Chapter 43: The Moon Lingers Atop the Willow Boughs

At the same time, we welcome the esteemed guests and gifted scholars present to offer monetary rewards or compose poems and verses to show your support for the fairies of the Tianyin Pavilion. Let me share a special treat with you all: if any of our distinguished guests manage to catch the eye of Tianyin Pavilion tonight, you will have the honor of becoming the personal guest of the Fairy in Red, who will remove her veil and perform exclusively for you!"

"Aah—!" All the men went wild. To have the Fairy in Red perform for one alone—such a life was truly worth living!

"Patron Wang Qing, a squire of Qingle Town, bestows ten taels of silver!"

"Scholar Liu Wanchun of Wanshan County bestows fifteen taels of silver!"

"..."

The financially powerful guests began the first round of rewards.

This left Lin Feng full of envy, thinking that this single round of tipping yielded more than what he earned through a whole month of backbreaking labor.

Money came far too easily here.

"Brother Zhang, why are there so few women from Tianyin Pavilion here?"

Lin Feng remembered that back in the Great Chu Dynasty, when he went to watch a performance by Tianyin Pavilion, there were easily over a hundred women.

Zhang Yuan smiled and said, "This is merely one of their dance troupes; Tianyin Pavilion has troupes scattered everywhere. However, I hear this dance troupe in red is exceptionally popular, especially the Fairy in Red herself. Their ultimate goal should be to gather in Jiangcheng and compete in the Top Courtesan contest of the Tianyin Pavilion dance troupes."

It seemed that the grand spectacle back in the capital of Chu must have been precisely that competition held by Tianyin Pavilion.

"Brother Zhang is certainly well-informed!"

Zhang Yuan laughed. "Actually, I just heard about some of this from others. Brother, since we lack deep pockets, why don't you compose a poem as well? Aren't you a scholar? You should be well-versed in poetry and prose. Who knows, if you manage to become the intimate guest of the Fairy in Red, you'll make quite a name for yourself, my boy."

An intimate guest?

A sudden itch arose in Lin Feng's heart. He was genuinely curious to see the true face beneath that red veil.

When it came to beauties, Lin Feng never ceased his journey of exploration.

In his past life, he had no desire for romance, let alone settling down. Having a woman to worry about would only slow down the speed at which he drew his weapon.

That was precisely why he had maintained his boundless energy as an operative for thirty years.

Yet, his absolute favorite way to unwind after completing a mission was to find a fine woman to "communicate" with for a few days.

Naturally, she had to be the kind of woman one didn't entangle oneself with—he must pass through a forest of myriad flowers without a single leaf clinging to his robes.

Even without falling in love, women occupied a very significant place in his life.

It was *women*, plural, rather than any single woman.

Thus, his playful attitude toward life in his past life fit hand in glove with his unrestrained nature in the present.

Lin Feng glanced around. "How is it that no one has offered any poetry yet?"

"Poetry contests aren't like throwing money around; as long as you craft one superlative verse tonight that others cannot surpass, victory is yours. Look at all those talented scholars over there, clutching their heads in deep contemplation," Zhang Yuan chuckled with a grin.

Lin Feng thought to himself that if he were to compose just one piece, it had to be exceptionally refined, and above all, it had to be a poem that could touch a woman's heart.

Naturally, many poems filled his mind, but selecting one capable of stirring a woman's emotions required careful thought.

At that moment, the maidens of Tianyin Pavilion upon the stage began to appear one by one in brilliant succession, each displaying her unique talents.

Everyone present was utterly captivated and half-mad with enchantment.

The rewards continued to pour in, and finally, some began to submit poetry.

The poems were delivered directly backstage to Tianyin Pavilion; if selected, the finest works would be read aloud at the very end.

At this juncture, the Fairy in Red took the stage. The crowd rose to their feet, thunderous applause filling the air. Though veiled, her enchanting figure and alluring posture were more than enough to drive men wild.

