I giggled as I snatched her book away and tossed it aside. Grabbing her face, I planted a pair of bright red lip prints on her porcelain-white cheeks, one on each side. Master Wei’s lips curled into a deeper smile, clearly enjoying the attention. She had already changed into her banquet attire: a moon-white brocade robe with blue borders, cinched by a thin belt inlaid with green jade, and draped with a light coat of white fox fur. By chance, the hem of her robe featured the same bamboo leaf pattern as mine, though hers was a subtle silver weave while mine was gold-threaded brocade. I wore a red-based jacket with gold bamboo patterns over a vermilion skirt dyed with thousand-year crimson pearl grass, topped with a bright red feather-satin cloak lined with white fur. I was dressed exceptionally vibrantly. In my hair, I wore a set of three pairs of dragonfly-wing "fluttering moths" from Rongbaozhai and a single pinkish-white peony, coaxed into bloom early in a greenhouse.
Before I even boarded the carriage, Master Wei took one look at me and understood my intentions. She smiled and said, "Truly, you intend to outshine every beauty today and captivate the world. Aren't you afraid of attracting some rotten peach blossoms?"
"I have only one peach blossom, and she is quite enough for me!" I chuckled. Remembering the peach blossom makeup of the Wujing Sect, I playfully kissed her right between the brows.
It should have been a comical sight, but perhaps because her features were so refined and cold—as if she were a celestial being detached from all worldly desires—the sight of that transcendent face stained with messy crimson prints made her look exceptionally alluring. She made no move to wipe the red marks away. Instead, it was I who grew flushed as I looked at her. I pulled out a handkerchief to wipe off the rouge prints. She then took the rouge box from my hand, used her clean ring finger to elegantly scoop up a thin layer of rose-colored paste, and meticulously applied it to my lips. She studied me from left to right before using the tip of her thumb to gently wipe away a tiny smudge along my lip line.
After our playful banter, I looked her over with concern, confirming she was neither injured nor ill before smiling and asking if her trip had gone smoothly. She nodded in response. "It was decent. And what about you, Azhi? I received quite a few letters saying this new mistress of the house is quite formidable, and they were trying to test my stance on the matter."
I huffed. "So they’re filing complaints? Tell me who they are; I want to see what they're made of."
"There is no need for the Madam to handle it personally." Wei Qingming tested the small hand warmer she had prepared for me. Once she was sure it was neither too cold nor too hot, she slipped it into its soft cover and tucked it into my hands. She said calmly, "It has already been dealt with."
I then discussed several matters with her in detail, and we made decisions together. She mentioned she had already spoken with Ling Chunan and several other major merchants they collaborated closely with. She planned to take me to meet them one by one when she had time, handing over that level of business to me. She teased, "In the future, I shall rely on Madam Su to support the family while I live off your earnings. I suppose I must be even more attentive to my Madam."
Her words were both amusing and heartwarming. I giggled and slid my hand into her robes to playfully grope her, saying, "This 'pretty boy' I’m keeping is already attentive enough!"
Her gaze darkened, and an ambiguous smile surfaced as she stared at me meaningfully without a word. I knew exactly what that look meant. Panicked, I tried to hop off her lap, but she firmly pulled me back with one hand, her other hand sliding toward my waist. I hurriedly pushed her away, whispering urgently, "We’re almost there! Don't misbehave!"
She acted as if she hadn't heard me. She caught my chin with her fingers, looking down at my lips with intense focus for a long time. Even as I begged for mercy in a panic, and the carriage clattered into Ziwa Street, she still didn't let go.
It wasn't until Luo Cheng stopped the carriage and gave a respectful call that she finally let out a soft chuckle. She moved her fingers away and exhaled a low, heavy breath that made my heart race even faster.
Ziwa Street was bustling year-round, and this was the liveliest season of all. Sparse snow drifted from the sky, landing on the vibrant leopard-fur cloaks and mink hats of the nobility, adding a delicate shimmer to the fur. The lights in front of the shops were as bright as day, reflecting off the meticulously adorned faces and hair of the noble ladies entering and exiting. Everyone seemed bathed in a rosy glow, serene and joyful. Musicians carrying lutes wove through the crowd; one could even see groups of women from the Imperial Music Academy entering the Thirteen Pavilions. Clearly, some high-ranking officials had booked entire private wings for a full night of music and dance. Though dusk had just fallen, the sounds of strings being tuned and voices being warmed drifted from the upper floors, and some full songs were already ringing out.
*"The east wind blows o'er green grass, years pass and the traveler grows old in the misty isles. Seeing the plum blossoms shed their old petals and the willows shake their new green, the vexing colors of spring return to the branches. My heart is in turmoil, drifting north with the dark clouds, following the waters east in sorrow..."*
As the carriage rumbled closer, I caught half a stanza of the song. Its mournful, desolate tone gave me pause. In the midst of the festive New Year season, the latter half of this song felt far too tragic. What kind of tactless songstress would choose this?
As the thought crossed my mind, Wei Qingming stepped out of the carriage first. Instead of reaching out to help me down, she pulled my fur-lined hood over my head and scooped me up in her arms, carrying me toward the building.
Even I, Su Zhenzhen, who prided myself on being bold and unconventional, felt my face turn red. She came from a long line of distinguished officials; how could she engage in such intimate behavior in public? Embarrassed, I said, "It’s only a few steps. People will laugh at you if they see..."
