Chapter 91: Marry One, Get One Free

The night curtain hung low.

A carriage slowly drove out from the Inner City and stopped outside the Tianxian Pavilion.

A master and a servant stepped down from the carriage.

The two of them held a guqin and, taking advantage of the night, turned into the small alley nearby.

Then they entered the pavilion through the back door.

Returning to the room.

The young girl, wearing a pink dress, carefully set down the guqin in her arms.

Only then did she sit down on a chair, her face full of exhaustion.

"Young Miss, you rest; this servant will go fetch water."

The Young Maid looked at her somewhat pale cheeks, her heart full of pity, and hurriedly left the room, preparing to fetch hot water to serve her for bathing and changing clothes.

By the time the Young Maid returned, the young girl was already asleep, slumped over the table.

"Young Miss..."

The Young Maid stood to the side, tears of pity brimming in her eyes, not daring to disturb her.

After a moment.

The young girl startled awake from her dream; her eyes, gentle as water, blankly stared for a moment before she rose and said, "Bi'er, has the water been fetched?"

Behind the screen in the inner room, the bathtub was already filled with hot water.

The heat was misty, and the fragrance of flowers overflowed.

The Young Maid secretly wiped the tears from her eyes and hurriedly helped her inside, assisting her in untying her sash and removing her dress.

The pink long dress slid off her snow-white, smooth skin;

A head of jet-black, waterfall-like hair cascaded down, hanging to her waist.

The young girl was slender and delicate, her jade-white body, under the reflection of the lamp, as beautiful as a painting.

She lifted her long, slender, beautiful jade legs and entered the bathtub.

Pink petals rippled in the water, and soon, they floated and sank, surrounding her entire body; those delicate, pink petals were just like the young girl's equally delicate, pink jade body.

Warmth and the fragrance of flowers enveloped her.

She closed her eyes, her long eyelashes trembling lightly in the misty vapor.

The exhaustion between her brows seemed to have eased quite a bit.

Bi'er endured it for a while on the side, but in the end, she couldn't hold back, and with tears in her eyes, she said, "Young Miss, when this servant went out to fetch water just now, Xiao Lan told me... told me that in the evening, Young Master Luo came by."

The young girl opened her eyes and said softly, "Go take out the silver and have it ready."

Bi'er burst into tears immediately and said aggrievedly, "Young Miss, he didn't come to ask for your silver; he came to find Ziwei. I heard from Xiao Lan that Liu Mama led him over personally. That fellow stayed with Ziwei for a long time and even... even wrote a few poems for Ziwei, woo..."

Speaking to the end, the little maid could no longer suppress her grievance and heartache, and she sobbed.

She was not feeling aggrieved or heartbroken for herself; she was doing it for her Young Miss.

Hearing this, the young girl was stunned for a while, her face showing no emotional fluctuation, and she said in a low voice, "Oh."

Then, she continued to close her eyes, bathing in the warm clear water and fragrant petals, washing away the day's exhaustion.

Bi'er cried and said, "Young Miss, you go out every day to work hard for money, eating only one meal a day, sometimes not even having time to drink water. Even when you are sick, you still have to go out, and all the money you earn is given to him, and in the end, he... woo woo..."

"This servant told you long ago that men cannot be relied upon, but you didn't believe me, woo..."

The young girl kept her eyes closed, her long eyelashes trembling slightly, and did not speak.

On her beautiful, pink cheeks, a few water droplets from the rising mist clung, like dew on petals in the morning, crystal clear and moving.

Outside the window, a silver moon rose quietly.

After Luo Zijun returned home, his sister told him that the date had already been chosen: the twentieth of this month.

Counting the time, there were seven days left.

Li Zhengshan asked, "Is it so urgent?"

Luo Jiaorong rolled her eyes at him and said, "I had someone carefully choose a good day, how is it urgent? There isn't much to prepare anyway; we don't have any relatives or friends. Tomorrow I will go notify the neighbors, and you go notify Datou and the others. When the time comes, we'll just add two quilts, buy some gold and silver jewelry for Bai'er and Qing'er, and find someone to cook."

Luo Zijun was stunned and hurriedly said, "Sister, Qing'er..."

Luo Jiaorong said happily, "What, marrying two at once, are you unwilling?"

Luo Zijun looked at the Green Snake.

Qingqing held her sword, turned around, and averted her pretty face, looking cold as frost.

Bai Bai, on the side, gave a shy smile: "Zijun Gege, Qing'er is the younger sister I recognized, and we agreed to be together for a lifetime, so... you should just marry her too, okay?"

