Qin Junyao felt a tickle in her fingers listening to the others play. Although the girls' performances had minor flaws, having an opportunity to play music was rare in ancient times.
While the girls began gathering to plan the evening's program, Qin Junyao couldn't resist approaching Bai Qing.
"Mr. Bai, would you care to play a duet?"
Bai Qing looked up at Qin Junyao, his expression indifferent, and gestured with his hand, "Please."
Qin Junyao had asked Nuannu, and she was told the instruments in this room could be used freely. She looked around and found a five-stringed zither.
Sitting behind the instrument, Qin Junyao plucked a few notes to test them. She shook her head; the tone was acceptable, but the pitch was off. She had to pick up the zither and tune it.
Qin Junyao's actions drew a glance from Bai Qing, who was packing his own instrument. He then picked up his xiao and sat down near Qin Junyao.
After tuning, Qin Junyao tried a few more notes. The five-stringed zither was indeed different from her seven-stringed one. Once she found her rhythm, Qin Junyao nodded to Bai Qing and began to play.
The piece was titled "Three Variations of Plum Blossom."
As Qin Junyao played the first variation, "Calling the Moon," and the harmonics rang out, the room fell silent.
The zither's melody was delicate, and the people in the room feared making even the slightest sound to interrupt this heavenly music.
Suozi, standing by the door, stared with wide eyes, unable to believe his ears. Was this melody played by the old lady's granddaughter?
He turned to look at Zhao Liangcai.
Zhao Liangcai had already started yawning.
What in the world?
Such beautiful music could make this blockhead sleepy, Suozi found himself utterly bewildered today.
When the piece ended, Qin Junyao was not entirely satisfied; the strings were lacking.
She looked up, intending to ask Bai Qing for his opinion, but before she could speak, Bai Qing bowed to Qin Junyao, his earlier coldness gone, his voice tinged with excitement.
"Young lady, does this piece have a name? If I may be so bold, may I learn this piece? In what state of mind did you compose this music..."
As Bai Qing spoke, Qin Junyao rose and returned his bow slightly. She glanced at the sparkling eyes of the young ladies around her, feeling a bit overwhelmed.
She raised a hand to interrupt Bai Qing, "Mr. Bai, this piece, 'Three Variations of Plum Blossom,' was not composed by me."
"This piece was adapted into a zither piece from the flute score by the 'Sage of the Flute,' Huan Yi. Later, it was recorded in..." Qin Junyao saw Bai Qing's growing confusion and swallowed the words "Shen Qi Mi Pu."
"Three Variations of Plum Blossom? Sage of the Flute? Huan Yi? I have never even heard of them. Young lady, you are truly talented."
"Mr. Bai is too kind. You may learn this piece, and we could even play it together..."
Suozi watched the two of them chat more and more amiably and nudged Zhao Liangcai with his elbow. "You're usually so loud, why are you silent now? If you keep chatting, you won't even get any soup."
He nudged a few times, but Zhao Liangcai showed no reaction. When he looked back, Zhao Liangcai was leaning against the wall, his eyes half-closed, appearing to be half-asleep.
"Hammer? Are you really sleeping? You don't sleep when you should, but you're so sleepy when you shouldn't be. Wake up."
Suozi glanced at Qin Junyao and Bai Qing, who had resumed their seats, and shook Zhao Liangcai's shoulders to wake him up.
This Wanhua Tower was an establishment owned by Zhao Liangcai, Mr. Zhao. As a friend of Mr. Zhao, Suozi often visited the tower. Their actions did not attract anyone's attention.
The people in Wanhua Tower paid them no mind, but Granny Qin, watching from the second floor, found it quite amusing.
Because Suozi and his companions had changed their attire, those who didn't know them well might not have recognized them immediately.
But who was Granny Qin? Over fifty, with sharp hearing and clear eyesight, she remembered anyone good-looking after just one glance.
Even with Zhao Liangcai's beard removed, Granny Qin recognized him, especially with Suozi gesturing wildly beside him.
She was certain that the handsome man leaning against the wall was her future grandson-in-law.
She needed to find a way to arrange a meeting between him and her granddaughter.
Granny Qin rubbed her hands on the second floor, her eyes darting back and forth.
Downstairs, Zhao Liangcai finally woke up after Suozi's pinching and hitting. He hadn't slept properly since arriving in Northwest City, and the relaxing music was too much to resist.
"You're unbelievable. When else could you be sleepy but now?" Suozi saw his friend was awake and playfully punched Zhao Liangcai's shoulder with a closed fist.
Zhao Liangcai brushed imaginary dust off his shoulder and glanced at Suozi, "Who told me to let the girls off and let myself off?"
Suozi was about to retort when the zither music started again from inside the room.
Well, that was that.
Suozi turned and found Zhao Liangcai's eyes glazing over again. He couldn't understand what about the music made people sleepy.
.
Qin Junyao and Bai Qing continued their conversation until Wanhua Tower was about to open for business.
Bai Qing was in awe of Qin Junyao's techniques, her extensive knowledge of music, and her unique understanding of music. Qin Junyao, through their duet, gained a deeper appreciation for the charm of ancient melodies.
The young ladies learning music had attended a masterclass and benefited greatly.
Qin Junyao noted down the address of the instrument shop given by Bai Qing and the time for their meeting the next day, then happily went upstairs to find Granny Qin.
Meanwhile, Suozi outside had already helped the nearly comatose Zhao Liangcai back to their original room.
"What were you doing downstairs that made you so happy?" Granny Qin asked Qin Junyao, who had returned from downstairs, her eyes bright and her cheeks flushed.
"Listening to music, Grandma. Are we really waiting for them to open?"
"What's wrong? It's a great opportunity. Do you know how difficult it is for women in our Qing Kingdom to visit such a pleasure house?"
Qin Junyao pursed her lips, thinking that in her world, holding hands required marriage, so why would any woman want to visit a pleasure house?
Little did she know, the next day would prove her wrong, as people envied her for entering a brothel and leaving unscathed.
Of course, Qin Junyao wouldn't know this now.
Hua Niang, the madam, came up to bring them their meal and told Qin Junyao not to go out casually. Then, like a butterfly, she flitted about the main hall downstairs.
Wanhua Tower had many braziers lit, and with so many people, it wasn't cold at all.
The girls in the tower wore anything from short tunics and skirts to long, flowing dresses that created beautiful arcs behind them as they walked.
Qin Junyao, leaning on the second-floor window, watched the scene below: people playing music, singing, dancing, and drinking. It was nothing like the brothel she had imagined; it resembled a banquet.
The girls acted like waitresses, serving wine to various tables, and the guests were polite, refraining from any inappropriate advances.
"Yaoyao, have you noticed?" Granny Qin asked Qin Junyao while cracking melon seeds.
"Hmm?"
"Look," Granny Qin pointed to a man wearing a headscarf. "This person is dressed as a scholar. Look at the fabric of his clothes; his family is ordinary, yet he's here drinking."
"When the girl serves him wine, look where his hand is going. People like this either won't pass the imperial examinations in their lifetime, or if they do, they'll probably try to climb the social ladder."
"Even if he marries a woman from a prominent family, if he has the capability, he won't be honest."
Qin Junyao felt Granny Qin's assessment was a bit one-sided. "Grandma, what if his family is well-off, and he's deliberately dressing like this? Look at the person sitting next to him; his clothes are ordinary, but his hair ornament is not ordinary..."