Since Li Miaozhen and Lina were back, Aunt asked the kitchen to kill the goose and make a sumptuous meal.
Candles were lit, and there were several pots of ice cubes in the four corners of the inner hall to ward off the heat. The dessert before the meal was a bowl of iced sweet wine, sweet and refreshing.
Little Bean also held a bowl and gulped it down. Since he started practicing the body-strengthening method of the Strength Gu Sect with Lina, his appetite had increased, and his digestive system was terrifyingly strong.
Not to mention sweet wine, she could even drink several bowls of hard liquor. Of course, she wouldn't drink this kind of adult drink that would make Little Bean doubt that he was a child.
During the meal, they inevitably talked about the Sword Province.
The second Uncle Xu used his rich "knowledge" and experience to explain the historical background of the Sword Province to the younger generations. Although the Sword Province was the most stable, the control of the imperial court over the Sword Province was pitifully weak.
The current leader of the Jianghu, Cao Qingyang, was not someone you juniors could deal with.
Aunt listened for a long time and found a chance to interrupt the topic. She said, "Master, Ning Yan's saber is a Peerless Godly Weapon. I heard from Erlang that it's priceless."
The second Uncle Xu drank the sweet wine and nodded. "Of course a Peerless Godly Weapon is priceless … Puff!"
He spat the wine on Little Bean's face and glared at her.
"You're just a woman. Do you know what a Peerless Godly Weapon is? Ning Yan's saber is sharp, but it's not a Peerless Godly Weapon. Don't use it carelessly. "
Little Bean reached out her chubby little hand and wiped the sweet wine off her face. She couldn't help but lick her palm, then licked it again and again …
Aunt was not convinced. Her beautiful eyes widened and she said angrily, "That's what Erlang said. It can even fly. If you don't believe me, you can ask Dalang."
The second Uncle Xu immediately looked at Xu Qi 'an and stared at him.
Xu Qi 'an snapped his fingers and called, "Taiping!"
Whoosh … The Taiping Saber flew into the hall and hovered over everyone's head.
The second Uncle Xu raised his head and looked at the Taiping Saber with a dull expression like a stone statue.
"It's, it's really a Peerless Godly Weapon …" He murmured after a while.
"I told you it's priceless. It will be our family heirloom in the Xu Family." Aunt said happily.
"Yes, family heirloom." Second Uncle was so excited that he couldn't even hold his bowl properly.
Li Miaozhen lowered her head, held her bowl, and took small bites as she listened to the chatter of the family.
She was a little envious of Xu Qi 'an. His parents had died when he was young, and he always teased her about living under someone else's roof because his aunt didn't treat him well.
Having lived in the Xu Manor for so long, Li Miaozhen could see very clearly that this mistress's attitude was too girlish, so she lacked the temperament of a loving mother. But in fact, Xu Ningyan wasn't bad at all.
She was a little stubborn. Xu Ningyan didn't respect her, which made her angry. She didn't say anything good about him. She called him unlucky and rascal.
In fact, she always remembered her nephew's share of food, clothing, housing and transportation.
Second Uncle Xu was a careless person. He got a headache when his wife and nephew bickered, so he liked to play dumb. However, Li Miaozhen could see that he treated Xu Ningyan the best in the family.
Xu Erlang's personality was similar to his mother's. They both said one thing but thought another. On one hand, he despised his brother and father for being a vulgar Warrior. On the other hand, he had deep feelings for them.
Hearing Xu Lingyue's words, Li Miaozhen felt that her admiration for Xu Ningyan was too much. In the future, when she got married, it would be much better, and her thoughts would be on her husband.
As for Xu Lingyin, she was also very dependent on Xu Qi 'an. She licked the water chestnut cake in the afternoon with tears in her eyes. In the end, she gritted her teeth and left it for her brother …
Well, she couldn't tell Xu Ningyan about this.
"Li Miaozhen, Li Miaozhen, these are all karma. If I want to live as long as the heavens, I have to break away from the love and hatred of the world. I have to learn to be indifferent. Well, deep love doesn't last long." She warned herself in her heart.
After a few seconds, she thought, Xu Ningyan is a bastard. He hasn't given me the treasures from Cao Guogong's private house. I have to open a porridge stall to help the poor …
Auntie drank half a bowl of sweet wine. She felt a little tired and didn't want to drink anymore. She said, "Master, drink it for me. Don't waste it."
The second Uncle Xu was attentively looking at the Taiping Knife. Upon hearing that, he didn't think twice and pushed the half bowl of sweet wine to Xu Lingyin.
Xu Lingyue wiped her lips and looked at Xu Qi 'an expectantly. "Brother, I can't drink it either …"
"I'll help you." Xu Qi 'an took the bowl and put it in front of the little bean. "I'll help you give it to Lingyin."
The little bean was overjoyed.
