"There are really twelve stunning beauties sitting in the Twelve Houses of the Red Mansion?" Song Che asked. Qiaoqiao shook her head,
"It is said to be twelve fasts, but in fact, it is only open to seven or eight fasts on a daily basis."
"Why aren't the rest open?"
"We official prostitutes are all involuntarily. Wherever we need singing and dancing escorts, we will be transferred there." Prostitutes are also needed.
"Business"? Song Che asked again:
"Is there anyone named Lin among these twelve houses?" Qiaoqiao thought for a moment and shook her head: "I've never heard of him."
"What about the one named Ning?" Song Che asked again.
"I've never heard of it," Qiaoqiao said: "Female relatives who enter the Red Mansion generally don't take their family name, but usually give them a fancy name or something. Furthermore, the famous prostitutes in the Red Mansion change very frequently, and the slaves have just arrived. Not long after the Red Mansion, I stayed in Jiuyuezhai on weekdays and never went out to meet anyone." Song Che was puzzled: "Since she is a famous prostitute, why should she be replaced? Shouldn't she stay in the Red Mansion and be the pillar?" Qiaoqiao said: "There are many reasons for this. Some prostitutes with outstanding grace and skill are often paid a lot of money by dignitaries and taken home as concubines to accompany them. Also, in our industry, we work on youth, age After twenty-five, no matter how famous you are, it is difficult to appear on the stage; there are so many official prostitutes in the Jiaofang Division, and the young women who have learned the skills are more charming and beautiful, and each generation overlaps the other, and each generation is better than the last."
"Isn't your sister Nong Yue too young?" Song Che asked. Qiaoqiao
"Shush",
"In Jiuyue Zhai, the most taboo thing is to talk about Sister Nong Yue's age... But since adults ask, I'm not afraid to talk about it," she lowered her voice: "Sister Nong Yue will be twenty-five next month. But with her talent, even if her appearance is gone, people will still appreciate her."
"Hasn't she ever thought about redeeming herself?" Song Che asked.
"Be a good person..." Qiao Qiao said lonelyly: "Once you enter a humble family, no matter how famous you are, you will never be a good person for the rest of your life. For us official prostitutes, the best way out is to find a businessman to marry as a concubine, otherwise we will be too old. After their lust fades, if they are not used as military prostitutes, they will be demoted to slaves and have to do dirty and tiring work for a lifetime." Prostitutes are undoubtedly the lowest in society.
The businessmen in "Scholars, Farmers, Industry and Businessmen" are not much higher, so only the pipa girl in Bai Juyi's "Pipa Xing" can sing
"The boss married a business woman." Even the emperor admired Nong Yue's talent and beauty, but it was precisely this fame that made people dare not want her.
Even if a noble treats her sincerely, the head wife will definitely not agree. What's more, the powerful value their reputation and will never let a prostitute leave a stain on their career.
Talent is talent, appreciation is appreciation, but it does not mean that you can gain social respect. Even if the official prostitute can be pardoned, the mark of shame cannot be removed in this life, and she will never be able to regain her innocence.
While chatting, we arrived at the backyard. Among the flowers, under the shadow of the moon, in a pavilion, seven or eight people were drinking happily, playing the piano and harp, and laughing.
Nong Yue was dressed in blue palace attire, sitting alone on the chairman's chair, and there were male guests in Confucian robes at the six seats on the left and right. So romantic and happy, showing a worldly attitude.
"Sister Nongyue, someone is looking for..." Qiaoqiao led Song Che to the pavilion, informed him, then lowered his head and waited aside.
As soon as Nong Yue looked at the visitor, she frowned slightly, glanced at Qiao Qiao, and scolded her coldly: "Why did you bring him here? Didn't I tell you that if there are distinguished guests coming tonight, no outsiders should disturb you?" Qiao Qiao. Qiao bit her lip, feeling aggrieved.
