Chapter 107: World Three [21]

“What kind of game is this? Is this how you drive up prices?”

“Madam, where’s the Madam? Miss Qiuyue is indeed the Flower Queen, but the price shouldn’t be as high as one thousand taels! Are you toying with us?”

“What’s the meaning of this, do we have to increase from one thousand taels upward? Madam, you’re too greedy!”

After the Sword Dance girl jumped out to bid, those who could only afford seven or eight hundred taels at most were unhappy.

If this Sword Dance girl hadn’t interfered, they might have been the one to win Miss Qiuyue’s company tonight.

“One thousand one hundred taels.” Another female voice rang out. But this time, it wasn’t from the Sword Dance girl on the stage; it was from Yin Honglian, dressed in red, below the stage.

Jing Ke instinctively looked over and noticed another familiar person standing beside Yin Honglian: Ye Wenxin of the Martial Arts Alliance.

What are these two doing here? After I spoke that theory about killing the emperor if he’s no good, they shouldn’t want to associate with me for a while, right?

A small question flashed through Jing Ke’s mind, but she quickly redirected most of her attention back to the Sword Dance girl.

After hearing Yin Honglian’s bid, the Sword Dance girl’s expression changed, but she gritted her teeth and increased her bid.

“One thousand three hundred sixty-seven taels,” the Sword Dance girl said.

Judging by her bid, with its exact number, this was probably all the silver she had on her. If anyone added even a single tael more, the Sword Dance girl would likely be helpless.

The situation Jing Ke could see was naturally understood by Yin Honglian. She was originally here to stir up trouble. Even as the Sword Dance girl glared at her resentfully, Yin Honglian unhurriedly gave her bid.

“One thousand three hundred sixty-eight taels,” Yin Honglian said. She increased it by exactly one tael, no more, no less.

Oh? So she’s clearly bullying this Sword Dance girl? Jing Ke raised an eyebrow slightly.

After a moment’s thought, Jing Ke tapped on the window of her private room and made her first bid. “One thousand three hundred sixty-nine taels.”

Jing Ke didn’t deliberately conceal her appearance, much less disguise her voice.

So the moment she called out her price, Yin Honglian, Ye Wenxin, and the Sword Dance girl all looked up in unison toward her.

Upon recognizing Jing Ke, visible surprise flashed in the eyes of Yin Honglian and Ye Wenxin. Judging by this, their appearance here tonight was probably not directed at Jing Ke.

Yin Honglian looked at Jing Ke, hesitating to speak. Remembering the woman’s shocking rhetoric, she silently suppressed her desire to bid further.

Someone who even dared think of killing the Emperor… it’s better not to provoke her. Otherwise, relying on a relative connection of unknown distance, who knew if she would receive any favorable treatment?

The previous bid of one thousand taels had already made the vast majority of people lament their inadequacy. Now, the Sword Dance girl couldn’t offer any more silver, and Yin Honglian didn’t want to oppose a formidable figure like Jing Ke. Naturally, Miss Qiuyue’s first evening of entertaining a patron fell into Jing Ke’s hands.

Seeing the Madam walking toward her with a face full of delight, Jing Ke quickly pulled fourteen one-hundred-tael silver notes from her bosom and handed them over.

“Many thanks, honored guest. Miss Qiuyue is yours alone tonight.” The Madam counted the silver notes, the wrinkles on her face deepening from her smile. “You may proceed to Miss Qiuyue’s room now. She is already prepared.”

“One thousand three hundred sixty-nine taels, that was my bid. The private room cost five taels. You need to return twenty-six taels of silver to me.” Jing Ke, having no intention of paying extra, stated this clearly.

Twenty-six taels of silver wasn’t a small sum. If used for high-quality fabric, it would be enough to make an outer robe for her little disciple!

The Madam was taken aback for a moment, but her smile remained flawless. “Of course, honored guest. One moment, please.”

After smoothly obtaining her twenty-six taels of silver change, Jing Ke followed the Madam to the 3rd Floor, arriving outside Miss Qiuyue’s room.

Sensing that there was more than one breathing sound inside the room, Jing Ke paused her steps. After dismissing the Madam with a few words, she very politely knocked on the door.

“Miss Qiuyue, is it convenient for me to come in now?” Jing Ke asked from outside the door.

“It is convenient. The door isn’t locked. Please come in, honored guest,” Miss Qiuyue’s voice came from inside.

Jing Ke reached out and pushed the door open, quickly scanning the layout of the room with a glance.

Oh? So that Sword Dance girl is hiding, is she? Could she be planning to ambush me after I enter?

Jing Ke’s eyebrow arched. Pushing the door fully open and stepping inside, she closed the door behind her.

Seeing Jing Ke’s action of closing the door, Miss Qiuyue’s breathing noticeably changed. Unlike the Sword Dance girl who possessed Inner Strength, Miss Qiuyue was an ordinary person—the kind who couldn’t hold a Horse Stance for over fifteen minutes.

