vstars Chapter 47 The Land of Love and Lust
Chapter 47 The Land of Love and Lust
After nightfall, Qiantang is brightly lit, just like during the day.
Su Tang led Song Quyou through several long streets and finally stopped at the entrance of a bustling alley.
The alley was bustling with people, mostly men with unsteady gaits.
Song Quyou followed Su Tang, who had changed into men's clothing, with a puzzled look, and arrived in front of a wooden building with upturned eaves, carved beams and painted rafters, and an elegant style.
The air outside the wooden building was filled with the fragrance of rouge, and strings of red lanterns hung in the breeze. From inside, one could hear the chirping of birds and the sounds of stringed instruments.
Having already understood the situation, Song Quyou looked up at the plaque above the door. The three large golden characters "Wanchun Garden" seemed to tremble with unease, perfectly fitting the occasion.
Su Tang snapped open the folding fan in her hand and gently waved it in front of her chest. Her gentle appearance now had a touch of heroic spirit.
"Young Master Song, please. All expenses for today will be paid by Young Master Su."
Song Quyou looked at her serious senior sister and couldn't help but shake her head, suppressing a laugh.
"Young Master Su, may I ask why we've come to this brothel tonight?"
Su Tang said in a serious tone, "I will handle everything; you just need to enjoy yourself."
As he spoke, he stuffed a bulging money bag into Song Quyou's arms.
……
Song Quyou followed behind Su Tang.
After swimming past the soft sea and fragrant flowers, I arrived at the main hall and was almost overwhelmed by the atmosphere of wine, women, and wealth.
The main hall of Wanchun Garden was bustling with activity.
Large amounts of gold and silver were thrown onto the stage, and countless women dressed in thin, loose clothing and with glamorous makeup walked among the tables, holding wine glasses and surrounding men seeking pleasure, playing and frolicking.
And those dark corners.
There was also a round-faced, bearded man who liked to wear white socks, naked, embracing several charming young men.
On the chair.
Absurd, absurd.
……
The two, whose eyes were drawn to each other, did not linger. They passed through a series of hanging flower gates, went around a series of sandalwood screens, and entered a moon gate, as if they had entered another world.
The courtyard was as bright as day, but the hidden lights could not be found anywhere.
All that can be seen is a waterside pavilion.
The pavilion is surrounded by water on all sides, connected to the shore only by a white jade bridge. In the dead of winter, the surroundings are all withered and yellow, making it truly quiet and desolate.
However, Song Quyou wasn't concerned with these things. He was thinking about how, when he bought a house some time ago, even a small apartment in this bustling area cost four thousand taels of silver. He was more interested in the price of the Wanchun Garden, a complex of buildings and gardens, its vast area and layered layout.
Before the white jade bridge stood two men in leather armor, as imposing as bears, standing tall and straight as pine trees.
Upon seeing Su Tang, he bowed respectfully, "Young Master Su, my master has been waiting for you for a long time."
Su Tang nodded slightly, ignored him, and stepped inside.
Within those waterside pavilions and terraces, incense smoke curled, and the sound of zithers lingered. Scholars and refined guests sat sipping wine, while geishas sang and danced lightly behind veils.
Su Tang asked Song Quyou to find a place to sit down, while she went upstairs alone.
Song Quyou didn't show any fear. He casually found a table, calmly listened to the music and enjoyed it. He picked up a dried fruit from the plate and glanced at the guests in the hall.
These people were all dressed in expensive brocade, with jade pendants at their waists and pearls inlaid on their crowns; it was clear at a glance that they were either rich or noble.
What's funny is that there was even a monk in this brothel. And that monk was none other than Huiming, the monk who had come to the house at noon to demand Buddhist treasures.
Behind the gauze curtain, the singer's voice was as melodious as a nightingale's song, captivating the elegant guests around her.
The music ended.
The curtain was pulled back, revealing the woman's true face inside.
Throughout history, countless writers and poets have used flowers to describe beautiful women, highlighting their unique and captivating beauty.
There are the elegant and luxurious peonies; the tender and youthful cardamom; the graceful and elegant magnolias; the delicate and melancholic fragrant snow; and the bright and beautiful spring sunshine...
This singing girl was only seventeen or eighteen years old. Her eyebrows were like distant mountains, and her eyes were like cold stars. Although she was in a place of pleasure, she had no trace of vulgarity or frivolity.
