Chapter 177

Walking inside, Xu Zaijing looked around and saw that this two-courtyard residence was in a good location, and he could see the flying eaves and roofs of the surrounding Pan Lou, Qiyun Tower, and other wooden buildings, obviously not far away.

Entering the quite spacious front hall, Xu Zaijing saw several small tables arranged around a stage,

and on the stage, four beautifully dressed girls wearing veils, each followed by a maid, were standing there prettily, some holding a pipa, some holding a jade flute, or carrying a guzheng.

And beside the stage, there were also two strong women standing.

Seeing the group of youths enter the room, they all squatted and saluted.

A woman in her thirties in the room smiled and said: "Liang Liu Lang, I thought you couldn't come."

Liang Han, who was young, skillfully waved his hand and said: "Mama Ruan, today I brought my Brother Jing, count his share of the silver as mine! Start."

After speaking, everyone sat down one after another.

"Brother Jing, you don't know, these four who came today are all excellent in music and dance; I put in the effort to ask Mama Ruan to invite them."

Xu Zaijing nodded: Hmm, the first stage performance of ancient top-tier potential female idols.

When Xu Zaijing and Liang Han were listening to music in Mama Ruan's courtyard,

Xingguo Lane,

the Bai family of the Marquis Ningyuan household was walking toward the courtyard with Mistress Wu and Sun Shi at the second gate.

Pingmei, who was heavily pregnant, was also waiting in Bai's room, and Qingxia behind her was holding a few books and a somewhat old brush.

Entering the main hall,

Mistress Wu and Sun Shi looked at each other and said: "Oh my, your in-law knows why we came."

Bai also looked at the two with a smile and said: "Yesterday Yu-ge'er asked his servant to find all these, saying he was prepared."

Mistress Wu hurriedly said: "Yo, yo, these things shouldn't be sent, only those sought with sincerity are good."

"Then, sister, how do you plan to seek them?"

"This... then I will give sister..."

Looking at Mistress Wu's posture, Bai hurriedly smiled and supported her: "How can you still be serious!"

"I knew you would support me, of course I have to be serious."

The three mistresses chatted and laughed as they sat down,

there was no one else in the room, and they began to chat about some women's topics.

Pingmei, who was heavily pregnant, nodded repeatedly while listening on the side.

"Hate, hate, hate! Mama Ruan, really can't let this Yunniang take off her veil?"

In the courtyard, a youth holding his jade pendant, his eyes following the girl who had just left the stage, asked Mama Ruan.

Mama Ruan looked at the girl who was floating off the stage, squatted and saluted: "Young Master Nine, it's not your first time here, this girl's veil can't be taken off with just a jade pendant!"

"Sigh! It's hateful that I'm young..."

"Young Master Nine, this Yunniang will only reach Feiyun Terrace in two years, don't be in a hurry."

"Mama Ruan is right, I will definitely come to support her when the time comes."

Looking at Xu Zaijing's confused eyes, Liang Han whispered: "Brother Jing, I see this Yunniang's dance is graceful at such a young age, in two years when she reaches Feiyun Terrace, without about a thousand strings of cash, she won't take off that veil."

"And, the girls on Feiyun Terrace must be good-looking!"

Xu Zaijing looked at the youths in the hall, and the two strong women beside the stage: Deeply cultivating the noble youth market in Bianjing, and strictly maintaining distance and mystery with the "fans".

No wonder these two families are doing so well.

Yunniang, who had left the stage, came to the side room in the courtyard, looked at the Feiyun Terrace steward Mama who brought her, rubbed her arms and said: "Mama, these youths are not old, but the way they look at people is really..."

"You can't dislike this group of young masters, when you go on stage, you have to rely on them to raise your status!"

"Mama is right."

"Come, change your clothes, after the Qiyun Tower performance is over, we'll dance another one."

Yunniang sat in front of the mirror, and the maid was combing her hair again: "That young master beside Liang Liu Lang, the way he looks at me is quite polite, I don't know whose family he is from."

