Chapter 141: The First Trial of the Courtesan's Groom Selection

Thinking about the profit-making methods of the House of Fragrant Blossoms, Zhu Hao couldn't help but reflect that in this era, for such impoverished people, a whole family could not even spend ten taels of silver in a month. Therefore, Zhu Hao held little affection in his heart for the predatory wealth accumulation practiced by the House of Fragrant Blossoms. Regrettably, he currently lacked the capacity to sway the realm, and could only offer a faint sigh over the matter.

Despite these musings, Zhu Hao found himself somewhat intrigued by the admission ticket of the House of Fragrant Blossoms. He was most curious to know what kind of ticket could possibly command such a high price. Thus, Zhu Hao spoke up: "Xiaobao, what does this ticket of the House of Fragrant Blossoms look like? Take it out and let Your Highness have a look, so I might broaden my horizons!"

Hearing this, Wei Xiaobao did not dare to hesitate. He immediately and cautiously drew a folded piece of paper from his bosom and handed it to Zhu Hao. Zhu Hao, lacking Wei Xiaobao's sense of reverence, directly unfolded the slip of paper to inspect it. Upon it were inscribed merely a few sparse characters: "Admission Ticket Number Seventeen for the Debut of the Courtesan of the House of Fragrant Blossoms," stamped above with a vermilion seal bearing the three characters "House of Fragrant Blossoms."

The method of production somewhat resembled that of bank notes, yet appeared even cruder than paper currency. Examining this wretched slip of paper, Zhu Hao could not conceal his disappointment, thinking to himself: "Just this worthless scrap of paper is actually worth one hundred and fifty taels of silver! What absolute nonsense."

With such thoughts fueling his irritation, Zhu Hao returned the admission ticket of the House of Fragrant Blossoms to Wei Xiaobao in a less-than-pleasant manner, instructing him, "Here, take it and keep it safe!" Wei Xiaobao seemed oblivious to the displeasure in Zhu Hao's tone, nodding repeatedly as he carefully tucked the admission ticket back into his bosom.

Seeing Wei Xiaobao treat the item with such meticulous care only deepened Zhu Hao's aversion—not toward Wei Xiaobao, naturally, but rather toward the House of Fragrant Blossoms. Consequently, Zhu Hao teased Wei Xiaobao, saying, "Xiaobao, you've gone to great lengths. Tomorrow, you shall accompany this Prince to see what manner of person this courtesan truly is. Once I win her back and present her to you as a maidservant, how does that sound?"

Wei Xiaobao understood that his master was merely jesting with him, yet he remained sensible of boundaries and did not put on his usual cheeky grin. Instead, with a serious expression, he replied, "Your Highness, this humble servant is your bondservant; how could I ever presume to have my own maidservant? If Your Highness wins the courtesan back and finds yourself displeased with her, she can only serve as Your Highness's maidservant! This servant would not dare to claim such a blessing!"

Hearing this, Zhu Hao smiled slightly. Ceasing his banter with Wei Xiaobao, he spoke with formal gravity: "Xiaobao, the hour is growing late, and this Prince is somewhat fatigued. You should head back and rest early as well."

At these words, Wei Xiaobao hurriedly responded, "Rest well, Your Highness! This servant takes his leave!" With that, he backed out of Zhu Hao's bedchamber.

After Wei Xiaobao's departure, Zhu Hao washed up, retired to bed, and slept soundly through the night without incident. Early the next morning, having washed and changed into civilian attire, Zhu Hao opened his bedchamber door. As he did so, he caught sight of Wei Xiaobao, whose expression was brimming with excitement. Observing Wei Xiaobao's palpable enthusiasm, Zhu Hao silently thought: "How is it that this Wei Xiaobao is even more eager to see a beauty than I am? I truly wonder whether he is a real eunuch or a fake! It seems this is all the doing of that system skill, 'Seeking Beauties'."

With such thoughts, Zhu Hao bantered with Wei Xiaobao, saying, "Xiaobao, why do you appear even more overjoyed than this Prince? Judging by your appearance, one would think you are the one vying for the courtesan rather than myself!"

Recognizing the playful tone in Zhu Hao's words, Wei Xiaobao offered a self-deprecating smile and replied, "Your Highness, let alone the fact that this servant lacks the ability to contend for the courtesan, even if I possessed such capability, any courtesan won over would still be dedicated to Your Highness as a sign of filial devotion. This servant is simply happy for Your Highness!"

Zhu Hao burst into hearty laughter upon hearing this, thinking to himself: "This servant is truly exceptional, so considerate! It appears the expansion of my future imperial harem will depend entirely on him!"

Indulging in a series of whimsical daydreams, Zhu Hao led Wei Xiaobao out of the Imperial Envoy's yamen and marched straight toward the House of Fragrant Blossoms. As they walked along the thoroughfare, Zhu Hao noticed that many people in Hangzhou were converging in the direction of the House of Fragrant Blossoms, all seemingly headed out to witness the courtesan's public debut.

Zhu Hao paid no heed to these individuals, nor did they pay him any mind. However, amidst the milling crowd, Zhu Hao did indeed spot several familiar faces—officials of varying ranks from Zhejiang whom he had previously encountered. Today, much like Zhu Hao himself, these men were traveling in civilian clothes rather than official robes. Had Zhu Hao not possessed a rather sharp memory, he might well have failed to recognize them.

As Zhu Hao and Wei Xiaobao drew closer to the House of Fragrant Blossoms, the crowd grew increasingly dense until the two of them were practically elbowing their way through. Today, more than a dozen burly men stood at the entrance of the House of Fragrant Blossoms maintaining order and concurrently verifying tickets; only those holding admission slips were permitted to enter. With no small amount of effort, Zhu Hao and Wei Xiaobao squeezed their way to the front. Wei Xiaobao presented their admission ticket to one of the hulking guards, who remarked to Zhu Hao, "Wishing the young master good fortune in capturing the beauty's heart!" before clearing the way for both Zhu Hao and Wei Xiaobao to enter.

