Chapter 27 Mrs. Absurd went to Yaofang.
"Mr. Gao?" Song Baoyuan walked off the stage with a puzzled look on her face.
Gao Luoshu stepped over the threshold and bowed deeply.
Song Baoyuan quickly bowed in return, "Why is Master Gao here?"
"I heard they were hiring waiters, so I came to try."
Song Baoyuan was puzzled, "Mr. Gao is the son of the Imperial Censor."
Maybe he has been away from home for some time. The last time we met, he still had a few accessories on him, but now they are all gone. I guess he pawned them, so he looks much simpler.
But even so, from the confidence in his every move, it is not difficult to tell that he is a pampered nobleman.
Gao Luoshu sighed, "Even if my father is the Imperial Censor, I'm kicked out of the house, and all my savings are gone, I still have to find a job. Otherwise, not only will I starve to death, but I'll also be laughed at by others."
Song Baoyuan burst out laughing.
"But I just heard from that girl that the recruitment period has ended. It seems I'm late." Gao Luoshu pretended to be annoyed. "It's all Jiang Keyu's fault. He was wandering around outside and left the child to me. I took care of his daughter for the whole afternoon, but in the end I missed it."
Song Baoyuan was stunned for a moment, "Sui Sui?"
"Yes." Gao Luoshu smiled. "It was little Suisui who helped me get here. She said her mother was amazing and had opened a huge shop here. She was smart as a child and even gave me some advice. She said if Uncle Gao was starving to death, he should go find my mother! My mother is beautiful and kind, and she will definitely take you in!"
He imitated Jiang Suisui's childish tone and spoke in a playful manner.
His few words reminded Song Baoyuan of her daughter.
"Thank you for taking care of Sui Sui, Mr. Gao. If you don't mind, you can stay here temporarily."
"Thank you so much, Madam Song!" Gao Luoshu smiled innocently, "Don't worry, Madam Song, I'm not that pampered, and I won't eat or live for free. Just give me your orders, and I'll be there whenever you call!"
Song Baoyuan smiled and nodded, thinking it was just a polite remark. How could she dare to order the young master of the Censor's family, not to mention... he was her brother's best friend.
Xu Pingsheng on the side raised his eyebrows, said nothing, and shook his head.
Song Baoyuan turned around and continued what she hadn't finished saying, asking him, "Who was the musician you were just about to mention?"
Xu Pingsheng came back to his senses and replied with a smile, "The zither player of Yaofang is Master Qingze. I was fortunate enough to visit Yaofang once before and heard that Master Qingze played the zither for Princess Liu'an. The lingering sound was truly unforgettable."
"Young Master Qingze?" Song Baoyuan repeated softly. She had lived in the inner courtyard for a long time and had never heard of this name.
But to be able to play the piano for the princess, he must have some skills, she guessed in her heart. When she turned her head, she saw Gao Luoshu's unnatural expression.
"Master Gao also knows this person?"
Gao Luoshu nodded honestly, "As for the people from Yaofang, I..."
He stopped talking hastily.
"I'm not very familiar with him, but this Young Master Qingze is so famous that it's hard not to know him."
Song Baoyuan was slightly surprised. "Your zither skills are so advanced. Is everyone aware of this?"
"Uh." Gao Luoshu paused for a moment, "Actually... it has nothing to do with his piano skills, it's about him as a person..."
He gestured with his hands turned outward, "She is stunningly beautiful. Although she is a man, she is naturally charming. She is even more beautiful than the courtesan in Dongyaofang."
It was so exaggerated that Song Baoyuan began to doubt it.
Gao Luoshu asked tentatively, "What does Madam Song want to do with this person?"
"I want to add a musician who can keep the place in check for the teahouse."
"Then I'm afraid this person isn't suitable," Gao Luoshu said bluntly. "Every year, many people want to redeem him, including some royal nobles, but he always refuses them."
Song Baoyuan looked at Xu Pingsheng and said, "So the question isn't whether I'm willing to invite him, but whether I can invite him."
Xu Pingsheng smiled and said nothing.
