Lian Erye in the Red Mansion

Below Tianxiang Tower, inside Qingyi Pavilion.

Gu Qingyi sat by the window, holding a pipa in her arms.

Her expression was weary, and deep within her eyes, which were like rippling autumn water, seemed to lie a faint trace of melancholy.

She heard footsteps but didn't pay any attention until a handsome and upright figure walked past the window and remained in her mind for a long time before she suddenly realized what was happening.

She was so startled that she quickly stood up, almost dropping the pipa in her hand.

She put the pipa aside, took a deep breath, and when she looked up again, her expression was calm.

She stood inside the room, facing Jia Lian who entered with his maid, and gave a slight curtsy: "This servant greets Your Excellency."

"Um."

Jia Lian nodded casually to the beauty, walked into the room and sat down, then looked at Gu Qingyi and asked, "What were you thinking about while you were sitting there alone?"

"Replying to Your Excellency, I was not thinking anything. I was just practicing the pipa and got a little tired, so I was just resting for a bit."

Gu Qingyi spoke in a cold, gloomy voice, her head bowed, avoiding eye contact with Jia Lian.

When Jia Lian saw her, how could he not know that the beauty was probably harboring resentment?

Yesterday afternoon, he intended to have his way with the beauty, but was summoned away by someone sent by Grandmother Jia. He hadn't expected Sister Feng to use such a clever trick to control him, so before leaving, he left a message telling the beauty to wait for him that night.

Perhaps it was this sentence that created the beautiful woman's appearance at this moment.

Before him stood a stunningly beautiful woman, her face unkempt with makeup, her black hair half-tied up, which made her flawless face appear even more elegant and pure.

Although Gu Da Meiren always appeared mature and reserved, considering her age, she would be just about to enter university in later generations.

A little girl of this age should be willful, innocent, and full of dreams.

If she always maintains sufficient indifference towards external things, then Jia Lian will suspect that she may have other thoughts in her heart.

Therefore, Jia Lian did not take the beauty's attitude seriously, but simply beckoned to her to come closer.

"Are you angry with me?"

"This humble servant dares not."

Seeing that the beautiful woman spoke respectfully but never looked him directly in the eye, Jia Lian smiled slightly, suddenly took her delicate hand, pulled her onto his lap, and lifted her exquisite chin with his hand, smiling sweetly:

"It was not that I intentionally broke my promise, but rather that something came up and I was delayed, which is why I forgot."

I suddenly remembered this today and felt ashamed, so I came here specifically to apologize. I wonder if Qingyi can forgive me?

At the doorway, Qin Keqing, who had always maintained a high degree of Xiangling-like demeanor, stood respectfully with her hands at her sides after entering the room.

Over the past year, she had frequently studied music and dance with Gu Qingyi and the other three beauties. Although her main teacher was Shen Pan'er, who was skilled in dancing, she was also very familiar with Gu Qingyi, so she dared not be negligent in front of her.

She didn't care at all about Jia Lian's flirting with Gu Qingyi, but instead listened to Jia Lian's words.

Upon hearing that Jia Lian and Gu Qingyi had actually made a date last night, Qin Keqing couldn't help but blink.

As courtesans kept in Jia Lian's household, Gu Qingyi and the others could easily be considered his personal prostitutes. However, she knew that Jia Lian had never taken Gu Qingyi and the other three women into his inner circle.

So, it seems that Jia Lian intended to sleep with the beautiful Gu last night? After all, there's probably no other reason why a young and strong marquis would have a rendezvous with a stunningly beautiful courtesan.

But Jia Lian eventually forgot about it because of her?

Thinking about it, Qin Keqing couldn't help but smile, filled with joy and pride.

It should be noted that Gu Qingyi was praised by even the Imperial Concubine, and was regarded by the powerful women of the Jia family, such as Madam You, as the most beautiful woman they had ever seen.

Being able to outdo such a woman was naturally something that made her extremely happy.

On the other side, Gu Qingyi was forced to sit on Jia Lian's lap. Although she was somewhat embarrassed and ashamed, she did not resist.

