Chapter 444: Chapter 381: Scarecrow
Undoubtedly, she was the most dazzling brightness on the pleasure boat tonight. Her dance moves and instrumental skills both testified that she was truly the best. As jade pendants were placed in front of her, forming a neat and pleasing array, the outcome of tonight’s competition was no longer in doubt.
She had won again, for the fifth consecutive time, finally earning her the chance to redeem herself. She wanted to leave this place—this was the motivation that kept her alive!
What puzzled her though, was that the madame, who usually saw her as a cash cow, seemed even happier than she was. The madame had secretly had numerous chats with her, pleading and threatening in equal measure, hoping she would stay, but she had firmly refused every time.
But no matter what, she had won, and in front of many Gracious Guests, even the unwilling madame wouldn’t dare break the rules of the profession.
Indeed, everything went smoothly. She won the title of Oiran five times in a row, and according to the rules, she could redeem herself in front of everyone. Over the years, she had also saved quite a sum of money just for tonight.
But unexpectedly, tragedy struck without warning. When she happily used the key to open the heavy hundred treasures box, the next second her face turned pale; half the silver notes and valuables inside were missing, replaced by some heavy, yet not very valuable, scattered silver pieces.
The money was completely insufficient for her redemption. She loudly confronted the madame and the sisters who had been entrusted with the jewelry box before she went on stage. But far from supporting her, they mocked her along with the madame. In the eyes of these "sisters," she saw deep jealousy—an emotion complex as hell itself, forbidding her alone to escape from their shared miseries.
Just as the woman was about to collapse, a rich young man from the audience stood up, offering to redeem her with his silver, under the condition that she become his concubine. The madame hurriedly agreed before the girl could speak, striking a steep deal with the young man.
The girl was not foolish, and now she clearly understood that this was a scheme set by the madame and the wealthy young man. With her as the lead performer, the Painted Boat’s business would suffer if she left. Unwilling to let go, the madame teamed up with the young man, who was keen on making her his concubine, quickly conspiring to force her into submission.
Of course, whether she agreed or not didn’t matter; she would still remain on the Painted Boat, making a fortune for the madame and the bosses behind her.
After all, she appeared to be the one not following the rules. Although she won the title of Oiran five times and secured the chance to free herself, the money she had saved fell short, an issue unrelated to the madame and the Painted Boat—they were her own problems.
Looking at the mocking smiles of the young men below, and the cold derision from numerous "sisters," the girl finally realized that everything today had been a setup designed just for her. Not to mention those wealthy young men, even the sisters who she had gotten along fairly well with on regular days were in the know, yet not one had quietly warned her.
The world of martial arts is such: short-lived favors, heavy on profits, nothing more.
Everyone expected the girl, known for her fierceness, to cause a big scene for their entertainment. However, to everyone’s surprise, she unexpectedly gave in. She declared her willingness to marry the young man as his concubine, but on one condition: he must send a bridal sedan for her, complete with music and festivities, to pick her up from this very Painted Boat.
This proposal indeed posed a challenge for the young man. Even if she was a beauty, her status as a mere Dancing Girl from the Painted Boat and him being a distinguished young man of high standing made it inappropriate to make a spectacle of fetching her. His father, a prominent court official, would surely break his legs.
But upon seeing the girl’s beauty and figure, a warm rush in his lower body cleared his mind. He gritted his teeth, made up his mind, and agreed. Agree first and deal with the details later—after all, he had power and influence. Once he got her off the Painted Boat, everything else would be under his control. What could a weak woman do against him?
Thus, the young man and the madame quickly struck a deal, agreeing to send a bridal party the following night at the same hour to solemnly fetch her.
Marrying at night is a tradition in the brothel and painted pleasure boat circles. Seeing no objection from the girl, the young man excitedly went home to prepare.
The next night, as promised, the young man arrived. The Painted Boat was freshly decorated, and the wedding carriages entered the boat. As the Painted Boat left the dock, carrying guests ready to celebrate anew at night, a disaster happened. The lower decks, where flammable materials like kerosene and candles were stored, suddenly caught fire. The situation rapidly escalated beyond control. Panicked people ran up, bringing shocking news: someone had seen the beautifully dressed girl enter the boat’s lower deck alone.
Before the fire could reach the upper deck, an explosion occurred. Soon, this once renowned Painted Boat sank due to severe water intake. Being far from shore in cold, high waves, almost none of the hundreds on board survived.
After the ship sank, the young man’s respected family naturally became the laughingstock of the community. After all, forcibly marrying a girl of lowly origin from the Painted Boat had already been beneath him, and now, reportedly, she chose a fiery suicide over marrying into his family—imagine the impact of that.
