The splendor of the Red Chamber, the power that reigns supreme.

Chapter 166 Li Guijie's Redemption [1]

When Yue Niang saw the banknotes nearly fall to the ground, her heart leaped into her throat. She hurriedly whispered, "You're courting death! Be careful! This is five hundred taels of silver! Enough to buy a whole alley of living people! What if it falls?"

Jinlian was so frightened that her face turned pale, and her voice trembled with tears: "Auntie! When have I ever seen such a magnificent sight? My hands are shaking like chicken claws, how dare I hold this precious thing!"

Xiangling was so startled that she fell silent. Her palms felt damp and sweaty, and fearing she might stain the banknotes, she trembled and respectfully handed the nearly disastrous paper back to Yueniang, whispering, "Mother... my hands are covered in cold sweat, so slippery..."

Seeing Xiangling's frightened and adorable appearance, Ximen Da Guanren became even more excited. He laughed heartily, stretched out his arm, and pulled Xiangling's soft little body into his arms. He reached into her coat and teased, "Come on, let your master feel if you're really sweating, or if you're just feeling weak in the chest, you little hussy?"

As Yue Niang was examining the silver notes, she looked up and saw this scene. Remembering her nagging last night, she couldn't help but spit out a "Spit!" and a blush of anger rose on her face.

But then he was amused by Jinlian and Xiangling's pathetic appearance and couldn't help but burst out laughing.

That laugh and that spit actually calmed me down.

She gathered the banknotes together and sighed, "Never mind! I can't count on the two of you, I'll just count them myself!"

As Master Ximen was cuddling and caressing Xiangling, Jinlian watched with envious eyes and itching desire. Her small hands had already placed on Master Ximen's shoulders to massage her. Upon hearing this, Master Ximen waved his hand dismissively and said, "What's the point of counting! Fifteen thousand taels, solid and accurate, not a penny less!"

He pinched Xiangling's burning cheeks, then glanced at Jinlian, who was staring longingly at him, and said with a smile, "The end of the year is approaching, so I'll give you both a set of jewelry. Pick the ones with gold and kingfisher feathers, inlaid with pearls and jewels, just choose the newest ones!"

What woman doesn't love jewelry!

Upon hearing this, Jinlian and Xiangling were overjoyed!

Jinlian immediately swayed her slender waist and snuggled forward, saying in a sweet, coquettish voice, "Thank you for the reward, Father! Father loves me the most!"

Xiangling struggled to peek half her pretty face out from Ximen Qing's embrace, her blush still fresh, and said softly, "Thank you... thank you for your kindness, sir..."

The Moon Lady carefully tucked the silver notes into her sleeve, pressed them down, then glared at them and said seriously, "What are you thanking me for? Instead of just showing off your glib tongue, why not try to be more capable and give the master a son or daughter soon? That would be a real thank you! Don't be like last night, making a ruckus all night, only to waste it all..."

Xiangling blushed and lowered her head upon hearing this. Jinlian, on the other hand, felt indignant, thinking that it was all the master's fault and not theirs, but she could only put on a fawning smile and dared not utter a word.

Just then, Ximen Qing's stomach was churning like a drum, making a loud, rumbling noise that shook the heavens and the earth.

Upon hearing this, Yue Niang's heart tightened, and she hurriedly clutched the pouch even tighter, saying, "My lord! You must be starving! Holding this light piece of paper in your bosom makes me feel anxious and short of breath, as if I have no place to rest."

"Tomorrow, my lord must personally go to the bank to exchange for the real snowflake silver. Carry it into the warehouse, lock it up, and seal it. Only then can I put my mind at ease and sleep soundly at night!"

The official touched his belly and simply nodded.

Then Yue Niang raised her voice and ordered, "Jinlian, Xiangling! You two clueless hussies, are you still standing there like door gods? Quickly remove those 'thousand-pound' brass bolts from your doors! Go to the kitchen and call Xue'e to bring up the wine and dishes as soon as possible! Don't let the master's precious body go hungry!"

