Chapter 104: A Smile

Nie Yunzhu and Yuan Jin'er had indeed come to sell preserved eggs.

It had only been a few days since Yuan Jin'er had jumped into the water and fled the Jinfeng Pavilion. Even now, the inside story of her disappearance was spreading like wildfire, and Mother Yang of Jinfeng Pavilion was still furious. However, Yuan Jin'er was a restless soul by nature. Having invested all her available money, she intended to follow Nie Yunzhu to solicit business, savoring the feeling of being a successful businesswoman.

In reality, this business relied on existing connections. Yuan Jin'er was acquainted with Mother Chen of the Yancui Pavilion, so she had dragged Nie Yunzhu along to open up a new market. Selling century eggs was a trivial matter compared to the scale and revenue of Yancui Pavilion. Since they were old acquaintances, a few words were enough to seal the deal, but some of the supplementary matters were rather troublesome.

"...Anyway, as I was saying, who in the trade doesn't know Yang Xiuhong’s temperament? You crazy girl, you don't know when you're well off. The century eggs are just a small thing; you should go back and apologize to her, soften your stance. Time heals all wounds, and that woman has a sharp tongue but a soft heart... Sigh, putting that aside, I don't care what the girls do after they redeem themselves, but people like you truly give me a headache..."

Walking into the room, Mother Chen sat before a bronze mirror to touch up her makeup, muttering incessantly. Of course, because she was very familiar with Yuan Jin'er, she spoke without reservation. Jin'er narrowed her eyes.

"I know, I know. You're such a nag, a busybody! You know you're ugly and talk too much—so annoying!"

"Oh, is that the attitude you bring to do business?"

"That is exactly the attitude."

Mother Chen was in her thirties and quite beautiful. She had only been running the Yancui Pavilion for a few years, backed by an official as her "godfather," and her temper was quite straightforward. At this moment, she and Yuan Jin'er were glaring at each other, locked in a tit-for-tat exchange. Nie Yunzhu smiled bitterly and mediated from the middle: "Alright, alright, you two."

"...Hmph, if it weren't for Yunzhu standing between us, I would have torn that girl's mouth today."

"Come and tear it then." Yuan Jin'er stuck out her tongue, then turned her head and asked, "By the way, what was going on outside just now?"

"What else could it be? The Xue family’s textile business is clashing with the Su family’s. They are bitter rivals. But the people who came today are truly remarkable: Liu Qingdi, Li Pin, and that most low-key Ning Liheng, who never sets foot in brothels. Haha, if he could write a poem at Yancui Pavilion today, this place would become famous overnight... By the way, I heard you are quite familiar with that Liu Qingdi. How is he?"

Jin'er blinked: "He writes poems at the drop of a hat, and they are quite good. Li Pin also frequently leaves his works behind. As for that Ning Liheng..." She looked at Nie Yunzhu, "...there is no hope there."

Mother Chen shrugged while applying powder to her face: "Whatever. Having the poems of Liu Qingdi and Li Dexin is enough. As for Ning Liheng, I’ll have people spread the word tomorrow that he came to support my Yancui Pavilion tonight. I’ll have to tell Xia and the others to perform well later and heat up the atmosphere. It would be best if we could really stir up some sparks so that Ning Yi can't help but get involved..."

"Cunning."

"What’s so cunning about it? Your Mother Yang does the same thing. Do you think those great scholars were vying for your favor without Mother Yang pulling strings behind the scenes?"

"I am peerless, after all."

"Just a yellow-haired brat."

The two continued their verbal sparring in the room. As the room used a bronze mirror, the reflections weren't very clear. When Mother Chen squinted to draw her eyebrows, Yuan Jin'er impatiently took the brush to help her, though they continued to provoke each other endlessly. Nie Yunzhu listened from behind with a smile and then interjected, "If Ning Yi really does write a poem to show his support, will Xia go up to him?"

Mother Chen was silent for a moment, then glanced over with a faint smile: "It’s not that simple. Showing support is one thing, but it also depends on how much silver is involved."

"I’m afraid the Su family wouldn't be stingy with their silver."

"If that’s the case, I’m the one in a difficult position," Mother Chen laughed.

"Why?"

"You don't know, Yunzhu. Xia has long had a secret affair with Xue Yan of the Xue family. With Liu Qingdi there this time, if the Su family only offers a good poem and money, we can naturally say that Xia prefers the support of the Xue family. But if that Ning Liheng joins in, the weight of it changes. Xia is the pillar of our Yancui Pavilion; it wouldn't be right to force her to slight Young Master Xue at such a time. Wouldn't that be ruining a romance?" Mother Chen sighed. "But then again, if the Su family has even the top talent writing poems for her, and she still toasts Xue Yan, what will people say about Yancui Pavilion or Xia later? They’ll say she doesn't know what's good for her, that she's putting on airs—that would be troublesome... Of course, if that Liu Qingdi could write a superb poem that surpasses both Li Pin and Ning Yi, just like when Ning Yi wrote those two lyrics, then there would be no problem. Yunzhu, you are the best at poetry; do you think that's possible?"

Yunzhu thought for a moment, then wrinkled her nose slightly and shook her head with unusual firmness: "Of course not." It was clear that she found even the thought of it redundant.

"That's that, then." Mother Chen finished her makeup and stood up, ready to leave. "It's fortunate that Ning Liheng rarely writes poems. Alright, I'm going out. You two, suit yourselves. If you have any old friends, go catch up, but don't try to poach my girls. Yunzhu, I understand what you're thinking, but a woman... that is our lot in life. In any case, it’s better than being a young mistress of the current age..."