He simply said, "Every ninth day of the lunar month, Princess Liu'an comes to the Yaofang in person, just to hear Master Qingze sing. Anyone who comes to the Yaofang on this day will benefit from the Princess's presence and get to see Master Qingze. This day happens to be the ninth day of the lunar month, so Madam Song, would you like to join in the fun?"
Song Baoyuan blinked and said it would be a lie to say she wasn't curious.
What kind of face would be so stunning? Is it prettier than his brother's?
Hearing Xu Pingsheng's suggestion, Gao Luoshu narrowed his eyes and said hesitantly, "It's not appropriate for Madam Song to go to that kind of place."
Song Baoyuan raised her clear eyes and asked, "What kind of place? Yaofang, isn't it a music house? Why can't I go there?"
She asked around, but the two men, who were complete strangers to her, avoided her gaze tacitly.
*
Yaofang is the largest music house in the entire capital. As soon as you enter the door, there are two corridors, dividing it into East Yaofang and West Yaofang.
Dongyaofang occupies three times the area of Xiyaofang. It is more spacious and can accommodate more guests, almost all of whom are male guests.
Although Xiyaofang is not large in area, it has a courtyard-style layout, with small bridges and flowing water, which is extremely exquisite.
At night, the covered bridge was crowded with people, mostly women.
Everyone looked towards the pavilion in the middle of the lake and talked about it.
Song Baoyuan also stretched her neck like everyone else, but saw nothing.
But she was seen by others.
Liu An, sitting quietly at the tea table, was bored. He glanced at the huge crowd and saw Song Baoyuan at a glance.
Most importantly, the person next to her also looks familiar. Isn’t he the beloved son of the censor who often reports her?
How could these two people appear together, and in such an occasion.
A strange smile suddenly appeared on Liu An's face.
She waved to her side, and the waiting maid immediately came forward and listened to her whispered words.
After receiving the order, the maid squeezed into the crowd and after a lot of trouble, she finally arrived in front of Song Baoyuan.
"Mrs. Song, Mr. Gao, our princess invites you two over for a cup of tea."
Song Baoyuan remembered this little girl. Last time at Qushui Villa, it was this girl who invited her to play chess with the princess.
The princess's invitation was still impossible to refuse.
But there was one more person traveling with them, Xu Pingsheng.
"Meet Princess Liu'an."
Liu An smiled brightly, "Nice to meet you again."
She patted the seat beside her and said, "Come and sit down, Madam Song. By the way, tell me why you are here with your husband's good friend!"
Her thirst for knowledge was filled with undisguised ill intentions.
Song Baoyuan was helpless. "This is a long story, but please don't misunderstand me, my lady. I didn't come here alone with Master Gao. My accountant came with me."
After she finished speaking, Xu Pingsheng bowed beside her.
Liu An was amazed. "No way! You already have a handsome man like Jiang Shaoqing all to yourself, and you have Master Gao on your left and the accountant on your right. Not only that, but you're also trying to join in Master Qingze's fun. You're really too ungrateful!"
Song Baoyuan: "..."
The words were full of misunderstandings, and she didn't know where to begin to explain.
"My princess, you've truly misunderstood. These two...are considered my teahouse's waiters. We heard that Master Qingze is a masterful zither player, so we came here to admire his reputation."
Liu An didn't believe a word of it. "Come on, you know whether you're here for the music or for the people. Anyway, I've never seen anyone come here just to listen to the music."
Before Song Baoyuan could say anything in response, she heard her ask, "Is Jiang Shaoqing so careless? He actually let you travel with two men and come here."
Liu An was completely confused.
Song Baoyuan lowered her head and said dryly, "We have divorced."
"Oh?" Liu An opened his eyes wide, was stunned for a moment, and the smile on his face became more exaggerated.
She looked around and asked for confirmation, "Did I hear correctly? She said she got a divorce?"
The maids on both sides hurriedly responded to her, "Princess, you heard it right."
"Why?"
This was truly baffling to Liu An. "With that face of his, is there anything you can't tolerate?"
Song Baoyuan: "..."
She now believed that this Young Master Qingze, who had not yet appeared tonight, must be very handsome.
"I……"
"I'll tell you later! I'll tell you in detail later!"
