Chapter 13: If Life Were Only as It Was at First Sight

The voting was quickly drawing to a close.

The seven young ladies, dressed to the nines, were doing their utmost to showcase their charms in the hall.

They were still vying for the last few votes.

Each scholar who boarded the ship had one vote.

As long as they offered silver or composed a poem and signed their name, it counted as a vote.

There was no fixed amount for the silver, but giving too little would be embarrassing, especially since Madam Liu was about to announce the contributions publicly.

As for the poems, they were judged by a few venerable gentlemen.

Unlike silver, the highest-scoring poem could earn as many as ten votes at once.

After all, this gathering was called a literary meeting, naturally favoring poetry.

If such a refined event were openly tainted by the stench of money, which scholar would dare attend next time? Those respected elders would surely disdain to come as well.

The maids had already handed the poems to the old gentlemen for review.

Madam Liu was busy counting the silver.

Su Bie and the others returned to their seats, curiosity piqued.

“Luo, have you voted yet? Whom did you choose?” they asked.

Luo Zijun had just come back from outside and noticed that everyone had given at least five taels of silver, and their poems were all signed.

He realized he had made a fool of himself by offering only a copper coin and forgetting to sign his poem.

Of course, even if he had remembered, he wouldn’t have written his name.

Seeing the three inquire, he admitted, “I haven’t voted yet. I don’t know who to choose.”

Wang Dafu hastily suggested, “Vote for Miss Mei’er! She doesn’t just dance beautifully; her figure is flawless! You didn’t see her just now—she came down to the audience to campaign and danced again. It was so captivating it made people faint!”

Su Bie sneered, “How vulgar! The Flower Chant should select someone elegant. Dancing such seductive dances is hardly respectable.”

Wang Dafu retorted with a cold laugh, “I wonder who gets the most excited every time we watch those seductive dances at the brothel.”

“Pff!” Su Bie refused to argue further and turned his attention back to the dancing ladies on stage.

Wang Dafu paid him no mind and continued persuading Luo Zijun to vote for Mei’er.

Luo Zijun asked, “How much did you all give?”

Wang Dafu replied, “Not much, only ten taels. Since poetry counts more tonight, I even wrote a good poem for Mei’er. Heh, she might be the grand finale!”

Su Bie said, “No need to give too much. Five taels will do.”

He knew the young man was an apprentice at a pharmacy and had just passed the scholar exam yesterday, so he probably didn’t have much money.

Beside him, Zhang Yitian said, “I only gave five taels too.”

Luo Zijun twitched at the corner of his mouth. “Don’t mention five taels. I don’t even have one. Even if I did, I wouldn’t be willing to give it.”

His words were frank and unabashed, without any trace of shame.

The three were momentarily stunned.

Su Bie smiled, “Then forget it. It’s your first time here today; just consider it an experience. It’s okay not to vote.”

Wang Dafu immediately pulled out five taels, generously offering, “Luo, if you vote for Mei’er, I’ll cover the cost for you!”

Luo Zijun shook his head politely. “Thanks, Wang, but I’ll pass this time. Maybe next time.”

As Wang Dafu tried to persuade him again, Su Bie nudged him with his elbow. “Let it go for now.”

Wang Dafu sighed and gave up.

Meanwhile, Madam Liu, her face stern, swayed her hips as she made her way to the innermost room behind the flower stage.

Inside the room, a young girl sat before a dressing table, furrowing her brow, suppressing nausea as she slowly unfolded a sheet of rice paper.

A young maid whispered, “Miss, you should just throw it away. It’s filthy. I saw that person didn’t wash their hands before writing on it. There might even be—”

“Hm, I just want to read it...” the girl interrupted, but suddenly her body trembled.

Her gaze fixed on the first line, her words faltered.

In that moment, it was as if her very breath had stopped.

“If life were only as it was at first sight...”

Just then, the door creaked open.

Liu Ju entered, her expression dark.

“Chuyi, everyone’s out there campaigning and collecting silver. Why are you hiding here? If you keep acting like a spoiled rich lady, don’t blame me for forcing you to go serve customers.”

