On Qian Character Street in the outer ward east of the city, a residence bearing a plaque that read "Qian Residence" had deep, secluded courtyards, yet the pleasing music of strings and flutes drifted from within.
Beneath curtains of pale green gauze, hazy figures swayed like willows in the breeze. Several voluptuous dancing girls in flimsy clothing were dancing gracefully.
Qian Wanli sat at the head of the hall, while several male and female guests dressed as Puppeteers and Martial Artists watched together below.
"Bravo!"
When the dance ended, several male guests burst into cheers.
The loudest was an ugly man in brocade robes, with a pointed mouth, monkey cheeks, a buck's head, and a rat's eyes. His dark eyes darted about like a rat's, roaming greedily over the dancing girls, his lecherous expression suggesting he was all but drooling.
"Hahahaha! Everyone, don't think Clear Spring Commandery is all hardship and poverty. It produces plenty of beauties too. Well? Aren't these dancing girls of my Qian Household rather fine?"
"Come, offer our guests a drink."
Qian Wanli waved a hand, and the dancing girls came down to offer wine to the Retainers.
Their soft bodies were still warm, their thin clothes damp with a faint sheen of sweat. They seemed to possess a peculiarly seductive charm, leaving several male guests with dry mouths and parched throats, and they could not help drinking a few more cups.
"Come, little beauty, let me offer you a drink too."
The ugly man suddenly seized the little hand of the dancing girl serving him and, chuckling, held his cup out to her.
"My lord..."
The dancing girl he had caught was sixteen or seventeen. She could not help panicking, but endured her discomfort and forced a smile.
"I... I don't know how to drink..."