The Good Girls in the Brothel [New Book Please Collect!]

Spring Full Pavilion is the only brothel in Yuhang Town.

Originally, even if there were prostitutes in Yuhang Town, they were just loose prostitutes and undercover courtesans who couldn't make it to the stage. Since Spring Full Pavilion opened, with its beautiful environment and first-class service, it has quickly become a gathering place for local "literati and esteemed scholars."

This is the haven of tenderness for the men of Yuhang Town, and also a thorn in the eye for the women of Yuhang Town. Whenever it gets a bit late, the wives of every household have to keep an eye on their husbands, lest someone find an excuse to stroll around the street where Spring Full Pavilion is located.

Most people have no chance to enter, but just wandering around nearby, looking at the "good girls" who are scantily clad, leaning on the door and railing, flaunting their charm, and sometimes perhaps getting a flirtatious glance, is also very satisfying.

The veteran literati and esteemed scholar, Young Master Wang Longqi, once said that Spring Full Pavilion is in no way inferior to the brothels and pleasure houses in Hangzhou Prefecture.

What he was comparing here, naturally, was the most crucial part of a brothel—the good girls.

A large brothel must have all-around talent. Inexperienced young girls who have just entered the dust of the world, mature and charming women who have been through many battles... these are considered bottom-layer good girls who satisfy the various demands of the guests. Above them, there must be popular courtesans who can impress.

The requirements for popular courtesans are not just about beauty; to be famous in the entertainment world, one must have skills that open people's eyes. To be treated like a treasure, one must be both beautiful and talented.

And Spring Full Pavilion has several such popular courtesans.

The deceased from last night was one of them.

"The deceased's name was Ruan Hongmei, her stage name was Mei Xiang, and she was a popular courtesan in Spring Full Pavilion." Li Xinyi introduced, standing outside the elegant and exquisite building.

She specifically pouted and reminded, "When we go in later, don't look around randomly."

"Mm," Li Chu nodded.

Literati and esteemed scholars have always favored evening gatherings. During the day, Spring Full Pavilion is deserted, with few pedestrians. The two open doors see no one entering or exiting. Inside, it is quiet, exuding a languid powdery scent.

Occasionally, one or two disheveled women would open a window, stretch, yawn, and then close it again after taking a breath of air.

But today, the closed window was immediately opened again.

The sleepy-eyed good girl rubbed her eyes and immediately turned around and screamed, "Sisters—"

Li Xinyi had miscalculated.

It wasn't a question of Li Chu looking around randomly after entering the brothel, but a question of him being looked at randomly.

In other places, even if women develop affection for a handsome man, at most they would look at him shyly and charmingly.

The girls in the brothel didn't care about that. In an instant, a large group of flocking beauties surrounded Li Chu, chattering around him, almost reaching out to touch him. This made Li Xinyi extremely angry.

Li Chu blinked. He also lacked experience in dealing with such situations and could only use an indifferent expression to signal "keep strangers away." Fortunately, Li Xinyi, with her fierce eyebrows, was by his side, helping him dismiss the crowd.

"What are you doing? What are you doing? Acting like you've never seen the world," a languid voice came from behind the crowd.

The group of good girls immediately restrained their behavior and retreated, indicating that the newcomer had considerable majesty.

Li Xinyi finally breathed a sigh of relief and looked in the direction the crowd had parted.

The one arriving was Spring Third Madam, the boss of Spring Full Pavilion.

It was said that Spring Third Madam was a popular figure in Divine Luo City back in the day. After accumulating enough money, she bought her freedom and came to Yuhang Town to open Spring Full Pavilion.

Divine Luo City was the second largest city in the He Luo Dynasty. Unlike Chaoge, it didn't have the majesty of an imperial capital, and its entertainment industry was extremely developed, always known as the "Flower Capital," truly boundless romance.

The annual Flower Capital Assembly was the grandest event in the He Luo Dynasty.

Spring Third Madam was indeed from Divine Luo City. The girls she trained were each and every one professional, allowing Spring Full Pavilion to build its reputation in such a short time.

She was currently wearing a very ordinary set of homewear: a white silk cross-collar shirt with a plain-colored lining and trousers. The clothes were not conspicuous, but her plump figure could not be hidden. She had breasts like peaks and buttocks like a full moon, a willow waist that hadn't gotten fat after years as a boss, and she was tall. As she walked, she swayed gracefully, possessing a natural charm.

In comparison, the other girls around her immediately seemed vulgar.

She had seen Li Xinyi earlier that morning, and she smiled with narrowed eyes like crescent moons, "Lord Li, the yamen already came to investigate and confirmed that Mei Xiang committed suicide. The body has also been collected. Why are you back? Oh, and you brought such a handsome young daoist. Are you here for Mei Xiang's deliverance?"

Li Xinyi looked at her subtly charming demeanor and her gaze was unfriendly. She said with a straight face, "It's concluded that Mei Xiang committed suicide. We are here for other matters. This is Little Daoist Priest Li from Virtuous Cloud Temple. I specifically invited him for exorcism. Please show some respect."

"Oh? What other matters?"

"Take us to Miss Mei Xiang's room. I will discuss it with you in detail. With so many people gathered around, this is... what a mess."