The two young women hurriedly replied "Yes," and twisted their bodies to pull out the heavy door latch.

Just as the door was slammed open, Lai Bao was seen hunched over, waiting for it to be opened. Upon seeing him, Lai Bao quickly bowed and reported, "Reporting to you, Master, there's... Sister Li Gui at the door, requesting an audience!"

After saying that, he raised his head slightly, his Adam's apple bobbing, and added, "She...she's kneeling on the bluestone slabs at the gate! Kowtowing..."

Upon hearing this, Yue Niang was taken aback, her eyebrows furrowing as she glanced at the man. She recognized Li Guijie; when Wang Sanguan became his godfather, she and a group of courtesans, including Li Jiao'er, came to the mansion to sing and perform. She enjoyed listening and even gave her a reward.

When I heard her call me "Auntie" in a coquettish voice, I felt a little strange. I thought it was just flattery from the prostitutes. Could it be that there was something more to it?
Upon hearing the name "Sister Li Gui," Jinlian immediately understood. How could she dare to look up at the master's expression? She quickly gave Xiangling a wink, and seeing Xiangling staring blankly at her, she could only roll her eyes.

Ximen Qing knew perfectly well why Li Guijie had come. However, the time wasn't right. Although she bore the title of "pure courtesan," as the saying goes, "a prostitute has no heart!"

These girls in the world of pleasure are quick-witted; sweet words are their livelihood, and vows of eternal love are their way of paying for drinks the night.

If you actually marry her, it's like putting a wild sparrow in a gilded cage—her wings will have hardened long ago, and she'll seize any opportunity to fly out and peck at wild food! You must not easily promise her a future, lest you plant a green field on your own head and become a living turtle!

He had already made up his mind, but he remained calm on the surface, simply waving his hand and saying, "Go and tell her to go back first, and that I have my own arrangements."

Lai Bao nodded repeatedly, bowed, and withdrew.

Jinlian and Xiangling also slipped out of the hall. Just as Xiangling was about to walk towards the kitchen, Jinlian grabbed Xiangling's sleeve and whispered, "Good sister, come with me to the side gate to take a look!"

She hurried a few steps to catch up with Lai Bao, who hadn't gone far, and called out, "Steward Lai! It's just a young lady's house. My sister and I can go and take a look. There's no need for you to come."

Lai Bao paused, thinking to himself: those maids and servants in the mansion are ignorant of their own abilities, but how could I not know them? These two delicate ladies have already been taken by the master as his concubines, his close confidantes who warm his bed. Who knows, one day they might be promoted to second or third mistresses and become proper masters. I can't neglect them.

He hurriedly smiled and bowed, saying repeatedly, "Yes, yes, yes, you two ladies are right, I understand, I understand!"

Meanwhile, Jinlian'er, holding Xiangling and supporting Yingbi, leaned out halfway and saw that Li Guijie was indeed kneeling on the bluestone slab in the courtyard, her head hanging low, her dark hair piled up behind her neck, and her smooth forehead just touching the cold ground. She looked like a beauty in a painting worshipping the moon, but with less piety and more panic.

Jin Lian'er's eyes sparkled, and she said in a melodious voice, "Oh, you must be Sister Li Gui, the singer in the brothel?"

Upon hearing the sound, the person on the ground trembled almost imperceptibly on the shoulders and slowly raised their head. This raising of the head was significant, like the clouds dispersing and the moon rising over the eastern mountains—a face with rosy cheeks, brows furrowed like spring mountains, and eyes brimming with autumn water, possessing an undeniably charming appearance. Especially those eyes, now slightly moist, timidly and mistyly gazing over, directly tempting one's heart to itch.

Jin Lian'er's nameless anger suddenly surged three feet high, and her shameful "old habit" relapsed—seeing such beauty, and knowing that she was there to steal food and share favor, her jealousy was like a flood that had been released, and she could no longer suppress it.
She leaned against the door frame, scrutinized Li Guijie with her eyes, which seemed to cut her up and down several times, before slowly and coolly speaking: "Master did give an order earlier."

