Making you a son-in-law is not about making you conquer the world.

Since they couldn't make any money from the food and drinks, they had to make up for their losses in other ways. These spendthrifts all wanted to throw the money into the river, so they certainly wouldn't hesitate to spend a few pennies.

"Come on, those courtesans at Qingfeng Tower, I really can't say I'm impressed. They're probably not even as good as the regular prostitutes in the brothels."

Zhu Xiaoji responded dismissively.

The term "powder head" was a euphemism used by the Wu Kingdom for prostitutes, while Goulan Hutong was a well-known red-light district in Jiangcheng.

Zhu Xiaoji had heard the songs sung by the courtesans of Qingfeng Tower and thought they were really not good, even less pleasant than a professional prostitute's fake humming.

The owner of Qingfenglou blushed. Luckily, he was separated by the Linghua Gate, otherwise he would have been utterly ashamed.

Experienced prostitutes are not talented prostitutes; they often sell their bodies but not their skills. Their status is slightly higher than that of courtesans. In order to win the appreciation of high-ranking officials and nobles, they may occasionally sing a few explicit songs, but they are certainly not considered performers.

Therefore, Zhu Xiaoji's description was somewhat excessive.

The owner of Qingfenglou was anxiously wringing his hands outside the door. He wanted to leave several times but came back each time. The reason was simple: he couldn't bear to give up these few fat sheep.

So he gritted his teeth, mustered his courage, and said, "My shop just spent a lot of money yesterday to buy a female singer from Wutong Garden. She hasn't even started singing yet. I wonder if you, sir, would be interested?"

Lin Ping was confused, but he roughly understood it as a bar singer. He wasn't very interested, but the eyes of the others were already shining.

"The brothel in Wutong Garden?"

Zhu Xiaoji's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, and he was drooling all over the floor.

The prostitutes in brothels are roughly divided into four levels: there are prostitutes who sell their bodies but not their bodies, and those who are more attractive are called mature prostitutes. Both of these types have signed contracts with the brothel and have no right to choose their customers.

Above the "sophisticated" courtesans are the "pure" courtesans, who do not have a contract with a brothel. They are naturally excellent singers and generally sell their art but not their bodies. They also have the right to refuse unreasonable demands from customers. Of course, most pure courtesans do sell their bodies, and at very high prices.

Above the Qingguan (清馆) is the Huakui (花魁), and each brothel has only one Huakui, which shows how high their status is. Even if they don't sell their bodies, they can still earn a lot of money.

Furthermore, Wutong Garden is the most famous brothel in Jiangcheng, and any brothel girl there can become the most beautiful courtesan in a second or third-rate brothel.

Therefore, Zhu Xiaoji was no longer calm. If a female performer from Wutongyuan could sing for them alone, it would be a very prestigious thing.

"What are you waiting for? Go and invite them!"

Zhu Xiaoji pushed the door open forcefully, almost knocking the owner of Qingfenglou flying. His expression was extremely anxious.

"The fee for the Insect Maiden's appearance is quite high; one song costs ten taels of silver..."

The owner of Qingfenglou said with a smile.

Upon hearing this number, Zhu Xiaoji and the others calmed down. Ten taels of silver for a song?

If this girl sings to her heart's content, wouldn't it cost a hundred taels of silver?

Although they usually spend money lavishly, there's always a limit. If they were to spend a hundred taels of silver to listen to a tune, their father would beat them to death.

This is the difference between a spendthrift son and a spendthrift son-in-law. A spendthrift son is restricted by his father, while a spendthrift son-in-law can truly do whatever he wants.

Lin Ping wasn't particularly interested, but upon hearing the name "Chong Niang," he immediately pulled out five hundred taels of silver and said coldly, "Call Chong Niang over and let her sing to her heart's content!"

Everyone was taken aback. Even if the other party was famous, surely it wouldn't cost five hundred taels of silver?

Moreover, Qingfeng Tower only spent five hundred taels to buy the Insect Girl.

The owner of Qingfenglou had a gleam in his eyes, and his fat hands deftly stuffed the silver notes into his pocket, as if he would rather die than return them.

With these five hundred taels of silver, Lin Ping and his companions would definitely have enough money for their large meal. They hurriedly rolled down the stairs like little balls of flesh.

