Chapter 6, Ancient Wealthy Beauties
Yang Xiaosi hurriedly stopped Su Jin and said: "Young Master, please do not be angry. It is not that I am unwilling to heed your instructions, but rather that the individuals within that private room are not someone we can afford to provoke"
"Who has the audacity to meddle in my affairs?" A sharp, thin voice came from the back of the crowd
Yang Xiaosi clearly recognized this person and hurriedly stepped forward to bow, saying: "So it is you, Master Zhu. I extend my greetings to you. This is the young master of the Su family from Luzhou Prefecture. He does not know you and was planning to have these two singing girls perform a little tune. Since you are here first, please feel free to proceed as you wish"
Zhu Yanei wore a proud expression, his nose almost pointing to the sky, as if to say, 'Now you know fear, don't you?' The onlookers nearby, who had poked their heads out to watch the excitement, immediately withdrew a few steps upon hearing Su Jin's tone. They had expected a good show, but were disappointed to find that this Young Master Su had quickly shifted from arrogance to submission, making it quite dull.
The spring sunlight is bright, the gentle breeze blows, the dishes are exquisite, the rice wine is fragrant, and beautiful maidens are by my side; all of this makes Su Jin feel as if she is on cloud nine, and the immense sense of satisfaction almost makes her complain about why she wasn't struck by a book and transported to this era sooner; this is what life is supposed to be, the days she lived before were simply a waste of life
Su Jin nodded and said, "I was just thinking the same. Go and call the two singers who were scolded earlier; I would like to hear how they sing."
The room fell silent, and it was evident that the people inside were somewhat surprised and momentarily at a loss for words. However, when Su Jin approached the door of the room, four or five individuals of varying heights rushed out in a flurry, all glaring at Su Jin with unfriendly expressions, startling her.
The diners in the other private rooms were originally indifferent, each engrossed in their own affairs. However, upon noticing someone stepping forward, they all craned their necks to see the commotion.
Su Jin's smile faded as she extended her hand to unfold a piece of paper and recited: "At the age of fifteen or sixteen, a graceful maiden, under the lamp, removes her makeup and reads a book. The spring breeze enters the hibiscus tent, and a tree of pear blossoms weighs down the crabapple. This is a fine work composed by Huang Junqing of Luzhou."
Su Jin was extremely frustrated; it turned out that this body of hers could not even handle rice wine. In her past life, she could easily finish a bottle of Erguotou with her three mischievous male roommates and still go to class reeking of alcohol. Yet now, this small frame surprisingly could not withstand a few cups of golden rice wine. If this continued, wouldn't it mean losing a lot of fun
Su Jin was displeased, the alcohol surged through him, completely forgetting that this was ancient times. The notions of cherishing beauty and heroes saving damsels in distress surged in his mind. He quickly stepped forward and shouted, "Stop! What kind of skill is it to bully the weak?"
The crowd found his tone quite disrespectful and began to clamor and curse; Yang Xiaosi leaned close to Su Jin's ear and whispered quickly, "He is the son of Lord Zhu, the governor of Luzhou, known as Young Master Zhu."
The crowd parted to both sides, and a person wearing a flower-adorned hairpin and a brocade robe, with a pale complexion and narrow, elongated eyes resembling a consumptive ghost, stepped forward while holding a fan.
But who are the two talented individuals, Zhu Tianshun and Huang Junqing? If these two exquisite poems cannot be passed down through the ages, it would truly be a pity for the high talents of these two.
Yang Xiaosi hurriedly said: "Young Master Su, those two singing girls have already been requested by other guests to perform a piece, which makes it somewhat inappropriate for them. It would be better to call someone else."
Go away, who asked you to speak so much? Who is the young master of the Su family in Luzhou? In Luzhou, I only know of the Zhu family, but I have no knowledge of any Su family.
Su Jin smiled and said, "Thank you for your magnanimity, young master. To express my apologies, I will cover all your expenses for today."
With the dishes served, under the recommendation of Yang Xiaosi, Su Jin ordered a pot of the exclusive "Bihu Chun" rice wine brewed by He Feng Lou to savor.
Su Jin turned to Yang Xiaosi and asked, "Who is this guy?"
