Playboy

Zhou Chen thought he was pretty stupid. He really did.

He'd actually thought the Third Young Master, a lustful lecher, would abstain from women for the sake of arduous cultivation.

But then, perhaps this was what the Third Young Master was really like.

With a slight cupping of his hands, Zhou Chen asked softly:

"Third Young Master, would you like me to come along?"

Standing at the top of the stairs, Xu Yuan glanced back and smiled.

"Didn't Mr. Zhou say earlier that he wanted the sisters Zi Ye and Zi Hua?"

Xu Yuan had always been generous to capable people.

He wasn't short on money.

"..." Zhou Chen's eyelid twitched.

Xu Yuan patted his shoulder and laughed.

"Come on. I've already told the madam to wait downstairs."

Zhou Chen was silent for a moment, then chuckled. "Then I'll thank the Third Young Master in advance."

With that, he followed Xu Yuan all the way down.

As they descended, a faint fragrance permeated the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.

It carried a hint of intoxication. It was probably concocted with medicinal ingredients; a closer examination revealed a faint aphrodisiac effect.

They passed countless beauties, and now and then they saw some young masters, fully dressed, standing outside private rooms and reluctantly bidding farewell to the courtesans inside.

Some inexperienced courtesans, seeing the Third Young Master coming down from the top floor, would even approach him to chat and laugh, their seductions subtle and unmistakable.

The Third Young Master was famous for being a sucker.

The girls all said that if you pleased him, the Third Young Master might sometimes toss out a hundred taels in one go.

The courtesans with private rooms in the Drunken Immortal Pavilion were all exceptionally beautiful and shapely. Xu Yuan was happy enough to flirt a little with these lovely young ladies.

Lust was only human nature. Since he'd come to this pleasure district, there was no need to be coy.

By the time he reached the rear courtyard on the ground floor, Xu Yuan was already perfumed with rouge.

Outside the Drunken Immortal Pavilion's rear courtyard stood several large compounds. The madam and several of the Pavilion's top courtesans all lived there.

These star courtesans enjoyed a great deal of independence. Not only were they stunning, they were also well versed in poetry, music, and literature. They even hosted some of the poetry gatherings held at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.

To become one of their favored guests, you needed more than money. You had to be willing to spend lavishly, and you had to be handsome and talented, too.

In other words, they chose their clients; the clients didn't choose them.

An old marketing trick, but these young masters with a taste for refinement fell for it every time.

The compound district behind the Drunken Immortal Pavilion was enormous. Calling it a collection of courtyards hardly did it justice; it was more like a garden estate.

Each star courtesan's residence had been built to the standard required for hosting a poetry gathering.

Pavilions and terraces, broad expanses of water—a scene of sheer extravagance.

But that was only natural. If the place wasn't lavish, how could they get those young masters to spend?

Compared to the star courtesans' compounds, however, the madam's residence looked rather small.

It was just a standard little villa.

At the entrance to the madam's compound, Xu Yuan pushed the door open and walked straight in.

He could have knocked, but there was no need.

There was an artificial hill and a little pond, a burbling stream, stone stools and a stone table. Birds sang amid the flowers, and the place had a pleasant charm.

Perhaps hearing the noise at the entrance, a cheerful voice immediately called out from inside the house.

"Oh, the Third Young Master is here so early! This servant hasn't even finished freshening up yet~"

Her tone carried the distinctive coquettish charm of the pleasure district.

As she spoke, a voluptuous woman pushed open the door and stepped out. Gold hairpins adorned her coiffed hair, and a simple, beige dress hugged her ripe figure.

Xu Yuan remembered that the madam before him was called Yue Niang, a formidable woman.

The original owner couldn't last three moves against her.

Once Yue Niang came out, her smiling gaze swept over Xu Yuan, then lingered on Zhou Chen behind him. Her lips curled into a smile.

"Third Young Master, you had Nine come tell me you were coming. Was there something you needed? If it's for two people, this old body of mine..."

Hearing that, Zhou Chen's lips curled into an amused smile.

Xu Yuan cut her off.

"Two things."

Yue Niang wasn't the least bit annoyed at being interrupted. With graceful steps, she swayed over to them and smiled with a slight nod.

"Go ahead. This servant is listening."

"First, send Zi Ye and Zi Hua to the top floor."

"Oh, well... that depends on whether my two girls are willing."

Yue Niang said this of her own accord, but after glancing at Xu Yuan, she immediately changed her tune with a smile. "Since it's the Third Young Master who wants them, we can set that rule aside. Please wait a moment, and this servant will arrange it. I wonder what the second thing is?"

Xu Yuan shook his head with a laugh, then walked over to the stone stool in the courtyard and sat down. He tapped the stone table and smiled, eyes narrowing.

"Second, send the new star courtesan at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion to my room."

Yue Niang's eyes flickered for a moment. She went to sit opposite Xu Yuan, gathering her skirt beneath her, and smiled sweetly.

