A Maiden's Strange Voyage

As such, she went inside to find Linglong. Who was more than happy to find her there again. And Dianyu realized that she could choose someone to be here with here. Someone who knew the place inside out in case things went awry. Feiyu had told her of the plan, and deciding that trying to play a song here was not a bad choice but one which could work.

A song was to their advantage, even if the only issue was because of Dianyu being around. Something which she said she could handle on her own, trying to find someone to be with her and hide away during the main event. Something which her master believed that she could do on her own. And she knew that it was likely to be Linglong.

"My master says to help out here in any way I can."

"Your master is too kind, we have a lot to do." Linglong beckoned her to follow and so she did. Having nothing to really say about this matter, and thus followed. It will be better either way, to have someone and something to do. It did something to a.s.sure her at the very least. Hence why she was more than happy to follow.

"Anyway, tonight we aren"t supposed to wear any bright colors. And as such, we need to plan the wardrobe carefully." It was better in their minds to avoid any kind of disrespect, they didn"t need the place to be haunted. Or even more haunted than it was.

"Well, how about avoiding bright colors we try to make the colors less vivid and no red in general. Make it blend in the background as compared to choosing plain dull colors, then there will be more choices there."

"That could work, they are more than happy to trade for safety." And this was slightly better than the other options they were working with. There were plenty of them, although Linglong insisted on looking it over personally before deciding to give it to which courtesan. It still had to be flattering, just that they should not use any deep colors.

Work was still worked, and closing down the brothel was not possible if they wanted to avoid any rumors. And they were a brothel which had taken quite a few of it and sees their business suffer quite a bit. Not surprising that they took the chance to hide this because they had to, they could not be afforded to lose any form of business at this point.

Both Linglong and her went to distribute it in different directions, something which will have taken time but it was in the late afternoon and Linglong probably spent the entire morning figuring out what they should do. Handling the funeral had to be discreet, so she made a guess that it was in the afternoon. Able to do it with sufficient time for the last rites but also out of site for anyone.

And then, it will have been the smartest to feign illness for her absence rather than having to explain her death. It was better to announce it after a period of illness, which could be an easy explanation without any rumors. Although they might need to explain why there was no doctor around even if it was best to have one on such an occasion.

All of them gave her curious glances because they knew she was an apprentice to Feiyu; and that she was now helping them with their wardrobe. Until of course, she reached the last of them all. And she was not too hopeful when she saw the woman holding her head high in the air, as though she was beneath her. With the air of disdain and superiority, the very things that made her dislike the cook in the first place.

"Help me with the dress." The woman asked that of her. Knowing that this was intended to make her life more difficult than it already was. She couldn"t figure out what was more hilarious, picking on her for serving the wrong master or choosing such an obvious method. The former told Dianyu that she was pathetic and the latter also stupid.

"I"ll get you a servant." She left to find a girl who was slightly younger than her. The girl followed her once she knew it was to do with dressing, arriving at the same place. Before she left, giving the woman a smirk.

"You should be more careful."

"I"m not going to return after tonight, and I do think that the alternative is perfectly acceptable." If she wanted to be crueler— also less intelligent— she could have chosen to simply mess with her dress. But she didn"t want to get herself into trouble, just avoid letting her have the chance to push her around.

"I hope you"re right. She happens to be one of the more popular ones."

"She"s jealous that my master gets the attention she works so hard for." That Feiyu easily got it without having to put on airs, without ever having to conceal herself just so she could earn more.

"That"s right, she does the same thing to most of the girls. Even though it never goes beyond that." But also because this was a compet.i.tion. Of sorts in its own way. Some men were naturally attracted to some women, so there was a fair bit of luck in play. And whether the courtesan could take up different personalities and images while having no issue maintaining them.

"Do you want to be like them?"

"No, I don"t. That"s why I"m not an apprentice, I wouldn"t survive. The owner told me that and thus she had me learn the inner workings, the necessities to always be wanted anywhere else. So that I will never starve." Even as she realized that it was strange to show such kindness to a girl here.

"She treats you like a daughter." But also shielding her from the ills of this world, although she seemed to have seen it but never truly went through such ordeals. A little strange.