This snake demon's form of address for him had already changed from "Young Master" to "Gege."

Before Luo Zijun could reply, Luo Jiaorong clapped her hands and said, "It's decided! In this house, I am the one in charge!"

Luo Zijun glanced at her and said nothing more.

It didn't matter.

Marrying one or marrying two, it didn't matter.

Anyway, when the time came for him to bow in marriage with this White Snake, he would be leaving.

The White Snake blinked her big eyes at Luo Jiaorong and said ingratiatingly, "Good sister, I... I am hungry again..."

Luo Jiaorong immediately stood up: "I'll go cook!"

After she reached the kitchen, she muttered to Xiaohuan, "This Bai'er, looking like such a small person, how can she eat so much? She eats everything; even the raw radishes were eaten up by her."

Xiaohuan didn't dare to make a sound and silently started the fire.

After all, from now on, this little girl Bai Bai would be her mistress, even though this Bai Bai looked even younger than her.

Li Zhengshan pulled Luo Zijun to the backyard to tell him some things.

"I have secretly investigated their backgrounds. The household registration documents and the proof documents from the town that Bai'er gave to your sister, I have checked them all, and there are no problems. Both young girls are of pure status, their families have all passed away, and they came here looking for their benefactor; I didn't expect you to have encountered them..."

Luo Zijun thought to himself: These two snake demons have prepared everything perfectly.

He asked again: "Brother-in-law, did they say who their benefactor is?"

Li Zhengshan said: "They didn't say. Your sister asked too, and we were originally prepared to help them look for them, but since they aren't willing to say, we can't force them. Let's just get the marriage done first. Your sister is very anxious; with two such beautiful young girls, and a buy-one-get-one-free deal at that, she's afraid that if it drags on, they might run off."

Luo Zijun: "..."

It was indeed possible.

If these two snake demons found out the truth, and learned that he was not Xu Xian, they might indeed run away immediately; they might even fly into a rage out of shame, causing serious consequences.

Therefore, at this moment, he no longer had time to hesitate.

Then let's get married!

Night.

As he lay down on the bed, the Young Maid crawled over from under the quilt, pressed against his chest, and said shyly: "Young Master, you are about to get married. The Mistress said... said to let this servant, tonight..."

"Snore... snore... ah!"

"Hmph, Young Master keeps snoring, this servant will play by herself."

"Little girl, you only played last night, wait for Young Master to rest for a few more days."

"Is Young Master so weak? But when the time comes, you have to share the bridal chamber with Miss Bai'er and Miss Qing'er. Does Young Master want to supplement your strength in advance, so as not to lose face then?"

"..."

At the same time.

In the room opposite, Luo Jiaorong and her husband had not yet slept.

Li Zhengshan hesitated for a moment and said in a low voice: "Mistress, Zijun is also getting married. I think some things should be told to him."

Luo Jiaorong's expression changed: "What things?"

Li Zhengshan held her hand and said: "It's not about the enemies, it's about his parentage. Last night, I seemed to hear him say a name to Bai'er and Qing'er. I feel, has he discovered something?"

"What name?"

Luo Jiaorong looked blank.

Li Zhengshan leaned to her ear and whispered a name.

Luo Jiaorong's heart jolted: "He... how does he know?"

After speaking, she immediately got up from the bed, went over to take the oil lamp, and crawled under the bed.

After a while.

She crawled out from under the bed, looking full of doubt: "There are no signs of it having been touched, that kid shouldn't know..."

Li Zhengshan said: "Maybe I heard wrong, but I feel that this matter..."

"I know."

Luo Jiaorong's expression shifted for a moment, and she sighed softly: "I said long ago that when he gets married, I would tell him. In a few days, when these matters are all finished, I will tell him myself."

Li Zhengshan comforted her softly: "It's fine, even if Zijun knows, it's fine. Father and Mother, you and I, have always treated him like our own flesh and blood. The grace of raising him is no less than the grace of giving birth to him. Don't worry about him not recognizing you as his sister."

Luo Jiaorong rolled her eyes at him, went over to put away the oil lamp, and said: "Do I not know what kind of person Zijun is better than you? He dares not recognize me, just let him try?"

Li Zhengshan laughed: "We are all his family, naturally he wouldn't dare. Mistress, after Zijun gets married, we... let's have a child, okay?"

Luo Jiaorong was silent for a moment, looked at him again, and nodded with some guilt: "Mm."

Outside the window, the night grew thicker.

A night bird flew past, emitting a "caw-caw" sound.

Xiaohuan opened the door and went out to rinse her mouth and brush her teeth.

