Chapter 113: Tang Jiasong

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Qiu’er, who was standing beside Qin Weimo, asked in a low voice, “What is it?”

Zhu’er was a little hesitant, but she still said, “A man is talking to Madam downstairs. He’s called Young Master Tang. He even asked about Young Miss, so Madam asked me to call Young Miss down.”

When she heard that, Qin Weimo was stunned for a moment. Then, she frowned slightly as if she had thought of something.

She subconsciously turned her head and looked in Luo Qingzhou’s direction.

“Miss, Madam is waiting,” Zhu’er urged.

She felt a little anxious.

She was afraid that if Young Miss continued being stubborn, Madam would be embarrassed in public. With Madam’s prideful personality, Young Miss would definitely not be able to bear the consequences and face her wrath.

Qin Weimo did not make things difficult for her maidservant. She nodded and apologized to the other girls before leaving her seat with Qiu’er’s help.

When she reached Luo Qingzhou’s seat, she stopped and said gently, “Brother-in-law, can you accompany me down?”

There was a hint of pleading in her tone.

Luo Qingzhou did not hesitate. He stood up, cupped his hands, and bid farewell to Song Zixi.

Song Zixi smiled and said, “Since Aunt Song has something to discuss with you, you guys can go down first. We’ll go down later too. The poetry competition will probably start soon.”

Luo Qingzhou followed the Second Young Miss, who seemed to have a lot on her mind, and slowly went downstairs.

Downstairs, a courtesan who had been invited from a brothel was playing the zither.

A thin veil covered her face. The figure playing the zither was faintly discernible behind the curtain. It seemed to be specially arranged like that to give the audience a sense of mystery. That way, it would attract the audience’s attention, making them want to look further.

Luo Qingzhou followed behind Qin Weimo and walked to a seat by the window on the right.

Song Ruyue was sitting there alone. A young man in a scholarly robe was standing in front of the table with a folding fan in his hand. He was bending down slightly and lowering his head as he spoke to her politely.

The young man was of average height and was quite handsome. He had a good temperament and had a pleasant smile on his face. He spoke softly and looked gentle.

Song Ruyue sized him up from time to time as she spoke to him.

“Mother.”

With Qiu’er’s help, Qin Weimo slowly walked over and called out softly.

When he heard her voice, the young man turned around and looked at Qin Weimo. His eyes lit up and he tightened his grip on the fan. He maintained a polite smile and quickly looked at the ground.

Song Ruyue introduced, “Weimo, this is Young Master Tang.”

Then, she said to the young man, “Jiasong, this is my daughter, Weimo. She knows a little about music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. However, she has a quiet personality and likes to stay in the house. She’s unwilling to come out and interact with others.”

Tang Jiasong immediately lowered his head and cupped his hands. “Miss Qin, I’ve long heard of your name. I’ve admired you for a long time. It’s a must for me to read those poems of yours every day. You’re not inferior to men. In comparison to men, you don’t lose out at all.”

Qin Weimo lowered her head slightly and did not speak.

At this moment, the top courtesan of the brothel who was hosting tonight’s poetry gathering—Wu Yi—walked onto the stage. She smiled and announced the start of tonight’s poetry competition.

The scholars and talented women gathered below the stage had their fists clenched in determination.

Song Ruyue said, “Come and sit down. We’ll see how Jiasong fares later.”

Tang Jiasong hurriedly smiled and said, “No, no, I wouldn’t want to let Miss Qin laugh at me. I’m inexperienced and can’t compare to those scholars. Later on, I will merely be joining in the fun.”

Qin Weimo nodded politely at him. With Qiu’er’s help, she sat down on the seat beside him.

As soon as she sat down, she waved at Luo Qingzhou, who was standing not far away. “Brother-in-law, come here… Stand closer.”

Tang Jiasong was surprised to hear her words. He turned around to look.

Luo Qingzhou passed by him and stood beside Second Young Miss Qin, blocking Tang Jiasong’s view of her.

Tang Jiasong frowned and could only move to the side. He still maintained a refined smile on his face and cupped his hands. “This is…”

Qin Weimo said politely, “My brother-in-law.”

Tang Jiasong smiled awkwardly and could only cup his hands at Luo Qingzhou. “Young Master, how should I address you?”

Luo Qingzhou did not return the greeting. He looked at the stage with a wooden face and ignored him as if he did not hear him.

When Tang Jiasong saw Second Young Miss just now, he thought to himself, “What a sickly and petite beauty! I heard that this young lady of the Qin family doesn’t have long to live, so they’re in a hurry to find a husband to bring good luck to her. Though that’s the case, I’m not at a disadvantage. If I marry this little beauty, the Qin family’s assets will naturally be at my fingertips. Even if it’s only a small portion, it’ll be enough for me to live comfortably. When she dies of illness…

When Luo Qingzhou heard this, he stopped listening.

This was the person who his mother-in-law had mentioned? The man who was similar to Jia Baoyu? She must be blind…

Forget it. He would disrupt the interaction between Qin Weimo and this guy.

Tang Jiasong’s smile froze when he saw that Luo Qingzhou was ignoring him.

He cupped his hands at Song Ruyue and said, “Aunt Song, this Young Master…”

“Don’t speak first. Listen to the question.”

Song Ruyue was looking at the courtesan on the stage. Hearing Tang Jiasong’s voice, she waved her hand to interrupt him.

Tang Jiasong smiled stiffly and could only look at the stage. Then, he took a few steps forward and listened carefully. His gaze was fixed on the graceful and sexy body on the stage.

At this moment, the courtesan named Wu Yi spoke about the topic of the first poem.

“After the discussion of the seniors, the first round of the competition will be based on ‘Plum’. I’m sure many guests know why this question was given. A few days ago, a peerless masterpiece with plum was circulated.. ‘As blossoms fall to the ground and turn into dust, there leaves only fragrances that don’t change’ …”