Chapter 24.2 [TSS 2]

“My name is Ah Ming.”

The hand holding the teacup froze as Jian Yu Yan enquired, “Ming? Which ‘Ming’ would that be?”

“Ming, as written in extraordinary and sensational.”

Such a coincidence? 

Jian Yu Yan looked at the tiny cinnabar mole at the corner of her eye and suddenly burst into laughter.

“What a great name.”

The other courtesans who had been waiting outside to witness Yan Yi Ming’s embarrassment were all eager to see how quickly the inexperienced newcomer would be driven out by Jian Yu Yan. Yet, half an hour passed, an hour passed, but there was still no sign of her coming out. Unable to resist their curiosity, they approached Soaring Swallow Hall where they could faintly discern the melodious voice of the woman.

That slut!!! Young Master Jian actually picked that wretched woman to accompany him. Why?! On what basis?

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The hands hidden in Yu Mei’s sleeves were shaking with restrained control, she hated this so much that she broke her fingernails under the force she exerted. However, seeing Jian Yu Yan, who walked out shortly afterwards, Yu Mei suppressed her emotions and stepped back to the side.

Although she had patrons backing her up, they were far from having the status of someone like Jian Yu Yan.

She could be unrestrained among the other courtesans, but these noble patrons could easily crush her with a flick of their fingers.

However, she could wait for the day when Young Master Jian abandoned Ah Ming. After all, the attention span of these noble patrons would never last too long. Additionally, she, Yu Mei, was not like that useless trash who solely depended on a man’s favor to get to where she was.

====

Meanwhile, Jian Yu Yan felt like he had received compensation for the emotions he long sought after. It was like a reward from the heavens, giving him a magnificent substitute.

She was a woman who resembled so much like Jian Yu’er. Yet, the cinnabar mole at the corner of her right eye added a touch of charm and removed a few points of innocence, giving her a bit more elegance and a bit less child-like naivety.

Placing his emotions on someone who bore a resemblance to his beloved, Jian Yu Yan had struggled with whether his actions were appropriate.

He loved Jian Yu’er, and he had hidden this feeling deep in his heart for so many years. When he saw Jian Yu’er, Jian Yu Yan felt ashamed as if he was betraying her. However, when he met up with Ah Ming, the emotional reaction in Jian Yu Yan’s heart at that moment was equally hard to suppress.

After repeatedly experiencing heartache because of Jian Yu’er, and when he recalled Ah Ming’s serene smile, alongside her occasional sharpness in her demeanor, Ah Ming’s figure gradually overlapped with Jian Yu’er’s, shattering all lingering reluctance in his heart.

Jian Yu Yan once said that there were no ugly women; even an ordinary face could be made up to be beautiful and alluring. Although these words were casually spoken at the beginning, they were not entirely untrue.

Overnight, Yan Yi Ming, who had become well-known among her peers, shed the simple and plain dress she wore and donned an exquisite attire similar to that of Yu Mei and others, she adorned her hair with elaborate and unique accessories. With the best rouge and powder Young Master Jian had sent over, she finally reappeared in front of everyone looking extremely different from the plain and dismal appearance of the previous day.

A style completely different from Yu Mei, yet not inferior in beauty.

The owner of Plum Blossom Pavilion and the other courtesans seemed to suddenly come to a realization. They could not help but sigh in admiration at Young Master Jian’s discerning eyes. He managed to unearth such a beauty from obscurity.

Yan Yi Ming chuckled. As the female protagonist of the game, Jian Yu’er was already one of the most beautiful women. Although Jian Yu’er could not compare to the face she customized previously, Jian Yu’er was still exceptionally good-looking.

The next day when Jian Yu Yan saw Yan Yi Ming again, the meticulously dressed Yan Yi Ming appeared even more beautiful, and her resemblance to Jian Yu’er became more pronounced.

The emotions in Jian Yu Yan’s heart were difficult to suppress. From then on, he became a frequent patron of Plum Blossom Pavilion, although he had always been one before.

As a man who shuttled between women year-round, Jian Yu Yan had a sweet mouth and skills at pleasing them; Yan Yi Ming keenly experienced this treatment during this period.

Even if she had not stepped onto the stage before, she still received the best rouge from Young Master Jian who visited almost every day. With his extraordinarily handsome eyes, gentle voice, and unparalleled skill in uttering sweet nothingness, there was hardly a woman who could resist him.

Plum Blossom Pavilion and Pear Blossom Court were the two largest theaters in Jin Ling Capital, each supported by different high-ranking officials and nobility.

As winter approached, the plum blossoms were in full bloom, presenting the best scenery at Plum Blossom Pavilion. Here, there was no shortage of talented scholars and elegant young men. The renowned Young Master Jian was a regular here. However, the frequency of Young Master Jian’s visits in recent days was enough to make everyone envious.

