Courtesan Leaves the Tower

The Ancestral Hall was solemn and austere. Before the memorial altar, the spirit tablets of the Lin Family's Founding Ancestors were arranged across ten tiers at staggered heights, representing ten generations of ancestors over two hundred years. Lin Su's gaze traveled downward from the top...

Lin Xiliang, Great General Who Pacified the North of the Great Cang Kingdom...

Lin Lijun, Cavalry General of the Great Cang Kingdom...

Lin Wanfang, Valiant Earl and Cavalry General of the Great Cang Kingdom...

For two hundred years, the Lin Family had been a Military Family, producing generals generation after generation. There was only one exception: the tablet at the very bottom, in the very center, bearing only seven words—"Spirit Tablet of Lord Lin Dingnan."

That was his father. He had once been the Marquis of Dingnan and commander of Blood Rain Pass, but his office and title had been stripped away. On his spirit tablet, there was only a name, without any title.

Second Brother inserted a stick of incense into the censer before their father's tablet, then dropped to his knees with a thud. "Father, when you departed on your final journey, Third Brother was unable to return in time. Today, he has come to offer incense. Rest easy, Father. No matter how winds and clouds shift, no matter how the world changes through the ages, so long as your son still draws breath, I will protect Mother and my brothers!"

After kowtowing nine times, he slowly rose. "Third Brother, your turn!"

Lin Su respectfully placed the incense in the censer, kowtowed nine times as well, and slowly stood.

"Second Brother, what exactly did Father die for?"

Fury flashed from Second Brother's eyes as he explained at length...

The Lin Family's situation was, in truth, a common failing of Feudal Society...

The duty of Military Generals was to kill enemies and defend the borders. Their stance toward foreign powers was war.

Civil officials firmly believed in using Confucian classics to transform others through moral influence, and their attitude toward foreign powers was weak and ambiguous.

Thus arose a political climate of opposition between civil and military officials.

Civil officials controlled the right to speak, while Military Generals were increasingly sidelined. Eventually, the bizarre situation arose where Military Generals did not attend court. Among the common people, Military Generals had even become synonymous with lowly status. Throughout society, literature was valued while martial strength was despised.

Under such circumstances, no one from a Military Family dared act rashly. Lin Dingnan had been no rash man either. He knew full well how treacherous officialdom was, and had always acted with utmost caution, living with his tail tucked between his legs. Only then had he been granted a marquisate. Yet even so, storms could rise from a clear sky.

Last year, one of his subordinates had colluded with the Devil Race, becoming a shameful traitor to humanity. How could Lin Dingnan let him go? He dealt with him according to military law. Unexpectedly, that man had deep ties to the imperial court. Minister of War Zhang Wenyuan fabricated evidence and accused Lin Dingnan of rebellion. His Majesty dispatched a team to Blood Rain Pass to investigate, but that team was likewise controlled by court officials. In the end, Lin Dingnan was convicted of treason and executed. Originally, the entire Lin Family was to be executed, but considering the Lin Family's two centuries as a Military Family and its immense prestige in the army, they feared stirring up a mutiny and did not dare go too far. That was how Old Madam Lin and her three sons narrowly escaped disaster...

Rage blazed in Lin Su's heart. What kind of damned court was this?

Soldiers defended the nation and protected their homes, while a whole pack of people behind them schemed day and night to kill them. If there was no crime, they fabricated one—and the chief culprit was actually the Minister of War, the very man in charge of Military Affairs!

For now, put these matters aside!

Lin Su changed the subject. "Mother's illness... it isn't serious, is it?"

Second Brother said, "Mother fell ill because her heart was knotted with grief. If she takes medicine and supplements it with the Qi Guiding Text, she should recover quickly. But none of the physicians in the city dare come to the house. With only the Qi Guiding Text, Mother may still suffer through several more days of pain."

Lin Su was slightly startled. "The city's physicians don't dare come here? What does that mean?"

