Chapter 55: Helping You Cool Off
Just after getting off the car, he was choked by the procuress, Cao Weida couldn’t help but frown, and Little Ear immediately scolded from the side:
“How do you talk? Who are you choking here? What’s the matter, do you have any opinion about the daytime inspection?”
“That’s the Imperial Army’s order. If you have any opinion, I’ll invite you back and let you explain to the Imperial Army.”
“Tch, scaring who?” The procuress in her thirties rolled her eyes prettily, matched with her light makeup, she had quite a mature charm,
“Let me tell you, we at Xiaguang Garden have backers too. If you want to cause us trouble, weigh it yourself first.”
Anyone running this kind of pleasure business, especially one ranking top in the industry, must have a backer behind them; otherwise, they’d have been devoured alive long ago.
So, she really had the confidence to say that.
Cao Weida naturally didn’t think she was bluffing. Not to mention anything else, if Zhu Tianxi was really hiding in Xiaguang Garden, then behind it might stand the East Asia Academic Research Association, or even the big traitor Wang Kemin.
Otherwise, with so many pleasure places in Bada Hutong, why hide specifically here?
Little Ear wanted to say something more but was stopped by Cao Weida with a hand, and he smiled amiably: “Procuress, you’ve misunderstood. We’re not here for inspection. Could it be that coming to your Xiaguang Garden can only be for inspection and not for amusement?”
The procuress looked at him with suspicion and mockery: “You? Do you know how much it costs to consume once at our Xiaguang Garden?”
“With your salary, go to Zhu Jia Hutong or Li Shamao Hutong; there are plenty of underground establishments there.”
“How do you talk!” Little Ear got furious, rolled up his sleeves wanting to step forward, but was stopped by Cao Weida,
“Alright, don’t get impulsive. We’re out here to have fun, not to get angry.”
Turning his head, he smiled at the procuress, “I heard your Qing Guan Ren Xinghong is performing today. I’m here especially for her fame. You’re open for business; you wouldn’t refuse money, would you?”
“As for whether I have the money, we’ll know once the Qing Guan Ren comes out.”
Many modern people always think they’ve seen it all, but they don’t know that what they play with has all been played by ancient people before.
For example, this brothel—most people think ancient brothels were just for flesh trade, but actually, brothels were always centered on ‘arts,’ with social attributes, similar to modern clubs and such social venues.
Although by the Ming and Qing periods, the flesh trade aspect strengthened, there were still differences.
Many people always confuse brothels and whorehouses, but actually, their differences are quite significant.
Speaking of current courtesans, they are all selected from Qing Guan Ren.
These Qing Guan Ren must be good-looking as a basic requirement, and also skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. To be clear, the music, chess, calligraphy, and painting here are the proper kind, not what you think.
Places like Xiaguang Garden, these gold-burning dens, specially train a batch of Qing Guan Ren. These Qing Guan Ren are young women who have undergone strict training and are still virgins, priding themselves on selling arts but not their bodies; they are professional performers in high-end brothels.
Their main tasks are to drink with guests, sing songs, chat, and such services.
If a Qing Guan Ren is to lose her virginity, it’s not just a quick thing.
The procuress must arrange it first, requiring a wealthy regular guest to pay a high ‘deflowering fee’ for it, and the process must follow complex etiquette, like banquets and gifting jewelry; it’s not for just anyone to become an intimate guest.
After deflowering, the Qing Guan Ren becomes a red guan ren, thereafter able to accept overnight stays, but still maintains guest relationships mainly through talents, not purely relying on the body for a living.
As for the courtesan, she is chosen by people holding poetry gatherings, music contests, and such activities, where self-proclaimed elegant guests score, and the winner is elevated to courtesan.
How about it? Doesn’t it sound very elegant?
But actually, it’s all damn marketing tactics, no different in principle from later generations labeling people with celebrity tags.
The so-called pride in selling arts but not body— in the end, without exception, they all go through this step.
And today Xinghong performing means she’s preparing to lose her virginity.
Oh, no, there’s a difference. Qing Guan Ren of this era are mostly forced into it out of desperation, whereas later generation celebrities are mostly voluntary.
Seeing Cao Weida’s demeanor, the procuress thought he really seemed confident, and couldn’t help thinking: Could I have misjudged? Does he have some influence?
Could he be a rich second generation or official second generation experiencing life?
The procuress’s eyes darted around. People with special hobbies are everywhere, just like you never know which guy in flip-flops is a landlord with several buildings—playing pig to eat tiger, strike that, rich people experiencing life exist in every era.
Especially seeing how Little Ear was so protective of Cao Weida, it really seemed like the experiential type.
She couldn’t help lingering her gaze on Little Ear’s face a bit longer, then suddenly realized: Huh, it’s an acquaintance!
Isn’t this Little Ear, the boss of the Tianqiao Little Ear gang, Master Lian?
