The spring breeze stirred the beaded curtains in the courtyard, causing them to collide and create a lingering sound, like a throbbing in the heartstrings.
There were thirteen guests in total, compared to the usual ten.
But since Xiao Li has the money, these rules are completely unimportant; one can't expect the rules of brothels to be particularly strict anyway...
But when the maid led him in, Li Mo was taken aback.
Not because of anything else, but because of the furnishings inside the room.
There were no benches in the courtyard, or rather, no proper benches at all; the guests sat on...
They were all beautiful women with perfect figures, their limbs supporting them on the ground, their bodies arched like bridges, as if they had practiced some kind of martial art, such as the Iron Bridge.
Their faces were also painted with ink, yet their beautiful features were still visible, the kind that would attract attention if they walked down the street. However, their expressions were numb, as if what they wore on their faces were not skin, but masks.
It's a human stool.
It wasn't just stools; many other objects were similar.
"This..."
Li Mo's brows were furrowed very deeply.
"Hehehe... Young Master Li has never been to the Imperial Capital, so you may not know this."
The madam waved her handkerchief and beckoned over a human stool:
"You'll see once you try it. It's warm and soft to sit on, and you can even handle it at will. High-ranking officials and nobles in the capital keep quite a few of them at home."
"But they... are human beings!"
An incomparable sense of absurdity rose in Li Mo's heart.
Everything before him was challenging his worldview, which he had developed from being raised under the red flag.
"Go ahead and do whatever you want. How can you compare yourself to them? They're lucky. So many people would love to suffer like this but can't."
The madam couldn't understand Li Mo's shock and indignation. She said:
"Serving as a stool, urinal, or spittoon for a nobleman for a few years, earning enough money to settle down in the Imperial Capital, is better than being a wandering ghost."
"Land in the Imperial Capital is so expensive, there's nowhere to be buried if you die."
"..."
A nameless fire surged in Li Mo's heart, but a sense of powerlessness also rose within him.
That's not right, but they did it voluntarily, for a better life.
But...
At this moment, a guest dressed in fine silk laughed and said, "Young master, if you can't even get used to this, don't go to the toilet later. I'm afraid it will frighten you. You should hold it in if you need to pee!"
"Don't let holding it in all night cause any problems!"
"Hahaha..."
Upon hearing this, the other guests also laughed jokingly, and the courtyard was suddenly filled with a cheerful atmosphere.
Li Mo discovered that it seemed the people of the Imperial Capital had become accustomed to this.
Those who sit on the human bench, and those who serve as the human bench, don't think there's anything wrong with what they've always followed.
Xie Xuan opened his mouth, but felt as if something invisible was blocking it, leaving him speechless.
"Shut up."
A short, clear, cold voice suddenly came from beside me.
But the room fell silent for a moment.
Ice Block- cold gaze fell on the madam again, who shrank back, feeling a chill run down her spine. This young master exuded an air of nobility and was likely of great importance.
Several normal stools were brought out.
I just sat down.
A graceful figure emerged from behind the screen in the courtyard; her voice preceded her arrival.
"Who dares to be so disrespectful to me, making things difficult for my guests here?"
The customers who had been so intimidated by the 'Young Master Han' immediately sat up straight; they were all regulars.
Although we didn't get to eat it, we maintained good relations even though the deal fell through.
As the mistress of this place, Lady Nongying will definitely stand on their side...
"Oh, it's Young Master Li! If I had known, I should have gone to greet him myself..."
Hua Nongying looked at Li Mo with her watery eyes, her spring-like face showing just the right amount of surprise, along with a touch of shyness.
The guests. "?"
They've never seen this guest before. So what if he's a bit handsome? What makes him so special?!
Xie Xuan: "????"
Upon seeing those expressive, beautiful eyes, he was momentarily captivated, but his gaze beneath the straw hat quickly became complex.
After all, she wasn't flirting with him.
Something's not right.
Did Nongying already know Li Mo? Could it be that Li Mo actually wanted to come on his own initiative?
