Casting Nets to Catch a Husband

Chapter 189: Xiao Yuniang

Lu Chengxiao’s first and only visit to a brothel was with Liu Yu.

Dongsi Alley at night was a completely different scene from the daytime. The area was bright with dazzling lanterns, bustling with people, filled with young playboys, and the sounds of flutes and strings filled the air, creating a lively, busy atmosphere.

As soon as Liu Yu and Lu Chengxiao stepped into the Liuxian Pavilion, a fragrant breeze greeted them, and five or six maids giggled as they swarmed over. In her past life, Liu Yu rarely ventured to the front areas, so she didn’t even recognize these elegantly adorned women.

But she had spent over a year in the Liuxian Pavilion in her previous life, and although she was living a second life, she had already mentally prepared herself during her days in Yangzhou. So, she wasn’t intimidated by the scene at all.

In contrast, Lu Chengxiao clenched his hand into a fist behind his back, visibly uncomfortable. When a few of the women approached and tried to hold onto his and Liu Yu’s arms, he instinctively dodged and even shielded Liu Yu behind him. If she hadn’t stopped him, he might have reflexively used his folding fan to push them away.

His face darkened, and his jaw tightened. He didn’t look like someone out for pleasure but rather like a young man who had accidentally wandered into the wrong place for the first time.

The group of courtesans rarely encountered someone like him. Noticing that the two were both exceptionally good-looking and dressed in fine clothes, they giggled and tried to get closer again.

When one of them almost touched Liu Yu, Lu Chengxiao’s expression grew even darker, and he glared at the women with a fierce look, his eyes showing a hint of menace.

The women paused, hesitant to approach further, but still felt a bit annoyed. “Well, this is rare. Who comes to the Liuxian Pavilion and doesn’t let us get close?”

“Maybe he doesn’t think we’re attractive enough. Do you have a girl you fancy, sir?”

Lu Chengxiao’s jaw tightened. For the first time, he regretted bringing Liu Yu here. Even if they were to redeem someone, he should have arranged to speak with the manager during the day; this situation was not ideal.

He had thought it would be simple, but Liu Yu understood that showing up during the day and asking to buy someone’s freedom—especially Xiao Yuniang’s—wouldn’t go anywhere. The madam, Hong Niangzi, wouldn’t even let them see her, and Xiao Yuniang herself might have just treated it as a joke.

Under the cover of her sleeve, Liu Yu gently squeezed Lu Chengxiao’s hand. She then stepped forward with a smile and said, “Indeed, we have a friend here. I wonder if Yuniang is available at the moment?”

The only one in the Liuxian Pavilion who was addressed as “Yuniang” was Xiao Yuniang, who had been the top courtesan for six consecutive years. Of course, the women understood and exchanged glances, feeling a bit disappointed. “No wonder you weren’t interested in us.”

They turned to call for the madam.

Hong Niangzi was already mingling nearby and had noticed the commotion. She approached as soon as she was called.

A whiff of fragrance accompanied her arrival, her laughter coming even before she did—just as Liu Yu remembered from her past life.

When she saw the couple surrounded by the other women, her sharp eyes quickly sized them up from head to toe, taking in everything from their hairpieces to their clothing and demeanor. She had an expert eye for these things.

Lu Chengxiao felt as if, in just those few seconds, she had already assessed his background. He finally understood why Liu Yu had insisted they spend an afternoon buying him a new outfit.

The Lu family was in the textile trade, so they naturally dressed well. But for a place like Yangzhou, known for its luxurious indulgence, Liu Yu said it still wasn’t enough.

She didn’t go overboard with her own attire; after all, she was a woman, and dressing too extravagantly would be unnecessary. She opted for something tasteful. But outfitting Lu Chengxiao had cost over forty taels. On top of that, she even went to a pawnshop, negotiated with the manager, and rented a jade pendant for ten taels over five days to make him look more presentable.

“They say that even a Buddha needs gold to look impressive, and people are no different. We’re here to redeem a courtesan, after all. If we don’t put in some effort, we might not even get to see her.”

Lu Chengxiao was genuinely curious about how much Liu Yu had seen in this place during her dreams. For someone who had never been involved in this kind of situation before, she handled everything so comprehensively.

The thought only flickered through his mind briefly. He still attributed it to what he once thought was a coincidence but now believed was a peculiar dream, not giving it more thought.

