Cheon Hyanghwa’s interest was piqued when she heard that the men treated courtesans as though they were no more interesting than stones.
“They come to a pleasure house and don’t even look at the courtesans? Then what are they doing in their room?”
“They spend the entire day watching a textile shop.”
“What? A textile shop? The only one visible from here would be...”
Cheon Hyanghwa turned toward the window.
[Jin Textile Shop]
Her brow furrowed when she saw the sign.
“Why are they watching that shop?”
“They appear to be observing something.”
“Do they seem to have a grudge against the owner?”
“Not at all. If anything, I’m told they watch with smiles on their faces, as though they’re enjoying themselves.”
“Could they know the owner?”
“We don’t have anything definite yet. There are a few possibilities. First, they may be acquainted with him. Second, they may belong to a merchant company and be studying the owner before trying to recruit him.”
“The second seems more likely. Anyone wealthy enough to stay on the top floor just to watch him is probably connected to a merchant company, wouldn’t you say?”
Renting the top floor cost ten gold taels a day.
That same amount could rent the finest private villa for an entire week.
And that wasn’t all.
Their food and wine cost nearly as much.
Even men of great wealth and status only visited the top floor on special occasions, yet these guests had already spent three days eating, sleeping, and doing nothing but staring at a textile shop.
“If they knew him personally, surely they wouldn’t watch him for this long. Wouldn’t they observe him for a day at most and then go meet him?”
“I believe you’re right, my lady.”
“Still, it’s amusing that they won’t even glance at the courtesans. Wouldn’t most men keep women beside them while they watched?”
Cheon Hyanghwa rose from her seat.
“Where are you going?”
“To the top floor. I’m curious what sort of men they are, so I’m going to see them myself.”
“You personally, my lady?”
“Do you think they’ll keep staring at that textile shop even after they see me? Aren’t you curious?”
Cheon Hyanghwa smiled.
The chief steward immediately bowed his head.
“Oh, my lady! What man could possibly resist a smile like that?”
“They know my reputation, don’t they?”
“Could it be that those men are deliberately acting this way to lure you out?”
“Hmm. If so, I suppose they’ve succeeded. They’ve certainly caught my interest. Let’s go.”
“Yes. I’ll escort you.”
*****
On the way to the top floor, they saw yet another fresh spread of food and wine being carried upstairs.
“They’re replacing the spread again?”
“Yes. This is the third time today.”
“Good heavens. Then they’ve already spent forty gold taels today alone?”
“That’s correct.”
“They must have money to burn.”
Whatever the case, the Drunken Blossom House was making a fortune from them, so there was little reason to complain.
Cheon Hyanghwa smiled.
“The proprietor must be delighted.”
“The proprietor isn’t here at the moment.”
“Where did they go?”
“They were summoned by the Gate Master and went to the main sect.”
At the words Gate Master, Cheon Hyanghwa’s expression hardened.
“What if someone heard you? Don’t throw words like that around so carelessly.”
“Ah! My apologies.”
The chief steward bowed hastily.
“Watch what you say at all times from now on.”
“Yes, my lady!”
They soon reached the top floor.
Before entering, Cheon Hyanghwa checked her appearance once more.
When she gave a small nod, the chief steward announced them from outside.
“Honored guests. Today, Lady Cheon Hyanghwa, the finest courtesan in the Drunken Blossom House, has prepared music and dance for your enjoyment.”
“Sure. Send her in.”
The reply was utterly indifferent.
The chief steward silently mouthed that this was how they had treated every courtesan so far.
Now Cheon Hyanghwa understood why the women had returned from this room with their pride wounded.
She nodded.
The chief steward cautiously slid the door open.
RATTLE—
The moment Cheon Hyanghwa stepped inside, her radiant presence seemed to brighten the entire room.
“It is a pleasure to meet you. My name is Cheon Hyanghwa.”
Jeok Wigang barely acknowledged the greeting.
“Mm. Nice to meet you.”
His voice did not sound pleased to meet her in the slightest.
This had never happened before.
