All Heavens: From Joy of Life to The Great Feng Night Watchman

Page 473

Therefore, the guests of the Jiaofangsi generally fall into three categories: wealthy gentry and merchants with bulging pockets, officials of all ranks who frequently entertain guests, and energetic students.

If you are an official of the Ministry of Rites, you can get it for free; that's a privilege.

The girls in the Jiaofangsi (a type of entertainment institution) could be relatives of officials who were convicted and forced into prostitution, women captured during war, or professionals recruited by the Jiaofangsi.

Fu Xiang, who was possessed by Ye Ji, was a family member of a disgraced official who died after a serious illness. Ye Ji then reused her.

The Plum Blossom Pavilion in the Jiaofangsi (Imperial Music Bureau) was bustling with activity today. The courtyard gate was wide open, bright red lanterns hung high, and the plum trees inside were adorned with buds that were about to burst into bloom.

The courtyard was filled with hundreds of guests of different ages, ranging from old men with white hair and beards and shrewd eyes to young men with childlike innocence and extravagant wealth.

After all, men of any age have the same preference: eighteen-year-old girls. This is a timeless truth.

"Miss Fuxiang is the tenth most beautiful courtesan in the Jiaofangsi, but her beauty is second to none!"

"That's right. I've been a patron of the brothel for fifty years, and I've never seen such an outstanding woman."

"If it weren't for the misfortune that befell my family, and that a beautiful lotus flower had fallen into the mud, I would really like to marry her as my principal wife."

“You can do it now. After you finish combing your hair, you can redeem Fu Xiang from her servitude.”

"That's not good. One shouldn't be so selfish..."

Li Chang'an walked into the courtyard without making a fuss. Although his name was already well-known in the capital, only some night watchmen and students of Yunlu Academy had ever seen him.

Night watchmen are usually crude and uncouth martial artists; they'd likely be more interested in poetry, literature, character, and talent than in the art of ceremonies, so they probably wouldn't come.

Several middle-aged men and young scholars were clearly shocked when they saw Li Chang'an, but none of them came over to acknowledge him.

Judging from their wandering gazes, these people knew Li Chang'an.

The entrance fee for the comb shop is one hundred taels of silver, which is why some people are filtered out; otherwise, there would be even more people here.

As soon as Li Chang'an entered the room, a maidservant bumped into him and handed him a note.

"The comb is full of fancy words, young master, don't waste your money. Come find Fu Xiang after today, and Fu Xiang will definitely repay you handsomely for saving your life."

It seems that Fu Xiang doesn't have much confidence in Li Chang'an. Although Li Chang'an has the reputation of being a great scholar and a great hero, he has never shown any talent in literature.

Li Chang'an thought to himself, "It seems that Ye Ji is quite interested in me."

Before long, Fu Xiang appeared on the second-floor platform, smiling as she looked at the hundreds of guests.

Her face was radiant with spring, her eyes sparkled with extraordinary beauty, her fragrance was captivating, and her charm was natural. Her looks were on par with those of Xu Lingyue, Chu Caiwei, and Princess Lin'an.

She still can't compare to Princess Huaiqing. Huaiqing's unique and elegant temperament enhanced her already stunning beauty, making her truly stand out from the crowd.

However, one of Fu Xiang's biggest advantages is her figure and clothing. She wears very professional-looking sheer fabrics, which other women dare not wear.

Her shoulders were partially exposed, her neck was long and slender, and a thin layer of pink gauze covered her chest, revealing glimpses of her cleavage.

Where there's a ditch, there's bound to be a hit—that's a golden rule. If Li Chang'an hadn't interfered, Fu Xiang would have truly become a huge success.

Fu Xiang's beautiful eyes swept over the men in the courtyard, and when she saw Li Chang'an, she smiled faintly.

"Esteemed guests, thank you for coming to support Fu Xiang. Fu Xiang will first play a piece on the zither to express my gratitude."

Li Chang'an could clearly see that many people were already secretly swallowing their saliva, which showed that Fu Xiang's beauty was outstanding among the courtesans.

Then, the ethereal sound of the zither filled the air, making one feel as if they were in a fairyland, and the entire Plum Shadow Pavilion fell silent.

After an incense stick had burned, the music stopped, and silence fell for a moment.

Then, cheers and applause erupted in the courtyard, with shouts of approval rising and falling.

"Everyone says that Miss Fuxiang is a master of both music and poetry. Today, I heard her play the zither with my own ears, and it is indeed extraordinary!"

"Wonderful, absolutely wonderful! It's much better than what the girl next door, Mingyue, plays!"

"Miss Fuxiang, what are the plans for today's hairdressing session? I'm determined to have you today!"

"Young man, don't be too arrogant. If you don't have any knowledge, don't expect to win today."

"Get lost, you old geezer! Look at your physique, don't waste your money!"

……

Fu Xiang played a tune, and the crowd immediately erupted into a frenzy. Before Fu Xiang could even explain the rules, people were already arguing and vying for her attention.

The tea parties at the Jiaofangsi were just like the brothels of today, with the courtesans setting the rules. They were generally required to be elegant, as it was a high-end club, not a place for straightforward conversation.

Li Chang'an nodded in satisfaction. This zither skill was comparable to Pei Nanwei and Sang Wen, and was above average in the world of courtesans.

