Crown Fragrance Pavilion.
This was one of the top brothels in Longqing Prefecture, and tonight's courtesan queen contest was being held here.
The courtyard stands were already packed with refined scholars and gentlemen seeking flowers and asking willows.
By the time Aaron arrived, there was only a seat left in the corner.
"Sir, tonight is the grand day when Miss Heavenly Fragrance and Miss Purple Iris compete for the title of courtesan queen. Every guest may purchase golden flowers at ten taels of silver apiece and give them to the lady they fancy. In the end, whoever has the most golden flowers wins... If you can support a lady all the way to becoming courtesan queen, perhaps she'll offer herself to you tonight."
The procurer made it sound exceedingly suggestive, as though tossing out a golden flower could let one carry a courtesan queen home.
Having lived through the massacre that wiped out the Liu Family over a single White Peony, Aaron had little interest in that.
Throwing mountains of gold and seas of silver away for a courtesan queen was not his way.
"I'm not here to sleep with a courtesan queen. Call out all the girls in your establishment who sell themselves properly..." Aaron casually tipped him several taels of silver. "I'll watch the show first, then spend the spring night."
This lord must be a traveling merchant who's only looking to vent his fire... A cow chewing on a peony! the procurer privately sneered. He immediately understood that this lord had no taste for all that empty business of poetry and cultured exchanges.
Before long, a madam arrived with a flock of lovely girls surrounding her. "Greetings, my lord!"
Aaron swept his gaze over them, then suddenly pointed toward the back row. "That girl."
He had not