Men usually stared at her in wonder or became so delighted they hardly knew what to do with themselves.
Cheon Hyanghwa raised her head and looked at the guests.
What is this? They aren’t even looking at me.
That bruised her pride even more.
They were practically treating her as though she wasn’t there.
“Was it ‘Beauty Weeping Beneath the Moon’? I liked that one. Play it for me.”
If someone had just entered the room, the least he could do was look at her while speaking.
“I’ll play it if you look at me.”
They were surely behaving like this only because they hadn’t seen her beauty yet.
At her words, all three men finally turned.
Jeok Wigang rested his chin on one hand and spoke with the same indifferent expression.
“What are you waiting for? ‘Beauty Weeping Beneath the Moon.’ Play it.”
That was it.
He looked directly at her, said those words, then immediately turned back toward the window.
Cheon Hyanghwa was stunned by a reaction she had never encountered in her life.
He had seen her face and still reacted like that.
She couldn’t believe it.
How could anyone act this way?
She was dumbfounded.
And offended.
What was wrong with them?
Were they eunuchs?
No, more importantly, what in the world were they watching that was so fascinating?
Her mood plummeting, Cheon Hyanghwa rose and walked over to the window.
Then she followed their gazes.
The textile shop owner was arguing with several people outside.
A smile crept onto Cheon Hyanghwa’s lips.
Then her expression tightened again as she looked back at the three men.
No matter how she examined them, they didn’t look like merchant-company men.
Were they really just staring outside because they found it entertaining?
To be fair, the textile shop owner was amusing to watch.
Even she had initially wondered what was wrong with the man, only to find herself entertained by his antics.
Still, no matter how amusing he was, why rent such an expensive room just for that?
They could see the shop perfectly well from one of the small teahouses below.
Unless...
Did they actually know the owner?
“Hmm? What are you doing? Aren’t you going to sing? If you’re not, tell them to send someone else.”
His tone carried not the slightest hint of interest.
Cheon Hyanghwa trembled.
Never in her life had anyone treated her like this.
If she wasn’t going to sing, she could leave?
She suddenly felt depressed.
Has my beauty faded?
Does it not work on men anymore?
All manner of thoughts flashed through her head.
“Hey!”
“Yes?”
“What are you doing?”
“I... I’m Cheon Hyanghwa.”
“I know. You introduced yourself earlier.”
Jin Muryang answered bluntly.
Ye Yahyeon looked at him as though he were an idiot.
“Hey, she means she wants us to introduce ourselves too.”
That wasn’t what she meant.
A vein throbbed at Cheon Hyanghwa’s temple.
“Oh, is that it? I’m Jin Muryang. This bastard here is Ye Yahyeon. And the gentleman over there is Jeok Wigang.”
So those two were apparently guards serving the young master by the window.
Then perhaps she needed to focus on him.
“I shall perform ‘Beauty Weeping Beneath the Moon,’ as you requested, young master.”
Let’s see if you can keep sitting there like a block of wood after hearing me sing.
Grinding her teeth inwardly, she picked up her pipa.
TIRIRING—
She plucked the strings and sang with greater effort than she had ever put into a performance before.
There was a reason people became entranced when they heard her voice.
Cheon Hyanghwa had mastered a sound art.
Flowing Sound Silk Melody.
It was not a technique that struck with overwhelming force. Instead, its gentle sound wound around the listener’s heart little by little, tightening its hold.
The victim would not even realize that a sound art was being used before falling helplessly under its influence.
At times she used it to plant illusions.
At others, she coaxed the truth from people and extracted information.
“You sing well.”
For an instant, Cheon Hyanghwa nearly missed a note.
Sing?
He said she sang well?
What was that supposed to mean?
Was he implying that her face wasn’t?
Her irritation surged.
No, more importantly—
What was wrong with these people?
They were completely unaffected by her song.
She couldn’t believe it.
Fine, then.
Let’s see how you handle this.
Flowing Sound Silk Melody, Third Form—Gentle Distant Entanglement.
Her voice became softer and more delicate, filling the room.
Now the melody would shake their emotions until tears poured from their eyes.
