Chapter 324

"Quick, tell us how we get to meet Liudajia!"

……

Everyone's patience was limited; after listening for a while, they could no longer hold back.

Hong Mama smiled, set aside the sarcasm, and said directly, "Fine, since none of you can wait any longer, let me tell you. Any young master or Master who is confident in his own talent may take part in the contest. Whoever wins first will be granted a candle-lit night of conversation with Liudajia!"

That candle-lit night of conversation is exactly what it sounds like—keep your thoughts wholesome.

"Of course, our honored guests—Liudajia will not let you return disappointed. Liudajia will play a tune for everyone, and perform a dance!"

The moment Hong Mama finished speaking, the atmosphere inside Yi Hong Lou suddenly flared up threefold.

One-eighty, Liu Rushi!

"I want to enter—this chance is definitely mine!"

"Zhou Tong, stop talking nonsense. With that little inkwell of yours, if word gets out I'm afraid the scholars of Jiangnan will laugh at us!"

"Zhao Junhui, don't talk about me—at least I don't know who recited his text until Mr. fainted, going on about 'when did the bright moon appear,' trotter with a splash of wine. If Mr. Su Dongpo knew about it, I bet his coffin lid would fly right off!"

"I'll fight you to the death!"

"Hahahaha, that's killing me!"

"How much has this guy drunk?!"

……

"Not bad, I haven't come for nothing. No wonder Minister Su wanted to come here—it's quite interesting indeed."

Zhu Youjian sat in the private box, looking down at the floor below, feeling it was all very fresh.

Besides, he too was somewhat itching to act.

To speak of Zhu Youjian, he was simply born at the wrong time. Everyone says he lost Great Ming's Jiangshan.

In truth, that really wasn't the case. Great Ming has already been teetering on the edge of a cliff, falling downward—he alone could not possibly hold it back.

Zhu Youjian was the exact opposite of his carpenter elder brother.

The carpenter elder brother was unwilling to study, loved doing carpentry work, and couldn't sit still.

Zhu Youjian, on the contrary, was clever and studious, matured early, was calm and steady, and devoted himself utterly to matters of governance.

Since ascending the throne, he had risen with the dawn and retired late at night, not daring to slacken in the slightest.

He had also never spent any time on leisure.

Mainly, the Jurchens Tatars and Li Zicheng within the Central Plains—internal troubles and external threats, an empty treasury, natural disasters and man-made calamities—all tangled together, pressing on his heart like a great mountain.

Where did he have the time or the mind to play?

It was only now that Huang Taiji had taken his own life and surrendered his head, and Dorgon had led the Jurchens Tatars to surrender, that he was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief.

Only then, under Wang Chengen's persuasion, did he come out to relax a little.

Zhu Youjian considered himself to have some literary flair, and wanted to give it a try.

Su Qiao was even more interested.

Of course, not the interest of participating, but the mindset of watching the show.

Things like the refined arts of zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting had little to do with him.

He also didn't believe he could suddenly claim the top spot and outshine everyone present.

Being able to see what Liu Rushi looked like, whether she was pretty or not, and, well, watching the show—that was his real purpose.

Suddenly, a bamboo flute began to play.

At the corner of the staircase on the third floor, two pretty maidservants came out first.

Then a graceful figure in a pale green plain dress and silk skirt came into everyone's view.

Liu Rushi had come out!

Liu Rushi wore a floral hairpin, her long, jet-black, silky hair held up by nothing but two pins.

Her willow brows, tinged with a hint of allure, and her pool-like almond eyes seemed capable of hooking anyone's heart away.

The lower half of Bai Xi's fair face was veiled by a thin layer of white gauze.

As if deliberately tempting others' curiosity.

Although her jaw was concealed, based solely on the shape of her melon-seed beauty's face, Su Qiao was one hundred percent certain in his heart.

The veiled portion of Liu Rushi's face was even more gorgeous!

Her jade-white, snow-like hand rested at her waist as she offered a greeting to everyone.

"This humble girl is Liu Yin. I pay my respects to all of you for your support—Rushi thanks you all here!"

Her gentle voice made everyone's ears go soft.

Boom!

After seeing Liu Rushi's beauty with their own eyes, the crowd in Yi Hong Lou erupted in cheers.

"Liudajia, you're too kind!"

"Liudajia truly lives up to her fame as the top courtesan of Qin Huai. Though we haven't seen her full face, we're still fortunate to meet Liudajia in person."

"Liudajia said tonight she'd choose a confidant for a candle-lit night of conversation—I wonder if that's true?"

……

Liu Rushi nodded slightly and said, "The contest to choose a person is real. Naturally, Rushi would not dare deceive any of you."

Seeing that the people below were about to fall into chaos and argument again,

the pimp hurriedly struck the gong once more to calm everyone down.

Hong Mama also seized the chance to speak: "Liudajia will first perform a dance for everyone…"

Su Qiao watched from the private box upstairs, and could not help but sigh in admiration. This Liu Rushi, hailed as one of the Eight Beauties of Qin Huai, truly had something to her.

On the empty stage, only Liu Rushi remained alone.

Accompanied by instruments like the sheng, xiao, and guzheng, a ci poem by Li Qingzhao was sung out in a lilting voice.

Liu Rushi danced along with the music, her slender waist moving with the force of an azure dragon one moment, then drooping like a willow branch the next, her delicate jade fingers blending strength and softness.

Even someone like Su Qiao, who couldn't understand dance, found himself somewhat mesmerized.

Everyone inside Yi Hong Lou was also deeply captivated by Liu Rushi's dancing, and the entire building fell utterly silent.

Not until a faint sheen of sweat appeared on Liu Rushi's nose tip and the song and dance ended did the place finally liven up again.

"Young Master Wang sends one hundred silk flowers!"

"Young Master He sends three hundred silk flowers!"

"I'll send a thousand!"

……

Silk flowers were no different from the beer that gets sent over in bars in later generations.

They all symbolized reward money—things like "half a bolt of red silk, one zhang of damask," "one tune of red silk beyond counting," "silver hairpins and clappers smashed to pieces beating the rhythm"—all meaning the same thing, all giving reward money..........

One silk flower cost one tael of silver, so a hundred flowers meant a hundred taels.

From just one dance, Su Qiao roughly calculated that Liu Rushi had received something close to several tens of thousands taels of silver.

Even he could not help but marvel at how fast this money came in.

No wonder so few courtesan queens in history were redeemed— at this rate of earning, in the eyes of any brothel holding their contract of sale, they were a treasure bowl.

Generally, they weren't willing to sell either!

Zhu Youjian, in the private box next door, couldn't help but shout a word of praise.

It startled Wang Chengen into a shudder.

"This Liu Great One truly is something—her dance has a few shades more charm than even those inside the palace.

"Your Majesty, this is how they make their living; if it weren't good, what would they eat and drink?"

Wang Chengen felt uncertain inside, so he could only echo along, while his eyes looked around searching for any sign of Su Qiao.

"What are you looking for?"

Noticing Wang Chengen's odd behavior, Zhu Youjian asked.

Wang Chengen hurriedly replied: "This morning Mr. Su said he was coming to Yi Hong Lou; this servant is looking for Mr. Su right now."

Reminded by his words, Zhu Youjian also recalled.

"Right, Su Qing also said he'd come. I looked on the first floor just now and didn't see him—second floor... he should be in some private box on the second floor, right?"

"Then shall this servant help you inquire?"

"Fine, go check, see which private box Su Qing is in."

Zhu Youjian nodded and agreed.