"Yes, she does." Before she looked at the time. "Come on, we still have the performance stage to prepare."

She followed her down while looking at how Feiyu was setting up. Leaving Linglong with the feeling that she had nothing else to do, as Feiyu took care of it and in a way that her mistress approved.

"Take a rest tonight, you have been working the entire day, Ling-er."

She nodded, more than happy to oblige. Even as Dianyu kept her eye on the woman the entire time, but saying nothing. Their conversation was strange, but she had not shone herself as particularly unhinged. And thus, she needed to keep her eye out even more.

"Thank you for helping us, Dianyu." Her eyes turned on her. While Dianyu kept her gaze on the woman, trying to appear as normal as possible. As removed from fear as she could muster. "I do hope to see you around tonight."

"That"s too kind of you, but my master expects me to be close to her. Said that I disobeyed her hence I was not allowed to explore on my own." Something that wasn"t her exact words but will hide why she was going to be around her. Because something was very very wrong with the place. Something that Feiyu knew well and thought that she could no go without taking any action.

Feiyu came to her later, surprised at how it went.

"It"s nothing really surprising, although you did use me as your shield." She looked to the side, wondering whether she could try and do something else. "But that was quick thinking on your part so I won"t say anything."

And trying to avoid this sort of situation was the best, but if it was not possible she knew that she had to think of a reason. "I guess I don"t need to tell you how to handle such situations."

"I grew up dealing with a superior I hated." And there was not much that she could do with it, except accepting the reality for what it was. And trying to get herself out of arguments and trouble, instead of launching into them.

"Well, that does teach some sense to avoid them as much as possible."

"I wasn"t shielded, now that I"m here it was a good move." She was on her own, relying on her mind rather than anything else.

She breathed a sigh of relief. Her apprentice was smart enough to know that she was rather worried given that this was the unfamiliar place, she did not know the etiquette and the rules of this world. And thus, it was normal to be worried that she will act out of line.

"We"re about to begin," Linglong told Feiyu before she gave a nod and followed her to the stage. She took a peek out to see that this place was different from behind the curtain. From the top, they were small insignificant. But now when they were up close, every gesture, emotion was written in their eyes and faces.

It was only then that she knew how terrifying it was. The eyes on a single person, and having to continue even as they scrutinize your every action as well as judge your performance. It took a lot of confidence that nothing will go wrong and most people will like it. She didn"t think she could handle this large an audience, she found it easy to take a smaller audience.

But this was on a whole different level. One which frightened her the moment she saw it. The life of a courtesan was always far from easy, but then again it was not fully as a courtesan. And now, she knew why Feiyu helped among other girls who were tied to engagements with men almost thrice their age, or girls thrown into unfortunate circ.u.mstances. Perhaps she had that talent that few had, or perhaps she saw something in her that reminded her of her own.

Either way, she was ready to move onto to this new life. No matter how strange it has become. She was ready to accept that her old one was in the past and she had no hope of going back to those days. Then, she reminded herself of the sights. Chang"an as she heard was the capital for many centuries, and still was a bustling city today. Still a part of the silk road with many merchants coming in and out bringing their goods into China.

The many trinkets, people with hair colors of yellow and white. Eyes that went beyond the normal brown they saw. In the plains of the north, and in the traders who came here. Things that people did not think was possible, did not think such things existed. She thought about it, and this was a form of work. Work that she could use to earn more, work that could allow her some form of freedom. Even as they were never known to any women just men.

When the performance started, she went behind the curtains. Waiting for Feiyu to start playing, whether she will begin with a more older piece before going to that song. She didn"t know whether any other song played on the pipa could have the same effect. Nor whether it will even work in the first place. But she knew that it was only that song which put others to sleep or possibly worse.

She didn"t think much until she heard it and covered her ears. "Cover your ears." Something which Linglong didn"t question when she began to feel lightheaded. And struggled against it.

When it was over in a moment of silence, Linglong let go of her ears. Looking around before focusing on Dianyu. She looked on the outside, seeing that no one was awake. And Linglong did the same.

"Just what is happening here?"