Spring arrives and the land smiles

When Granny Liu sent someone to inform Qingyan that the props were ready, she was dozing off. She didn't know what was wrong with her these past few days; she just couldn't wake up. Could the greenhouse effect even change people's physiological cycles? Spring drowsiness and autumn fatigue—could it be this microclimate that's making people so sleepy? She woke up at 9 AM today, and it wasn't even lunchtime yet, but she was already feeling sleepy again. She really didn't know what was wrong with her.

Qingyan yawned as she examined the sample brought by Granny Liu. After taking a few bites, she found the proportions were just right. She couldn't help but think of Luo Qing. Could it be that he helped her? Was he no longer angry?

Qingyan should not have much appetite after just waking up, but today she was so hungry that her stomach was growling again after she had just eaten some snacks. Helpless, she had to ask Cai'er to bring her lunch forward.

Sigh, I wonder if I'll turn into a big fat person if this continues.

Cai'er was quick and efficient, and soon a sumptuous meal was served. Then Qingyan began to eat heartily without any regard for appearances, leaving Cai'er speechless.

"Miss, would you like some more of this dessert?" Cai'er asked tentatively, recovering from her shock.

"Of course!" Qingyan blurted out without thinking.

Then, a bowl of refreshing and sweet white fungus and lotus seed soup was placed in front of her. She scooped a spoonful into her mouth, and hmm, the taste was a bit strange. She scooped another spoonful, and it seemed too sweet. She brought the bowl closer and smelled it again, and the sweetness of rock sugar rushed in. Suddenly, Qingyan felt her stomach churning, and then she vomited all over the floor.

"Miss." Cai'er, who was serving her, quickly helped her up and handed her a handkerchief to wipe the filth from her mouth.

"It's nothing." Qingyan waved to Cai'er and straightened up. She rubbed her stomach, which had just been ravaged, but still felt nauseous. She stared at the remaining lotus seed soup in the bowl and her expression changed. Could someone have poisoned her food?

"Miss, I'll go fetch a doctor." Seeing that Qingyan looked unwell, Cai'er helped her to the bed and hurried out the door.

"No need—" Before the word "need" could be uttered, Cai'er had already disappeared. Qingyan couldn't chase after her to stop her, so she let her go.

Feeling that her body didn't show any signs of poisoning, Qingyan was even more puzzled. Ever since she boarded Lan Zhen's pirate ship, she had felt that her body was acting strangely. At first, she was always drowsy and thought it was the effect of sleeping potion, but even the strongest medicine wouldn't last for more than a few days. Then she became sleepy and had a great appetite, which was even worse after arriving in Suizhou. These were all very abnormal and didn't seem like she was suffering from acclimatization issues.

"Miss, the doctor is here." Just as Qingyan was scratching her head, Cai'er led an old doctor in.

After examining Qingyan with observation, listening, questioning, and palpation, the old doctor dropped a bombshell on her face: "Young lady, you are more than a month pregnant. If you want to treat this, you need to decide as soon as possible."

What? Pregnant??

Qingyan's eyes widened, her mind going completely blank. "Impossible!!" Her words were almost an instinctive denial.

The old doctor glanced at her disdainfully and continued writing the prescription: "I've been practicing medicine for decades, do you think I could make a mistake on this?" He then handed the prescription to Cai'er and gave her a few instructions, which Cai'er nodded repeatedly.

After receiving the prescription, Cai'er asked the doctor to leave, but after thinking about it, she felt it was inappropriate and went to invite Granny Liu in.

Granny Liu entered the room with a beaming smile, and upon seeing Qingyan, she immediately offered her congratulations: "Congratulations, Miss Pianpian!"

Granny Liu's congratulations finally brought Qingyan back to her senses. Congratulations? Like the Virgin Mary, she's about to give birth to Jesus? Is this something to congratulate? Qingyan has never believed in superstitions or strange phenomena. For a young woman to suddenly show signs of pregnancy must mean there's something wrong with her health.

Seeing no joy on her face, Granny Liu assumed Qingyan was still worried about something, so she immediately tried to comfort her, "Miss, are you looking so troubled because you're worried about Young Master Lan?" Granny Liu paused halfway through her sentence and looked at Qingyan, "A mother's status rises with her son, Miss Pianpian, there's no need to worry. Perhaps Young Master Lan will take you back to his manor tomorrow." Granny Liu smiled ambiguously, "It's just a pity for me, Miss. Your health is so precious now, Young Master Lan will definitely not let you perform on stage. All my efforts in making a fuss have been for nothing." After saying that, she glanced at Qingyan and, seeing that she didn't react, felt a pang of disappointment.

