Chapter Forty: Beauty's Fleeting Fate (3)

At that moment, a shrill female voice came from below the attic: “Kong Sheng, get out here! Kong Sheng, you useless leech living off women, hurry up and show yourself!”

Kong Sheng raised an eyebrow—he already recognized the voice as that of Hong Mian, the personal maid of the young lady from the Yang household.

This little girl was certainly fierce, paying no heed to anything as she began shouting beneath Liu Xinru’s attic, her piercing voice reverberating through the entire Mist and Cloud Courtyard.

Liu Xinru froze, thinking to herself, Who is this interloper? I haven’t even achieved my aim yet—who’s come to ruin my plans?

Tian’er, who had been keeping watch by the door, was quick-tempered herself. Hearing the commotion, she stormed down the stairs, hands akimbo, and shot back at Hong Mian, “Where did this wild girl come from, yelling in our place?”

Hong Mian, though she often felt inferior within the Yang household, carried herself with no small amount of pride when outside—especially in this district of courtesans and entertainers. Eyes wide with anger, she retorted, “I’m here to curse Kong Sheng—what’s it to you? This filthy place that sells singing and bodies—I wouldn’t set foot here unless my lady ordered it!”

This outburst from Hong Mian infuriated Tian’er.

Rolling up her sleeves, face dark with anger, Tian’er rushed forward, grabbed Hong Mian’s dress, and prepared to fight. The onlookers—singers, dancers, and patrons alike—began to cheer and egg them on.

The two girls were soon tangled in a scuffle. Truth be told, both were mere teenagers, with little strength and youthful inexperience. For all their shouting, neither was a match for a real fight.

Kong Sheng let out a long sigh, glanced at Liu Xinru, then rose to open the attic door. He went downstairs, frowning, and with a hand on each girl, pulled them apart.

“Miss Hong Mian, you were looking for me?” Kong Sheng’s irritation showed plainly on his face.

Hong Mian, panting with rage, snapped, “Kong Sheng, you are utterly shameless! My lady cares for you deeply, yet you spurn her kindness and come to a place like this to cavort with whores. You—you have no shame!”

The crowd was growing larger by the moment. Kong Sheng frowned and lowered his voice: “Don’t make a scene here. Let’s talk somewhere else.”

Without waiting for a reply, he dragged Hong Mian away. His grip was so firm that Hong Mian felt as if she were flying, and in no time at all, Kong Sheng had led her out of the Mist and Cloud Courtyard, over the stone bridge, and stopped at the end of a quiet alley.

“What do you want with me?” Kong Sheng asked.

“Hmph!” Hong Mian turned away in a huff, refusing to answer.

Kong Sheng’s patience wore thin. He had just been publicly insulted by this little maid for no reason—a foul end to his day. He sneered, “If you won’t speak, I’m leaving.”

With that, he turned to go.

Hong Mian stamped her foot in frustration behind him. “You scoundrel! My lady is looking for you—she’s waiting at the Misty Rain Pavilion!”

Kong Sheng paused, then slowly turned back. “Miss Yang is looking for me? Lead the way.”

…

After Kong Sheng left the Rose House and the crowd dispersed, a tall, upright middle-aged man emerged from the neighboring Willow Pavilion and walked with an odd gait into Liu Xinru’s attic.

Liu Xinru sat forlorn on the carpet, a hint of sorrow fluttering across her alluring features. Seeing the man’s silhouette, she forced herself to stand and bowed deeply. “Greetings, Master Zhou.”

Zhou An smiled faintly and waved his hand. “Did you achieve your aim?”

Liu Xinru shook her head. “No. I’m sorry to disappoint you, Master Zhou.”

Zhou An’s expression darkened. “Miss Liu, I made it clear: if you accomplish what I asked, I will pay any price to ransom you and restore your freedom. Did you not take my words to heart? Or have I misjudged you? Do you intend to remain here, suffering endless humiliation?”

