Redemption

The youth saw Gong Cheng's strong reaction and picked up the scroll, commenting seriously, "The artistry in these paintings is quite remarkable. Some are rendered in the 'Cao Yi Chu Shui' style, with vigorous brushstrokes, depicting figures in thin, flowing silk that are alluring and suggestive. Others are in the 'Wu Dai Dang Feng' style, with elegant, rounded strokes, showing figures in graceful, fluttering robes, appearing divine and beyond desecration. Given time, the artist will surely become a master!"

The male courtesan also smiled, "These paintings are indeed excellent."

The youth then teased Gong Cheng, "Tsk, it's just a shame that some people can't appreciate them and even see them as a monstrous flood."

The male courtesan feigned surprise, "How could that be? Yun Chi is known for his calligraphy and painting skills. If he can't appreciate them, then what about the rest of us...?"

Being teased and cornered by their words, Gong Cheng felt conflicted, unable to be truly scared or amused.

He could only helplessly beg for mercy, asking them to let him off, "Mr. Gu, Weng Zhi, please don't make fun of me anymore..."

No matter how well they were painted--

They were still erotic illustrations!

And they were erotic illustrations featuring his old friend as the subject.

Even with just a fleeting glance, he could tell the artist had captured the character's spirit precisely. While the likeness wasn't exact, the spirit was there, and the artist had even exaggerated that spirit. Even though he knew the customs in the Northern Desert were wild and his old friend was always uninhibited, he was still shocked.

It was enough to shake him for an entire year!

Looking at those paintings was like facing a monstrous flood.

The male courtesan said, "Finally, he's showing some human emotion."

After Gong Cheng was brought back, he was numb and dejected; describing him as gaunt and his heart as ashes would not be an exaggeration.

Thinking back to Gong Yun Chi of the past—well, not that long ago, maybe a year or two—this fellow had an extremely strong desire to win. He would often organize horse races, ball games, sword fights, and cuju with a group of friends.

He would celebrate with singing and drinking if he won, and pester them endlessly if he lost. If things didn't go his way, he would even dare to climb through a window in the middle of the night, brandishing a knife and demanding a rematch.

Gong Cheng paused for a moment and said, "I've made you worry."

"Worry is secondary; what's most important is that you pull yourself together."

The youth said, "When the time is right, misfortune will turn into fortune."

Gong Cheng pursed his lips and nodded, "Thank you for your kind words, Mr. Gu."

Confirming that Gong Cheng's mood had recovered, the youth steered the conversation back—Gong Cheng's "brother-in-law" was an unknown variable, like a chess piece that appeared out of nowhere. He seemed to be outside the game, but no one could guarantee he wouldn't disrupt things at a crucial moment.

The timing of this person's appearance was too coincidental: he happened to take on the job of painting erotic illustrations, he happened to run into Gong Cheng, who was recuperating in the Moonlit Pavilion, and he happened to be Gong Cheng's former "brother-in-law." No, whether this "brother-in-law" was real or fake was still in question.

How could there be such coincidences in the world?

Too many coincidences made it seem deliberate.

The youth tapped the chessboard lightly with his finger.

"You are betrothed to the eldest daughter of the Shen clan, how much do you know about her? And how much do you know about this 'brother-in-law'?"

Gong Cheng looked up, pondered for a moment, and shook his head.

He said shamefully, "I don't know."

The youth: "..."

The male courtesan: "..."

If not for the accident, they would have been officially married after the wedding ceremony. How could he say "I don't know"?

Gong Cheng also felt that he was being somewhat unreasonable.

But--

He said with utmost sincerity, "I really don't know."

In fact, his wedding attire was made on the spur of the moment.

He hadn't seen the betrothal letter, the gift letter, or the invitation letter. The six rites—betrothal gifts, asking for the name, asking for auspiciousness, betrothal, setting the date, and welcoming the bride—were either omitted or rushed through. He only learned he was getting married in a few days when his father urgently summoned him home. What could he possibly know?

At most, he was told the bride's surname, her birth order, and her age, so he could prepare himself psychologically. He knew nothing else. He only met her briefly on the wedding day, and she was heavily made up and wore a thick layer of cosmetics. It was already a feat that he could recognize the "brother-in-law" bore a strong resemblance to his fiancée!

The male courtesan patted his shoulder in admiration.

