This Is What a Big Shot Looks Like

Yue Xiaochan read on, so captivated by the story that she could not bear to put it down. She desperately wanted to know what the swordsman would do next, yet the passage left her so embarrassed she could barely contain herself, her face as red as a monkey's backside. At that moment, she finally understood Meng Lan's earlier expression. Wasn't it exactly like her own flushed face now, with every occasional glance she cast at him brimming with spring water, mingled with an emotion she could not tell was reproach or resentment?

Xue Mu continued writing furiously.

The story was not long. If it were too long, no one would read it. In the end, the swordsman was found by his enemies again. Qianqian risked her life to block a fatal sword strike for him, allowing the swordsman to kill his foe—but the Qianqian in his arms was also about to wither away. With her last strength, Qianqian said, "This life is over. I can only await the next, when I may serve you in purity."

To Xue Mu, this was deliberately manufactured melodrama. But to Yue Xiaochan and Meng Lan, encountering such a story for the first time, their noses stung and tears pattered down.

"Xue Mu, you bastard!"

"M-Me? What did I do?"

"Why did you have to let Qianqian die?"

"Only a tragedy can move people's hearts."

"I don't care! You have to write her back to life!"

Seeing Yue Xiaochan's tear-filled little face, Xue Mu could not help laughing. "Of course she'll come back to life. Otherwise, how could our star courtesan Qianqian exist?"

Yue Xiaochan froze. She exchanged a look with Meng Lan, and the two women sniffled for quite a while before remembering that this was Xue Mu's second step.

Meng Lan cautiously asked, "How is this story supposed to be used?"

"This is called soft advertising." Xue Mu smiled. "Didn't you notice that the story is set in Hundred Flowers Garden, and its heroine is Hundred Flowers Garden's star courtesan? Once the story spreads, Hundred Flowers Garden will become famous, and so will Qianqian. The key is whether the story can take root in people's hearts. Judging by your reactions, I'd say there's a seventy or eighty percent chance."

Just like how Shaolin Temple had become so famous—who knew how much credit belonged to wuxia novelists...

Yue Xiaochan somewhat understood as well. "So you deliberately wrote that obscene scene in such detail..."

"Right..." No matter the era, no matter the culture, the quickest-spreading and most enticing things were bound to be erotic ones first, unless people had grown tired of them. That was human nature. Especially in this world, where literature was not valued. No one would read whatever profound masterpiece you wrote, but a little pornographic story could guarantee readers. Xue Mu did not say this aloud, but Yue Xiaochan probably understood.

Given the education Yue Xiaochan and the others had received since childhood, they had seen erotic manuals and learned dual cultivation arts. Even they could blush at such a story, so the other greenhorns would have even less chance of resisting it.

Xue Mu added, "As for that complicated, morally forbidden state of mind, that is precisely because Hundred Flowers Garden has such a background, making it feel real. A tragedy draws sympathy and sorrow, and invisibly cleanses its reputation. When people mention Hundred Flowers Garden or Qianqian, they will think of a heartrending love story, rather than merely a brothel selling smiles. Later, I'll make several more little stories about Hundred Flowers Garden. Once everyone's first reaction upon mentioning a brothel is Hundred Flowers Garden, it'll be hard for you to lose money even if you try."

"So that's how it is." The way Yue Xiaochan looked at Xue Mu changed once again. She truly had no idea how this man's brain was built. A single piece of writing contained so many layers of consideration, and every one of them made perfect sense. She asked as if seeking instruction, "Then should we take it to the bookshops to have woodblocks carved now?"

"No. Have the girls copy out several copies themselves and give one to every guest for free. In a place where there are practically no stories, I estimate that within three days, it will spread through the Capital City on its own. There will be no need for us to print it."

Meng Lan admired him immensely. "Please leave your name, Young Master."

A signature was also extremely important to people of this world. Martial artists valued their reputations. Making a name and establishing themselves was everyone's first goal upon setting foot in the martial world, and after becoming famous, they guarded that reputation with the utmost care. In Meng Lan's eyes, such a splendid story was enough to make the young master famous.

"Leave my name? No need." Xue Mu waved his hand. "This is to make Hundred Flowers Garden famous, not me."