Luo Zijun lay in the quilt, eyes closed, and couldn't help but have the various beauties of this place surface in his mind again.

Xiaohuan hiccuped, entered the room, and shyly got into bed.

"Eat less next time, don't get fat."

Luo Zijun muttered. Then he added: "No, better eat more, grow a bit more. You are still a bit small now, it's better to grow a bit more."

The Young Maid shrank into the quilt, her little face red, and gave a low "Mm."

She thought to herself: Even if I grow more, I still can't compare to Miss Qing'er and Miss Ling'er...

Then she thought secretly: Miss Qing'er is such a small person, carrying such big things, how pitiful... she already fell twice at home today... if only she could share a little with me...

The next day.

Waking up in the morning, feeling refreshed.

Luo Zijun went out and headed straight to the bookstore.

It was about time to see how that copy of *West Chamber Romance* was selling.

Who knew that just as he arrived at the bookstore, he suddenly saw people arguing at the entrance.

"I clearly reserved it long ago and paid the money, why was it sold to someone else?"

A woman with a livid face was scolding the bookstore owner.

!

The bookstore owner explained busily: "Miss, please calm your anger. The one just sold really was reserved by someone else long ago. The one you reserved was indeed stolen by someone. If I am lying, may I be struck by lightning and die a horrible death!"

The owner was scolded into swearing a poisonous oath.

The woman remained full of anger: "I don't care! If you don't get the book for me today, I'm not leaving!"

The owner said hurriedly: "Tomorrow, the books will arrive tomorrow, they are being printed urgently."

Another group of women stood behind that woman, and upon hearing this, they immediately said angrily: "You've been saying this for the past few days, every time we come you say there aren't any, you're just a liar!"

The owner immediately gave a bitter smile: "I really dare not deceive you ladies. It's just that the book is selling too well. Only a dozen or so are allocated each day, and every day people reserve them in advance, I..."

"Then can't you tell those who print the books to print more?"

"Exactly, only printing those few, we've run through all the bookstores in the Outer City and haven't been able to buy one, it's too hateful!"

The shopkeeper said with a helpless look, "We are already printing day and night without stopping. As you all know, some things have happened in the city recently, and we are short-handed. It really isn't intentional to delay..."

Luo Zijun hurriedly squeezed through and asked, "Shopkeeper, what book is selling so well?"

"What are you doing? Why are you pushing?"

"Men and women should not touch when giving or receiving, why are you touching me?"

"Back off! We were here first!"

A group of women already had nowhere to vent their anger, and now seeing him pushing and shoving his way to the front, they all glared and began to scold him.

Luo Zijun ignored them, and even let out a fart in their direction.

The women immediately covered their noses and retreated one after another.

The shopkeeper took one look at the young man before him, immediately recognized him, and said in a low voice, "Young Master, 'Jade Foot Illustration 6' won't arrive at the shop until tomorrow. Please come back tomorrow."

Luo Zijun's mouth twitched, and he hurriedly said, "Shopkeeper, I'll buy another book. I heard a new book came out recently called 'West Chamber Romance'. How much is it a copy?"

Who would have thought that as soon as these words were spoken, the women who had just covered their noses and retreated immediately rushed back over.

"Hey, if you want to buy 'West Chamber Romance', please step back!"

"Don't you see all of us waiting here? You just arrived and want to cut in line? On what grounds? Just because you look handsome?"

"Go away! This young lady was here first!"

"What a stinky fart..."

The women glared at him one by one.

The shopkeeper gave a wry smile and hurriedly said, "This Young Master, if you want to buy 'West Chamber Romance', you definitely won't be able to buy it today. Do you see these young ladies? They are all here to buy 'West Chamber Romance'. You have to pay and reserve it first; it should take about ten days to get a copy."

Luo Zijun felt a surge of joy and asked, "Are they all here to buy 'West Chamber Romance'?"

The shopkeeper nodded, looking helpless: "They all are, but there really aren't any left today."

Upon hearing this, the women began to scold again.

A woman suddenly said, "No book is fine, then tell us, who exactly is the author of this book, Jun Chujian? You cooperate with him, so you must know him, right?"

As soon as this was said, the other women hurriedly chimed in.

"Right, tell us who Jun Chujian is! Is it a man or a woman?"

"Will the author come to your bookstore for a signing?"

Luo Zijun glanced at these women, didn't stay any longer, and pushed and shoved his way out, carving a bloody path.

"Hey! You lecher, don't touch me!"

"Don't push me! You pushed my chest!"

"Damn it! This guy still has the smell of a stinky fart on him! It's stinking me to death, ugh..."

Luo Zijun ignored the shouting and left quickly.

