Finest Servant

Chapter 68 Singing Eighteen Touches (Part 1)

Even though Cheng Ruinian and Luo Yuan were at odds, they both jumped when they saw the lascivious smile on Lin Wanrong's face. Could this servant really have the audacity to make an outrageous request?

Of course, the two men had slightly different concerns. Cheng Ruinian was worried that this servant might steal his thunder, while Luo Yuan was a mix of admiration, appreciation, and amusement.

"Miss, what kind of request do you think he'll make?" Xiu He asked in a whisper.

Seeing Lin Wanrong staring intently at Qin Xian'er, the extremely handsome young master felt irritated and snapped, "This man is cunning and strange. Who knows what crazy idea he has in mind. Just look at his disgusting smile; he must be planning something devious. Xiu He, when the time comes, take my sword and kill this scoundrel once and for all. This will save me from having to look at him again."

"Ah? Kill him?" Xiu He was genuinely taken aback.

Seeing a hint of fear in Qin Xian'er's eyes, Lin Wanrong didn't care if it was real or not. He felt incredibly satisfied. He took a few slow steps to stand in front of her, watching her with a smile, yet not saying a word.

They were standing very close to each other. The fragrance from Qin Xian'er's body entered Lin Wanrong's nose, a scent so intoxicating.

Qin Xian'er was wearing a soft gauze around her bosom. Her full chest rose and fell with each breath, her slender waist twisting slightly. Following her curves down, her enchanting buttocks appeared and disappeared from Lin Wanrong's sight, creating an indescribable temptation.

In her pitiful state, Qin Xian'er stuck out her chest a little, looked at Lin Wanrong coquettishly, a spark in her eyes. She even stuck out her small, vibrant tongue and lightly licked her enticing red lips, softly saying, "Young Master Lin, please be gentle with me."

This little girl truly knew her charm. A wicked fire rose in Lin Wanrong's heart, and a hot breath escaped his nose. Looking at Qin Xian'er, a wild gleam in his eyes, he said word by word, "I——want——you——"

Crash, the sound of numerous teacups shattering on the ground. Not only were Cheng Ruinian, Luo Yuan, and Young Master Guo dumbfounded, but Qin Xian'er's heart also pounded. ‘Damn, this guy really has guts,’ many men thought enviously.

The handsome young master handed her long sword to Xiu He, gritting her teeth, "Quick, kill this scoundrel."

Seeing everyone's eyes on him, as if ready to chop him to pieces, Lin Wanrong continued with a smile, "——to——sing——a little——song——"

Phew——everyone in the hall let out a long sigh of relief. This servant was sensible enough not to make an excessive demand. Besides, hearing Qin Xian'er sing was what everyone wanted, so they all withdrew their murderous looks from him. Some were even somewhat grateful to him. It was because of his proposal that they had another chance to listen to a voice as beautiful as a celestial melody.

Upon hearing Lin Wanrong's words, the handsome young master was first taken aback, then she burst out laughing. This scoundrel liked to keep people on tenterhooks by pretending to be profound.

"Miss, what should we do? Should we still kill him?" Xiu He, holding the precious sword, asked.

The young master gently shook her head, "Let's wait and see."

Upon hearing Lin San's previous statement, Qin Xian'er's face flushed, and a murderous intent appeared in her eyes. But when she heard his following words, she was dumbfounded. She finally realized that she had fallen for this servant's trick and he had made a fool of her.

Qin Xian'er glanced at him with infinite charm and with a sweet smile on her face, "Whatever the young master asks for, Xian'er will surely deliver. But may I ask what song would the young master like to hear?"

Lin San laughed heartily, "If I asked for a certain song, could Miss Qin perform it?"

Qin Xian'er was fully confident in her skills, she nodded proudly, "Of course, as long as the young master can name it, Xian'er will not disappoint you."

Lin San chuckled inwardly, feigning a thoughtful expression on his face. After a long pause, he said, "As a humble servant, I have no knowledge of music and haven't heard many good songs. However, when I entered this courtyard just now, I heard a young lady singing a charming tune that really caught my fancy. Therefore, I would like to request Miss Qin to perform that song."

Qin Xian'er saw the sly smile on his face, which was identical to his strange expression earlier. She had a bad feeling, but singing a small tune was as easy as flipping her hand for her. She didn't believe that this servant could come up with anything tricky.

"I just need to know the name of the song, and Xian'er will surely satisfy young master." Qin Xian'er's charming smile made the men in the hall dry-mouthed.

"Miss Xian'er, do you know how to sing 'Eighteen Touches'?" Lin San asked with a smile. His voice was soft, but everyone could hear it clearly.

[The Eighteen Touches or Shiba Mo (Chinese: 十八摸) is a traditional Chinese folk song with many variants throughout China. The song is flirtatious, bawdy and erotic in nature, considered vulgar and tasteless it has been banned numerous times.[1]

There are male, female, and duet variants. Some versions start with a touch of the hair, followed by nape, with each subsequent touch becoming increasingly intimate. The female versions often feature an attempted seduction through offering to allow a man to touch her in various places, some male versions a seduction through promising some reward if she allows him to touch her there. The duets pair each offered or threatened touch with a consequence, e.g. "...I can't touch you there, if I do you'll die of bliss."]