In truth, Xue Mu merely felt that signing his name to a little pornographic story was too low-class. The fame it brought would not be good fame anyway, so there was no point. Yet Meng Lan was immediately moved, and Yue Xiaochan's eyes also sparkled. After a long while, she said softly, "I know you are not doing this for yourself, but leave a name anyway. Otherwise, I won't use your story."

"Fine..." Xue Mu picked up his brush. After pondering for a moment, he wrote four words: "Three-Good Scholar Xue."

"Is that a nickname you gave yourself?" Yue Xiaochan asked curiously. "What did it mean again? Which three goods?"

"Good means fond of." Xue Mu tossed aside the brush. "Fond of soft breasts, fond of long legs, fond of slender waists. In the martial world, I am known as Three-Good Scholar Xue."

"In the martial world, my ass. Is there anyone as shameless as you?" Yue Xiaochan laughed at his words and shot him a sidelong glare. In a syrupy voice, she asked, "You really like that sort of thing? I couldn't tell."

Xue Mu expressionlessly looked at her flat chest and said nothing.

Yue Xiaochan covered her chest and fled in tears. "My senior sister's are huge anyway!"

Yue Xiachan fled in tears, and Xue Mu's gaze unconsciously fell upon Meng Lan as well. Meng Lan showed off her exquisite, curvaceous figure without the slightest concern, even giving him a seductive glance. "Young Master..."

"Mm?"

"Although I would be quite happy to satisfy the Young Master's three goods, I am even more afraid that the Young Sect Master will make things difficult for me." Meng Lan smiled as she gathered up the manuscript and drifted away. At the doorway, she looked back with a smile. "I should go handle proper business."

She was no longer using Bewitching Arts, yet her natural seductive charm was still soul-hooking to the extreme. Xue Mu did not react much either, merely smiling and gesturing for her to go ahead. A faint look of disappointment appeared in Meng Lan's eyes as she turned away again, but Xue Mu suddenly called after her. "Has the Sect Master returned from Six Fan Gates?"

"I don't know." Meng Lan asked in surprise, "Does Young Master wish to see the Sect Master?"

Xue Mu pursed his lips and did not answer.

No matter how one put it, Star Moon Sect was controlled by Xue Qingqiu through absolute force and absolute prestige. Whatever he did required her approval. If he could gain Xue Qingqiu's trust just as he had gained Yue Xiaochan's, then with Star Moon Sect as his foundation, the sky would be vast and the sea wide, allowing him to do as he pleased.

He also had a somewhat unspeakable thought... Yue Xiaochan was too young, and Meng Lan was merely an external affairs disciple with little authority. If—only if—he could win over Xue Qingqiu...

Just as he was fantasizing, a violent explosion suddenly rang out in the distance. It was accompanied by earth-shaking tremors, and even from here they could faintly feel the aftershocks. Meng Lan's expression changed drastically. "In the direction of Six Fan Gates! Could the Sect Master have gotten into a fight with someone?"

Xue Mu could not remain still either. He dashed out with Meng Lan, and upon reaching the entrance of Hundred Flowers Garden, he saw Yue Xiaochan pulling at her Martial Aunt Qingqing and saying something.

"What happened?"

Yue Xiaochan turned and saw him. She gave an unhappy snort, but still explained, "Six Fan Gates refused to release her. Master got angry, tore down their outer prison, and let several convicted prisoners escape. She said that if they did not release her within a day, she would tear down one prison every day."

Xue Mu was dumbfounded.

Previously, he had clearly gotten the impression that the Demon Sect's opposition to the Righteous Path was out in the open, while it had reached some sort of reconciliation with the imperial court. Even if they opposed it, that should have been done in secret. Besides, they had businesses in the Capital City—shouldn't they be even less willing to offend the authorities openly? What was this about jumping up and confronting Six Fan Gates head-on? Did they no longer want their businesses?

Had his earlier understanding been wrong somewhere?

A moment later, Xue Qingqiu drifted over and tossed over a set of constable's clothes, her expression utterly unconcerned. "Chan'er, find a girl to put these on. Tell the guests that we can also play Six Fan Gates constable here."

Xue Mu folded his hands in his sleeves and stared speechlessly at Xue Qingqiu's utterly unconcerned expression. Perhaps this was what a big shot looked like...