"Seems to be from the Marquis Yongyi household! Such noble families, even the maids in their homes are more precious than us, not something we lowly-registered people can think of."

Yunniang lowered her head and said nothing more.

Front hall,

Little girls with talent selected by music teachers in the teaching workshop have practiced zither skills every day since they were sensible.

It is undoubtedly pleasant to hear.

But they are also veiled, making people unable to see their faces.

After a lively and playful song was finished, there was no one like Young Master Qiao just now holding a jade pendant and begging to see her face.

But the youths' gazes followed the girl's figure until she disappeared behind the screen.

Mama Ruan stood in the front hall, squatted and saluted: "Young masters, this is the number one pipa player in Bianjing, the closed-door disciple of Master Tang, Fangniang."

"Little girl greets all noble guests."

Wearing a veil and holding a pipa with complicated decorations, Wei Fangzhi squatted and saluted in front of everyone. Her current appearance was not that of the little girl outside the Shengbao Temple, but the flower queen candidate of Qiyun Tower, heavily made up.

The beautiful eyes under the makeup were agile, and as they flowed, they stopped on Xu Zaijing.

But just this style behind the veil, only Yunniang just now had five or six out of ten.

Liang Han, who was young, looked at this Fangniang in amazement; she wasn't like this when she entered the door just now!

The youths followed Fangniang's gaze and booed one after another.

Xu Zaijing didn't scream like the youths, but after trying hard to squeeze out a smile, he picked up his teacup and thanked her from afar.

Wei Fangzhi withdrew her gaze, lowered her head slightly, and began to play the pipa attentively.

After a song was finished, the youths seemed to be still immersed in the music and unable to extricate themselves.

Young Master Qiao said softly behind the table: "Fangniang, do you have anything on your mind? If there is anything I, Qiao Jiu, can help with, please speak directly."

Hearing Young Master Qiao's words, Liang Han also nodded in agreement.

Wei Fangzhi stood up, held the pipa, and squatted in a salute: "Thank you for your kindness, noble guest, this song is called 'A Hundred Turns of Sorrow', little girl has nothing on her mind!"

Xu Zaijing sighed, no wonder the ancients liked to listen to music in the brothels; just a pipa solo, listening to it was like a girl pouring out her heart to you, how could people not like it.

After a performance, separated by a blurry screen, the youths and the four girls had a meal together.

After resting for half an hour,

the four girls began to play the pipa and beat the drums, play the guzheng and blow the flute.

They showed their versatility to the youths, and finally discussed poetry and songs with the youths. The girls, separated by veils, would sing a few lines of lyrics from time to time, their voices soft and pleasant.

Because today is Qixi, and the story of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl is beautiful and sad,

"Yingying one water..."

"... cannot speak."

So the girls sang mostly sad and sorrowful lyrics, and between their soft words, it seemed that the sad and sigh-worthy male and female protagonists in the lyrics were them and the noble young masters sitting there.

Xu Zaijing took a sip of sweet cold tea in his seat, turned his head to look at Young Master Qiao, who was supporting his chin and looking at Yunniang with infatuation, and Liang Han, who was staring at Fangniang with tears in his eyes in the same posture, and shook his head.

It was Fangniang, who played the pipa the best, who spoke the least.

"Yunniang, don't worry, I will definitely come to support you when the time comes!"

"Fangniang, I don't know when you will be able to go on stage? I will start saving money from now on!"

"Yuniang..."

If his psychological age wasn't old, he wouldn't be much better than them.

"Hate the world, meet less and part more."

Yunniang, who was chatting with Young Master Qiao and had just danced, finished singing the lyrics, wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, looked at Young Master Qiao and said:

"Young Master Nine, we have talked a lot, will you forget me after you leave?"

"No~" Young Master Qiao shook his head firmly.

"I am stupid! If you remember me, it will delay Young Master Nine's studies!"

"No!" Young Master Qiao shook his head.

