Chapter 9: The Unconventional Courtesan

  The gate was burst open and a large group of yamen runners rushed in.

  "Make way! Catching escaped prisoners..." The squad leader habitually waved his baton and shouted.

  No one paid attention to him.

  People crowded in front of the stage, not even bothering to turn their heads. Those at the back pounded on the backs of those in front, while those in front pounded on the stage, faces red and necks thick, shouting and screaming wildly, the overlapping waves of sound crashing against each other, drowning out all other noises.

  "What's going on! Can't you see the old master? Make way, make way! We... Ah! What... what kind of dance is this?" The squad leader rushed forward, struggling to push through the crowd, and as soon as he saw the dance on stage, his eyes widened in shock.

  At first glance, it seemed strange. At the second glance, they couldn't help but turn away. At the third glance, they couldn't bear to stand still and leaned against the stove to watch with relish. After a while, the yamen runners found that their companion had gone somewhere, and when they looked again, Ha! He was crawling in front of the stage clapping his hands!

  The singing ended with a long "ah" sound, as if extremely exhausted and liberated at the same time. The crowd couldn't help but let out an "ah..." sound, exhaling a long breath. On stage, Jing Heng waved his wooden stick in a circle, his bright red skirt tracing a neon-like trajectory. The crowd erupted into applause, with the voices of the officials being particularly loud.

  The old procuress smiled and stepped onto the stage to introduce a new girl, almost immediately, the audience below started shouting and competing for the right to spend the night with her.

  The yamen runners then remembered their task of pursuing the fugitive, pushed through the crowd, and asked the old procuress. They saw a young girl wearing a gray cloak, and also asked about the origin of Jing Hengbo on stage.

  "The girl you're talking about, I haven't seen her. The gate of this courtyard was only opened by you gentlemen earlier, and no one else has entered. All the old and young masters in this courtyard can testify to that. As for this one, she's a girl bought by Feng Lai Xiang with a large sum of money!" The old procuress laughed, her face full of fat shaking, and flipped over the account book she had just prepared for the officer to see, "You see, a month ago, I spent 30 taels of silver to buy her from Anzhou, and secretly hid her in the building to practice dancing. Today was the first time I brought her out to meet you gentlemen. Look at her appearance, figure, and that captivating charm all over her body - if it's not Feng Lai Xiang, who could have taught such an outstanding girl?"

  The bailiff's eyes scanned up and down, Jing Hengbo was sitting on a stick, giving him a flirtatious glance.

  He couldn't help but feel that this kind of charm was something ordinary people would never have, and if he hadn't spent several months under Feng Lai's tutelage, even he wouldn't believe it.

  "Does it look like it?" he asked the pawnshop owner.

  The pawnshop owner was also somewhat perplexed. Just now, Jing Hengbo was wearing a large cloak and a wrapped headscarf, and he had worries on his mind, so he didn't get a clear look at her face. At this moment, the woman in front of him was full of charm, with a natural beauty that seemed to be the epitome of a courtesan trained by Feng Laiyi. How could he possibly say "it seems like" her?

  Besides, although the pawnshop and Feng Lai's residence are not far apart, they are still separated by three or four courtyards. Within that short period of time, it is absolutely impossible for the woman with the emerald to rush over here and collude with the old procuress to dance together.

  The old woman from Fenglaiju was notoriously hot-tempered and had gotten into a lot of trouble, the pawnshop owner hesitated for half a day, rubbing his hands together, "This little old man... doesn't seem like it."

  "Then let's go and take a look elsewhere!" The bailiff glared at Jing Hengbo with a fierce gaze, swallowed his saliva, and waved his hand to lead the people away.

  "Grandpa, remember to come often." Jing Hengbo waved goodbye with a small handkerchief in a flirtatious tone. The old procuress, who was startled into a cold sweat, couldn't help but want to kick her.

  The yamen runner took off, and the men who had just been too afraid to breathe loudly rushed up with a clatter, carrying their silver.

  "I'm going to take this girl!"

  "One hundred taels! Return to me tonight!"

  "I'll give 105!"

  "You're such a charming and beautiful thing, are you ashamed of being worth several hundred or even one thousand two?"

  "You think you have money? I'll smash you to death with my money! Two thousand!"

  ……

  The old procuress smiled with her eyes open, busy hands and feet, but still didn't forget to turn back, whispering: "Miss, as promised, I'll help you lie, you stay at Fenglai...".

  Jing sat on a chair with Erlang's legs crossed, cracking melon seeds. His upper and lower lips flew out a piece of melon seed shell, and he smiled: "Great."

  ……

  "Big Wave Girl, Old Master Yao from the south of the city has sent someone to say that he's coming over tonight and you're not allowed to see any other customers."

