Song of Silent Promise

22. Demons And Ghosts (5)

Xiuqu laughed at He Xiang's teasing. Compared to He Xiang, her thigh only had an incomplete stalk of hydrangea, far away from being a famous courtesan. But she only wanted opportunities. By collecting more tattoos, the more well-known she would be, the more likely she would attract some nobleman's patronage. Unlike He Xiang, Xiuqu would be content to become a noble lord's concubine.

"Anyway, Xiuqu, if you don't have anyone to serve tonight, please accompany me to the Herbal Hall," He Xiang subconsciously touched her abdomen. It had been more than a month since she had bled. She was usually cautious with her physical affairs and tend to refuse patronage during her fertile period.

Herbal Hall was a black market shop selling illegal drugs. It also provided contraception medicines for Blossoming Fragrance's courtesans. If a woman had no choice but to accept customers during her fertile times, Herbal Hall could be contacted to provide them a cold soup to kill the sperm and make the womb dormant for a while. Xiuqu naturally understood why He Xiang wanted to head there.

"Jie, how long has it been?"

"About a month or so," He Xiang said nonchalantly.

"Jie, this is not the first time you're taking that kind of medicine. Cold soup is one thing, but to abort after a pregnancy has actually occurred can be dangerous for you. Jie, how many times have you done it?"

He Xiang laughed and flicked Xiuqu's head lightly, "Alright, stop nagging. This is only my second time. I've always been careful and usually only drink the cold soup."

She lied.

As a popular courtesan, it was harder for her to reject the patronage of someone influential. Even when her body was during the most fertile times, many times she could not shrink away from serving those licentious men. Who could guess which stud from what family was so strong, their sperm could not be killed by the cold soup she consumed. And throughout her career, this had happened six times.

The two young women headed to the Herbal Hall. Because of the constant raids from local officials, the shop's location always changed, but it was always located not far from the establishment. The workers were usually illegal migrants or ex-convicts who could not find jobs elsewhere.

He Xiang and Xiuqu entered the shop, this time hidden behind some decrepit butcher selling all kinds of questionable meat. Some of the workers greeted her and Xiuqu, they were all familiar with the women of Blossoming Fragrance. But there was one person there she had never seen before. He Xiang was never a respectable lady and could converse openly to anyone. Her flirty eyes darted here and there, causing the male workers to blush, but she really just wanted to tease the stranger, "Mmm? There's a new face here. Looks pretty good too."

The stranger was quite tall and his build was firm and well-proportioned. If not for the slight bend of his back every time he moved, as though he was ashamed to see anyone or anything, he would be the very picture of a military hero women were crazy for.

"Miss He's eyes are sharp," the elderly worker chuckled and immediately prepared a list for a strong dose of abortifacient. There was only one reason a courtesan would visit the shop, which was to have an abortion, either by drinking stronger medicine, or in some worse cases, physical expulsion of the fetus. Normal cold soup's ingredients were always periodically delivered to Blossoming Fragrance as it was almost a daily necessity for the women. The old man smiled, "This lad is capable. Watch!" He began to recite the ingredients, "Ten grams of cotton root bark, twenty grams of juniper gum, ten grams of mugwort... ."

He Xiang and Xiuqu watched the new worker open various compartments on the wall-shelf, taking out the ingredients the old man had recited, weighed them on his palm, then proceeded to grind them into powder.