She paused deliberately, keeping Gui Jie on tenterhooks. Seeing a glimmer of hope ignite in Gui Jie's eyes, she continued, "...They said they were busy today and weren't feeling well, so they told you to go back to the courtyard and rest. We can talk about it another day when you have some free time."

These words sound like a message being relayed, but the disdain and dismissive tone in them were obvious even to a fool.

Jin Lian'er's gaze swept over her still smooth forehead, she snorted coldly, and then said:
"Look, the ground is slippery with moss. Sister, you're being a little too careful when you kowtow. Your skin is as smooth as a peeled egg, not even a scratch. Are you afraid of the pain? No wonder, in your line of work, you make a living by your skin. Being careful is only to be expected."

Although the words weren't vulgar, every word and phrase was directed at the brothel industry, which was more hurtful than direct insults.

As Li Guijie listened, her fair face first turned deathly pale, then flushed bright red, even her small earlobes were stained with blood. Her complexion fluctuated between red and white, making her look extremely unsightly.

She bit her lower lip so hard it almost bled, her large, watery eyes brimming with tears of humiliation, yet she stubbornly held her head high, refusing to let them fall. The tears welled up in her eyes, reflecting the bright moonlight, making Cijinlian's eyes shine even brighter.

Seeing her like this, Jin Lian'er's sour feeling didn't subside; instead, it fueled her anger. She felt that this vixen was even more hateful for pretending to be pitiful and seductive.

She went all out, raising her voice and adding a touch of sarcasm:

"Little sister, get up quickly! The threshold of the Ximen residence is high, and the bluestone slabs are hard. Kneeling for too long will hurt your delicate kneecaps! Go back and tell Mother that our Ximen residence is now an official family. She can't just send a few little girls to rouse us. Tell her to wait patiently for my master to have some free time!"

She didn't care whether Li Guijie was sent by her mother or not; the words were veiled and indirect, clearly implying, "With your lowly status, you think you can enter the Ximen mansion? Wishful thinking!"

Xiangling felt bad listening from the sidelines, so she tugged at Jinlian'er's sleeve.

Jin Lian'er's words were barbed and sarcastic, making Li Guijie feel as if her insides were soaking in a vat of vinegar. She suddenly lowered her head, took a deep breath, and when she raised it again, the color had completely drained from her face, leaving only an almost deathly calm expression.

She stopped looking at Jin Lian'er and, facing the door, replied in a low, hoarse but exceptionally clear voice, "Yes, Sister Gui has remembered what you two sisters said."

Xiang Ling'er, who was listening from the side, was stunned and thought to herself, "When did I utter a single word? I didn't say a single sentence!"

After hearing the instructions, Sister Li Gui, supporting herself on the cold ground, stood up unsteadily. Her knees were covered in dust, but she didn't bother to brush it off; she simply straightened her back as if using all her strength.

She managed a faint, almost imperceptible smile as she looked at Jinlian'er and Xiangling, then turned and walked away without looking back, step by step, onto the hard bluestone slabs.

That figure, so thin and frail, yet possessing an indescribable air of strength, left Jinlian'er leaning against the doorframe inside, her fingernails unconsciously scratching the vermilion door panel, producing a soft "sizzling" sound. Before the smugness in her heart could rise, it was first suppressed by a trace of inexplicable irritation.

As Jin Lian'er watched Li Guijie's slender figure disappear behind the screen wall, the nameless fire in her heart seemed to be doused with cold water, hissing and crackling, instead rising with a sense of emptiness and unease.

She subconsciously twirled the tip of her fingernail that had just scratched the door frame, and whispered to Xiang Ling'er beside her, "Ling'er, did I... say something a little too harsh just now?"

