Casting Nets to Catch a Husband

Chapter 190: Talk

Lady Gu…

The surname “Gu” had almost been forgotten by Xiao Yuniang after living in this world of dust and grime.

How could anyone still know her original surname? It had been over ten years, and even the Madame Hong who had purchased her back then had no idea.

She held onto the edge of the table, slowly sitting down, her gaze moving with difficulty towards Liu Yu, and said, “Madame, you must have mistaken me for someone else. My surname is Xiao, not Gu.”

Just like in her previous life, she found the world of dust too dirty, and she refused to show her real name to others. It wasn’t until she was on her deathbed that she told the truth to Liu Yu, who was the only one still willing to care for her at that time.

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Her real name was not Xiao Yuniang, but Gu Yuzhen. She did not want to taint the name given by her parents, so she changed her surname and took only the word “Yu” to comfort herself in missing her family.

She told Liu Yu as a way to thank her for taking care of her during her illness, not wanting to hide it anymore. It was also a selfish wish of hers, not wanting to die without anyone knowing her real name, without anyone remembering Gu Yuzhen.

But she had one request: when Liu Yu buried her, she should still write Xiao Yuniang on her tombstone.

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Nkw Zw pvkzz alxlxclale vbl zypv osaep Dkys Zwdkydt pyke vs bla: “R’e ayvbla cl y oydelakdt tbspv, wdalnstdkgle cu vbl alnsaep sq zkql yde elyvb, vbyd vs qynl xu qyxkzu okvb pbyxl kd vbl wdelaosaze.”

Nkw Zw yzps pyv esod, yde yqvla nyzxkdt blaplzq, pbl zssjle yv Dkys Zwdkydt yde pyke, “R byhl dsv xkpvyjld. Zswa alyz dyxl kp Qw Zwgbld, yde usw yal jdsod cu vbl yzkyp Dkys Zwdkydt. Gx R aktbv?”

Ebld vbl dyxl “Qw Zwgbld” nyxl swv sq Nkw Zw’p xswvb, Dkys Zwdkydt pweeldzu aykple bla lulp vs zssj yv Nkw Zw. Tla dspvakzp qzyale, bla calyvbkdt oyp blyhu, yde bla zkrp ryavle, cwv pbl nswzed’v prlyj.

Mblal olal qssvpvlrp swvpkel; y xyke caswtbv kd y csoz sq pollv zsvwp plle pswr.

Llkvbla Nkw Zw dsa Dkys Zwdkydt prsjl, xykdvykdkdt y vynkv pkzldnl wdvkz vbl xyke zlqv yde bla qssvpvlrp qyele yoyu.

Wkdyzzu, Dkys Zwdkydt, okvb valxczkdt zkrp, zssjle yv Nkw Zw yde ypjle, “Yyeyxl, obs lmynvzu yal usw? Eblal eke usw blya vbl dyxl Qw Zwgbld?”

Nkw Zw blpkvyvle qsa y xsxldv clqsal pyukdt, “Rv kp y pvsau qasx zsdt yts. R qlya Dkys tkaz xktbv dsv clzklhl kv. Yu bsxl kp kd vbl nswdvaupkel sq Gduk Uswdvu, Zwydgbsw. Ebld R oyp uswdt, R oldv kdvs vbl xswdvykdp yde dlyazu zspv xu zkql vs y okze clypv. Rv oyp psxlsdl obs pyhle xl, zlyhkdt xl okvb xu zkql. R oyp hlau uswdt vbld yde jsovsole vs xu cldlqynvsa vball vkxlp, ypjkdt qsa vblka dyxl yde hsokdt vs alryu vbl qyhsa sdl eyu.”

Fbl rywple yde nsdvkdwle, “Yu cldlqynvsa’p pwadyxl oyp Qw, yde vblu olal qzllkdt okvb vblka qyxkzu. Fyhkdt xl oyp y xyvvla sq nbydnl, yde vblu dlhla ypjle qsa ydu alryuxldv. Mblu pssd zlqv, yde R dlhla pyo vblx ytykd, yzxspv qsatlvvkdt vbl obszl kdnkeldv.”

When Xiao Yuniang heard that the benefactor’s surname was Gu, and they were fleeing with their family, her eyes reddened, and she suppressed the urge to cry. She excitedly grabbed Liu Yu’s hand and asked, “Do you know his name?”

