The melody ended, and the curtains fell, while the colorful sounds in the wine tower echoed like thunder...
"On that day, I only knew the dance in the jade tower; today, I understand the melody of the jade tower! This song by Miss Jade Tower must be the masterpiece of Farewell Tower! Now it should be 'Return to Liang,' right?" A noble young man unfolded his folding fan, expressing infinite admiration.
As customary, a famous courtesan leaving the brothel to join a respectable family was sought after by scholars and the wealthy. Even high-ranking officials sometimes could not resist the allure. Having a famous courtesan as a concubine meant that a person, once pursued by countless admirers, became the exclusive plaything of one.
Therefore, today at the Haining Tower, many distinguished guests gathered.
Everyone competed to win the former leading courtesan.
The first nobleman to step forward said, "I am Xie Dong. I offer one hundred taels of silver as a betrothal gift. Please, Miss, come to my Xie family, and I will treat you with sincerity."
The moment these words were spoken, the entire building was in an uproar...
What concept was a hundred taels of silver? It could buy ten ordinary courtesans! Starting with such a high betrothal gift, it shattered the dreams of ninety percent of the people present.
Several people were about to speak but sat down again, their faces contorted in frustration.
A man who looked like a merchant stood up. "I am willing to offer 300 taels of silver!"
"300 taels! Damn!"
Another person stood up, "I am the owner of the East Gold Tower in the east of the city. My legal wife just passed away. Join my Chen family, be called a concubine but treated as the legal wife. As for the betrothal gift, how about 500 taels?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the complexion of the merchant who offered 300 taels changed abruptly. Xie Dong, who had bid first, also widened his eyes...
Although it was a competition of money, how could you compete with "legal wife just passed away, let the courtesan enjoy the treatment of a legal wife"? You couldn't kill the legal wife just to take a courtesan as a concubine, right?
The deadlock lasted only a moment. Zhang Xiu, the first on the left, opened his folding fan lightly, "Nonsense! Miss Jade Tower, a generation's leading courtesan, what a status! How can mere merchants dare to dream of her?... I offer a thousand taels as a betrothal gift, sincerely inviting Miss Jade Tower to my Zhang residence!"
He raised his hand, revealing a silver note with a face value of a thousand taels.
The entire building fell silent.
As soon as these words were spoken, the complexion of the merchant who offered 300 taels changed abruptly. Xie Dong, who had bid first, also slowly sat down.
A scholar next to Zhang Xiu smiled slightly, "Since Brother Zhang has this intention, how can we, brothers, dare to compete with you? Congratulations, Brother Zhang!"
"Congratulations, Brother Zhang!"
"The first beauty of Quzhou joins the first courtesan of Haining, what a wonderful story in the literary world..."
"Congratulations, Miss Jade Tower..."
For a moment, the atmosphere in the entire building changed. Everyone congratulated Zhang Xiu and Jade Tower. This included the merchants who had bid before, including Xie Dong.
Zhang Xiu, with his status as the first scholar of Quzhou and his powerful position in the court as the Minister of War, was at the top in terms of talent, status, and wealth.
...
Not to mention other people in the building; each one was greatly impressed. Behind the beaded curtain, the gazes of several courtesans were mesmerized. The leading courtesan of Quzhou, dancing with such elegance, could anyone resist?
The elegantly dressed lady smiled, "Miss Jade Tower is honored by Brother Zhang's favor. It's truly Jade Tower's blessing. Brother Zhang, please lift the pearl curtain yourself and present your feelings to her..."
Zhang Xiu smiled, "Jade Tower, I have been favored by Mother many times in the past. I will repay your kindness in the future."
The lady in elegant attire smiled like a flower, "Thank you in advance, Brother Zhang. Please..."
Zhang Xiu reached out and lifted the pearl curtain.
This was the final step of leaving the brothel and returning to a respectable family - lifting the pearl curtain and taking away the leading courtesan...
Lin Su raised his gaze, coincidentally meeting the eyes of Jade Tower. She was also looking in his direction.
What kind of gaze was this? Sorrowful and melancholic, he suddenly remembered the song she had just sung: "My heart is like the moon, seeking what is unattainable..."