Xiang Ling'er was staring blankly at the empty doorway when she heard this. She turned her head and looked at Jin Lian'er's forced expression. She nodded obediently and said, "Sister, it's more than just a bit heavy. Those words... every word was like a poisoned needle, aimed straight at stabbing into people's hearts."

Jinlian was taken aback by these blunt words, feeling somewhat embarrassed. She forcefully suppressed her regret, and, with her snow-white neck gleaming in the night, said:

"Hmph! So what if she's heavy? Who told her, a mere courtesan from the brothel, to kneel so shamelessly at the gate of our Ximen mansion? In broad daylight, under the clear sky, if those idle scoundrels, down-and-out women see this, who knows what vile and rotten gossips they'll spread! They'll tarnish our mansion's reputation."

"And then," she said, lowering her voice, with a hint of gritted teeth, "didn't you see clearly just now? That little slut had a slender waist, a pair of seductive eyes that darted around, and not a single bone in her body was still! What was she up to when she came running here?"

"Isn't it because she saw that the master had just settled down a few days ago and was going to stay away from that courtyard less, that she was so eager to compete for his favor? Bah! Dream on! The master has finally managed to stay at home for a few days of peace, we can't let these vixens bewitch him again and send him headlong into that insatiable den of iniquity, that cesspool of debauchery!"

Xiangling listened, recalling the gossip the old women in the kitchen had been spreading the other day—that the master practically treated the brothel as his home, indulging in nightly revelry and spending money recklessly, the silver flowing out like a burst dam!

A chill ran through her. Yes, if Li Guijie really managed to lure the master back to the brothel, what good would it do for the women in the house? Thinking about it this way, she realized that while Jinlian'er's words were a bit harsh, her reasoning... seemed to be correct.

She nodded slightly: "Sister is right, we should be on guard."

The two men, each lost in their own thoughts, fell silent for a moment. Only when the wind whistled through the empty courtyard did they turn and go inside to report back.

Upon entering the upper room at the back, the warm charcoal smoke mixed with the aroma of various dishes wafted straight into one's nostrils.

There, Mr. Ximen was having dinner with his wife, Wu Yueniang, at a black lacquered, mother-of-pearl-inlaid octagonal table. The table was set out very neatly.
In the center is a large red copper hot pot, bubbling with a rich, fragrant white broth, inside which are tender, fall-off-the-bone pork hocks, with bright green scallion segments floating on the surface.

A plate of glistening braised pork belly, its sauce rich and thick;
A plate of thinly sliced, translucent braised mutton, its red and white meat contrasting beautifully;

There was also a plate of bright green pickled lettuce shoots and a plate of stir-fried goji berry sprouts with oil and salt, both refreshing and not greasy.

There were also several plates of delicate pastries on the side: soft and sticky steamed cakes made with goose fat and white sugar, and sesame paste flatbreads.

On the corner of the table sat a silver wine pot with lotus petals, accompanied by several small official kiln wine cups.

The Moon Maiden was personally serving Ximen Qing food, placing a piece of pork hock skin onto the small Ding kiln dish in front of him. Seeing Jinlian and Xiangling enter, the master looked up and asked, "Have you sent them away? Come here and talk." Jinlian hurriedly stepped forward, curtsied, and replied, "Reporting to the master, Li Guijie from Lichun Courtyard has been sent away."

Ximen Qing was picking up a piece of pork hock skin when he heard this and grunted in response. He didn't ask any further questions, only saying, "It's good that you're gone. You two have been standing here for a while. Come here, take your chopsticks, and have some with us."

Upon hearing this, Jinlian and Xiangling were startled and quickly waved their hands, saying, "We wouldn't dare! We wouldn't dare! How could we possibly have the right to sit in front of Master and Madam!"

Wu Yueniang put down her chopsticks and said with a smile, "Since you've said so, I'm honoring you all today. The food is especially good today, the pork hock is stewed until tender, so please have a taste. It's rare that you're in the mood to have dinner at home today, and it'll be more lively with more people."

When Jinlian and Xiangling heard what Yueniang said and saw that Ximen Qing had already pointed at the embroidered stool and spoken, they dared to step forward.