  "Alright." Jing Hengpu spat out a watermelon seed, smiled and responded, his eyes darting to a girl not far away, who immediately got up with a smile and went upstairs.

  The young servant carefully poured a pot of high-quality jasmine tea for Jing Xiangbo, the most expensive kind available on the market.

  Jing Hengbo is the ace of Feng Lai Xiu, and her weird iron rod dance instantly swept the small town, attracting a constant stream of people who came to admire her. As a result, Feng Lai Xiu quickly surpassed its rivals, Yan Er Mei and Die Shuang Fei, becoming the number one brothel in the city.

  Jing Hengbo is now in a position of power, getting whatever she wants, with everyone trying to curry favor with her, afraid of offending her.

  She said she would live in the top attic by herself.

  She gave herself the stage name "Dabo", although it sounds awkward, it was her choice.

  She doesn't stay in her own room to receive guests, likes to wander around the building, and also likes to hold the chins of the girls and look them up and down, touching them here and there.

  The old procuress of Fenglaiju welcomed guests at the door, gazing at the scenery of Jingbo Lake, and smiled with satisfaction.

  What a blessing from heaven!

  Ever since the girl mysteriously fell onto the stage, Feng Laiju's luck changed for the better. Not only did business improve, but the atmosphere in the building also became harmonious. The other girls seemed to have lost their former jealousy and rivalry in competing for customers, each one smiling happily every day, looking very satisfied. It was a joy to behold, and as a result, business became even more prosperous.

  Normally, the head card is always easy to be jealous of, and the disputes caused by this are not uncommon. However, this old rule seems to have no effect on Jing Hengbo. She has a very good relationship with others, and the madam repeatedly warned the girls not to reveal Jing Hengbo's background, but the girls didn't need her reminder at all, and they were extremely flattering towards Jing Hengbo. Sometimes, the madam felt that their attitude towards Da Bo was more like reverence than affection, and sometimes their eyes would reveal a hint of gratitude.

  This is certainly a bit suspicious, but the old lady didn't intend to investigate further. A blessing from heaven, why spoil a good thing by being overly cautious?

  Jing walked back to her own attic, tidying up and dressing herself. As she passed by a room on the second floor, she called out: "Qingjun, are you feeling better today?"

  A low and timid voice came from inside the house, with a hint of weakness due to insufficient energy: "I've taken ginseng, I'm much better today, but that silver..."

  "Yinzi, don't worry about it, I'll let Dr. Yao settle the bill later." Jing Hengbo waved his hand dismissively. He ignored the grateful thanks coming from inside the house and turned to face the birdcage hanging on the doorframe, striking a pose in an S-shape, "Erdou, am I handsome?"

  "Spare me." The red parrot in the cage retorted with full vigor.

  "Hush!" Jing Heng blew a whistle.

  Two dogs suddenly shuddered all over, their wings spread open, their eyes wide with fear, trembling for a moment, and then with a loud "plop", they dropped a pile of bird droppings.

  Jing Huanbo had already jumped away with a loud laugh.

  "Ah, I'm full." Er Gou rubbed his belly and took two satisfied strides.

  "Big wave sister, don't call it Er Gou, its name is Qing Yin......" The voice inside the house was weak and helpless, "It means green clothes, my heart is carefree..."

  "One careless move and the whole family will be ruined." Jing Hengbo flicked his tongue, plucked a feather from Er Gou's head and walked away with a swagger, "Stop reciting that sour poem of yours, just keep it to yourself!"

  "Get out of here, you damned ghost!" Er Gou cursed loudly.

  "Ah Qing!" A sharp, mournful cry came from inside the house. "I've taught you poetry and songs for so long, but you couldn't learn them. How is it that you can pick up these coarse, rustic phrases in no time..."

  Jing Hengbo inserted the bird feather into her hair, and had gone far early. She passed by a room on the third floor, poked her head in to listen for any sound, and was just about to lean against the door frame and knock when suddenly a hand stretched out from behind the door and pulled her inside.

  Jing Hengbo was startled and stumbled, "What are you doing sneaking around like that!"

  "The information you want is here, I've racked my brains to get it for you, pay up!" A pair of white hands were stretched out in front, with the thumb and index finger forming a circle, "Twenty taels!"

  "How is it? Is the person gone? Where is my box? Has it been returned?" Jing Hengbo's eyes shone brightly, grasping those snow-white hands, and smoothed out that circular mark with a swipe of his hand.

  "Cut the crap, money!" His fingers poked straight into her palm, his fingernails leaving a mark, with no subtlety in his force.