Liu An reached out and pulled hard, and Song Baoyuan staggered and sat next to her.
Song Baoyuan looked up blankly and saw a man with his hair loose on his shoulders and a veil covering his face walking towards her with a zither in his arms. He was wearing a white robe with wide sleeves and had an elegant temperament. If it weren't for his outstanding stature, he would have looked like a woman at first glance.
Qingze came over, said nothing, bowed in front of the tea table, and then turned and walked towards the pavilion in the middle of the lake.
"Wait!" Liu An shouted, "Why are you wearing a veil again today?"
"My Lady, I ate something wrong today and got a rash on my face. I can't show my face. I hope the Lady will forgive me."
His voice was not as feminine as his appearance. Song Baoyuan carefully looked at his features and felt that his eyes were empty. She did not think that his appearance was as exaggerated as the rumors said.
Liu An's face was full of suspicion, but he didn't ask any further questions. "In that case, you can play the zither in front of me today."
"Princess..."
"You've been reluctant, but I've been very tolerant of you. If you refuse even this little request, this princess will really be angry." Liu An's face suddenly turned cold.
Qingze lowered his eyes, "Yes, I will obey you, my lady."
Hearing his respectful words, Liu An's expression finally softened. She waved her hand, and the maid brought a table and chairs for Master Qingze.
Qingze sat down gracefully, his eyes only on his piano.
"What does the princess want to hear?"
Liu An said generously, "Whatever you like."
Qing Ze said no more, plucked the strings of the zither, and without warning, the sound of the zither rang out.
Song Baoyuan was slightly surprised at the way he immersed himself in the music. If the impression given to her by this young master Qingze was that he was empty and soulless, then the sound of his music was just the opposite.
It is a sad song, and he doesn't know to whom he can tell his sorrow. He can only hope that the sound of the piano can cry for him and find a soulmate for him.
When the song ended, warm cheers came from the covered bridge.
Song Baoyuan was at a loss for a moment, thinking that she had misunderstood the meaning of the music.
"How handsome." Liu An murmured, glancing at the person next to him, "What do you think of him? How does he compare to your husband?"
"No." Song Baoyuan said without thinking. They were two completely different people, how could they be compared?
Liu An scoffed, "You really came here to listen to the piano, how is the piano?"
"The sound of the piano is indeed wonderful." Song Baoyuan said truthfully.
Since you are here, why not give it a try?
"If we can invite Master Qingze to take charge of the teahouse, we won't have to worry about business in the future."
"You're dreaming." Liu An said disdainfully, "I can't even hire him, and you still want him to attract business for you?"
As if to confirm what she said, she turned around and asked, "Would you like to go with her?"
Qing Ze lowered his head, still speaking in a calm tone, "My face is injured, I'm afraid I'll disappoint the lady's kindness."
Song Baoyuan said disapprovingly, "Covering your face won't prevent you from playing the piano. If you're afraid of being seen, I can cover the platform so that no one will even know it's you inside."
Qing Ze seemed stunned, then slowly raised his eyes, "Miss, you only want me to play the piano?"
Song Baoyuan was stunned by his question. Seeing that everyone around her was looking at her, there was confusion in their clear eyes.
"No, what else?"
Liu An's mouth twitched. Don't you have any improper thoughts at all?
She couldn't help but sigh, "It's different after eating good food."
Song Baoyuan: “?”
*
At the Jiang Mansion, after watching the two children fall asleep, Jiang Keyu's ears finally became quiet.
Returning to the study and sitting at the desk, he closed his eyes and rubbed his eyebrows.
Hearing the noise of Ah Qi coming back, he casually asked, "How is the Madam?"
Ah Qi, who always acted in secret, rarely spoke out, "Madam went to Yaofang."
Jiang Keyu paused, "What?"
Unable to get close, the information Ah Qi got was half from what he saw himself and half from what he heard from various people.
"The lady went to Yaofang, apparently to redeem a young prostitute."
Jiang Keyu suddenly opened her eyes, her gaze was dull, and she did not respond for a long time.
Suddenly, he leaned back and sneered.
"Are you kidding me?"
That's ridiculous.
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