Zhu Xiaoji and the others naturally admired Sanlian, while Lin Ping reiterated the advantages of a spendthrift son-in-law over a spendthrift son, and advised them to quickly give away their family fortune and find a wealthy family to marry into.

Before long, a woman in a green dress walked gracefully with light steps, gently plucking the strings of her pipa, creating an atmosphere where one could hear her voice before seeing her.

The woman approaching was tall and slender, wearing a light blue gauze dress. Her long, black hair cascaded down her shoulders, and her face was covered by a veil, revealing only a pair of watery eyes.

"After much anticipation, she finally appears, still holding a pipa, half-concealing her face..."

Lin Ping clapped his hands and sighed softly.

The woman was top-notch in terms of figure and skin color; even with her face partially covered, one could guess her unparalleled beauty.

Lin Ping gave Li Mingxuan a wink, and the man brought over a high stool for Chongniang. Chongniang glanced at Lin Ping knowingly, then moved gracefully, crossed her ankles, and sat down, displaying the demeanor of a mature woman.

Before long, Lin Ping nodded, while Chong Niang placed the pipa upright on her lap and began to pluck the strings with her slender fingers.

With a few turns of the pegs and a few plucks of the strings, the melody is formed before the emotion is even uttered.

Lin Ping closed his eyes slightly, ignoring everything else, and immersed himself completely in the clear and melodious voice.

This piece is neither "Rainbow Skirt" nor "Six Melodies," and the low, mournful voice is somewhat sorrowful.

Zhu Xiaoji and the others were already completely captivated by the beauty of the insect girl. Now, upon hearing this song, they were utterly powerless to resist. They stood there dumbfounded, drooling as they lay on the ground.

"The girl's melody is as clear as a babbling brook, as deep as thunder through a window, as urgent as rain pattering on banana leaves, as gentle as a soft drizzle, as intense as the clash of swords and the whispers of newlyweds. But why are there no lyrics?"

Lin Ping interrupted halfway through the conversation.

It wasn't that he was heartbroken about spending five hundred taels of silver, but rather that he felt the girl seemed to have a tragic story in her heart. After all, if she didn't have that story, Lin Ping wouldn't have spent five hundred taels of silver for no reason.

"Does the young master truly wish to hear these lyrics?"

The insect girl raised her beautiful eyes and looked at Lin Ping with a puzzled expression, as if she were a kindred spirit.

Chongniang had never played this piece before, nor did she want to show off in front of those high-ranking officials and nobles. If it weren't for Lin Ping's clear eyes, she would never have played it.

"All ears!"

Lin Ping clasped his hands in a respectful manner, which was not at all the behavior a young master should have in front of a prostitute.

The insect maiden paused slightly, a crescent moon appearing beneath her seemingly transparent veil, before lowering her gaze and refocusing her attention on the pipa.

This time, the melody became even more profound, as if to set the stage for the lyrics to follow. In a moment, the cherry-like lips hidden behind the veil parted slightly, and she sang tenderly, "A secluded rendezvous, a precious time wasted. I often recall those wild moments of the past. I am forever filled with sorrow day and night. Who will go to the flower-lined streets to find me and tell me the truth of this? Telling me only makes me feel weary, my dreams and soul are burdened with the bitter longing."

Zhu Xiaoji and the others were naturally unaware of the meaning behind the music; they were simply captivated by the sweet voice of the insect maiden.

Lin Ping's heart tightened, and many images flashed through his mind, almost causing him to shed tears.

Hearing the deep, melancholic sound of the pipa and the tender, gentle voice of a woman, the literati and scholars in Qingfeng Tower flocked to the pavilion.

As if lost in her own world, the insect maiden ignored the noise around her and continued singing: "Know that the most precious thing is that, under the wind and moon, true feelings are hard to come by. I only wish that in my heart, I, the insect maiden, would treat people as if we had just met. Moreover, spring is gradually approaching. Even if there is news from the whole place, I will cherish her this time and never leave her lightly."

The music ends, the plectrum is drawn across the heart, a four-fold sound like tearing silk, the east and west windows are silent, only the white pipa of the insect maiden is seen.

