Liu Province. A blooming land under the warm sun, surrounded by green hills with a rainbow above them, like a bridge to the heavenly kingdom.
The majestic palace of the ruler, the golden dragons on red flags, wriggling as if alive and teasing each other with long tongues.
A chain of mountains, and another chain, a high sky above them*.
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* Li Yu (10th century)
--------------------------"Open the gate! The gates!"
What is that majestic procession heading to the governor's palace?
People came running to the main road - hard-working common folk, who, in a blink of an eye, are always ready to forget about their hard work and gather to gossip and gawk.
"Who is this? What kind of elegant carriage is accompanied by so many guards and maids?"
"Wow! What an incredible sight!"
"Can you see her behind the curtains?"
"It looks like one of the imperial concubines is heading home to visit her family!"
"You don't say!"
A red two-wheeled carriage with a gilded curved roof was surrounded by guards in the armor of the Imperial Guard. Behind the cart, with the grace of white lilies, eight young maidens of exquisite appearance walked two by two, their hands folded in the wide sleeves of pale pink hanfus. Clouds of dust from under the wheels seemed not even to touch them.
Such luxury on streets of the capital of a remote province that has fallen out of favor!
The girl in the cart brought honor to her entire homeland in difficult times. His Imperial Majesty's chosen one was hidden behind golden curtains, but the morning breeze was playing with them, revealing to excited onlookers' eyes either a wave of dark brown hair or a divine pale profile.
"A-ah! This is Consort Liu, daughter of Prince AnLe!"
"How powerful her family was during the last dynasty and how badly they lost, remaining loyal to the former Emperor!"
"Yes, talking about loyalty... General Liu met the current young Emperor only on the battlefield - on the opposite sides."
"It is a great luck that His Majesty did not cut off all their heads when he crushed the former tyrant, but only took away all government posts from them... and deprived Prince AnLe of his noble title..."
"Glory to our gracious Emperor! Heart of gold, soul of jade!"
"Such an honor! He took the youngest daughter of the Liu family into his harem."
"Not surprising! Such a beauty!"
"Let me see!"
"What little pink lips, like rose petals!"
"Have you heard? They say her brother is even more charming than his sister!"
"More charming? You don't say!"
"Yeah, they are twins. Liu ChengFeng's face made the sun hide in the clouds with envy. A thousand new stars lit up in the sky every time he opened his eyes! And what a gifted, romantic young man!"
"They say that he had died of some terrible disease even before His Majesty the Emperor sat on the throne."
"Well, maybe it was for the better - the Emperor would not have spared him, Liu ChengFeng led troops against his forces more than once, they were sworn enemies."
While the wagon of the concubine Liu was going with great pomp through streets of the capital, her charming brother General Liu ChengFeng, contrary to rumors, was not rotting in a grave or in a ditch near the site of a forgotten battle, his bones were not being scorched by the sun or washed by the rains, and kingfishers did not sit down to rest on broken ribs.
"Young master! XiaoXiao is not just a prostitute! She provides men with entertainment, not sexual services!"
"Entertainment, not sexual services," Liu ChengFeng repeated to himself, struggling to comprehend the concept. Considering that he had to comprehend the concept in a brothel, where the conversation took place.
How is it possible that these are different things?!
"XiaoXiao can give in to your passion only if she herself would be willing it."
"She would, she would," the previously mentioned romantic and gifted young man reassured the fat brothel mama. "There hasn't been a girl born in this world that I couldn't persuade."
"The third son of Prince Ning craved for her, but she didn't even open the door... here he is!.. How can such a noble person lose his face in front of everyone?!"
"Don't worry, I won't behave so indecently," Liu ChengFeng promised.
The third scion of the noble Ning family, plump as a dumpling, stomped down the stairs with a roar and swearing.
"A courtesan, she behaves as if she were an imperial relative!" he puffed.
"Tsk, tsk, how much noise this ill-mannered young man makes," Liu ChengFeng clicked his tongue disapprovingly. "Such people just can't be allowed into a decent establishment!.. And into an indecent one too," he added kindly for the mama, remembering where he was.
Liu ChengFeng threw a gold coin on Madam's table.
Lights lit up in his greenish eyes... not so much of erotic desire, but, more precisely, excitement. The general was a strategist from birth.
...
In XiaoXiao's room, there was a haze of incense and a subtle aroma of fruit and green tea.
The girl who had enough taste to create such an exquisite atmosphere sat hidden behind a translucent curtain with guqin on a stand in front of her.
This was the first meeting between Liu ChengFeng and XiaoXiao.
"Brynnn... brynnn," the strings sang.
The young man settled down on a cushion near the low table.
"Mister... Mister, I'm done playing. Would you be so kind as to share a few comments about my art?"
"Hrrrr..."
"Mister!"
XiaoXiao's loud cry woke up Liu ChengFeng.