The two men took bowls and chopsticks from a lacquered box beside them, shuffled to the edge of the table, and leaned to the side, only half of their buttocks resting loosely on the edge of the embroidered stool. Their backs were ramrod straight, as if they were being tortured. They kept their eyes down, not daring to actually reach for the delicacies on the table with their chopsticks.
Ximen Qing was enjoying his meal when he saw Yue Niang thoughtfully serving him food. So he picked up a piece of thinly sliced, clearly textured braised mutton and put it into Yue Niang's bowl, saying with a smile, "You eat too, don't just think about me. This mutton is well-marinated and cooked to perfection."

After taking a couple of bites of mutton, Ximen Qing noticed out of the corner of his eye that the two maids were still frozen in place, hesitant to touch their chopsticks. He put down his wine cup, picked up a pair of spare chopsticks in front of him, and scooped out a large piece of tender, mushy, and glistening pork hock from the copper hot pot. He then took a large piece of fatty and lean pork belly from the plate of glistening braised pork and, without saying a word, placed it into the bowls held by Jinlian and Xiangling respectively!
"Here, take some and eat! This pork hock is stewed until it's so tender it melts in your mouth; the braised pork is also very flavorful. After eating like this, how can you go without a little bit of oil in your stomach?"

"Master...Master! This...this is unacceptable! You've made me so ashamed!" Jinlian's voice was trembling with tears, and Xiangling lowered her head even further, unable to even utter a proper thank you.

Seeing this, Yue Niang smiled slightly and said, "Your husband gave you this, so eat it without worry. It will taste fishy if it gets cold."

The two then seemed to wake from a dream and hurriedly held the bowl even tighter.

Jinlian carefully picked up a small piece of pork hock skin with the tip of her chopsticks. The skin trembled and was shiny with oil. When she put it in her mouth, it was indeed tender, fragrant, and delicious.

Xiangling also took a small bite of the braised pork, the richness of the fat and the chewy texture of the lean meat melting in her mouth.

One or two people lowered their heads and ate the meat in their bowls in small bites, barely daring to make a sound while chewing. They felt that this meal was more tiring than ever before, yet their hearts were inexplicably warm.

As soon as you step through the back door of the brothel, where the air is thick with the scent of perfume and the sounds of birdsong, a warm, stale air mixed with the smell of leftover wine and food hits you.

Now, Li Guijie, after leaving the gate of the Ximen mansion, walked back to Lichun Courtyard in a daze.

The forced pitifulness on her face had long been blown away by the cold autumn wind.

Their eyes were empty, like two dry wells, with only a faint glimmer of hope remaining, like a firefly dying out at the bottom of the well.

Just then, she saw Li Jiao'er swaying down the stairs, her waist swaying like a snake. Li Jiao'er's eyes, which were always good at reading people, swept over her and saw her wilted appearance. She immediately understood and guessed eight or nine parts of the truth.

She couldn't help but purse her thin, scarlet lips, let out a soft snort, and swayed her hips as she went to meet her. She grabbed Li Guijie's icy-cold wrist and, without saying a word, dragged her to the dark, secluded corner at the bottom of the stairs.

"Oh! My child!" Li Jiao'er said in a low voice, her voice like poison mixed with honey, both sweet and venomous, "Which palace did you come from? Look at your little face, so pale, you look like you've lost your soul!"

She leaned closer, her perfumed scent filling Li Guijie's nostrils. "What's wrong? Did you really have the guts to go to the Ximen mansion to find that big shot? ...You got a taste of your own medicine, didn't you?"

Li Guijie's wrist was gripped by her. She looked up at her like a wooden sculpture, her lips moved a few times, but her throat felt like it was blocked by a wad of tattered cotton, and she couldn't utter a single word.

"Alas! My foolish, infatuated girl!" Li Jiao'er sighed, tapping Li Guijie's forehead with her finger stained with bright red nail polish. "I advised you eight hundred lifetimes ago to give up on this idea! Don't you even take a piss and look at yourself? How incredibly wealthy and powerful your master is now?"