Lan Zhen, that's it, it must be him. Qing Yan suddenly realized, then jumped out of bed, leaving everyone in the room, and ran out of Quhe Garden like a gust of wind.

Lan Zhen hasn't shown up for the past few days, and no one knows what she's up to, but there must be quite a few sentries around her.

Sure enough, as soon as Qingyan stepped out of Quhe Garden, a man in black, dressed in a tight-fitting outfit, appeared in front of her. Upon closer inspection, she realized it was him, Cao Da, who had used the Chengying Sword to lure her into the trap.

"Summon your master to see me." Qingyan wasn't exactly friendly towards Lan Zhen's henchmen and accomplices.

"His Highness has important matters to attend to and cannot be disturbed. Please forgive him, Princess." Cao Da replied mechanically, ignoring Qingyan's angry glare.

"In that case, please pass on a message to your lord: don't forget to come and support me tonight." "I don't believe you won't come," Qingyan said, then turned and left without looking back.

Back in the room, Granny Liu was still sitting in the same spot. Qingyan smiled apologetically at her and then told her some news that would make her beam with joy: "Granny, I hope you will take good care of Pianpian when she performs on stage tonight." After saying this, she gave a graceful bow, her eyes shining brightly.

"Oh, look how polite you are, young lady. It's only right, it's only right. I'll go prepare right away." Granny Liu went out happily, and before leaving, she didn't forget to instruct Cai'er to take good care of her.

“Now that you’ve reformed, why go back to prostitution? This is no place for a human being,” Cai’er couldn’t help but advise.

Presumably, she learned about Lan Zhen's fabricated relationship from Granny Liu. Qingyan tilted her head with amusement and asked, "Is this not a place for humans?"

"Young lady, you are naturally pampered and fawned over now that you are young and beautiful. But when you grow old, your later years will be miserable. All the young ladies in the brothel who can leave their profession seize the opportunity. Even if they can't become concubines, they are willing to be maids. Now that you have a son, you should not jump into this fire pit."

It was rare to hear such a sincere voice in this dusty place, and Qingyan smiled.

"Miss!" Seeing that Qingyan didn't speak, Cai'er wanted to continue to persuade her, but Qingyan interrupted her.

"Cai'er, I'm hungry. Go get me something to eat."

Cai'er sighed and left helplessly.

As night falls, the red-light districts and brothels, whether brightly or dimly lit, exude an undisguised ambiguity, deeply attracting both genuine and feigned patrons of the pleasure quarters like a tickle to the heart.

"Young Master Zhang, why are you so late today? Yuyan has been waiting for you for ages."

"Oh, isn't this Lord Wang? Our Miss Cuiliu has been waiting for you. Look how lovesick she is, she's lost so much weight. You must take good care of her."

Granny Liu was waving her scented handkerchief, constantly greeting guests of all kinds. Her skillful and natural movements made everyone who came to Hua Man Lou feel like they were enjoying VIP treatment. As expected of the madam of the number one brothel in Suizhou, her ability to attract and manage customers was truly masterful.

Qingyan, her face beaming with excitement, hid behind a pillar at a corner on the second floor, peering down into the hall. It was the perfect spot for peeping—secluded yet offering a wide view of the entire hall. Why come here? Qingyan attributed this behavior entirely to curiosity, that kind of psychological activity most likely to get one into trouble.

The understated luxury of Hua Man Lou, whether in the front courtyard or the backyard, made one feel embarrassed to visit if they lacked refined taste. Although they engaged in mundane pursuits of pleasure, they prioritized the arts of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, striving to label their behavior as "elegant." This pandering to tastes undoubtedly earned Hua Man Lou the title of the premier brothel in Suizhou. Qing Yan observed the myriad figures below with great interest; if Cai'er hadn't reminded her, she probably would have been so engrossed that she forgot about going on stage.