"But we haven't separated yet, and I have already started missing Young Master Nine! Will our fate, meeting and knowing each other on Qixi, be like that of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl..."

"No..."

Xu Zaijing listened to this conversation, rolled his eyes behind his wide sleeves while raising his teacup,

"Young Master Nine, if we can't meet in the future, just forget me! I don't want to make Young Master sad, I..."

"Only feel heartache for my brother."

"Pfft!!!"

"Yun..."

Xu Zaijing took the handkerchief handed over by Wei Fangzhi and hurriedly waved his hand: "Sorry, I didn't mean to, cough cough!"

Liang Han, who was immersed in the fantasy of beautiful and sad love, looked over angrily when he heard Xu Zaijing's voice: "Brother Jing, what are you doing?"

"You guys continue... cough."

"Fifth Young Master, this sweet tea has sugar, come here and wash it off." Wei Fangzhi on the side said.

"Good, Qingyun!"

As they spoke, the two stood up and came to the side room behind the front hall.

Xu Zaijing shook his head at Fangniang who wanted to follow in: "Just let my servant follow in, thank you."

Wei Fangzhi saluted outside the door.

The two entered the side room, and Qingyun washed his sleeves with water and said: "Young Master, these few don't look old, but their skills are not small."

"Hmm. They started practicing since they were young, those who couldn't were eliminated early."

After washing, Xu Zaijing came out of the side room, only to find that this Fangniang was waiting at the door.

The two walked toward the front hall, and Fangniang asked softly: "Fifth Young Master, I don't know if you laughed at Yunniang's words just now?"

Xu Zaijing waved his hand: "It has nothing to do with her, I just thought of other things."

"Oh."

Returning to the front hall, they sat for more than half an hour, and when the sun set, the youths stood up and washed their faces in the basins held by the maids in the courtyard, preparing to leave.

Taking advantage of the time to wash their faces, the four girls were already standing at the courtyard gate.

In the sunlight, the veils of the four girls seemed even more transparent.

When the youths left, they all received gifts personally sent by the four girls, some were handkerchiefs, some were sachets.

Xu Zaijing also saw Young Master Qiao being grabbed by that Yunniang in his palm.

Xu Zaijing had the handkerchief he used to wipe the corner of his mouth in his sleeve, and after getting Fangniang's sachet in his hand, he pulled Liang Han, who wanted to pay for him, with one hand, gave Qingyun a look, and dragged Liang Han out.

In the small courtyard, after Qingyun gave Mama Ruan the silver, he took out five taels of silver and said to Wei Fangzhi who was about to leave: "Fang, this is the money our young master is compensating you for the handkerchief."

Wei Fangzhi was stunned for a moment, then saluted and took the silver.

Walking out of the small courtyard,

there were even more people on the street in front of Pan Lou, and Xu Zaijing and Liang Han walked a long way before returning to the carriage.

On the way back to the carriage,

several brothels on the roadside had exquisite Mohere puppets placed at the entrance, large grain boards, and some water floats were placed in large wooden buckets at the entrance.

The tables offering Mohere puppets were full of melons and fruits, seemingly competing to see whose was more luxurious and extravagant.

Although the carriage was parked in the shade, the ice cubes in the water tank had turned into warm water.

They changed the ice cubes at a shop on the side, and the two got into the carriage and returned to Quyuanjie.

And at this time, Mistress Wu and Sun Shi had not returned, and the two went to the grape trellis in Xu Zaijing's small courtyard to enjoy the cool.

After Mistress Wu returned to the Xu family and Liang Han left together, the sun soon set.

Sun Shi placed a set of somewhat old stationery on the Kui Xing altar table in the courtyard.

Night fell,

there were more girls and children wearing new clothes on the street.

And the Xu family was enjoying the cool while eating melons and fruits in the Mistress's courtyard,

Xu Zaijing and his brother burned incense and prayed in front of the Kui Xing altar table early, hoping that the literary spirit on the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone used by their brother-in-law could reach Kui Xing's ears, and realize their dreams early.