Her fate was sealed the moment the master decided to give her to Jia Lian. The fact that she could live peacefully in this noble household for a year without suffering bullying or humiliation was already a testament to Jia Lian's kindness.

Given Jia Lian's talent, reputation, character, and appearance, it would be absolutely not a disservice for her to submit to him!

She had been prepared for this for a long time.

I had thought that last night would be the moment when her teenage years came to an end.

Therefore, after Jia Lian left, although she felt ashamed and uneasy, she still took a bath, changed her clothes, and carefully decorated herself before waiting for Jia Lian's arrival in the pavilion.

As a result, they waited until late at night, until the moon had set, but they still did not see Jia Lian.

In the end, he could only lie on the bed fully clothed, filled with disappointment and suspicion, and only managed to fall asleep at dawn.

Therefore, it is not surprising that she would be somewhat indifferent when she saw Jia Lian again.

But this indifference vanished completely after she sat on Jia Lian's lap and listened to his teasing explanation.

Even though she had secretly observed and analyzed Jia Lian's character long ago and was certain that he was a man she could entrust her life to, she was still surprised and moved by Jia Lian's actions at this moment.

After waiting in vain last night, she wondered if Jia Lian's last words were just a casual remark and not taken to heart.

But for her, even if Jia Lian was just saying it casually, she still needed to be fully prepared. After all, if Jia Lian really did arrive as promised, that would be the most important moment for her.

Of course, she was still disappointed when Jia Lian didn't come in the end.

She could guess why Jia Lian hadn't come. Either, as he said, something truly important had kept him from coming, or he simply didn't care about her at all, and therefore wouldn't care about their appointment, having easily forgotten about it.

Now Jia Lian has arrived, and judging from his appearance, he came specifically to explain why he broke his promise last night.

This shows that he was genuinely delayed by something, rather than not caring about Gu Qingyi.

Given his status as a marquis, if he didn't care, breaking a promise was simply a breach of promise; there was no need to explain it to anyone.

What she didn't expect was that Jia Lian would not only make a special trip for something so trivial to him, but also condescend to ask for her forgiveness with a smile.

In that instant, Gu Qingyi felt respected and cared for.

Although she was once adored by thousands, she understood after entering the Jia family that she and Shen Pan'er were Jia Lian's private property.

When it comes to private property, how many people have the patience to consider the feelings of the other party?

Taking a deep breath, Gu Qingyi mustered her courage and leaned against Jia Lian's chest, using this as an excuse to avoid his teasing, while saying softly, "My lord is so busy with affairs of state that it's no big deal if he forgets such a trivial matter, and there's no need to explain it to Qingyi."

"I only dare to ask the Marquis a question..."

As she spoke, Gu Qingyi glanced up at Jia Lian to make sure he was listening before asking, "I wonder how the Marquis truly regards the four of us?"

Hearing the solemnity in the beautiful woman's voice, Jia Lian looked down at her, and after a moment asked with a smile, "Then, I wonder what this lady in green wishes to be regarded by me?"

Gu Qingyi blushed slightly and avoided eye contact with Jia Lian.

"If you say that the Marquis regards us as concubines, we have been in the manor for a year, and we have not only no official status, but the Marquis has not yet taken any of the four of us as his concubines."

If you intend to view us merely as courtesans, solely responsible for training actors and providing entertainment for the household, then please clarify this, Your Excellency, so that we may be clear about our intentions and refrain from harboring any improper thoughts.

Gu Qingyi said, seemingly willfully.

……

Downstairs at Tianxiang Tower, upon hearing the news of Jia Lian's arrival, some people attempted to come and pay their respects, but were stopped by Shen Pan'er.

"Sister Pan'er, didn't you say the Marquis was coming? Where is he?"

Faced with her friend's question, Shen Pan'er gestured towards the pavilion where Gu Qingyi lived, and before her friend could ask again, she pulled her to her side and said with a smile, "Since we entered the capital, we have rarely seen the Marquis."

