Nightwatcher-Chapter 426: Contract for Body

# 426. Contract for Body

Because Li Miaozhen and Lina had returned, Auntie had the kitchen slaughter a goose and prepare a sumptuous and delicious feast.

The hall was brightly lit, with several basins of ice placed in the four corners to dispel the summer heat. Before the meal, each person was served a bowl of chilled *jiuniang*[^1], sweet and refreshing.

Little Pea was also gulping down a bowl. Ever since she started training in the Strength Gu techniques with Lina, her appetite had grown, and her digestion had become terrifyingly strong.

Forget *jiuniang*, she could even drink several large bowls of strong liquor. Of course, she wouldn’t touch such kinds of adult drink, the type that made one reconsider their existence.

During the meal, the conversation inevitably turned to Jianzhou.

Second Uncle Xu, drawing on his vast "knowledge" and experience, explained Jianzhou’s historical background to the younger generation. Jianzhou might appear stable, but in truth, the court’s control over it was pitifully weak.

That place was filled with jianghu martial artists, and the current Wulin Alliance Leader, Cao Qingyang, was not someone these juniors could handle.

Auntie, who had been listening for a while, found an opportunity to interject, saying, "Dear, Ningyan’s sabre is a peerless divine weapon. I heard Erlang say it’s worth a fortune."

Second Uncle Xu nodded as he sipped his *jiuniang*, "A peerless divine weapon is, of course, worth a fortu— PFFT!"

He sprayed the wine all over Little Pea’s face, then glared and said,

"You’re a woman—what do you know about peerless divine weapons? Ningyan’s sabre is incredibly sharp, but it’s not a peerless divine weapon. Don’t just throw words around because they sound impressive."

Little Pea wiped the *jiuniang* off her face with her chubby little hands, then couldn’t help but lick her palm, then licked it again, and silently continued licking…

Auntie, unconvinced, widened her beautiful eyes and huffed, "Erlang said so! And it can fly! If you don’t believe me, ask Dalang!"

Second Uncle Xu immediately turned to look at Xu Qi’an, staring at him intently.

Xu Qi’an snapped his fingers and called, "Taiping!"

*Whoosh—* The Taiping Sabre flew into the hall, circling above everyone’s heads.

Second Uncle Xu tilted his head back, staring at the hovering sabre in a daze, like a motionless stone statue.

"It… it really is a peerless divine weapon…" After a long moment, he muttered, voice like a sigh.

"I told you it’s worth a fortune. From now on, it’ll be our Xu family’s heirloom!" Auntie said happily.

"Yes, yes, an heirloom. This is our heirloom," Second Uncle Xu was so excited he almost dropped his bowl.

Li Miaozhen lowered her head, eating quietly as she listened to the lively chatter.

She felt a bit envious of Xu Qi’an. Though this guy always joked about being an orphan, about living under someone else’s roof, and about how Auntie treated him poorly, after staying in the Xu family for so long, she understood that this mistress of the house simply had a youthful mindset and lacked a motherly temperament. In truth, she wasn’t bad to Xu Ningyan at all.

She was just strong-willed. If Xu Ningyan didn’t show her the proper respect, she’d get mad and never praise him, calling him unlucky or a brat instead.

But when it came to food, clothing, and daily needs, she always remembered to set aside his share.

Second Uncle Xu, despite his boisterous nature, got headaches whenever his wife and nephew bickered, so he often pretended to be oblivious. But Li Miaozhen could see that he was actually the one who cared for Xu Ningyan the most.

As for Xu Erlang, his personality was much like his mother’s—his words and his heart never matched. He might scorn his father and elder brother for being crude martial artists, but deep down, he cared for them deeply.

Then there was Xu Lingyue. Li Miaozhen felt that her admiration for Xu Ningyan was a bit excessive. She’d probably be fine once she got married and shifted her affections to her husband.

And Xu Lingyin, she relied on Xu Qi’an just as much. That afternoon, she had tearfully licked her water-chestnut cake before finally steeling herself and saving it for her big brother…

*Mm, best not to tell Xu Ningyan.*

*Li Miaozhen, oh Li Miaozhen, these are all worldly attachments. If you wish to attain immortality and eternal glory, you must free yourself from love and hate. You must learn to be indifferent. Mhm, deep emotions do not last.* She silently reminded herself.

A few seconds later, another thought surfaced: *That bastard Xu Ningyan still hasn’t given me my share of the treasures from Duke Cao’s manor! I need those to open a porridge stand and help the poor…*

Auntie was halfway through her bowl of _jiuniang_, and it felt a bit too rich for her now. Deciding that she didn’t want to drink any more, she said: “Husband dear, could you help me finish this, I don’t want it to go to waste.”

Uncle Xu however was completely focused on the Taiping Sabre. Hearing this, without even thinking he took Auntie’s bowl and gave it to Xu Lingyin.

Xu Lingyue wiped her lips, and looked expectantly at Xu Qi’an: “Big brother, I also can’t finish it…”

“Big brother will help you,” Xu Qi’an took the bowl from her, and put it in front of Little Pea. “help you give it to Lingyin.”

