Chapter 9, Alternative Courtesan

Jing Hengbo sat cross-legged on the chair, cracking sunflower seeds. His lips moved swiftly as he spat out a shell, smiling and saying: "Good."

... ...

The old madam of the brothel welcomed guests at the door, watching the scene of the wandering and frolicking, smiling with great satisfaction

Did I not give you the money already

"Uncle, do remember to come often," Jing Hengbo said, waving a small handkerchief and speaking in a charming tone. The flustered madam, drenched in sweat, wished she could kick her.

The matron of Feng Lai Qi has always been hot-tempered, and offending her can lead to considerable trouble. The pawnshop owner hesitated for a long time, rubbing his hands together, "This little old man... doesn't seem right."

Upon hearing this news, she felt somewhat dejected, now only hoping that Master Zuo and his associates would not unlock her password.

"Sister Si Cui, do not pinch; if you break my skin's beauty, be careful that I will pinch you to death." Jing Hengbo took out a small denomination banknote and slapped it into the palm of that hand. Only then did the hand retract.

It is truly a blessing from the heavens

She does not wait for guests in her own room; instead, she enjoys wandering around the building, and she also likes to hold the girls' chins to look at them and touch them. Let her be.

"Do you think it looks like it?" he asked the pawnshop owner

Since this young lady inexplicably fell onto the stage, Feng Laqi has experienced a turn of fortune. Not only has business improved, but the atmosphere within the establishment has also become harmonious. The other young ladies seem to have lost their previous jealousy and rivalry over customers, each appearing cheerful and content every day, which is quite pleasing to behold. Consequently, business has become even more prosperous.

One hundred taels! Return to me tonight!

Clear the way, clear the way! Capture the fugitive... The team leader habitually waved the baton while shouting

Are you the only one with money? I will crush you with money! Two thousand!

The days pass in a state of desolation, with only a similarly elegant and timid parrot to keep me company, providing some solace. However, as I watch the parrot also succumb to the overwhelming turmoil, transforming its elegance and timidity into a tempest of wildflowers, it has recently caused Jingyun to cough even more frequently.

"Ah, how comfortable it is," Er Gou said, patting his belly as he contentedly took a couple of steps.

At this moment, the officers finally remembered their task of pursuing the criminal. They pushed through the crowd and questioned the madam. They noticed a young woman in a gray gown and a *Tu* *Shu* girl, and pointed to the stage, asking about the background of Jing Hengbo.

Under normal circumstances, the headliner is always prone to jealousy, leading to numerous disputes. However, this old pattern seems ineffective in the case of Jing Hengbo. She has an excellent reputation, and the madam repeatedly warns the girls not to disclose Jing Hengbo's background. Yet, the girls do not need her reminders and go out of their way to curry favor with Jing Hengbo. Sometimes, the madam feels that their attitude towards Jing Hengbo is less about affection and warmth, and more about reverence. At times, the expressions in their eyes even reveal a hint of gratitude.

I will pay one hundred and five

Such enchanting beauties, do you not feel embarrassed with hundreds of them? One thousand two!

The courtyard gate was flung open, and a large group of constables rushed in

"After running dozens of miles all night, I need to catch up on sleep, so I'm going out." Cui Jie pushed the dazed Jing Hengbo out the door, casually removing the newly worn leek leaf gold ring from Jing Hengbo's finger, and slammed the door shut with a bang

Jing Hengbo inserted bird feathers into her hair. She had gone far ahead and, passing by a room on the third floor, leaned in to listen but heard no sound. Just as she was about to lean against the door frame to knock, a hand suddenly reached out from behind the door and pulled her inside

"Qingqin!" A voice of sorrow echoed in the room, "I have taught you poetry and prose for so long, yet you cannot learn them. How is it that you can master these crude and vulgar sayings so easily..."

"Alright." Jing Hengbo spat out a sunflower seed shell, smiling as he responded, glancing at a girl not far away. The girl immediately got up happily and went upstairs

"That was a previous matter, this is a new task." Cui Jie, encountering money, was quite sharp-minded, "Let’s have another twenty taels."

The information you requested has been obtained after much effort on my part, so pay up! A pair of pristine white hands spread out before me, with two fingers pinched together to form a circle, "Twenty taels!"

The person is no longer in place, and the box has also disappeared. Cui Jie took the banknote and tucked it into her bosom, speaking concisely.

The madam, with a beaming smile and flustered hands, amidst her busy schedule, did not forget to turn back and softly say: "Miss, we agreed that I would help you lie, and you would stay with me in Fenglaiqi..."

... ...

