Chapter 9: Movents in the Next Room
At dawn the next day, the door of the third-floor private room was gently knocked.
After receiving Lin Xiaowan’s permission—
Leshan and Leshui entered quietly, carrying a copper basin, hot water, cloth towels, and green salt for washing.
Not long after, Honggu also stepped inside, her face unable to conceal her fatigue. Behind her followed a maid, and beside that maid stood a middle-aged woman holding a guqin, her temperant gentle and composed.
“Miss Xu, did you rest well last night?” Honggu forced a smile, her gaze sweeping over Lin Xiaowan like she was appraising a treasure. Seeing her seated by the bed in a loose sleeping robe, combing her slightly disheveled dark hair—yet possessing a unique charm—her satisfaction deepened.
“You two, what are you standing there for? Why aren’t you attending to Miss Xu’s washing and dressing?” she snapped at Leshan and Leshui.
Lin Xiaowan’s voice carried a trace of hoarseness from just waking as she spoke to relieve the two who were caught in a dilemma, “I told them not to attend . I will do it myself.”
She walked straight to the basin, rolled up her sleeves, and washed with the warm water. Her movents were unhurried, showing none of the unease a young girl might have upon entering an unfamiliar place.
Honggu did not insist. Once Lin Xiaowan finished washing, she imdiately gestured for the maid behind her to present an exquisite camphorwood tray, upon which a new set of clothes was neatly folded.
“This was made overnight by the best craftsman from ‘Yunjin Embroidery Workshop.’ The material is newly arrived soft mist silk, and I personally selected the color and patterns. Quickly, change into it!”
Lin Xiaowan accepted it. It felt cool and smooth—indeed a fine fabric.
She stepped behind the screen, and monts later, erged dressed.
The entire room seed to brighten.
It was a black chest-high ruqun, its color as deep as midnight. Yet the fabric shimred subtly, preventing it from appearing dull.
The upper garnt was a crossed-collar half-sleeve design, revealing the girl’s rounded, pale shoulders and delicate collarbones. The contrast between her skin and the dark clothing accentuated her features.
The sleeve edges and collar were embroidered with elegant silver cloud patterns.
The skirt draped smoothly, overlaid with a lighter, flowing outer robe of the sa color. As she moved, the hems flowed like water, and the wide sleeves swayed gently, adding an air of ethereality and detachnt.
She simply stood there, without deliberately posing. Yet her cool temperant, paired with the refined attire, made her unforgettable at a single glance.
Leshan stared wide-eyed. Leshui also stole glances.
Honggu’s breathing paused slightly, then her eyes erupted with near-frenzied delight—success!
With just this appearance and bearing, once she made an appearance, how could she fail to beco famous in the northern district?
Even the woman standing at the back showed a flash of astonishnt in her eyes before returning to calm, giving a slight nod as if approving of this “student.”
“Good! Excellent!” Honggu clapped her hands, her voice trembling with excitent. “Perfectly matches the title ‘Orchid of the Secluded Valley’! Pure, cold, exquisite!”
She suppressed her excitent and introduced, “This is Master Su, skilled in guqin and guzheng, and also exceptional with the pipa. From now on, she will teach you musical theory. For now, follow her lessons. I will arrange lunch.”
With that, she hurriedly left with the maid.
Master Su gently placed the guqin on the instrunt table. Leshan and Leshui quietly withdrew.
Master Su gestured for Lin Xiaowan to sit before the instrunt, taking a seat opposite her. Instead of beginning imdiately, she first asked whether Lin Xiaowan had any prior experience with music.
Drawing from the original owner’s mories, Lin Xiaowan replied, “I have learned so finger techniques, though I have long grown rusty.”
Master Su nodded. “That is fine. So foundation is always better than none. Play a few notes freely for to hear.”
Lin Xiaowan complied, recalling vague techniques, testing the tones, and playing a segnt of 《Autumn Wind Verse》.
Her fingerwork was sowhat stiff, her rhythm slightly uneven, but her pitch and positioning were largely correct. It was clear she had once studied properly, though she had neglected it.
A trace of surprise flashed in Master Su’s eyes—this was far better than she had expected.
She began correcting Lin Xiaowan’s technique, explaining posture, strength, and coordination of breath.
Lin Xiaowan learned extrely quickly, grasping concepts almost instantly. Her once-stiff fingerwork soon beca smooth. Though still far from exquisite, it was already presentable.
During a break, Lin Xiaowan casually asked, “Master Su, in your opinion, to what level must I learn in order to et the… requirents here?”
Master Su looked at her, her calm gaze carrying an understanding of worldly matters. “For an ordinary person to truly enter the halls of music and glimpse its profound essence requires over a decade of hard practice. Even for basic entry, one or two years of diligent effort are needed.”