He was momentarily confused, but fortunately, although he was a love-struck backup, he wasn't completely stupid. Li Mo only just arrived in the Imperial Capital and had brought Cold Fairy with him today, so it was impossible for him to have known Hua Nongying for a long time.
"?"
Ice Block squinted his clear, quiet eyes, his smile slightly amiable.
A foot, encased in a boot, gently stepped on the instep of a Little Li.
I'm a little hungry.
What would you like to eat?
Li Mo sat upright and solemnly.
To be fair, is Hua Nongying beautiful? She is indeed beautiful, and her captivating gaze and alluring manner can melt even the most resolute heart. Her fourth place among all the most beautiful flowers truly deserves her title.
But to be fair, this is definitely not the type of person that a gentleman likes!
Having experienced the harsh realities of the information age in his previous life, Little Li the Gentleman can confidently say, hands on his hips, "I can tell at a glance you're a bad woman..."
"Add extra seasoning to the steamed buns," Ice Block said softly.
"Eat less; too much vinegar is bad for your stomach."
Li Mo silently took out a vinegar dish from the System Space.
"?"
Hua Nongying was taken aback.
She had never seen a man, or rather, a male creature, in her entire life who wouldn't even glance at her.
That's not all; her attention was also entirely focused on another man in their group.
May I ask you this?
But people with that kind of fetish wouldn't come to a brothel, especially since Li Mo is known as Wife-Prospering Fighting Soul...
It can't just be that I'm not interested in her, right?
Her eyelids twitched, but she quickly regained her charming demeanor and smiled at everyone:
"Let's begin today's tea ceremony."
"Playing tea games" refers to drinking games, or reciting poems and songs while drinking and having fun.
Whoever pleases Hua Nongying in the end may stay for the night.
In fact, other courtesans, even the most beautiful courtesan or the most virtuous courtesan, can have in-depth conversations if they stay overnight.
But Hua Nongying is different; she has no price, and staying overnight is truly just about singing and chatting, nothing more.
This was also intentionally done by Wind and Moon Cottage.
The more this happened, the more her value increased...
Half an hour passed.
"This Li Mo..."
While Hua Nongying praised the other distinguished guests, she was actually distracted, glancing to the side out of the corner of her eye.
Everyone looked on with strange expressions.
Since entering, that Young Master Li has not participated at all, and has been feeding the 'Young Master Han' next to him xiaolongbao from time to time.
What are you two doing here?
The steamed buns here are so delicious, is it really worth paying a 200 tael gold entrance fee just to eat them?
A glint of alluring rose red flashed in Hua Nongying's eyes again.
Her fingers, which were holding the wine glass, had turned slightly white.
This stunningly beautiful courtesan never imagined she would lose to a man.
"From now on, every word will be worth a thousand pieces of gold."
"Today, I'd really like to hear a poem that I'm satisfied with."
This step also signifies that today's tea gathering is drawing to a close.
"Brother Li! Since you're already here!"
Xie Xuan was truly anxious; he even called out to Brother Li.
"I've already arranged for you to see her..."
Li Mo sighed, noticing that the system had not recorded any feedback received.
Well, it seems Hua Nongying didn't even glance at Xie Xuan once the whole time, and probably didn't even know the baby was born.
Clearly, the investment deal did not go through.
"What does 'a word worth a thousand pieces of gold' mean?" Li Mo asked.
After Xie Xuan's explanation, Li Mo roughly understood.
These are two ways to stay overnight at Wind and Moon Cottage.
The first option is to write a poem that Hua Nongying admires, so that her beautiful name can be passed down through generations.
The second option is much simpler and more straightforward: the highest bidder wins.
It all boils down to fame and fortune.
"Forehead..."
Li Mo was about to say how convenient the second option was, that anything that could be solved with money wasn't a problem.
But then he glanced at the handsome Ice Block, who was expressionlessly eating dark-colored steamed buns.
"Brother Li, can you write poetry?"
Xie Xuan asked hopefully.
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