“Zheng—zheng—zheng—”
Lu Zheng casually plucked the strings, and a section of *Wild Geese on the Sandbank* flowed forth. The qin’s sound evoked a crisp autumn day, calm winds, level sands, boundless clouds, and the distant cries of flying birds.
Duan Changzai blinked, pleasantly surprised by how good it sounded.
The shopkeeper was also taken aback. As a qin maker and seller, he was well-versed in the craft, yet he had never heard the piece this young man played.
“A new composition? Did you write it, sir?”
But just as he began to listen closely, Lu Zheng stopped. “Not bad. Let me try another qin.”
“Right, right, one moment!” The shopkeeper nodded eagerly. Encountering a qin master who appreciated his instruments delighted him. He hurriedly swapped the phoenix-tail qin for a falling-leaf qin.
“Zheng—zheng—zheng—”
“Huh? Not the same piece?” The shopkeeper blinked, but just as he started to get into it, Lu Zheng stopped again.
Ugh… this teasing, incomplete feeling… it was torturous…
“Change the qin.”
“Alright!”
…
After trying three more qins, Lu Zheng ultimately chose the phoenix-tail qin.
He paid with banknotes, arranged for the qin to be delivered to Room 3, First Class at the inn, and left with Duan Changzai.
Moments later, Duan Changzai glanced at the sky. It was nearing the end of the Wei hour, and familiar patrons were already heading to Xiuyun Tower.
“Come on, I promised to treat you well, and Xiuyun Tower is the place for it. We might even catch Miss Qingxin playing the qin, Miss Xingyao performing music, or Miss Yuling and Miss Zixiao dancing. Those are Xiuyun Tower’s four top stars.”
Lu Zheng: (꒪⌓꒪)
And so, he was “dragged” by Duan Changzai to Xiuyun Tower.
…
Inside Xiuyun Tower, lanterns hung densely, candlelight glowed brilliantly, red gauze swirled, and fragrant breezes filled the air.
The main hall buzzed with voices, while in the private rooms, wine cups clinked.
Laughter, shouts, toasts, greetings, and teasing filled the air.
Lu Zheng had never been to Chunfeng Tower, nor had he visited such places in the modern world, but Xiuyun Tower’s decor and ambiance… it was truly impressive!
…
“Lord Duan, the magpies in the courtyard were chirping all morning. Turns out, a distinguished guest has arrived. Please, come in!”
“My, what a dashing young gentleman, so refined and talented. A scholar destined for greatness! A friend of Lord Duan? Please, please, the girls here are most welcoming!”
“Hongying, Qianmei, come downstairs!”
“Lord Duan, shall I arrange a private room for you? One with a view of the central atrium. Tonight, Miss Qingxin will play the qin, and Miss Zixiao will perform a sleeve dance. Guaranteed to please!”
A graceful, swaying woman led them to a private room on the second floor, where two beautiful, curvaceous women waited at the door.
Seeing them approach, the women gently pushed open the door and greeted them, each sidling up to Duan Changzai and Lu Zheng, ushering them inside.
Though the weather was still cold, the room was warmed by glowing charcoal braziers. By the window, a round table held a pot of wine and several dishes.
…
Duan Changzai’s identity was no secret at Xiuyun Tower. A martial arts master and a high-ranking official of the Anomaly Suppression Bureau were credentials enough for VIP treatment.
Lu Zheng naturally benefited as well, enjoying a private room and the company of Xiuyun Tower’s finest women. From the window, he could see wealthy merchants in lavish robes and distinguished scholars in the main hall below.
“Sir, what may I call you?”
“Sir, drinking harms the body. Have some food.”
“Sir…”
Seeing Lu Zheng respond somewhat stiffly, Duan Changzai was genuinely shocked. “You really haven’t been to Chunfeng Tower?”
Lu Zheng glared. “Oh, I’ve been! I’m quite familiar!”
Duan Changzai burst out laughing, clinking his cup with Lu Zheng’s and downing his drink. “Right, with Lady Shen as your confidante, how could the common women of Chunfeng Tower catch your eye? I didn’t realise you hadn’t been there even before meeting her.”
“What’s so surprising? I was busy at home studying, writing, practising martial arts, and cultivating. Where would I find time for Chunfeng Tower?”
“Impressive, impressive!” Duan Changzai saluted with a smile.
The two women’s eyes gleamed, especially Qianmei, sitting beside Lu Zheng, practically pressing herself against him.
…
Cups clinked, wine flowed, and the women’s voices were soft and melodious as the atmosphere grew warm.
Performances in the central atrium continued from mid-Shen hour to the end of You hour, featuring songs, dances, lyrical tunes, or operatic melodies, all gentle and soft.
At the start of Xu hour, blue and pink curtains were set up on the high platform in the atrium, and no new performers appeared for some time.
“This is…”
Moments later, a figure in a cyan cloud-patterned silk skirt, holding a yaoqin, ascended from the left, while another in a purple trailing-scale skirt, sleeves crossed at her chest, appeared from the right.
The woman on the left was coolly elegant, slender, graceful, and as serene as frost or snow.
The woman on the right was alluring and glamorous, curvaceous, poised, and strikingly beautiful.
Compared to them, the earlier performers seemed like common powder and rouge. Even Hongying and Qianmei, accompanying Lu Zheng and Duan Changzai, paled in comparison.
Perhaps only Liu Qingyan in her charming allure or Shen Ying with her peach-blossom makeup could rival them.
“Hiss—”
Lu Zheng sucked in a breath. These women were almost inhumanly beautiful. Focusing his energy in his eyes, he looked closely.
“Hiss—”
They truly weren’t human!
As night fell, sunlight faded, and moonlight spread, Lu Zheng’s cultivation allowed him to see the faint demonic aura surrounding the two women.
“This is…” Lu Zheng looked at Duan Changzai in disbelief.
Duan Changzai nodded with a smile, signaling it was fine.
Lu Zheng blinked, understanding. These were two harmless demons, possibly even registered with the Great Jing Dynasty. Otherwise, they wouldn’t dare perform so openly near the Anomaly Suppression Bureau.
After all, Great Jing law protected humans, not demons. Without registration, a demon’s death meant nothing.
The two women took the stage. The one in cyan, likely Qingxin, placed her yaoqin on a low table, knelt gracefully, sat upright, and began playing with poise.
The one in purple, Zixiao, moved to the centre, facing away from the crowd, sleeves crossed at her chest.
…
“Zheng—zheng—”
The qin sounded, and Zixiao spread her arms, two nearly three-zhang-long purple silk ribbons swirling out. Her dance steps were light as a bird skimming water, her form swaying like a willow in the wind. The ribbons circled her, half-hidden, half-revealed, ethereal and dreamlike.
…
The qin’s melody soared, the dance entranced, and when the performance ended, the audience’s hearts lingered on the departed beauties.
“Brilliant music! Exquisite dance!” Lu Zheng clapped in admiration, looking around to see merchants and scholars, all entranced, their fascination slowly fading with time.
“With such beauties, won’t trouble arise?” Lu Zheng asked.
Duan Changzai shook his head with a smile. “Those unaware of their nature might cause trouble, but it’s no issue. Those who know their nature won’t.”
The first part was clear: unaware troublemakers, facing demons with cultivation, would be easily subdued by enchantment or illusion.
Lu Zheng pondered, then grasped the deeper meaning. Those who knew the women were demons wouldn’t act. And those bold enough to try, well, these demonesses might not mind clinging to powerful figures, so no trouble would arise either.
…
If that’s the case, let the music play and the dance continue!