Her tone shifted, remaining calm and indifferent. “However, in Drunken Immortal Pavilion, so-called ‘musical theory’ is rely decoration—sothing to embellish appearances for those who fancy themselves refined. With your intelligence and current foundation, mastering a few fitting pieces and having passable technique will suffice.”
She paused, lowering her voice slightly, with a faint trace of irony. “Those scholars, nobles, and even disciples of cultivation families who co here for pleasure speak of lofty ideals, but what they truly desire are beauties by their side and soft words in their ears. Hypocritical to the extre! Rember this—do not reveal too much at the start. Leave room for them to feel they can guide you, watch you improve little by little. That illusion of participation often brings them more satisfaction—and makes them more… captivated—than facing a flawless fairy from the outset.”
Lin Xiaowan listened quietly, her expression calm, and nodded slightly. “Thank you for your guidance, Master Su.”
Master Su said no more and returned her focus to the instrunt. “Let us continue.”
......
Over the following days, Lin Xiaowan remained in the third-floor private room, studying the guqin under Master Su.
She learned rapidly—not only due to the faint mories of the original owner, but also because she possessed spiritual sense. Her focus far surpassed ordinary people. Finger techniques, musical patterns, and rhythm were often grasped upon a single explanation and mastered after a single practice.
What was expected to take so ti progressed swiftly and was soon completed.
Master Su pressed down on the strings, stopping the lingering notes, and said to Leshan, who stood nearby, “Go invite Honggu.”
After receiving Lin Xiaowan’s approval, Leshan quickly left.
Before long, Honggu hurried over, her eyes filled with inquiry.
Master Su spoke directly, “Miss Xu is highly talented and has progressed rapidly. Her finger techniques, posture, and two or three performance-worthy pieces are already mastered. She is ready to perform.”
Upon hearing this, Honggu bead with joy. She had long been itching with anticipation—various preparations had already been laid, all waiting for this confirmation.
“Truly? Excellent!” Honggu rubbed her hands excitedly, pacing twice before turning to Lin Xiaowan with a smile. “Tomorrow night, there will be a ‘Fragrance Appreciation Gathering’ in the pavilion. At that ti, all the prominent scholars and young masters of the city will attend. Since Master Su says you are ready, tomorrow night will be the mont your ‘Orchid of the Secluded Valley’ makes her debut!”
Lin Xiaowan lowered her gaze slightly and responded, “I will follow Honggu’s arrangents.”
Late at night, within the third-floor private room.
Lin Xiaowan lay quietly on the bed, not asleep, rely resting with her eyes closed. Suddenly, her ears twitched. Her sharp hearing caught faint sounds coming from the neighboring room.
Over the past few days, she had discovered that those staying on the third floor were either stunning beauties or exceptionally skilled mbers of the Qingyin division. Naturally, their patrons were no ordinary people.
She quietly rose and pressed one ear against the wooden wall.
The sounds next door beca clearer.
“Young Master Qin~ It’s been so many days since you last ca… I finally get to see you, yet you keep fiddling with that dark wooden thing?”
The voice was soft and alluring, tinged with a hint of dissatisfaction.
After a while, that bone-lting voice sounded again.
“Oh my, stop studying it for now. Co here, let massage your shoulders, help you relax…”
After so ti, a young man’s voice responded with a sigh, sowhat distracted, “It’s too profound… difficult to comprehend… sigh, why rush? I think you need discipline.”
The sounds of rustling clothes and footsteps followed.
At first, it was rely conversation, but before long, entirely different sounds began to erge from next door.
Lin Xiaowan’s expression remained unchanged. She treated it as nothing more than background noise typical of such a place, listening quietly. It continued for about an hour before gradually subsiding.
After a while, the woman’s lazy voice sounded again, “Young Master Qin, it’s so late… why not stay the night?”
But the young master seed to have already finished tidying up, his voice returning to its earlier clarity. “There are still matters to attend to. Next ti.”
The woman sounded disappointed. After a pause, as if not daring to insist, she said, “Then… tomorrow there will be a ‘Fragrance Appreciation Gathering.’ I will also perform. Young Master Qin, you must co support !”
“Mm, I know.” The man responded, followed by the sound of a door opening.
Lin Xiaowan quietly rose and moved to the door, opening a narrow gap.
By the dim lantern light in the corridor, she saw a tall figure in a dark blue robe walking unhurriedly toward the stairs.
So it really was him!
His profile was sharp, with a high nose bridge, and the corners of his lips carried a naturally carefree curve. He was the Qin Family’s well-known second young master—Qin Bai.
It was said he possessed a spiritual root and was originally a promising candidate for cultivation, yet he indulged in pleasure instead. Fond of romance, he was notorious in the city for his debauchery.
Lin Xiaowan quietly closed the door, a thoughtful look in her eyes.
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