In such an environment, Yan Yi Ming who lived day by day, gained a better understanding of the existence of courtesans in this era.

Compared to the women in the pleasure districts, the main difference with courtesans was perhaps because most sold their arts rather than their bodies, although there was still a very small portion who did the latter as well. Striving to perform well, perfecting each makeup look, and dancing gracefully with every gesture on stage were all efforts to captivate the audience who came to this place.

If one sang well, they would gain popularity and attract wealthy patrons to spend more money on them so that they could save up and redeem themselves in the future²Courtesans were usually women who were sold into the trade. Not many would join the trade voluntarily. Hence, when they were sold, there would be something like a slave contract that they would have to sign, and only with a certain amount of money can they redeem their ‘slave contract’ and free themselves. It differs from a slave contract in that the latter bound the slave to their master till death, in most cases.. Another option was that one could persuade a noble to redeem them. These were the only choices available to the courtesans.

The courtesans who had a better relationship with Yan Yi Ming advised her to seize the opportunity. If she could use this chance to get close to Gentleman Jian, even if it meant becoming his concubine, it would be worth it in this lifetime. 

However, they did not expect Yan Yi Ming to just smile without uttering a word.

A small-time courtesan was extremely surprised, “You don’t like Young Master Jian?”

Young Master Jian was so handsome and talented in addition to his prestigious background. If one did not like him, who would one like?

Yan Yi Ming did not mean it that way, but she went along with the young courtesan’s words and replied, “Hmm, Me? I like His Highness, Prince Yue.”

The young courtesan, after being momentarily stunned, burst into giggles and playfully scolded, “If that’s the case then I even thought of marrying the Crown Prince. After the death of Crown Princess Consort on their wedding night, the Crown Prince remained firm in not marrying another young lady as his Crown Princess Consort. Such a devoted man is hard to find in this world.”

Yan Yi Ming was speechless.

Facts were often obscured behind various falsehoods. The widely circulated saying was that the Crown Princess Consort lost her life on their wedding night when saving the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince, heartbroken over the death of the Crown Princess Consort, married two imperial concubines but adamantly refused to take a new Crown Princess Consort.

Yan Yi Ming secretly cursed Nangong Xuan for having two wives and still managed to be labeled as devoted. What nonsense…

It was the peak of winter currently. Since Ah Ming expressed a dislike for the cold outside, Jian Yu Yan accompanied her to stay in Plum Blossom Pavilion, appreciating music and playing the zither together.

Most courtesans were illiterate, hence Jian Yu Yan was surprised to find out that Ah Ming was not only literate but was also proficient in poetry, literature, calligraphy, painting, and every other aspect comparable to a young lady from a noble family.

When conversing with her, there was none of the usual dullness found in ordinary worldly women. She was intelligent and had a remarkable literary grace. Jian Yu Yan found himself visiting Plum Blossom Pavilion daily, unknowingly drawn to listening to her spontaneous continuation of the verses he spoke. 

Intrigued, Jian Yu Yan once enquired about her extensive literary knowledge.

This was because Yan Yi Ming possessed Young Lady Yan’s memories from back then. Although Young Lady Yan was a dominating figure in the capital, she was still a talented woman proficient in the four arts³The four arts comprise zither, Go (Chinese chess), calligraphy, and painting..

However, in front of Jian Yu Yan, that was not something she could say, so she prepared another script.

“My father was originally a local official. But due to his inability to solve a murder case, our family fell into ruins. Later on, we were unable to make ends meet, so they sold me. I’ve been handed through various places before I finally ended up in Plum Blossom Pavilion.”

As she spoke, there was a distant and inscrutable sadness in Ah Ming’s gaze. The background of most courtesans was probably not ideal, and Jian Yu Yan has seen too many and no longer cared about it. However, perhaps because the girl in front of him resembled Jian Yu’er, Ah Ming’s profound expression touched his heart. Jian Yu Yan found that his voice softened slightly, “Do you miss your parents?”

If she missed her parents, he could get someone to look into it; they might be able to find something.

Yet unexpectedly, Ah Ming suddenly displayed a detached smile and coldly declared, “Why would I miss them? When they sold me away, I vowed to be an orphan, and become a person who has no father or mother.”

Her words were spoken in a cold and heartless manner, yet it was also genuine and straightforward, making people like her even more.

Someone came in and called for her, “Ah Ming.”

Suddenly, Jian Yu Yan remembered that about a year ago, two people would occasionally mention this name. Now, everyone was addressing her the very same way, and Jian Yu Yan felt an inexplicable sense of dissatisfaction.

“You don’t have a stage name yet?”

“No.”

Jian Yu Yan flippantly said, “Since you’re a courtesan, you should have a befitting stage name.”