Chapter 006: The Beauty and Su San, Slapping the Face
At such an early hour, those who walk onto the streets are either individuals with nothing to do or those who are compelled by the necessity of making a living to venture outside
He guessed that the woman before him likely belonged to the latter category. The style of her clothing was relatively new, but the fabric was somewhat worn. She was holding a blue basket covered with cotton cloth, from which steam was rising, suggesting it contained either steamed buns or some similar food.
There are also a small number of women who encounter kind-hearted madams willing to allow them to spend a sum of money for their redemption. However, such cases are few and far between
The prevalence of prostitution and the extravagant lifestyle can be considered a scene in this Wuling City. Therefore, it cannot be entirely blamed on Su San for becoming like this in such an environment; the surroundings are such that they influence people's behavior.
Such steamed buns, if they can be sold once, it is absolutely impossible for anyone to be foolish enough to buy them a second time. If she can rely on this to make a living, that would indeed be strange
Take two
Wuling City served as the secondary capital during the Feng Dynasty. Not only is its population substantial, but its economic and cultural standing is also unparalleled. With an increase in wealthy individuals and a rise in literati and poets, it is only natural that the number of brothels has also increased.
The woman, seeing the broken silver coins he held in his hand, recalled his words and realized that her reaction had been somewhat excessive; however, by that time, it was too late for her to withdraw her hand
Those who can be acquainted with Old Su San are either local ruffians or courtesans, thus the woman's reaction undoubtedly indicates her identity
Ultimately, this is a matter that violates established rules; even if the madam has good intentions, it cannot be done openly and clearly
He reached out and snatched the steamed bun. It looked decent, so he took a bite, but it was a bit hard, like a bun that had been left overnight, and it was somewhat tough on the teeth
Early in the morning, carrying such a basket, she must be eager to sell these items as soon as possible, but given the weather, it is likely that her plans will come to naught
In later literary works, there are many similar stories, but in those tales, the courtesans who are seduced by impoverished scholars often meet with tragic fates
It does not seem like someone who is accustomed to small trades; otherwise, they would never choose to leave so early, nor should they venture out on a rainy day
Indeed, the romantic affairs of talented scholars and beautiful women are often paved by money. It is rather unrealistic to expect that one could win the affection of renowned courtesans merely through a few mediocre poems and a modicum of fame
The woman felt her heart return to her stomach only after he left. She was truly frightened by the man from earlier; he had always been unreasonable and troublesome, but fortunately, he did not act out today. However, she also found it somewhat strange, as the person from before seemed to have a very different temperament compared to the one before her now
Not all courtesans harbor fantasies about love. The majority of courtesans are quite aware of their circumstances; they make arrangements for their future before they age and lose their allure.
He let out a bitter smile, realizing that the original Su San was indeed not a good person in her heart. He took out a piece of broken silver and walked a few steps closer to the woman, intending to buy a few steamed buns, as a way to take care of her business.
Not every courtesan can find a satisfactory patron; a significant number of women will remain in the brothel until they are no longer visited, eventually leaving with only a small amount of savings to find a place where they will die alone and in misery
The woman wanted to rush into the rain, took a step forward, but then stopped. Such heavy rain ultimately made her hesitate.
Thinking that there might have been a fleeting romance between the two, he intended to offer her some advice
Leaving early in the morning, I was slapped in the face by a woman; under any circumstances, this cannot be considered a pleasant occurrence
The woman let out a sound of surprise, yet she did not understand the meaning behind his sudden remark. Her eyes were filled with vigilance
And the parties involved often take great pride in believing that they have accomplished something truly remarkable, occasionally mentioning it in conversation as a means of boasting
The woman was startled to see him walk under the eaves and quickly moved aside. It was not the usual shock that an ordinary woman would experience upon seeing a man; it seemed as though she recognized him
In the prime of her youth, when her beauty was at its peak, she has fallen to the point of selling steamed buns on the street, which indicates that she has not been in the brothel for some time. If she had become someone else's concubine, she would not have ended up in such a situation. The only possibility is that after redeeming herself, life became difficult, which led her to consider such a means of livelihood
She hurriedly took out two warm steamed buns, intending to hand them over, but she felt a bit scared.
It is still better to come out, but relying on selling a few steamed buns to make a living is difficult to sustain in the long run
It is as if this slap was not struck by her on the man's face, but rather the man struck it on her face, leaving her with a look of helplessness and a gaze of panic
Such occurrences may be rare, but they are not nonexistent; it seems that there is indeed an example right before us
Before he could finish speaking, unexpectedly, the woman raised her hand and slapped him across the face. The speed was astonishing, and the reaction was so intense that it left him somewhat dazed
If one day, it is rumored that a certain talented scholar has become a guest at the table of a certain famous courtesan, he will inevitably become the object of envy among other scholars
As I walked, I pondered these thoughts aimlessly, while the rain gradually intensified. The heavy downpour stirred up clouds of moisture, enveloping the entire street in a haze, making it impossible to shield oneself from the dampness. The umbrellas of ancient times were heavy and small; they could suffice for light rain, but when it poured, one had no choice but to seek shelter from the rain
In history, there was a courtesan with the same name as Su San, who was also seduced by a poor scholar. She endured much suffering; although her fate was not overly tragic, it is evident that the pattern of such love, in the current social context, has a very low success rate
A crisp slap landed on the man's face, and the woman's face instantly turned pale. She quickly realized that the man before her was not someone she could provoke, and she was frightened.
As I walked into a slightly protruding eave in the rain and mist, I saw that I could take shelter from the rain, so I hurriedly ducked in. However, to my surprise, there was already a person standing under the eave, and it was a woman.
It seems a bit different, doesn't it? the woman thought
"Go back, on a rainy day, there won't be any business, and this steamed bun is quite unpalatable. If improvements are not made, it will be impossible to have any business." After saying this, he opened his umbrella and walked into the rain, soon disappearing into the mist of the rain.
It turned out that they were acquainted. Upon seeing the woman's reaction, such a thought immediately sprang to his mind
It is most common to seek a wealthy benefactor, pleading for assistance to redeem oneself, in order to escape and become a concubine.
The flourishing literary style seems to be a twin to the brothels, always accompanying one another. The self-styled romantic scholars always have a particular fondness for such places
It is not that there are none; there are indeed some talented women who are fond of those impoverished scholars. There have been tales of elopements that have stirred up quite a commotion in the streets, inspiring those penniless literati who eagerly spread the stories, wishing they could be the male protagonist who wins the affection of a renowned courtesan.
He sighed, not intending to blame the woman, and threw the broken silver into the basket, asking her to give him two steamed buns.