The seven-day agreement arrived in the blink of an eye.
In the afternoon, the sun hung low beneath the eaves.
Inside the Fragrant Pavilion, the sound of the zither lingered like the gentle chime of jade pendants.
The establishment had not yet opened for business. The white-robed zither master leaned over the instrument table, patiently guiding Su Tan through her practice.
Qin Huai reached out and gently pressed down on the young woman’s jade-like fingers, offering guidance: “Your touch should be lighter; let the plucking follow the movement of your wrist.”
Under his instruction, the melody became noticeably more graceful.
Su Tan smiled with a hint of realization. “Indeed, your disciple has learned.”
Qin Huai’s hand had already covered hers, their fingers intimately intertwined.
The two appeared to be discussing musical technique, yet also seemed to be flirting playfully.
Downstairs in the main hall, the courtesans and attendants preparing to open for the evening occasionally glanced their way.
But this was nothing unusual—Musician Qin had always been particularly attentive to Lady Mei Wu.
When she felt the object in Qin Huai’s palm, the smile on Su Tan’s lips deepened. She discreetly accepted it, clutching it in her hand.
But the texture felt wrong.
The medicinal powder should have been wrapped in an oil paper package—why was it so cold and hard?
Qin Huai continued to hold her hand, leaning in as if to embrace her, and whispered:
“The powder is inside the bead set in the silver ring. Its effect lasts only one hour.”
Su Tan frowned slightly. “But that silver ring is a family heirloom of yours…”
Qin Huai chuckled softly, his gaze gentle. “If one day you manage to leave this place and encounter any trouble outside, take this silver ring to the Splendor Music House and look for a manager named Jin Wu.”
“You can return it to me then.”
He paused, lowering his eyes to look at the young woman so close to him, a pang of bitterness rising in his heart.
“A Wu, I hope you regain your freedom soon.”
Su Tan was momentarily stunned, but not daring to let others notice anything amiss, she lowered her gaze and nodded.
“Qin Huai, thank you.”
She was unfortunate, yet also fortunate.
With two dear friends like Cai Wei and Qin Huai, even in days of hardship, scattered rays of light could still seep through.
As the two conversed in their act, the window in the main hall downstairs swung wide open.
Outside on the long street, a carriage passed by. A gentleman’s slender, jade-like fingers casually lifted a corner of the carriage curtain.
A careless glance revealed the intimate, tender scene of the white-robed zither master and the blue-skirted young woman “whispering sweet nothings.”
Inside the building, Su Tan withdrew her hand, intending to hide the silver ring.
Suddenly, she felt a gaze as sharp as an arrow piercing in from outside.
It was piercingly intense.
She couldn’t help but shiver, turning to look out the window.
Yet aside from the swiftly passing rear wheel tracks, there was no one in sight.
For a moment, she felt disoriented. Perhaps after spending two nights with Shen Xiuwang, she had begun to imagine threats where none existed.
Su Tan stood up, exchanged a few polite words with Qin Huai with a smile, and walked back upstairs to her chamber as if nothing had happened.
As dusk fell, the downstairs hall grew crowded with people. Flirtatious banter, cheers, and delicate murmurs filled the entire Fragrant Pavilion.
It was like an undying prison, locking men and women within, where decadent desires never dried up.
Su Tan sat by the window, tuning out those sounds, her fingers toying with a begonia flower.
This was the signal Shen Xiuwang had arranged with her. If she discovered anything, she was to place the begonia flower in a decorative vase and set it by the carved window.
The silver he had paid Mama Yue only covered her until tonight. Once the seven days passed without results, she would have to resume receiving clients.
With a creak, the door was pushed open from outside.
Han Cui and Qiu Chan entered carrying food boxes and a wine jar.
“Miss, the dishes and wine you asked Master Chen to prepare have been brought.”
Of course, they had also been inspected.
Su Tan casually set the begonia flower on the table, not placing it in the vase, then turned and walked to the dining table to sit down.
In a weary tone: “I heard that Jingning Marquis Estate is hosting a Hundred Flowers Banquet today. The Military Governor probably won’t come tonight.”
Hancui arranged the dishes on the table one by one and replied, “Even though Military Governor Shen can’t come in person, the silver he sends never misses a day. Don’t lose heart, miss.”
Though she said this, Hancui inwardly scoffed.
Military Governor Shen was the legitimate son of Jingning Marquis. Even if he didn’t inherit the marquis title, the official rank he earned himself was rising rapidly.
The old madam and the lady of the Marquis’s Mansion would surely choose a noble-born, well-matched young lady from a prominent family to be his principal wife.
Even for the position of a concubine, there were plenty of respectable daughters from minor official families eagerly waiting.
He was just indulging in novelty by spending a couple of days with the top courtesan. Mei Wu harboring inappropriate thoughts was nothing but wishful thinking.
Qiuchan also chimed in insincerely, “Yes, it shows the Military Governor still treats you differently.”
