Jade Sheng House stood on East Street, where every inch of land was worth its weight in gold. Its fame traveled far and wide, drawing scholars and poets, wealthy merchants, and young martial heroes like moths to a flame.
Scholars and poets came here to compose verse and match couplets, to drink wine and write lyrics; wealthy merchants came to entertain honored guests and negotiate business; young martial heroes... when hot-blooded youths got worked up, their ass-endurance was more than sufficient, but their self-restraint was lacking. Their reasons for coming here were the simplest of all.
Jade Sheng House glittered with gold and jade, its lamps blazing bright. Every night rang with music and song, every day with feasts and revelry. Wealthy men and young heroes often squandered money here as though it flowed like water. The girls might not be handling ten thousand affairs a day, but their commissions surely beat those at White Cloud Manor and Forget Sword Manor.
Whenever Jade Sheng House was mentioned, Xiao He's eyes lit up. Xiao He said that every woman here could sing and dance, each more alluring than the last; beauties gathered here in clouds, possessing both virtue and talent. Even listening to them speak was a pleasure.
Xu Jixian had a whole heap of complaints as well. These little ladies had received professional training—three sentences were enough to make a guest throw down a fortune in silver. They seemed understanding, but were truly heartless, far inferior to widows who knew how to cherish a man.
Xiang Yuan listened to another whole stretch of comic banter.
Based on what the two had said, he more or less understood how Jade Sheng House made its money.
In Xiao He's words, a pleasure house was not a brothel: it sold talent, not bodies.