  "Dead sister, don't pinch, pinching will ruin the beauty of my skin. Be careful or I'll pinch you to death." Jing Hengbo pulled out a small silver note and slapped it onto the palm of that hand. Only then did the hand withdraw.

  "The person is gone and the box is nowhere to be found." Cuī jiě took over the silver ticket and stuffed it into her bosom, brief and to the point.

  This third-class courtesan, Cui Jie, from Feng Lai Xiu, has an ordinary appearance. Along with the second-class courtesan, Jing Yun, who just composed a poem for the parrot, they are the two worst products of Feng Lai Xiu. Jing Yun was born into an official's family and was once a pampered young lady. However, after her family fell on hard times, she was sold to the brothel by her useless older brother. Her body is weak, and she spends eight out of ten days sick, with one day spent vomiting blood, leaving only one day for her to compose poems in a miserable state, coughing seventy or eighty times. Every time a guest enters, Jing Yun faints. Men come seeking soft, fragrant, and charming women, not someone with a crying face who is always ill. Over time, she lost all business and became a courtesan who only sold her art, not her body, accompanying several old scholars who loved her "delicate and timid" demeanor, chatting under the covers.

  The days are spent in desolation, and the only comfort is a parrot that is equally elegant and timid. However, even the parrot is about to be ruined by the turmoil, transforming its elegance into a violent storm, causing Qingyu's cough to worsen recently.

  Cui Jie was a street performer, following her father and brother to perform on the streets. As a result, her father and brother were both killed by a rich young man's horse carriage. The rich young man fled after killing them, and Cui Jie, who was not present at the time, rushed back only to see his back figure. She had no money, sold herself on the street to bury her father, and was sold into Feng Lai Qiu.

  This seemingly simple girl, after entering Feng Lai Qiu, did all the rough work, but refused to receive guests. Not receiving guests meant no income, and Cui sister always looked very poor, and from then on she also developed a love for money. However, no matter how hard her life was, she never thought of leaving Feng Lai Qiu. Some people speculated that she stayed here only in the hope of meeting the person who killed her father, after all, it's not unlikely that such a young master would come to a brothel to buy pleasure.

  Jing Hengbo hadn't noticed her at first, but one evening not long after she arrived, while sneaking into the kitchen to eat, he met Cui Jie, who had climbed over the wall and was covered in blood. Jing Hengbo was startled, but didn't make a sound, and immediately pulled Cui Jie into his own room, secretly arranging for a doctor to come and treat her wounds. Cui Jie silently accepted his help, and when she left, she even took one of Jing Hengbo's thin porcelain bowls with her. Jing Hengbo just smiled it off.

  Afterwards, Jing Xuanbo knew she would be able to use her martial arts skills, so he paid for her to go and take a look at whether the group of people from the Great Wilderness had left or not, and whether his trunk had been taken away. He was hoping that she could retrieve the trunk, which contained many precious treasures brought from modern times, such as her wonderful tight-fitting undergarments. Without them, she felt that life would not be exciting enough.

  She was somewhat disheartened by this news and now pinned her hopes on Left Country Master and his group not opening her password lock.

  "Help me check where people have gone again." She was a bit worried and instructed Cui Sister.

  Cui Jie gave her a sideways glance and held out her hand.

  "Didn't I already give you money?"

  "That was the previous matter, this is a new account." Cui Jie met with money, her mind was quick, "Twenty more taels again."

  Jing slapped a small-denomination silver ticket on her forehead, "Get it checked! Now! Immediately!"

  Cuī jiě bǎ yín piào cóng nǎo mén shàng sī xià lái sài jìn huái lǐ, "ò. Wǒ lì kè jiù néng gào su nǐ. Rén shì bù zài yuán dì le, dàn sì hū zài Sān Shuǐ Xiàn chéng lǐ."

  Translation:

  Cui sister tore the silver ticket from her forehead and stuffed it into her bosom, "Oh, I can tell you right away. The person is not in the original place, but seems to be in Sanshui County town."

  "Huh?" Jing Hengbo was startled. Has the beautiful national teacher arrived? Have they found the place? What to do?

  "One night, I ran tens of miles, I need to make up for my sleep, go out." Cui sister pushed Jing Hengbo, who was in a daze, out the door and casually pulled off the new leek gold ring on his finger, slamming the door shut.

  Jing Xiangbo was still immersed in the bad news, dazed and unaware, wandering like a lost soul. He passed through a door, gave some loose silver coins, passed through another door, chatted with someone for a bit, and then passed through another door, where he happened to save a young girl who was being beaten to death. After finishing his daily routine of doing good deeds for the people, he returned to his own room and began packing up his belongings.

  Get ready to run away!