“Miss, the one who performed the penultimate act… I’d rather not go looking for you up in the rafters. Could you please come down yourself?” Jing Ke asked very politely.

Although Jing Ke carried a sword, she was here to ask for guidance in zither skills, not to fight and kill.

The Sword Dance girl seemed somewhat surprised that she had been discovered. After a brief silence, she jumped down from the beam, looking at Jing Ke warily.

“I recall your previous bid was one thousand three hundred sixty-seven taels, right?” Jing Ke asked directly.

The Sword Dance girl nodded hesitantly. That wasn’t just all her own money; it was all of Qiu Yue’s too. That was all the silver they had together.

“Let’s make a deal. I only need Miss Qiuyue’s time for half a Shichen. The remaining time… how about I sell it to you for one thousand three hundred taels?” Jing Ke asked with a good attitude.

Originally, Jing Ke had planned to ask for one thousand three hundred sixty-seven taels, but seeing the two girls were somewhat pitiable, she generously left them sixty-seven taels.

“Y-You want to make a deal with me?” The Sword Dance girl was stunned. “What do you want the half Shichen for?”

“To discuss zither skills,” Jing Ke said. “If you’re worried, you can stay here. I don’t mind an extra person.”

Only after hearing she could stay did the Sword Dance girl’s guard lower slightly. She first pulled out ten one-hundred-tael silver notes, then painstakingly gathered three hundred more taels in loose silver.

Jing Ke carefully counted it through. After confirming it was correct, she rolled up the silver notes and tucked them into her bosom.

“Miss Qiuyue, I can play music by following the score, but the sounds I produce lack any emotion. Why is that?” Jing Ke asked with an attitude of sincere consultation.

Qiu Yue was momentarily taken aback. “Um, could you play a piece for me to listen to?”

“Alright, but I didn’t bring a zither with me,” Jing Ke nodded in agreement.

“Little Five, help me bring the zither over,” Miss Qiuyue instructed.

The Sword Dance girl, called Little Five, stood up hesitantly and quickly fetched the Sandalwood Zither placed inside the cabinet.

Jing Ke didn’t dawdle. Recalling the sheet music Miss Qiuyue had performed on stage, she replicated it almost identically.

At first, Qiu Yue listened very intently. But after the music passed the one-third mark, she couldn’t help but frown, maintaining that expression until the piece ended.

“From whom did Your Excellency learn the zither?” Miss Qiuyue asked tactfully. “Did that Teacher not remind Your Excellency of anything?”

“I’m self-taught. I just play according to the score,” Jing Ke replied.

A thoughtful expression crossed Miss Qiuyue’s face. “If Your Excellency wishes to play music filled with emotion, you need to understand the composer’s original intent from multiple angles. And when performing, you must first immerse yourself in it…”

Miss Qiuyue provided an answer from a highly professional standpoint. Jing Ke’s zither playing was indeed technically flawless. However, if she, as the performer, couldn’t step into the role of the protagonist of the music’s story, then she was merely plucking the strings according to a set pattern, not truly performing a piece.

And the sheet music of this era was usually a condensed story, requiring abundant emotion to interpret.

“Is that so?” Jing Ke could understand the meaning, but she couldn’t seem to immerse herself.

“When Miss Qiuyue performs, who do you think of in your heart? Do you think of the person you like?” Jing Ke asked.

“Ah? This…” Miss Qiuyue was stunned by the question and instinctively glanced at Little Five.

Little Five was also taken aback. Noticing Qiu Yue looking at her, her face instantly flushed. She clenched her fists and remained silent.

“If I don’t have someone I like, can I not express the emotion within?” Jing Ke continued asking.

“Hmm… well, Your Excellency doesn’t necessarily need a person you like to express emotion. Your Excellency could imagine—if you had someone you liked, what would she look like? And if you saw her, what kind of feelings would arise…?”

Miss Qiuyue explained haltingly. She didn’t know what she was thinking, but her face grew redder and redder.

Jing Ke considered this seriously. If that was the case, then the zither seemed like it would have to join poetry in becoming a part of things she couldn’t comprehend.

“Many thanks for your answer, Miss Qiuyue. I won’t disturb the two of you any longer.” Having received the answer to her question, Jing Ke didn’t linger. She immediately rose to leave.

Jing Ke was truly very fast. She was so fast that Qiu Yue and Little Five didn’t have time to utter a second sentence before they saw the door close again.

“Qiu Yue, this… this Your Excellency, her pursuit of zither skills is so… pure…” Little Five said stiffly. She hadn’t guessed a single part of how tonight’s events would unfold.

Whether it was being harassed by Yin Honglian, whom she had once offended, or encountering this mysterious Excellency who paid a high price just to ask a question, it was all beyond her expectations.

