Though Chenxiang harbored some reservations, remembering that he was Su Yun's friend, she revealed a faint, cool smile.
"Chenxiang greets Young Master Guan." Her courtesy was impeccable.
Like Hu Yunniang, Chenxiang had been Moonlight Pavilion's courtesan queen the previous year.
Chenxiang had retained the title of courtesan queen for two consecutive years. The patrons and connections she had accumulated far surpassed Hu Yunniang's.
Before either had risen to prominence, the two women had already been sisters in all but blood. Their bond ran deep, and when Hu Yunniang had claimed the courtesan queen title as a dark horse last time, Chenxiang had been behind the scenes, fanning the flames.
It was also through Chenxiang's introduction that Su Yun, the young master of the Su Family, had become the most generous patron of both women.
This time, Chenxiang had already prepared both her talents and her "opening poem."
In the past, Moonlight Pavilion had only offered eight seats for courtesan queens, each one exceedingly precious.
But this Gathering of Beauties Banquet was different. Previously, the three establishments had each ranked their own contestants. Now, Moonlight Pavilion, Purple Xiao Pavilion, Silken Lane Spring House, and the others each sent twelve courtesan queens to attend the grand event and compete for the top ten.
Both in scale and intensity, it far exceeded anything from before.
Moonlight Pavilion placed particular importance on this grand event. Anyone who entered the top ten would not only receive a reward of ten thousand gold.
She would also receive a qualification to "redeem herself."
Looking back over the Gathering of Beauties Banquet's decades of splendor, such a thing had never happened before.
Courtesan queens were brothels' cash cows and treasure basins. How could they possibly be let go so easily?
It sounded like a fantasy. Not only were