The sound of the zither floated through the air, clear and soft like a breeze after the rain. Even though Cloud was in a brothel, his looks and manner carried an unusual elegance. His slender, fair fingers lightly plucked the strings, letting the gentle music drift around the room.
Zora listened, fully absorbed. Cloud's skill with the zither was exceptional, far beyond the ordinary.
As the music ended, Cloud lifted his eyes and looked at Zora. Seeing her reaction, he was very satisfied. As expected, the eldest daughter of the Zora family loved hearing him play.
Straightening his posture, Cloud, with a practiced and graceful smile, walked slowly toward Zora, naturally taking the wine pot from Lisa's hand.
"You haven't visited for days. Cloud has missed you dearly," he said, his eyes filled with soft affection. He gently sat next to Zora, poured her a cup of wine, and poured one for himself as well.
"You're not here today for June's auction, are you?" Cloud asked softly, his gaze fixed on her.
Zora awkwardly accepted the wine and took a small sip.
"I just came to look around. I didn't know about June being up for auction," she answered.
Cloud lowered his eyes, looking conflicted inside.
"I wonder if I could ask you for a favor?" he said after a moment.
"Oh? Let's hear it first," Zora replied, feeling a little uneasy. If he was going to ask to spend the night together, how would she refuse? After all, Cloud had been close to the original Zora.
If it wasn't an outrageous request, she could help him. Once she decided to walk the right path, she shouldn't have any more entanglements with brothel men.
Suddenly, Cloud stood up and knelt down in front of her, bowing his head.
"I hope you can help me today by buying June. I know someone like me has no hope, but June is still young. He sold himself to Baicao Pavilion to pay for his foster mother's medical treatment. Now that she's beyond saving, it's the so-called fathers who forced him into the auction!"
"Please, save him. I'll give you all my savings. Please redeem him and free him from this life. I'll never forget your kindness!"
Cloud looked up, tears streaming down his face.
Before Zora could refuse, Cloud started explaining everything in detail.
He had met June many years ago. June's father had once saved Cloud's life. Cloud never thought they would meet again in such a miserable place.
June had once been a young master of a respectable family. His family ran a fur business. Because his father was from a foreign land, he was extremely beautiful and talented. A certain noble took a fancy to him, but June's parents refused, and as a result, their entire family—thirty-two people—died in a fire overnight.
June's foster mother had been a close friend of his birth mother. By chance, June had been at her house, playing with her son when the tragedy happened. He survived only because he had stayed the night there.
After the incident, his foster mother hid his identity and raised him as her own.
But misfortune followed. Her son fell ill with a chronic disease, and she spent everything trying to save him. Even so, she failed. After losing her son, her husband also passed away from grief.
Since then, it had been just June and his foster mother, struggling to survive. Two years ago, when his foster mother fell seriously ill, June had no choice but to sell himself. To fetch a higher price, he ended up at Baicao Pavilion.
Zora was stunned by the story. Murder and arson in broad daylight?
Watching Cloud cry so heartbreakingly, she felt little emotional ripple inside. It was true: if you hadn't lived someone else's suffering, it was hard to feel their pain.
"Why did you choose me to help you? There are many rich and powerful people in the capital. With your reputation and June's beauty, I think many would be willing to help," Zora asked directly, cutting to the point.
Cloud looked at her and answered slowly, "Do you want the truth or a lie?"
Zora glanced at the three nosy onlookers around her, who were eagerly waiting.
"The truth," she said.
"Because... among all the bad people, you seem like the best one," Cloud said, nervously.
He had thought hard while playing the zither earlier. Among today's guests, there were two women even more powerful than Mr. Bo's family. But those women were either foolish and indulgent or greedy and lustful. Their homes were full of concubines. If June went with them, he would be jumping from one hell into another.
Zora almost laughed out loud.
The best among bad people?
Cloud couldn't read Zora's thoughts. He bowed again, but Zora quickly reached out and pulled him up.
"Stand up. I'm not used to people kneeling like this."
At that moment, soft music floated up from downstairs, and the lively noise died down. Everyone turned to look at the stage.
Zora and her group also looked over. Even from the second floor, they could see clearly.
On stage, June appeared, dressed in a smoky blue sheer robe, his graceful figure partly hidden and partly visible. His head was lowered, hidden in his flowing sleeves. As the music played, he suddenly threw open the sleeves, revealing a breathtakingly beautiful face—deep-set features, bright red lips, and especially those deep blue eyes that seemed to pull at people's souls.
(Oh wow, he's mixed blood? No wonder he's so stunning, Zora thought.)
June moved lightly, bending his slender waist with small steps. His gaze was full of hidden warmth, and his long sleeves floated around him as he danced. The hem of his skirt swirled in the air, making him seem like a flower blooming behind a mist, like a dreamlike immortal, captivating everyone.
When the dance ended, the whole room was dead silent. Then the first applause broke out, and everyone came back to their senses, clapping wildly.
The old madam of Baicao Pavilion took the stage, speaking with a sharp voice:
"Thank you all for coming. Today is a big day for our young master June. Let's see which lucky noble will win him tonight!"
"As usual, the starting bid is five hundred taels. The highest bidder wins."
Before the old madam's voice faded, Zora already thought the price was outrageously high. Brothels really were gold-devouring pits! But before she could express to Cloud that she didn't have that much money, the bidding downstairs had already begun.
Very quickly, the price shot up to two thousand taels.
Cloud, sweating with anxiety, pulled out a thick stack of silver notes and pressed them into Zora's hand.
"Miss Zora, this is all I have—five thousand taels. Our top courtesan's redemption price is five thousand taels. Please, buy June and set him free. I beg you."
Zora thought for a moment and said to Cloud, "I'll help you. Consider it repaying the past favors between us. But I won't take June home."
Cloud hesitated, then nodded firmly. "Alright. Once he's free, I'll arrange everything for him."
With that, they said no more. Zora stood and walked to the window.
Downstairs, the bidding had stalled at two thousand taels. The woman who bid two thousand taels was already beaming, thinking victory was within her grasp.
"Two thousand and one taels," Zora called out from the second-floor window.
Everyone froze for a second, then looked up toward her.
Even June's gaze turned toward her.
The three maidservants and Cloud beside her all stared at Zora in surprise.
The woman downstairs who had bid two thousand taels looked furious. Who was this woman trying to make trouble?
"Two thousand one hundred taels!" she shouted.
"Two thousand one hundred and one taels," Zora answered calmly.
"Two thousand two hundred taels!"
"Two thousand two hundred and one taels!"
"Two thousand three hundred taels!"
"Two thousand three hundred and one taels!"
Finally, the woman couldn't take it anymore. She shouted up to Zora angrily:
"Hey, lady! What's your problem? Are you mocking me by adding just one tael each time?"