With a faint sigh, Liu Xinru replied, “I am deeply grateful for your generosity, Master Zhou. If I could be free and untainted again, I would go through fire and water for you. But that young master from the Kong family is not the lascivious sort. I tried every charm and allure, even offered myself to him, but he was unmoved. I fear I have failed you.”

Zhou An arched a thick brow and gave a cold laugh. “What a joke! That Kong brat is notorious in Jiangning for debauchery—his infatuation with you is legendary. The whole city knows it. If you truly offered yourself, how could he resist?”

Zhou An did not believe a word of it. He had thoroughly investigated: Kong Sheng’s daily pursuit of Liu Xinru and his lovesick antics were a laughingstock throughout Jiangning. This was precisely why Zhou An had approached Liu Xinru—he had promised to pay a fortune to ransom her, on one condition: she must seduce Kong Sheng and either marry him or become his concubine.

Zhou An’s motives were obvious to anyone. The plan was simple but effective: if Kong Sheng, captivated by Liu Xinru’s beauty, took her as a concubine, he would inevitably enrage the Yang family. Yang Qi would never allow his precious daughter to share a household with a courtesan’s child—he could dream on.

For a talented beauty like Liu Xinru, who had fallen into such a life, the hope of redemption was ever-present. She had saved some money over the years, hoping to buy her freedom, but her madam treated her like a cash cow and set an unattainable price. Even the most powerful officials balked at the sum.

Then, suddenly, Zhou An, head of the illustrious Zhou clan of Yixing, came forward, offering to ransom her under this single condition. After much consideration, Liu Xinru agreed. Kong Sheng, with his newfound fame and noble heritage—despite his checkered past—was as good an option for a new life as she could hope for.

In her subconscious, Liu Xinru had always believed Kong Sheng’s desire for her was deep and unshakable; if she made the first move, he would surely be hers in an instant. Yet the reality left her disappointed, embarrassed, and humiliated. She had exhausted every art of seduction, but he was as unresponsive as a block of wood.

She was a woman of keen insight and cunning, and from Kong Sheng’s indifferent gaze, she read much.

“Master Zhou, beauties have always met with misfortune in this world. Your kindness is more than I deserve, and I am ashamed to repay it so poorly,” Liu Xinru said sorrowfully, bowing until her voice broke with grief.

She desperately wished for freedom and dared not let go of this opportunity, but she knew in her heart that Zhou An’s condition was beyond her power. Even if she used every wile, even resorting to aphrodisiacs to lure Kong Sheng to her bed, she would only lose everything, and expecting him to marry her was a fool’s hope.

Zhou An, unmoved by a courtesan’s regrets, was a man of iron will and cold calculation. For the sake of removing Kong Sheng as an obstacle for his son Zhou Chang—and the Zhou clan’s revival—he would pay any price.

“Miss Liu, I will say it once more: as long as you can make Kong Sheng take you into his household—as concubine or even as a maid—I will keep my promise, ransom you for a king’s ransom, and grant you your freedom. Or perhaps you fancy yourself too good for Kong Sheng, but in my view, he is a worthy match—talented, noble, and though currently down on his luck, a fine choice for you.”

He paused, his demeanor turning cold and severe. “I don’t care what methods you use; I care only for the result. You have ten days. Secure a marriage contract with Kong Sheng, and I will ransom you, no turning back. Otherwise, I will still pay for your freedom—but afterward…”

Zhou An gave a chilling snort. “I’m not one to pity beauty. If you won’t obey, I’ll buy your freedom and then sell you straight to the Red Lane of Yangzhou. We both know what awaits you there. Consider it carefully.”

With that, he turned on his heel and swept out.

Liu Xinru’s face turned deathly pale, fear and despair crashing over her as she sobbed uncontrollably on the floor.

As the leading courtesan, she knew very well what the Red Lane of Yangzhou was—the same as Pingkang Ward in Chang’an. In plain terms, it was a cheap, mass-market brothel district, frequented by the lowest rungs of society. If she was sent there, she would know a fate worse than death.

Zhou An’s threat was more cruel than any blade.