The book has no strength, the female supporting role just wants to survive

"Hey, Xiao Mingxu, why did you bring a sister with you?"

Zhen Shuai joked beside him, and Xiao Mingxu slapped him hard on the back.

"Go, go, this is my cousin."

Xiao Mingxu changed his seat and sat next to Jiang Tunan, and said softly,

"Don't be afraid, cousin. They are just like this. They don't mean any harm."

Jiang Tunan responded, not minding it at all.

The private room they were in was on the second floor. Through the balcony-like structure in front, they had a clear view of the hall below, and could also see other private rooms nearby.

"Will Miss Peony come out today?"

"I heard there would be a meeting. Look at the people below. They are all here for Miss Peony."

Zhen Shuai and Hao Youcai leaned on the railing and looked at the situation in the hall below.

Jiang Tunan sat inside, somewhat curious.

"Who is Miss Peony?"

Xiao Mingxu held Jiang Tunan's head.

"Children, please don't ask about these things."

Zhen Shuai laughed,

"My sister doesn't come here often, so of course she doesn't know. This girl Mudan is the courtesan of Changgefang. She has a beautiful voice and many people come here every day to admire her. It's a pity that she only appears when she is lucky."

Jiang Tunan expressed his understanding, saying that pillars of the stage all have tempers.

According to the general setting of the novel, there are probably a bunch of other plants called peony, azalea, and crabapple.

The music started to sound louder on the stage, and a group of dancers in slightly revealing clothes came on stage.

“It’s time to start.”

Xiao Mingxu said this calmly, and Zhen Shuai and Hao Youcai sat back in their seats.

Looking at the dancers on the stage posing coquettishly, Xiao Mingxu frowned.

"The best music hall in Kyoto, is this it?"

Jiang Tunan analyzed carefully.

"Cousin, you don't understand. The ones that came out first were ordinary, but the ones that came out last were more amazing."

Ji Yichen echoed,

"They are all vulgar women. Forget about them. Cousin, let's play by ourselves. Shall we play dice or Pai Gow today?"

"Whatever."

Xiao Mingxu was a little absent-minded, as if he was thinking about something. Zhen Shuai curled his lips,

"Of course he's casual, he can win at anything."

Ji Yichen was deflated.

"With all the excitement today, I guess there won't be any storytellers left."

Zhen Shuai shook Ji Yichen's shoulders and said in disbelief,

"People are lining up here to see the Oiran, and you told me you're here to listen to a story?"

Jiang Tunan heard the key words and approached Ji Yichen silently.

"Cousin, do you like listening to books?"

Ji Yichen didn't react for a moment.

"Who is your cousin? I don't have a sister like you."

Jiang Tunan just stood there awkwardly, not knowing what to do.

Xiao Mingxu walked over with his hands on his hips and kicked Ji Yichen.

"How can you talk like that, kid? This is our sister."

Ji Yichen felt a little pain, but he also remembered that his family had said before that Jiang Tunan was a daughter of the side branch of their Anguo Mansion. He felt that he had said something wrong, so he kept silent.

Zhen Shuai and Hao Youcai were watching the show with great interest.

"Don't bother with him, Xiao Nannan. He's a bit stupid. By the way, what did you want to ask?"

Jiang Tunan didn't want to bring it up again, and she could find some time to find out later, but Xiao Mingxu brought it up again, so she opened her mouth again.

"I just want to know where people in Kyoto usually listen to the storybooks."

Ji Yichen was stunned and didn't say anything. Xiao Mingxu kicked Ji Yichen again.

"My sister is asking you a question."

Ji Yichen scratched his head.

"Most of the book business in Kyoto is shared equally between Zhuying Pavilion and Huangfu Family, but Zhuying Pavilion doesn't like to sell storybooks, so in terms of storybooks, Huangfu Family is better. The storybooks acquired by Huangfu Family, if they sell well, will be told by a professional teacher in Changgefang."

Jiang Tunan began to think about it and planned to go out and ask around later.

