You Poor People Sure Have a Lot of Tricks

Miss Wen Yuan's performance was not held in the main building, but in one of the courtyards behind Mystic Sound Pavilion, called Fragrant Garden. It began the moment the gong sounded, and the scholars and refined gentlemen wishing to show their support all hurried over.

Although Chen Ju and the others had come immediately upon hearing the sound, they had only managed to secure seats near the middle, the four of them gathered around one round table. Watching performances here cost nothing, but even such a simple table came at a steep price, a symbol of status and standing. There were perhaps twenty such tables in the Small Courtyard. Those arriving later, even if they had money, could only stand in the surrounding corridors.

"Pretty lively."

Liang Yue looked at the dense crowd beneath the eaves. Everyone's eyes burned with excitement, as though they were chasing a celebrity.

"Hehe, Mystic Sound Pavilion's popular musicians are different from those fine ladies outside." Chen Ju smiled. "The popular ones have a very high following."

"Oh?" Liang Yue asked. "How are they different?"

Chen Ju smiled. "Those fine ladies outside basically sell themselves as long as you pay. But for these popular musicians, you have to come often while they perform, be generous when giving rewards, catch her attention, and earn the chance to have a private chat with her. Once you've chatted enough times and both sides enjoy the conversation, only then can you taste her fragrance."

"So the difference is that they have talent?" Liang Yue tried to sum it up.

"Mm..." Chen Ju pondered for a moment before answering, "They're more expensive."

Liang Yue smiled. That truly was concise and to the point.

He had come to Red Sleeve Brothel only to investigate matters alongside Chen Ju. He had no interest in any courtesan beauties; at most, he was here to watch the performances and broaden his horizons. Thus, he remained especially calm, seeming somewhat out of place amid the crowd.

Before long, a gauzy screen was set up on the stage in the courtyard. Phoenix Madam stepped gracefully onto the stage and said to the guests below in a honeyed voice, "Honored guests, this is Miss Wen Yuan's second performance since coming to Mystic Sound Pavilion. Seeing everyone support her so enthusiastically, it seems you have all heard of her reputation. During her last performance, Miss Wen Yuan was so breathtakingly beautiful that none of you had the heart to listen to the music. Therefore, this time, she requested to perform with her face concealed. Only those selected for a private chat may see Miss Wen Yuan's face."

"Then what are we watching for?" someone dissatisfied began shouting.

"Just watch and see." Phoenix Madam tossed a coquettish glance, twisted around, and stepped off the stage. Behind the gauzy screen, another seated silhouette had appeared. All they could see were flowers pinned in her hair, the smooth lines of her shoulders and neck, and her slender jade-like fingers. Her features and figure remained hidden.

Yet for some reason, merely seeing that silhouette made one feel that she had to be an extraordinary beauty.

Sometimes, beauty was a feeling, not merely something seen with the eyes.

Many people present had come for her reputation as a beauty descended from heaven. Seeing that she would not even show her face, they were quite displeased, but that feeling was quickly forgotten.

Twang—

As she plucked the strings, a lingering sound flowed outward like running water. In the blink of an eye, the previously heated atmosphere settled into calm.

It was not that the scene had gone cold. Rather, everyone half-closed their eyes, immersing themselves in an atmosphere of freshness and elegance. Her zither music seemed to possess magic. Closing one's eyes, one could seemingly see lofty mountains and flowing waters, blue skies and white clouds, and one's lover from youth.

As though reflecting those old years, graceful as a startled swan's shadow.

When the piece ended, its lingering notes remained for a long while.

Only after quite some time did the crowd slowly open their eyes and cry out in amazement. "Miss Wen Yuan's zither music is practically the sound of immortals. Never in my life have I heard anything like it."

"Heavens, I remembered running beneath that sunset... that was my lost youth..."

"Wuwuwu." Chen Ju raised his face, grief written all over it.

"What's wrong with you?" Liang Yue asked.

"When I closed my eyes just now, I saw the woman I once loved deeply." Chen Ju choked out through tears. "Could Miss Wen Yuan play another piece?"

"I couldn't tell you were such a romantic. You want to reminisce one more time?" Liang Yue said.

"No! Once the music began, their figures flashed past one after another. The song ended before they were done flashing past. This piece was too short—I didn't get to see enough!" Chen Ju cried.

Liang Yue: "..."

Miss Wen Yuan behind the screen rested briefly before playing two more pieces in succession. Every zither piece carried its listeners into a scene that perfectly matched it. With her miraculous skill, she had even made people forget why they had come in the first place.

Everyone listening to the zither seemed as though they had truly come only to listen, immersed in intoxication over its melodies.

It was not until Phoenix Madam stepped onto the stage again and spoke with a smile that they stirred. "Honored guests, Miss Wen Yuan's performance has come to an end. Those who wish to have a private chat with her must seize this opportunity."

Clang—

With that, a gong rang out, pulling everyone back into Fragrant Garden.

"Miss Wen Yuan!" Looking at the silhouette behind the screen, the excited guests all cried out.

Even without seeing her face, her zither artistry alone had captured the hearts of the scholars and refined gentlemen present. Not to mention, she also bore the reputation of being beautiful as an immortal.

Who would not want to go see for themselves?

In an instant, the courtyard's atmosphere grew heated again, and everyone rubbed their hands together eagerly. A servant carrying a bronze tray walked between the tables.

"Young Master Guo rewards a pair of South Sea Pearls!"

"Master Zhang rewards one piece of Flawless White Jade!"

"Young Master Qin rewards twenty taels of gold!"

"..."

The servant's calls rang out one after another. Whenever an item placed on the bronze tray was of especially high value, he shouted it aloud.

"What are they doing?" Liang Yue asked.

