Fang Gu’s mind unconsciously conjured the image of Shen Yun, whom she had met a couple of days prior.
He was truly handsome, so much so that even she, who was considered attractive within the pleasure houses, paled in comparison.
The men who had previously been intimate with her were not his equal.
He possessed a noble bearing, a cool and clean aura, and an aura of fatal temptation that drew her to him.
Thus, despite only having met him once, she had been unable to forget him since.
After they parted, she had been eagerly anticipating their reunion.
Fang Gu had been quite confident. With her exceptional looks, men who had sought her company once on the pleasure boat would invariably seek her out a second time.
They would even continue to visit the pleasure house to see her.
Upon returning, she waited, waiting for her beloved young master Shen to seek her out.
Alas, he never came again.
Yet, she was as if afflicted with lovesickness.
As the saying goes, what one possesses, one does not cherish; what one cannot obtain, one forever craves.
Thus, by some strange compulsion, she sought him out herself, only to be unable to enter.
She had no choice but to leave the scented sachet she had personally embroidered, hoping that he would remember her through it.
Upon returning to the house, she waited with eager anticipation.
She waited and waited. Instead of the man she waited for, she received the scented sachet she had already given away, now returned in a damaged state.
And with it, a letter written by his hand.
The letter contained only a brief sentence: "We have no fate, do not come again."
The decisive words and cold tone inevitably shattered Fang Gu’s tender heart.
But she had no time to grieve or lament. Her sole desire was to collect his handwriting.
Yet, he still did not give her the opportunity.
The messenger who delivered the letter, after she had finished reading it, resolutely took it back and burned it before her eyes.
Burned…
She watched as each character transformed into flickering figures in the flames, lingering in her heart.
For a fleeting moment, she wondered if perhaps, as he had said, there was no fate between them.
Let it be so.
But this thought only lasted for one night.
She stayed awake all night, his image filling her heart and eyes.
She wanted to remind herself to forget, but the more she tried, the more she could not forget him.
Simultaneously, a sense of defiance grew within her.
Why was it that with a mere flick of her finger, other men would willingly come to her, yet after she had expended so much effort on him, he still hadn’t left the slightest impression?
Her composure crumbled. Madam Mei, the proprietress of the house, could no longer bear it and reminded her not to forget her place.
Fang Gu did not wish to, but she could not control herself.
Finally, out of options, Madam Mei suggested that she try seeking him out one more time.
This time, she had to see him and ask him directly if he truly had no feelings for her.
“If he says he is interested in you, and you would not tire of him easily, then I will permit you to buy your freedom and follow him,” were Madam Mei’s exact words, which made Fang Gu rejoice.
It was not only the joy of being able to buy her freedom but also the hope of being with her beloved Yun.
And so, she truly came.
She came alone with her personal maid.
However, this time, not only did she fail to see him, but she couldn’t even get the gate of his house to open.
A wave of sorrow washed over her. She had to console herself, telling herself it was all right, that young master Shen must surely not be home, and it was his shrewish wife, who had come from the countryside, causing trouble.
Having consoled herself, Fang Gu found more and more people gathering around her, their whispers growing louder.
She was adept at seizing the moment. She seized the opportunity to weep softly, narrating the story of her acquaintance with her beloved Yun, how poignant and beautiful it was.
They were clearly mutually in love, but the mistress of the house was too fierce, keeping her Yun so guarded that he dared not even look at her.
She could not resist the longing in her heart, which was why she had rushed here. She asked for nothing but to see Yun just once.
"This lowly one only wishes to see him once, sob, sob. This lowly one’s status is humble, merely… merely wild grass by the roadside. I would never dare to compete with the fragrant grass in the home. I only beg Madam Shen to allow me to see Yun."
Fang Gu, already possessing a delicate and beautiful appearance, wept tearfully, her tears on the verge of falling, making her look exceptionally gentle and lovely.
Those listening nearby chattered amongst themselves, most of them condemning Madam Shen for being too stingy and unvirtuous.
She was merely a flower girl from a pleasure house who admired her husband.
A man’s youth is wasted if he isn’t romantic; any man could understand that.
This was the thought of the male onlookers.
However, some of the women present also shared this sentiment, believing that Madam Shen was indeed too strict with her husband.
Yet, they did not believe that the flower girl from the pleasure house should be welcomed with open arms when she came knocking.
