Chapter 220: Courtyard

The Chen family was a prominent clan in Jiangning. Their villa, located halfway up the mountain, was beautifully and grandly built. When Ning Yi arrived, Yun Zhu and Jin'er were already there, waiting for him in the courtyard near the main gate. Ning Yi appeared from behind and patted their shoulders. "Both young masters are quite handsome," he said. "They remind me of two young ladies I met last time. Do you happen to have any sisters you could introduce me to?"

He had come over to crack a joke. Yun Zhu turned around, appearing amused. "There's a girl named Yun Zhu," she offered. "Would you like to meet her, young master?"

Jin'er, who already had a grumpy expression, looked even more displeased after hearing Yun Zhu. "This young master is also handsome," she retorted. "He resembles a girl I once played with. Could she be your sister?"

Having worked at Jin Feng House previously, Jin'er had naturally heard her share of vulgar poetry and crude language, though she didn't usually speak that way. At this moment, she was clearly annoyed. After her retort, Yun Zhu subtly glanced at her, and Jin'er huffed, turning her face away. Being a few years younger than Yun Zhu, her male disguise made her seem even more childish. Ning Yi couldn't help but laugh. "You little squirt, still wet behind the ears, what do you know about women?" he chuckled. "By the way, I saw you arguing with Liu Qingdi earlier. What happened?"

Yun Zhu looked at Jin'er. "Li Heng, don't tease her. Liu Qingqiu was already upset about this earlier."

"Oh?"

"It's nothing, really. We came dressed as men, and Liu Qingdi naturally recognized us. He then informed the girl next to him, who came over and called us 'sisters' while saying all sorts of provocative things. Then Liu Qingdi and his two friends also came over, saying strange things, like how we used to be, and asking if we were going to perform today..."

She smiled gently as she spoke. In front of Ning Yi, there was no need to appear overly wronged; a few words were enough for him to understand. Ning Yi nodded. His original intention in inviting Yun Zhu was for them to enjoy the festivities together. However, there were only so many people in Jiangning's upper circles. If Liu Qingdi could recognize Jin'er, others might also recognize them. Although they had reformed and felt no inner shame, encountering such incidents while trying to relax could still lead to resentment.

"I should have come with you; I didn't think of that..."

"What's it to you?" Jin'er retorted. Liu Qingqiu's provocation earlier had directly exposed their female identities, and Jin'er was already annoyed by Ning Yi's earlier greeting. Now, hearing him apologize, she turned back, frowned, and interrupted him. "So what if we're recognized? We used to... we *had* that identity, we can't change it. It's enough for people to know we don't have it anymore. It's Liu Qingqiu who's looking for trouble, not you, so why are you apologizing? Hmph, what kind of literati and scholars are they, so persistent and shameless? Just defeat him with your poetry later and ruin his reputation; that'll be enough."

"Do we need to be so harsh? Ruin his reputation... And why should I be the one to act?"

"You already apologized..."

"But you said it wasn't my business."

"I just said that offhand." Jin'er was always a pragmatist; she kept her integrity when it was useful and discarded it when it got in the way. Thinking about it now, she felt annoyed again and glanced at Yun Zhu. "Besides, she offered to introduce her sister to you..."

Hearing her, Ning Yi couldn't help but laugh. "Alright, alright, you win."

He chuckled and continued, "But why don't you go defeat him yourself?"

"I'd like to, but I can't beat him."

"I'll teach you a few poems and verses, and you can compete with him."

"Your poems... How can I use them?"

"Of course. For instance, 'Last night the wind was fierce, the rain was brief, my deep slumber didn't dispel the lingering wine. I asked the one raising the curtain, but she said, the begonia remains the same...'"

Ning Yi had once worked in advertising design and planning, so he was skilled in various calligraphy styles and had naturally encountered many poems and verses. Although he had gradually forgotten them later, his recent exposure to classical texts over the past year or two had helped him recall more of what he had encountered. Now, as he recited fluently without any particular intonation, before he even finished the poem, Jin'er's eyes widened. She urgently whispered, "Wait, wait, wait! I can't remember all of it! Let me go get some paper and a brush..."

Ning Yi waved with a smile. "We'll talk about it later."

Yun Zhu also held Jin'er's hand. Although she was accustomed to Ning Yi's nonchalant personality, she naturally felt this kind of thing was inappropriate. Jin'er hadn't memorized the lines just now, but Yun Zhu had generally grasped them. Blinking, she savored the words for a moment, then asked, "Li Heng, what's next?"

"The rest got cut."

"Huh?" Yun Zhu didn't understand, looking at him with a pure expression. Ning Yi thought for a moment. "It should be, 'Do you know, do you know? It should be green leaves lush and red flowers sparse.'"

"That's a beautiful verse," Yun Zhu softly said. "But it sounds like it was written by a woman..."

Jin'er also nodded. "Green leaves lush and red flowers sparse... This line is so beautiful..."

"Ahem, when I was little, a nun passed by my house..."