If this were Li Chang'an's previous life, Fu Xiang, with her looks and talent, would have been a big star at the very least.

Fu Xiang's sweet voice echoed in the courtyard, "Esteemed guests, I dare not accept the reputation of being a master of both poetry and music. However, since a young master has put it this way, I would like to ask each of you to compose a poem for me."

"Fu Xiang will select the ten best poems to publish, and then choose the one he likes. Whether Fu Xiang's choice is suitable or not, please judge for yourselves."

There are too many people today, and we need to convince everyone, but poetry isn't very good these days.

In the Jiaofangsi (Imperial Music Bureau), tea gatherings were common, and poetry was not frequently seen. This was because there had been few outstanding poems in the last two hundred years, and scholars had been focused on upholding heavenly principles and suppressing human desires, so they had no interest in studying poetry. Instead, couplets were more common.

Therefore, the usual practice of the Jiaofangsi was that the first ten poems were all roughly the same, and whoever paid the most money won.

In short, it's all about inflating prices; what they're really doing is auctioning off virginity.

Then, in the front corridor of the courtyard on the first floor, more than a dozen tables were set up in a row, with writing brushes, ink, paper and inkstones on them.

The maid beside Fu Xiang said, "Please leave your calligraphy and then write your names on the back."

With everything arranged, the men in the courtyard began to get to work.

Li Chang'an glanced over and saw that many people were secretly pleased, as they all knew that Fu Xiang was renowned for his mastery of both poetry and music, and most of these people had bought the poems at high prices.

Therefore, quite a few people couldn't wait any longer and rushed to the front to start writing with flowing strokes.

Li Chang'an's mind raced. He had so many poems in his vocabulary; should he write down the one he wrote for Si Lili back then?

In a way, today is just like that day.

Si Lili is a spy from the Northern Qi Kingdom who infiltrated the Southern Qing Kingdom, and Fu Xiang is also a spy from the demon race who infiltrated the capital of the Great Feng Kingdom.

Li Chang'an understood what Fu Xiang meant by not wasting money. Today's combing was organized by the Jiaofangsi (Imperial Music Bureau), and no matter who won, the Jiaofangsi would take the lion's share of the money.

Fu Xiang didn't want Li Chang'an to waste his money, so it seems this woman is quite considerate.

Li Chang'an thought of a poem by Liu Sanbian, the very poem that led the courtesan to remain alone with only one man.

Of the hundreds of people in the courtyard, not one was left out, and everyone wrote a poem.

Under Fu Xiang's distant gaze, Li Chang'an also wrote a poem.

As soon as he put pen to paper, many people were drawn to Li Chang'an's handwriting.

Someone started whispering among themselves, "That's the Slender Gold style of calligraphy! It's Li Chang'an from Yunlu Academy!"

"So this is Li Chang'an. I've finally met him in person today."

"So even great Confucian scholars like to come to the Jiaofangsi (a government-run entertainment district). What an eye-opener!"

"Your calligraphy is really good. I wonder how your poetry is?"

"I heard he is skilled in military and political affairs, but his poetry and prose are probably not outstanding. It's a pity that today's competition is not about calligraphy."

Chapter 284 Night Maiden's True Form Serves Her, Floating Fragrance Leaves an Everlasting Name

Half an hour after the dance, everyone had finished writing their poems.

Fu Xiang's skill in playing the zither and composing poetry was not merely a name; just as Ye Ji herself said, the fox clan loves to mingle among people and imitate human speech and behavior.

Ye Ji loves playing the zither, dancing, and composing poetry and songs; it's simply her nature. So conquering Ye Ji isn't difficult; all you need is to write good poetry and have enough stamina.

Li Chang'an chose a poem by Liu Sanbian about brothels. It wasn't the best one, but it was still unparalleled in the world.

After all, in the professional field of writing poetry in brothels, even the great poets Liu Yong (Liu Sanbian) cannot compare to him; everyone has their own area of ​​expertise.

The maids walked past Fu Xiang carrying hundreds of poems. Fu Xiang read them quickly, and every now and then, the well-written ones were picked out and set aside.

The men on the first floor were still noisy, mostly boasting about how good their poems were and how sure they would win first place.

Li Chang'an's identity was revealed, and the students and teachers of Yunlu Academy gathered around him, no longer feeling as awkward as when he first arrived.

Fu Xiang wore a professional smile, but it vanished when she saw a poem.

An incredulous look flashed across her eyes, then her gaze lingered on the calligraphy for a long time before a radiant smile blossomed on her face.

This smile, however, came from the depths of her heart, clearly indicating that she had been touched.

She glanced at Li Chang'an, her eyes filled with undisguised surprise, before quickly looking away.

Li Chang'an's calligraphy and paintings have already been widely circulated, so his calligraphy is easily recognizable.

Finally, the ten best poems were lined up in a row in the attic on the second floor.

The noise on the first floor intensified, with criticisms appearing almost every time a poem was presented.

Since ancient times, scholars have been prone to belittling each other, especially since these are all scholars who are jealous and competitive. Of course, they will do everything they can to belittle others.

"How dare you post such a poem here? It doesn't even have proper tonal patterns!"

"This poem doesn't even deserve to be called a lyric; it has absolutely no spirit!"

"This song is passable, but the artistic conception is terrible."

……