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Gao Feng suddenly covered his forehead, recalling the look in Qin Wenyuan's eyes just now, and couldn't help but sigh—he must have been seen as a bastard who didn't care about his sister's life. If it weren't for the fact that he was that guy's superior and was concerned about Qin Yaru's safety, this brother-in-law might have kicked him in the face.
Watching Qin Wenyuan lunge forward, a group of Courtesans quickly scattered, their faces pale with fright.
Gao Feng couldn't help but laugh and cry at his embarrassment. He sighed and ultimately couldn't bring himself to rush up and stop him.
Ouyang Yue was also startled and stood up straight, while Yan Xixi even left her seat to rush to the front stage.
With Qin Wenyuan causing such a commotion, those present, who were already filled with worry, became even more anxious. Some of the bolder ones had already started wiping away tears, fearing that a corpse would suddenly appear in the water tank, which would not only bring bad luck but also cause trouble that would be a headache for everyone at the Brothel Management Office.
Just as Qin Wenyuan rushed onto the stage and reached out to pull aside the curtain while shouting for a doctor, he saw the curtain move, and Qin Yaru emerged drenched.
The iron chains that had been tightly bound had already fallen to the ground, but the massive stone remained firmly blocking the top of the water tank, still unmoving.
Qin Wenyuan was momentarily stunned, staring in disbelief.
The crowd erupted in an uproar, with even two people rushing onto the stage to try lifting the stone. They struggled for half a day but couldn't budge it. It seemed that this stone was not fake; looking at the water tank, there was no sign of any anomaly—the water inside hadn't spilled a drop. There couldn't possibly be any hidden doors or mechanisms.
Qin Xiu promptly shook out a large cloak and draped it over Qin Yaru, protecting her as they made their way off the stage. Once Qin Yaru stepped down, the audience erupted into cheers of surprise and joy.
This performance might not have been the most exquisite show from the Brothel Management Office, but it was certainly one of the best in recent years—memorable enough to be watched again and again, likely to become popular for many years to come.
Ouyang Yue had always been trustworthy; without some personal principles, she wouldn't have achieved her current success. Moreover, Gao Feng was a trusted confidant of an Official; it was better not to offend him casually, especially not for a Courtesan at the expense of angering a promising general—definitely not a wise trade.
She would propose that Yuexin, also known as Qin Xiu, make contributions sufficient to compensate for the years of teaching she received from the Brothel Management Office before she would agree to let her go. It was a last resort; otherwise, once this door was opened, any talented Courtesan who had just been trained and was ready for use could escape before even being registered, which would be a disaster!
Although not many of the Courtesans from the Brothel Management Office truly wanted to leave, rules were necessary for order. She had to strive for fairness and justice.
…………
Qin Xiu finally escaped from the Brothel Management Office.
Holding a simple, even crude, household registration document in her hand, Qin Xiu could no longer hold back her tears and cried loudly. Qin Yaru felt a pang in her heart; her sister had always been a strong and optimistic child who never shed a tear even in the face of great difficulties.
Qin Xiu had restored her original name, and now Qin Yaru established herself as a female head of household, allowing her sister to be registered under her name, saving the trouble of returning to their original household.
Returning to Jiunzhou wasn't bad; it was just that without parents or siblings, it couldn't truly be called home. For a girl like Qin Xiu, going back alone made both Qin Wenyuan and Qin Yaru uneasy. Moreover, it was a crucial time for the Qin Family to seek justice, so it was better for important family members to stay together.
Leaving the Brothel Management Office was indeed a great thing, and Qin Xiu felt much more relaxed. However, being forced to stay at home as an idle young lady made her somewhat uncomfortable. Qin Yaru also didn't want her to waste what she had learned in the Brothel Management Office.
The truth is that everyone looks down on the Courtesans of the Brothel Management Office, but those Courtesans are truly talented and at the forefront of fashion during the Song Dynasty. Whenever they created a new makeup look or used one or two new cosmetics, it would quickly become all the rage in Kaifeng.
Having come out from such an environment, if she were to waste time and forget everything she had learned, that would be a huge loss.
However, since she left home too early, although she studied calligraphy and literature at the Brothel Management Office, it wasn't as solid as what Qin Yaru had learned. At this moment, it would be best for her to study seriously with Da Lang again.
Initially, Qin Yaru thought that Da Lang's teacher, who claimed to be named Zhao Zichang, might not be willing to teach a girl, especially one who was thirteen years old and came from the Brothel Management Office.
Unexpectedly, Zhao Zichang had no reluctance at all. At first, he treated Qin Xiu as just an auditor, but later, he happened to see Qin Xiu stitching a pouch for her older brother and sister while humming a tune she composed for the poem Zhao Zichang had demonstrated in class. He was instantly amazed and regarded Qin Xiu as a confidant, smiling broadly whenever he saw her.
Qin Yaru was speechless. At this time, most wives from Scholarly Families could casually recite poetry, let alone a talented girl from the Brothel Management Office; it was almost instinctive. Perhaps the girl recalled her previous studies upon seeing the poem and sang it out loud without thinking.
Of course, being liked was not a bad thing. However, Qin Yaru still worried that the young and beautiful Zhao Zichang might stir some feelings in the impressionable girl. Given their different backgrounds, it was impossible for the girl to marry as a concubine, so she simply sent her household's Lady-in-Waiting and two servants to attend classes together.
Fortunately, this teacher not only had a good temperament but also played by his own rules. He felt no difficulty at all and actually enjoyed the lively atmosphere. He set up a quiet room on the second floor of Nangyun Study, leading a group of children aged no more than fifteen or sixteen down to four years old in their studies.
As for Qin Xiu, despite others being older, their levels were surprisingly on par with Da Lang's or even lower. At least Da Lang had been enlightened by Qin Yaru and recognized quite a few characters; he could barely write with a brush. The others were mostly illiterate and lagged behind Da Lang in their learning progress.
With such people gathered together, Da Lang became more focused on his studies. This was how it worked: when studying alone without comparison, there was little motivation to excel or fail. But once someone else started catching up, one would unconsciously put in more effort, fearing being surpassed. This turned out to be quite effective.
Gao Feng and Qin Wenyuan had not visited Nangyun Study for a long time; both were very busy. Qin Wenyuan did not intend to share what he was currently occupied with with Qin Yaru and the girl, but Gao Feng occasionally sneaked into the boudoir at night to share some information he had gathered to ease Qin Yaru's worries. (To be continued)
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