Chapter 19: 第19章：Being the center of attraction is a bad idea
Upon reaching the place, it was one which was devoid of any women. Mostly men looking for a good woman ot spend the night with, except for them. Which only won them stares, just as much as she knew that they were here. They belonged here, no matter what others may have taught. Even as she entered a place which was not open to women unless they worked or were planning to do so.
She looked around it in the early evening, where many had started streaming in. Feiyu had knew the place well, at least to not be lost around here. She brought her to a single house, where many simply stared at her entrance. "Welcome."
It was a serving girl, who greeted her with a nice smile.
"I have a meeting with the owner."
"She's a little busy but she'll come over the moment she knows you're here." She gave a nice nod, while the "I'm sorry, as I do not know how to address you."
"Call me Feiyu." She gave a small smile to the girl. Who hurried off to find her master.
It was easy to know that she was a common customer as it was, or had stayed here for a significant amount of time to have someone so familiar with her. Even as she didn't look at Dianyu for a moment.
"It takes time, and if you're an apprentice you're invisible." She knew that, because they were not expected to do much except observe. The real displays of talent will come from the real deal, because apprentices were not trusted enough. Their job had been to learn form their masters and they will have their turn when it was right.
Not that she didn't mind it. The restaurant had been where she knew she was good as much as even when she did screw up it was never severe for her. At least none as much as this. Where even one wrong move could mean an end to her career, she knew that the first impression was everything here.
As such she needed to do her best to endear herself to the owner, even as Feiyu assured her that being natural won't get her anywhere. But having spent years in the restaurant putting on fake smiles and handling harsh words said to her, she didn't find it particularly hard to keep her mouth shut.
"She's here." Feiyu told her, to give a slight warning. She was a tall woman, who even in middle age looked rather well kept. Wearing red lipstick and dressed in a dark purple dress.
"Feiyu, it's been a while." Feiyu did a curtsy in return. Before her eyes went to her, as Dianyu did the same. "Is that what I think it is?"
"She's my apprentice." The woman gave a glance over her entire body, she took a step back. Incredibly uncomfortable at the attention, that seemed to measuring how she will be as a courtesan.
"Seems like the kind you will take. Not beautiful, but with a sense of wit and a mind capable of surviving here. Beauty often means little when compared to talent." Before she stepped forward to look at Dianyu. "After all, they fade but a mind never will."
Feiyu gave a small chuckle in return, having a good idea as to what she meant. Even for all the beauty that women obsessed over, it was not something that will last.
"Well, if I was beautiful I will have simply stayed in my village town and wait for the richest man to fall in love with me."
"That's certainly true, but without that is this a wise option?"
"Who can say, but at least I made the one best for myself."
"We rarely have any choices left when we choose this route."
Dianyu smiled in return.
"I rather like her, but I know that you're going to bring her around the country. Because it's what you will do with your advantages." The woman did not seem sad or anything, but rather knew that it will be what is happening.
"I just wish for her to make her debut here, and that she be known as my apprentice and younger sister from now on." It was reasonable as much as
"So, you want my help?"
"This is my first time, and I think that this is more of your expertise." Given that she was running a house filled with girls like her, it was most certainly true.
"You're too kind, but since you said so." She took her in deep. And looked at her hands. "Rough, although not too much, tongue is very sharp which means that she likely wasn't sewing or washing clothes for a living. Did you work in a restaurant or an inn?"
"I helped my mother with the accounts and served good customers." By her side, the small girl was busy writing all of this down on paper. "I can only write numbers and some words."
"Do you have a father?" She shook her head. "A little strange, but so far she can read, has a good head on her shoulders. She is a little on the plain sight, but her wit and vivacity can be rather refreshing for a change. Her face is round, with small eyes and a rather prominent nose."
She took a chance to think of what will suit her at the end. "No matter how I think of it, she will be more suited to try a more scholarly type. Her wardrobe will be rather easy since you won't need to try to find clothes which bring out the best in her but rather get her to use her mind and everything will fall into place. Ornaments can be flashy, or exquisite as it will complement her greatly."
Feiyu gave a small nod, even as she was a little uncomfortable to have been spoken in such a way. "Either way, good of you to have me look at her first. Customers have changed quite a bit in their tastes."
