A Clash of Gods - Chapter 215

Chapter 215 Seduction

People still sang and danced in celebration of peace on Qinhuai River. Qi Ning reached the place where their carriage stopped last time and then saw that Wang Xiang was waiting. After seeing Qi Ning, Wang Xiang walked to welcome him in a hurry and led him to a small boat. Duan Canghai followed them to Zhuo Xian’er’s pleasure boat.

Qi Ning was familiar with Zhuo Xian’er’s pleasure boat. When he reached the curtain, he heard her voice before he entered. “When a lovely butterfly comes, the wind becomes pleasant. After the sincere lover leaves, the moon gets boring…” She sighed gloomily and it sounded resentful.

Qi Ning was stunned and then showed a smile. He lifted the curtain and entered the cabin, to see that Zhuo Xian’er was sitting at the table, resting her chin in her hand, with a nice figure and graceful posture. Hearing the footsteps, she turned her head. When she saw Qi Ning, she was astonished and then displayed a sweet smile. She got up and walked to him, bowing elegantly. “Marquis, nice to see you.”

Faint fragrance spread from her body, and her black hair hung loosely. There was a blush on her face and a smile flashing in her eyes. She knew that Qi Ning would come but didn’t put on heavy makeup. Instead, she looked simple yet elegant. However, with such a style, she looked more beautiful, like a lotus in clear water.

“Xian’er, are you reciting poems alone?” Qi Ning was not as restrained as he had been when he saw her last time. He asked with a smile, “When a lovely butterfly comes, the wind becomes pleasant. After the sincere lover leaves, the moon gets boring? Who is the sincere lover?”

Zhuo Xian’er obediently walked to Qi Ning’s back and took off his cloak for him, chuckling. “Marquis, please guess who my sincere lover is. If you guess right, I will reward you.”

“Oh?” Qi Ning laughed. “I need to ask first what the reward is.”

Zhuo Xian’er rolled her beautiful eyes and asked in reply, “Marquis, what reward do you want?”

Seeing that she turned to stand in front of him, with a graceful figure and fragrance, Qi Ning felt excited and said, “I am stupid and can’t guess it.” He walked to the ancient zither in the cabin and asked, “Did you play the zither these two days?”

“I make a living by playing the zither and depend on this skill. If I can’t play skillfully, perhaps I will have nothing to eat.” Zhuo Xian’er finally saw Qi Ning once more. Although she looked quiet, the joy in her eyes could hardly be concealed, and apparently she relaxed much more than the first time. “Marquis, do you want to listen to me playing the zither?”

“No hurry.” Qi Ning sat next to the ancient zither and smiled. “In fact, with your beauty, even if you can’t play the zither, you don’t need to worry that you will have nothing to eat.” He stretched out one finger and pressed one string on the ancient zither gently, with a melodious sound. The tone quality was excellent, and he thought that this ancient zither must be priceless.

However, he didn’t hear Zhuo Xian’er’s voice, so he was curious. He turned his head, to see that she stood behind him but looked gloomy. She bit her red lower lip and didn’t speak.

“What’s wrong?” Qi Ning was stunned. “Do you nurse a grievance?”

“Marquis, do you…look down upon me?” Zhuo Xian’er lowered her head. “I know that I am humble, and I never want to marry above myself. After I see you…tonight, we won’t see each other in the future.”

Qi Ning was surprised and thought that women were changeable. She was fine just now, but why did she feel sad soon? He pondered for a moment and suddenly understood that perhaps what he said unintentionally hurt her feelings.

He said that Zhuo Xian’er could make a living by her beauty instead of her zither skills just to praise her, yet when she heard that on Qinhuai River, she would have other views.

“Come and sit down.” Qi Ning waved his hand, gesturing for Zhuo Xian’er to sit next to him. She hesitated for a while and walked forward at last. She sat down next to Qi Ning and lowered her head slightly. He saw her charming and tender face and explained in a soft voice involuntarily, “Don’t think too much. I didn’t mean anything else. If I said something wrong, don’t take it to heart.”