"Giving rewards." Chen Ju explained, "The music isn't free to hear. Once the musician finishes performing, the servant comes down to collect reward money. Everyone can give as much or as little as they wish; it all depends on their intentions. But when musicians select someone for a private chat, they often choose the guest whose reward has the highest value. Those hoping to have that chat naturally give more generously."

"The one hurt most is always second place on the ranking." Liang Yue sighed.

"Exactly. I didn't prepare anything before coming today, so it looks like I can't make a move." Chen Ju pointed at the confident scholars ahead of them. "If the people in front are especially lavish, those behind generally avoid their sharp edge and merely give a token amount."

"How much would a token amount be?" Liang Yue touched his money pouch.

After all, he had enjoyed three zither pieces, and the experience had indeed been quite good. He did not intend to listen for free.

"Just casually give eight or ten taels of silver. That won't be embarrassing." Chen Ju said.

"Cough..." Liang Yue nearly choked despite not drinking any water.

Were you rich people all this casual?

"Don't worry, I prepared it for you already." Chen Ju smiled. "When you come with your brother, how could I let you spend money?"

"That doesn't seem too appropriate..." Liang Yue looked around before asking, "Can the reward be anything?"

Though they were friends, he still did not want to take advantage of the other man financially.

"That's right. Gold and silver, treasures, calligraphy and paintings—anything valuable will do." Chen Ju answered.

"Then I have an idea." Liang Yue smiled faintly.

He summoned the maid standing behind him, asked her for a sheet of white paper, pulled out the charcoal pen he had made himself from his robe, and began to smear and sketch across it.

Liang Yue had once been interested in forensic sketching and had deliberately studied drawing for a while... around three days, perhaps. Back then, the instructor had been shocked and said that if Liang Yue pursued art studies, he would definitely rank among the very best.

However, his interests did not lie there. Once he had mastered sufficient skill, he had not continued studying it. After coming here, he had still retained the habit of carrying a pen on him.

With a rapid series of scratching strokes, by the time the servant carrying the bronze tray arrived, only moments had passed, yet a scroll-like drawing had already emerged beneath Liang Yue's pen: a beauty behind a screen playing the zither. It was precisely the scene of Miss Wen Yuan's earlier performance, nearly identical in every detail.

The servant stared at it blankly. It seemed he had never seen such a painting before and did not know how much it was worth. In the end, he did not call it out, instead directly collecting the silver Chen Ju had given as a reward.

Hu Peng and Gou You had come prepared, but the people before them had spent far too fiercely. They were likely underprepared, so they put away the treasures in their robes and replaced them with utterly ordinary silver ingots.

"Your painting is pretty good, but is it worth anything?" Chen Ju looked at Liang Yue skeptically. "If they investigate it later, it'll be embarrassing if you were too perfunctory."

It was also his first time seeing a painting like this. Though it was highly faithful to reality, it also felt rather strange.

Liang Yue looked completely composed. "Does this sort of thing have to cost money? I put a lot of care into it!"

"Tch." Hu Peng, standing nearby, heard this and sneered. "Brother Liang, if it were a masterpiece by a famed artist worth a fortune, like Ugly Tanhua or Xu Shangshu, then placing it here would certainly let you crush the entire field. But how much could something you hastily drew be worth, no matter how much care you put into it?"

"Enough." Chen Ju defended him. "Neither of you is competing for a private chat anyway. Why don't we leave early, before Phoenix Madam notices?"

"Fine." The group immediately agreed.

The four rose together and left, hunching over as they made their way through the courtyard, trying to squeeze out through the crowd in the surrounding corridor. Their progress was rather slow. Though the people in the corridor had no hope of a private chat either, they still wanted to stay and watch the excitement, eager to learn which wealthy guest would win the beauty's heart.

Halfway there, they heard Phoenix Madam take the stage again. With a stern face, she called out, "The guest Miss Wen Yuan has selected to remain for a private chat today is... Young Master Liang!"

"Oh?" A wave of confused murmurs immediately arose from the crowd. Everyone looked around, wanting to see what sort of person this Young Master Liang was.

He must be from that Liang Family, one of the Four Great Clans, right? Yet they had not heard any call earlier. What had he given?

But after looking around, no one seemed to stand up.

Phoenix Madam continued, "Where is the Young Master Liang who sent that personally drawn painting?"

"Hm?" Only then did Liang Yue realize something was off. Why did that sound so much like he was being called? He slowly straightened up and turned around. Sure enough, Phoenix Madam held up a black-and-white sketch on white paper.

"I refuse to accept this!" Young Master Guo, who had opened by giving a pair of pearls, sprang angrily to his feet. "Can some lousy painting be more valuable than my South Sea Pearls? Could it be that Miss Wen Yuan simply thinks this kid is handsome?"

Mm...

Liang Yue gave the man an approving look. Brother, your manners may be poor, but your eyesight is pretty good.

In truth, he had the same question.

Phoenix Madam's expression darkened onstage, as though she were holding back her anger. "A thousand gold is easy to obtain, but a sincere heart is hard to find. Miss Wen Yuan believes that Young Master Liang clearly put care into this painting. Her consistent standard in choosing someone for a private chat is care!"

The moment those words fell, the entire venue erupted.

Among the many brothels of Red Sleeve Brothel, countless fine ladies came and went. They all spoke of wanting sincerity while truly wanting real gold. A Miss Wen Yuan who genuinely chose an item with no value was likely unprecedented.

Especially the brothers Hu Peng and Gou You before Liang Yue. They turned back with wide eyes, their expressions seemingly saying... this thing really didn't need money?

Chen Ju was even more direct. With an admiring expression, he gave Liang Yue a thumbs-up and said, "You poor people sure have a lot of tricks."