Chapter 263: Entering Daguanyuan to Seek a Young Lady's Hair

A venereal disease?

Luo Zijun was truly speechless; that fellow Xu Xian was simply a dog unable to change its habit of eating excrement.

To be deceived again and again, yet still not know how to wake up.

Now look, he has contracted a terminal illness.

Xu Ziyin said in a low, dejected mood: "I usually always scold him, telling him it would be best if he died outside, but now, looking at that fellow's pitiful state, I..."

"I understand, after all, you are siblings."

Luo Zijun could not help but sigh in his heart, but he dared not show it on his face, saying: "Then hurry back and brew medicine for him."

Xu Ziyin looked at him and said: "Brother Dongfang, you live in the Inner City; do you know any good doctors? I want to ask a doctor to take another look at him; perhaps the previous doctor was mistaken?"

Luo Zijun thought for a moment, nodded, and said: "It is indeed worth confirming again."

Xu Ziyin looked at him pitifully.

Luo Zijun said: "Alright, I will go to the Inner City and look, but I cannot guarantee I will be able to find one."

Xu Ziyin was instantly full of joy: "Thank you, Brother Dongfang."

Then she told him her home address.

Luo Zijun did not linger; after saying goodbye, he boarded a carriage heading toward the Inner City.

He went to Daguanyuan first.

When Shu Shen, who was guarding the gate, saw him, she hurriedly came out to greet him, saying: "The mistress and the others have all left; Miss Chujian and Miss Yingchun are still inside."

Luo Zijun hesitated for a moment, did not go in, and said: "Shu Shen, please go and call Chujian out; I have something to ask her."

Shu Shen hurriedly agreed and went into the garden.

Before long, Liu Chujian came out of the garden with the maid Bi'er. Upon meeting, she said in a low voice: "I haven't obtained it yet. I was embarrassed to say it was for you, so I said it was for myself. They kept digging for the reason, and I didn't know how to explain it."

Luo Zijun pondered for a moment and said: "Chujian, go and tell them the truth; just say I want it. As for the reason, tell them I have unavoidable difficulties and cannot explain it yet."

Liu Chujian agreed and went back into Daguanyuan.

He waited for a moment.

She came out again and said with a bitter smile: "Brother Zijun, Tanchun said you should go in and tell them yourself. After all... after all, a young girl's hair..."

"Alright, I will go in and say it myself."

Luo Zijun did not hesitate anymore and followed her into the garden.

It was not his first time at Daguanyuan; he had once followed Jia Tanchun inside, but even having been here once, entering again now, he could not help but marvel at the luxury and beauty of this garden.

The Jia Family had exhausted all their resources to build this Daguanyuan.

Unexpectedly, it had become his gain.

Liu Chujian led him forward, and they soon arrived in front of a small building built by the water.

This place was called Ouxiang Pavilion, a place where Jia Tanchun, Lin Daiyu, and the others often gathered.

Here, there were lotus ponds with swimming fish, water pavilions and terraces, as well as famous flowers and grasses, rockeries, and bamboo; the scenery was pleasant, extremely suitable for viewing and having a small drink.

It was currently midday in early spring.

Outside the pavilion, new green was just budding, the residual snow had melted, and the lotus pond had not yet sprouted leaves, leaving only a stretch of clear, flat water reflecting the blue sky, which was as clean as if washed.

In the distance, weeping willows were just beginning to droop, tender yellow like silk, swaying gently in the breeze, as if they were the green hairpins at the temples of a new bride.

In Ouxiang Pavilion, several carved windows were half-open and half-closed; sunlight filtered through the carved lattices, casting spots of light onto the floor and the brocade table, warm to just the right degree.

A burner of spring incense in the pavilion had not yet gone out, and the smoke curled thinly, like mist yet not mist.

Lin Daiyu, dressed in red, sat leaning against the window, her fingertips twirling a strand of newly bloomed apricot blossom. Her expression was dazed as she stared at the koi swimming in the lotus pond outside the window, wondering what she was thinking about.

A breeze blew past, stirring the strands of hair at her temples.

She still looked as slender as a willow, soft and weak, fragile as if she could not withstand the wind, but the paleness on her face had faded, replaced by a bit of healthy ruddiness.

Under the intrusion of the breeze, she did not even cough again.

Seeing this scene, Luo Zijun thought to himself: It seems Senior Sister's medicine really did pull this Lin Meimei back from the gates of hell.

Footsteps sounded on the wooden bridge.

Lin Daiyu, who was sitting by the window, came back to her senses and looked toward the person who had arrived.

Then, her gaze fell upon the young man in the Confucian robe, looking graceful and elegant. Seeing this delicate, handsome, and familiar face again, and thinking of Chujian and Yingchun asking her for hair just a moment ago, her pretty face instantly flushed with two blushes.