Su Tan curved her lips, as if comforted by their words.
Then she added, “These past few days, I’ve only been busy treating the ladies to meals and drinks, but I forgot to show consideration for the two of you.”
“There’s so much food here anyway, and I can’t finish it all. Let’s eat together.”
“This…”
Hancui and Qiuchan exchanged glances. The aroma of fine wine and dishes on the table wafted straight into their noses.
Although they were sent by Mama Yue, they were merely low-ranking maids, and their food, clothing, and daily provisions had always been inferior to those of the courtesans.
Occasionally, when they received some meaty rewards, they would lick the bowls clean before reluctantly setting them down.
Su Tan poured wine, her gaze shifting to the two of them, chiding gently, “What’s with the hesitation? Having a couple of bites of food or sips of wine won’t make a difference.”
“With people everywhere upstairs and downstairs, are you afraid I’ll grow wings and fly away?”
This hit the mark for both of them.
At this moment, the brothel’s guards inside and the strong servants outside were at their strictest—not even a mosquito could slip out.
Let alone such a stunning beauty.
Mei Wu had been treating everyone to meals for several days in a row. Having a couple of bites now wouldn’t hurt.
Thinking this, Hancui and Qiuchan stopped being coy and sat down one after another.
“Thank you for the meal, miss.”
After several rounds of wine and plenty of dishes,
Su Tan seemed to drown her sorrows in drink, her cheeks flushed red as she leaned against the soft couch, closing her eyes to rest.
Hancui and Qiuchan hadn’t drunk much. After filling their stomachs with delicious food and seeing her tired and in low spirits, they didn’t disturb her further.
They tidied up a bit and went outside the corridor to keep watch.
Somehow, their eyelids grew heavy one after another, and eventually, both leaned against the doorframe, dozing off deeply.
Inside the room, Su Tan opened her hazy eyes, not a hint of drunkenness in them.
She rose lightly, pushed open the carved window a crack,
and counted roughly ten beats. As expected, she saw a burly man with a long beard entering the building.
Mama Yue’s voice was sugary and sticky as she pinched her tone, “You scoundrel, do you even remember which way the door of my Fragrant Pavilion faces?”
The man was Mama Yue’s lover. For the past few years, he had come to see her at the end of every month.
Usually, the third floor where Mama Yue resided was guarded by brothel guards. Only when her lover visited would she dismiss them in advance.
The two had some undisclosed preferences and would always indulge themselves in the secret room on the third floor before returning to the bedroom to sleep.
Over the past few days, Su Tan had explored every corner of the building, except for Mama Yue’s room.
Timing it perfectly, it happened to be the end of the seven-day period.
Su Tan steadied herself, pushed open the door. Qiuchan and Hancui were sound asleep.
She gave them a cold glance, closed the door, and walked lightly upstairs.
As expected, the brothel guards on the third-floor corridor had all been cleared. From the neighboring secret room came spine-chilling screams, half-sobbing, half-laughing.
At most a quarter of an hour, and that man would be spent.
Su Tan narrowed her eyes, pushed open Mama Yue’s door, gently closed it behind her, and quickly began searching.
Hidden things would certainly not be left out in the open; there must be some secret mechanism or hidden chamber.
Su Tan carefully felt along every inch of the wall, under the bed, inside the standing cabinet, among the ornaments…
Aside from some valuable items in the jewelry box, nothing else could be seen.
Her gaze swept the surroundings, and she walked behind the screen. Bathtub, clothing rack, washbasin—all common items.
By the faint moonlight, she suddenly noticed something unusual and slowly crouched down.
The floor tiles beside the bathtub had several marks of varying depths, as if formed by dragging.
The bathtub was rarely moved, yet these scratches were of different ages, clearly indicating it was frequently shifted.
There must be something fishy underneath.
Thinking this, Su Tan pushed the bathtub aside with force and indeed found that the tile in the very center seemed loose.
She tried to lift it but couldn’t, so she simply stepped on it.
With a “click,” a small door slowly opened behind the scroll on the wall.
Entering the door, Su Tan was instantly dazzled by the gold, jade, and treasures piled on the shelves.
All the silver earned by the girls selling their flesh over the years, the gifts from patrons—all stripped away—had created this treasure cave.
Time was tight, and there was no chance to inwardly curse Mama Yue’s greed. Su Tan quickly bent down and rummaged through the shelves.
What Shen Xiuwang had asked her to find was a round Buddha Ball pendant made of sandalwood inlaid with gold. The size of a baby’s fist, with an image of Guanyin carved on its surface.
The madam was a seasoned player in the world of pleasure, and her wealth accumulation prioritized only high-value items. Most were gems, pearls, and gold objects.
That Buddha Ball, though exquisitely crafted and inlaid with gold fragments, was not particularly expensive.
She searched for a long while without seeing it. Just as she turned to rummage through another pile of scrolls and paintings, she heard singing from outside.