The madam, beaming with joy, took the stage to bow and introduced the girl as a newcomer from Xinhe - Tu - Shu. Almost immediately, the audience began to howl, competing for the right to spend the night.

Cui Jie, originally from a street performance background, performed alongside her father and brothers. Unfortunately, they were all killed by a wealthy young man who lost control of his horse. After the incident, the young man left the scene, and Cui Jie, who was not present at the time, rushed over only to see his retreating figure. Left with no money, she resorted to selling herself on the streets to bury her father, ultimately selling herself into Feng Lai Qi.

The young lady you mentioned, I have not seen her. The gate of Feng Laiqi was only opened by you gentlemen; no one else has entered. The old and young men in our courtyard can all testify to this. As for this one, she is a young lady bought at a high price by Feng Laiqi!" The madam laughed, her plump face shaking, as she turned the prepared account book for the constables to see. "You see, a month ago, she was purchased from Anzhou for thirty taels of silver. I secretly hid her in the building to practice dancing, and today I finally brought her out to meet you gentlemen. Just look at her appearance, her figure, and the captivating charm she possesses. If it were not for me, Feng Laiqi, who could possibly teach such an outstanding young lady?

The team leader rested his chin on his hand, also feeling that this kind of charm was something ordinary families would never possess. If one were to say it was not influenced by the teachings of Feng Lai Qi for a few months, even he would not believe it

What are you doing! Can't you see the master? Step aside, step aside! We need to... Ah! What... what kind of dance is this? The foreman rushed forward, straining to push through the crowd, and upon seeing the dance on stage, he was instantly taken aback.

"Pah." The red parrot in the cage replied with great vigor

Jing Hengbo had already laughed and jumped away.

Although the pawnshop and Fenglaiqi are not far apart, they are separated by three or four courtyards. In such a short time, it is impossible for the woman possessing the emerald to have run here and conspired with the madam to dance.

"Get lost, you damned fairy!" Er Gou shouted in anger, jumping up and down.

The head of the yamen guards scrutinized Jing Hengbo from top to bottom, while Jing Hengbo, perched on his stick, cast a flirtatious glance at him

What? The beautiful national master has arrived? Have they found the location? What should we do?

No one pays attention to him

Jing Hengbo slapped a small denomination banknote onto her forehead, "Go check it! Now! Immediately! And the books"

Jing Hengbo stumbled and was startled, exclaiming, "What a reckless thing to do! What are you sneaking around for!"

This third-class girl, Cui Jie, from Feng Lai Qi, has an unremarkable appearance. Along with the second-class girl, Jing Yun, who just composed poetry about parrots, they are the two most exceptional yet least successful courtesans at Feng Lai Qi. Jing Yun comes from an official family and was once a pampered young lady, but her family fell into decline. Deceived by her inept brother, she was sold into the brothel. She is frail, falling ill eight out of ten days, and on one day, she even coughs up blood, leaving just one day to sorrowfully compose poetry under the moonlight, coughing seventy or eighty times. Each time a patron enters, Jing Yun becomes faint. The men come in high spirits, seeking delicate flowers that can speak sweetly and exude fragrance; who would want to deal with a sickly girl with a mournful face? Over time, business dwindled, and she became a performer who did not sell her body, spending time with a few old scholars who cherished her "delicate and timid like a willow in the wind, with tearful eyes plucking flowers" as they simply chatted under the covers.

This is certainly a bit suspicious, but the madam does not intend to investigate further. When fortune falls from the sky, why should one be paranoid and ruin a good thing

Thus, Jing Hengbo now commands both wind and rain within the building, with everyone currying favor and flattering her, fearing to offend their esteemed lady.

As soon as the constables ran away, the men who had just been too afraid to breathe suddenly surged forward, clutching the silver.

Miss Da Bo, Lord Yao from the south of the city has sent someone to inform you that he will be coming tonight, and you are not to meet with any other guests.

Preparing to flee

"You don't need to worry about the money; I'll have Doctor Yao settle the bill later," Jing Hengbo waved his hand. Ignoring the grateful thanks coming from inside the room, he turned to the birdcage hanging on the door frame and posed in an S shape, "Er Gou, do I look beautiful?"

She said she wants to live in the top-floor attic, as she wishes

The chant concluded with a prolonged "Ah—", as if expressing ultimate exhaustion and indulgent release. The crowd could not help but respond with a collective "Ah..." as they exhaled deeply. On stage, Jing Hengbo twirled with a wooden stick, her vibrant red dress tracing a neon-like arc, prompting a thunderous applause from the audience, with the voices of the officials being particularly loud.