By the time 9:00 PM was about to pass, half a bright moon hung in the sky.

Under Sun Shi's leadership, Anmei placed her embroidery on the altar table, and then tried hard to thread the needle in the moonlight, and after succeeding, knelt in front of the altar table and sincerely prayed for skill.

After she finished, Qingcao, Ye'er, and other maids and old women continued.

Sheng family,

because the Old Madam liked quiet,

the Sheng family's Qiqiao building was built in Weirui Pavilion. After Changbai and Changfeng finished reciting poems and sincerely knelt and prayed under the colorful building, Wang Shi led the four Lans, like the Xu family, to thread needles and pray for skill, looking at the jade plate and stars in the night sky, they prayed sincerely.

Within the territory of the entire Great Zhou Dynasty, and even in Bai Gao, Northern Liao, and the vassal states outside the territory,

countless families in the Great Zhou cultural circle sincerely burned incense and prayed in the moonlight, either praying for skill or praying for success in the imperial examination.

And in the imperial palace, because the Empress was pregnant, and according to the medical officer's diagnosis, it was mostly a princess, so this time the Empress prayed for skill very seriously,

hoping that the one in her belly could be a clever girl with skillful hands.

After the prayer ended, the Empress, supported by the female official, returned to the sleeping palace with the imperial prince Zhao Fang.

After the female official led Zhao Fang away to rest,

the Empress saw the Emperor, who had returned earlier, looking at the secret report from the Imperial City Division in his hand with a frown,

"Your Majesty, what's wrong?"

The Emperor smoothed his brows and waved his hand: "Nothing, just some follow-up matters in Yang Zhou Prefecture."

Looking at the Empress's disbelieving expression, the Emperor sighed and said:

"It is said that several vassal kings stopped their actions after Fang'er was born, but recently the Imperial City Division began to recover in several routes in the southeast and found that there were other matters, and some money, grain, and taxes were encroached upon by the vassal kings in the southwest of Yang Zhou."

As he spoke, the Emperor handed the secret report in his hand to the Empress.

The Empress looked at it generally and said: "Your Majesty, these money and grain... you can decide alone... What Jing-ge'er!? Went to the Ruan family courtyard this afternoon?"

"Ah?"

The Emperor looked a bit embarrassed and pretended to be surprised, then said: "The young admire their parents, and when they know beauty, they admire the young! Young people..."

The Empress looked carefully at the text on the secret report and nodded: "He can still be considered a person with a sense of proportion! This Liang family's Liang Han actually led such a good child as Jing-ge'er here, I think he needs education!"

"Hmm, the Empress is right! I will let the eunuch go and reprimand him."

"Your Majesty, why make such a big fuss, just let someone pass a word to the Liang family."

Marquis Yongchang household,

Liang Han, with the handkerchief given to him by the girls today covering his face, had already fallen asleep. He smelled the fragrance on it, and in his dream, it seemed that someone walked down from the stage and gently took off the veil on her face.

"Hehehe..."

Mistress Wu frowned, looking at the handkerchief on her son's face.

She held it in her hand and looked at it carefully.

The maid serving Liang Han saw this scene, hurriedly knelt down, shook her head and waved her hands, indicating that it was not hers.

Because they were afraid of waking Liang Han, they didn't dare to make a sound.

The beauty in Liang Han's dream didn't do anything else, she was just patting his face with her hand, and it hurt a bit, he was about to get angry but found that he was dreaming just now, and was sleeping at home at this time.

"Uh? Mother, you..."

"Did you, this little beast, take Jing-ge'er to the Ruan family in Pan Lou today?"

"I didn't! Mother, listen to me."

"Someone, wake Han-ge'er up, bring the family law."

"Mother, who told you? Mother, son won't dare next time!"

"Reach out! Let you, this little beast, take Jing-ge'er! Let you take..."

Liang Han was in tears from the pain, muttering: "Brother Jing! I hate you! Hiss~ wuwuwu, Mother, spare my life!!"