Silence!

Absolute silence!

The men in the hall gaped, and the women covered their mouths, all looking at Lin San in disbelief.

The previously arrogant Master Cheng Ruinian stretched his neck, staring blankly at Lin San, clearly shocked by the servant's astonishing words.

The young master of the Governor's Mansion, Luo Yuan, covered his mouth tightly, suppressing his laughter. His face was full of playful admiration. He thought, ‘This servant, damn interesting.’

All the young masters in this hall were regulars of the red-light district, so they all knew what 'Eighteen Touches' was. If it was about having a drink and singing 'Eighteen Touches', it would be lively. But to ask this top-notch courtesan who sells her talent, not her body, to sing this provocative tune was utterly audacious. Not to mention Qin Xian'er's unparalleled beauty, her world-class music skills alone made it somewhat demeaning for her to perform a simple tune. But they never thought that this wicked servant would be so vulgar as to ask Qin Xian'er to sing such a frivolous erotic song.

The men in the courtyard suddenly had a strong feeling, wondering what it would be like if this top-notch courtesan sang 'Eighteen Touches'. They might even thank this servant named Lin San for giving them a chance to see the seductive performance of the top beauty of Qinhuai River singing 'Eighteen Touches'.

Even though Qin Xian'er has encountered all kinds of people, at this moment, seeing this servant look down on her so disdainfully, her face pales for a moment. She glared fiercely at Lin Wanrong, the light in her eyes fierce enough to kill him ten thousand times over.

The extraordinarily handsome young master's face flushed in embarrassment. She looked at Lin Wanrong from a distance, spat lightly, and muttered under her breath, "This lowborn fellow truly is a rogue. Despite having a bit of talent, he's so utterly disgraceful."

"Afraid to sing, are you?" Lin Wanrong looked at Qin Xian'er, the corner of his mouth curving into a cold smirk, thinking, ‘What kind of courtesan are you? This young master detests those of you who are pretentious.’

Even though Qin Xian'er was a courtesan, she was genuinely pure and virtuous, and held a high status. How could she endure such an insult?

She bit her lip in resentment. Thankfully, she still had some self-control, and remembered her promise. She looked at Lin Wanrong, a hint of shy embarrassment in her eyes. "Young Master, could we change the song? I've never sung this one before, and I'm afraid I won't be able to."

"Unable to sing?" Lin Wanrong took a few steps forward, approached another singing courtesan, and took her hand. "This lady can sing it, why can't you?"

The courtesan, long accustomed to a life without dignity, found Lin Wanrong's words resonating with her. As if emboldened, she bravely met Lin Wanrong's gaze, a glint of tears in her eyes.

Qin Xian'er's face shifted from red to white, her chest rising and falling with emotion. She suppressed the anger in her heart. Despite her beauty and the flirtatious charm of her anger, to an outsider, it seemed as if there was a romantic exchange between the two.

Seeing that bewitching look in Qin Xian'er's eyes again, and the resentment on her face enough to melt any man's heart, Lin Wanrong knew that this girl was up to her seductive "magic" again.

He had been fooled before, and remembering that he had already fallen for it once, he dared not meet her gaze. He turned his head and said loudly, "Miss Qin, even though you are the most favored courtesan in Miaoyu Pavilion, loved and adored by all the young masters, at the end of the day, you are still part of Miaoyu Pavilion. Even though you are beautiful and talented, a brothel is a brothel, not a theater or restaurant. What is sold here are bodies and smiles. The other ladies here may not be as beautiful as you, but fundamentally, there is no difference between you and them. They are your sisters. If they can sing, why can't you? Does being beautiful put you above your sisters?"

The other courtesans were all women, and although they sold their bodies, they still retained some dignity. Lin Wanrong's words stirred their hearts. Why should she only sell smiles while they must sell their bodies? Some of the courtesans, reminded of their own hardships, discreetly wiped away their tears. They felt vindicated, their eyes were drawn to Lin Wanrong, full of emotion and fiery passion.

Lin Wanrong's words were meant to stir up tension between Qin Xian'er and the other courtesans. Yet, they only garnered sympathy from everyone present, and nobody could refute him.

Regardless of what others might think, Lin Wanrong sighed and slowly recited, 

"Speechless in the slanted evening sun of Qinhuai, every home by the water reflects the red makeup. Spring wind oblivious to the changing jade countenance, still the songs of joy circle the painted boats. Under the bright moon, hearts are breaking!"

With just a few simple sentences, he encapsulated the world-weariness hidden behind the glamour of Qinhuai. Those who were forced to put on a smile in the courtyard were all pitiful women, each with their own heartbreaks. These short twenty-odd words expressed their desolation, evoking deep emotions.

Qin Xian'er was stunned for a moment before she let out a long sigh, "Your talent is admirable, Young Master."

Lin Wanrong chuckled, "Miss Qin, you don't need to admire me. All of this knowledge I have is taught by my Young Master. If you are interested, you should spend more time with him. I believe you won't be disappointed."

"Oh, really?" Qin Xian'er looked at Young Master Guo with a smile, her voice sweet, "I wonder if Young Master Guo would give me that opportunity?"