so interesting, how could he say that about himself!" Li Sisi laughed. Then she continued, "Mr. Zhao is so talented, how could he be so self-deprecating? The line just now, 'Flowers fade and fly all over the sky, whose red fades and whose fragrance fades?', is truly a masterpiece. I wonder if there's a second half to it!"
Zhao Xiaofei thought for a moment, then looked up at the sky. He was recalling the full poem "Song of Burying Flowers" by Cao Xueqin. He hadn't known it before; he hadn't seen the 1987 version of Dream of the Red Chamber. He had seen Li Shaohong's version, but he'd fallen out of love with it after just two episodes. If it weren't for a famous internet celebrity on Douyin (TikTok) who sang the song in Hanfu, he wouldn't have remembered it.
So after recalling the lyrics sung by the beautiful internet celebrity, Zhao Xiaofei simply started singing himself.
Flowers fade and fly all over the sky,
Who will pity me when my beauty fades and my fragrance is gone?
The gossamer is softly tied to the spring pavilion,
Fallen catkins lightly touch the embroidered curtains
Three hundred and sixty days in a year,
The wind, the frost, the sword, the sharp pressure
How long can the beauty last?
Once you drift away, it's hard to find
Flowers are easy to see when they bloom, but hard to find when they fall.
The man who buried the flowers in front of the steps was worried
Alone leaning on the flower hoe, I secretly shed tears.
Sprinkle blood on the empty branches
I wish I could grow wings under my arms,
Fly with the flowers to the end of the sky
The end of the sky,
Where is the fragrant hill?
The end of the sky,
Where is the fragrant hill?
It is not as good as collecting the beautiful bones in a brocade bag.
A handful of pure soil covers the romantic
The nature is pure and will return to purity.
Better than muddy ditches
Now that you are dead, I will bury you.
I don't know when I will die
You are burying flowers today and people are laughing at you.
Who will bury me when I die?
The end of the sky,
Where is the fragrant hill?
The end of the sky,
Where is the fragrant hill?
Look at the fading spring flowers,
When the beauty dies
Once spring is over, beauty fades.
Flowers fall and people die, neither of them knows
Flowers fall and people die, neither of them knows
Flowers fall and people die, neither of them knows
After the song, Zhao Xiaofei still felt a little sad, but when he looked back, he saw Li Sisi in tears. Zhao Xiaofei thought, "I've done a great job this time." He hadn't imagined this poem would have such a powerful impact, actually making this girl burst into tears. This time, with tears in her eyes, she looked even more endearing than before.
Zhao Xiaofei took out a handkerchief and handed it to Li Sisi. Xiaohong took it and wiped her tears, saying angrily, "Mr. Zhao is so talented, but he made my young lady cry while singing. My young lady is weak. I don't know how many days it will take for her to sing again. She will definitely be scolded by Mother Hong again!"
Zhao Xiaofei thought to himself, "Oh my god! This is too outrageous!" He just cried a few times, so why should he be unable to sing for a few days? But he couldn't show it on his face. He apologized and said, "I am so rude! Please forgive me, young lady!"
"Sir, please don't listen to this girl's nonsense. She's straightforward and outspoken. I just heard your poem and thought of my own experience, and I was inspired to write it down. You are a man of great talent, unmatched among the scholars in the capital. I would like to give this house to you, and I hope you will have mercy on me." Li Sisi said this, her face slightly red. She turned around and was helped upstairs by Xiaohong.
Zhao Xiaofei followed him downstairs and wanted to discuss when he could get to the yard, but Xiaohong turned around and stopped him, saying, "Sir, please stay! My lady is tired and needs to rest."
Zhao Xiaofei had no choice but to come out. Xiao Si stepped forward and asked, "Master! How is Miss Sisi? What did you talk about when you went in?"
"Of course it's poetry and songs! I want to buy the Yanyu Tower and live there myself! But Miss Sisi refused!" said Zhao Xiaofei.
"Poetry and songs are great! I wonder... Uh! What? Buying the Misty Rain Tower? Young Master! We can't afford the Misty Rain Tower! There are shares of the Chengguo Mansion here. If we want to buy the Misty Rain Tower, we have to pay a visit to the Chengguo Mansion to see if they are willing to sell it and whether they will give us face." Xiao Si said. He thought to himself, the Chengguo Mansion is said to be extremely greedy. If they ask for a hundred thousand taels, there will be no chance. This kind of brothel is a den of money! I should persuade the young master more later!
"Then go to the Duke of Cheng's mansion and ask the steward first. If there's a chance, I'll come in person," Zhao Xiaofei said. He thought to himself: All the silver is fleeting. When Li Zicheng comes, it will all be his. I can just take all the antique calligraphy and paintings away!
"Yes! Young Master!" Xiao Si agreed.
Just as the master and servant were about to leave, Mother Hong, with a smile on her face, ran over to stop them and said, "I'm so short-sighted that I didn't realize how talented you are! My daughter just said she won't marry anyone but you! Congratulations!"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Si's eyes widened as he stared at his young master. This was too fast! He had just entered a Ming Dynasty brothel for the first time, and he had already surpassed so many talented men and won the heart of a beautiful woman! He had heard that even Wei Zaode, the Grand Secretary, hadn't won the heart of a beautiful woman with his poetry and songs! He was the top scholar last year. In less than a year, he had become the Minister of Rites, and now he had been promoted to Grand Secretary.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