Like the solitary and slender chrysanthemum that braves the cold of September, it has attracted the admiration of countless scholars.
She held the guqin in her arms, her fingertips lightly pressing the strings, her gaze sweeping over the guests in the hall, finally landing directly on Song Quyou.
Song Quyou's hand also rested on the sword beside him, his eyes brimming with uncontrollable killing intent.
He recognized the woman as the white ape who had eaten people in Jiannan County several months ago.
Although she has changed her appearance, her cold and aloof temperament remains unchanged.
The white ape recognized him, but she showed no sign of panic and calmly bowed to the guests to express her gratitude.
"Miss Bai's musical skills have improved again."
"Miss Bai is still so beautiful."
……
The white ape smiled and put down the ancient zither in its arms, returning the greetings one by one. Its eyes held a hint of cold weariness, making it truly resemble a talented and versatile singer.
At this moment, a lady-in-waiting appeared beside the white ape, bowed to the guests, and said, "Our Miss Bai is not only highly skilled in performing arts, but also possesses a unique Western Region illusion technique, making it difficult to distinguish between reality and illusion..."
Song Quyou didn't hear what the lady was saying at all; his mind was completely focused on how to get rid of the white ape.
At this moment, the lady descended, and the white ape bowed to the people around her, saying softly, "Gentlemen, I will make a fool of myself in this performance."
After speaking, the white ape flipped her hand, and a kingfisher appeared out of thin air, perched in her palm. It chirped for a while, flapped its emerald wings, and darted out of the pavilion, circling the leafless, withered willows on the bank. In the blink of an eye, the willow branches sprouted new buds, and the withered grass turned green again, transforming from pale yellow to emerald green.
Upon seeing this springtime scene, the surrounding guests erupted in applause and cheers.
The white ape smiled slightly, and with another flick of her delicate hand, the kingfisher that had flown back transformed into a dragonfly, gently skimming the water around the pavilion. In an instant, lotus flowers bloomed, filling the entire pond. Lotus flowers were in full bloom in the cold winter month, their fragrance spreading far and wide, like a dream.
The guests were mesmerized, and even the monk Huiming put down his teacup, his gaze slightly fixed.
The monk Huiming smiled faintly, turned around and bowed to the young lady in the center of the hall, saying, "I am delighted to see this pond full of lotus flowers, and I hope you will not mind if I add a touch of color."
The white ape returned the greeting, saying, "It's up to the master."
Huiming picked up the cup on the table and gently sprinkled the remaining tea into the pond outside the building. Instantly, the tea turned into a shower of golden rain, falling on the lotus flowers in the pond.
The lotus blossoms suddenly shimmered with a faint Buddhist light. The golden light and the lotus blossoms reflected each other, turning the entire pool of black water golden, making it seem as if the Pure Land of the West had appeared on earth.
The guests were mesmerized, praising the wonderful teachings of Buddhism.
Song Quyou picked up some melons and fruits and walked to the railing, pretending to say only, "What a pity."
"What a pity, what a pity. The Buddha's light reflecting on the lotus is beautiful, but it lacks vitality. Let me add this touch."
As he spoke, Song Quyou took out three paper cranes, secretly gathered his strength, and blew on them with all his might.
The paper cranes flapped their wings and flew out, transforming into three stiff yellow cranes that hopped and leaped on the emerald green lotus leaves, looking lifeless and drawing sarcastic remarks from the surrounding guests.
"Young master, your skills are not up to par, so you should not embarrass yourself by showing off. Such a beautiful scene has been ruined by your lifeless Yellow Crane."
Without a trace of shame, Song Quyou waved his hand, and the three yellow cranes immediately left the lotus pond, transforming into three firebirds that landed in the pavilion.
Fearing the fire, everyone retreated.
But the three firebirds, which landed on the wooden beams, the gauze curtains, and even Song Quyou's hair, did not ignite a single speck of fire.
Seeing this, the guests became bolder and stepped forward to touch it.
Some said it was too hot to handle, some said it was warm, and others said it was cool; opinions were divided.
However, the white ape in the middle of the hall frowned and sweated profusely as it looked at the three firebirds.
Song Quyou smiled faintly, seeing that the three firebirds were getting smaller and smaller, and were showing signs of going out, so he controlled the three birds to spread their wings and fly towards the white ape.