Lina looked at her apprentice with an envious expression.
…
In the early morning, before the sun rose, the sky was already bright. In the Musical House, maid Mei was once again awakened by Floating Fragrance's cough.
She rubbed her eyes and got up. She went to the table and poured a glass of water. She walked to the bed with light steps and whispered, "Honey, drink some water."
Floating Fragrance, whose face was as pale as paper, sat up with her help. She drank some water and said in a weak voice, "Mei 'er, I'm a little hungry."
"Honey, you rest first. I'll go to the kitchen to get a bowl of porridge."
Mei 'er put on her coat and left the master bedroom. When she went to the kitchen, she found that the pot was empty. No one got up early to cook.
In the Yingmei Pavilion, there were six singers, eight serving maids, seven handyman maids, four squires who looked after the courtyard, and one servant who looked after the door.
Floating Fragrance had been ill for a long time. Those squires, singers, and serving maids were sent to the other courtyard, and only one handyman was left.
That handyman maid had been playing tricks these days. She complained everywhere and felt indignant about what had happened to her. When they went to the other courtyard, the handyman maid could be rewarded with a few taels of silver from time to time.
Staying in the Yingmei Pavilion to watch over a sick person, she couldn't get any benefits.
Mei 'er angrily rushed into the handyman maid's room. She lay on the bed and slept comfortably.
"Get up. Get up!"
Mei 'er pulled her down from the bed with a cold face and asked loudly, "When my wife was in her prime, she was extremely benevolent to you. When was the reward not more than the other courtyards?
"She's sick now. She doesn't even have a mouthful of hot porridge. Has your conscience been eaten by a dog?"
The handyman maid put her hands on her waist and scolded back, "I said it was in the past. When my wife was in her prime, I was willing to serve her and work like a cow or a horse. But now she's going to die. Why should I serve her? "
Mei 'er was furious. "My wife is just sick. She will get better. When she gets better, let's see how she will deal with you."
The handyman maid retorted sarcastically, "Come on. Everyone in the Musical House knows she's going to die. As long as there's a slight possibility, my mother won't transfer everyone away. "
Speaking up to here, she sneered, "Big Sister Mei 'er, you serve your wife tirelessly just for the sake of your wife's savings, right? "Don't get angry out of shame. There's no friendship in the Musical House, and the sisters are just playing around every day.
"Because we all know that men only want our bodies. If we really think that we have true feelings for those whoremongers, we are fools. Lady Fleeting Fragrance was such a fool.
"At that time, Xu Yinluo stayed in the pavilion every night without spending a single copper coin. Because of him, my wife didn't even receive guests. She even paid for it herself to the Musical House. Others praised her a little, but she really thought that she and Xu Yinluo were true love. Don't you think it's ridiculous?
"Now she's sick and about to die. Has that man ever come to see her?"
These words hurt Mei 'er's sore spot. She gnashed her teeth and said, "B * tch, I'm going to tear your mouth."
The two began to wrestle.
"Stop!"
Outside the door, Fu Xiang, dressed in a white unlined garment, was so weak that she seemed to be unable to stand steadily. She held the door, her face pale.
The scuffle stopped. The handyman maid bowed her head and said nothing. Although this woman was already sick and seemed to be blown away by the wind, she was so glorious that she left an indelible impression.
"Go back …"
As soon as she said these two words, Fu Xiang swayed and fainted to the ground.
In the master bedroom, Fu Xiang woke up and saw the old doctor sitting by the bed. It seemed that he had just finished feeling her pulse and said to Mei 'er, "Her Qi and Meridians are weak, and her five internal organs are failing.
"His Qi Meridians are weak, and his five internal organs are failing. Medicinal pills are useless.
Mei lowered her head and sobbed in a low voice.
…
Fu Xiang, the number one prostitute in the capital, did not have much time left … The news instantly spread throughout the Musical House.
Some people were secretly happy, while others sighed with emotion.
After lunch, in the Green Pool Courtyard.
In the reception room, which was covered with brocade lichens, the top courtesans in colorful feather dresses were sitting at the table and drinking afternoon tea.
On the table were melons, fruits, iced plum wine, and other food.
Ming Yan, the top courtesan with exquisite makeup, glanced at the sisters present. Including her, there were a total of nine courtesans, and all of them had slept with Xu Yinluo.
"She was so glorious in the past. Xu Yinluo made her the number one prostitute in the capital with a poem about plum blossoms. The men outside spent a lot of money to see her, and the romantic scholars from other places came to the capital from thousands of miles away. But in less than half a year, she has turned into ashes."
Little Ya, the top courtesan in an indigo dress and a jade hairpin with a gentle temperament, sighed with emotion.
Little Ya, the top courtesan, was well-read, and was quite popular among scholars.
"Beautiful women have a short life. It's really sad that Fu Xiang is doomed."
