Chapter 97: Song and Dance

At this moment, Meinang, accompanied by Cui Xi and Cui Si, had already slipped out of the Marquis’ residence and arrived at the Cen Residence in the eastern part of the city. Inside a room, she changed into men’s attire along with Lin Ru Nan. In an instant, the beautiful ladies transformed into handsome young men. Lin Ru Nan, accustomed to dressing as a man, looked in the mirror and felt unfazed. Turning around, she studied Meinang, slowly circling her and then said, “You’ve grown taller, and you’ve bulked up a bit. You look quite handsome in this… Meinang, if you were a man, things would get complicated.”

Meinang, nervous, asked, “Complicated how?”

Lin Ru Nan laughed, “I’d be fighting Xu Jun Ying for you!”

Meinang pushed her playfully. “If I were a man, he wouldn’t marry me… But hey, there really are men who like men. I had a bad encounter last year when Zhang Jing Yun specifically warned me against dressing as a man. Tonight, I’m breaking that rule for you. You love wearing men’s clothes, but be careful when you go out. If he spots you, he’d probably want to keep you as his boy toy.”

Lin Ru Nan snorted. “That’s called the ‘cut-sleeve’ preference. You always seem to encounter odd people and situations. If that guy bothers us again, just wait and see what I do to him.”

Meinang leaned close to her ear and whispered, “That person… he’s of high status, not someone we can afford to provoke. If you meet him, just reveal that you’re a woman and don’t argue with him.”

Cui Xi entered to double-check their attire and helped Meinang put on her mask, then they set out. Since Meinang didn’t know how to ride, Lin Ru Nan stayed by her side in the carriage, laughing as she held Meinang’s wrist, “I remember when I’d grab your hand like this, you’d complain it hurt. Now that you’re stronger, when it gets warmer, let’s find a gentle horse, and I’ll teach you to ride. Sitting in a carriage all the time would drive anyone stir-crazy.”

As the streets were quiet at night, Lin A Mao drove the carriage smoothly, with a second carriage from the Lin family following behind, carrying Cui Xi and the other maidservants. Soon, they arrived at the Xian Ke Lai Tavern.

Xian Ke Lai’s four floors were brightly lit, bustling with business during the day and even livelier at night, with singing and dancing adding to the festivities. Guests stayed late, filling the hall with scholars, noble youths, and gentlemen enjoying tea, wine, and performances. Li Qiu Gu and his troupe, led by Xu Yu Nu and Xu Yu Lang, were highly trained from a young age, boasting beautiful voices and extraordinary dance skills. Meinang had added some modern touches to their repertoire, teaching them modified versions of contemporary songs and creating patterns for a makeshift drum kit, crafted by Li Qiu Gu. Although the drum looked a bit makeshift, it served the purpose. She selected a bright, agile boy as the drummer. Surprisingly talented, he had once been a drummer and eagerly took to her methods, practicing diligently until he was proficient in just over ten days. Meinang felt a sense of accomplishment, as this was her first apprentice, and he was so gifted even though she wasn’t a professional drummer.

The noble sons of the capital were captivated, and Li Qiu Gu’s troupe quickly became the trendiest act in the city. Wealthy patrons flocked to Xian Ke Lai to support the performers, showering them with gold and silver rewards. Initially, Meinang let Li Qiu Gu handle the finances himself, but he insisted that the tavern’s accounting office manage everything and split the profits equally after deductions.

The two carriages entered the back courtyard. After getting off, Meinang instructed Cui Xi to take the maids to the lounge to wait and told them to feel free to eat or drink anything from the kitchen but to avoid the front hall, just in case anyone from the Xu family was around to recognize them.

After passing through the back corridors and entering the lavish front hall, they saw over a dozen young women in colorful costumes dancing gracefully to soft string music on the uniquely designed circular stage. The noble patrons leaned back, entranced by the mesmerizing dance.

Shopkeeper Lu had reserved a discreet table with a clear view of the stage. After food and wine were swiftly served, Meinang asked him, “Are Mr. Zhang and Mr. Xia coming tonight?”

Lu replied, “Mr. Zhang and Mr. Xia haven’t come by for several days. I’m not sure if they’ll show tonight.”

Meinang turned to Lin Ru Nan and said, “In the city, these are the only friends I have. If we could drink together with them, it’d be perfect.”

Just then, Lu grinned and said, “Here they are now.”

Meinang turned to see Zhang Jing Yun and Ling Xu walking towards them. Noticing the unusual expressions on their faces, Meinang felt nervous, wondering if something had happened. She glanced at the entrance but saw nothing out of the ordinary.

The four of them greeted each other and shared a drink. Meinang formally introduced Lin Ru Nan to Zhang Jing Yun and Ling Xu, and both of them toasted him in gratitude for helping her into the city when she needed it. Zhang Jing Yun smiled, “If you keep drinking at this pace, you’ll be drunk soon.”

Meinang chuckled, “Drunk? Have we ever actually gotten drunk? I haven’t, anyway.”

Ling Xu laughed, “So you’re showing off now? You’ll have to collapse to call it ‘drunk’?”

Meinang poured another drink and said, “Come on, Ling Xu, let’s drink, and we’ll see if I fall.”

Watching her, Zhang Jing Yun asked, “Why are you dressed in men’s clothes again tonight? Aren’t you worried you’ll be recognized? He hasn’t stopped looking for ‘Qin Er.’”

Meinang chewed on a piece of jerky and said, “Didn’t you both say he’d gone to live outside the city? Isn’t he not here?”

Ling Xu replied, “He was supposed to stay away for a while, but today, he suddenly decided to come back.”

Meinang froze. “He’s back? That’s unexpected. I wanted to enjoy Xian Ke Lai with Ru Nan tonight without worry.”

Zhang Jing Yun smiled, “It should be fine tonight; he just returned, so he probably won’t be wandering around. But from tomorrow on, don’t dress like this. He frequents Xian Ke Lai, and as a woman, he wouldn’t notice you, but dressed like this, you look just like ‘Qin Er,’ except for the face.”

The piece of jerky seemed to stick in Meinang’s mouth as she grimaced, “Alright, if he won’t come tonight, let’s drink and have fun. Tomorrow, I’ll retire this outfit for good.”