Qinglou

Ye Lin's shout broke Ye Feng's train of thought.

"Brother, come help me! There's too much stuff. I can't carry it all!"

Looking at his little sister with all her bags and parcels, Ye Feng was speechless. How had she gotten into Demon City University with that brain of hers? He hurried over and took some of the bags.

"Linlin, why didn't you have them deliver all this stuff straight here? You carried it back yourself. Are you silly?"

Ye Lin looked at him in confusion and blinked. "You can do that? Nobody told me! If I'd known, I would've bought more. There's still so much I haven't bought!"

Ye Feng didn't bother responding. He asked Bai Jie to help her take the things upstairs, then went to the study himself.

Once in the study, he summoned the shadow guards, and four figures immediately appeared before him.

For convenience, Ye Feng had named them Shadow One through Shadow Four. Looking at the two middle-aged men, Shadow One and Shadow Two, he said, "The two of you are to leave for Jin City immediately and protect my parents. Remember, you must not let any harm come to them!"

Shadow One and Shadow Two both cupped their fists, then slipped into the darkness and vanished from the room.

Shadow Three and Shadow Four were assigned to protect Ye Lin and Li Xiaona.

At around six in the evening, Bai Jie knocked on the study door.

"Mr. Ye, there's a Mr. Zhao Peng at the door asking for you. He says he made an appointment with you. Shall I ask him to come up?"

"No, we're going out. I'll go down."

When Ye Feng arrived, Zhao Peng said excitedly, "Brother Feng, I've booked us a spot. Let's get going! Haha, I guarantee you won't want to leave that place!"

Ye Lin, who had been sneaking food in the kitchen, immediately rushed over. "Zhao Peng, where are you taking my brother for fun? Can you take me too? I don't know any fun places!"

Zhao Peng said smugly, "Ye Lin, I've discovered a great place. Not only are there beauties as plentiful as clouds, they're also gifted in all sorts of arts. It's just like a qinglou from ancient times!"

Ye Feng stared at Zhao Peng, his face darkening. What a pig teammate! Why did he have to blurt everything out, especially in front of his little sister? He was going to get him killed!

Ye Lin stared hard at Ye Feng. "Well, look at you, big brother! You're actually going to visit a qinglou! Believe it or not, I'll tell Mom and Sister Xiaona! Hmph! I never thought you were that kind of person!"

At that point, Zhao Peng realized he might have said the wrong thing and hurriedly explained it all to Ye Lin.

Ye Lin looked doubtful. "Why do I feel like you two are trying to pull the wool over my eyes? No! I'm going too, or I won't believe you. And I'll tell Mom and Sister Xiaona! Hmph!"

In the end, Ye Feng had no choice but to take her along. The siblings got into Zhao Peng's car and headed for an estate on the outskirts of the city.

The three arrived at the estate, far from the clamor of the city, like a secluded paradise. Clear moonlight fell upon every corner, as though draping it in a mysterious veil.

The estate was brightly lit. Warm light spilled through the windows, a stark contrast to the surrounding darkness, like a lighthouse shining alone in the silent night. A gentle breeze stirred the wind chimes on the window frames, producing a pleasant, melodious sound that brought a sense of pleasure and comfort.

The three came to an exquisite two-story building. The two characters for Qinglou were carved into the plaque above the entrance, with a couplet beneath it.

First line: The zither's lingering notes convey refined sentiments

Second line: Graceful dancing figures reflect the moonlight

Horizontal inscription: Boundless romance

Zhao Peng led the siblings into the private room he had reserved. It was on the second floor, and opening the inward-pulling windows gave them a fine view of the entire raised stage on the first floor.

Not long after the three sat down, the staff brought in a tableful of delicious food. Eating as she spoke, Ye Lin said, "Brother, how come this Qinglou is different from what I imagined?"

Before Ye Feng could speak, Zhao Peng explained, "Ye Lin, you've been misled by TV dramas. The kind of place you're imagining, where a crowd of gaudily dressed beauties rushes over as soon as a customer comes in, is a brothel, not a qinglou. A qinglou is an elegant place where talented scholars and beautiful women compose poetry and couplets and discuss music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. You might not believe it, but some of the ancient qinglou's courtesan queens weren't just beautiful enough to topple kingdoms and cities; they also had the talent to place first in the imperial examinations. Do you think women like that would casually give themselves to others?"

Ye Lin nodded thoughtfully and stopped asking questions, focusing on her food. Ye Feng and Zhao Peng chatted as they drank together.

As night fell, a couple dressed in ancient costume came onto the raised stage on the first floor. The woman sat beside a guqin, while the man stood at her side holding a xiao.

The zither sounded like a babbling stream, clear and melodious, while the xiao was like a secluded orchid in an empty valley, elegant and unworldly. The Smiling, Proud Wanderer, played in harmony on zither and xiao, reached everyone's ears from the stage. The zither led and the xiao accompanied it; the two answered each other, weaving a picture full of the spirit of the jianghu and drawing everyone into it.

Ye Lin stopped eating and went to the window to look down, an entranced expression on her face.

When the piece ended, the pair below did not leave but played another, A Laugh in the Sea. Listening to the music below, Ye Feng began humming along. This Qinglou really was interesting, playing pieces so full of the spirit of the jianghu.

When the performance ended, a spirited-looking woman wearing a mamianqun came onto the stage.

"Thank you, friends, for coming to our Qinglou today. I'm tonight's host, Xie Xiaoqing. After those two zither and xiao duets, you should all know today's theme. That's right! Today's theme is the jianghu! First, let me ask everyone a simple question: what is the jianghu?"

Standing by the window, Ye Lin shouted, "I know! I know! Marshal Zhang once said that the jianghu isn't about fighting and killing! The jianghu is about relationships and the ways of the world!"

Xie Xiaoqing looked up at the second floor and said in agreement, "Thank you to this pretty young lady for her answer. That's right. Since ancient times, Huaxia has been a society built on relationships, and those relationships run through our entire history. There was the bond between kindred spirits Boya and Ziqi, and the brotherly bond sworn in the peach garden. Now, please compose a poem on the theme of bonds in the jianghu. If anyone's poem wins my young lady's favor, she is willing to meet its author."

A buzz of discussion immediately arose among the people below. Everyone said that Miss Hua Ling'er of Qinglou was beautiful enough to topple kingdoms and cities, but no one had ever seen her appear. With a chance to see her true face today, they were all the more excited.

Ye Lin looked at Ye Feng and asked, "Brother, as one of Demon City University's great talents, aren't you going to compose a poem and meet this courtesan queen?"

"Oh, give it a rest. If I dared meet this courtesan queen, you'd have your little report flying off in no time! I'd like to live a few more years."

Ye Lin gave him a look that said he knew what was good for him, then continued watching the singing and dancing downstairs.

Zhao Peng leaned over at that moment and looked at Ye Feng ingratiatingly. "Brother Feng, how about writing one for me? I want to meet this courtesan queen."