Xue Baochai thought that if she really was chosen by the Courtesan Queen, it would be awkward. But if she did not help, was she supposed to let Baoyu and her brother lose face?
As she hesitated, the others all began echoing Hua Yuyan. Her argument was sound, and everyone wanted to see Jia Baoyu make a fool of himself, so they eagerly joined in the commotion.
Song Qingshu gently patted Xue Baochai's hand, signaling that he would handle what came next. Xue Baochai blushed, thinking, Baoyu is used to fooling around with those maids and sisters. He really has no sense of propriety between men and women—how could he touch my hand so casually!
Still, she was disguised as a man now, so there was no need to worry about others seeing them touch.
Song Qingshu cleared his throat and slowly said, "As the saying goes, the Dharma is not lightly imparted. I am not a street performer, so why should I play for you all under everyone's watchful eyes?"
The moment he finished speaking, the room erupted in jeers:
"Pah, you just do not know how, do you?"
"If you really can play, why not show us a little?"
"Exactly. Let everyone broaden their horizons."
"Playing the qin is an elegant pursuit to begin with. Why should Brother Jia be so bothered?"
Though the crowd chattered endlessly, Song Qingshu remained unmoved. He merely looked at the Courtesan Queen and said, "I can play, but there has to be a stake."
"What sort of stake?" Hua Yuyan asked with a smile.
Song Qingshu smiled faintly. "If you find my performance pleasant enough, how about choosing me as your guest behind the curtains tonight?" He wanted to see what this woman was really plotting, so he decided to bring