Although Little Ear’s gang isn’t big, as a procuress running a pleasure place, she has to know all walks of life, which further confirmed her guess.
Her originally contemptuous expression immediately switched to a smile, the speed of changing faces astounding.
The procuress waved a handkerchief lightly, giggling coquettishly: “Oh my, isn’t this Master Lian? I just failed to recognize Mount Tai.”
Little Ear rolled his eyes without responding to her, instead grinning mischievously at Cao Weida: “Big Brother Cao, you gotta eat more tonight to have strength to sell later.”
“Tonight’s courtesan deflowering fee is all on me; Big Brother Cao just wait to enjoy!”
“Master Lian, Master Lian, wait a moment.” Hearing Little Ear, the procuress awkwardly stopped him: “Well… Xinghong’s performance might have to wait two more days.”
At these words, Cao Weida and Little Ear’s faces darkened simultaneously. Little Ear looked at the procuress uglily, face sullen, smiling falsely:
“You must be joking with me, right? I’ve inquired clearly; today Xinghong is coming out. I’ve gone to great trouble to invite my big brother, and now you tell me Xinghong isn’t performing today? Playing this old man?!”
The procuress hurriedly waved her hands: “How dare I? Master Lian, don’t misunderstand. We open for business and value credibility most; how could we do something that ruins our reputation?”
Though she wasn’t afraid of Little Ear—after all, just the head of a mid-sized gang, not enough to scare her.
But as she said, opening for business, reputation is paramount. If they change orders morning and night, once reputation is ruined, how to do business afterward?
Easy to get backbone poked!
Bada Hutong isn’t short of gold-burning dens; there are those not smaller than Xiaguang Garden. If they give others handle, those peers waiting for Xiaguang Garden to fall might seize the chance to kick while down.
“Then I want to hear your explanation. I’ve gone to great trouble to invite big brother; if you don’t give me a satisfactory answer… Hmph, though I’m no big shot, I’m not one to be trifled with!”
The procuress glanced at Cao Weida who was watching faintly, and felt a bit uneasy inside.
Someone Little Ear serves carefully must not be simple.
She wasn’t afraid of offending Little Ear, but this one she really couldn’t gauge.
“Oh my, look at you, why get so angry.” The procuress covered her mouth giggling, came forward to pat Little Ear’s shoulder, explaining:
“It’s not my fault; it’s really unavoidable.”
“Master Lian, you know how strict today’s inspections are; the whole Beiping is disrupted, many of our regular guests dare not come out.”
“It was set for Xinghong to perform today, but it just coincided with this mess. Who knew it’d happen, right?”
Saying that, she left Little Ear, flirtatiously hugged Cao Weida’s arm; the pungent fragrance made Cao Weida twitch his nostrils involuntarily,
“This master, calm down. This matter isn’t Master Lian’s fault; blame me, blame me for not arranging well.”
“Like this: tonight I’ll arrange two popular girls to serve you, help you vent the fire, guaranteed satisfaction. What do you say?”
Anyone who can be a procuress is basically slick in all directions, playing human relationships and social etiquette like flowers.
Though she didn’t know Cao Weida’s exact identity, it didn’t stop her from currying favor.
If Cao Weida had no background, she lost nothing; but if he really had big backing, and she built a relationship, wouldn’t Xiaguang Garden gain another trump card?
At most just send two girls for one night; no real loss.
Hearing this, Cao Weida grinned, finger lifting the procuress’s chin, looking at her teasingly.
You really couldn’t tell, this procuress was only around thirty, in her prime, plus delicate face, snake-like slim waist, matched with those soft watery eyes, truly exuding mature allure that made one’s heart itch.
“No wonder you stand out in Bada Hutong; your human relationships and social etiquette are really good.”
“However, I’m not one to look at just any woman; don’t fob me off with second-rate goods.”
“I’m here for Xinghong’s reputation; you want me to leave disappointed? Not that easy.”
“Just say it straight: how much for Xinghong’s performance fee? As long as it’s not exorbitant, I won’t haggle.”
Damn, this one really doesn’t care about money! The procuress smiled bitterly inside; the less they care about money, the less she dared offend!
Courtesan performance, no matter the era, is a big expense. Ordinary pleasure places charge dozens to over a hundred silver dollars for a courtesan performance.
Don’t think it’s little; look at Cao Weida’s monthly salary: seven silver dollars a month!
Over a hundred silver dollars—not enough even saving a year without eating or drinking!
This is ordinary; Xiaguang Garden is top brothel—entry tea seat fee ten silver dollars, girl’s ‘meeting gift’ Suzhou embroidery handkerchief starts at eighty silver dollars.
Ordering a song ‘red envelope’ twenty silver dollars each, ‘night fee’ another two hundred silver dollars.
All added up, at least three hundred ten silver dollars.
And that’s without competition; if someone else wants to try for luck, the price is really hard to say.
He opens mouth saying as long as not exorbitant, no haggling—that confidence, without strength, who dares boast like that?
