Traveling through the late Ming Dynasty to promote Chinese civilization

Chapter 263 Bantang Street

??

Everyone was open to going to a brothel to relax, but Li Fei declined, choosing to stay at the inn alone to rest. Liu Ye didn't force him; it was better if he didn't go. When a group goes to a brothel, having someone so good-looking attract the attention of most of the opposite sex would spoil the fun—Li Fei had experienced this firsthand when organizing social events with girls in college dorms, let alone picking up girls in bars.

The group strolled leisurely along the street. Along the way, Yan Guang introduced, "Since ancient times, Jiangnan has been known for its beautiful women, with Suzhou being the most renowned. Many famous women in history hailed from Suzhou. During the Spring and Autumn Period, there was Xi Shi, who sacrificed herself for her country; during the Qin Dynasty, there was the virtuous Meng Jiangnu; during the Han Dynasty, there was Yu Ji, the beloved concubine of Xiang Yu, the King of Western Chu; the Zhao Feiyan sisters during the reign of Emperor Cheng of Han; Su Xiaoxiao during the Southern Qi Dynasty; Hong Fu Nu at the end of the Sui Dynasty; and Zhen Niang during the Tang Dynasty…"

Hearing him recount the beauties from Suzhou throughout various dynasties, even though Liu Ye wasn't particularly interested, he listened with great interest. He had heard of most of these women before, and they were all well-known names in later generations. He never expected that they were all related to Suzhou.

Liang Xiaoming interjected, "I've heard of the others, but I really don't remember this Zhenniang."

Yan Guang introduced her, saying, "Zhenniang was a famous courtesan in Suzhou, whose real name was Hu Ruizhen. Born into a scholarly family, she was intelligent and beautiful from a young age, skilled in singing and dancing, proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. To escape the An Lushan Rebellion, she fled south with her parents, but was separated from her family along the way and ended up in Suzhou. Because of her talent and beauty, she quickly became famous. However, she only sold her art, not her body, remaining chaste. At that time, there was a wealthy young man in Suzhou named Wang Yinxiang, a man of upright character, who fell in love with Zhenniang and wanted to marry her. However, Zhenniang's marriage had been arranged by her parents since childhood." She had to politely refuse the marriage proposal. Wang Yinxiang, however, persisted, bribing the madam with a large sum of money to try and stay with Zhenniang. Zhenniang, feeling she could no longer resist, hanged herself to preserve her chastity. Upon learning this, Wang Yinxiang was devastated and heartbroken. He spent lavishly to bury Zhenniang at the scenic Tiger Hill, erected a monument in her memory, planted flowers and trees on her grave, which became known as the "Flower Tomb," and vowed never to marry again. Now, Zhenniang's tomb is a scenic spot in Suzhou; scholars and literati, upon passing by, cannot help but feel pity for this beautiful woman and inscribe poems on her grave.

Liu Ye was astonished that ancient prostitutes would commit suicide to preserve their chastity: "Aren't prostitutes all about welcoming and seeing off guests, being a bride every night?" He felt that ancient prostitutes were essentially no different from modern ones, both engaging in the buying and selling of flesh and sex.

Yan Guang scoffed, "The general is talking about prostitutes, not prostitutes."

Liang Xiaoming was also puzzled: "Prostitute, prostitute, aren't they all the same thing?"

“A prostitute is nothing more than a vulgar woman who sells her skin and is available to anyone; a courtesan, on the other hand, has learned music, chess, calligraphy and painting since childhood, and there are many outstanding ones among them who can compose poems and write calligraphy and painting, and whose talents are no less than those of scholars who have passed the imperial examinations.”

Liang Xiaoming shut his mouth, feeling ashamed of his shallowness.

Liu Ye recalled the woman he had encountered on the river. Was she like Su Wen? Liu Ye tentatively asked, "Do these famous courtesans only sell their art and not their bodies?"

"There are many such people. They are aloof and proud, and look down on you. Even if you spend a fortune, you will not be able to stay for a night. But if you are talented and have good character, you can win their hearts and become their guest even if you are penniless."

