The Battle for the Courtesan Queen

The people below looked at one another. This price had already far exceeded their budgets. Besides, they knew perfectly well that they were only here to keep the Crown Prince company while he studied; they had never truly expected to win the Courtesan Queen. Part of their bidding had been to stir things up, and part had been wishful thinking. Now, this fat man had merely forced them to face reality.

"Is there no bid higher than five thousand taels of gold?" After waiting a while and seeing no further offers, the madam understood that the people below had reached their limits. Deliberately or not, she shifted her gaze toward the private rooms upstairs.

"If nobody bids any higher, this beauty is mine!" the fat man bellowed impatiently, as though he could not wait to rush over, pull the beauty behind the beaded curtain into his arms, and lavish her with affection.

"Six thousand taels!" A cold voice came from a private room not far from Song Qingshu's. He recognized it at once—it was the Yellow-robed Woman.

So she came for the Song Dynasty princess. Song Qingshu nodded to himself. Given her identity as a Song citizen, it was hardly surprising that she wanted to rescue these pitiable princesses.

A thought suddenly struck Song Qingshu. Could her repeated break-ins at the imperial palace have been for the Huan Yi Yuan as well?

"Seven thousand taels!" Seeing someone compete with him, the fat man flew into a rage and immediately raised the bid by another thousand.

"Eight thousand taels!" The Yellow-robed Woman's voice remained cold, though Song Qingshu seemed to detect anger she was forcibly suppressing.

"Ten thousand taels!" The fat man called out ten thousand taels outright, declaring his determination to win. Yet Song Qingshu noticed the fat on his