Little Pea was over the moon.

Lina looked at her disciple with admiration.

…

At dawn, though the sun had yet to rise, the sky was already bright. In the Jiaofangsi, the maid Xiaomei was once again woken by Fuxiang’s coughing.

Rubbing her sleepy eyes, she got up, poured a cup of water, and tiptoed to the bedside. "Madam, have some water."

Fuxiang, her face as pale as paper, sat up with Xiaomei’s help, took a sip, and weakly said, "Mei'er, I’m a bit hungry."

"Madam, rest here. I’ll go fetch you some porridge."

Mei'er put on an outer robe and left the main bedroom, only to find the kitchen empty. No one had gotten up early to cook.

The Reflecting Plum Pavillion had six performers, eight drinking companions, seven servant girls, four guards, and one gatekeeper.

But ever since the oiran Fuxiang had fallen seriously ill, those guards, performers, and drinking companions had been sent to another courtyard. Only one servant girl remained.

That servant girl had been slacking off lately, full of complaints and resentment. After all, those sent to the other courtyard occasionally received silver rewards, while those left in the Reflecting Plum Pavillion got nothing from attending to a dying woman.

Furious, Mei'er stormed into the servant girl’s room, where she found her still lounging in bed, sleeping in.

"Get up! Get up right now!"

Mei'er’s face was cold as she dragged the girl out of bed and snapped, "When Madam was in her prime, she treated you well—wasn’t her silver more generous than the other courtyards?

"Now that she’s sick, she can’t even get a bowl of hot porridge? Has your conscience been eaten by dogs?"

The servant girl, hands on her hips, shot back, "That was before! Back then, Madam was popular, so of course, I was willing to serve her like an ox or a horse. But now she’s about to die, why should I still serve her?"

Mei'er was enraged. "Madam is just ill! She’ll recover! When she does, let’s see how she deals with you!"

The servant girl sneered, "Oh, please. Everyone in the Jiaofangsi knows she’s dying. If there was any hope left, mother wouldn’t have sent everyone away."

At this point, she let out a cold laugh. “Sister Mei’er, you’ve been serving Madam without rest, but isn’t it just for that little bit of savings she has? Don’t get angry now, what’s the point of talking about affection in the Jiaofangsi? Aren’t we all just putting on a show every day?

“After all, we all know men only want our bodies. Anyone who thinks they share true feelings with a client is a fool. Madam Fuxiang is precisely such a fool.

“Back then, Silver Gong Xu stayed in her chamber night after night without spending a single copper coin. She even refused to receive other guests for his sake and paid the Jiaofangsi out of her own pocket. When others praised her, she truly believed she and Silver Gong Xu were in love. Tell me, isn’t that laughable?

“And now, she’s sick, dying. Has he even come to see her?”

These words struck Mei’er’s sore spot. She gritted her teeth and said, “You wretch! I’ll tear your mouth apart!”

The two began to wrestle.

“Stop!”

At the door, Fuxiang stood unsteadily in a plain white robe, so frail she seemed about to collapse. Holding onto the doorframe, her face was deathly pale.

The fight came to an abrupt halt. The servant girl lowered her head, saying nothing. Even though this woman was now sickly and weak, seemingly about to fall at the slightest breeze, she had once shone so brightly that the impression she left was impossible to erase.

“Go back…”

She had barely spoken two words when her body swayed, and she fainted to the ground.

The scent of sandalwood lingered in the air.

In the master bedroom, Fuxiang slowly regained consciousness. An elderly physician sat by her bedside, seemingly having just finished taking her pulse. He turned to Mei’er and said,

“Her qi is depleted, and her organs are failing. Medicine is of no use anymore. You should make the appropriate arrangements.”

Mei’er lowered her head and sobbed softly.

…

The news that Fuxiang, the most renowned courtesan in the capital, did not have long to live spread through the Jiaofangsi in an instant.

Some secretly rejoiced, while others sighed in pity.

—

After the midday meal, in Azure Pond Pavillion.

In the reception hall, laid with brocade carpets, the oirans sat around the table, sipping afternoon tea in their gauzy finery.

Fruits, chilled plum wine, and other delicacies were laid out on the table.

Mingyan, with her exquisite makeup, glanced at the gathered sisters. Including herself, there were nine oirans present, all of whom had once shared a bed with Silver Gong Xu.

“Think of how dazzling she was back then. A single poem from Silver Gong Xu made her the number one courtesan in the capital. Nobles spent fortunes just for a glimpse of her. Romantic scholars from faraway lands travelled thousands of miles to see her. And yet, after just half a year, all that remains is ash.”

Xiaoya, dressed in an indigo gauze dress with a jade hairpin, sighed. She carried a refined air and was highly regarded among scholars for her literary grace.