Liu Ye seemed to be deep in thought. It seemed that famous courtesans in ancient times were more like modern celebrities than ordinary women who had fallen into prostitution.

The group passed through Changmen, Suzhou's bustling commercial district, and arrived at Bantang Street, as Yan Guang had described. This street, built along the river, was connected to the opposite street by stone bridges. Shops and residences lined the street, creating a layout where land and water ran parallel, and the river and street were adjacent. The architecture was exquisite and elegant, spacious and well-organized. Shops lined the street, guild halls were clustered together, and most houses had their front doors facing the street and their back doors facing the river. Some even had unique overpasses, truly a scene of vermilion railings, multi-story buildings, willow catkins, and the sounds of music. Boats loaded with jasmine, magnolia, and other goods ply the river, while pleasure boats and painted barges glide by gracefully.

The group looked around, searching for the legendary brothel. Liu Ye and Liang Xiaoming looked left and right, seeing names like "Yunliang Pavilion" and "Songzhu Pavilion" everywhere on the plaques, but not familiar names like "Yihong Courtyard" or "Lichun Courtyard".

Liang Xiaoming was completely confused: "Wasn't this supposed to be a red-light district comparable to the Qinhuai River? Where exactly are they?"

Yan Guang smiled mysteriously, pointing to the elegantly worded plaques, "You can't see the true face of Mount Lu because you're in the mountain yourself. These are all here!"

Liang Xiaoming was taken aback. He had assumed these names referred to places like academies or teahouses, but they turned out to be brothels. Just as Liu Ye had told Liang Xiaoming, ancient brothels were somewhat like modern clubs, serving as high-class social venues, and were not at all like Liang Xiaoming had imagined, where it was merely a transaction of money and sex.

Yan Guang led the group to a building with the words "Le Yun Lou" written on the plaque.

"This is the place. Here lives a woman of exceptional talent and beauty. Originally from Suzhou, she was once famous throughout Qinhuai. Later, she returned to Bantang for some reason and is now one of the most charming and romantic figures in Suzhou. If you can meet her today, this trip will not have been in vain."

Hearing Yan Guang's incredible story, the group followed him into Leyun Tower with some skepticism. Since they were well-dressed and unfamiliar faces, a madam quickly came out to greet them.

"Gentlemen, do you know any ladies?"

Yan Guang asked directly, "Is your Miss Dong here? My master is not seeing anyone today, he only wants to see her."

Yan Guang was originally from Nanjing and held an official position. He was also from one of the Six Ministries in the capital. After becoming Liu Ye's subordinate, he secretly served as Xi's strategist. He had seen many grand occasions and had also seen many governors and viceroys. Now he was working with a former viceroy. As the saying goes, one's environment shapes one's temperament and body, so he naturally had the demeanor of a superior.

The madam, a woman of many experience and keen insight, noticed that this man was merely a servant, which suggested that the master he spoke of must be wealthy and powerful. She quickly locked her gaze on Liu Ye, standing in the center of the crowd. Seeing his tall, handsome figure and confident demeanor, she was delighted; this was a big fish.

"So you've come for Miss Dong? What a pity, she just returned from a trip with guests yesterday and is unwell. She'll need to rest for a few days before she can see you again..."

Yan Guang knew that brothel madams often liked to play hard to get, especially with the most popular courtesans; it was difficult to see them without spending a lot of money. He snorted and took out one hundred taels of silver: "Stop arguing, my master has plenty of money. Take this silver and use it for a little something extra. You don't need any other courtesans, just Miss Dong."

When the madam saw that a wealthy guest had arrived, her eyes lit up: "Oh my, you gentlemen are truly sincere. I'll go ask Miss Dong."

The madam arrived at the door of a room upstairs with a sheer curtain hanging down and cautiously inquired, "Daughter, I know you're very tired. But a few guests are determined to see you, and I'm in a dilemma. Perhaps..."

A young woman in the room replied, "I'm afraid those guests offered a very high price, which put you in a difficult position, Mom."

The madam smiled awkwardly, offering no direct answer, which was tantamount to acquiescing.

After a while, the woman said, "I can't let my mother not earn money. If word gets out, people will say that her daughter doesn't know how to respect her mother. I'll go if they agree to one condition."