Under the sunlight, she was as beautiful as a flower and deeply moving.

She hurriedly stood up and went into the room.

At this moment, the sound of talking in the room suddenly went quiet.

When Luo Zijun arrived at the doorway, Jia Tanchun came out to greet him first. She looked at him with a complex expression, lowered her head, and bowed, saying: "Young Master Luo."

Then, the other young ladies and maids in the room also lowered their heads and bowed.

Luo Zijun returned the bow with cupped hands. Without being polite or stalling, he directly stated his purpose: "Miss Tanchun, ladies, I presume Chujian and Yingchun have already told you my purpose. I also know that one's body, hair, and skin are gifts from one's parents; furthermore, a woman's hair has extraordinary significance. But the reason I have the gall to ask is truly because I have unavoidable difficulties. If you are willing to give it, I will be eternally grateful and will surely repay you in the future; if you are unwilling, it does not matter, and I will never force you or be dissatisfied."

The room was quiet for a moment.

Jia Tanchun looked at him and said: "Young Master Luo need not speak of future repayment; we are the ones who should be repaying you. If not for Young Master Luo taking us in, most of the people here would likely be wandering the streets outside, suffering from hunger and cold. Whatever Young Master Luo wants us to do, it is only right, but... Tanchun just wants to know why Sister Chujian said only our hair is useful, and the maids' is not. Also, Yingchun said Luo Zijun wanted hers, but did not want Sister Chujian's. We are just a bit confused and hope Young Master Luo can inform us. Of course, if Young Master Luo is unwilling to say, it does not matter."

Although she said this, looking at the curious and puzzled gazes in the room, it was clear they all wanted to know.

Luo Zijun glanced at Chujian beside him. Seeing her face suddenly turn red, he knew she was too embarrassed to say it, so he had to say: "The hair I need must not be from servants, so the maids' is useless. There is one more condition, which is..."

Looking at the room full of unmarried young girls, all with their eyes fixed on him, he suddenly found it difficult to speak.

"Chujian, you say it."

He pushed the matter away.

"No! Brother Zijun, you say it yourself. I... I feel a bit stifled and want to go out for some air."

Upon hearing this, Liu Chujian immediately refused and hurriedly went out with a red face.

Luo Zijun was helpless. He gave a "cough" and had to brazenly say: "It is like this: the hair I need must be from a woman who is still a virgin..."

Once these words were spoken, the young ladies in the room were momentarily stunned, and then all of them turned red in the face.

The atmosphere suddenly went quiet.

An awkward air began to permeate the room.

Jia Tanchun had no choice but to break the silence with a blushing face: "I heard that some medicines require rather special ingredients. Is Young Master Luo preparing to compound medicine?"

Luo Zijun nodded hurriedly: "Yes, yes, yes, I am preparing to compound medicine."

He immediately seized the opportunity to find a reason: "My head has been aching a bit lately. Because I have to take the Autumn Examination next year, I am reading every day, and perhaps my brain cannot handle it. My master and senior sister examined me and prepared medicine for me; one of the ingredients is... ahem, it is the hair of young ladies like you all..."

When he said "the hair of young ladies like you all," Jia Tanchun and the others immediately turned red in the face again.

Jia Tanchun hurriedly said: "Since it is to treat Young Master Luo's illness, we naturally will not refuse."

Since a suitable reason had been found, everyone was naturally no longer afraid.

Jia Tanchun immediately went to fetch scissors, was the first to cut off a strand of her own hair, and handed it before him, her cheeks still flushed, saying: "Young Master Luo, is this enough?"

"Enough, it is enough, thank you!"

Luo Zijun hurriedly took it, brought out his Money Pouch, and placed it inside.

At this time, Shi Xiangyun also came over to take the scissors, cut off a strand of her own beautiful hair, handed it before him, and said with a crisp laugh: "Young Master Luo, I have given you my hair, so you cannot drive me away in the future."

Although this girl was also shy, compared to the others, she was bolder and also liked to joke.

Luo Zijun took the hair and said: "Miss Xiangyun, feel free to stay; from now on, this place is your home, and no one will drive you away."

Shi Xiangyun's gaze flickered, and she thought to herself: My home...

At this time, Jia Xichun also came over to take the scissors, cut off a strand of beautiful hair, and with her head lowered, handed it before Luo Zijun.

After Luo Zijun took it, he hurriedly thanked her.

Jia Xichun retreated with a red face, looked left and right, and just as she was thinking about whom to pass the scissors in her hand to, a burst of coughing suddenly came from the side.

Lin Daiyu walked out, took the scissors from her hand, cut off a strand of beautiful hair, and then with her head lowered and a red face, handed it before Luo Zijun, saying shyly: "Young Master Luo, thank you for saving me, I..."