It just so happens that the Marquis came looking for Sister Qingyi yesterday, and he came again today. It seems that Sister Qingyi is going to be the first to win the Marquis's favor before us.

"If you go over there now and ruin your sister Qingyi's plans, see how she deals with you later."

Hearing Shen Pan'er's teasing, Wei Shishi, the youngest, finally realized what was happening. Turning to look at her older sister Qiyun, who was also laughing at her, her face flushed slightly, she stammered, "Then, then I'll go back to my room first..."

"Go ahead. If the Marquis summons you, I will have someone call you."

"Okay, thank you, Sister Pan'er."

Watching the little sister leave with her maid, Shen Pan'er and Wan Qiyun exchanged a glance, their smiles fading, replaced by solemnity and anticipation.

No one knew that these four courtesans, originally from different parts of Jiangnan, had come together for the same reason and had already reached a consensus on some matters concerning their own vital interests.

They all knew that if Gu Qingyi could successfully gain favor, it would change their increasingly awkward status and position in the mansion.

Inside the Green Robe Pavilion.

Jia Lian smiled as he looked at the beauty in his arms.

Gu Qingyi's words, though seemingly willful and awkward, actually meant she was laying her cards on the table with him.

Clearly, after leaving these four stunning beauties in the mansion for a year, they were getting impatient and wanted to test their place in his heart.

In other words, they want recognition and a future.

Putting himself in their shoes, Jia Lian didn't think it was excessive for them to have this need; in fact, it was something he had anticipated.

He gently stroked the woman's hip with his hand that was wrapped around her slender waist, while pushing her head out of his arms and looking at her with a smile, "Concubine? Geisha? What's the difference?"

Gu Qingyi gently pushed Jia Lian's hand away and stood up from Jia Lian's lap.

She found Jia Lian's frivolous behavior unbearable.

He presented Jia Lian with a half-cup of tea brought by a maid and said, "They are different. The former serves people with her looks, while the latter serves people with her skills and knowledge."

Jia Lian nodded, agreeing with the beauty's words, and then asked, "Then, I wonder what role the young lady in green wishes to play in serving me?"

Gu Qingyi's expression froze. In the past, whether out of self-love or self-respect, she would have naturally chosen the latter without hesitation.

Born into a life of prostitution, if there's any identity that still ignites a shred of self-respect in her, it's naturally her status as a "clerk."

The so-called "pure courtesan" sells her art but not her body.

Perhaps not all courtesans are like this, but at least top-tier courtesans like her certainly are. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to enter this door.

But even now, she understands perfectly well that she has long since run out of options.

Whether she liked it or not, she was already Jia Lian's woman. Therefore, the only path she could take was to become a concubine.

The reason for bringing up the geisha was merely a pretext to remind Jia Lian that it was time to give them a definite answer.

"What does Qingyi's wish matter? As long as the Marquis gives the order, Qingyi will obey."

Seeing that such a beautiful woman was beating around the bush with him, Jia Lian suddenly burst into laughter.

"What do you mean by serving someone with your looks and serving someone with your skills? Why do you have to separate them? Isn't being both beautiful and skilled the most sincere praise a woman can pursue?"

From the very beginning, when I brought the four of you back to the capital, what I valued was precisely that you possess both exceptional beauty and superb skills.

Do not think, like the common people, that using one's beauty to please others is a sign of self-degradation. Countless women in the world dream of having a face like Qingyi's. It is not like that; even if they wanted to use their beauty to please others, they could not.

Therefore, you should be proud of your stunning beauty, and I am also fortunate to have such beautiful women as you.

As for the four arts of women that you are proficient in, they are your most precious assets.

As early as last year, I ordered the construction of a women's music hall for the four of you, specifically for you to study music and exchange ideas with like-minded women from all over the world, so that you can make unique contributions to the music, dance, calligraphy, painting and other arts of my Great Wei.

By then, the title "geisha" will no longer be appropriate, and I, the Marquis, wish to bestow upon you a new identity—entertainer.