"That's the powerful Ximen Da Guanren of Qinghe County, whose every stomp shakes the ground! Now he's even received the imperial favor and become 'Master Xianmo'! You ask what this 'Master Xianmo' is? My silly boy, you've already inquired about it, he's the renowned Academician of the Xianmo Pavilion!"

"Even those poor, pedantic scholars in the county government office, who wear long gowns and square scarves and look down on everyone, have to bow and scrape before you and respectfully call you 'Master Xianmo'! Even the county magistrate himself would drool over you but still couldn't get that title!"

Li Jiao'er spoke with increasing fervor, spitting as she went: "What are we? We're just courtesans in this brothel, selling our smiles and singing songs while drinking! The Ximen mansion, with its high gates and deep, unfathomable walls, is as noble as the heavens! How could people like us ever dream of getting close to it? You, on the other hand, are delusional, running off to fawn over him. Isn't that like offering your warm face to a cold-hearted prince, only to humiliate yourself?"

She deliberately emphasized the word "pinkhead" heavily, as if it were a poisoned needle stabbing down hard.

Li Guijie's body trembled violently, as if she had been electrocuted. A crack finally appeared in her empty eyes, revealing the sharp, piercing pain and shame beneath.

Li Jiao'er saw it clearly, and leaned close to Li Guijie's ear, her hot breath carrying the sweet scent of perfume, drilling straight into her ear canal: "My dear, listen to your aunt's honest advice, and give up that unrealistic fantasy as soon as possible! We're eating our last meal, and what matters is our youth and tenderness! How many years can youth last? How many days can a flower bloom?"

She abruptly changed the subject, her voice lowering even further, brimming with barely suppressed excitement: "What a coincidence! There's always a way out! Just now, a very wealthy and powerful man from the north arrived. Look at his bearing! He was wearing a sable coat and adorned with gold and jade—a truly imposing figure!"

"I heard someone mention your name at the banquet, and without saying a word, I bid this much!" Li Jiao'er suddenly stretched out her hand, painted a bright red, almost dripping red, as if it had just been squeezed with balsam juice, her five fingers flashing in front of Li Guijie's eyes, making everyone's eyes dizzy:
"A full three hundred taels of silver! I'll comb your hair! All you have to do is nod your head and show him your best skills to serve him well for one night!"

"Three hundred taels! Normally, I'd only get a hundred taels at most."

On Li Guijie's ashen face, as if a stone had been thrown into water, a violent ripple finally appeared with a "thud".

Her pupils suddenly contracted, and she stared incredulously at Li Jiao'er's heavily made-up face.

Seeing that her heart was wavering, Li Jiao'er quickly pressed her advantage, her spittle almost spraying onto Li Guijie's face:

“You know how sharp Mom’s hands are, they’re faster than a knife when she pulls them out! But I felt sorry for you, so I practically wore my lips out trying to persuade her!” After much pleading and swearing, Mom finally showed her mercy and only took one hundred taels of ’raising money,’ leaving the remaining two hundred taels…

She squeezed Li Guijie's hand tightly with her icy hand, her nails almost digging into her flesh, and drew out her words meaningfully, "It's all your private money! My son, two hundred taels of pure silver! Enough for you to set up a small shop and live a life of comfort!"

"This is an incredible windfall! You won't find another chance like this! What are you waiting for? Quickly tidy yourself up and smooth your face. Your aunt will take you there now. That distinguished guest is waiting eagerly in the warm pavilion, with wine being warmed!"

Seeing Li Guijie's shifty eyes, she quickly leaned closer and whispered, her voice as furtive as an owl's: "My child, don't be afraid! Why be afraid of that Master Ximen? This matter will be done without anyone noticing, a fleeting affair, leaving no trace!"