Luo Zijun took her beautiful hair and said: "It was my senior sister who saved you; if you want to thank someone, you should go thank her."

Lin Daiyu's eyelashes trembled; she raised her head and looked at him shyly, saying: "Sister Chujian said that it was Young Master Luo who went to beg Sister Su..."

"Uh..."

Luo Zijun looked out the window; Liu Chujian was on the bridge, looking down at the fish in the lotus pond.

Lin Daiyu's expression was complex, and she said softly again: "In a few days, I will go to Sister Su's place... My life belongs to Sister Su; in the future, I..."

"Just go and express your thanks."

Luo Zijun knew the gratitude in her heart and did not say anything more; after putting away the beautiful hair, he looked at the others again.

The room was quiet for a moment.

Luo Zijun prepared to take his leave.

Jia Tanchun said: "Young Master Luo, if it is not enough, I will go find others. Baochai and Yuling are not here today; when they come over, I will ask them."

Luo Zijun said: "Then ask them first; as for the others, do not ask. After all, this matter... is almost done, and for the rest, I will think of a way myself."

He now had the hair of nine people in total, and was still short of three.

He decided to return to the Bai Mansion to check the situation.

"Then I shall take my leave first. Thank you all, young ladies, for today. You may all stay here; if you have other matters, you can go to Chujian Bookstore to find Chujian, or you can go... you can also go to Bao'an Hall to find your Sister Su. Of course, you can also go to the Bai Mansion to find me."

After Luo Zijun finished speaking, he cupped his hands and took his leave.

Jia Yingchun followed him to the door and said weakly: "Young Master Luo, I... I also want to move here to live."

Luo Zijun turned his head to look at her and said deliberately: "Why, has Chujian been bullying you?"

Liu Chujian, who was standing on the bridge looking at the fish, let out a "puchi" laugh upon hearing this and raised her head to look at the two of them.

Jia Yingchun said with a red face: "No, Sister Chujian has not bullied me, I... I just..."

Actually, there were two reasons.

The first reason was that she had grown up with these younger sisters after all, so she naturally wanted to live with them.

The second reason was that she felt that living at Chujian Bookstore was disturbing them; every time Young Master Luo went there, he would leave after saying a few words to Sister Chujian, perhaps because she was there. It was just that he would occasionally spend the night there, and every time he spent the night, the room was not soundproof at all, which was so awkward...

"I was joking with you; if you like living here, just move over."

Luo Zijun looked at the bridge again and said: "Chujian, you can also move over. As for the bookstore, just leave it to Bi'er and Xiao Lan to manage; you can go over occasionally every day, it should be no problem."

Liu Chujian smiled and said: "Yingchun can move over now; as for me, let's talk about it later."

Luo Zijun said: "Why talk about it later?"

Liu Chujian smiled slightly and said: "At the very least, we should wait until Sister Su comes over first."

Luo Zijun: "..."

"Let's go, I still have things to do."

He did not linger any longer, waved goodbye to Jia Yingchun and the others, and left with Liu Chujian and Bi'er.

He first sent the two of them to Chujian Bookstore, then bought some lunch on the street and went straight to Bao'an Hall.

His master had just returned and was washing his hands.

Luo Zijun first placed the lunch in front of his senior sister, then went over and placed it on the table, saying: "Master, after you finish eating in a while, come with me to the Outer City."

Su Dafang wiped his hands, sat down at the table, first picked up a steamed bun and took a bite, then looked at him and said: "What is it?"

Luo Zijun said: "A friend of mine might have contracted a venereal disease."

As soon as Su Dafang heard this, he immediately shouted: "Bad luck! Bad luck! You talk about such things while I am eating; are you doing this on purpose to disgust your master?"

Luo Zijun said: "What is there to be disgusted about? Master has seen it all before. Master also knows that person; you even went to treat him before."

Su Dafang said: "Who?"

Luo Zijun said: "Xu Xian, my classmate at West Lake Academy."

"Xu Xian?"

Su Dafang immediately recalled: "Is it that gloomy and effeminate kid who doesn't look like a man? That guy's constitution is so weak, yet he still dares to go out and mess around?"

Luo Zijun also picked up a steamed bun, and while eating it, he said: "Who knows, Master. I have some doubts; do you think there are some people who are naturally prone to being seduced by women? That guy gets seduced by women almost every few days and never learns his lesson; it's truly somewhat absurd."

"Hmm?"

Su Dafang was stunned for a moment, a look of contemplation appearing between his brows. He finished the steamed bun in his hand in two or three bites, took a sip of wonton soup, and said: "Let's go take a look in a while."

(End of chapter)