"Can't be that bad."
"Well, a lot of them are young man who is seeking someone older and more matronly. Some are men who have strange tastes, and some prefer to try all of them at once." Feiyu gave a shrug, which seemed rather good as a choice as well. If anything, she did know that men were varied as women were. It should be expected that they should have different expectations. Although how did they even get to the point where almost all the women were similar to each other.
"That's strange."
"As much as I need people who are not expected to behave like normal women and not courtesans."
"You could get them to act as themselves." Feiyu gave a raised eyebrow, even as she looked upon it in suspicion.
"It's quite hard, since many of them have been here for most of their life or veterans. Old habits die hard." Although Dianyu looked down to see that they were so, however they only attracted a smaller number of customers than before.
"So, you need my help?"
"Just for your stay." Getting the idea that it was an exchange more than it will have been a favour.
"All right. I can't say no to you." Not when the terms were in her benefit, being able to change it when she wanted to. "Give me a guqin and I'll be here for the night."
"Get her the best one we have." Her servant quickly went to look for it. Given her speed, the place was likely huge. As courtesans lived here, it had to be. Since their rooms were effectively the places they used to entertain.
"I'll take her with me." She merely gave the older woman an eye, before she followed her. A chance for her to know the place. "Well, I doubt you're well versed in this."
"This is my first time."
"Then, you are quite wise."
"My mother didn't keep anything from me." The woman looked into her eyes, to see whether that was the truth. It rarely was for any woman, it was in fact highly unusual. Mothers chose to hide this all from their daughters, thinking it too much for them to handle. Something that they had to face as they grew up but not before. Because this was something they will have to face as they grow up with time. Not before.
"She sounds wise. Let me show you something." Up from the second floor, where she looked below. The courtesans were in all sorts of colors as well as of all kinds. There were many tables, where servants served them one by one. Feiyu had made her appearance as she went to the stage, which was a platform built upon the floor with stairs. She had began with a song, with many turning their heads on her.
She was more than just a musician at any point. And in a way that she caught the attention of all. When she was done with her piece, she took her leave. While most of the men simply looked at her. And then they began to ask who was that.
"Is this a chance for me to simply watch her?" Although she knew that it was more intentional than this, for such a purpose was a little too contrived. As she had seen Feiyu perform before, hence it was not an issue. But still she felt there was more than that, and the gazes men cast here along with the glares women did.
As though they wondered how someone like her could manage to keep the attention of many. Even when she was not the most beautiful. Nor had her appearance been impeccable, and yet she won the charm of them all. Which was almost impossible for some of them to even dominate. Much less captivate them that they don't stop looking.
"Well, this is what it is like. It is a competition, although some have better advantages than most, but it is still intense and if they do not get clients they do not get paid." And why this was a job meant for the desperate rather than the confident. Marrying was a lot more stable than this, as a man was expected to protect his wife when necessary. And was only allowed to divorce her only if she fell into any of the seven sins a wife was.
She knew that it was, as much as Feiyu had her own share of jealousy and dislike. "You realise that she has not many friends there, and quite a bit of enemies."
And she knew that it will be hard on her, as much as she knew that it could not be helped. It will not be any easier for her since she was the apprentice. "Think of it as a first step, it won't be easy and it will only get harder."
"Because she is unusual for a courtesan." The same way that without her mother's protection she will have lost her job a long time ago. As much as many people thought that it was what defined the restaurant, but it will have been tolerated by no other. And that situation was unique enough, hence she was able to do as she wished.
The same was for her. She was an outlier, someone who did not follow the common situation. She was something of an enigma, for she was incredibly intelligent, and educated beyond the means of any courtesan even if they lived here their entire lives. And yet she chose this path, even when she will have done well as a wife.
"You do know what this will mean." Before the woman left, going to see something new. It was enough for the night, and she knew that it won't be easy for her. She was tied to a talented and strange courtesan, while she herself was not an incredibly good choice for an apprentice.
"We can go." Feiyu told her, before she followed. But still she knew deep within herself that this was something that will not go away with time. It was something that she will need to face even with time.
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