nashuaworldcup Chapter 394: Climb to the top 1 Anger turns into beauty
Chapter 394: Climb to the top 1 Anger turns into beauty
Chapter 394 A Fury for a Beauty
That afternoon, a funeral procession of more than thirty people attracted a lot of attention on the streets of Gaoling County. The girls walking on both sides of the procession were all top courtesans from the brothels of Gaoling County. They wore strange white robes, and with each step, the hem of their skirts swayed, revealing their long, white legs.
Actually, the white robe is a cheongsam. The key point is that the people of Gaoling County are all country bumpkins who have never seen Ting'ermei clothing before.
Wang Wenzhou, dressed in mourning clothes, walked at the front as a dutiful son, carrying the memorial tablet, with Qi Siyan following closely behind. The babies of Liu Rushi, also draped in white silk, walked in the procession.
The funeral procession made a splash in the city after walking through the streets for a while. Gaoling County hadn't seen such a grand funeral procession in a long time. These past few years, Gaoling County had been in turmoil, and the people were struggling financially. The living didn't even have money to spend, so how could they afford a grand funeral? They were all buried hastily.
It's not that Gaoling County is without wealthy people. Those who are wealthy have long since moved their entire families away. Shaanxi is prone to banditry, and every time a city is breached, the wealthy are the first to suffer. Which wealthy person would dare to stay in Gaoling and wait to die?
The onlookers were all talking at once.
"Isn't this Qi San's daughter? Is Qi San the one attending the funeral? When did the Qi family become so rich?"
"You don't know that, do you? The Qi family's daughter sold herself to bury her father, and was bought by a high-ranking official. The one who acted as the filial son was that high-ranking official."
"Isn't the Qi family's daughter a White Tiger Girl? Is this gentleman courting death?"
"Who says otherwise! Maybe this guy has money to burn; he spent three thousand taels of silver to buy the Qi family's daughter."
"How much? Three thousand taels?"
"Yes! That's right!" The man nodded.
"Hey! Sir! Are you still buying girls? My daughter is 14 years old this year, she's truly the most beautiful girl in the county, everyone in the village knows her!" a woman said loudly.
Wang Wenzhou turned around, shook his head with a wry smile, and said, "You're so ugly, your daughter can't be much prettier either. I only like beautiful girls, okay?"
"Haha!" The onlookers burst into laughter.
The courtesans on both sides of the procession gazed at Wang Wenzhou with tender affection, all hoping that the wealthy Wang would take a liking to them and help them redeem themselves. The wealthy Wang was truly rich; this was the first time he had ever hired courtesans for a funeral, and the fee for just a dozen or so girls was two thousand taels of silver.
Wang Wenzhou wasn't a fool; the problem was the price was too low, and the girls weren't willing to do it. Why would they do business with dead people when they could make money lying down? It was too unlucky!
Looking at the girls' burning gazes, they didn't look like they were going to a funeral; they were clearly in heat. Wang Wenzhou said irritably, "Babies, be a little more professional! You're making money lying in bed, so you have to cooperate. You can't just lie there doing nothing. Why don't you cry a few times!"
"My lord, this humble woman cannot cry!" said the girl closest to Wang Wenzhou in a sweet voice.
“You’re going too far, babies! You’re all prostitutes, aren’t you all excellent actors? Cry when you want to cry, laugh when you want to laugh. It’s just money! I have plenty of money. Today is my father-in-law’s funeral. Whoever cries the most heartbroken will be rewarded with a thousand taels of silver!” Wang Wenzhou said with a smile.
"Waaah... Master, why did you leave like this?"
"My lord, I miss you so much..."
"How could you leave me like this, sir!"
In an instant, the girls all cried as if their husbands had died. Wang Wenzhou shook his head with a wry smile. He was really being pathetic; why did it feel like he had gained a bunch of mothers-in-law?
The girls began to wail and cry, and more and more onlookers gathered.
Wang Wenzhou smiled slightly; this was exactly the effect he wanted. It had been a long time since he'd played Wang Qingtian; he'd have to give it his all today.
Wang Wenzhou clasped his hands in greeting to the people of Gaoling and said, "Fellow elders of Gaoling, I am Wang Wenzhou, but I am not from Gaoling. Today, I was passing through Gaoling and happened to meet Miss Qi Siyan on the road."
Wang Wenzhou pointed at Qi Siyan and said with deep affection, "To be honest, I fell in love with Miss Qi at first sight. Such a beautiful girl has been driven to desperation by a corrupt official, forced to sell herself to bury her father. As a man of seven feet tall, how can I bear to see my beloved girl shed tears?"
Wang Wenzhou declared righteously, "Whoever makes my baby shed a tear even once, I'll make their whole family shed tears for a lifetime!"
"Heroes have always been known for their lust, but lust does not necessarily make one a hero. Though I am no hero, I have risked everything for a woman! My father-in-law was unjustly killed, and though I am powerless, I am still a man who can urinate standing up! I must find the corrupt official Shen Zizhen and demand an explanation. Why was the three-year payment received ten years later?"
"His Majesty cares deeply for the people. Seeing their suffering, he would rather tighten his belt and save money to fill the national treasury than levy the three taxes. But why did Shen Zizhen collect so much money and not return it to the people? Why did he send men to beat my father-in-law to death when he went to ask for an explanation? If Shen Zizhen does not give me an explanation today, I will risk my life to give him one!" Wang Wenzhou said sternly.
"Well done! What a splendid act of acting rashly for a woman's sake!" The old man who had just helped appraise the silver notes walked up to Wang Wenzhou, bowed deeply, and said, "This old man, Miao Ping, greets Young Master Zhou!"
Wang Wenzhou looked at Miao Ping with suspicion. This old man looked like a learned scholar. Did he want to persuade the young master? No need for that. The young master's words were just to fool the uninformed people. With the young master's status, why would he be afraid of a seventh-rank county magistrate?
"Alas..." Miao Ping sighed, saying regretfully, "That day, when the people went to demand an explanation, I had some reservations and did not accompany them. A moment of anger for a beauty! Truly brilliant! Just for those words, young master, I would gladly follow you, even at the cost of my life."
Miao Ping was an old scholar who had repeatedly failed the imperial examinations. This stubborn old man was quite clever; he didn't join the people in demanding justice because he didn't want to get into trouble. But he also had his own personality; he was impressed by a poem that Wang Wenzhou had copied, and suddenly felt a sense of loyalty, like a scholar willing to die for someone who understood him.
"Brother Miao, I've decided to be your friend! After this is over, let's have a drink together. Old Miao, feel free to choose any girl you like at the brothel, it's on me!" Wang Wenzhou said with a smile.
"Huh?" Miao Ping was stunned for a moment, never expecting Wang Wenzhou to be this kind of person! So honest! Just like my temper! I'm also a regular at brothels, otherwise I wouldn't have been moved by your poem.
"A crown lost for a beauty's sake!" Liu Rushi murmured several times, nodding repeatedly. This line from the poem about "enemies" is definitely a timeless classic.
Wang Ying asked softly, "Sister, I never expected that you could write such a poem."
Liu Rushi smiled slightly and said proudly, "Don't let his usual unserious manner fool you; he's actually very learned. 'If life were only as beautiful as our first meeting, why would the autumn wind bring sorrow to the painted fan? Easily changed is the heart of a loved one, yet people say it's the heart of a loved one that's fickle.' I was initially captivated by this poem of yours."
Wang Ying felt a pang of sadness. This poem must have been written by her nemesis for Liu Rushi. When will her nemesis be able to write a poem for her?