Reborn as Lin Pingzhi, starting from escorting Daiyu to the capital.

Chapter 20 Songs Amidst the Sound of Oars and Lanterns

The group chatted for a while longer, recounting their experiences along the way. Lin Ping, with his profound inner strength, could vaguely hear soft footsteps coming from outside the door.

A short while later, a slender figure walked in.

Lin Pingzhi looked up and his eyes lit up:

The girl before me was slender, with a face like a delicate flower and eyebrows like a crescent moon. As she walked, it seemed as if a light mist or haze surrounded her. She was truly not of this world.

"This must be Lin Daiyu," Lin Pingzhi thought to himself.

Just as he was pondering this, Lin Ruhai spoke with a smile:

"Nephew, this is my daughter, her given name is Daiyu, she is thirteen years old this year, so she is your younger sister."

After saying that, he turned to Lin Daiyu and said softly, "Daiyu, come and meet your brother Lin Pingzhi. He is the young head of the Fuwei Escort Agency, and he will be the one to escort you to the capital in the future."

Lin Daiyu stepped forward, curtsied to Lin Pingzhi, and said, "Daiyu greets Brother Lin." Her voice was soft and melodious.

"You're too kind, Miss Lin."

Lin Pingzhi quickly stood up to return the greeting.

After chatting for a while, Lin Ruhai, knowing that Daiyu was in poor health, instructed a maid to take her back to her room to rest.

Before they knew it, it was getting dark, and Lin Ruhai was about to instruct the steward to prepare dinner.

Suddenly, the butler rushed in, looking somewhat troubled.

"Master, He Siyuan has sent an invitation to a banquet tonight."

"You declined for me, just saying I have guests tonight and it's inconvenient for me to go out for business," Lin Ruhai said.

The butler looked troubled and said, "Master, the other party has Master Zheng's calling card, saying that they know Master Zheng and specifically instructed me to invite you to the banquet."

Lin Ruhai frowned.

Master Zheng is Jia Zheng, his brother-in-law. The two families have always had a good relationship, and he also wants to ask Jia Zheng to help Jia Yucun get reinstated.

Since the other party had Jia Zheng's visiting card, it was difficult to refuse the invitation, so he said:

"Okay, tell the person who comes that I'll be there shortly."

Seeing this, Lin Pingzhi was about to get up and take his leave when Lin Ruhai grabbed his hand and said:

"Nephew, Chief Escort Cui, you two are not outsiders, so you'll be joining me for the banquet tonight."

After a while.

Lin Ruhai changed into casual clothes and took the two of them out.

A luxurious carriage was already waiting at the entrance; the carriage was very spacious and could easily accommodate three people.

After entering the carriage, Lin Ruhai explained:

"He Siyuan is one of the top salt merchants in Yangzhou. He is wealthy and always acts lavishly."

Lin Pingzhi saw that the interior of the carriage was decorated very luxuriously, with silk and fur everywhere he touched, and knew that what Lin Ruhai said was true.

The carriage moved smoothly and without any noticeable bumps.

After traveling for an unknown amount of time, the coachman gave a soft shout, and the carriage slowly came to a stop.

The coachman pulled back the curtain.

Looking outside, Lin Pingzhi saw not a grand and luxurious restaurant, but a huge painted boat moored on the riverbank.

On the shore of Slender West Lake, a dozen or so middle-aged men dressed in splendid clothes were already standing and waiting.

The leader was short and stout, with a friendly-looking face. Seeing the carriage stop, he quickly stepped forward and called out loudly:

"He Siyuan greets Lord Lin. It is an honor for me that Lord Lin has graced us with his presence at the banquet."

"Thank you for your hard work, Mr. He."

Lin Ruhai's expression remained calm, making it impossible to discern his true thoughts. He then introduced himself to the crowd:

"This is Cui Baichuan, the head镖师 (bodyguard/escort) of the Fuwei Escort Agency, and this is Lin Pingzhi, the young head镖师 (bodyguard/escort) of the Fuwei Escort Agency. Lin Pingzhi is my cousin. These two happen to be guests at my house, and I brought them along to keep them company. I hope Boss He won't mind?"

"No, no," He Siyuan said repeatedly, his fat face jiggling. "It is my honor that you two heroes have graced me with your presence."

Others also gathered around and greeted Lin Ruhai warmly.

Lin Pingzhi was surrounded by a crowd, who praised him, saying, "Young Master Lin is so young, yet he has already become the head镖师 (chief镖师, a high-ranking镖师 in the bodyguards). He is truly a promising young man."

A group of people escorted Lin Ruhai onto the painted boat.

But seeing the carved railings and painted beams, the beaded curtains and brocade draperies inside the painted boat, Lin Pingzhi felt that it was somewhat familiar.

"Isn't this the very same pleasure boat I invited Yun Zhonghe to ride when I was seeking his advice on the 'Three Layers of Clouds' painting?"

Lin Pingzhi and Chief Escort Cui sat in a seat near the front.

Meals had already been prepared on the pleasure boat. Seeing Lin Ruhai and the others take their seats, He Siyuan ordered the dishes to be served.

"It is said that Yangzhou salt merchants are rich and extravagant, and seeing it today, I can confirm that the rumors are true."

Looking at the various delicacies on the table, Chief Escort Cui exclaimed, "I, Cui, have traveled all over the country, and this is the first time I've ever seen such a lavish banquet. Today, I can only say that I'm fortunate to have such a feast, thanks to Young Master Escort."