I want this girl

Jing Hengbo initially did not pay attention to her, but one night not long after her arrival, while sneaking food in the library kitchen, she encountered Sister Cui, who had climbed over the wall and was covered in blood. Jing Hengbo was startled but did not make a fuss; instead, she immediately dragged Sister Cui into her own room and secretly sent for a doctor to treat her wounds. Sister Cui silently accepted her help, and when she left, she casually took Jing Hengbo's thin enamel porcelain bowl. Jing Hengbo merely smiled in response.

Afterwards, Jing Hengbo realized that she knew some martial arts, so he paid her to check whether that group of people from the Great Wilderness had left and if his box had been taken. He hoped to retrieve the box, which contained many important treasures brought from the modern world, such as her wonderful fitted lingerie. Without them, she felt that her life would not be as exciting.

People are busy crowding at the front, too lazy to even turn around. Those squeezed in the back are thumping the backs of those in front, while those at the front are pounding on the stage. Various faces are flushed and necks are thick, with a cacophony of shouts and cries, the overlapping waves of sound rising and falling, drowning out all other noises

Jing Hengbo returned to her attic to groom herself. As she passed by the door of a room on the second floor, she called out, "Jingjun, are you feeling better today?"

The pawnshop owner appeared somewhat perplexed. Just a moment ago, Jing Hengbo was wearing a long gown and a headscarf, and being preoccupied with his thoughts, he did not clearly see the face. Now, the woman before him was enchanting in every way, with an innate charm that made her look like a courtesan trained by the Fenglaiqi sect. He found it impossible to utter the words "it seems like".

"Please help me find out where the person has gone." She expressed some concern and instructed Sister Cui.

At present, Jing Hengbo is the top performer at Feng Lai Qi, and she is the key figure in its revival. Her peculiar iron rod dance has instantly captivated the small town, attracting a continuous stream of visitors. This has allowed Feng Lai Qi, which had been overshadowed by Yan Er Mei and Die Shuang Fei, to quickly surpass the two and become the foremost brothel in the city.

Jing Hengbo was immersed in the bad news, feeling dazed and unaware, wandering like a lost soul. Passing through one door, he gave a few coins; passing through another door, he exchanged a few casual words; after passing through yet another door, he casually rescued a little girl who was being beaten to death. After completing the daily tasks he almost always had to do, he returned to his room and books, and began to tidy up his belongings

This seemingly simple girl, after entering the Feng Lai Qi, did all the rough work but refused to entertain clients. Without entertaining clients, there was no income, and Cui Jie always appeared very poor, which added to her obsession with money. However, no matter how constrained her life became, she never considered leaving Feng Lai Qi. Some speculated that her reason for staying was merely the hope of encountering her father's murderer, as it was quite possible for such young masters to visit a brothel for pleasure.

"Big | Sister Bo, don't call it Er Gou, it is called Qing Jin..." The voice inside the room was weak and helpless, "Taking the meaning from 'Qing Qing Zi Jin, You You Wo Xin..."

The young servant attentively presented Jing Hengbo with a pot of the finest jasmine tea, the most expensive kind available on the market

Sister Cui tore the banknote from her forehead and stuffed it into her bosom, "Oh. I can tell you right away. The person is no longer in the original place, but seems to be in the city of San Shui County"

Shh! Jing Hengbo is whistling.

The voice coming from the room was low and timid, revealing a hint of weakness. The response was: "I have taken the ginseng, and I feel much better today, but it's just that the money..."

Then let's go, we still need to check other places! The head of the constables fixed a hard stare at Jing Hengbo, swallowed, and waved his hand to lead the group away

How is it? Has the person left? Where is my suitcase? Has it been found? Jing Hengbo's eyes sparkled as he held that pair of snow-white hands and casually smoothed out the circle.

She chose the stage name "Big Wave" for herself, and although it sounds unpleasant, it is her choice

"Carelessly, one loses all vitality." Jing Hengbo curled his lips, plucked a feather from Er Gou's bird and left with a flourish, "Stop reciting your pretentious poetry, just take care of it!"

At first glance, it seems peculiar; at the second glance, one cannot look away; by the third glance, one cannot help but stop, propping oneself up with a staff, watching with great interest. After a while, the constables notice that their companion is nowhere to be found, and upon searching—ah!—there he is, drumming away in front of the platform!

Sister Cui glanced at her sideways and spread her hand

Stop the nonsense, money!" He jabbed his finger straight into her palm, leaving an imprint with his nail, the force unapologetically strong

Er Gou shuddered all over, his wings spread wide, his eyes wide open, trembling for a moment, and with a plop, a lump of bird droppings fell.