"This northern tycoon will leave after just one night, and no one will know. Even if... even if, by some chance, a high-ranking official decides to take you in, we've been in this business for years. What kind of tricks haven't we learned, like 'deceiving the heavens' and 'substituting one thing for another'? Those tricks involving 'stains on a handkerchief' and 'chicken blood and pigeon blood' are a piece of cake for us. It's not a big deal!"

Li Jiao'er was speaking with great enthusiasm and her eyes gleaming, fully expecting this immense wealth to be within her grasp. However, she saw that Li Guijie's ashen face remained expressionless as she slowly, yet with unusual determination, shook her head.

She didn't even look at Li Jiao'er's astonished face, nor did she pay attention to those heartfelt words. She simply broke free of Li Jiao'er's grip, which was covered in bright red nail polish, twisted her body, lowered her head, and staggered away like a tumbleweed with its roots broken in the autumn wind.

"Hey! You...you...you little devil who's courting death!" Li Jiao'er was taken aback by her stubbornness, which she had been suppressing for a moment. Then, an inexplicable anger suddenly flared up and burned through her skull. She no longer cared about appearances, put her hands on her hips, and started cursing in a shrill voice:

"What kind of bewitching potion did you drink? What kind of Five Gods did you run into?! Hundreds of taels of silver! Shiny and heavy, enough to crush your worthless bones! And you, you treat it like the King of Hell's death warrant, afraid to even touch it?"

"You push away mountains of gold and silver when they're stuffed into your arms, insisting on trying to scoop up the moon from the well, or even the clouds in the sky! Do you think your vermilion gates and stone lions are something you or I can use as stepping stones? You're truly hopeless!"

Her barbed and scathing rebuke sounded particularly jarring in the relatively quiet corner of the staircase.

From the thick, impenetrable shadow behind the pillar, the madam, who had been watching the spectacle with her arms crossed and a cold eye, finally emerged slowly like a water snake swimming out of a ditch.

The thick layer of official powder on her face appeared deathly pale in the dim light. Her thin lips were pursed into a sharp, razor-sharp line, but the corners of her mouth curled upwards, carrying a hint of venomous mockery. Looking at Li Guijie's swaying figure, about to fall into the darkness, she let out a heavy, contemptuous snort, thick with the smell of phlegm:
"Hmph! Your ambition is so high it's sky-high, but your life is so cheap it's like it's fallen into the mud! Do you really think you're the mistress of the Ximen mansion, dressed in fine silks and broths, with servants at your beck and call? Why don't you take a sip of yellow soup and look at your cheap bones that've been rolling around in brothels!"

"Even the rough, uncouth maids who clean chamber pots and empty the chamber pots in that high-ranking official's mansion are cleaner and more presentable than your filthy, brothel-smelling skin! You got a cold shoulder? You deserve your just desserts! It saved me the trouble of arguing with you!"

"Hmph, I've painstakingly cultivated this gilded facade of a 'pure courtesan' for you. I'd like to see how long you can flaunt your 'golden flower' persona in a brothel!"

The voice wasn't loud, but it was as cold and menacing as an icicle hanging from the eaves in the dead of winter, barbed and piercing straight into one's heart.

Li Guijie's thin spine seemed to be pierced by the icicle, and she trembled violently. Her thin shoulders shrank inward almost imperceptibly, like an animal whose spine had been whipped.

She didn't turn back in the end, nor did she falter in her steps. She simply dragged her two legs, which felt like they were filled with lead, step by step, sinking deeper and deeper into that nauseating, greasy darkness.

Her stomach was already burning with hunger. Since returning from the Ximen mansion, she hadn't eaten a single grain of rice or drunk a drop of water. She groped her way to the greasy door frame of the kitchen, where she saw a cold stove, pot lids upside down, and an old woman with rough hands and feet, reeking of cooking oil and sweat, shoving a pile of greasy dishes into a wooden basin of dirty water.

"Mom...Mom," Li Guijie's voice was hoarse and dry, like a broken bellows, "Is...is there...a bite of leftover...rice?"