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Liu Yu shook her head. “I only know the surname was Gu. He had a lame leg and was traveling with a son and a daughter. To be honest, so much time has passed, and I was so young back then, that I can hardly remember what my benefactor looked like.”

Tears were already rolling down Xiao Yuniang’s face. She kept asking Liu Yu about the year and the circumstances of the three people.

Other than the year, Liu Yu could only shake her head to the rest of the questions.

Well, how much can you expect a person to remember from when they were five years old?

But with just that bit of information, Xiao Yuniang was already 80% sure that it was her father, along with her younger brother and sister.

She cried for a long time before calming down. After wiping her tears with a handkerchief, she regained much of her composure and asked, “How did you come to know about me?”

This was an admission—her real name was Gu Yuzhen.

Liu Yu looked at Xiao Yuniang’s expectant eyes and felt a pang of guilt. The story she was telling was something she had fabricated based on information her master had shared on his deathbed. In truth, she had never actually met her master’s family.

Xiao Yuniang’s family had suffered misfortune, and during their escape, she had sold herself to this life of dust and grime to protect her father, younger brother, and sister.

Over the years, she had always wanted to know the whereabouts of her family. Even though she felt ashamed to face them, she longed to know if they were doing well and even hoped to provide some help. She had been asking around and seeking information in many ways.

Liu Yu knew that by the end of this month, just a few days from now, Xiao Yuniang would receive news that her family was gone. Even though she had sold herself, her father, younger brother, and sister had not survived.

Xiao Yuniang would then fall into a period of despair, and it was after that when she attended the banquet that eventually led to her death.

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Liu Yu clenched her hands on her lap, looking back at Xiao Yuniang, and slowly began to weave the lie she had prepared in advance: “A few months ago, I began to have a recurring dream. In it, I saw my benefactor again, and he asked me to fulfill the promise I had made long ago, to repay his kindness by helping him with one thing.”

Xiao Yuniang’s face turned pale. To be able to appear in someone’s dream…

She clutched the handkerchief in her hand until it was almost deformed. She did not want to believe it. She stood up in agitation, grabbed Liu Yu, and said, “Are you sure you didn’t mistake me for someone else? It’s been eleven years. You said it yourself; you were only five years old then. Didn’t you say you could barely remember the face of the person who saved you?”

Liu Yu nodded. “I couldn’t remember clearly. But after dreaming the same dream for over ten days, the encounter from when I was five slowly became clearer in my memory.”

Xiao Yuniang’s makeup was still as bright as ever, but the brilliance of the once-famous courtesan had faded, and she seemed completely worn out.

Liu Yu felt a heavy burden in her heart, but she knew she had to say what she had come to say. In this life, she and Xiao Yuniang were strangers. Some things could only be believed if spoken as if from the mouth of the divine.

Liu Yu said, “In the dream, my benefactor told me he had a daughter named Yuzhen. Years ago, for the sake of her father and younger siblings, she avoided her family, sold herself, and fell into a world of misery, taking on the name Xiao Yuniang. She endured twelve years of hardship and is now facing a life-threatening situation. He asked me to come to Yangzhou before May to find a place called Liuxian Pavilion, to find you and lead you to safety.”

Liu Yu spoke as though it was all very true, with no trace of deception on her face, but the story sounded far too mystical.

Xiao Yuniang, upon suddenly hearing news of her father and siblings, could hardly ask any questions. Yet, from Liu Yu’s words, she vaguely understood that her father might no longer be alive, a fact she found hard to accept.

But Liu Yu had gotten her real name right, knew how she had ended up in this life, and even mentioned her family situation correctly, leaving Xiao Yuniang struggling to disbelieve.

She was overwhelmed with confusion and, almost instinctively, asked, “What life-threatening danger could there be for me at Liuxian Pavilion?”

Wasn’t the hardest part of her life enduring the touch of a thousand men and the kiss of a thousand lips?

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What danger could be worse than that?

Liu Yu sighed and said, “My benefactor also said in the dream that you have a patron, a wealthy merchant from Yangzhou named Sun Qian. Am I right?”

Xiao Yuniang’s hand trembled. Sun Qian had been her client for two years. Naturally, she wouldn’t believe Liu Yu just because she had mentioned his name, so she merely nodded and said, “Yes, there is such a patron.”

