Chapter 233: Chapter 102 Casual Encounter at Yuxian Tower_1
More than ten days had passed since the beginning of winter.
In the northern location of Shengjing, a bucket filled with water left in the courtyard would form a thin layer of ice overnight. The clothes that were once suitable could no longer be worn, so Yin Zheng went to Ge Tailor Shop across the street and picked out a few pieces of fabric, planning to make a few new winter garments for Lu Tong and herself.
Because the weather had turned cold suddenly overnight, Lu Tong had caught a cold. With the continuous rain these days, Du Changqing saw how sickly Lu Tong looked and, with a wave of his hand, decided to close Renxin Medical Hall for two days to let Lu Tong recover indoors.
Days in winter darkened early, and a torrential rain poured down, causing nearly all the merchants on West Street to close up. Under the eaves, a row of lanterns swayed violently in the storm, their dim light obscured by the winter rain.
The plum tree near the entrance of Renxin Medical Hall stood as a lone, desolate shadow, winding around the small medical hall, silent and still in the night.
"Creak—"
A sliver of a shadow appeared, and a dim yellow light seeped out from within.
Someone pushed open the door and exited the main entrance of Renxin Medical Hall.
The relentless rain washed away the sounds of conversation in front of the door.
"Let’s go."
...
The sound of rain "whooshed" down, creating ripples and reflections on the river’s surface.
After days of wind and rain, the river under Luoyue Bridge had risen dramatically. The higher the river rose, the more brightly the lanterns tied to the bridge railings shone, forming a vision like a thousand treasured pearls in a vast ocean when seen from the heights of the vermillion buildings.
Yuxian Tower was always bustling.
The chill of the winter rain was kept outside of the tavern, where in the chambers of entertainment, the scent of finery and the sound of laughter never ceased, with pleasures sought and bought everywhere. On the main hall’s stage before the guest seats, adorned with bejeweled and gold-laden lights and a protective cover of gilded beaded strands, stood a golden plum tree fashioned from gold and jade. The branches bore a desolate beauty, with red rubies carved into clusters of red plum blossoms, beneath which a singer, draped in azure and wearing a celestial crown, with a face smoother than jade and cloud-like ringlets, was singing "Dream of the Spring Chamber"—
"When I left, the field’s flowers dazzled like brocade, now today atop the tower, the willows are green again, wistfully waiting in secluded chambers, I think of the begonias blooming, and I wonder how it is now..."
Her tender voice trembled with emotion, her articulation as seamless as threaded pearls, drawing cheers and applause from all the guests.
Among the sea of beautifully dressed women and the laughing guests, a man in a canary yellow silk robe with wide sleeves passed by with a dancer in his arm. Recently, Yuxian Tower had acquired a batch of young dancers, ravishing and alluring, each of them wearing veils and light dancing garments, which were highly favored by the gentleman patrons and drunken revelers.
The man in the silk robe appeared tipsy and rotund. When he glanced aside, a fleeting glimpse of tension could be seen in his eyes, which was not as easily detected as the dazzling beauty of the dancer wrapped tightly in his arms, her eye-catching peacock blue chiffon dress concealed by silk gauze, revealing only a pair of beautiful, stirring eyes.
The glare from the Treasure Beads was blinding, and Yin Zheng, while taking in the opulent, spirit-lifting scene around her, concealed her inner gasp of amazement.
She had spent many years in the Su Nan Swallow Pavilion, considering herself a veteran of a city rich in silken extravagance and had grown accustomed to such splendor, but she still found the wealth of Shengjing staggering. Despite the heavy winter rain, Yuxian Tower seemed to be a sunny, heavenly realm, its music and festivities as if they would continue forever.
"The person in your arms" whispered softly, "Go upstairs."
Yin Zheng snapped back to reality and murmured a response.
Lu Tong tightened her arms around Yin Zheng, snuggling close to her. Her eyes peeked out from under the veil, discreetly scanning the surrounding people.
Today was the birthday of Qi Yutai, the young master of the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion.
Du Changqing had mentioned in casual conversation that every year on the first day of the tenth month, Qi Yutai would celebrate his birthday with a grand banquet at Yuxian Tower in Shengjing, inviting friends to share in the festivities. He never held a banquet at the mansion because his father, the Grand Preceptor, preferred peace and quiet over noise and clamor.
Lu Tong had no access to the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion.
She couldn’t even get close to the Servants of the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion, let alone the mansion itself. Just as Du Changqing had said, people of their status were kept separate from those of the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion. She had managed to get close to the Ke Family as "Chun Shui Sheng" and approach Fan Zhenglian as "Xianxian," but she couldn’t replicate the same strategy with the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion.
Because she had no idea about the maladies of the people within the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion.
As the days passed, those who sought revenge continued to live just fine. When Lu Tong heard from Du Changqing about Qi Yutai’s upcoming visit to Yuxian Tower on the first of the tenth month, she was almost instantly inclined to act.
She couldn’t find out when Qi Yutai would leave, nor where he was heading, but on the first day of the tenth month, he would be there.
Lu Tong wanted to get close to Qi Yutai.
So, she spent Silver to bribe her way into Yuxian Tower and blend in while dressed as one of the dancers. She was planning to go alone originally, not wanting to bring back bitter memories for Yin Zheng, who had once been thrown into the wilderness by a devout woman while she was sick. However, Yin Zheng insisted on accompanying her. Thus, Yin Zheng posed as a patron, infiltrating Yuxian Tower together with her.
Their plan went much smoother with the two of them than it would have alone; at least, with a dancer who appeared to have a patron, others would not attempt to pull her aside for company. Yin Zheng played the part of a carousing client without a flaw, appearing just like a true merchant whose fortunes had been hollowed out by indulgence, with a stomach padded with pillows and dark circles under her eyes.