~

Hong Niangzi’s eyes lingered briefly on Lu Chengxiao before shifting to Liu Yu. With just one look, her eyebrows raised, and she broke into a meaningful smile. Her gaze on Liu Yu’s face was a mix of surprise and admiration—like a hunter thrilled to spot a rare catch.

Even with the passage of a lifetime, and even though their identities were different today, Liu Yu still felt a shiver run down her spine, a hint of chill creeping over her.

Lu Chengxiao naturally sensed the madam’s scrutiny as well. He furrowed his brows and pulled out a gold ingot from his sleeve, holding it in his hand. “I’ve long heard of Yuniang’s reputation. May I have the honor of seeing her tonight?”

If only he could add a few more smiles to his face, the effect would undoubtedly be better.

However, no one cared whether he was frowning or smiling; the madam’s attention was finally caught by the gold ingot, and the nearby courtesans swallowed hard—this was a wealthy customer!

Ten taels of gold! That was equivalent to one hundred taels of silver!

Xiao Yuniang’s worth was certainly not low. Listening to her sing cost ten taels of silver, and if one wanted her to accompany them for tea, it would take several visits. To make her a regular guest, one would need to put in significant effort, preparing elaborate settings, giving generous gifts of gold and silver, and purchasing all the necessary clothing and jewelry. Without spending several hundred taels, one wouldn’t hear a peep.

But here he was, offering ten taels of gold right off the bat, which made him seem like a rich patron in the madam’s eyes.

Of course, she had to maintain her poise, but given this ten taels of gold, it was certain he would get to meet her—perhaps even directly enter Xiao Yuniang’s chamber for a game of chess or a chat over tea.

“Of course! However, our Yuniang has a guest tonight. If you two young masters wish to see her, you’ll have to wait until she’s done with her socializing.”

Lu Chengxiao tossed the gold ingot to the madam, who caught it with a beaming smile and immediately led the two into the back courtyard, directly inviting them into Xiao Yuniang’s room.

It seemed he had spent his money wisely. Lu Chengxiao couldn’t help but glance at Liu Yu. He certainly didn’t carry gold ingots with him; this had been specifically exchanged for silver notes that Liu Yu had taken to the bank earlier that afternoon.

To the outside world, they looked affluent, but in reality, their entire appearance was borrowed: one gold ingot, a new outfit, and a hundred taels were put down for renting a jade ornament—altogether they might look impressive, but it all amounted to just a few dozen taels, a façade of wealth.

However, this tactic proved effective, managing to impress the madam enough that they could meet Xiao Yuniang on their first visit.

With the gold ingot in hand, the madam’s gaze inevitably drifted back to Liu Yu. Yet, with Lu Chengxiao’s generous demeanor and extraordinary presence, she couldn’t quite gauge their motives and didn’t dare to be too presumptuous. She could only think to herself: “It’s fresh to see a man visiting a brothel with a woman.”

Once they were in Xiao Yuniang’s room, a maidservant brought in tea and fresh fruits, but the madam didn’t let the maid handle anything, arranging everything herself.

As she laid out the tea treats, she casually asked, “You two look unfamiliar. Where do you come from?”

Liu Yu was well aware of the madam’s tactics. This was a classic way for her to chat and gather information. If they were unsuspecting and followed her lead, she would have their entire background in no time.

Her heart tightened as she listened to Lu Chengxiao’s responses. To her surprise, he was quite skilled at countering her tactics as well. No longer feeling the awkwardness of entering the Liuxian Pavilion for the first time, he managed to match the madam’s conversational flow, almost as if they were engaging in a game of Tai Chi.

One was probing for information, while the other was cleverly feeding answers, with neither giving away any truth.

This was the first time Liu Yu had seen this side of Lu Chengxiao, and she found it amusing. She lowered her head to hide the smile in her eyes.

The madam continued to chat casually with Lu Chengxiao, and after about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, two sets of footsteps approached from outside.

Before Liu Yu was reborn, Xiao Yuniang had already passed away, and now, two lifetimes apart, it had been more than a year since the two had been separated by life and death.

But just from the sound of those footsteps, Liu Yu instinctively knew—she was coming.

Sure enough, upon hearing the footsteps, the madam turned her head and smiled. “Yuniang has arrived!”