Li Xinyi glanced at the surroundings and frowned. Compared to those other girls, her attire today made her look like a young lady of a prominent family.

"Alright, follow me." Spring Third Madam agreed and turned to wave her hand, "Disperse, disperse. Look at yourselves, as if you've never seen a man since you were born."

"Is it that we haven't seen such a handsome man?" a girl muttered softly.

"I'll send you to Virtuous Cloud Temple to become a nun tomorrow!"

Spring Third Madam gave her a glare, cursing as she raised her hand and slapped her plump buttocks with a thud.

The two followed her upstairs. After taking a few steps, Li Chu said very seriously, "Our temple is not accepting people right now."

Spring Third Madam glanced at him and smiled with narrowed eyes, "Little Daoist Priest, you are truly amusing."

Li Xinyi looked at her smiling face, then at her chest.

It was like facing a great enemy.

The second floor was where the popular courtesans' rooms were. Each bedroom was much larger than those downstairs, with a hall. Each room had an elegant name.

As soon as they went upstairs, they heard pleasant zither music. It wasn't loud, like a trickling stream, but it was deeply moving, making one's mind feel peaceful without realizing it.

After passing through the front courtyard, they saw the zither player on the terrace in the center of the attic.

It was a woman dressed in lotus-colored thin gauze. Her body was behind an eight-panel screen, revealing only a graceful shadow. Behind her was the distant sky with flowing clouds, and in front of her was a zither.

The scene was quite artistic.

Li Chu suddenly stopped here, pausing for a moment.

He felt that this woman looked a little different, but he couldn't quite pinpoint how. Looking closely, she also wore a veil over her face, obscuring her features.

Spring Third Madam smiled again, "This is Miss Green Vine, a newly promoted Popular Courtesan here. However, Miss Green Vine only sells her art, not her body. Forget selling her body, she won't even show her face."

"Oh," Li Chu replied, intending to move on.

Suddenly, the sound of the zither stopped, and Miss Green Vine withdrew her delicate fingers, asking, "Does the Young Daoist want to see my face?"

Her voice was soft, gentle, and very pleasant to listen to.

"That won't do," Spring Third Madam quickly shook her head. "You said before that whoever sees your face, you'll have to marry them."

Miss Green Vine stood up, her robes fluttering in the courtyard breeze, and smiled, "If the Young Daoist is interested, then it's fine to show him."

The implication was rather intriguing.

Immediately, Li Chu seriously said again, "It's really not necessary."

Li Xinyi immediately showed a smile and pulled him away.

Only Miss Green Vine was left alone, disheveled in the wind.

The interior layout of Spring Full Pavilion was vast, so it took quite a while to reach Mei Xiang's bedroom.

As one of the Popular Courtesans, Mei Xiang's bedroom was also spacious and elegant, with a hall and inner rooms.

The Little Maid serving Mei Xiang was also called over. The Little Maid was only twelve or thirteen years old. Although she had been scared for a while, she cried uncontrollably when questioned.

"I slept in the outer room last night, and Miss slept in the inner room. Everything was fine before we slept. Who knew, who knew how she just hanged herself without a sound!"

Spring Third Madam patted the Little Girl's shoulder and glanced at Li Xinyi, saying irritably, "We already asked this in the morning. Why do you have to trouble this child again?"

"Because Mei Xiang's death is suspicious," Li Xinyi replied calmly. "Was she holding a copper coin in her hand when she committed suicide?"

"Yes, the copper coin was also collected by the Yamen's constables," the Little Maid answered.

Li Xinyi was silent for a moment, then said, "We can conclude that Mei Xiang will turn into a Vengeful Spirit after death."

"Ah?"

Spring Third Madam was shocked. She was experienced and knew what Vengeful Spirits were.

After a moment of shock, she shook her head, "That's not right. Mei Xiang didn't suffer any grievances in her daily life. Even if she had some unhappy matters, where would such great Resentful Qi come from?"

"That's what I need to ask you," Li Xinyi said. "Who did Mei Xiang have grievances with in her daily life? Who did she want to take revenge on the most?"

This is the crux of the issue. Even though Mei Xiang died in the Spring Full Pavilion, wherever her resentful qi gathered, her vengeful spirit would follow. To prevent her from harming others, we must first find the location of her resentful qi.

(She) stared at the little maid, who grew frightened under (her) gaze and shook her head frantically, unable to say anything.

Spring Third Madam embraced the little maid and replied, "The girls in our pavilion interact with a limited number of people. Mei Xiang was usually arrogant and didn't get along well with several of the popular courtesans in the pavilion. But to say she'd become a ghost and seek revenge, that's hardly plausible."

Li Xinyi pondered for a moment, then changed the question. "Did Mei Xiang complain to you about anything usually? Before she took her own life last night, did she curse anyone? You were always by her side, you must have heard something."

The little maid sobbed twice, then thought for a moment before saying, "Last night, the young lady did curse someone, calling them heartless and cruel, fickle and ungrateful, forgetting past affections..."

"Who?"

"It was... it was the Wang Family's Seventh Young Master."

Thanks to "Star of Calamity with bad luck" for the 2000-point Recommendation Ticket Red Packet.