Upon stepping inside, Zhu Hao noticed that the interior of the House of Fragrant Blossoms presented a stark contrast to his visit two days prior: lanterns were strung up everywhere, and the establishment was packed with a sea of people. Initially, Zhu Hao had believed that he and Wei Xiaobao had arrived early enough, but he had never anticipated that so many others would have arrived even earlier.

Faced with this moral decline of an era where ancient values were discarded, Zhu Hao gave a slight shake of his head, while inwardly harboring a covert admiration for the marketing prowess displayed by the House of Fragrant Blossoms.

As time ticked steadily onward, an exquisitely dressed and alluring matron stepped up to the center of the second-floor railing in the House of Fragrant Blossoms. Cast a bewitching smile toward everyone present, she spoke: "Today marks the day our House of Fragrant Blossoms courtesan makes her public debut. Qiuyun expresses her gratitude to all the esteemed gentlemen for gracing us with your patronage. Today, our courtesan's selection of a husband is divided into three stages; the first stage tests affinity!"

As Qiuyun concluded her remarks, Wei Xiaobao whispered to Zhu Hao, "That woman is the proprietress of the House of Fragrant Blossoms!"

Zhu Hao nodded slightly at this intelligence without offering any verbal response. Just as Qiuyun was about to speak further, a disturbance broke out in the courtyard. A man shouted loudly, "We want to see the courtesan! What is the point of testing anything when we haven't even laid eyes on her?"

Following this man's declaration, the entire crowd chimed in, shouting in unison: "We want to see the courtesan!"

Zhu Hao refrained from joining in the clamor, choosing instead to observe with a cold detachment to see what tricks the House of Fragrant Blossoms intended to pull.

Witnessing the chaotic scene unfold before her, Qiuyun showed not a shred of panic. Instead, she offered the assembly a calm and tranquil smile before addressing them: "Esteemed gentlemen, please exercise a moment of patience. Our courtesan is still quite young, and given the vast number of you esteemed gentlemen present, should she be exposed to such a multitude all at once, she would likely be terribly frightened. Regardless of which of you esteemed gentlemen ultimately wins the hand of the courtesan, none of you would wish for her to suffer a fright, would you?"

Zhu Hao thought to himself: "This Qiuyun is a formidable character. She knows how to exploit people's wishful thinking. With such a remark, every man present will surely fancy himself the lucky winner and refuse to compromise the perfection of the courtesan they hope to claim, thus preventing any further uproar."

Just as Zhu Hao had anticipated, the previously disorderly scene subsided somewhat after Qiuyun finished speaking. Yet these men were not so easily placated. One among them called out once more, "That still doesn't give you the right to make us compete without even letting us catch a glimpse of the courtesan! That is entirely unreasonable!"

With another captivating smile, Qiuyun replied, "Esteemed gentlemen, please rest assured. Provided everyone is fortunate enough to pass the first round of the affinity test, you shall be granted a personal audience with the courtesan herself. The remaining second and third stages will feature challenges devised by the courtesan personally. I beg of you esteemed gentlemen to remain calm!"

When Qiuyun finished speaking, the men found themselves with little left to argue, and instead began pressing her to commence the first round of the affinity test.

Observing the impatient throng before her, Qiuyun offered yet another bewitching smile and announced: "Esteemed gentlemen, please remain calm. For this first round, the courtesan shall draw lots from within her private chambers, selecting ten numbers. These ten numbers correspond to the admission ticket numbers held in your possession. If any of you esteemed gentlemen are drawn, you will advance to the next stage. Should you not be selected, do not be discouraged; today the House of Fragrant Blossoms has prepared fine pastries and teas for all of you. Every esteemed gentleman who enters today but is not chosen will receive a fifty percent discount on all consumption within the House of Fragrant Blossoms!"

Initially, upon hearing Qiuyun announce that only ten individuals would be chosen in the first round, the hundreds of men in attendance had murmured in discontent. However, upon subsequently learning that today's consumption would be halved, the crowd quieted down somewhat, though a small fraction remained dissatisfied—Zhu Hao being among them.

Yet Zhu Hao's dissatisfaction stemmed not from the rules themselves, but rather from the predatory wealth-accumulation tactics of the House of Fragrant Blossoms. To Zhu Hao, the ticketing scheme felt nothing short of a scam; eliminating ninety percent of the participants in the very first round meant that the House of Fragrant Blossoms effectively pocketed the ticket proceeds for that ninety percent entirely for free. Nevertheless, having come on a system mission, Zhu Hao suppressed his grievance despite his lingering dissatisfaction and refrained from stirring up trouble.

Roughly a quarter of an hour after Qiuyun concluded her speech, just as many patrons were growing weary of waiting, a maidservant hurried up to Qiuyun and handed her a slip of paper. Once again bestowing a seductive smile upon the assembly, Qiuyun declared: "The drawing of lots for the first round has concluded. This humble maid will now announce the results. Will the chosen gentlemen please make your way to the second floor, where the maidservants will guide you to the next stage!"

Unfolding the paper in her hand, Qiuyun began to read: "Number Eight! Congratulations to the gentleman holding Number Eight on being selected. We invite the gentleman with Number Eight to proceed to the second floor!"

As her voice trailed off, a man amidst the crowd shouted out in wild ecstasy, "I've been chosen! I've been chosen!" Gesticulating wildly with exuberant excitement, he sprinted straight toward the second floor.