When she heard that General Yan had asked Zi Yan to come and play the piano, Mingyue Tower's mother froze in her tracks. She could neither refuse nor agree, so she could only smile awkwardly and said, "I'll go and take a look. Miss General, please wait a moment."
Inside the Mingyue Tower, it was a time of singing and dancing.
Zi Yan was sleeping on the bed in the room, facing the wall in a daze.
Yesterday, she was beaten. The one who beat her was the second son of the Zhou family. The second son was different from his eldest brother. He was the dandy of Yancheng. He had admired Zi Yan for a long time, but the girls in Mingyue Tower only sold their art but not their bodies. The mother of Mingyue Tower had some background and was a protective person, so he had never been able to get her.
Yesterday, under the influence of alcohol, Mr. Zhou Er wanted to make a real play, but he didn't expect Zi Yan to resist and slap him in the face. This slap hit Mr. Zhou Er's face hard, and made him furious.
Master Zhou Er let his two servants beat Zi Yan up with fists and kicks. If Mingyue Tower's mother hadn't been quick to act, Zi Yan would have been beaten to death in Mingyue Tower.
Hearing the knock on the door, Zi Yan stood up and answered, "Is that mom? Come in."
The voice was low and soft, with a hint of hoarseness and a hint of charm. Even Mingyue Tower's mother felt her breathing stagnate slightly.
After all, she used to be the top performer in Mingyue Tower. Now that her leg is injured, she is not as good as before, but she is not in bad shape anymore.
"General Yan has brought Miss Xie here and said he wants to hear you play the piano. Are you okay with it?" Mom walked to the bedside, reached out to lift the white linen mosquito net, and looked at Zi Yan.
"Mom, help me up. I'll go after I wash up." Zi Yan said as she propped herself up.
"If you ..."
Before my mother finished speaking, she was interrupted by Zi Yan: "General Yan and Miss Xie are no different from others. I'll go sit down and play a song for them. Don't worry, mother."
The mother of Mingyue Tower helped Zi Yan to stand up. She changed her clothes and sat in front of the diamond-shaped mirror again. She applied some flower powder on her face. She didn't close her dressing box until her pale face turned rosy.
It was no secret in Yancheng that Zi Yan had a leg disease. Seeing her limping in, Yan Gui didn't care. He was discussing with Wei Yang whether to open a girls' school in Yancheng like the Yanzhou Military Guard.
Instead, it was Wei Yang who noticed that Zi Yan was a little different today and looked at her a few more times.
The sound of the zither sounded, and Wei Yang frowned. Yan Gui asked with concern, "What's wrong?"
"Is Miss Zi Yan sick?" Wei Yang asked.
Zi Yan hurriedly stood up and saluted: "I dare not let the young lady call me that, it's okay."
Yan Gui watched her sit down and suddenly said, "She's not sick, she's injured." He had been in the army for many years and had been injured, so his movements were inconvenient. He could tell that at a glance.
After hearing what Yan Gui said, Wei Yang recalled the look on Mingyue Tower's mother's face just now, and couldn't help but ask with concern, "Is it okay? Otherwise, why don't you go back and rest?"
"I'm fine. I just accidentally fell down two days ago. I'm recovered now." Zi Yan smiled and continued to pluck the strings.
Yan Gui casually brought up the previous topic with Wei Yang: "If you want to open a Zi Yan girls' school, it's not impossible, but you have to think about what to teach. Playing the zither, chess, calligraphy and painting are not skills for making a living in Yanzhou. Instead, it's better to do some needlework or something."
"Well, I have thought about it. I know how to embroider, so I can teach you. I might as well find a master in Yanzhou." Wei Yang pondered for a while and continued, "Gather the wisdom of all and ask for everyone's opinions. Is that feasible?"