Pretentious officials and nobles listened to music, while learned scholars and literati listened to lyrics.

When the music ended and the sound ceased, the entire Qingfeng Tower fell silent, as if no one dared to break the enchanting tranquility.

"What a wonderful line, 'Looking as if we've just met,' truly a masterpiece by Liu Yong!"

Lin Ping clapped his hands excitedly, praising the performance repeatedly.

Everyone was taken aback. Not only had they never heard of this song and lyrics, but they also had no idea who Liu Yong was.

Even the Insect Maiden raised her beautiful eyes, seemingly somewhat angry, and retorted, "This piece was composed by Young Master Liu Sanbian, not by Young Master Liu Yong!"

This coquettish rebuke left Lin Ping bewildered, but he soon realized what it meant.

Liu Yong's original name was Liu Sanbian, which he changed himself later, and it is likely that he had not yet changed it at this time.

From Chongniang's tone, Lin Ping gleaned two useful pieces of information: first, Liu Yong did indeed exist; second, Liu Yong must have already developed an unusual relationship with Chongniang.

"Liu Sanbian? Haha...that poor scholar who spends his days hanging out in brothels?"

A man nearby suddenly laughed; he must have heard of the name Liu Sanbian.

What is a Juren (举人)?

Only those who passed the provincial examination were called "Juren," a title held by those who were highly regarded in a society that valued talent. There was even a saying that "a Xiucai (a scholar who passed the county examination) would not kneel before the county magistrate, and a Juren would not kneel before the prefectural governor."

Since Liu Sanbian was a highly respected scholar, why would people look down on him?

There are two main reasons. First, Liu Sanbian failed the imperial examinations administered by the Ministry of Rites multiple times, and people lost faith in him.

Secondly, Liu Sanbian frequently visited brothels and spent his days mingling with prostitutes, which tarnished the reputation of a scholar.

Therefore, not only ordinary people looked down on Liu Sanbian, but even literati looked down on him.

"You are not allowed to insult Young Master Liu."

The insect girl's sweet voice suddenly turned cold, and even her eyes sharpened.

However, the statement that a prostitute doesn't seem to have much of an impact only made her a laughing stock.

"See? Liu Sanbian relied on prostitutes to vent his anger. I heard that even the travel expenses for his trip to the capital for the imperial examination were funded by prostitutes selling themselves."

An "insider" burst into laughter.

Lin Ping shook his head helplessly. He naturally did not want to openly make enemies of these literati. Moreover, it was true that Liu Yong was buried by several prostitutes after his death.

"Get out of the way, let me in!"

Just then, a noisy voice came from the lobby on the first floor.

Four waiters dressed in blue robes and small hats surrounded a bearded man menacingly, ready to attack at any moment.

Why can't I go in?

The unshaven man held an empty wine jar in his hand, making a gesture as if to take another sip, but not a single drop of wine fell into his mouth.

"Liu Sanbian, take a piss and look in the mirror. Look at yourself! You think you can come to Qingfeng Tower?"

One of the waiters scoffed, his voice filled with extreme disdain.

Just as the waiter said, Liu Sanbian was disheveled and dressed in coarse linen clothes, completely lacking the demeanor of a scholar, and was simply a disgrace to scholars.

Qingfeng Tower is a high-end establishment; Liu Sanbian, who couldn't even afford a jar of wine, had no right to enter.

Touched on a sore spot, Liu Sanbian's face flushed slightly, but thankfully the alcohol masked his embarrassment. He smashed the wine jar with force and drunkenly said, "I, Liu Sanbian, can match your first line!"

Although Liu Sanbian had never been to Qingfeng Tower, he knew about couplets and came up with a matching second line before he arrived.

Before anyone could answer, Liu Sanbian shouted, "I have no intention of staying or leaving; I watch the clouds drift and gather in the sky! What do you think of my second line?"

Everyone was stunned, not by the perfect second line, but by the look of utter disbelief, as if they were looking at an idiot.

Just as Liu Sanbian was brimming with confidence, a man dressed as a scholar spoke up, pointing his finger at him and shouting, "Liu Sanbian, do you have any shame? Young Master Chen has already written the second line on the door, do you still need to come up with a matching line?"