The madam was overjoyed: "Alright, alright, what are your conditions? I'll go and tell the guests."

“When my daughter returned from her travels, she was haggard and did not want to see guests at this time. If they insisted on seeing her, a beaded curtain would be hung between them and my daughter would keep them company, talking and singing songs.”

Private room upstairs.

Liu Ye and the others sat in the outer room, while a beaded curtain hung at the entrance to the inner room, obscuring the woman's face. Only through the gaps could one vaguely see her slender figure.

Upon seeing her figure, Liu Ye couldn't help but recall the woman he had seen on the river yesterday; the two seemed to share some similarities. He quickly shook his head, convinced he was overthinking things; such a coincidence was impossible.

Inside, Miss Dong said softly, "I've been traveling and working hard for many days, and I look haggard. I can only meet guests in this way. Please forgive me."

Yan Guang was fine with it, but he was worried that Liu Ye would be unhappy. He turned to look at Liu Ye's expression, who seemed to be thinking about something and did not show any displeasure, so he breathed a sigh of relief and answered on Liu Ye's behalf: "As Miss Dong would like to say."

"Thank you for your understanding, sir. How about I play and sing a song for you all first?"

The tune Miss Dong mentioned refers to Kunqu Opera. Originating in Kunshan, Suzhou, Kunqu Opera began to circulate in the Suzhou area from the late Yuan Dynasty. It, along with Haiyan and Yuyao operas originating in Zhejiang and Yiyang opera in Jiangxi, were known as the four major opera styles of the Ming Dynasty, hence the name Kunshan Opera. Initially, Kunshan Opera consisted of folk songs and ballads, its spread limited to the Suzhou area. However, during the Wanli era, it expanded from Suzhou to areas south of the Yangtze River and north of the Qiantang River, and even reached Beijing by the end of the Wanli period.

Yan Guang was worried that Liu Ye might find it boring since he had never heard of Kunqu Opera, so he suggested, "Miss, your Kunqu Opera skills are naturally very high, but I have long heard that your talent is even more outstanding. Why don't you compose a poem to broaden our horizons?"

Miss Dong was surprised that these generous guests would take the initiative to discuss poetry, which was quite impressive. After a moment's thought, she said, "I don't have such quick wit, but I do have an old piece that seems quite fitting for the occasion. Please give me your feedback."

She paused, then murmured softly:

A sick eye sees flowers and is filled with sorrow.

Alone by the quiet window, I play the zither.

The oriole seemed to understand human intentions.

Liu Wai always makes good sounds.

Liu Ye doesn't know much about poetry, but this poem uses simple and easy-to-understand language. In just a few lines, he vividly portrays a woman who is slightly unwell, leaning against the window, gently playing the zither and composing a tranquil and serene melody.

"What a beautiful poem! Even the oriole understands human feelings, but has anyone ever truly understood you?"

Miss Dong was stunned. This old work, titled "...", was a piece that expressed her girlish thoughts. She had recited it before many talented men, but those learned scholars, aside from praising that a courtesan could write such good poetry and bestowing upon her the title of "possessing both talent and beauty," had not delved into the hidden meaning within the poem. This was the first time someone had glimpsed her innermost thoughts through her poetry.

"Young master, you are quite accomplished in poetry?"

Liu Ye shook his head: "I appreciate fine poetry, but I can't write poetry or lyrics. When the country is peaceful and prosperous, poetry can be used to cultivate one's mind and character. But now the world is engulfed in war, with Tartars in the north and bandits in the west. People in Liaodong and the Central Plains are suffering. A true man should step forward and do his best to turn the tide. How can I waste my energy on trivial matters like poetry?"

Miss Dong was silent for a moment, then exclaimed in admiration, "A true man should be like this!"

She stood up and reached out to lift the beaded curtain: "Surely someone of your stature wouldn't care whether Xiaowan's makeup looks haggard right now? This humble woman would like to catch a glimpse of your esteemed presence!"

Liu Ye was taken aback. Xiao Wan? That name sounds familiar.

When the beaded curtain was lifted, he was stunned, and the girl who called herself Xiaowan was also taken aback.