They had heard that the master of this house surprisingly had no concubines or maids, which was why he sought out flower girls in the pleasure houses.
Most of them believed that the mistress of the house should take on a concubine or two to win her husband’s heart and prevent him from always running outside.
Hearing the mixed opinions around her, none of which praised Madam Shen, Fang Gu lowered her head, inwardly blossoming with joy.
She was merely a flower girl from the house. Her reputation was like passing clouds. Tangible benefits were what was worth striving for.
She believed that the news here would soon reach the house.
At that point, Madam Shen would have no choice but to come out.
Fang Gu spoke no more. She had said all that needed to be said; anything more would be gilding the lily.
Leaning against the door, she simply wept silently, fully embodying the role of a pitiable person.
She gazed at the newly painted door, imagining the days of commanding servants within, a surge of heat coursing through her.
But Fang Gu’s thoughts perfectly validated a saying: imagination is beautiful; reality is stark.
Because the commotion outside grew so great, it finally alerted Su Xiaoqi inside.
She came out.
She could have stayed inside. Madam Zhao also had this suggestion.
In former times, merely standing with such a sullied person would have been a slight to one’s status, let alone speaking to them.
Typically, the mistress of a prominent household would dismiss such people by sending a seasoned governess to drive them away, or by having the pleasure house madam sell them off far away.
To take a flower girl from a pleasure house into the home? Was she mad? It would be an unnecessary stain on the family’s reputation.
But this was the Daliang Dynasty, and many rules that bound women had long since been abolished.
Therefore, Su Xiaoqi could come out if she wished, and confront the woman named Fang Gu directly and honorably.
Seeing her determination to go out, Madam Zhao shook her head and quickly summoned Guo’er and Zhang Yu.
Along with the four young maids she had recently purchased and trained, and two older servants, she called them all out.
She had them all follow behind Su Xiaoqi. As the sound of the door opening echoed, the procession of ten people majestically rounded the screen wall and emerged.
Su Xiaoqi stood on the steps and surveyed the surroundings. She saw that several people had already gathered.
She remembered seeing some of these people in this alley before.
They should all be residents of this neighborhood, but there were also some unfamiliar faces, whose alleys they had come from was unknown.
But regardless, this matter must be clarified in front of everyone today.
Otherwise, before Shen Yun could even take office, his reputation would be ruined by others.
After considering these matters, Su Xiaoqi finally had the time to look at the flower girl who had come to their door.
She truly possessed a beautiful countenance, with fair and delicate skin, exquisite features, and somewhat deep-set eyes. Her nose bridge was high, unlike the gentle beauty of women from the Central Plains.
She had some resemblance to women from the border regions, possessing a beauty that was flamboyant and enchanting.
Su Xiaoqi frowned slightly. For some reason, looking at her, she felt a sense of familiarity.
Who was she, and where had she seen her before?
Before she could figure it out, Fang Gu had already stepped forward.
The person she had been waiting for had not appeared, but this woman had emerged instead. Fang Gu’s expression was slightly peculiar.
Many thoughts flashed through her mind, but ultimately they all transformed into her obsession with entering this residence.
She wiped away her tears, took a step forward, and made as if to bow.
Su Xiaoqi sidestepped and chuckled, "You and I are strangers with no kinship. We do not know each other. What is this bow for?"
"I… whether Yun is hiding from me or not, I have already set my heart on Yun. I implore sister to fulfill my wish…"
Su Xiaoqi interrupted her loudly, "This girl, you are truly something. I don’t know who this Yun you speak of is, nor am I your sister. Do not falsely claim kinship."
Su Xiaoqi’s words caused the onlookers to widen their eyes. What? She didn’t even know her.
"I am Fang Gu. I once had some acquaintance with Sister’s husband, Young Master Shen…" Fang Gu, relying on her thick skin, parried whatever Su Xiaoqi said.
Seeing that Su Xiaoqi was feigning ignorance, she deliberately spoke ambiguously in front of the crowd.
If one were to look closely, she truly had no connection with Shen Yun. But everyone here was here to watch the spectacle, who would care about such details?
"You are looking for someone surnamed Shen, aren't you? Then I advise you to look closely at the plaque. My surname here is Su, not Shen." Su Xiaoqi did not dwell on the relationship between Fang Gu and Shen Yun, as there was nothing to say about it.
The more one explained matters of men and women, the more muddled they became.