After Bai Zheng finished speaking, she straightened her clothes, walked over and sat down in front of the bronze mirror. Zhu Ling helped her comb her hair.
She closed her eyes and quietly felt the comb massaging her scalp stroke by stroke, which made her feel completely relaxed.
Although she had been busy all the time since she time - traveled, she didn't feel exhausted. In this fresh world, there were so many things for her to experience, things she had never truly owned in her previous life.
Such as family affection, romantic feelings, and perhaps...
Bai Zheng suddenly opened her eyes.
"That Luo Niang seems to be a great beauty. It would be nice to have a chance to meet her."
Since she time - traveled, she had never seen a famous courtesan or a top - ranked beauty with her own eyes. Since she was here, she should at least see one to make this journey worthwhile.
Zhu Ling looked as if facing a great enemy and said, "Miss, you mustn't! Those dirty and low - class women would only sully your eyes if you see them!"
Bai Zheng let out a long breath and said, "Such famous courtesans usually only sell their arts, not their bodies. They earn money by their own skills and are actually cleaner than those so - called noble young masters."
Zhu Ling said anxiously, "What selling arts but not bodies? That Luo Niang changes her lover every three months!"
This time it was Bai Zheng's turn to be stunned.
In novels, aren't famous courtesans supposed to only sell their arts and not their bodies? How could this Luo Niang be so...
Unconventional?
As if afraid that Bai Zheng wouldn't believe her, Zhu Ling thought and recalled.
"This Luo Niang, no one knows where she came from. She entered the Yicui Pavilion at the age of seven. After being trained until she was thirteen, she became famous in Yongding with a song named 'Feast in the North'. Since then, she has shown up on the tenth day of each month, either singing, playing the piano or dancing. Six years have passed, and she has always been the top - ranked beauty in the red - light district.
Because Luo Niang is well - known and different from ordinary courtesans, the madam of the Yicui Pavilion didn't force her to serve guests. However, with her beautiful appearance, she still attracted countless noble young masters who were willing to spend a fortune to spend a night with her.
Luo Niang was not like other courtesans who usually cried and refused desperately when they served guests for the first time. Instead, she calmly chose a good - looking young master from those who were pursuing her and became his lover.
No one knows whether Luo Niang is naturally fickle or whether such a beautiful woman is too expensive to support. Even those with rich family backgrounds couldn't keep her for long. Each of her lovers didn't last more than three months."
While Zhu Ling was telling the rumors about Luo Niang, she had deftly coiled Bai Zheng's hair into a simple tilted bun. Then she casually picked up a yellow jade hairpin and inserted it into Bai Zheng's hair.
Bai Zheng looked at herself in the bronze mirror, couldn't help frowning slightly. She took out the yellow jade hairpin, scanned a row of hairpins with her eyes, and said.
"I suppose that all of Luo Niang's lovers must be noble and wealthy young masters. They were replaced after only three months of enjoying her beauty, but none of them came to cause trouble for her. She must be quite capable."
"You're absolutely right, Miss. I heard that when the most favored third young master of the Guo Duke's Mansion was driven away by her, he was teary - eyed and reluctant to leave. He even said that Luo Niang could turn to him for help whenever she had trouble in the future. And there was also the young master from the Ling Prince's Mansion..."
Before Zhu Ling finished speaking, there was a knock on Bai Zheng's door.
Bai Fu's excited voice came from outside the door.
"Miss, miss, the imperial edict is here!"
Bai Zheng raised her eyebrows. It was so fast?
After picking up a gold - inlaid hairpin in the shape of a hanging lotus and inserting it into her hair, Bai Zheng didn't delay any longer. She got up and walked out.
As soon as she reached the main hall, she saw a fair - faced and beardless courtier holding a roll of bright yellow paper standing in front of the hall. Bai Yinan, who had just come back from court and hadn't had time to change out of his official robe, respectfully served him tea.
The courtier obviously knew the rules very well and declined Bai Yinan's tea. When he saw Bai Zheng coming out, he stepped forward, cleared his throat and said, "Miss Bai is out. Minister Bai, receive the imperial edict!"
Bai Zheng knelt on the ground together with Bai Yinan and Lin Shi, listening to the shrill voice of the courtier reading the imperial edict.
"Bai Zheng, the daughter of the minister of the Bai Mansion, has long been diligent and respectful in the boudoir. With her upright and gentle nature, she is virtuous and well - behaved. I am very pleased to hear of her. Now I hereby betroth her to Feng Linyuan, the Marquis of Dingyuan. The relevant departments are ordered to choose a good day for their wedding."
"Smack!"
Bai Di took a sip of tea and suddenly smashed the teacup on the ground. She shouted, "Do you want to scald me to death!"
Zisu was caught off guard and was splashed all over. The part of her instep that was soaked was scalded badly. She gasped in pain but didn't dare to make a sound. She looked at Bai Di tearfully.
"All of you want to see me make a fool of myself, don't you? You're all gloating because I shot myself in the foot, aren't you!"
Just thinking of what happened yesterday, Bai Di got extremely angry. She simply took all her anger out on Zisu.
Zisu shook her head repeatedly and said hurriedly, "This servant, this servant doesn't! How dare this servant..."
Bai Di grabbed the trembling Zisu, twisted her hands and pinched her flesh hard. She said, "You dare not? Is there anything in this world that you lowly servants dare not do!"
Zisu cried out in pain and kept begging for mercy, "Miss, spare me, spare me!"
"Second Miss." Bai Shou called at the door.
Bai Di stopped and asked impatiently, "What is it?"
"The eldest miss is back."
"Elder sister is back?" A look of surprise quickly appeared on Bai Di's face. "Didn't they say that she wouldn't be back in Yongding for a few more days?"
There was a bit of joy in Bai Shou's voice. He said, "It seems that the eldest miss missed home so much that she started her journey a few days earlier. She should be at the gate of the general's mansion by now."
Bai Di got up in a hurry. "Now that elder sister is back, there's finally someone who can avenge me! I'll go out to greet her right away."
At this time, in front of the high - arched gate of the general's mansion, a simple carriage had already stopped. A young maid got out of the carriage, then placed a footstool under the carriage and stood obediently aside.
The carriage curtain was suddenly lifted. A woman in plain clothes got out of the carriage carefully with the support of the maid. The woman was extremely beautiful. Her skin was fairer than snow. She had a delicate face as if it was traced from an ancient painting. Her bright red cherry lips were slightly pursed, and her eyes were like a clear pool of water.
For a moment, all the passers - by in front of the general's mansion stopped in their tracks and stared blankly at the woman's figure.
"Is this... the eldest miss of the general's mansion is back?"
"I heard that this eldest miss went out to study under a master for a year and has just returned recently."
"She's become even more beautiful and charming after not seeing her for a year."
The praises never stopped, but Bai Sheng seemed not to hear them. Her face was calm. She just looked up at the arch of the general's mansion and then walked in.
"Elder sister is finally back!" Bai Di stepped forward quickly and greeted Bai Sheng with a smiling face.
Bai Sheng just gave her a cold glance with her calm eyes and walked away as if she didn't see her.
Bai Di was startled by that cold look. A strong sense of uneasiness suddenly welled up in her heart. Seeing that Bai Sheng had walked far away, she gritted her teeth and had to put on a smile again and followed her.