"It is still the Zhang Family's suppression! Zhang Wenyuan's hometown is also Haining, and their pressure upon the Lin Family is everywhere. The Lin Family wished to sell some timber and furniture to make ends meet, but no one dared come buy them. Now that Mother has fallen ill, the physicians do not dare come either. They all fear the Zhang Family and dread being caught in the fire at the city gate. But Third Brother, rest assured. Tomorrow, I will go to the city gate to sell calligraphy and write letters for others. I can at least keep a bowl of hot soup on the Lin Family's table..."

Considering that Lin Su had just returned from a journey of ten thousand miles and had traveled tirelessly all the way home, Second Brother urged him to rest. Then, with halting steps, he entered the study. He still had to read, still had to prepare for the metropolitan examination. Watching his back struggle to remain straight, Lin Su felt an inexplicable sourness in his heart.

He could scarcely imagine the pressure this scholar of Feudal Society had endured over the past few months. His father had died, his mother had fallen ill, and the burden of the entire marquis's residence had suddenly come crashing down upon his shoulders.

He was a man who read the Sage's Teachings. By nature, he was not someone meant to weather the storms of a Household. Could he truly bear all this?

But Lin Su had returned. He too was a member of this Household!

Whether he had been before or not, now... he was!

Lin Su returned to the western courtyard, the little yard that had once been his.

The courtyard was rundown as well. Under the dim yellow lamplight stood a maidservant—Xiao Yao!

"Brother!" Xiao Yao ran over, seized his hand, and rubbed her little head against his waist.

Lin Su gently stroked her head. "Xiao Yao, Brother promised to search the whole city for sugar beans for you, but I can't do that today."

"Brother, how can you say that? You make Xiao Yao sound like such a glutton. Xiao Yao doesn't like sugar beans. Really." Xiao Yao denied it, but the glistening thread at the corner of her lips betrayed her.

Lin Su smiled softly. "Go sleep. I know you didn't sleep well last night."

"Mm!"

Xiao Yao slept in the side room outside Lin Su's bedroom. Before long, even breathing drifted over from within. She had fallen asleep soundly.

As for Lin Su, he lay flat on his back in his own large bed, tossing and turning for most of the night. Only when the pale belly of dawn was about to appear in the east did he finally fall asleep.

The next day, when the sun was already high in the sky, Lin Su finally woke. Leaving his courtyard, he went to his mother's main hall, intending to see how serious her illness was. Just as he was about to enter, a startled cry suddenly rang out from inside. "Second Young Master, what's wrong...?"

Lin Su pushed open the doors to the main hall and saw Second Brother collapsed on the floor, his face utterly bloodless. Xiao Tao and his mother were frantically helping him up.

Lin Su hurried forward and supported Second Brother. "Second Brother, what happened?"

His mother wept until she could barely speak. "It is all Mother's fault for harming him. An ordinary scholar would have all the literary qi drained from his body after writing one Qi Guiding Text. Yet your Second Brother has written two every day for days on end. How could he not be exhausted? Xiao Tao, hurry and prepare some soup for Second Young Master... Erlang, lie down..."

Lin Su and his mother worked together to help Second Brother onto the bed. At last, Second Brother caught his breath and slowly opened his eyes...

Just then, a voice came from outside. "May I ask whether Second Young Master Lin Jialiang is here?"

It was a clear female voice.

Through the window, Lin Su saw that before Xiao Tao, who had just gone outside, stood a small figure dressed in blue men's clothing. Yet she was clearly a young woman.

Xiao Tao said, "Miss, you are...?"

The woman said, "This servant is Cui'er, attendant to Miss Yu Lou of Jade Fragrance Tower... I have come specifically to see Young Master Jialiang..."

Xiao Tao said, "Second Young Master is unwell. I fear he cannot receive visitors."

Cui'er grew anxious. "What should I do?... Sister, no matter what, please let this servant see the young master once. The matter is urgent and cannot be delayed."

Then... come in!

Cui'er entered the main hall with Xiao Tao. The moment Lin Jialiang, lying in bed, saw her, he was startled. "Cui'er, why are you here? Has Yu Lou... has something happened?"

"Second Young Master!" Cui'er said. "Miss Yu Lou is leaving the tower today. Did you know?"