"Third Young Master, there'll be a poetry gathering at Bamboo Garden tomorrow night. My girl will naturally be there. Why rush things~?"

"A poetry gathering?" Xu Yuan murmured.

"That's right. My other girls from the compound will be there to help out, too. You can show off your talents, and then all my girls will be smitten with you. Why rush things~?" Yue Niang tried to refuse tactfully.

Xu Yuan listened carefully, then tapped the table again and smiled.

"How much? Just tell me the price."

A hint of helplessness flashed in Yue Niang's eyes, and she hurriedly said:

"Third Young Master, it's not about the money. Invitations to my girl's debut have already been sent out, and she's a chaste courtesan. It has to be up to her."

Xu Yuan furrowed his brows and stared at the beautiful woman before him. After a long silence, he asked:

"So there's nothing to discuss?"

Yue Niang's smile never faded. She drifted lightly over to sit beside Xu Yuan, wrapped one arm around his, and gently stroked his thigh.

"Third Young Master, don't be upset. How about this? No matter what happens at tomorrow's poetry gathering, I'll arrange for you to meet my girl. How does that sound?"

Xu Yuan glanced at Yue Niang's ample bosom, then silently pulled his arm free.

Yue Niang straightened up with a chuckle and watched Xu Yuan with smiling eyes.

Xu Yuan, meanwhile, looked thoughtful.

She wanted him to attend the poetry gathering?

He carefully recalled the famous poems that had been passed down through the ages in his previous life.

Hmm... It might not be a bad idea.

This could be a chance to show off.

But as soon as the thought crossed his mind, Xu Yuan shook his head lightly.

He was Xu Changtian now.

Poetry?

He didn't know the first thing about it!

Was he supposed to come up with a timeless masterpiece on the spot when he couldn't even write doggerel?

Taking a deep breath, Xu Yuan took ten thousand taels in silver notes from his Sumeru Ring and slapped them onto the stone table.

Yue Niang's pupils contracted slightly.

She was astonished not only by the ten thousand taels in silver notes, but also by the ring on Xu Yuan's finger.

Ignoring the shock in Yue Niang's eyes, Xu Yuan stared at her.

"For the last time: will you send her or not?"

Ten thousand taels to buy the first night of a star courtesan was already an exorbitant sum—so exorbitant it was absurd.

The sisters Zi Ye and Zi Hua together only cost around forty taels a night. Booking just one of them might run a little over fifteen.

The hundred-tael-a-night rate for the top floor of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion was generally split among a group for a gathering. Only an outrageous young master like Xu Yuan would stay there long-term.

Spending tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands, of silver taels for a star courtesan's first night only happened in storybooks.

Yue Niang glanced at the ten thousand taels in silver notes and pressed her lips together, looking rather pitiful.

"Third Young Master, the invitations have already gone out. Can't you wait a little longer?"

Given how eager the Third Young Master had always been around women, perhaps he'd offer even more. He already had a Sumeru Ring, so surely he could afford to raise the price.

After a moment's silence,

Xu Yuan put away the ten thousand taels and set three thousand-tael notes on the table instead. As he walked toward the exit, he said to Zhou Chen:

"Mr. Zhou, come with me to Bamboo Garden."

"Ha, sure."

Zhou Chen answered, throwing Yue Niang a look that said he was enjoying the show, then silently followed Xu Yuan.

The Third Young Master could have just taken her by force. She'd actually refused ten thousand taels. Heh.

"..."

Yue Niang glanced at the three thousand-tael notes on the stone table, then got to her feet and called after Xu Yuan's departing figure with a bright smile.

"Oh my~ Since the Third Young Master loves my girl so dearly, ten thousand taels it is."

The stream burbled, and the courtyard lay silent.

Xu Yuan's steps were unhurried. He paid her no further attention.

He'd already offered the money.

If she wouldn't take ten thousand taels, so be it.

Three thousand taels was already the going rate in his memories. If the young master was talented and knew poetry, the price might even be cut in half.

At the entrance,

Yue Niang's cheerful voice softened a little as it drifted after him.

"Third Young Master, there are rules to follow in everything. You can't just buy and sell by force."

Hearing this, Xu Yuan glanced at Yue Niang, chuckled, and closed the courtyard gate.

The courtyard shut, and everything fell quiet enough to hear a pin drop.

Yue Niang sat on the stone stool. Her eyes flickered for a moment as she drew in a deep breath and slowly let it out.

Source Qi surged through her. Her figure suddenly blurred, and in the blink of an eye, she vanished from where she stood.

The instant her figure disappeared,

BANG!!!!!

A dull boom erupted in the alley beside the courtyard!

The dust settled.

Xu Yuan looked at the beautiful young woman who had suddenly appeared before him, only to be slammed against a stone wall nearby by Zhou Chen, who had her by the throat. Amusement flickered in his eyes.

A few breaths later, Xu Yuan sighed and said with a smile:

"Yue Niang, what are you trying to pull?"

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