Jade Tower's gaze moved away from his face, turning towards Zhang Xiu, and she gave a graceful salute, "Thanks to Brother Zhang's generous affection, but Jade Tower has made a prior commitment to someone else... I apologize for not being able to serve Brother Zhang."
A hint of stiffness appeared on Zhang Xiu's face.
The entire building fell into a deathly silence.
People had heard rumors that Jade Tower had an unclear relationship with Young Master Lin, but was it true?
However, Lin's family had already fallen into disrepair.
The person with an unclear relationship with her hadn't even shown up.
In this situation, she actually refused Zhang Xiu, rejecting the best destination any woman in the world could find...
The elegantly dressed lady's face changed slightly. The program seemed to be getting out of control. She looked towards Zhang Xiu for help, but Zhang Xiu coldly ignored her.
Her gaze shifted to Jade Tower, who was sitting quietly. Jade Tower remained calm, with a slight smile.
The air seemed to have completely solidified.
Finally, the elegantly dressed lady forced a smile, "People have different aspirations. Since Miss Jade Tower has made a decision, let's move on to the next chapter. Now, introducing our 'Top Courtesan' of the Jade Fragrance Tower..."
The curtain on the right was lifted, and everyone's eyes brightened.
The curtain on the right was denser. At the beginning, people couldn't see clearly what was inside. Now, as it was pulled open, a burst of youthful vitality rushed out. Nine young girls bowed down, surrounding a stunning beauty in the center like a flower.
The beautiful woman slowly raised her head, and her enchanting appearance immediately captivated the entire audience.
Her eyes turned, and the whole room was filled with a spring-like atmosphere.
The nine girls slowly raised their
heads. At the same time, the central beauty rose gracefully. The entire process was like a blooming flower, full of beauty.
She was the Prajna, twenty-nine years old, the most beautiful age for a woman.
She gracefully greeted everyone, "I am Prajna. I will dance a song called 'Light Attire' for all you talented gentlemen. I hope you remember the image of Prajna in light attire..."
With this greeting, the nine girls behind her also bowed, still forming the shape of a flower. However, this time, the flower had an infinite dynamic beauty.
However, her words...
A dance in light attire?
People were somewhat surprised...
Lin Su heard someone whispering beside him, "Isn't this 'Light Attire Dance' the famous signature dance of Miss Jade Tower? Is she being disrespectful by choosing the famous piece of the former courtesan? Today is the exchange of old and new courtesans, and the new courtesan should showcase her own specialties. This is interesting."
The signal being sent was clear: she was confident that she could dance better than the old courtesan. She wanted to step on the old courtesan to rise to the top!
As the dance began, Prajna's figure was graceful and unrestrained. Her entire body was as soft as boneless, but at the same time, smooth as silk. Accompanied by the ethereal sound of the guzheng, her lively eyes sometimes showed melancholy and sometimes joy. Clearly not explicit, she conveyed a captivating charm...
Lin Su listened to the discussions around him, feeling something, and shifted his gaze to the left where Jade Tower was. Jade Tower showed no joy or sorrow, maintaining a calm smile.
After the dance, the entire hall erupted in applause.
The cheers of the top ten scholars of Quzhou were particularly enthusiastic. Under their influence, the atmosphere in the entire building surpassed the previous performance of Jade Tower's "Farewell Tower Melody."
Zhang Xiu stood up and walked towards the right side, "Miss Prajna's dance is the true 'Light Attire Dance.' To witness such a wonderful dance is a true blessing in my life... Two thousand taels of silver, as a token of my appreciation."
He presented two thousand taels in silver notes.
The top eight scholars of Quzhou cheered in unison, and the entire wine tower was almost turned upside down...
The people below were abnormally solemn. The signal was too obvious...
Zhang Xiu had just been rejected by Miss Jade Tower, and now he retaliated with such intensity, doubling the amount and giving it to Prajna. This was undoubtedly a slap in Jade Tower's face.
Although Jade Tower appeared serene and intelligent, her complexion changed slightly. Behind the pearl curtain, it was hard to sit still.