Before Gu Qingyi could even process the theories Jia Lian had just presented, all her attention was drawn to the concepts that followed.

"A female music ensemble? Performers?"

Jia Lian didn't seem to care at all about Gu Qingyi's confusion.

Limited by the prevailing ideas of that era, the so-called artists admired by later generations were almost all considered low-class figures in that time.

Jia Lian had long considered turning Gu Qingyi and other women into trendsetters who would lead the artistic trends of the old era.

This is not wishful thinking.

According to Jia Lian, all four women, including Gu Qingyi, possess genuine talent. Take Gu Qingyi, for example; her ability to compose beautiful and melodious zither pieces on her own is enough to demonstrate her innate talent.

Besides her, the other three also had their own strengths.

All Jia Lian needs to do is provide them with a stage so that they can fully develop and discover their talents and potential.

His main reason for doing this was simply to separate his women by category, so that they wouldn't all be crammed into the backyard and cause trouble.

However, he would naturally not say that to Gu Qingyi.

He briefly explained the concepts of artistic innovation and success to her, which made Gu Qingyi's beautiful eyes widen in surprise as she looked at him and said, "Could it be that the Marquis has been... the Marquis has been keeping his hands off us all along because he intended to let us out from the very beginning??"

Gu Qingyi's words made Jia Lian unable to resist pulling her over and slapping her buttocks. "You wish. Once you're in my hands, you're mine for life. Don't even think about escaping my grasp."

Gu Qingyi felt that she couldn't keep up with Jia Lian's thinking at all, and her desire for knowledge completely suppressed her shame as a woman.

"But how can a woman, as the Marquis's woman, show her face in public?"

Faced with the beauty's probing, Jia Lian chuckled and said, "I have never thought of treating you as objects to be displayed in my home; that would be too boring."

As my woman, provided you remain loyal, I will not hesitate to grant you freedom.

Furthermore, I can even help you realize your own value and dreams.

Look at the two female guards beside me, aren't they also women who follow me in and out of my carriage?

Take Qingyi for example. Your talent in music is astonishing. If you are supported to continue developing, you will surely make great achievements in music.

Even achieving lasting fame and becoming a master like Ji Kang or Li Yannian is not impossible.

Times are constantly progressing. Even musical masters like Ji Kang and Li Yannian have lost most of their works, and what exists today is mostly fabricated by later generations.

This era already has a relatively good system for recording music.

The musical pieces that Gu Qingyi once performed at the Flower Queen Competition were enough to make the contemporary literary giant and vocal master Gong Tingjiu regard her as a celestial being. Given time, if she can reach even greater heights and create masterpieces that will be remembered for generations, then it is not impossible for her fame to surpass that of Ji Kang and others.

Upon hearing Jia Lian's words, Gu Qingyi's beautiful eyes shone with dazzling brilliance.

Her tragic past was her birth into prostitution. Her self-respect and self-love were her last acts of defiance.

Putting aside the fact that most women in the world are vain by nature, for her, being able to change people's perception of her and become someone as respected as Jia Lian was already a pipe dream.

She hadn't dared to think about it before, or perhaps she had, but now, with Jia Lian's words, it seemed that everything was possible.

Most importantly, since Jia Lian was willing to support them in pursuing their own interests and strengths, it shows that in Jia Lian's heart, he did not regard them merely as playthings!

That alone was enough to dispel all her concerns.

Looking back, she kept her inner thoughts to herself, lest Jia Lian see through her thoughts and look down on her.

Then she realized that Jia Lian's hands had already offended her in many ways.

She immediately abandoned her idle thoughts and began to consider the current situation...

Jia Lian noticed that the beauty suddenly stiffened and remained motionless in his arms, and knew that she had noticed his little action.

You can't blame him for that.

Even if it were just a petite and delicate beauty in his arms, it would be hard for a man not to be tempted, let alone a great beauty like Gu Qingyi.

Holding a beautiful woman's delicate body in my arms feels like embracing a precious jade, or drinking sweet dew!

