NOVPUBLi Nuo waved his hand and said, "It’s just a minor effort, unworthy of mention, Phoenix Lady, you are too polite."
Last time, he had already had a bowl of noodles from her and even taken a nice bouquet with him. He felt that neither of them owed each other anything, and she really didn’t need to come again.
Li Nuo and she weren’t that close.
Phoenix Lady firmly said, "For Young Master, it might be a minor effort, but for Jade Sound Pavilion, it is a great favor. Without Young Master’s help, Chang’an might not have a place for us anymore..."
She glanced back.
Several women, holding various gifts, walked in.
These women seemed to be all musicians from the Jade Sound Pavilion.
They all shared one common feature: they were very beautiful.
And also quite busty.
Li Nuo highly suspected that there was some special requirement for size when selecting musicians. Bringing this group of people to the Song Residence, wasn’t it intentionally making his wife uncomfortable?
Li Nuo turned his head and noticed his wife had already returned to her room.
The gifts Phoenix Lady brought were quite ordinary, comprising some tea leaves, brocade, and silk.
The prices of these items ranged from a few cents to thousands of taels of silver, common gifts for visits both in ordinary and noble households.
From the packaging of these gifts, they did not appear cheap.
However, this amount of silver, for the backer of Jade Sound Pavilion, wasn’t really worth mentioning.
Their musicians could earn everything back by playing a few songs or dancing a few dances.
The real effort probably went into those two vases of flower arrangements.
There must be an expert in the art of flower arrangement in Jade Sound Pavilion; those two vases were almost magically perfect in color and layout.
Though he had lost his ability to paint, the experience from that day seemed to have enhanced his appreciation skills.
Li Nuo was sure that the master of these arrangements must also be proficient in painting.
At that moment, Phoenix Lady took out a jade token from her bosom and handed it to Li Nuo with both hands, saying, "This jade token is gifted to Young Master. With it, anyone can listen to music and watch dances for free at the Jade Sound Pavilion, and all meals and drinks are also complimentary..."
County Magistrate Pei also had a jade token, but it was from Fengqi Building, and according to him, it only gave a ten percent discount, not for free.
The token given to him by Phoenix Lady was clearly of a higher privilege, free music and dance, free meals, was this not effectively freeloading?
But he was not Song Yu, uninterested in listening to music.
Li Nuo repeatedly declined, glancing towards the door, loudly said, "I know nothing of music, nor do I enjoy watching dances, you better take this token back..."
Having delivered the gift and expressed his gratitude, Li Nuo looked at Phoenix Lady and said, "I have some things to attend to here and will not be keeping you for a meal..."
Clearly given a hint to leave, the beautiful lady had to pay her respects, saying, "Then, I shall take my leave..."
Before leaving, she placed the jade token on the stone table in the courtyard.
After Phoenix Lady left, Li Nuo, holding the two vases of flowers, entered the room.
Song Jiaren was reading by the table, Li Nuo placed one vase on it and said, "Wife, about that Health Care Skill you taught me last time, I forgot a few moves, could you teach me again..."
Song Jiaren did not look up from her book, calmly said, "I’m tired today, maybe another time..."
...
A moment later, Li Nuo stepped out of the room, innocently sighed.
Really, who is spreading rumors outside?
Don’t they know how harmful rumors can be?
His relationship with his wife had just made progress, and now, it was thwarted again by accident.
He had only walked around the streets for a while, and with his current weak state, he hadn’t even felt tired.
She was a martial artist from the fourth realm, would she get tired?
Such a clumsy excuse clearly indicated she was upset.
Li Nuo had never been in love and naturally lacked experience in coaxing girls.
Was he supposed to spend a day’s lifeforce again to paint two more paintings for her?
Wouldn’t that make him a spineless follower?
He and his wife were close, but not to the extent that he would use his life to pacify her.
Moreover, between spouses, there should be mutual trust.
It was just some outrageous rumors, he had explained everything he could; if she believed those too, it meant there was no fundamental trust between them.
Under such circumstances, why should he bother to placate her?
Li Nuo stopped thinking about it, took a book about the Imperial Examination, and sat in the courtyard to read.
Compared to coaxing his upset wife, his own life was more important.
Meanwhile.
Phoenix Lady had already left the Song Residence.
Reaching an exquisitely decorated sedan, she lifted the curtain and stepped in, glancing subtly in a certain direction just before she did.
Then, she got into the sedan, a faint smile emerging on her beautiful face.
At the street corner ahead, several lingering figures gradually moved away.
Soon, exclamations of surprise arose from many places around Chang’an.
Inside a noble’s residence.
"The rumors are actually true!"
"Phoenix Lady is really with that man."
"I personally saw her enter the Song Residence."
"She dares to flaunt herself in front of the legitimate wife?"
"Maybe she was accepted by the main wife?"
"That main wife is rather generous, not like the jealous woman in our house..."
On a boat in the city.
"She really is Li Nuo’s woman, Li Yuan’s death wasn’t in vain!"
"Never thought that Jade Sound Pavilion had such a background. Seems we can’t use those tactics on them anymore..."
"But the customers we’ve lost..."