Xiao Yuniang was dressed in a brand-new golden brocade silk dress, the fabric a vivid red. She adorned her hair with a matching peony hairpin. This outfit, which might overwhelm an ordinary person, looked perfectly harmonious on her, making her fair complexion and slightly arched brows seem even more radiant, exuding an enchanting beauty that seemed to surpass the flowers.

Brilliance and charm, warmth and boldness, all blended together in her presence.

The madam chuckled, recognizing that it was indeed Xiao Yuniang coming. She quickly shifted her gaze to observe Lu Chengxiao’s expression.

However, instead of the usual fascination and amazement, he regarded Xiao Yuniang with the same look he had for the madam and the other courtesans in the main hall. It was the young master beside him, dressed in male attire, who displayed an emotion in his eyes upon seeing Xiao Yuniang that he could hardly conceal.

The emotion flashed quickly—it didn’t seem to be admiration, and when the madam tried to analyze it, she couldn’t quite put her finger on it.

With Xiao Yuniang’s arrival, the madam felt it was inappropriate to linger. After exchanging a few words with her, she turned to Lu Chengxiao and Liu Yu and said goodbye.

Xiao Yuniang also appraised her guests. Having been in the brothel scene for over a decade, she had a keen sense like the madam. She immediately noticed that Liu Yu was different, and she also observed that the seemingly amorous man showed no interest in her.

This was an instinct honed over years in the world of pleasure. A man’s interest—or lack thereof—could usually be discerned within a glance.

She gracefully performed a greeting. “I apologize for keeping the two esteemed guests waiting.”

Then she turned to instruct her maidservant, “Bring three bowls of rock sugar lotus seed soup.”

Once the maidservant left, she smiled and said, “The new cook in the kitchen doesn’t excel in other dishes, but this rock sugar lotus seed soup is quite well-made. Since you two young masters have come, why not give it a try? In the meantime, how about I play a piece on the pipa for you?”

Lu Chengxiao really had no experience in dealing with women from the pleasure quarters, felt uncomfortable despite Xiao Yuniang’s gracious demeanor, which was quite different from the heaviness he had encountered with other women in the hall. He chose to look at Liu Yu, subtly urging her to get to the point.

Liu Yu understood and, therefore, Lu Chengxiao stood up and cupped his hands to Xiao Yuniang, saying, “To be honest, my wife wishes to find a young lady. I’ll wait outside; you can talk freely.”

There was no need for music.

Xiao Yuniang was taken aback. Although she had sensed Liu Yu was a woman, she didn’t expect Lu Chengxiao to be so straightforward, nor did she anticipate that they were a couple.

Naturally, wealthy patrons were treated with great respect. The maidservant had already mentioned that the two had offered ten taels of gold, so they were certainly to be well-received. Xiao Yuniang nodded and returned Lu Chengxiao’s bow.

Lu Chengxiao nodded again and glanced at Liu Yu, saying, “I’ll be outside.”

Seeing Liu Yu nod, he turned and left.

Xiao Yuniang: “…”

Having been at Liuxian Pavilion for so many years, she had encountered women coming to her before—some were jealous wives filled with anger, while others pleaded with tears. However, this kind of situation, where a husband simply stated his intentions, was a first.

Now that Lu Chengxiao had made it clear, Xiao Yuniang no longer referred to Liu Yu as “young master.” Instead, she smiled and looked at Liu Yu, asking, “May I ask what brings you to see Yuniang?”

With only Liu Yu and Xiao Yuniang in the room, Liu Yu no longer had to hide her true self and could look at her master openly.

Xiao Yuniang was not the frail figure she remembered from her last impression, but rather vibrant and lively, just as she had been when they first met. Liu Yu recalled crying in the garden, and Xiao Yuniang had paused to look at her with a gentle gaze.

“Crying over these wilted flowers is utterly pointless. In this place, if you want to live a better life and not be mistreated, you must become stronger. No one can save you—not even tears. Only you can save yourself.”

The madam, normally one to flaunt her status as a courtesan, had surprisingly bent slightly and asked, “Do you want to learn to dance with me?”

Recalling the past, a smile appeared in Liu Yu’s eyes.

Her master was alive, and she was alive too. How wonderful!

She stood up and performed a bow to Xiao Yuniang, smiling as she said, “I come on behalf of an old friend to meet you, Madame Gu.”

Upon hearing the title “Madame Gu,” Xiao Yuniang’s smile froze, and she looked at Liu Yu in disbelief, unsure how to respond.

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