While Ning Yi, Yun Zhu, and Jin'er chatted and laughed here, many others had already arrived at the villa. One side of the courtyard was actually a terrace near the mountainside, adorned with railings, trees, and flowerbeds. This spot offered the most expansive view from the mountainside, providing a clear sight of Baiwuzhou and Stone City in the distance. Many arriving merchants and scholars were conversing in the courtyard or halls, accompanied by courtesans. Since it was an outing in nature, the main event wouldn't be confined to this villa; the forest behind it was also part of the Chen family's property. After everyone had gathered, they would hike up the mountain together. People continued to arrive, and Ning Yi had already spotted Liu Qingdi, Cao Guan, and even Qi Lan and Can Miaomiao. The woman who had been with Liu Qingqiu earlier spoke with Qi Lan for a while, then pointed towards Ning Yi. Qi Lan smiled shyly at Ning Yi, and the other woman also smiled awkwardly and curtsied. Ning Yi and Jin'er, acting like two men, gossiped about the situation.

"This woman clearly has a crush on me."

"Don't flatter yourself. I used to greet people like that too."

"But I'm different. I'm Ning Liheng. Qi Lan worships me; she must have told her just now. Once she hears that and compares me to Liu Qingdi, she'll probably think I'm a better catch... Hey, I think we can get revenge on Liu Qingdi by trying to steal his girl."

"'Steal his girl'?" Jin'er didn't quite understand.

"Yes, it means poaching his interest."

"It seems... possible?" Jin'er considered, a hint of expectation in her eyes.

"It should be fine. After all, I'm a public figure..."

"Yes, get her, get her interested, then abandon her. Lead her on and then dump her!"

"How did you get so wicked..."

In truth, Ning Yi wasn't that superficial. He brought this up simply to tease Jin'er, who had recently been contemplating how to pursue Yun Zhu. Jin'er was struggling, completely clueless about how one woman should like another, how to even begin. After all, they were close enough, sleeping together every night. Having come from the courtesan house, she understood the physical aspects of what two women could do, but she had no idea how to start a romantic relationship on an emotional level.

In a truly homosexual relationship, one of them would typically adopt a more masculine mindset. However, Jin'er saw Yun Zhu as a woman who needed protection, and she viewed herself as unequivocally female, even seeing her male disguise as merely a fun game, never considering herself a man at heart. Therefore, her feelings for Yun Zhu were a blend of admiration, affection, and respect. Regardless, upon hearing Ning Yi talk about "stealing girls," she became interested, approaching Ning Yi as if seeking wisdom and discussing it with him.

Yun Zhu, standing nearby, watched the frivolous pair helplessly. She could, of course, tell that Ning Yi was joking, though Jin'er might have taken him somewhat seriously. Occasionally, she rolled her eyes at Ning Yi, but only after he gave her a reassuring look did she turn her attention away, meticulously pondering the lines "green leaves lush and red flowers sparse." Then, she quietly sang a few phrases, stopping only when someone approached.

The one who approached was Qin Shaoqian, with a big beard, accompanied by a thirteen or fourteen-year-old loli-like girl. Behind him was his attendant, Xu Xiaohu. Judging by the girl's clothes, she was also a courtesan. Qin Shaoqian had only returned the day before yesterday and immediately brought a young girl with him, truly remarkable. When introducing her, Qin Shaoqian didn't seem to mind, saying, "This is Miss Xiaolu."

Miss Xiaolu looked at Yuan Jin'er, seemingly recognizing her. "Are you... Sister Feng'er?"

Jin'er's expression was odd. She looked at Xiaolu, then at Qin Shaoqian, and with a cupped-hand salute, absentmindedly said, "I am not Yuan Jin'er. I am Yuan Jin'er's brother, Yuan Bao'er." Clearly, having been recognized, she wasn't keen on too much concealment.

Xiaolu curtsied. "Hello, Brother Bao'er."

Ning Yi was also looking at Xiaolu and Qin Shaoqian. After a moment, Qin Shaoqian realized something. "Oh, Xiaolu. Well, she's only fourteen this year. Last night, I went to Mingcui Tower, and they were about to 'comb her hair' and register her [as a full courtesan]. Isn't that a sin? So I bought her. I thought she'd be perfect as a concubine for Xiaohu, but Xiaohu is afraid of his wife and refused. So I guess I'll have to keep her with me..."

Behind him, Xu Xiaohu awkwardly rubbed his eyebrows. Qin Shaoqian, however, had an open and frank expression, as if nothing was taboo to speak about. Ning Yi thought, *This fellow only came home the day before yesterday, and already he went to the courtesan house to buy a girl yesterday. That's quite something.*

Since Qin Shaoqian had arrived, Qin Shaohe must also have been there. Given his status, Chen Luoyuan had personally gone to greet him, and they were likely conversing in an adjacent courtyard. It was said that besides Qin Shaohe, Consort Kang Xian had also come today. Since a group of literati and scholars were about to engage in a tense literary competition, it was expected that a few grand scholars, who could act as impartial judges with their wisdom and seniority, would also be present. Kang Xian was always robust and enjoyed social gatherings, rarely missing such major events.

*Later, I can go greet them and have Kang Xian and Qin Shaohe make things difficult for Liu Qingdi,* Ning Yi thought to himself. In the adjacent courtyard, Chen Luoyuan and others were already emerging in their direction. Soon after, Zhou Bangyan, Li Shishi, and others finally appeared as well. It seemed most of the guests had arrived, and it was time for the nature outing and festivities to begin. As for the inevitable friction and competitive spirit that would arise during such an outing, that was a common and expected part of the program, varying only in degree...