“Yes, but…” Qiu Yue hesitated, wanting to say more.

While that Excellency pursued zither skills, she also seemed quite adept at doing business, and didn’t end up spending much wasted silver.

–

The situation between Miss Qiuyue and Little Five didn’t concern Jing Ke.

However, as she descended from the 3rd Floor to the 1st Floor, she saw Yin Honglian and Ye Wenxin standing by the entrance like door gods.

“Are you waiting for me?” Jing Ke asked.

Seeing Jing Ke emerge with her clothes perfectly neat and tidy, Yin Honglian finally let out a breath she’d been holding. “Mm. Let’s go somewhere else to talk?”

Jing Ke didn’t refuse. She directly brought the two back to the Luo Residence.

“So, you know that Little Five. She was a talent you once selected, but after she went to the Central Plains Wulin, she disappeared?” Jing Ke grasped the gist of the situation.

In short, Little Five, who had been raised by the Devil Sect, was simply too righteous and principled. After being rescued half-dead by Miss Qiuyue, she became her loyal protector. Abandoning the so-called Devil Sect, she devoted herself entirely to Miss Qiuyue.

“Yes, the Cult Leader actually had quite high hopes for her. I came here specifically to bring her back,” Yin Honglian said, shrugging at Jing Ke. “I originally planned to use Miss Qiuyue to manipulate her, but things didn’t quite go as expected in the end.”

“Oh. And Hall Master Ye, may I ask why you are also here?” Jing Ke looked at Ye Wenxin.

“The Alliance Leader’s orders. I’m to monitor the Devil Sect’s movements,” Ye Wenxin stated concisely. “So I followed the Left Protector’s trail.”

Jing Ke raised an eyebrow, reading Ye Wenxin’s subtext. “You fear the Imperial Court that much? Willing to bury the hatchet and join forces?”

“Circumstances forced our hand,” Ye Wenxin said, a hint of helplessness in her tone.

“I have no intention of interfering in what you’re doing, but I don’t want my peaceful life disturbed,” Jing Ke stated her stance directly. “I can deal with the Emperor, and I can deal with anyone else who brings me trouble in the same way.”

Was this a naked threat?

Yin Honglian and Ye Wenxin looked at each other, then simultaneously averted their gazes.

“I understand. I’m only here for Little Five,” Yin Honglian stated her position.

“I’m merely following the Left Protector, observing her every move,” Ye Wenxin added.

“Good. Then I won’t keep you any longer.” Having figured out why the two were here, Jing Ke promptly showed them out.

Yin Honglian glanced at the sky outside. “Jing Ke, it’s already past curfew right now. We’d rather not openly defy the Imperial Court at this moment.”

“You want to stay the night?” Jing Ke asked in return.

“If possible, I hope you could take us in for one night. After all, we are friends, aren’t we?” Yin Honglian winked at Jing Ke, trying to close the distance.

“That can be arranged. There should be empty rooms in the residence. One night… let’s make it thirty-seven taels of silver per person,” Jing Ke said.

This way, the silver from the two of them lodging here would just about cover her expenses from tonight.

“No problem!” It was only a few dozen taels; Yin Honglian agreed without even thinking.

“Sorry for the intrusion.” Ye Wenxin wasn’t short on money, and she quickly agreed to this price as well.

And so, the Luo Residence gained two overnight guests that evening. They were settled by Jing Ke in another courtyard.

–

“Why aren’t you asleep yet?” Jing Ke, having returned from collecting the silver, spotted her little disciple sitting in the courtyard at a glance.

“Master, did you go to Phoenix Cry Tower today?” Luo Yuezhu asked.

Her Inner Strength wasn’t weak. Since Jing Ke and the others hadn’t deliberately kept their voices low, Luo Yuezhu could hear the conversation in the front hall.

“Mm, I went to seek advice from the Flower Queen on a few questions,” Jing Ke nodded, reaching out to pat her little disciple’s head. “What’s the matter? Are you also interested in Phoenix Cry Tower?”

Luo Yuezhu wanted to shake her head, but for some reason, she found herself nodding instead. She looked up at her Master.

“Master, can women also go to Phoenix Cry Tower?” Luo Yuezhu asked.

Jing Ke nodded. “Of course. Listening to music and seeking pleasure… as long as you have money, that’s all it takes. It doesn’t matter if you’re a man or a woman. There’s no rule in this world saying a woman can’t like another woman.”

“But if you want to go, remember to tell me, Your Master. I’ll go with you,” Jing Ke said.

A fifteen-year-old little disciple was still much too young. If she went alone, she might very well be swindled.

At this moment, Luo Yuezhu was no longer paying attention to what her Master was saying. Her mind was filled entirely with her Master’s previous sentence.

There’s no rule in this world saying a woman can’t like another woman.

Well then, was there any rule in this world saying a disciple couldn’t like her Master?