"When you send someone to guard the door, you should find three or five big men. Otherwise, how can a little girl like me stop a big man like me." Song Che strode into the pavilion, ignoring the others as nothing, and went straight to the alley. In front of the moon table, he threw the Taichang Temple Order on the table.
Nong Yue frowned even more when she saw the token.
"This token can't hold me down."
"Miss Nongyue, please don't misunderstand me. I am issuing this order not to suppress you, but to tell you that I am qualified to enter any place and sit in any position in this Red Mansion Twelve Rooms without spending any money. But my It is true that I paid the ticket. I have to make it clear to you in advance that it is not for free." After Song Che said that, he walked to the chairman's seat and made a gesture with Nong Yue.
"Get up" gesture. Nong Yue was in a stalemate for a moment, her brows and fists finally relaxed, she stood up and moved away from her seat. She and other Confucian scholars said: "Since mediocrity has disturbed the purity of this place, gentlemen, please follow me to the elegant room, where we can continue to drink." "
"Why does the girl dislike me so much?" Song Che sighed:
"Anyway, Song is also a person who once won the Purple Gold Token. He can be regarded as a semi-literati. Tonight, I am honored to gather with all the celebrities in this pavilion. Why not take advantage of the flowers in front of the moon and the autumn leaves to have a drink together?" After that, he He ordered the wine bottle on the table and smiled at Nong Yue: "Pour the wine, don't stop drinking." Nong Yue shouted: "How can you be worthy of me pouring wine for you!"
"It's okay to use chicken feathers as command arrows. It's okay to rely on my strength, but..." Song Che said leisurely: "It's better than you. My heart is higher than the sky and my life is thinner than paper." He pushed the wine bottle again and said softly. : "Please pour a glass of wine." Nong Yuebaichi bit her soft lips, knelt down next to Song Che, and poured a glass of wine for him.
The Confucian scholars in the pavilion, ranging from the old man with a green beard to the young man with a crown, all looked at this uninvited guest with different eyes, some with contempt, some with doubt, and some with fear.
"Come, Song, drink with you all!" Song Che raised his wine glass high and greeted the guests who were sitting down with a smile. Some people raised their glasses, some hesitated, and some people were as steady as a mountain, sitting calmly in their arms.
"Taichang Temple, when did Master Song come?" someone wondered. Song Che said with a smile: "Song is not an official, just a merchant." The person who raised the glass immediately put it down, his eyes turning into contempt.
An old scholar with a green beard who was nearly fifty years old hummed: "I am a close friend of Mr. Zhou from the Ministry of Etiquette. He doesn't dare to be so rude to Miss Nong Yue. How dare you, a lowly businessman who has gained power, let Nong Yue do it?" Miss Yue poured wine for you?" Song Che squinted and smiled, and only asked: "Are you jealous?" Of course he was jealous.
It is common for men to be competitive, especially in front of beautiful women.
"You!" The old scholar said coldly: "You are a trafficker and a pawn, a vulgar and vulgar person. You falsely claim that you are half a scholar. It is simply nondescript and insulting to the gentlemen." Song Che responded softly: "Those who pretend to be snakes are half-literate. A man who is buried in the earth has only a few drops of ink and the smell of copper in his belly, but he is actually a frog at the bottom of a well, in name only." Who doesn't know how to be right?
Don't you use synonyms, antonyms, and combinations?
"It's so neat..." A Confucian scholar muttered to himself.
"Hmph!" The old scholar stepped out of his seat and said loudly: "I am originally from Jingzhou, and now I am the chief guest of Jingde Academy. I am named Hexi layman. I hold a white paper fan and a Pisces jade pendant hanging on my waist. Who are you!?" Song Che picked up the wine glass, put his arms around Nong Yue's slim waist, and smiled proudly: "Your father is originally from Suzhou, and is currently the guest of the Nine Moons Zhai Tower, Wu Yanzu from Jiangnan, holding a golden wine glass in his hand, and holding a peerless beauty in his arms. I am Dad Xie! "