Damn it, that man hadn’t even lasted a quarter of an hour before he was spent!
Useless.
Su Tan’s brow twitched as Mama Yue and the man’s footsteps grew closer.
She quickly exited the gold cave, closed the hidden door, and returned the bathtub to its original position.
As she stepped toward the door, the footsteps outside were already right in front of her.
There was no way out!
In an instant, Su Tan felt like a bug trapped in a sealed jar, burning her feet wherever she stepped.
…
With a “creak,” the door opened, and the inseparable pair walked in.
The man spouted more lewd words, pressing Mama Yue down onto the bed.
“You were so tense earlier after not seeing me for days. Now, I’ll make you beg for life and plead for death.”
“Ah, Brother Feng, you treat me so tenderly…”
The creaking of the bed frame, mingled with their obscene and flirtatious words, filled the entire room.
Under the bed, Su Tan covered her ears, clenched her teeth, and silently recited a mantra to clear her mind.
Her thoughts raced: If even Mama Yue’s treasure cave didn’t have it, where could that Buddha Ball be?
The girls who had served the barbarians back then—some died, some went mad…
Dead!
Su Tan suddenly widened her eyes. She had been thinking in the wrong direction before.
Who said the dead couldn’t hide things?
The pair on the bed tossed and turned through one round, both panting heavily from exhaustion, and soon began snoring like thunder.
Su Tan inwardly cursed her bad luck, propped herself up on her arms, and slowly crawled out. To confirm the two were sound asleep, she imitated a mouse, squeaking twice.
No reaction.
Gathering her courage, she continued crawling out from under the bed, crouched low, and slowly made her way toward the door, holding her breath and focusing intently.
When she pushed open the door, it took several attempts, each time forcing it open just a crack, her movements hushed and cautious.
Finally, she managed to widen the gap just enough to slip through sideways, quickly lifting her skirt as she darted out.
There was no time to wipe the dust and grime from her face, nor to calm the heart pounding in her throat.
Su Tan gathered her courage and headed straight for the attic.
It had been the residence of the previous courtesan, but after her sudden death, rumors of hauntings began, and no one dared to stay there.
Mama Yue had invited Taoist priests and shamans to exorcise the evil spirits, pasting yellow talismans all around.
Yet the place remained unsettled, and in the end, it was simply abandoned.
The tales of hauntings were nothing but baseless rumors—Mama Yue and a few of the brothel’s enforcers had simply committed too many sins, their karmic burdens too heavy.
With so many wrongdoings, it was only natural to fear the knock of ghosts.
Su Tan recalled that the previous courtesan had been a devout Buddhist and had also served foreign merchants.
Pushing aside the tangled spiderwebs in the attic, dust particles swirling in the air, Su Tan covered her nose and mouth as she searched around.
Sure enough, she spotted a worn-out shrine.
Her heart leaped with joy, and ignoring the musty smell that stung her nostrils, she stepped forward to rummage through it.
After the previous courtesan’s death, Mama Yue must have seized all her belongings for herself.
But there was one thing she couldn’t take.
And that was faith.
The faith of someone trapped in the mire, who had cast everything aside to worship with utmost devotion.
Feeling along the bottom of the shrine, she tapped lightly and heard a dull thud—a hidden compartment.
Su Tan traced the frame until she found the mechanism, pressed it firmly, and a wooden panel slid open with a muffled sound, revealing a square inner space.
Inside lay a sandalwood Buddha Ball, along with several hand-copied sutras.
Finally, she had found it!
With trembling hands, Su Tan carefully retrieved the objects, as if cradling the rest of her life in her palms.
This was no ordinary Buddha Ball—it was a priceless treasure that could grant her the freedom and Commoner Status she had long dreamed of!
She also took out the yellowed hand-copied sutras, wrapping them carefully in a handkerchief.
The previous courtesan had died suddenly, her body rolled up in a tattered mat and thrown into the mass burial ground, without even a solitary grave to mark her resting place.
If Su Tan ever gained the freedom to soar like a bird, she vowed to do what little she could to erect a memorial for her.
Meeting the past in the present was a kind of fate.
Tonight had been fraught with twists and turns, but thankfully, she had succeeded and retreated unscathed.
Su Tan steadied her breathing and hurried back to her room.
But as she reached the corridor, she noticed that Han Cui and Qiu Chan, who should have been sleeping outside her door, were nowhere to be seen.
Had the drug worn off, and had they already discovered she had left?
No, if they had noticed her absence, they would have raised an alarm throughout the building.
Perhaps they had simply been too tired and returned to their own rooms to sleep?
Half-guessing, half-suspicious, Su Tan reached for the blade hidden at her waist for self-defense and slowly pushed open the door.
The room was as silent as when she had left.
Letting out a soft sigh, she stepped inside and turned to close the door.
Suddenly, the candle in the room flickered to life, and a man’s lazy, wine-laden voice came from behind her.
“Where have you been?”