“What use are you if you can’t make money?”

She glared at the girl in the room with anger.

The girl, named Liu Chuyi, sat quietly at the dressing table, her head bowed over the paper, dazed as if she hadn’t heard the angry words.

Seeing this, Liu Ju’s fury grew.

“Chuyi! I’m talking to you! You performed earlier with your veil covering your face, like you were ashamed to be seen. Now all the other girls are out getting votes and silver, and you’re just daydreaming here. Are you trying to make me angry to death? With your looks and talent, if you were more proactive, tonight’s Flower Chant would be yours! Next month’s queen could be yours too! Why won’t you listen?”

Nearby, a maid named Bi’er timidly defended, “We went out to campaign too.”

Liu Ju turned to her, glaring, “When? I didn’t see you.”

Bi’er lowered her head, afraid to speak again.

The terrifying scene that just unfolded by the rail had left her disoriented and shaken; she wasn’t ready to talk about it.

Liu Ju snorted and was about to scold again when the girl at the dressing table seemed to finally come back to herself.

“Mother...”

Liu Ju brightened, thinking she had understood, and softened her tone.

“Chuyi, it’s late now but you can still get some votes. Maybe those young gentlemen will change their minds once they see your true face and withdraw their votes from others to give to you.”

Liu Chuyi kept her head down, her expression still absent, softly saying, “The contract I signed before said... I only sell my art, not my body. Whether I go on stage or not is my decision. You can’t force me. You haven’t forgotten that, have you?”

Liu Ju frowned, her voice cold.

“Of course I remember. Have I forced you these past months? When you played the zither on stage wearing a veil, did I say anything? Now I’m asking you to go get votes for your own good, for your future. Don’t be ungrateful!”

Liu Chuyi was silent for a moment.

“I know you mean well, Mother, but I really can’t do that kind of thing.”

Liu Ju stomped her foot, about to speak again, when Liu Chuyi stood slowly and handed her the rice paper, her expression complex.

“Bi’er helped me get this.”

Liu Ju was momentarily stunned but took the paper.

“Just one sheet?”

She glanced at the poem and showed a trace of surprise.

“If life were only as it was at first sight... It reads quite well. Though I don’t understand much, it must be a good poem.”

Liu Chuyi’s eyes were misty as she murmured, “More than just a good poem...”

Liu Ju sighed, looking at her.

“I checked just now. Even though you didn’t campaign, some young gentlemen did vote for you. But if you don’t go out to campaign, you definitely won’t win tonight’s Flower Chant.”

Liu Chuyi lowered her head slightly, her expression still somewhat dazed.

“It’s okay. I don’t care.”

“You...” Liu Ju began, then sighed helplessly. Seeing the time was nearly up, she prepared to leave.

At the door, she suddenly glanced at the poem again and turned back.

“By the way, which gentleman wrote this? Why is there no name? Did he give silver?”

Liu Chuyi’s lips moved as if to speak but then shook her head.

Bi’er whispered, “That gentleman probably deliberately left his name off and didn’t give silver.”

“That scoundrel was caught urinating by the rail, so naturally he wouldn’t sign his name.”

As for the copper coin, better not to mention it—it would only bring shame. Who would be that stingy?

Liu Ju didn’t ask further, taking the poem and leaving.

Just after she stepped out, Bi’er couldn’t help but ask, “Miss, why keep that filthy paper? It might even have that villain’s urine on it.”

Liu Chuyi didn’t answer, her eyes shimmering.

After a moment’s pause, she softly asked, “Bi’er, do you still remember what that gentleman looked like?”

Bi’er tilted her head, thinking hard, then frowned.

“I forgot...”

Liu Chuyi was stunned.

“How could you forget so quickly? Didn’t you just see him?”

Bi’er blushed.

“I... I was too busy looking at... ugh, that villain scared me so badly. He even tried to invite me to... to pee with him... I forgot to look at his face...”

“Then where were you looking just now?”

“I... I...”