Chapter 92: The Sword Maiden

Zi Ying’s main course was dance.

“I once wanted to train in martial arts and become a Sword Maiden, but I lack Fengxian’s talent.”

Xiao Yu stood behind her, mimicking various postures that were far from graceful but highly demanding.

She was learning dance from Zi Ying, while Hong Qu was downstairs studying etiquette with her instructor.

The daughter of a chancellor naturally understood propriety—even better than her aunt in matters of grand ritual.

But Hong Qu’s status had changed, and her noble lady’s demeanor hadn’t yet adjusted; she needed training.

Xiao Yu, a desert savage, had only been the Guan family’s young lady for less than half a month, yet she had met the Commandant and the Marquis of Radiant Sun, been visited by others, and now carried herself with open, cheerful ease—so much so that the etiquette instructor praised her as “well-mannered.”

“Being a dance maiden isn’t bad—you have real talent for dance.”

Xiao Yu watched Zi Ying’s slender waist move with gentle, fluid motions, her gaze appreciative.

She could perfectly replicate Zi Ying’s movements, but lacked the delicate, alluring charm that defined them.

“Sigh, a Sword Maiden can serve her whole life, growing stronger with each passing year. A dance maiden, by twenty-five, has no patrons left—and ends up with a body full of ailments.” Zi Ying spoke while dancing, her movements unaffected.

“I can teach you martial arts. I’m a genius, and geniuses teach better than others—I’ll make you an unparalleled Sword Maiden.” Xiao Yu said.

“Really?”

Zi Ying was so delighted her dancing posture distorted, and she turned her head to gaze at Xiao Yu with hopeful eyes.

Cui Hua, the dance instructor nearby, frowned but said nothing.

Xiao Yu declared: “Of course I can. Not just you—any sister in this academy who asks, I’ll share everything I know.”

“Of course, I won’t teach you the Guan family’s secret manuals.”

“I’ve already made a silent vow—I will never use Guan family martial arts again unless my life is in immediate danger.”

“You’d better bring your own manuals to me. If you don’t have any, you’ll have to choose from mine.”

“I currently have only four manuals, none of which suit girls well.”

Before she finished speaking, seven or eight girls nearby altered their movements, turning to stare at Xiao Yu with eager eyes.

“Don’t promise too much,” Cui Hua said coolly. “You may be a martial arts genius, but geniuses often fail to understand ordinary people’s struggles.”

Xiao Yu laughed heartily. “Cui Hua, you’re absolutely right. Geniuses live off talent—they learn too easily to grasp the breakthroughs others need. But I’m no ordinary genius.”

“I’m an ‘Immortal Talent’ among geniuses! Try me—you won’t even pay tuition.”

Cui Hua shot her another glance and snapped at the distracted girls: “Stand firm! Save your questions for after class.”

The girls immediately stilled their expressions, regained their postures, and resumed dancing to the rhythm.

Except for a half-incense-stick break, the entire Li Xiang Garden session lasted until the kitchen’s old aunt arrived to call them for lunch, when it finally ended.

After lunch, the “daughters” no longer came to Li Xiang Garden for lessons.

Because the registered “senior girls” of Hongxiu Fang had finally woken up.

Ancients had little nightlife, but brothels were a vital part of it.

The top courtesans were extremely busy.

Besides entertaining clients within the teaching house, wealthy families often invited famous courtesans to sing or dance at birthdays and banquets.

Like modern rich people hiring celebrities to liven up an event.

Some clients had to wait a full month for an appointment.

They slept late, often waking only at noon or even afternoon, then repeating yesterday’s routine: holding court at Hongxiu Fang to serve gentlemen who came to listen to music, or riding in sedan chairs to “perform” at private homes.

When the senior girls woke, the “daughters” in the back courtyard would go to serve them.

It was both a servant’s duty, saving Hongxiu Fang expenses, and an apprenticeship—learning by osmosis the “demeanor” of the top courtesans.

Xiao Yu and Hong Qu had not yet been assigned any “senior sisters,” so they returned to Xiao Jing Xuan.

Not long after, Zi Ying came over with a small booklet.

“This was given to me by Liu Gugu. She said to try it first—if it works well, she’ll arrange for you to teach the others.”

Xiao Yu took the booklet and saw it was a sword manual titled “Nine Flower Beauty Sword.”

She silently flipped through it.

Fascinating—the Nine Flower Beauty Sword used nine famous flowers as sword forms: First, “Lingbo Immortal,” imitating the grace of narcissus; second, “Fragrance Fills the World,” echoing osmanthus; third, “Gentleman Like Jade,” the orchid; fourth, the dignified and pure camellia; fifth, the lush azalea; sixth, the elegant rose; seventh, the innocent violet chrysanthemum; eighth, the regal peony, towering above all blooms; ninth, the frost-defying snow plum.