Perhaps it was Granny Liu's effective promotion, or the enormous poster plastered at the entrance that had been so alluring for days, or perhaps the novel drinking contest in the brothel was simply too appealing—whatever the reason, the Flower Pavilion was now packed, everyone waiting for tonight's star to take the stage and unveil their mystery. Qingyan peered out from behind the curtain, the densely packed crowd reminding her of an auction, where she was the valuable exhibit being auctioned off—though whether it was truly valuable would only be determined after the exhibition and the guests' appraisal. So, Qingyan roused herself, determined to carry on her seductive charm to the fullest and put on a show of provocation.

On stage, after a few introductory songs and dances, the stage lights were suddenly extinguished, leaving only a set of candles surrounding the stage, creating a hazy, ambiguous atmosphere. Qingyan smiled gently, her pale yellow gauze dress boldly revealing her youthful curves, her sensuality subtly radiating. Barefoot, she descended slowly from the sky, holding a pipa, amidst the gasps of the crowd, her voice even more captivating:

"An ice maiden descends to the mortal world, first meeting the sun on the shore of West Lake. Right and wrong are hard to understand, like a shadow. A heart full of love and a body full of hatred, a wisp of breeze and a wisp of soul. With sword in hand and wine in hand, she wanders the world. How many grudges are drunk in dreams? Suddenly looking back, all things are empty. Several layers of twilight, several pine trees, several layers of distant mountains and several tolling bells."

The lingering melody of "The Fairy Maiden" filled the air as Qingyan descended from the silk-wrapped swing, her delicate bare feet adorned with anklets that emitted crisp notes. This opening act captivated both the eyes and the ears.

"Greetings, everyone." Qingyan gave a slight curtsy, her eyes lowered, revealing a hint of shyness. However, her gaze fell on the man sitting in the VIP section on the east side of the second floor, and she smiled. He had indeed come after all.

When the lights came on again, a round of applause immediately stirred the emotions of the audience. Sighs of surprise and lewd comments mingled together, making Qingyan a little uncomfortable. However, the show had to continue, otherwise, how would she make the money?

"Thank you all for coming. This is my first time on stage, so please forgive me if I do anything inappropriate," she said, then gave a slight curtsy and casually flicked the ribbon on her arm. A faint scent of roses wafted down, causing the lecherous men in the row in front of her to drool.

"Today, I, Pianpian, am gathering with friends over wine. If any gentleman manages to win over me, I am willing to spend the entire night learning the art of wine tasting. If I am fortunate enough to do so, I hope that you gentlemen will leave behind a hundred taels of wine money." After saying this, she smiled slightly, picked up the wine cup that Cai'er handed her, covered it slightly, and then drank it all in one gulp.

Where there is challenge, there is fighting spirit. The highlight of the evening is the drinking contest with a beautiful woman. Moreover, this is a plaything that is usually a man's game, but now it is in the hands of a woman and used to challenge the authority of men. For a moment, there were many people in the audience who were eager to try and were restless.

This scene surprised Luo Qing, who was backstage. It turned out that Qing Yan had asked him to prepare three times the amount of wine in advance for this reason. He couldn't help but become even more curious about this woman.

"Young lady, you have a great capacity for wine. I, Chen San, dare to challenge you to a duel." A burly man with dark skin stood up in the middle of the hall. He wasn't exactly handsome, but he was very resolute. Judging from his clothes, he was definitely wealthy; otherwise, not just anyone would dare to accept a challenge for a hundred taels of silver. After Chen San finished speaking, he had already downed a cup of wine.

A quick glance around the room revealed that quite a few were about to accept the challenge. A refined-looking scholar on the left side of the hall raised his wine cup. "Since Young Master Chen is in such high spirits, how could I, Fan Chu, refuse to accompany him? Please, young lady." His words were gentle yet provocative, and he downed his drink in one gulp.

Just imagining the allure of that beautiful woman reclining drunk, several more people, young and old, came up one after another. Qingyan glanced at them; the oldest was probably old enough to be her grandfather. A chill ran down her spine. Her eyes involuntarily swept over the second floor, wondering what he was thinking. Was he also interested in joining the drinking contest?

Qingyan kept stirring up the crowd's emotions on stage. There were already ten. Qingyan happily calculated that ten would be a thousand taels of silver. Lan Zhen, this time you have to keep your word.

In her excitement, Qingyan overlooked the fact that the discerning eyes of the person in the VIP section on the second floor were already showing signs of anger. As more and more people accepted the challenge, the owner of those eyes became restless, and the knuckles of his clenched right fist turned white.