Xiao Mingxu listened for a long time and felt distressed. Usually, Jiang Tunan was in the mansion, and except for his father's occasional concern, he was basically ignored (Luo Yunqing:?), and he had no friends in Kyoto (Ye Ruzhen:?), and now he had to be so cautious even when buying a storybook.

Xiao Mingxu secretly made up his mind that next time he went out to play, he must buy more storybooks for Jiang Tunan!

The noisy singing and dancing outside gradually died down, and the sudden silence made Jiang Tunan stretch his neck to look outside.

A woman in a lavender gauze dress holding a pipa came onto the stage. The woman had bright eyes and white teeth, but Jiang Tunan noticed that there was a scar about the length of her little finger on the lower left side of her cheek.

The woman gently plucked the strings of the zither, and the music poured out from her fingertips.

"The gentian flower blooms in loneliness without an owner. Once the beauty is gone, how long will the bitterness in my heart last..."

The woman's voice was clear and quiet, like the ringing of broken jade, coupled with the plaintive sound of the pipa, Jiang Tunan immediately thought of the words "There is a hidden sorrow and hidden hatred".

"This girl is pretty good."

Jiang Tunan had already walked to the railing, and Xiao Mingxu also agreed that this girl was indeed much better than other women.

The guests in the audience were attracted by the music and singing. Seeing the graceful figure of the woman on the stage, they thought that a new beauty had come to Changgefang. However, when they looked up, they saw the scar on her face and felt disappointed.

"I was wondering why such a great singer came out so early, turns out she's ugly, hahahaha."

A few guests started to make a scene.

"I spent so much money to come to Changgefang, and all you show me is an ugly monster?"

The music on stage missed a beat and then continued quickly, but the audience did not buy it.

"I don't think the level is that good. What's wrong with your Changgefang?"

"That's right, you're trying to fool me with this kind of stuff!"

Seeing that more and more people were dissatisfied, the mother in charge had to step forward and ask someone to call the woman on the stage away.

Before the song was over, the woman was driven off the stage, while the audience below was cheering.

"It's really too much. Such a great talent is wasted!"

Jiang Tunan felt a little sorry for the woman, but there was nothing she could do.

"You mean Kikyo?"

Zhen Shuai, Ji Yichen and Hao Youcai have already sat down and laid out the mahjong tiles.

"Master Zhen knows her?"

"Of course I know. This Kikyo used to be the mainstay of Changgefang. Even the current courtesan Mudan is no match for Kikyo back then."

Zhen Shuai sighed and said with some regret,

"It's a pity that I don't know how she injured her face and left such an obvious scar. Her glory is gone along with her appearance."

Jiang Tunan was helpless. The women here were more beautiful than talented. If Kikyo were born in her era, she would at least become a talented female singer.

"What's wrong? Are you feeling sorry for her?"

Seeing that Jiang Tunan was feeling a little down, Xiao Mingxu consoled him,

"Don't be too sad. Even if her appearance is intact, she will get old one day, and she will still look like this then."

Jiang Tunan shook his head.

"I'm not sad because she's no longer beautiful. What makes me sad is that everyone here thinks a woman's greatest value lies in her appearance, including you, cousin, isn't it?"

Xiao Mingxu was stunned on the spot, and Jiang Tunan seemed to be holding back a lot of anger.

"First you have to be good-looking, then people will recognize you. People will give some women the title of so-called talented women, not because they want women to have the ability to compete with men, but just to serve as a foil for women's beauty, or even like selecting goods, labeling some women as high-quality goods."

Xiao Mingxu wanted to say something, but couldn't. The other three also fell silent and looked at Jiang Tunan.

Jiang Tunan knew that she was a little excited. After all, the times were different and there must be differences in thinking, but she just couldn't hold back her emotions, so Jiang Tunan said again,

"I lost my composure a little bit. Sorry everyone, I have to go to the bathroom."

Jiang Tunan rushed out of the room before anyone else could react, and Chunhua could only follow him out of the room together.