Prajna's face turned even redder, and she thanked him sweetly. Behind her, the nine young girls simultaneously bowed, softly embracing Prajna. Prajna's opening performance today ended perfectly...
The elegantly dressed lady smiled brightly, leading a group of beautiful women out, "Now, we come to the final part of the farewell banquet. I invite all talented gentlemen to drink the grape wine in their cups, compose poems for the two generations of courtesans, offer a language flower, and present a segment of romance and charm..."
The beautiful women behind her turned sideways simultaneously, each holding several silk flowers in their hands. The silk flowers were spread out on their palms, and they presented an appearance as if anyone could pick them...
The climax of the banquet had arrived.
The core part of the farewell banquet was the poem recital.
This was the moment for literati to showcase their talents.
Various literati raised the wine glasses in front of them and drank in one go...
Lin Su's gaze also shifted to the wine glass in front of him. He picked it up and took a sip...
As the liquid went down his throat, his cheeks bulged...
Damn! Was this wine?
Was it not vinegar? Or sour plum soup, perhaps?
Zhang Xiu was still the first to stand up, walking towards the right, picking up a language flower, and handing it to Prajna...
"Brother Zhang!" Prajna's face blushed infinitely as she accepted the language flower. Her eyes were as enchanting as a drunken state, and her appearance behind the flower was even more charming than the flower itself.
Zhang Xiu picked up the pen from the tray beside him and wrote a poem. The elegantly dressed lady next to him read it aloud, "Spring river, spring water, Haining Tower, a dance in light attire takes half a day to rest. Don't believe the world lacks true beauty; from now on, Prajna will crown Quzhou... Brother Zhang said Prajna will crown Quzhou, so please come often to support her in the future..."
The entire hall erupted in cheers, applause echoing all around...
Prajna's face turned even redder, and her eyes seemed to be dripping with honey...
Another person stepped forward, took down the language flower, and
handed it to Prajna, while chanting a poem...
In the blink of an eye, thirteen people recited poems. Prajna held a large bouquet of language flowers, while Jade Tower still had none. She sat quietly, maintaining a gentle smile...
Half an hour passed, and the presentation of flowers and poems finally came to an end. In front of Prajna, there was already a sea of flowers, but on Jade Tower's side, there was still not a single flower. She remained seated, still smiling gently. If one paid closer attention, a hint of loneliness could be seen in the corners of her eyes.
A cruel smile appeared on Zhang Xiu's face. You, wench, reject my kindness, and I will show you what the world is like! He opened his folding fan, revealing the words "This is literary style" as he turned his head slowly, looking at Lin Su, "Young Master Lin, are you really just here to enjoy free food at the banquet?"
"Hmm?" The topic finally shifted to him, and Lin Su looked at him with a tilted head.
The young man next to him also opened his folding fan, "Young Master Lin, although today is a farewell banquet, the main purpose is still a literary gathering. Participants are required to write a poem. Now that you've eaten your fill, why don't you go back? Let your elder brother, who is 'ill at ease,' write a poem to join in the fun."
"'Ill at ease'!" The four words elicited a burst of laughter...
Lin Su also laughed, "Write a poem? No need to go back! My elder brother entrusted me with it and asked me to bring it over..."
Oh? The entire hall fell silent. Everyone wasn't stupid; they knew that although the protagonist of today's banquet was Jade Tower on the surface, there were actually two hidden protagonists. One was Prajna, who was favored by the Prefect, and the second was the Lin family, whom Zhang Xiu wanted to trample on.
Sending a useless Third Young Master from the Lin family, everyone sighed that this was a good move, enough to let them channel all the strength they saved up for a punch, all of it landing on cotton.
Because he could accept any challenge, who would he be afraid of if he was a waste?
But who would have thought that this Third Young Master would actually accept the challenge, and it was almost dawn...
Lin Su slowly stood up, and everyone's eyes focused on him...
Lin Su picked up a language flower, and Prajna was somewhat conflicted. She didn't know whether to bow to this person. If she treated him with the same courtesy, would it offend Zhang Xiu?
If she didn't give him the necessary courtesy, it would somewhat damage her own courtesan demeanor...
Lin Su passed by her!
Passed by!
He walked to Jade Tower's side...