Plan A
The Days and Nights of the Courtesan 4
Acting like a hooligan
The news that Xue Yao was driven from the third floor to the second floor by Ta Yan quickly spread throughout the entire building.
Su Xin was packing things with Shujuan when she saw someone leaning against the door, holding a round fan, with a look of amusement on her face.
“Sister Xue Yao, did you do something to anger Mother? Do you want Wan Yue to speak on your behalf?”
Wan Yue sashayed into the room, fanning herself and looking around. Her features were delicate and charming, and her voice had a coquettish tone.
“This screen can be replaced; it looks ugly. And this rouge…”
Wan Yue pointed at the screen in the room with disdain and then turned her gaze to Su Xin’s dressing table.
“Don’t touch my lady’s things.”
Shujuan blocked Wan Yue, preventing her from touching Su Xin’s rouge.
“I really admire you, Sister Xue Yao. You have such a good dog.”
Wan Yue smiled, shaking her fan.
“Alright, I won’t waste any more words with you, Sister. I hope you can move out of here soon so that my girl can clean up.”
“You…”
Shujuan glared at Wan Yue, but Wan Yue scolded her angrily.
“What are you? How dare you look at me like that?”
In this building, the courtesans naturally held a higher status than the servant girls. However, the courtesans on the second floor were not much different from the servant girls, and some of the more presentable servant girls also entertained guests and received extra allowances.
“I am not one of your people. I only listen to my lady. Why shouldn’t I dare look at you like this?”
Shujuan retorted, her allegiance clear.
There were not many servant girls in the building; they were responsible for cleaning and handling miscellaneous tasks. The courtesans only focused on entertaining guests. The courtesans on the second floor did not have personal servant girls to attend to them because they couldn’t afford them.
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The courtesans on the third floor had some spare money, and their personal servant girls’ indentures were with them. However, their own indentures were with Mother Ta Yan. The courtesans had to cover all expenses for their personal servant girls, while Ta Yan managed all the expenses for the courtesans and the building’s servant girls, keeping everything clearly divided.
(LP: Indenture (賣身契): A contract of servitude; indenture for sale of oneself or one’s family member.)
Ta Yan appeared at the door, and Wan Yue quickly leaned over, acting coquettish.
“Mother, look at how disrespectful Sister Xue Yao’s wicked servant girl is when she speaks.”
Wan Yue couldn’t handle Shujuan. Ta Yan had rules that the courtesans in the building couldn’t fight each other, so Wan Yue couldn’t scold Su Xin and had to complain to let Ta Yan scold Su Xin, who would then deal with Shujuan.
“You, go back and pack your things first.”
Ta Yan looked at Wan Yue, feeling a bit frustrated by her lack of ambition. Wan Yue was too impetuous and couldn’t control her temper, but at least she was obedient and good-looking.
Ta Yan looked at Su Xin with a heart full of regret.
Wan Yue gave Su Xin a glance and swayed her hips as she slowly left.
“Your servant girl has too much aggression.”
Ta Yan glanced at Shujuan on the side, then looked at Su Xin indifferently.
Su Xin was not someone who could be easily manipulated. Since she no longer served her, there was no need to be polite. However, Ta Yan wouldn’t go too far; she knew how to maintain balance.
“Just protecting her mistress, thank you.”
Su Xin thanked Ta Yan. To be fair, she was the one who started it.
Su Xin and Shujuan moved to the second floor. The room was much worse, with poor lighting. It was the most remote room on the second floor, cold and damp.
“Miss…”
Shujuan bit her lip, holding back the urge to cry. Clearly, Miss used to be highly regarded.
Su Xin somewhat understood why people said women were made of water. Shujuan, this maid, could easily tear up but could also stop just as easily, controlling it at will.
Su Xin patted Shujuan’s twin hair buns and rubbed the little tufts. Shujuan stopped crying.
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“It’s alright. We all choose our own paths. I’m just waiting to get my indenture contract from Mother and then head to the capital.”
The requirements to participate in the Four Kingdoms Banquet were very strict, almost like the imperial examination. Although the former was said to be more elegant, it was far less prestigious than the latter.
The place where Su Xin stayed wasn’t exactly a backwater and even had some fame, but it was far from meeting the recommendation criteria.
Actually, there were some shady dealings.
Those who participate in the Four Kingdoms Banquet are almost all people cultivated by high-ranking officials, nobles, and royal families. Only one’s own people can be trusted, right?
Su Xin’s original plan was to get close to certain people after entering the capital. However, this could take a considerable amount of time and effort. But now, she seems to have found a quicker way—becoming good friends with Miss Mary Sue.
(LP: A Mary Sue is a character archetype in fiction, usually a young woman, who is often portrayed as inexplicably competent across all domains, gifted with unique talents or powers, liked or respected by most other characters, unrealistically free of weaknesses, extremely attractive, innately virtuous, and generally lacking meaningful character flaws.)
As the Daughter of Fortune, He Yunshu’s abilities are extraordinary. Since she isn’t following the typical path of leveling up, He Yunshu just needs to keep slapping faces and making comebacks. Staying by her side is very advantageous for completing the mission.
After Shujuan meticulously cleaned the room, she sat down on a chair.
Su Xin stared at the floor in a daze. Life in ancient times was very boring without television, computers, and mobile phones. The original owner of this body usually spent her days embroidering, writing, playing the guqin, and dancing. The day passed by just like that.
Su Xin hadn’t touched a guqin before, as she didn’t need to acquire this skill in the past. She sat by the table holding the guqin and gently plucked the strings.
Interesting.
Shujuan stared dazedly at Su Xin’s profile until evening came. They usually ate very early because they had to work afterward, making it impossible to replenish energy later.
Shujuan went to fetch the meal for Su Xin. Ta Yan hadn’t gone overboard; the food was as exquisite as always, looking quite appetizing.
Night fell, and He Yunshu, dressed in men’s clothing, wandered into the brothel, surrounded by several women.
Spring colors are boundless; this is the only phrase He Yunshu could think of. Someone was playing a tune, and the melodious sound surrounded her ears.
He Yunshu looked up and immediately saw a woman standing by the railing on the second floor. She was dressed in a modest water-blue dress, appearing elegant and quiet, completely out of place in this noisy room.
He Yunshu unconsciously moved in her direction and walked up to the second floor, carefully observing her appearance.
Her face was rosy, with brows like distant mountains, about to speak but then refraining.
“Lady Xue Yao.”
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He Yunshu greeted her. There is a kind of charm in this world that can blur the distance between genders.
Su Xin leaned closer to her, very close.
He Yunshu held her breath and only heard the woman in front of her laugh and say:
“A young lady coming to a place like this is quite inappropriate.”
“How do you know… ahem… who said I’m a young lady?”
“Young Master, your disguise is quite poor.”
Su Xin pointed at He Yunshu’s unbound chest and curved her eyes in a smile.
He Yunshu instinctively protected her chest and took a step back, thinking, Oh no, the young lady is acting like a hooligan.