“It really is pleasant to listen to.”
“It is. If you only heard her voice, you’d think even peerless beauties couldn’t compare.”
What?
What was that supposed to mean?
If they only heard her voice?
No!
She was a peerless beauty in person too!
Look at her properly!
More importantly, why weren’t their emotions changing at all?!
She wanted to throw the song away, storm back to her room, and forget the whole thing.
But she was a professional.
She could not allow herself to be shaken by something like this.
Through superhuman patience, she somehow finished the song and opened her eyes.
The three men were still staring out the window.
She felt utterly hollow.
What was going on?
Why hadn’t it worked?
Had they not listened properly?
Should she force the sound directly into their ears?
While she was seriously considering it—
“Oh? What’s that?”
The men by the window seemed to have spotted something surprising.
Cheon Hyanghwa’s curiosity got the better of her, and she approached the window as well.
A group of martial artists was heading toward the textile shop.
Something about them gave her the feeling that trouble was about to erupt.
Surely...
They weren’t going there to fight, were they?
Maybe they were simply there to buy clothes or fabric.
Jeok Wigang noticed Cheon Hyanghwa growing visibly restless.
He looked from her to the textile shop, then back again, his expression turning startled.
—Hey. That woman over there... she doesn’t happen to like Baek Ryeongso, does she?
Jeok Wigang’s sudden voice transmission made Ye Yahyeon and Jin Muryang jerk in surprise.
—What? What are you talking about?
They looked at Cheon Hyanghwa.
Her eyes were fixed on the textile shop, full of concern.
—Wait. Huh? That...
As they watched in surprise, Cheon Hyanghwa’s expression suddenly changed and she covered her mouth with one hand.
The three quickly turned back.
Baek Ryeongso had emerged from the textile shop.
They looked at Cheon Hyanghwa again.
That expression settled it.
—I-I think you might actually be right.
The three men’s interest immediately shifted from Baek Ryeongso to Cheon Hyanghwa.
There was no chance Baek Ryeongso would lose to a bunch of insignificant martial artists like those.
This was much more entertaining.
—Does that young woman know Baek Ryeongso’s current face is disguised?
—Even with the disguise, he doesn’t look that different from before, does he?
—That’s true, but...
—Maybe she has unusual tastes?
Watching Cheon Hyanghwa’s expression change by the second was fascinating.
Then a voice drifted up from below.
“I hear you make excellent clothes.”
“I do. Heard the rumors and came to buy something? What do you want made?”
“Can you make a short jacket from Heavenly Silkworm Silk?”
“I can. As long as you provide the Heavenly Silkworm Silk and pay properly.”
“Shouldn’t you be the one supplying the silk? We’ll pay you.”
“Then it’ll cost more. Fine, I’ll be generous. Fifty gold taels and I’ll make it.”
The martial artists snickered and tossed something at him.
“Such a shame. This is all I have. Can’t you make it for me if I give you just that?”
What landed on the ground was neither gold nor silver.
It was a single iron coin.
“You couldn’t buy half a bolt of cotton cloth with this.”
“That sounds like your problem. My problem is that this one iron coin is all I have.”
Baek Ryeongso snorted.
“There is one kind of clothing I could make for you.”
“What?”
“A sackcloth wrap. Winter’s coming soon, so I’ll be generous and make you one for that iron coin.”
“Why don’t you accept our terms while we’re still asking nicely?”
“Sorry. I have no intention of speaking nicely to you.”
Then Baek Ryeongso began looking around again.
“Crap!”
“He’s looking this way! Duck!”
The moment Baek Ryeongso glanced toward the top floor of the Drunken Blossom House, all three men dropped their heads.
They had almost been spotted.
Then Jeok Wigang turned and saw Cheon Hyanghwa sprawled flat on the floor off to one side, one hand clamped over her mouth.
He immediately sent another voice transmission.
—We can call that conclusive, right?
—Absolutely.
—This may be the most astonishing thing I’ve seen in my entire life. A woman actually likes Baek Ryeongso of all people.
—Exactly.
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