Liu Yu hadn’t expected to win Xiao Yuniang’s trust with just this, so she continued, “In the dream, my benefactor said that in early May, the wealthy merchant Sun Qian will ask you to attend a banquet and perform a dance. But this is no ordinary banquet. I am new to Yangzhou and don’t know much about this place. Do you know of the King of Huainan?”

The mention of the “King of Huainan” made Xiao Yuniang shudder.

She stared at Liu Yu in disbelief, hearing the sound of her own nervous gulping.

The King of Huainan was not well-known to everyone, but Xiao Yuniang happened to be well-informed.

Not only did she know of this King of Huainan, but she feared him as one might fear a tiger.

This man was not originally from Yangzhou; he had only arrived at the end of last year. But in just three months, he had already been placed on the top alert list of all the madams in the Eastern Four Alleys. For good reason too—one of the most prized courtesans of the Baifulou, a rival establishment of Liuxian Pavilion, Zhang Wanwan, had fallen victim to him even before she could make her debut, becoming a casualty in his hands.

Xiao Yuniang’s face turned slightly pale. She looked at Liu Yu and saw that her eyes were clear, as if the term “King of Huainan” was just a name to her, just something she was repeating.

She glanced at Liu Yu’s expression. It made sense—someone with such a calm demeanor and appearance, if she truly knew about the King of Huainan, wouldn’t be so unafraid. How could she speak of him so calmly?

Xiao Yuniang steadied herself and nodded. “I’ve heard of him.”

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Liu Yu seemed relieved. “That’s good. In the dream, my benefactor said that the gathering where the wealthy merchant Sun Qian invited you is at the private residence of the King of Huainan. If you go, you won’t be able to return for a month, and when you finally do, you’ll be riddled with illness, emaciated, and you won’t survive two months.”

Xiao Yuniang was taken aback.

Seeing that she had finally captured Xiao Yuniang’s attention, Liu Yu felt a bit relieved and said, “At first, I doubted the dreams myself, but I thought, regardless of whether they were real or not, my benefactor saved my life once, so now it is my turn to save his daughter. It’s a matter of karma, which is why I specifically asked my husband to accompany me to Yangzhou.”

“When I heard there was indeed a Liuxian Pavilion and a lady named Xiao Yuniang, I was almost convinced. To be honest, to meet you, my husband and I had to dress up and spend a gold ingot just to arrange this meeting. For a small family like ours, it’s not easy to come back again. I know this all sounds bizarre, but I ask you to think carefully about my words, and don’t let your father’s love for you go to waste.”

Xiao Yuniang’s mind was in turmoil. The idea of repaying kindness and the notion of dreams that described her family situation in such detail, including how she sold herself—things even the madams in the business didn’t know—made her wonder.

Then there was the mention of Sun Qian, the King of Huainan, and the fate of those targeted by the King, down to the precise time.

To Xiao Yuniang, it felt like a hazy dream; she wanted to believe it, but it was like hearing a story, something intangible.

It wasn’t until Liu Yu mentioned buying special attire and spending a gold ingot to get this meeting, emphasizing how difficult it would be for them to return, that Xiao Yuniang felt grounded, like she had found a foothold.

She knew she already believed it, at least partially.

It was hard for her to grasp the idea that someone would be driven by a dream, due to an incident from childhood, to disguise themselves and come all the way to find her in a place like this…

Xiao Yuniang hesitated for a while before finally asking, “So, you’ve come to persuade me to leave this life behind?”

Liu Yu nodded. “And it has to be quick. Don’t stay at Liuxian Pavilion for long. Although my benefactor mentioned May in the dream, I think it’s best for you to leave earlier. Who knows when someone might target you? If you wait too long, it will be even harder to escape. There is one more thing—I don’t have the money to buy your freedom. I asked about this in the dream, and my benefactor said I need not worry; I only need to deliver this message.”

This even included her knowing that Xiao Yuniang had been secretly saving up to buy her own freedom.

Xiao Yuniang was inclined to believe more, but she also feared it might be a trap set by someone who had learned about her background and was trying to lure her. After all, she had been discreetly inquiring about her family’s whereabouts for years.

She fell silent, deep in thought.

For years, Xiao Yuniang had contemplated leaving this life. But leaving it behind was not as simple as having the resolve; doing so cleanly was not easy.

In their world, there were sayings that differentiated types of leaving: genuine escape, fake escape, bitter escape, joyful escape, seizing the opportunity to escape, forced escape, completed escape, and incomplete escape.