The old woman looked up and saw the madam's cold face in the distance, and immediately knew that her mother was going to start training this young prostitute in advance to properly control her.

He raised his pockmarked face, blackened and shiny from the soot of the stove fire, as if covered with a layer of dirty plaster, and his triangular eyes slanted sideways.

With a loud crash, she slammed the greasy, large bowl into the dirty water of the wooden basin, as if throwing away bad luck. The splash, strewn with rotten vegetable scraps and fish scales, landed directly on the tips of Li Guijie's worn-out embroidered shoes.
"Oh ho! Who do we have here! Isn't this Sister Gui, whose ambition is higher than the roof of the City God Temple?"

The old woman, drawing out her words, spoke in a shrill voice so sharp it could scrape off two ounces of plaster from a wall, "What's wrong? You didn't get to eat the dragon liver and phoenix marrow, orangutan lips and leopard fetuses from Master Ximen's mansion, but now you're thinking about the pig swill and dog food in this filthy place?"

"Go ask your mother. If she agrees, I'll make it for you again. If she doesn't agree, then it's gone!"

"If you were a top-tier courtesan, with a sign, a sedan chair, a banquet, and someone holding an incense burner to worship you, you could have whatever you wanted to eat or drink. But right now, even the yellow dog in the backyard has food, but you don't. If you don't mind, go and share a plate with that old dog!"

After saying that, he spat a mouthful of thick, sticky, foul-smelling yellow phlegm onto the muddy ground at Li Guijie's feet with a "plop," just inches away from her embroidered shoes.

Li Guijie's face instantly lost all color, becoming even paler and more eerie than the mulberry paper used to paste on windows. She turned around blankly, her steps unsteady, moving slowly as if dragging a thousand-pound shackle, shuffling towards her bedroom.

As soon as I entered, a small maid with her hair in two buns and barely tall enough, like a frightened little mouse, darted in through the crack in the door and then closed it behind her.

The young maidservant, her face filled with panic, moved closer to Li Guijie, who sat on the cold bed like a clay puppet. She lowered her voice, her breath coming in gasps, and said urgently, "Guijie! My good sister! You...you've been so foolish and blinded by greed. You shouldn't have gone to the Ximen mansion."

Li Guijie didn't even lift her eyelids, as if her soul had already left her body.

"It would be better if you didn't go. Because the master might come to pick you up, even your mother and the others are still somewhat wary!" Seeing her lack of reaction, the little maid became even more anxious, her voice trembling with tears.
"But...but now the whole brothel is talking about it! They're saying you were so arrogant and shameless that you went to the Ximen mansion to curry favor, and as a result...as a result, you were ruthlessly...kicked out by the master!"

"When Mother heard this news, she was overjoyed, as if she had found gold! Just now she was whispering with a few of the pimps in charge, saying... saying that since the master's money tree, which is so vast and boundless, has been cut off, then... then there's no reason to keep feeding you, this 'pure courtesan,' for nothing! It's such a waste of rouge, powder, silk, and satin!"

"If...if in another ten days or so, there really isn't a sound from Master's mansion, not even a feather has drifted over..." The little maid's voice trembled like a leaf in the autumn wind, filled with fear, "Mother is going to...going to make you open your face and start entertaining guests! Gui-jie! My dear sister! What...what...what will you do?!"

She took a breath and lowered her voice even further: "Mom also said... if you dare to act coy, make excuses, and pretend to be a chaste and virtuous woman unwilling... then... that leather whip dipped in coarse salt is hanging on the wall of the torture chamber! Just waiting to be used on your delicate skin!"

After the maid finished speaking, she herself shuddered in fright, trembling like a leaf. Stealing a glance at Li Guijie's face, which was more ugly than a dead person's and devoid of any life, she felt a chill run down her spine. How could she dare to stay a moment longer?
Just like when it came, it slipped away silently, gently closing the door behind it and cutting off the last vestiges of light and shadow from the outside world.

(End of this chapter)