As Yun Qian spoke, a gentle breeze with a touch of moisture descended from the sky.
Zhu Pingniang looked up questioningly, only to see layers of heavy water clouds pressing upon each other as if the sky were about to collapse, clear rainwater sewing the sky tightly like thousands of needles and threads.
What kind of strange weather is this today?
There are no traces of human interference.
Fortunately, the rain only fell over half the city, not reaching Yun Qian and the guests boating by the lakeside.
...
Beside Yun Qian, the Rowing Maiden listened to Yun Qian's words, slightly opening her mouth in surprise.
She worked near Flower Moon Building, rowing and ferrying male and female guests into the building, so she had seen many people in her days.
But the strangest person she had ever met was the Young Master Xu, and certainly the woman before her, Miss Yun.
Did she like the young master?
How could Ms. Yun ask such a question? After all, she was the young master's main wife.
"Re-replying to Miss Yun."
The Rowing Maiden felt inexplicably nervous, struggling with her courtesy as if being questioned with a cane in hand by her aunt when she first entered the brothel, leaving her uneasy.
She had never been a concubine and didn't know if the other girls felt as she did when they met the mistress.
Meanwhile, Yun Qian's gaze was clear as a mirror, her thoughts unknown.
The Rowing Maiden took a deep breath, met Yun Qian's gaze beyond the veil, and earnestly said.
"I do like the young master."
Upon speaking, the Rowing Maiden dared not look into Yun Qian's eyes.
Her feelings for Xu Chang'an were different from Liu Qingluo's; they were not romantic, but liking encompasses many forms, including gratitude, admiration, and trust.
Of course, even if romantic feelings accounted for very little, if asked to be Xu Chang'an's concubine, she would agree immediately.
"Hmm." Yun Qian nodded, showing she understood. She reached out a hand to the Rowing Maiden sitting on the ground: "Rise."
"...Miss." The girl stared at Yun Qian's fair hand, hiding her rough hand behind her, stained with some dirt from tumbling, wanting to stand but unable due to a twisted ankle, only raising her head to ask: "Miss...won't you be angry?"
"Angry?" Yun Qian pondered, saying: "I seldom get angry."
The Rowing Maiden watched Yun Qian, truly unable to imagine what she would look like angry.
"Moreover," Yun Qian suddenly spoke, drawing the Maiden's gaze.
"I think you have good taste," Yun Qian said.
Her husband was naturally supposed to be liked, and after some questioning, she confirmed one thing.
She truly did not understand jealousy.
If it were Xu Chang'an, what would he do?
Yun Qian thought, then bent down to hold the girl's dirty hand slowly, saying, "Rise, the ground is cold."
"..." The girl blankly stared at Yun Qian's lovely face, feeling something strike her heart, causing her heartbeat to quicken uncontrollably.
She exerted a little force, wanting to stand with Yun Qian's support, but as she barely stood up, Yun Qian suddenly released her hand, and she fell to the ground, looking up in surprise.
"I'm weak, I forgot," Yun Qian earnestly said.
The Rowing Maiden looked at Yun Qian, her eyes slightly trembling, then laughed heartily.
"Sister is truly an extraordinary person."
"Is that so." Yun Qian looked at the slight blush on the girl's ear, sensing something was amiss, and glanced towards the tavern, wondering why Xu Chang'an hadn't come out yet.
...
In the tavern.
The Wine Lady Liu Qingluo, after redeeming herself, rarely wore light makeup, the colors bright and revealing a simple beauty.
Facing Liu Qingluo was a young man in a brocade robe, his attire featuring subtle elegance, meticulously designed and tailored, gold threads woven throughout, ostentatiously and grandly.
Even in Beisang City, where wealthy families abound, only a handful could afford gold threads, even just at the edges, and certainly not a girl like Liu Qingluo, born from a humble brothel, could afford to offend.
As time passed.
"The appointed time has arrived." The young man gently pushed the Yellow Contract before Liu Qingluo and said, "Miss Liu, you should have considered it."
"Replying to Young Master." Liu Qingluo shook her head: "I cannot agree to you."
In the corner.
Xu Chang'an's eye twitched.
Finally, they started talking; he blinked, thinking if this man acted excessively, he would learn from Zhu Pingniang and throw him into the muddy water by the moat.
"Not agree?" The young man casually asked: "A reason? You care for quite a few sisters, don't you…this silver would grant them freedom from the mire, wouldn't it be better than being steeped in the smell of alcohol here as a concubine for me?"
Mire?
Liu Qingluo thought of Zhu Pingniang's gentle face, resisting the urge to retort.
Is Flower Moon Building a mire?
Of the sisters who left Beisang City over the years, how many met a good end?
If this were a mire, what lay outside?
Such an arrogant and self-righteous person.
Liu Qingluo slowly said: "We, the lowly ones, have self-awareness, unworthy of young master."
The young man nodded, saying: "Stand up."
Liu Qingluo stood.
"Quite pretty." The young man admired the teardrop mole at Liu Qingluo's eye corner: "No wonder she was once the top courtesan of Wanzhi Building."
Liu Qingluo said: "Thank you for young master's compliment."
"Miss, I've given you face," the young man seriously said.
"I understand." Liu Qingluo responded, thinking it was indeed so; among those wishing to make her a concubine, this young master was quite courteous, everything conducted by the rules, offering not insignificant wealth, perhaps if she had just redeemed herself...she might unhesitatingly sign this contract.
"Then why does Miss not want face?" The young man could not quite understand.
A corner brothel entertainer remains the lowest, even after redeeming, a clean courtesan is still the lowest.
Liu Qingluo said: "I can do without face.
"True." The young man said: "For you never really had one to begin with."
...
Xu Chang'an stood in the dark corner, listening to such words, taking a deep breath.
Looking at Liu Qingluo, he found the girl unexpectedly calm, entirely different from the usually cheerful, thin-skinned, introverted, and demure Wine Lady he knew.
"Therefore, young master should find better girls." Liu Qingluo nodded, completely unruffled by his provocations.
Here, with ten miles of spring breeze, it's either you or me.
Before meeting Xu Chang'an, Liu Qingluo was very fortunate to have been a clean courtesan at Wanzhi Building instead of a red courtesan, later entering Flower Moon Building under Zhu Pingniang, and hence until redeeming herself, her body remained relatively untainted.
But after meeting Xu Chang'an, she occasionally wondered if there really was no difference between clean courtesans and red courtesans.
Young Master Xu wouldn't care about their impurity, so why should they look down on themselves?
Don't steal, don't rob, clean it if it's dirty.
"One thing I don't understand." The young man pointed at Liu Qingluo's makeup and the dress accentuating her figure: "Since Miss has no intention of marrying, why dress so alluringly, isn't it seducing, flaunting?"
He was taken by Liu Qingluo's attire, drawn by that teardrop mole, leading him to attempt to purchase her...unexpectedly rejected.
This duplicity displeased him.
Liu Qingluo calmly said: "Beautifying oneself for the pleasing others, Young Master should understand."
Young Master Xu accepted her wine, offered suggestions, and would definitely come; even to these women, he remained true to his word, never breaking it.
Given Xu Chang'an's habit of staying only for a few days in the city, she had dressed up, waiting quietly there.
The young man was taken aback, then anger arose.
Liu Qingluo meant it simply.
This is for the one my heart desires; don't overthink yourself.
...
Asking for votes! Everyone, please send more chapter comments, I want to hear your feedback, and I wonder whether this week I might get to try the recommendation list.