It seems 'West Chamber Romance' is selling well, so for the second book, 'Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai', he could negotiate a better price.

He went straight to Tianxian Pavilion.

It's so early, he hoped that Liu had not left yet.

He turned into the alley and arrived at the back door.

Before he could knock, the wooden door opened with a "creak".

Shui Shui was wearing a thin blue gauze dress, appeared in the doorway with a giggle, and after seeing him, immediately pulled him in, then affectionately took his arm and said, "Young Master Luo, I saw you from upstairs, so I came over immediately to open the door for you. How are you going to thank me?"

Luo Zijun had promised Liu Mama that he would write a poem for her.

This woman was so attentive and enthusiastic today, seemingly having forgotten about that time he stood her up, clearly having already received the news.

"Let me write a poem for you."

Luo Zijun said.

Shui Shui immediately widened her eyes, her face full of joy as she said, "Young Master Luo, you can't lie to me, okay? My heart is very small. If you lie to me again, I will... I will go jump into a well!"

Luo Zijun couldn't help but smile and said, "Let's go, I'll write it now."

Upon hearing this, Shui Shui was overjoyed, immediately opened her arms to hug him, kissed his cheek, and said with teary, moved eyes, "Young Master Luo, you are so good to me. Today I will give my body to you and let you play with me for three days and three nights, okay?"

Luo Zijun: "..."

"Let's go, let's go upstairs to write the poem, and call Liu Mama too."

Shui Shui immediately widened her eyes: "Ah, Young Master wants one dragon and two phoenixes, and wants to play with Liu Mama too?"

Luo Zijun immediately had black lines running down his head.

"What are you saying? I promised Liu Mama yesterday that I would write a poem for you. If I don't let her watch, what will I do if she says I'm fooling her later?"

This woman, why is her train of thought so strange?

"Hee hee."

Shui Shui giggled, hugged his arm and said, "I thought Young Master had some special hobby, you scared me."

Then her eyes swirled, and she said with a charming look: "However, no matter what special hobby Young Master has, Shui Shui is willing to serve you."

Luo Zijun ignored her and went straight into the room.

After receiving the news, Liu Mama hurried over, then grabbed his hand and said with an excited face: "Young Master Luo, the three poems you gave to Ziwei, I have already shown them to those old gentlemen. Everyone is full of praise, saying that our Ziwei will definitely become famous this time. In a few days, at the Four Great Brothel Literary Gathering, I am preparing to let Ziwei take these three poems to compete. Tsk tsk, by then Ziwei will definitely be even more famous than Jun Chujian!"

Luo Zijun hurriedly asked, "Is Liu here today?"

Liu Mama smiled all over her face: "She is, she is, she hasn't gone out yet today."

Shui Shui hurriedly pouted and acted like a spoiled child: "Young Master Luo, you said you would write a poem for me first, you can't lie!"

Liu Mama's eyes immediately lit up.

Luo Zijun glanced at her and said, "Let's go, let's write the poem first."

Since he had promised this Liu Mama, he naturally had to fulfill his commitment, hoping that by then the other party could generously let Liu leave this place.

Of course, he was not afraid of this Liu Mama going back on her word.

Since he could casually write such poems, he could naturally write even more and better ones; Liu Mama was a smart person and would naturally not lose out on more profit for the sake of one girl.

Moreover, he was a scholar of the West Lake Academy.

For any Brothel, they would not dare to easily offend those literary talents, especially those talented at writing poetry.

A single poem could potentially ruin one's reputation.

The three of them entered the room.

Liu Mama closed the door herself, her face full of joyful smiles.

Shui Shui diligently brought over the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, grinding the ink herself, her eyes—brimming with spring water—gazing at him with flowing light.

At the same time.

In another room on the third floor.

The door opened, and Bi'er walked in quickly, her small face livid with anger, her eyes red-rimmed as she said to the young lady before the dressing table: "Miss, that bad guy has come; he just went straight to Miss Shui Shui's room and even closed the door."

The young lady before the Copper Mirror was slightly stunned and did not speak.

Bi'er choked with sobs: "Miss, we gave him the money from selling the books, so let's not pay any more attention to him, alright? Anyway... anyway, we are going to leave this place soon..."

She was afraid that her Miss would be deceived by that bad guy.

If she were to be swindled out of her money, and then have her feelings and body deceived as well, given her Miss's temperament, she surely would not be able to go on living...

The young lady looked quietly at her own beautiful face in the Copper Mirror, still not speaking.

After a moment of silence.

She stood up and said calmly: "Let's go, to the Inner City."

(End of this chapter)