A master of comedy!

Chapter 165 The Maiden Seeks the Sound
As soon as he said those words, Zhou Sheng regretted it.

I don't know what possessed me just now, but I uttered such reckless and frivolous words, which was really disrespectful to the beauty.

He was prepared to be beaten, but to his surprise, Yao Taifeng only glared at him and then said nothing more.

Could it be... that there's a chance?
Zhou Sheng immediately felt his heart beat faster. Just as he was about to strike while the iron was hot, he heard her voice softly ring out.

"When you return after completing your apprenticeship, I... can agree."

Zhou Sheng was slightly taken aback, then the smile on his face faded, and his voice became much calmer.

"Okay, I will definitely come back alive."

He naturally understood that Yao Tai Feng was by no means a wanton woman; the reason she agreed to that matter was because she was worried that he might not be able to return.

Yao Taifeng did not answer directly upon hearing this, but her eyes flashed and her lips parted slightly.

"Recalling those days, tears still flow; a beautifully decorated pavilion and embroidered ball symbolize a perfect match."

This is a familiar aria, and Zhou Sheng already knows her feelings.

She sang "Wujiapo" and played the role of Wang Baochuan.

Eighteen years of wild vegetables in a cold cave, just waiting for your return.

Zhou Sheng felt a warmth in his heart. After the death of the general, everyone seemed to be reborn, and the dark clouds that had shrouded Xunyang City seemed to have suddenly dissipated.

But the pressure on him only increased.

With only twenty-two days left until he completes his apprenticeship, he is about to face what may be the most difficult Ghost Festival play in the thousands of years of Yinxi lineage.

There are people below who don't want him to live.

Yao Taifeng came today, both to make him the troupe leader and to agree to that frivolous matter. In fact, her core purpose was only to inspire his fighting spirit so that he could graduate alive.

"Although I don't know exactly how your lineage of Yin Opera graduates, even the Ghost King of Yin Mountain said that you will never return, so it must be a matter of life and death."

Yao Taifeng raised her eyes and said, "But I believe in you. You will definitely come back. When that time comes, you will lead our Zhou family troupe to travel the world and slay demons."

"The Zhou Family Troupe..."

Zhou Sheng shook his head and smiled, "Does Uncle Guan know about the name change?"

"It doesn't matter, anyway, my master can't beat you right now..."

……

In Xunyang City, under the bright blue sky, a figure walking with an umbrella stands out.

Most importantly, the man was talking to himself as he walked, behaving strangely, as if he were mentally unstable.

Finally, the person stopped in front of a building.

The three large characters on the plaque above the door are very eye-catching: "Gentle Paradise".

The land of gentle pleasures is the graveyard of heroes; this was the largest and most famous brothel in Xunyang.

Zhou Sheng looked puzzled and asked, "Are you sure... Jinse is in seclusion here?"

Yao Taifeng nodded and smiled, "You'll see when you go in. Remember to ask for that zither master. By the way, you're not short of money, are you...?"

"Would you like me to lend you some girls?"

"Ahem, no need."

Zhou Sheng took a deep breath, suppressing the slight unease in his heart, and stepped into the brothel.

In an instant, several pairs of eyes turned to him.

When the madam saw that he was a handsome young man, her face immediately lit up with a smile, and she was very enthusiastic. In particular, when she heard that Zhou Sheng wanted to choose Qin Kui, she beamed with joy.

The twelve courtesans each possess unique skills, but they all share one thing in common: they are all expensive.

Just watching a performance, such as singing a song or playing an instrument, costs at least ten taels of silver. If you want the curtains removed and the courtesan to accompany you for drinks and conversation, the price starts at fifty taels. If you want to stay overnight, you have to pay extra.

In short, even with a fortune, if one becomes addicted to it, one will likely be skinned alive in the den of extravagance.

Zhou Sheng spent twenty taels of silver to have the musician play a few pieces, seemingly just to appreciate art. The madam sent someone to invite the musician while introducing him.

"My master musician is a renowned musician in Jiangzhou. His delicate hands can melt your bones with their music. What piece would you like to hear, sir?"

Zhou Sheng thought for a moment and said, "Can you play the Buddhist chants of Yushan?"

"Fish Mountain what?"

The madam was momentarily bewildered. It wasn't that she knew nothing about music, but these four words were completely unfamiliar to her.

"Yushan Buddhist chants are Buddhist music that was introduced during the Three Kingdoms period. It is said that Cao Zhi created them in Yushan, hence the name Yushan Buddhist chants."

The madam was immediately confused.

Come here to listen to Buddhist music?
"Sir, your hobby is quite unique..."

"If you're into that kind of thing, we have girls here who can dress up as nuns, you see—"

Before she could finish speaking, she suddenly felt an extremely strong gust of cold wind, and then her body trembled violently and she sneezed.

My head is spinning.

"What a filthy and shameless place..."

Yao Taifeng, who was listening from the side, blushed with embarrassment and anger. She breathed a gust of cold wind at the madam, extinguishing the two flames on her shoulders.

The brothel madam will not be seriously harmed by the influx of yin energy, but she will develop a minor illness.

……

A moment later, behind the wispy curtain, a graceful figure appeared and disappeared, and beautiful music flowed gently like a breeze and flowing water.

The piece being played is "The Prince's Recitation," which tells the story of Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha before he renounced his worldly life. The melody is like a stream flowing over stones, bringing peace to the heart.

Zhou Sheng was surprised to find that this Qin Kui actually had some skills and could play Buddhist music.

He closed his eyes and quietly listened to the beautiful music. Soon, he sensed a fluctuation of magical power not far away.

When I opened my eyes again, there was another figure behind the curtain.

Zhou Sheng had keen eyesight; his gaze instantly pierced through the veil of mist and smoke, revealing the scene inside.

One was the zither master playing the instrument; she was beautiful and had a serene temperament, truly a beauty among beauties.

But under the sudden appearance of the second figure, the courtesan paled in comparison and instantly became a mere supporting character.

She was dressed in white, her black hair flowing like a waterfall, her face as clear as a lotus flower. Her delicate eyebrows and features seemed to be a masterpiece of heaven, without a single flaw.

Holding a guqin, he is like a lone cloud embracing the moon.

Only on those ten jade-like fingers, slender as frozen bamboo shoots, remained shocking scars.

Jinse really appeared, and she listened quietly to the music, a faint smile on her face, enjoying the beautiful melody.

Even in such a place of pleasure and romance, one can still feel a pure and innocent atmosphere, devoid of any ulterior motives.

Zhou Sheng's gaze suddenly sharpened.

He observed that as Jinse continued to listen to the music, the wounds on her hands were gradually healing.

“Jinse heals wounds not like we yin spirits need yang energy, but rather we need beautiful music.”

Yao Taifeng explained from the side, "If she hears beautiful music, her injuries will heal automatically. The more moving the music, the faster she will heal."

"Her so-called seclusion to heal her wounds is actually just listening to music everywhere. We don't need to look for her at all. We just need to find someone with excellent musical skills to play a piece, and she will come to listen to the music."

Yao Tai Feng smiled and slightly raised her chin.

A scene immediately flashed into Zhou Sheng's mind: the injured Jinse, like a lonely soul, wandered around the corners of the ancient city, just to find that moving melody.

……

(End of this chapter)