"Too much talk..." Yuan Jin'er muttered.

"Fine! I'm ugly and talk too much—so annoying! I won't say another word! You stubborn yellow-haired girl... but you, you’re so familiar with Liu Qingdi; he’s right outside. Don't you plan to go out and see him?"

"Not seeing him! Not familiar!"

"Then hide away by yourself..." Mother Chen shook her head and left. Yuan Jin'er quietly pushed open the window to peek. In the main hall, it was a scene of bustling noise...

***

In Yancui Pavilion, most of the patrons were business people. Wealthy merchants who enjoyed leisure liked to come here to walk around and play. Not only was the entertainment in the main hall excellent, but the service provided by the girls in the inner chambers was also attentive.

Everything was in place; it was just lacking brand and fame.

Jiangning seemed large, but the upper circles were actually quite narrow. The merchants who frequented Yancui Pavilion knew each other to some extent. At this moment, many people in the main hall were greeting one another, and in the corridors of the private boxes on the second floor, people were visiting and chatting. Various snacks and dishes had been served, and girls were there to accompany the guests. Soon, the lights dimmed, the performances on the stage below began, and the noise in the hall gradually softened.

The performances at Yancui Pavilion followed a format similar to a "Flower Queen" competition. The best girls in the house prepared a small evening show, each performing twice, followed by various forms of patronage. The girls would choose their favorite patrons to accompany them, which meant not only drinking with them that night but also receiving priority treatment on future visits.

This bidding-like model was actually a very good business strategy; of course, it required the performers to have genuine talent. For the men, what they sought was the excitement and the display of face. Both the Su family upstairs and the Xue family downstairs had many people present today, and with three great scholars in attendance, it was their main arena. There were also two or three other bosses whose businesses were not inferior to the Xue or Su families, though they might not necessarily fight to the end in such a situation.

Music played softly in the building, and the accompanying dance created a fine atmosphere. People upstairs and downstairs occasionally exchanged greetings, and some moved about to discuss business or chat about the performances. It seemed some were even gossiping about whether the Xue or Su family intended to compete for Lü Xia’s company that night.

Lü Xia’s first performance was a dance, scheduled fifth. She adopted a relatively charming and alluring style, dressed in Tang-style palace attire. As her silk ribbons fluttered, her gaze and the subtle suggestions of her movements were enough to stir the heart. To Nie Yunzhu and Yuan Jin'er, such a dance might have been too overt, but it was truly a standout in this show. After the performance, Liu Qingdi immediately presented a poem, having it read aloud on stage: "Flower shadows dance against the jade screen..."

Li Pin also wrote a poem. The level of the evening was a bit low for Nie Yunzhu and Yuan Jin'er, but they watched from nearby, focusing more on the movements of the Xue family below and the Su family group—specifically Li Pin and Ning Yi—above. During the whole process, Li Pin and Ning Yi were actually discussing something. Apart from watching Lü Xia's performance with some seriousness, they didn't seem very interested in the others. At this moment, in the dim light of the upper floor, Li Pin had the woman next to him bring paper and brush, presumably to write a poem for Lü Xia. Below, Liu Qingdi glanced back at the scene above and laughed at Li Pin's reaction.

After Li Pin finished his poem, he continued discussing matters with Ning Yi.

"Sister Yunzhu, what if that Ning Yi writes a poem later?"

"Hmm?"

"Since Li Pin wrote one, and Liu Qingdi is looking to provoke, he might write one too. If he writes something poor, he'll ruin his reputation. If he writes something good, and Xia doesn't give him face and goes to toast Xue Yan instead, wouldn't that be embarrassing? If it spreads, his reputation will suffer; others will say that in Lü Xia's heart, Ning Yi is not as good as Liu Qingdi."

Nie Yunzhu smiled at her: "Jin'er, didn't you say you hated him? Why are you suddenly so worried about him?"

She said this in jest, naturally. Yuan Jin'er’s principle had always been not to let outsiders come between her own kin. At this moment, she naturally felt Ning Yi was more worthy of support than the Xue family. She glared at Nie Yunzhu, pouted, and couldn't be bothered to explain. A moment later, she saw Ning Yi stand up and leave the private box, presumably to use the restroom. Jin'er raised her eyebrows and turned to walk out: "I'm going to warn him not to write a poem; it's embarrassing if he does!"

"Hey..." Nie Yunzhu called out with a smile, but Yuan Jin'er had already run out of the door, racing against time. After Yuan Jin'er left, Liu Qingdi seemed to notice Ning Yi leaving his seat; he thought for a moment, then also stood up and headed toward the end of the hall. Nie Yunzhu glanced sideways at the performance still ongoing on stage, her gaze flickering as she pondered for a long while.

She closed the window and walked to the dressing table Mother Chen had used. She stood there for a moment with a slight frown, then sat down and looked at herself in the bronze mirror. She was still dressed like a village girl. She looked at her reflection, reached out to touch her cheek, and adjusted her temples. After a few seconds, she took a deep breath and pulled out the wooden hairpin holding up her hair.

A cascade of dark hair unfurled and slid down. She sat there quietly, watching. In the bronze mirror, a soft, melon-seed-shaped face appeared—clear, mature, and charming. Then, the corner of the woman's mouth in the mirror moved slightly; she smiled, a bit awkwardly, yet naturally.

It was like the feeling of a child smiling for the very first time in their life...

In the end, Nie Yunzhu weighed the two choices for nearly two hours before finally making up her mind.