Zhuo Xian’er looked up at Qi Ning and smiled softly. “Marquis, you worry too much. It’s…my fault.”

“I had something to do that night. Seeing that you fell asleep, I left before you woke up,” Qi Ning explained. “I planned to come and see you these two days, but I have too much to deal with, so it’s delayed till now.”

Zhuo Xian’er forced a smile. “Marquis, I…sent somebody to invite you. Did it cause trouble to you?”

“No.” Qi Ning thought that she sent Wang Xiang to his mansion at the wrong time indeed last time, which made Gu Qinghan lose temper, yet he couldn’t say it directly. “By the way, who owns your pleasure boat? Does it have something to do with Dou Lianzhong?”

Zhuo Xian’er shook her head. “No. Three out of ten pleasure boats on Qinhuai River have something to do with Dou Lianzhong, but this pleasure boat is owned by a salt merchant.”

“A salt merchant?”

“Yes. I am not clear about it,” Zhuo Xian’er responded. “I just know that he is possessed of great wealth and has four or five pleasure boats on Qinhuai River.”

Qi Ning thought that it was easier to handle it if this pleasure boat had something to do with Dou Lianzhong, but it was a salt merchant from nowhere, so it was more complicated.

“Marquis, I know your intention.” Zhuo Xian’er lowered her head. “In fact, you…don’t need to do that. I came from a poor family, and I am not in the same world with you. It’s the last night when I can decide for myself…tonight. I am afraid that…I can’t see you after tonight.” When she was speaking, her eyes became red.

Qi Ning understood what Zhuo Xian’er meant. After tonight, since Zhuo Xian’er wanted to make a living on Qinhuai River, she had to serve other men from tomorrow on. Now she was still a pure virgin, so she thought that she could stay with Qi Ning, yet she couldn’t get close to him after she lost her virginity.

Qi Ning pondered for a short while and then said, “Don’t worry. You don’t need to receive other men tomorrow, and even next year.”

“Ah?” Zhuo Xian’er was astonished and then smiled bitterly. “Marquis, I can’t control some things. They spent a lot of money on me, with the purpose to let me make more money for them…” While speaking, she suddenly raised her head and forced a smile. “Marquis, stop talking about this. Let me play a tune for you.”

Qi Ning pondered for a moment and then nodded slightly.

Zhuo Xian’er moved to the ancient zither, with fragrant wind blowing. Soon Qi Ning heard the zither music, with a desolate and lonely tonality. He sat next to her and looked at her graceful figure. Somehow, he had an urge to hold her in his arms with the appeal of the zither music.

In fact, in the election of the beauty queen, Qi Ning felt her lingering charm which didn’t accord with her age and energy from her zither music. She was a girl at the age of seventeen or eighteen. Although she was in the demimonde, the desolation and loneliness or sonorous and forceful style of the zither music was not what such a girl could comprehend.

However, the zither music was produced by her feelings. She could make others feel the desolation in her music, so she must have such feelings.

Some things couldn’t be shown only with skills.

No matter how skilled Zhuo Xian’er was in playing the zither, if she didn’t have the comprehension, she couldn’t show it by playing.

Qi Ning was in a daze. Suddenly he heard Xian’er’s soft and charming voice. “Marquis, Marquis, what’s wrong with you?”

Qi Ning came to his senses and found that one tune was finished. Xian’er knelt in front of him, with worry on her attractive face. Her eyes were bright, like spring, as if water would flow out of them at any time.

After all, he was a man full of sap. The scene made the blood in his body burn quickly. He involuntarily reached out the other hand and put it on Xian’er’s shoulder.

Xian’er’s shoulder was plump and smooth, and she wore only a thin blouse with gauze. Qi Ning could clearly feel her smooth and elastic skin.

Xian’er obviously felt Qi Ning’s passion and gently touched his finger, with a blush on her ruddy face like peach blossom. She looked shy and lowered her head but didn’t let go of his hand. She just said in a low voice, “Marquis, I…I invited you here just because I want to give…myself to you. I…I don’t want somebody else to take my virginity…”

Her voice was trembling evidently, with seduction in shyness.