While eating, Lin Pingzhi discreetly observed the situation on the table.

He didn't know Lin Ruhai's true purpose in bringing him to this banquet. Was it really just to promote him?

Not far away.

Lin Ruhai chatted and laughed with everyone, but when faced with crucial questions, he never gave a direct answer.

After a few rounds of drinks, the conversation naturally turned to romance and poetry.

One merchant said, "Yangzhou has been a prosperous place since ancient times. Li Bai wrote a poem that says, 'My old friend bids farewell to the Yellow Crane Tower and goes down to Yangzhou in the misty March,' which refers to our Yangzhou as a place of pleasure."

Everyone laughed.

A person nearby retorted, "That's incorrect. These fireworks are not the same as those fireworks. However, speaking of places of entertainment, the most prestigious in Yangzhou is the Lichun Courtyard. The girls there... tsk tsk tsk!"

One person coldly said, "In my opinion, the courtesans in Yangzhou are nothing but ordinary beauties."

This immediately provoked the anger of the group of Yangzhou merchants, who all turned to look at the speaker.

This man, dressed like a scholar, spoke generously:

"For courtesans, talent is the most important quality, followed by appearance. Only those who excel in both beauty and talent can be considered true courtesans."

That's hard to refute.

If appearance is important, wouldn't that make me seem like a common person?

After a while, a merchant, unconvinced, asked, "In your opinion, what kind of courtesan can be considered to possess both beauty and talent?"

He thought to himself that no matter what examples the other party gave, he would just refute them directly.

The scholar said:

"In my opinion, only the Eight Beauties of Qinhuai can be called truly exceptional in both beauty and talent. I was fortunate enough to meet them, and they certainly lived up to their reputation."

Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent.

In recent years, the Eight Beauties of Qinhuai have become so famous that countless high-ranking officials, nobles, and literati have flocked to them.

These businessmen find it difficult to even get a glimpse of them.

Chief镖师 Cui whispered to a merchant beside him, "Are these Eight Beauties of Qinhuai really that formidable?"

The merchant said proudly, "Of course, all eight beauties of Qinhuai are extraordinary. Take Dong Xiaowan for example, even the Tartar emperor outside the Great Wall was infatuated with her."

"So powerful?" Chief镖头 Cui's eyes widened.

The merchant sneered, "Of course, the Tartar emperor sent someone to invite Dong Xiaowan a while ago, but she refused."

Chief镖师 Cui clicked his tongue in amazement.

Seeing that Chief Escort Cui had a good relationship with Lin Ruhai, the merchant, wanting to curry favor, whispered:

"Among the Eight Beauties of Qinhuai, Chen Yuanyuan was the most beautiful. I heard that many high-ranking officials and nobles had affairs with her."

The merchant then recounted some scandalous stories about the Eight Beauties of Qinhuai, leaving Chief Escort Cui completely bewildered.

At this moment, a merchant said loudly, "Although the Eight Beauties of Qinhuai are famous, they live far away in Jinling, and we have no chance to meet them."

Everyone expressed their regret.

He Siyuan said loudly, "Everyone, please be quiet. The Eight Beauties of Qinhuai are indeed famous, but I have found a woman who, in terms of talent and appearance, is by no means inferior to the Eight Beauties of Qinhuai."

Everyone expressed disbelief and began to speak up:

"Old He, it's not that we don't believe you, we just want to broaden our horizons."

"Old He, since that's the case, why keep this woman hidden away? Quickly, bring her out."

"Indeed, let us see for ourselves."

The businessman surnamed He looked at Lin Ruhai, who smiled but remained silent.

Ding ding dong!

Suddenly, the sound of a pipa drifted over.

The entire hall fell silent instantly, and everyone looked toward the source of the pipa music.

But a semi-transparent screen had appeared in front of the hall at some point.

A woman sat behind the screen, holding a pipa, her face obscured.

The woman gently stroked the pipa with her slender fingers and slowly sang:

"You say your dress is emerald green and vibrant, your hairpin sparkling with precious stones. But do you know that my lifelong love is for nature?"

The song is a segment from "The Peony Pavilion" called "Drunkenly Returning Home".

Clearly and plainly stated, without missing a single word.

Lin Pingzhi had heard Abi sing Jiangnan folk songs before, and the voice in front of him was completely different.

Abi's voice was clear and bright, while the woman behind the screen had a soft and melodious voice.

Even a seasoned江湖 (jianghu) man like Chief Escort Cui put down his chopsticks and listened attentively.

"The beauty of spring goes unseen; unaware of the fish sinking and geese falling, birds startled and clamoring, lest the flowers blush and the moon hide, their petals trembling with sorrow. The gallery's gold dust is sparsely scattered. The pond and pavilion are covered in a blanket of green moss. One treads on the grass, afraid of getting muddy; new embroidered socks, tenderly cherishing the flowers, cause even the smallest golden bells to tug. Without visiting the garden, how can one know the true splendor of spring?"

The melody was gentle and melodious, and the sound of the pipa wafted slowly.

A gentle breeze rustled the water outside the window.

Everyone got drunk immediately.

"Good! Good! Good!"

After the song ended, everyone cheered.

Even Lin Ruhai nodded repeatedly.

Chief镖师 Cui, still savoring the moment, gazed at the woman behind the screen. He could only see a graceful figure, but not her true face.

"Boss He, whose woman is this? I think even the Eight Beauties of Qinhuai are nothing special."

"Old He, quickly let the young lady come out and meet Lord Lin."