"Fuck," he thought, "not only did I end up at a Beethoven concert instead of having a couple of quickies, but I'm also forced to engage in musical criticism."
"Sir, please evaluate my skill in handling the instrument."
"I will be pleased to evaluate your skill in handling the instrument," said Liu ChengFeng in the most sincere voice.
(XiaoXiao, with attention on her face:) - … …?
"Uh... very beautiful... soothing," he praised and wondered what else to say. "To be honest, I only heard the very beginning and the end, because I fell asleep in the middle. My bad."
(XiaoXiao, angry:) - If so, we are definitely not made for each other! Go back where you came from.
Like any prostitute, she considered herself above her profession. An unfinished music school and two light novels read syllable by syllable, in her own opinion, made XiaoXiao a special girl, endowed with a subtle soul and talent that not everyone was worthy of.
According to Liu ChengFeng, these ambitions made her vulnerable.
A subtle grin crossed his beautiful lips.
(Liu ChengFeng, confidential:) - I heard enough to understand that you have some problem with the Guanling song.
"Oh, you know the song of Guanling!" the girl admired.
"What a coincidence!*," the young man supported her delight.
"We are kindred spirits," thought XiaoXiao.
"Stupid sheep," thought Liu ChengFeng.
He was genuinely having fun.
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* The ancient song of Guanling is one of the ten most famous pieces of music in China.
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(XiaoXiao, leaning out from behind the curtain again:) - And you are not an ordinary person! Tell me quickly what my mistake is.
"You transposed the ending, starting with the note "yu". Your performance, of course, is bursting with originality, but the melody, to my great regret, has lost touch with anal... with analogue! Yes!" without blinking an eye, Liu ChengFeng reported instead of directly saying, "An elephant stepped on your ear."
(XiaoXiao, not quick enough to follow the flying thought of a music connoisseur:) - So what should I do?
("I want to tell you, but I'll hold off for now.")
With a sincere look, maintaining the appearance of a conversation between two fellow musicians, the young man advised:
"Try to overlay the notes "jue" and "shang" and extend them, while maintaining the original melody. I'm sure it will sound pleasant and in complete harmony with your undoubted genitals... "genius" that is... yeah, this one."
The stupid sheep sat down at her guqin again and resumed her musical exercises.
(XiaoXiao:) - How beautiful it sounds!
"Why wouldn't it be beautiful!" thought Liu ChengFeng. "This is called playing according to the notes."
(XiaoXiao:) - Thank you for your guidance.
She looked confused and shy, her face took on a pink tint - and for Liu ChengFeng, her musical talents no longer seemed so important.
(Liu ChengFeng, modestly:) - It so happened that I had studied music a little.
(XiaoXiao, placing her hand on the young man's shoulder:) - Then...
She bent down very low and looked questioningly into his face, her cheek touching his long dark brown hair. Liu ChengFeng raised his hand to affectionately cover the girl's palm, which was lying on his broad shoulder.
(XiaoXiao:) - ... I want us to play chess.
"What?! Fuck!"
XiaoXiao was already placing the pieces on the board. Liu ChengFeng assessed the situation. He covered the girl's fragile hand with his elegant but strong palm, stopping her.
(Liu ChengFeng:) - Chess after music? What then? Poetry and drawing*? Are we really that old-fashioned?
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* four arts in which a cultured person must be skilled
----------------------------
The movements of the young man Liu became cattish, a gentle smile appeared on his lips, and the very stars that were being talked about in the street crowd shone in his eyes. With a confident hand, he took the girl's chin and turned her face towards him. He brought his face closer, his green eyes looked straight into XiaoXiao's soul - and she no longer resisted.
(Liu ChengFeng, intimate:) - I think you and I don't need to prove anything to each other...
(XiaoXiao, in a whisper:) - I was looking for spiritual treasures...
(Liu ChengFeng, groping in her bra:) - I already found them...
(XiaoXiao:) -... in a kindred soul...
(Liu ChengFeng:) - Well, of course, where else...
(XiaoXiao, enchanted:) - What is your name?
(Liu ChengFeng, touching her face with his breath:) - My name is... Liu...
(The door swings open:) - Bam!
(Servant, running in:) - Young master!
The young master was just putting XiaoXiao down on the bed, looking tenderly into her eyes. His soft brown hair flowed down his shoulders in waves. One hand was holding the girl's ass, the other was lying on her bare shoulder and continued to move down, taking off her clothes.
XiaoXiao didn't mind, the lady was ready.
(Servant:) - Oops... (blushed, but did not leave) Uh-uh... young master. The imperial concubine has arrived home.
(Liu ChengFeng, letting go of the prostitute's shoulder and ass:) - What?!
(XiaoXiao, plopping past the bed:) - ...
(Liu ChengFeng, with idiotic joy on his face:) - My little sister is back!
(XiaoXiao, stuck between the bed and the nightstand:) - Young... young master...
end of chapter