Just this alone showed how difficult it was to get out cleanly—one misstep, and one could end up in another, more inescapable hell.

Xiao Yuniang trusted no man; she didn’t dare rely on anyone to buy her freedom. As she had once said to Liu Yu, a person could only rely on themselves; true rescue could only come from within. So from the beginning, she had planned to buy her own way out.

Though a courtesan’s life appeared glamorous, saving enough money was hard, and the more famous she became, the higher her redemption price. Over the years, she had quietly saved just enough to buy her freedom, but once she paid, she’d have only a few hundred taels left. She wouldn’t know where to settle down, and that money wouldn’t last long if she had to buy a house. How would she make a living afterward?

This was why Xiao Yuniang was still at Liuxian Pavilion. In her view, she needed to save for at least three more years. Life in this trade thrived on youth, and though she still carried the title of top courtesan, she was past her prime. Younger, fresher girls were arriving all the time, and in three years, her price would drop, and she’d have saved a bit more. Then it would be the perfect time to buy her freedom, not now.

Liu Yu saw her hesitation and understood her concerns. She said, “To be honest, my family runs a small business. If you free yourself and have a place to go, I won’t ask questions. But if you don’t, you are welcome to come with me to Yuanzhou. It’s quite far from Yangzhou. You could revert to your real name, open a small shop, hire people to manage it, and live a quiet, peaceful life.”

Xiao Yuniang’s fingers moved slightly, gripping her handkerchief, clearly tempted by Liu Yu’s offer.

Seeing this, Liu Yu stood up and said, “I won’t stay any longer. Whatever you decide, it’s up to you. I’ll come back in a few days for your answer, and then my promise to your father will be fulfilled.”

With that, she bowed slightly. “Goodbye.”

Xiao Yuniang, startled, returned the gesture, and seeing Liu Yu prepare to leave, she still couldn’t make up her mind, so she walked her to the door.

As they stepped out, Lu Chengxiao was already waiting. He had clearly been attentive to what was happening inside, and everything Liu Yu said to Xiao Yuniang had reached his ears.

After Xiao Yuniang saw them off, she realized that the bowl of lotus seed soup on the table outside had remained untouched.

Once they left the Eastern Four Alleys, Lu Chengxiao turned to Liu Yu. “Did her father really visit you in a dream?”

He knew Liu Yu had been having dreams but had never asked for the details.

This misunderstanding was convenient, but Liu Yu didn’t want to deceive him. She shook her head and said softly, “I made it up. I saw Sun Qian and the King of Huainan in a dream. Her real name and family situation were what she revealed as she lay dying.”

Lu Chengxiao thought for a moment. Compared to a dream from someone unrelated, Liu Yu’s fabricated story was indeed more convincing to Xiao Yuniang.

Then he asked, “Is Xiao Yuniang’s father really no longer alive?”

Liu Yu nodded. “That’s what I saw in the dream. She’s been trying to get news of her family, and within a few days, she will learn that they’re all gone.”

Lu Chengxiao nodded. He wasn’t deeply concerned with these matters, but recalling what he had overheard earlier, he took Liu Yu’s hand and said, “Judging by your dreams, they’re all real. If there’s truly someone like the King of Huainan around, it’s best for us to leave Yangzhou soon.”

Liu Yu’s beauty was no less than Xiao Yuniang’s, and if she chose to dress up, she might even surpass her. Lu Chengxiao thought of the madam’s appraising gaze at Liu Yu and instinctively furrowed his brows. If there really was someone as dangerous as the King of Huainan, he didn’t want Liu Yu to stay in Yangzhou a moment longer.

For the first time, Lu Chengxiao felt his own inadequacy. He was capable enough for an ordinary life, but he had always believed that providing Liu Yu with luxury was enough. Now, he realized that if someone as beautiful as Liu Yu ever encountered a powerful, ruthless man, how could he protect her?

Ultimately, being a small merchant was not enough.

Liu Yu had no idea what was on Lu Chengxiao’s mind. She also felt uneasy about Yangzhou. Although she had never met the King of Huainan, she had truly died because of him in her past life, and he remained a haunting presence for her.

She nodded and said, “I’ll visit Liuxian Pavilion one more time on the first of April, and we’ll leave on the second. I’ll stay in the inn and not go out until then.”


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