“This manual is quite good. Though it lacks breathing techniques, its spirit and forms are perfectly suited for women.”

“And once you grasp its spirit, your feminine aura will change too.”

Just as Zi Ying’s face lit up with hope and joy, Xiao Yu shook her head and sighed: “But this manual isn’t suitable for me—I can’t teach it to you.”

“Because I’m a barbarian. I’ve never seen frost-resistant winter plum, never seen imperial peonies, never seen the carefully cultivated violet chrysanthemums, camellias, or orchids. If it were wild orchids, I’ve chewed a few.”

“Chewed… orchids?” Hong Qu’s expression twisted. “Are you a cow?”

Xiao Yu said calmly: “In the desert wastes, there are no farmlands, no crops grown. I tasted every flower and herb, searching for plants that could survive the desert—and healing herbs.”

Actually, she first had sand rats taste them; when they didn’t die, she let desert savages taste them; only when they survived did she try them herself.

And her main goal was finding crops. The herbs she sought weren’t for healing—they were for making poisons.

Because she had no understanding of medicine at all.

Hong Qu, unaware of the truth, assumed Xiao Yu was a “desert Shennong” who tasted herbs herself, and her gaze toward Xiao Yu now held a touch of reverence.

“If you’ve never seen those flowers, can’t you still practice?” Zi Ying murmured. “I’ve only ever seen sour plum blossoms in my family’s backyard.”

Hong Qu sighed: “How can you mimic their spirit if you’ve never even seen them?”

Xiao Yu glanced at her and said: “This manual would suit you well.”

“I won’t practice it,” Hong Qu said firmly.

The Nine Flower Sword was meant to artificially create a “flower-like ladylike aura”—its combat power was terrible, offering her no benefit.

“Is Liu Gugu still busy?” Xiao Yu asked Zi Ying.

Zi Ying nodded. “Very busy.”

“What about that Uncle Zhang?” Xiao Yu asked.

“Oh! I almost forgot—I arranged a meeting with Uncle Zhang for you!” Zi Ying smiled apologetically, grabbed Xiao Yu’s hand, and ran out, calling: “Hurry, Uncle Zhang has to go to work soon!”

As they jogged, Zi Ying explained Hongxiu Fang’s rules on “gender separation.”

Hmm—courtesans talking about gender separation sounded absurd.

But if courtesans were commodities and men were consumers, “gender separation” became “preventing free sampling.”

There were men inside Hongxiu Fang—commonly called “turtlemen.”

The “Uncle Zhang” she was about to meet was one.

Turtlemen usually stayed in the front courtyard, while the back courtyard housed the “daughters” and “girls.”

The girls were for sale; if they associated with turtlemen, their reputation suffered, and their value plummeted.

If a turtelman deflowered a “daughter,” the teaching house would suffer heavy losses.

Hongxiu Fang had three gates: the first led to the street-facing pavilions for eating or visiting; the second, for VIP clients, offered private courtyards, waterside pavilions, or pavilions for varied needs; the third gate, generally closed to outsiders, housed the kitchen, bathhouse, dining hall, Li Xiang Garden for training girls, the “daughters’” dormitories, and various storerooms.

Now Xiao Yu followed Zi Ying out the third gate and found Uncle Zhang beside the front courtyard’s rock garden.

Uncle Zhang had an ordinary face, sharp eyes, but no trace of deceitful cunning.

Either he was a master of false loyalty—or genuinely retained a touch of human simplicity.

“Fengxian bows to Uncle Zhang,” Xiao Yu said, kneeling slightly.

Uncle Zhang hurriedly stepped aside, waving his hands. “Miss Fengxian, please don’t bow to people like us. We’re unworthy—and others would laugh at you.”

“There’s no one else here,” Xiao Yu smiled, cutting to the point. “I’m training martial arts and need tonics—like Guan family’s Bone-Strengthening Decoction or Spirit-Warming Soup.”

“I can’t leave Hongxiu Fang easily, so I need your help, Uncle Zhang.”

“Of course, I won’t let you do this for free.”

Uncle Zhang had already heard from Zi Ying and wasn’t surprised. “Do you know the Bee Corridor inside the inner courtyard?”

Xiao Yu shook her head.

Zi Ying immediately said: “I know it—I’ll show you the way later.”

Uncle Zhang nodded. “The Bee Corridor connects to an alley that links to ‘Zhonghua Street.’”

“I’ll give the medicine packages to Sun Nainai, who guards the Bee Corridor. You collect them yourself.”

“You’ll need to pay Sun Nainai about half a string of copper coins each month.”

“For me, just give me a few silver coins as a tip—it’s nothing major.”

Xiao Yu smiled and nodded. “Alright, that works.”

She handed him a pre-weighed two-liang gold ingot. “Buy one package of each herb—try to include as many varieties as possible. I’ll test each one myself.”

“Understood.”

After Uncle Zhang left with the money pouch, Zi Ying hesitated. “Shouldn’t we agree on a regular fee first?”