Master Wei remained unfazed. Her left hand gripped my calf, and she gave me a mischievous little toss upward, making me think she was going to drop me. I let out a low cry and scolded her, to which she replied with a faint smile, "Zhenzhen is delicate, and the ground is filthy. If you wet the hem of your skirt or the tips of your boots, this flawless outfit would have to be changed. That would be an ill omen for our debut."
I knew she cared about the fact that she hadn't given me a formal status—she cared far more than I did. Since that was the case, she chose to fill the void with an almost excessive display of affection for all the world to see...
With that distraction, the short walk was over. She set me down gently in the foyer. Since she needed to change her boots, which were damp from the slushy snow, she led me to wait near the dressing rooms.
I stood there demurely, holding my tea to warm my hands while pretending I couldn't resist snacking on the free melon seeds, observing the passing crowd with interest.
The establishment we were at today was Panlou. It was different from Fengle Pavilion, Chunan Pavilion, or Xixi Pavilion. Panlou had close ties with the Imperial Music Academy and was essentially semi-official. Their in-house music and dance were the best, though because of this foundation, they weren't as dedicated to sourcing exotic cuisines as Fengle Pavilion. They only served authentic capital flavors, strictly adhering to the hierarchy of capital cuisine.
I was hoping to spot a familiar face, like Yindeng. Although there was some rivalry between the musicians of the Imperial Music Academy and those from the private pleasure houses, Yindeng’s skill was superb, and she was a social butterfly. She had many friends in the Academy who respected her talent, and Panlou’s doors were always open to her. Over the past few years, I had met her here several times to chat. However, I didn't see Yindeng; instead, I saw her teacher, Xue Yishan. As expected, she was still dressed in male attire as dark as a monk's robes, her hair bound by a jade pin, wearing no makeup. She wasn't tall, and her carefree demeanor made her stand out among the crowd of dandyish young lords who looked like a swarm of colorful butterflies.
Xue Yishan, followed by a thin maidservant, kept her hands tucked into her large sleeves and walked straight toward the backstage area. The one performing tonight was none other than the courtesan Dong Banyuan, who had collaborated with her during the Emperor's Birthday Festival!
Xue Yishan held a prestigious position in the industry; even the attendants at Panlou didn't dare stop her. Seeing her hurried pace and cold expression, they hurriedly lifted the curtain to let her in.
I watched and clicked my tongue in admiration. It seemed the relationship between those two was truly close!
Before I could finish pondering their relationship, another very familiar face walked through the door. It was Wen Jiang, whom I hadn't seen in years!
Thinking back, when I left the capital six years ago, Wen Jiang was already of marriageable age. She was the legitimate daughter of the second branch and a legendary beauty; logically, she should have married long ago. While noble men and women could wait until thirty to wed, most women married around twenty. Now, her younger cousins Wen Xiang and Wen Shu had been married for years, and even Wen Wan, who was a year or two older, was engaged. Yet Wen Jiang remained a social butterfly, playing through life. I heard that in recent years, she had become even more active in social circles, feasting until dawn. At her most extreme, she reportedly stayed away from home for ten days straight. She was the daughter of Master Wen’s first wife; the current second mistress was young and loved to play just as much as she did, making it hard to discipline her. Sometimes the two of them even went out together. It was clear how well Wen Jiang knew how to charm people...
Since she didn't recognize my current appearance anyway, I stared at her shamelessly. As soon as she entered the crowded doorway, she turned and rested her hand on the shoulder of the person behind her. She leaned in and whispered sweetly into their ear. The person smiled back and, in front of everyone, wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her into an embrace...
I was even more shocked because that person... that person was clearly also a woman dressed in fine male clothing. Her eyes were a deep purple, nearly black, and her ears were slightly pointed. She was of the Yao tribe!
At this moment, I had to admire the beauty of our Yao race. This woman was tall, with features as beautiful as a painting. She was exceptionally handsome, possessing a noble and arrogant air. Because her female identity and Yao blood were so apparent, she had a much stronger sense of exotic allure than an ordinary man, making it impossible not to look at her. As expected of Sister Jiang, she had good taste!
The two of them walked past me in an intimate embrace. Hearing Wen Jiang call her "Duan-lang," I couldn't help but feel puzzled. Could it be that she simply treated her as a man? For instance, with Wei Qingming and me, unless outsiders were present, I would never call her that. And this woman named Duan clearly didn't hide her female identity. If Wen Jiang acted this way, wasn't she offended?
Before I could finish these thoughts, the two of them slipped into a secluded dressing room and began to whisper.
"You came to the banquet and broke our engagement. I don't blame you," that 'Duan-lang' said, her voice kept low, deliberately sounding deep. "But you should have at least informed me..."
"What are you angry about?" Wen Jiang’s voice was much colder now, completely different from her sweet and passionate demeanor outside. It even sounded as if she were intentionally trying to hurt the other. "Did you really expect me to bring you to the banquet?"
The other person was indeed instantly provoked. For a moment, both fell silent, but then came the sound of silk tearing and satin rubbing. Wen Jiang’s pearl hairpin fell to the floor with a sharp crack...
I froze in place, shocked, forgetting even to cover my ears. Curse this extraordinary hearing!
Wen Jiang’s voice came in intermittent, delicate gasps, yet she began to laugh. "Heh, I... I have a cousin who is bringing a... woman from outside... tonight. You should... serve him well, and perhaps I... hehe..."
Embarrassed, I immediately jumped up to flee, but a pair of warm hands covered my ears. Master Wei had finally appeared...
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