“The saying ‘a beauty’s fate is frail’ fits Fuxiang perfectly. It’s truly heartbreaking,” murmured Dongxue, a beauty in a yellow dress with an oval face. Her voice was as melodious as an oriole’s, and her singing was unmatched in the Jiaofangsi.

“I used to be jealous of her, monopolising Silver Gong Xu’s affections. But seeing her like this now, I can’t even eat,” another courtesan sighed.

“Speaking of which, it’s been a long time since Silver Gong Xu sought her out, hasn’t it?”

“I remember he left for Chuzhou in March and hasn’t visited the Jiaofangsi since, not even Reflecting Plum Pavillion.”

“Now that I think about it, the time he returned from Chuzhou coincided with when Fuxiang fell ill…”

The oirans let out a collective sigh. Fuxiang had been bedridden for so long without recovery; naturally, Silver Gong Xu would not come.

Men came to them for pleasure, after all. No one would expect them to sit by a sickbed, and Silver Gong Xu was just an ordinary man.

Mingyan sighed lightly. “Fuxiang adored Silver Gong Xu with all her heart…”

She turned to a maid beside her and instructed, “Send someone to notify Xu Manor. It’s not far from the Jiaofangsi. Go quickly and return at once.”

The maid scurried off.

Mingyan’s gaze swept over the gathered oirans, and she softly said, “Let’s go see Sister Fuxiang.”

…

“You and I have been Madam and servant for years. After I’m gone, take the silver banknotes in the cabinet, buy your freedom, and find a good family to marry into. The Jiaofangsi is no place for a woman to spend her life.

“Remember to give what I’ve left behind to Silver Gong Xu. Don’t forget.”

Leaning against the bed, Fuxiang gave her final instructions.

Mei’er sat on a stool, nodding tearfully.

Light and hurried footsteps sounded outside the door.

Mingyan, Xiaoya, and the others entered the room with graceful smiles. “Fuxiang, sister, we’ve come to see you.”

Fuxiang forced a smile on her deathly pale face, her voice hoarse. “Please, have a seat.”

The oirans sat down and exchanged a few pleasantries. Suddenly, Mingyan covered her mouth and sobbed. “Sister, we’ve already heard about your condition…”

Fuxiang smiled faintly. “To me, this is just the end of one journey in life. Long, long ago, I wished to leave this place.”

The oirans fell silent. They understood her feelings well, and sorrow filled the room.

Mingyan gently said, “Sister, please forgive me for acting on my own, I sent someone to inform Silver Gong Xu.”

Fuxiang frowned, her voice tense. “Why did you call for him? I don’t wish to see him, not now.”

Mei’er, standing by the bed, sobbed, “That heartless man! Ever since he went to Chuzhou, he hasn’t come even once. He must have heard that Madam was gravely ill and abandoned her. When he was still a Silver Gong, he often brought his colleagues to drink at the Jiaofangsi, and Madam always welcomed them warmly… Waaa…”

The oirans exchanged glances and sighed.

Mingyan softly asked, “Sister, is there anything else weighing on your heart?”

Fuxiang didn’t answer. She simply gazed out the window at the vast sky.

The greatest wish of any woman in the Jiaofangsi was nothing more than to escape servitude and walk proudly in the world.

The oirans understood her meaning but could only sigh.

Fuxiang’s contract price was a staggering eight thousand taels.

For the first time in a long while, Reflecting Plum Pavillion was lively again. Fuxiang was in good spirits, chatting freely. But as time passed, her mind began to wander. Her gaze repeatedly turned towards the door, as if waiting for something.

The oirans all knew whom she was waiting for.

Day after day, she longed for him, but he never came.

The source of this c𝐨ntent is freeweɓnovēl.coɱ.

Mingyan glanced at the water clock in the room, sorrow flickering in her bright eyes. That man… he would not come.

“It’s getting late. We should… we should go now…” She barely held back her tears. “Sister Fuxiang, take care.”

As her vision blurred with tears, Mingyan saw that Fuxiang’s gaze was fixed on the doorway, her pale face suddenly flushing with a hint of colour.

Mingyan’s body tensed.

Xiaoya bit her lip.

The other oirans also noticed Fuxiang’s strange reaction. They held their breath and slowly turned around.

A young man stood at the entrance, dressed in a moon-white scholar’s robe. A piece of jade, neither of great nor poor quality, hung from his waist.

“The robe didn’t fit anymore, so I had the maids at home alter it,” he said gently.

Tears spilled from Fuxiang’s eyes. This outfit—this was how they had first met.

Last October, a young man in a moon-white scholar’s robe stepped into Reflecting Plum Pavillion and into her life.

If only life were as it was at first sight.

Xu Qi’an’s smile was warm, his voice soft. “I had some business to take care of at the Jiaofangsi.”

He stepped forward and placed an object lightly on the table.

The oirans’ gazes fell upon it, unable to look away.

It was a contract for body.

---

[^1]: _jiuniang_, a desert-food almost like a semi-fermented rice congee. Since fermentation has only gone part-way, it has a relatively low alcohol content, and is quite sweet due to the broken-down but unfermented sugars.