Leaving the tower was a step every woman of the pleasure quarters would take. In their youth, they sold smiles in the brothel. When their years gradually passed and they were no longer suited to that livelihood, leaving the tower to marry into a wealthy household as a concubine was the best possible ending. Though Yu Lou was the leading courtesan of Jade Fragrance Tower, she could not escape this law of the brothel either.

Lin Jialiang stared blankly into space. "She once said she would leave the tower, but I did not know it would be today... She sent you here because..."

"This servant slipped out today behind Sister's back. Last night, she secretly hid the invitation Jade Fragrance Tower had written for you, because she did not want you attending the Ci Lou Banquet. She knew that Zhang Xiu, the son of the Minister of War, had joined with the talented men of the Quzhou Literary Altar, all of whom had long wanted to sever your Heart's Path. Any literary gathering you attend will be fraught with danger... This servant knows Sister is right, but I am still worried. Zhang Xiu has already declared that he will carry Sister away in his arms at the Ci Lou Banquet. How can Sister resist him? If she jumps headfirst into the pit of fire, how could she ever turn back and speak with you again beneath the Mid-Autumn moon?"

Lin Jialiang's thoughts were in complete chaos, and his entire body trembled...

Madam Lin sighed softly. "Erlang, Yu Lou's concerns are indeed reasonable. You should rest peacefully and wait to see how matters unfold."

"But... but the Zhang Family..." Lin Jialiang's chest heaved violently, and a faint flush emerged amid the pallor of his face...

Madam Lin said, "The Zhang Family plotted against and killed your father. More than anything, they cannot bear to see the Lin Family rise again. As the Lin Family's only man of literary cultivation, you are a thorn in their eye and flesh in their side. Everyone knows the Zhang Family wishes to sever your Heart's Path. Now that the marquis's residence no longer shelters you, even if your body were healthy, going would be perilous beyond measure. Much less in your present condition. Going would be meaningless, and might even drag Miss Yu Lou down with you..."

Lin Jialiang stared blankly at the ceiling. Suddenly, he broke into a violent coughing fit. When he pulled his hand away from his mouth, a shocking pool of scarlet blood lay in his palm...

Madam Lin was horrified. She used her sleeve to wipe the blood from her son's mouth and helped him lie down...

Cui'er was horrified as well. She stood there blankly, her face equally pale...

Lin Su gently tugged at her, and Cui'er followed him from the room in a daze.

The moment they left the room, Cui'er dropped to her knees before Lin Su with a thud. "Young Master, this servant truly never expected this. I caused Second Young Master to cough blood and collapse from illness. This servant has made a mistake..."

"Cui'er, I know you meant well. Thank you." Lin Su helped her up. "You have seen my Second Brother's condition... Can the Ci Lou Banquet be postponed?"

"It cannot. The invitations have already been sent," Cui'er answered.

Lin Su pondered for a long while. "Then... I'll go!"

Cui'er was abruptly stunned. You would attend? That was a literary gathering. Were you a scholar?

"You go back first. I'll head there myself later!"

After hesitating a moment, Cui'er took an invitation from her robes. "Third Young Master, this invitation was drafted by the tower master. After Miss Yu Lou saw it, she hid it away, but this servant secretly took it back out. I truly do not know whether that was right or wrong. Discuss it with Second Young Master and decide. This servant will take her leave..."

She turned and left.

Lin Su opened the red invitation. Upon it was a line of neat small-script calligraphy: "Respectfully presented to Young Master Lin Jialiang, one of the Ten Beauties of Qu Prefecture. The banquet for Miss Yu Lou's departure from the tower shall be held at Haining Tower at noon on the twenty-first day of the fourth month. Your presence is sincerely requested."

The signature below read: Jade Fragrance Tower.

A banquet for leaving the tower, a gathering of scholars, the Ten Beauties of Qu Prefecture...

The words Xiao Cui and his mother had spoken just now flowed through Lin Su's mind...

Using a literary gathering as an opportunity to sever Second Brother's Heart's Path? He knew the Heart's Path was the road scholars traveled forward upon, but could a single banquet sever someone's Heart's Path? How would it be severed? Why had his mother said it was perilous beyond measure?

The literary gathering was at noon. He still had two or three hours. He needed to gain a full understanding of this world's literary path.

Lin Su headed toward Second Brother's study...