It is well known that drinking alcohol can help improve one's tolerance, as long as the body does not have any allergies. After physical conditioning, there will certainly be breakthroughs in one's capacity.
Su Jinqi said: "I was clearly praising the young master; it is one thing for him not to appreciate it, but please do not misunderstand my intentions."
Su Jinnian's recitation of the poem was not quiet; diners on the entire floor heard it, including several ladies who blushed and scolded in indignation at that moment
Su Jin laughed heartily, saying, "In the city of Luzhou, the young master Zhu has a high level of skill when it comes to dealing with songstresses; he possesses quite a talent." As he spoke, he gestured with his long fingers.
As the crowd turned their heads towards the sound, a woman dressed in a light purple, wide-sleeved, front-opening garment, with a matching floor-length skirt, and draped in a light yellow shawl, gracefully approached accompanied by several maidservants in plain attire
As Su Jin's voice fell, a pleasant female voice came from behind: "Of course there is. The Ten Evils of the Song Dynasty's penal code states that those who harm public morals, tarnish a person's reputation, and bully the weak shall all be subjected to corporal punishment. Adding these three offenses together, it would probably amount to a hundred strokes of the rod."
Yang Xiaosi awkwardly smiled and said: "Young master, do not concern yourself with this matter; it would only spoil the mood. If you are in the mood for some entertainment, I can go and invite a singer to come and perform a song for you, how does that sound?"
Su Jin discerned some hidden implications from Yang Xiaosi's tone. Without engaging in further conversation, she stood up and unsteadily made her way out of the private room.
Su Jin tilted her head and said, "I have no intention of arguing or getting upset with others; I just wanted to select a few songs to listen to."
Such fine poetry may be appreciated privately at home, but to compel the singer to perform it publicly is quite another matter. Do you take this magnificent and splendid He Feng Tower for a brothel? Such acts that tarnish public morals—are there any corresponding penalties for this in the laws of the Great Song Dynasty?
Yang Xiaosi smiled and said: "Whenever a high-end restaurant has young women playing musical instruments and singing, isn't it even more delightful for diners to enjoy exquisite food and wine while listening to beautiful melodies?"
This poem is even more unbearable; after reciting it, the entire building fell silent, and even the naive little girl, Xiao Sui, could grasp the meaning within the poem. These two pieces are nothing short of two lewd poems, and they are of the lowest quality.
Su Jin secretly gasped, realizing that life in the Northern Song Dynasty had reached such a level. All of this exceeded his imagination. He had thought that spiritual pleasure was traditionally the privilege of scholars, officials, and nobility, but he did not expect that such offerings would also exist in an ordinary place like a tavern. The existence of this form must be rooted in the needs of the masses, indicating that ordinary people had reached a level where they valued spiritual enjoyment. It was precisely this point that astonished Su Jin.
Yang Xiaosi diligently attended to the task of pouring wine and serving tea, remaining busy without pause. The ever-dedicated servant, Xiao Sui, also benefited from the attentions of others. Although this made her feel quite uncomfortable, it simultaneously brought her an unusual sense of joy
Yang Xiaosi was very perceptive; upon seeing Su Jin frown, he immediately stepped out to investigate. After a short while, he lifted the curtain and entered, saying: "The diners are scolding two singing girls; young master, please do not take it to heart"
Su Jin felt somewhat guilty seeing Yang Xiaosi running around incessantly, so he pulled him to sit down and eat together. However, Yang Xiaosi stubbornly refused, stating that in this line of work, one must never break the rules. If one accepts payment, they must not be lazy or indulge in gluttony; otherwise, it would mean cutting off their own livelihood
Su Jin smiled and said, "Thank you for your concern, but there is no need for you to find excuses for me. I have not drunk much, and my mind is quite clear; what you say is very untrustworthy. How could two impoverished singing girls accept the money of a distinguished official like you and yet not sing a tune?"
Su Jin continued to unfold a piece of paper and recited: "A pair of bright moons hang before the chest, purple crystal grapes and jade round, sister and brother lean under the curtain, golden stems with a few dew drops suspended. Lu Zhou, Zhu Tianshun and Huang Junqing made a great commotion."