If one could touch it a couple of times, it would be an unparalleled pleasure.

Seeing that the beauty remained unmoved despite her shyness, Jia Lian pretended not to know anything and continued to chat about the music hall while taking advantage of the beauty.

Ultimately, a beautiful woman's virgin body has limited stamina.

After being stopped by Jia Lian while trying to escape, the beautiful woman with flushed cheeks gave him a coquettish look and suddenly asked, "Your Excellency just said that Qingyi is your woman, is that true?"

"Of course I'm serious. No man in the world would let a beauty like you go."

The beauty chuckled softly and said, "In that case, I, in my green robes, have another skill that I wish to offer to Your Excellency. I hope Your Excellency will not hesitate to listen."

"Oh, He Yi?"

The beauty didn't answer, but propped herself up and whispered in Jia Lian's ear, "Lord Marquis often has Sister Pan'er teach him the xiao (a type of vertical bamboo flute). Doesn't he know that in terms of xiao skills, Qingyi is no less skilled than Sister Pan'er?"

Jia Lian was slightly taken aback at first, but then his spirits lifted.

How could Jia Lian not know that Gu Qingyi was an expert in both the zither and the xiao (vertical flute)?

But in this situation, the beauty's mention of the flute's performance inevitably evokes a sense of romance.

Looking at the beauty's lips, which were smooth and fresh even without nail polish, Jia Lian almost subconsciously released his grip on her hands.

The beauty, now free, immediately shifted her hips slightly and stood up.

Gu Qingyi glanced at Qin Keqing and her maid Xiao Zi, who were staring at each other in the room, and said, "You two can leave now."

Although Qin Keqing and the other woman did not hear the whispers of the beauties, they could roughly guess from the context and the surrounding text that their masters were about to play some tricks. Therefore, they exchanged a glance and obediently went out and closed the door.

Not content with just that, Gu Qingyi went to the side and closed both windows.

The light inside the pavilion suddenly dimmed.

Seeing this, Jia Lian could no longer contain his agitation.

Although he could have easily succeeded in teaching Gu Qingyi the xiao long ago if he truly wanted her to, forcing her is never as classy as a beautiful woman willingly offering her art.

He sat upright on the stool, his legs slightly apart.

Gu Qingyi turned around and saw his actions. She didn't show any expression on her face. She took a few steps forward and said, "This piece of mine is called 'Frequent Sounds of the Phoenix Flute.' I composed it not long ago. Please give me your guidance, Lord Marquis."

After saying that, the beauty reached into her sleeve and took out a piece of dark green jade flute.

Jia Lian recognized it at a glance as Gu Qingyi's famous instrument, "Soul-Surprising."

As the beautiful Gu brought one end of the jade flute to her lips, a melodious flute sound immediately emanated from it.

Jia Lian's expression remained unchanged, but the smile on his face faded slightly.

After finishing her piece, Gu Qingyi, who had been watching Jia Lian's expression and reaction, suppressed her laughter. She didn't actually ask Jia Lian how her flute playing was, because her performance was rather chaotic and far below her usual standard.

She didn't mind, put the jade flute back into her sleeve, and her face suddenly flushed again.

Approaching Jia Lian, she crouched slightly, resting her hand on Jia Lian's thigh, then looked up at him and whispered, "The 'Startled Soul' flute has been played countless times and has become somewhat tedious. I wonder if Your Highness has another fine flute available for her to play again, so that Your Highness may appreciate it..."

Jia Lian felt a surge of anxiety.

Indeed, women are fickle. Even a woman as clueless as Sister Feng could come up with the brilliant idea of ​​having Xiangling and Qin Keqing switch bodies.

And yet, this top courtesan, who had always maintained a cold and aloof demeanor in front of him, was also capable of using such mischievous and alluring tricks.

Unable to contain his agitation any longer, Jia Lian abruptly bent down and lifted the beautiful woman's slender body into his arms. He kicked aside the stool beneath him and strode straight into the boudoir behind her.