The one who spoke was a beauty in a yellow dress with an oval face. Her name was Dongxue, and her voice was as sweet as an oriole. Her singing was the best in the Musical House.
"At the beginning, I was jealous that she was the only one who was loved by Xu Yinluo. Now seeing her situation, I feel so sad that I can't eat." Another beauty sighed.
"Speaking of which, Xu Yinluo hasn't visited her for a long time, has he?"
"I remember that after Xu Yinluo went to Chu Zhou in March, he never came to the Musical House again, nor did he go to the Shadow Plum Pavilion."
"If I think about it carefully, when Xu Yinluo returned to the capital from Chu Zhou, Fu Xiang happened to be ill …"
The other courtesans sighed. Fu Xiang was ill in bed, and she had not recovered for a long time. Naturally, Xu Yinluo would not come.
Men came to them to seek pleasure. Otherwise, it was impossible for them to serve her in bed. And Xu Yinluo was just an ordinary man.
Ming Yan sighed and said, "Sister Fu Xiang is deeply in love with Xu Yinluo …"
She turned to the maid beside her and ordered, "Send someone to the Xu Mansion to inform them. The Xu Mansion is not far from the Musical House. Go and come back quickly."
The maid went out in small steps.
Ming Yan glanced at the courtesans and said softly, "Let's go to see Sister Fu Xiang."
…
"You and I are master and servant. After I leave, you take the notes in the cabinet to redeem yourself, and then find a good man to marry. After all, the Musical House is not the home for women.
"Remember to give the things I left to Xu Yinluo. Don't forget."
Fu Xiang leaned on the bed and made arrangements for her funeral.
Mei sat on the round stool, sobbing and nodding.
Light and messy footsteps came from outside the door. Ming Yan, Xiaoya, and the other courtesans slowly walked into the room and said with a smile, "Sister Fu Xiang, sisters are here to see you."
Fu Xiang squeezed a smile on her pale face and said in a hoarse voice, "Please sit down."
The courtesans sat down and chatted calmly for a while. Ming Yan suddenly covered her mouth and sobbed, "We already know about sister's physical condition …"
Fu Xiang smiled freely. "For me, it's just the end of a journey in my life. I wanted to leave here a long, long time ago."
When the courtesans heard this, they felt the same way, and the room was filled with a sad atmosphere.
Ming Yan said softly, "Sister, don't blame me. I acted on my own and sent someone to inform Xu Yinluo."
Fu Xiang frowned and said anxiously, "Why did you call him here? I don't want to see him, I don't want to see him at this moment."
Mei stood by the bed and cried, "He is also a heartless man. Since he went to Chuzhou, he has never come here again. He must have heard that my wife is seriously ill and despised my wife. When he was still a silver gong, he often brought his colleagues to the Musical House to drink, and my wife always entertained them with all her heart … Boohoo. "
The courtesans looked at each other and sighed softly.
Ming Yan said softly, "Sister, do you still have something on your mind?"
Fu Xiang did not speak, but looked out of the window at the vast world.
The greatest wish of the women of the Musical House was nothing more than to be able to get rid of their lowly status, leave this place of prostitution, and raise their heads.
The courtesans understood what she meant, but could only sigh.
Fu Xiang's redemption price was as high as eight thousand taels.
The small pavilion of Ying Mei probably hadn't been so lively for a long time. Fu Xiang was in a good mood, but as time went by, she gradually became absent-minded. She frequently looked out of the door, as if waiting for something.
The courtesans all knew who she was waiting for.
She missed him every day, but did not see him.
Ming Yan glanced at the water leak in the room, and a trace of sadness flashed in her bright eyes. That man would not come after all.
"It's getting late. Sisters, I'll leave first …" She almost burst into tears. "Sister Fu Xiang, take care."
Tears blurred, and Ming Yan found that Fu Xiang's eyes were fixed on the door, and her pale face was intoxicating red.
Ming Yan's delicate body suddenly stiffened.
Little Ya pursed her lips.
The other courtesans also noticed Fu Xiang's abnormality. They subconsciously held their breaths and slowly turned around to take a look.
A young man stood at the door, wearing a moon-white scholarly robe, with a green jade hanging on his waist. The quality was neither bad nor bad.
"The robe doesn't fit, so I asked the maids in the mansion to change it." His voice was gentle.
Tears streamed down Fu Xiang's face. This was the first time they had seen each other in this attire.
Last October, a young man in a moon-white scholarly robe came to the small pavilion of Ying Mei and intruded into her life.
If only life was like the first time we met.
Xu Qi 'an smiled warmly, and his voice was gentle. "After arriving at the Musical House, I went to do something."
He walked to the table and gently put an object on it.
The courtesans' eyes fell on the table and could no longer move away. It was a contract to sell herself.
