Such Grand Treatment
They chatted and laughed all the way, and in less than half an hour, the carriage stopped in front of the West Phoenix Tower.
Shen Jingchuan took out the invitation from his sleeve, and the waiter at the door hurriedly took it with both hands. After just one glance, the smile on his face instantly became even more ingratiating, and he bowed even lower.
"So it's Young Master Shen, who won third place in the poetry competition! We were instructed to treat you with the utmost hospitality since you're here. The best private room upstairs has been reserved for you; please come in!"
Zhou Tong and the other two followed behind, and seeing the level of hospitality, they all felt honored. They unanimously let Shen Jingchuan walk in front, following the servant inside.
As they entered, the servant lowered his voice and quickly gave a few instructions to his companion on duty before leading them upstairs.
The best private room is located in the very center of the second floor, with a direct view of the stage below, offering an excellent view.
The room was bright and spacious, with a large round rosewood table in the center, paired with armchairs covered with brocade cushions;
A soft couch and a small table are placed against the wall to the side, where one can rest and drink tea;
The inner room also had a small lounge, with a brass incense burner in the corner, burning a faint sandalwood incense. Famous landscape paintings and calligraphy hung on the wall, and a set of fine white porcelain tea set was placed on the table. Everywhere exuded exquisiteness and sophistication, without the slightest hint of vulgarity.
Shen Jingchuan looked around and couldn't help but whisper:
"I thought this place was a den of iniquity, but I never expected it to be so elegant."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Tong stared at him wide-eyed, as if he had seen something extremely rare:
"Brother Shen, you haven't never been to a brothel before, have you?"
"My family is very strict, and I've never been to a place like this before. This is truly my first time."
Shen Jingchuan didn't hide anything from him and smiled:
"I don't know anything about the intricacies of this, so please don't laugh at me if I make a mistake later."
Zhou Tong burst into laughter and patted him on the shoulder:
"So you're still a novice after all this time! Fine, I'll give you a proper lecture today. This world of pleasure is not what you think; there's a clear hierarchy."
At the very bottom were brothels and clandestine prostitutes, hidden in the nooks and crannies of the city, where it was all about selling one's body; a few copper coins were all it took to get in, and they were considered low-class. Above that were teahouses and second-class brothels, where the girls could sing and play instruments and also catered for overnight guests, catering to small-time wealthy men and ordinary minor officials.
The place we're in now is a proper brothel, also known as the "Pure Serenade."
He raised his hand and pointed around:
"The people here are all courtesans, most of whom sell their art but not their bodies. They must be proficient in all the arts, including music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, and folk songs. The people they associate with are either literati, famous scholars, or high-ranking officials and wealthy merchants. These people are more here to socialize and meet friends than to seek pleasure."
These girls who are there to entertain guests would have a hard time even getting in if they weren't beautiful and talented. That Miss Bai is the most beautiful of the eight beauties; she relies on her talent, beauty, and reputation, nothing else."
Xu Mo and Su Yan, who were standing next to him, nodded with smiles. They had been to places like this before, and now, listening to Zhou Tong's eloquent explanation, they looked at Shen Jingchuan with some surprise.
This person's poetry and prose are astonishing, and his family background seems extraordinary, yet he has never set foot in a brothel, which is truly rare.
At this moment, two servants entered carrying a tea tray, laid out tea and several delicate pastries, bowed respectfully, and quietly withdrew.
As the group chatted and laughed, servants filed in and began serving dishes, filling the table to the brim with a very lavish spread.
Looking at the table laden with food and wine, Zhou Tong couldn't help but sigh:
"To be honest, it's not that I can't afford this meal, but I've been to brothels more than once or twice in my life, and I've always paid for it myself. This is the first time I've encountered a brothel offering to treat me, and so generously at that. I'm truly honored today by your generosity, Brother Shen. You've given me far more face than I could have imagined."
Xu Mo and Su Yan nodded slightly, clearly also receiving this treatment for the first time.
Just as all the dishes were served, a steward walked in from outside; it was the same person who had specially delivered the invitation yesterday. He bowed to Shen Jingchuan as he entered, a polite smile on his face.
"Young Master Shen, your presence is an honor to our West Phoenix Tower."
Upon seeing this, Shen Jingchuan quickly stood up to return the greeting, showing no airs whatsoever.
"Manager, you're too kind. I was honored by your kind invitation yesterday, and it would have been impolite to refuse. Besides... to be honest, I've never been to a place like this before, and I wanted to broaden my horizons. Several friends also kept urging me to come, so we came together to bother you."
The manager quickly waved his hand:
"Not at all, young master..."
He had only spoken halfway when he noticed the four people opposite him turning their gazes toward the door. He turned around, immediately stopped speaking, stepped aside to make way, and introduced them with a smile:
"This is Bai Ruoli Master Bai of the house. It was Master Bai who asked me to deliver yesterday's invitation to Young Master Shen. Please make yourselves at home; I won't disturb you any longer."
After saying that, he tiptoed out and closed the door behind him.
A woman dressed in a plain white gauze dress stood at the entrance. The hem of the dress was embroidered with a few pale white orchids. Her black hair was loosely tied up and adorned with only a plain jade hairpin. Her eyebrows and eyes were delicate and beautiful, and her temperament was calm and serene, without a trace of worldliness.
From the moment she entered the room, her gaze remained fixed on Shen Jingchuan, never wavering.
She had been waiting outside the door when she overheard Shen Jingchuan say that he had never been to a brothel before. She felt that he was a man of integrity and purity, completely different from those playboy scholars who frequented brothels. She already admired him greatly, and now she felt even more genuine affection for him.
They were all stunned and stood there speechless.
Shen Jingchuan was the first to react, and quickly greeted him with a smile:
"Master Bai, have a seat! We are truly honored to have been personally invited by you, and it has gone to so much trouble and expense for you."
Bai Ruoli then regained her senses slightly, curtsied slightly, and spoke in a gentle and soft tone:
"Young Master Shen, you are too kind. At yesterday's poetry gathering, Young Master Shen poems were truly outstanding, especially your 'Ode to the Wild Goose Mound Lyric,' which was deeply moving and left me deeply touched. I admire you greatly, which is why I took the liberty of sending you this invitation. I am afraid this is presumptuous, and I hope you will not underestimate Young Master Shen."