Chapter Thirty-Nine: Beauty's Fleeting Fate (2)

At this moment, Kong Sheng was indeed at the Rose Pavilion of the Misty Eight Gardens.

Liu Xinru’s personal maid, Sweetie, had come to invite him, saying that her mistress was hosting a private banquet in the Rose Pavilion today, closing her doors to all other guests, to thank him for having seen through and thwarted the sinister plot of Zhou Chang and Liu Nian, thereby saving her life.

Why was it called a lifesaving grace? The reason was simple. Had Kong Sheng fallen into their trap, as Zhou Chang and Liu Nian had planned, he would have lost control, made a fool of himself, and hurt someone. At that point, Liu Nian would have pinned all blame for poisoning on the Rose Pavilion. As a mere songstress, how could Liu Xinru have borne such a charge? The authorities would have thrown her in jail, and her fate would have been sealed—certain death.

Kong Sheng hadn’t intended to go, but Sweetie’s persistent, almost childlike pleading wore him down, so he reluctantly agreed to pay a visit and make an appearance.

Liu Xinru was renowned for her beauty and her mastery of music, chess, calligraphy, painting, and dance. She was the most famous courtesan of the Misty Eight Gardens—countless men in the city coveted her charms, and there was no telling how many powerful officials longed to possess her. In the past, Kong Sheng had been among them.

Liu Nian’s animosity toward Kong Sheng had, at its core, stemmed from their rivalry over Liu Xinru.

Liu Xinru, however, was not a registered government courtesan but a private one. And being a private courtesan was, in truth, a metaphor for a tragic fate. Compared to official musicians and government courtesans, private courtesans, not being formally registered, had a better chance of escaping a life of servitude, and those blessed with both beauty and talent were often taken as concubines by men of power. Yet Liu Xinru’s price was exorbitant; as the brothel’s cash cow, the cost to buy her freedom was astronomical. If not for that, Liu Nian would likely have forced her to become his concubine long ago.

To Kong Sheng now, Liu Xinru was no different from the hundreds upon hundreds of other courtesans in the Misty Eight Gardens—not that he feigned aloofness, but he genuinely had no appetite for such pleasures. Besides, he no longer possessed the status or wealth to indulge himself in such pursuits.

Kong Sheng’s renown in the Misty Eight Gardens had soared to unprecedented heights because of his poetry. Several of his works, such as “Song of Everlasting Sorrow,” had already been set to music by Liu Xinru and were being sung in pleasure houses. The song was spreading far and wide, and before long, it would sweep across the entire Tang dynasty. Imagine—a night of revelry, song, and dance, flavored by the bittersweet love story of the retired Emperor and his favorite consort. Was that not the height of delight?

No patron or scholar could resist such a song.

Naturally, as the author of this wildly popular piece, Kong Sheng, together with Liu Xinru, was destined to become famous throughout the land.

Kong Sheng arrived, but upon reentering the Misty Eight Gardens, the treatment he received was wholly unlike before. As he hurried toward Liu Xinru’s pavilion in the Rose Pavilion, many songstresses and dancers peeked out from their rooms, some smiling seductively, some whispering sweet nothings, others singing to tease him—each in her own way.

Some madams of other brothels even blocked his path in the street, openly declaring that if Kong Sheng would compose a new song for their establishment, he would henceforth be treated as an honored guest, welcome at any hour and entertained free of charge. Indeed, were he to fancy the madam herself, she would serve him without complaint.

Kong Sheng could only smile wryly, keeping a stern face and saying nothing, slipping away as quickly as he could.

Liu Xinru was, as ever, dressed in a low-cut blouse and skirt, lightly powdered and elegant in bearing, waiting at the entrance to her pavilion. Her beauty was undiminished, but to Kong Sheng’s eyes, she was but another painted skeleton—admired from afar, not to be violated.

Of course, Kong Sheng was well aware, as with every popular entertainer, there was always a powerful patron in the background, and behind every dancer or songstress lay a tale of sorrow and lament. Liu Xinru was no exception.

Sweetie giggled, “Young Master Kong, you’re finally here. My lady has been waiting for you a long time!”

Kong Sheng smiled without replying and looked toward Liu Xinru, who approached with the grace of willow swaying in the breeze. In these times, plumpness was considered the height of beauty, yet this celebrated courtesan’s slender waist set her apart from the rest.

It goes to show that standards of beauty are never fixed. Since Liu Xinru’s delicate frame had made her famous, there must be a reason behind her success.

“Please, Young Master Kong, come in!” Liu Xinru’s cheeks flushed prettily. Not far behind her stood Madam Xiang, the proprietress, fanning herself and smiling coyly. That she allowed Liu Xinru to close her doors and host Kong Sheng alone was surely due to his fame.

If Liu Xinru and Kong Sheng were to debut a new song today, the house would profit handsomely. Still, she had her own principles—Liu Xinru could sing, dance, and pour drinks, but if her body was to be offered, Kong Sheng would have to pay. For his renown and his contributions to the brothel business in Jiangning, perhaps he’d be granted a discount.

Even so, a discount would still mean a steep price. Liu Xinru was still untouched, and the first patron to claim her would have to pay dearly.

“Thank you, Miss Liu,” Kong Sheng said, resolving to make the best of it now that he was here. What had he to fear from a mere songstress?

He followed Liu Xinru up the stairs.

The curtain was drawn and the door closed behind them.

Many passing patrons, seeing this scene, couldn’t help but feel a surge of envy, thinking that to spend a night with such a peerless beauty as Liu Xinru, they’d gladly shorten their lives by ten years.

Wine, dishes, and pastries were already laid out, but only a single table stood in the room.

Liu Xinru laughed softly, hands folded demurely as she welcomed him. After a moment’s hesitation, Kong Sheng knelt down at the table. As he expected, Liu Xinru soon sat by his side, her slender waist swaying as she drew so near their bodies almost touched. She leaned in, intoxicating and fragrant, ready to pour wine for him herself.

“I offer you a toast, young master,” Liu Xinru said, raising her cup.

Kong Sheng smiled slightly, returned the gesture, and drank it down.

By now, he was certain this was no banquet of gratitude, but one of seduction. Still, he could not believe that the renowned courtesan Liu Xinru would be so smitten by a few verses as to throw herself at him; there had to be more to the story.

Frankly, someone as seasoned as Liu Xinru could not be so naïve. Having spent years in the company of men, how could she so easily fall for one?

Growing wary, Kong Sheng suspected something was amiss with the wine, and no matter how Liu Xinru flirted or pressed him to drink, he refused, pleading a poor tolerance for alcohol.

In truth, there was nothing wrong with the wine. Liu Xinru was confident enough in her charms not to resort to such base tricks. Besides, in Jiangning, it was widely known that Kong Sheng was obsessed with her—almost to the point of madness.

Yet Kong Sheng not only refused the wine, he sat upright and solemn, pretending not to notice her hints and teasing touches. She had offered herself up, and he remained impassive—was he truly as virtuous as the legendary Liu Xia Hui, unmoved even by the most beautiful woman?

At last, out of options, Liu Xinru’s eyes reddened, and she suddenly stepped back and knelt before him. “I beg you, young master, save me!”

Kong Sheng’s brow arched—so, the main course was finally served.

He made no move to help her up, allowing her to remain kneeling, and said coolly, “What is the meaning of this, Miss Liu? We were drinking happily—why cry for help all of a sudden?”