Su Jin felt a slight numbness on his scalp. Upon hearing the term "Yanei," he immediately thought of the infamous figure known as "Gao Yanei," who was notorious for his debauchery involving the wives and daughters of others. Calculating the timeline, Gao Yanei was a person from the late Northern Song Dynasty, and it would take nearly a hundred years for such a figure to emerge in the present. However, it seems that the arrogant demeanor of the Song Dynasty's Yanei has been a longstanding tradition, passed down through the ages.
Why enjoy it yet still scold and hit the singer? If the singing is not good, it would suffice to simply give less in rewards; hitting and scolding others can be quite detrimental to the atmosphere
Good idea! exclaimed a tall, slender man with long fingers.
Zhu Yanei's expression turned fierce as he gritted his teeth and said, "So you mean to say that we are wrongfully accusing them?"
At this moment, everyone on the entire floor had a general understanding of the situation. Zhu Yanei and his lewd companions had come here to drink, indulging in the pretentiousness of writing a few lascivious poems. They then forced two female singers to perform these unpalatable pieces. The singers were unwilling, which led to the earlier scene.
Su Jin was dismissive of this, but since Yang Xiaosi insisted on it, he did not want to force him against his will; after a few cups of "Bihu Chun," Su Jin surprisingly felt a bit tipsy
Others cast lewd glances at the two women, chuckling to themselves. Two attendants dressed in tight-fitting outfits reached out to grab the singers' arms, attempting to pull them into the private room. The two singers struggled against them, continuously pleading.
Zhu Yan slowly walked over to look at Su Jin, and after a while, he said淡淡地道: "Although I do not know who you are, considering that you have drunk a few cups of yellow soup and are unable to distinguish east from west, I will not hold it against you. These two wretches took my money but did not sing for me. According to the laws of the Song Dynasty, this constitutes the crime of fraud, and they should be taken to the main hall to receive forty strokes of the rod. It is already a mercy that I have only stripped them of their clothes. If you insist on sticking your neck out and getting involved, do not blame me for not warning you."
Zhu Yanei snorted and said: "There is no need to get angry with you. If there is nothing going on, just roll away and do not disturb my enjoyment."
However, a commotion outside the private room interrupted Su Jin's good mood. There were loud shouts and curses, accompanied by the soft sound of a woman weeping.
Having said that, she disregarded everything and lifted the gauze curtain to exit the private room. Xiao Sui and Yang Xiao Si hurriedly followed her. Upon reaching the private room, Su Jin saw at the end of the corridor, at the northernmost private room door, two women in green kneeling, holding pipa and weeping with their heads bowed. Laughter and scolding could be heard from within the private room, accompanied by objects being thrown out and landing on the two women.
Zhu Yanei turned around, squinting his narrow eyes at Su Jin, and said: "It seems that this young master Su is going to stand up for someone, isn't he"
Zhu Yanei glanced at him and said, "At least you know your place." He no longer looked at him, turned, and walked into the private room, simultaneously pointing at the two singing girls and saying, "Drag them in. If they do not sing the good lyrics I have composed today, they will be stripped and thrown into the lobby on the first floor for public display."
Su Jinqi asked, "Are there still any singing girls here?"
I did not realize that Master Zhu was present, and my words may have caused offense. I hope Master Zhu can be magnanimous and forgive me. Su Jin was completely unconcerned about the reactions of others, smiling brightly as she performed a bow; Xiao Sui's small face turned red, nearly causing her to faint, as the lofty image of Su Jin she had just established in her heart quickly crumbled.
Everyone burst into laughter, and Yang Xiaosi's expression turned awkward, his face alternating between shades of green and white. Although he was angry, he felt helpless.
So it turns out you are the son of an official, what a pleasure to meet you, my apologies for the oversight
Zhu Yanei felt both ashamed and restless, glancing at the two courtesans on the ground who were empty-handed. It was needless to say that these two wretches had taken advantage of his inattention to slip the paper to Su Jin, or perhaps Su Jin had taken it herself; yet he and Huang Junqing had been pretending to be cultured by associating with their names. This left him with no way to argue, and he suddenly found himself blushing deeply.
Another tall scholar, dressed in a scholarly manner, licked his lips and smiled, saying: "In this case, I actually hope these two wretches hold out to the end"