“My needs aren’t fixed—frequent trips and rare ones require different payments,” Xiao Yu said.

More importantly, she didn’t yet fully trust Uncle Zhang.

If he stole her silver or gave her inferior goods, she’d switch immediately—why discuss a regular fee?

Conversely, if he was truly honest, her tips would never be lacking.

“Where does Liu Gugu live? Take me around nearby—I’ll learn the routes.” Xiao Yu said.

Around four in the afternoon, Xiao Yu met Liu Gugu.

Liu Gugu lived in a small pavilion beside the front garden.

The garden pavilion was not only elegant but offered a sweeping view—climbing the pavilion atop the rock garden, one could overlook all of Hongxiu Fang.

And the interior furnishings were exquisitely luxurious.

Xiao Yu even saw a three-foot-tall self-striking clock.

"Hehe, never seen anything so rare, have you?"

Seeing Xiao Yu stare in astonishment at the self-striking clock, Liu Gugu put down her brush, rubbed her aching neck, and smiled proudly: "Don’t just you, a desert savage from the Northern Wastes—even many monarchs of the Western nations have only heard of the 'Great Qin Immortal Clock,' never seen one, let alone owned one."

"Was this made by Great Qin immortals?" Xiao Yu asked.

"I don’t know if it was made by immortals, but it definitely came from the Great Qin Xianyang Workshops."

Liu Gugu walked to the side of the 'Great Qin Immortal Clock,' gently wiping nonexistent dust off its redwood casing as if caressing a lover, then pointed to the small iron plaque behind it: "Look, here’s the craftsman’s number and name."

Xiao Yu leaned in and saw it clearly inscribed: "Year 146, Shenyou Group, Temple Craftsmen, Qi Supervisor."

It meant: in the 146th year of Emperor Zheng’s reign, a master craftsman named 'Qi' led the Shenyou team to forge this Great Qin Immortal Clock.

"This thing doesn’t use any immortal arts—copying it shouldn’t be hard."

"You’re talking nonsense again," Liu Gugu shot her a glance. "If it weren’t hard to copy, why hasn’t a single monarch in the Western nations managed to replicate it?"

"Because they’re fools, and I have great wisdom," Xiao Yu said.

Liu Gugu rolled her eyes. "I’m busy. I don’t have time to waste on your nonsense. What do you want?"

Xiao Yu told her about Zhang Da’s help in buying the medicine.

"Zhang the Fourth," Liu Gugu thought for a moment, then said. "He’s... passable."

Xiao Yu exclaimed in surprise: "That’s such a weak compliment? That means he’s not good at all!"

Liu Gugu sneered: "Have you thought about who you’re dealing with?"

Eunuchs and courtesans are the two types of people least worthy of trust or entrusted with money."

"To get a 'passable' rating—Zhang the Fourth, if he knew, would be overwhelmed with gratitude toward me."

Xiao Yu was speechless.

"Since Red Sleeve Courtyard has been training sword maidens, why not buy their cultivation tonics in bulk?"

"Hmph, do you know how much a packet of Bone-Strengthening Decoction costs?" Liu Gugu asked.

Xiao Yu smiled: "You can’t fool me about anything else—when it comes to Guan Family medicine packets, their quality and price, this former 'Guan Family Miss' knows inside and out. The market price for Bone-Strengthening Decoction is six taels of silver per packet—one packet brews two sheng of thick broth."

"Then do you know how much a regular girl at Red Sleeve Courtyard charges for an overnight stay?" Liu Gugu held up two fingers. "Not counting food or wine—two taels of silver will get you into seven out of ten girls here. Six taels? Hmph—if anyone’s willing to pay that, I’d be happy to sell myself."

"Do you know how much it costs to spend the night with a regular courtesan at Hongxiu Fang?" Aunt Liu held up two fingers. "Not counting food or wine, two taels of silver will get you a night with seven out of ten of our girls."

Xiao Yu glanced sideways at the 'Great Qin Immortal Clock' and remembered Hong Qu’s earlier words: the girls of Red Sleeve Courtyard ate the guests’ leftovers, and the money they saved in a year could build a palace for the Prince of Qinghe.

She scratched the back of her head. "The market for sword maidens must be different, right?"

"Only those who succeed become sword maidens. Those who fail aren’t sword maidens. If you’ve already succeeded, why bother supplementing? If you really want to, use your own private money—once you’re a true sword maiden, you won’t lack for a few taels anyway," Liu Gugu said.

She scratched the back of her head and said, “A Sword Maiden’s market value must be different, right?”

“Only those who master it are Sword Maidens; those who can’t aren’t. If you’ve already mastered it, what’s there to make up for? If you really want to make up for it, you can do like you—use your private savings. After all, once you’ve truly become a Sword Maiden, you won’t be short of a few coins,” said Aunt Liu.