Volume One: Menial Servant of Changshui County Chapter Twenty-Eight: A Woman's Waist, a Deadly Blade

This was a classic case of seeking pleasure first and worrying about consequences later. Lu Jiuzhang didn’t mind; after all, he wasn’t the one paying, nor would he be the one to take the blame in the end.

Freeloading brings instant joy—keep freeloading, keep enjoying!

...

After finishing his cultivation in Zhou Cheng’s study, Lu Jiuzhang accompanied Wang Yunshan to the Red Lotus Pavilion.

The house was bustling, with every seat taken. The courtesans flirted gracefully, swaying their hips as they moved among the guests. Even without Lady Muyun, the place was still crowded. Perhaps before long, the madam would elevate another girl to the rank of courtesan belle to lure in more patrons.

“Well now, Master Wang, Master Lu, you’re both in high spirits tonight!” The madam approached with a broad smile, then turned to the servant at her side. “Show our esteemed guests upstairs!”

At her words, the servant gestured politely and led Lu Jiuzhang and Wang Yunshan to a window-side table on the second floor.

“Ah, with Lady Muyun gone, the fun has lessened,” Wang Yunshan, seated across from Lu Jiuzhang, remarked with a sigh.

“What do you mean by that?” Lu Jiuzhang asked, puzzled. Even when Lady Muyun was here, Wang Yunshan had no chance with her, so why lament?

“You don’t understand, my friend. Men, you see, always want what they can’t have. I’d come for Lady Muyun. While she was here, I could at least dream that one day she might take a liking to me and invite me into her chambers. Now that she’s gone, that hope is gone too,” Wang Yunshan sighed, putting on the airs of a lovelorn man.

Who would believe that? If Wang Yunshan were unwed and said such things about a respectable woman, Lu Jiuzhang might have admired his devotion. But saying it about a courtesan, Lu Jiuzhang felt only the urge to spit in his face. Shameless!

Give it some time, the madam would crown another courtesan belle, and Wang Yunshan would be smitten all over again. A man’s words are but lies!

Suddenly, a courtesan dressed in blue gauze glided over to them. Though her beauty could not compare to Li Muyun’s, she was a cut above most in the Red Lotus Pavilion.

“Gentlemen, the night is chilly. Might I invite one of you to warm my little chamber for a while?” she purred.

That one phrase almost melted Wang Yunshan’s heart.

“Of course, of course! Share a drink with us first, and then I’ll join you,” he said with a lewd grin.

Watching this, Lu Jiuzhang recalled another saying—A woman’s waist is a deadly blade!

Put together, it goes: A man’s words are lies; a woman’s waist is a blade!

Wang Yunshan had been coming to the Red Lotus Pavilion more and more lately—who knew if he could keep up this pace? Hopefully he wouldn’t have to hold the wall for support on his way out tomorrow morning.

“My lord, you must treat me well tonight,” the courtesan whispered seductively, half reclining on Wang Yunshan’s shoulder.

“Don’t worry, I’ll treat you well. Life in a place like this must be hard. Tell me, how much is your ransom? I’ll pay it and you’ll be mine from then on!” Wang Yunshan said, wrapping his arm around her waist.

Most likely, he was just spinning tales, but there was always a sliver of hope. After all, Wang Yunshan was a government official with a steady income, and there had been rare cases of officials redeeming courtesans in the past. So even if the odds were slim, it was worth a try.

“Thank you, my lord. My ransom is not high—just fifty taels of silver,” she said sweetly, pouring him a cup of wine and holding it to his lips.

At the mention of fifty taels, Wang Yunshan didn’t falter at all. Instead, he waved his hand grandly, “A mere fifty taels is nothing to me!”

Lu Jiuzhang couldn’t help but scoff inwardly. Nothing? Last time Wang Yunshan came here to listen to music, he had to borrow money from Lu Jiuzhang. He probably couldn’t scrape together five taels, let alone fifty. Still, he kept his thoughts to himself. He wouldn’t spoil Wang Yunshan’s fun; after all, Wang Yunshan was a good friend—this was already the second time he’d brought him here.

“Brother Lu, you should pick someone too!” Wang Yunshan urged as Lu Jiuzhang remained silent. “Hurry up and choose—there are still plenty of beauties left, but soon they’ll all be taken.”

There was some truth to that, but Lu Jiuzhang merely shook his head. “You enjoy yourself, Brother Wang. Don’t mind me.”

“Suit yourself. If you find someone you like, I’ll pay for it,” Wang Yunshan said generously.

...

Time slipped into the deep night, but Lu Jiuzhang still hadn’t found anyone suitable. It wasn’t that the women here weren’t lovely; it was simply that his standards were too high. The madam herself had come by twice, bringing him two of her best girls, but he’d politely refused each time. In the end, she gave up.

Around midnight, Wang Yunshan was done and ready to leave with Lu Jiuzhang. Seeing his friend’s solitary figure, Wang Yunshan felt a pang of sympathy. He suspected that after tasting Lady Muyun’s charms, Lu Jiuzhang could no longer be moved by common beauty.

What a pity! But who could help it—Lady Muyun’s beauty was truly unforgettable.

“Brother Lu, here, have an orange,” Wang Yunshan said, handing him a green tangerine.

Lu Jiuzhang had never liked the sour, astringent taste, but after a few drinks, he didn’t mind. He peeled the fruit, popped the segments into his mouth, and the sharp taste quickly sobered him up.

Just as he was about to toss the peel, Wang Yunshan stopped him. “Don’t throw that away. You may not need it, being a bachelor with no wife to answer to, but I do. Tangerine peel masks odors!”

He took the peel, squeezed it, and rubbed the juice over himself. At once, Lu Jiuzhang caught the scent of green tangerine.

“This stuff covers up the scent of powder and perfume from the Red Lotus Pavilion,” Wang Yunshan grinned. “When I get home, I’ll just say I had a few drinks and ate some tangerines to sober up.”

“When I was chatting with that girl earlier, I came up with the perfect excuse,” Wang Yunshan said, glancing at Lu Jiuzhang with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Something seemed off about that look. Surely he wasn’t going to use Lu Jiuzhang as his excuse again?

Sure enough, Wang Yunshan said, “I’ll say you’ve reached marrying age, so I found you a matchmaker and we shared a few drinks.”

“Brother Lu, not to nag, but it’s true—you’re of age to start talking about marriage. With your elder brother away, let me handle the arrangements. Don’t worry, I’ll find you a fine young lady!”