It was well-known that marriages in the Central Plains were often arranged by parents and matchmakers, emphasizing "the parents' command and the matchmaker's words." However, someone as blind and mute as Brother Yun Chi was truly rare, and the youth's expression was indescribable.

Gong Cheng could only stammer awkwardly, "This marriage was not meant to foster good relations between the two families but to avoid disaster and preserve a legacy. It was bound to be rushed..."

As he spoke, he couldn't continue and wanted to cover his face.

This wasn't just "a bit rushed"...

It was practically playing house.

"The eldest daughter of the Shen clan died young, but her brother, Shen Tang, is still alive. The Shen clan still has survivors," Gong Cheng composed himself, a hint of forbearance and sympathy flashing across his face for his fiancée, whom he had only met briefly before being separated by death. "It's a blessing in disguise."

Seeing that Gong Cheng was completely convinced, the youth frowned and exchanged a look with the male courtesan.

The two, understanding each other without words, reached a consensus.

Meanwhile, the shopkeeper, who had been waiting anxiously, pulled Shen Tang aside by the wrist and asked, "Did you offend those people?"

Shen Tang shook her head, "No, I didn't."

The shopkeeper asked again, "Do you know them?"

He vaguely seemed to have heard something about a "brother-in-law"...

Shen Tang said, "I know one of them, but I don't have much interaction with him. The shopkeeper can rest assured, I won't cause any trouble."

The bookstore shopkeeper pondered inwardly and agreed.

He put Shen Tang's wages into a money pouch and handed it to her, instructing, "You should count it carefully. Or would you like to use my scale to weigh it?"

Shen Tang felt the weight and knew the amount.

"No need for a scale."

Even if he gave her one, she wouldn't know how to use it.

Shen Tang counted the coins one by one. Just as she sighed that the money she had just received was about to be spent, the shopkeeper said, "I'm quite familiar with the manager at Moonlit Pavilion. I can put in a good word for you and maybe save you some money."

"Ah?"

The shopkeeper asked, "Aren't you trying to redeem your younger brother or sister? A young servant, as long as they aren't as outstanding as you, this bit of silver should be enough. You might even be able to negotiate the price down."

Shen Tang: "???"

When had she ever said her brother or sister was trapped in Moonlit Pavilion?

"I'm not buying a child, I'm buying an old gentleman."

The shopkeeper blurted out his thoughts: "An old man? That's even cheaper. The older they are, the less valuable."

The words were harsh, but true. Elderly servants didn't have the strength of younger ones, nor the energy to do as much work. Their overall value was indeed less than that of young adults, and certainly less than the potential of children, hence their price was the lowest. This amount of money should be enough for redemption.

Unfortunately, the manager of Moonlit Pavilion was still asleep.

The shopkeeper went directly to the person in charge at Moonlit Pavilion, tapped on the table, and got straight to the point: "Hey, business is here. I'm buying a person from you."

The manager looked up at the person who had arrived. Recognizing the shopkeeper from Zhengguang Bookstore, with whom he had cooperated many times, his expression softened, and he smiled warmly.

"Oh, who are you buying?"

"This young lady wants to buy someone."

The shopkeeper moved aside, revealing Shen Tang.

The manager's eyes lit up when he saw Shen Tang's face. If she fully blossomed, she would definitely be a money tree!

Shen Tang said, "I want to buy a servant who works in the kitchen. His surname is Chu. His hair is gray and white, and he looks about forty or fifty years old."

The manager collected his thoughts. After a moment of consideration, he knew who Shen Tang was looking for. "You mean that old man, Old Chu? You want to buy him?"

Shen Tang nodded. "Yes."

The shopkeeper persuaded from the side, "Sell an elderly servant for a lower price. You won't lose anything, and you'll be fulfilling this young lady's filial piety. It's a good deed."

Shen Tang: "..."

Others might have a childhood sweetheart falling from the sky, but she had a grandfather falling from the sky???

Scale (děngzi): A type of precision scale used for making change.

Cao Yi Chu Shui, Wu Dai Dang Feng: Two painting techniques for depicting the folds of clothing.

Shi Guo Yu Qi, Pi Zhong Ze Tai: Roughly means that after reaching the extreme of misfortune, luck will turn for the better.

Qi Shan, this guiding NPC, hasn't retired yet, and before she's even crossed the river, Sister Tang is already planning how to burn the bridge