With peacock feathers crowning her head and silver bangles adorning her bare feet, she swayed and danced gracefully to the rhythm. Her choreography was dreamlike, every joint in her body as flexible as a snake's, twisting and turning with effortless fluidity. A shudder rippled from her left fingertips to her shoulder, and from her shoulder across to her right fingertips. The silver bangles on her wrists vibrated in unison. Utterly devoid of affectation, every single movement was as natural and flowing as a white lotus emerging from clear water.

It was truly breathtaking. The audience was once again spellbound, and even Lin Feng marveled at the mesmerizing dance, as ethereal and spirited as a wood nymph.

"If this Fairy in Red goes to Jiangcheng, she will undoubtedly be a formidable contender for the crown of top courtesan," Zhang Yuan remarked. "Right now, I'm actually hoping my brother-in-law hurries up and takes office in Jiangcheng so I can go cheer for the Fairy in Red."

Lin Feng inquired, "When is the Tianyin Pavilion dance competition scheduled to take place?"

"I heard people say it's around late May."

Lin Feng calculated that by late May, he would likely have already arrived in Jiangcheng.

He unfolded a sheet of xuan paper on the table, prompting Zhang Yuan's eyes to light up. "Brother, are you planning to write a poem?"

"I'll write one and see how it goes," Lin Feng smiled.

He ground the inkstick and dipped his brush, writing:

*Last year on the night of the Lantern Festival,*
*The flower market's lanterns were bright as day.*
*The moon climbed up to the willow tips,*
*We trysted after dusk had faded away.*
*...*

Before Lin Feng had even finished half the verse, Zhang Yuan could no longer suppress an urge to cheer. Suddenly, a yamen runner dashed up to the second floor and hurried urgently to Zhang Yuan's side.

"What is it?" Zhang Yuan asked.

"Head Bailiff, someone in the town has reported a case. They say a corpse was seemingly discovered inside a well in the southwestern part of the town."

"What?!" Zhang Yuan's expression froze, and all his leisure vanished instantly. "Damn it! We can't have a crisis right when my brother-in-law is about to leave. Come on, we must investigate and solve the case as quickly as possible."

Lin Feng laid down his writing brush and stood up, preparing to leave.

"Brother, feel free to stay here and enjoy yourself."

"What would be the point of me staying here alone? It's getting late anyway, time to head back."

"Very well, let's go together."

The two men followed the runner and departed from the Yueke Teahouse.

After their departure, their table fell vacant. At that moment, an elegant young gentleman in white robes walked up to the upper floor. Seeing the table empty, he asked the waiter, "Why is no one sitting here?"

"The previous guests had matters to attend to and left early."

Overjoyed, the young gentleman in white promptly sat down. "Waiter, bring me a pot of your finest Bamboo Green tea."

"Right away, patron."

Unfolding his folding fan, the gentleman gazed infatuatedly at the song and dance below. His eyes drifted slightly downward, falling upon the sheet of xuan paper left on the table. He unfolded it and paused slightly. "This calligraphy is exquisite... and the poem is exceptionally well-written..."

How is there no signature? Who could have written this?

His eyes brightened, the corners of his mouth curled upward, and he murmured softly, "It would be impolite of me to decline such a gift." He picked up the brush and signed his own name at the bottom.

"These characters are truly difficult to imitate, but fortunately, it's just a name; I can gloss over it."

At that moment, the waiter returned, carrying a tray with a teapot.

"Waiter, I have composed a poem as an offering. Please deliver it to Tianyin Pavilion."

"Very well, patron."

Meanwhile, after Zhang Yuan and Lin Feng stepped out of the teahouse, several yamen runners were already waiting for them outside.

"Does the village head know?"

"He has already gone to the scene."

"Let's move, quickly!"

Zhang Yuan hurriedly led his men running toward the southwest.

Lin Feng figured he might as well go take a look, since the southwestern direction happened to lie along his path back to Kaoshan Village.

Following Zhang Yuan and the others to the well, he found a crowd already gathered. Liu Ruofu and several runners were standing right at the wellhead.

A villager spoke up, still visibly shaken, "Lord Liu, when I came to draw water, I felt something was amiss inside the well. When I looked closer, I saw an object floating on the water's surface, and it clearly looked like a dead person."